1959 FC Ute!!

[FCRB26]

Got one here in newcastle out of my ute if your stuck..

Pete

[smitty]

Thanks for the offer Pete, but believe to have found one a little closer to home.

Thanks again,
Mark

[Not Happy Jan]

Looks great Mark.
Bet you can't wait to get it back on the road!!!
Nick

[smitty]

Haven't been getting as much done on the Ute as I would have liked but got a solid day in yesterday. Have decided to tackle the tray and get that all back together. Defiantly needed some attention after all the rain we have has in Sydney and the poor thing being outside with only its car cover (amazing how water can find its way through a waterproof cover).

Anyway decided to cut the groove where the insert would sit out and get a new channel section made up. cut out the old and in with the new. Was surprised how hard it was to spot the weld line after. Didn't take any photos before the end but this is how it turned out.





Will make up some supports to run across next weekend hopefully. The fuel tank should be back from being repaired as well so mount that if I get time.  Will need to spend a few days on the tailgate, ill post some pics when I get some and get your opinion on weather its even salvageable cause its fairly bad haha.

[smitty]

Long weekends = progress. At least a little. Found a tail shaft and got that all fitted up. Fuel tank came back from the radiator guy so gave that a coat of POR15 and mounted it all up. Came up really well and glad it fit in with all the new metal that was around the mounting points. With the fuel tank in we  attached the pedal box so that we could start running fuel and brake lines when we get time.

Had my panel beater uncle come around ans start to mock up all the hanging panels and get the outer sills tacked into place. For the most part the panels fitted fairly well. Its amazing how someone who knows what they are doing can get ride of any cap with a hammer and a crow bar.

Anyway pictures below, love the fact its starting to look like a car again and getting excited for the next phase.

[Old_Mt_Isa_Boy]

Well done Mark. Its coming along nicely.

Regards

Wayne b

[smitty]

Fairly stoked to be moving away from the welding and grinding and more into finishes now. Finished off welding up the two sills making sure to get the caps with the doors spot on and tidied up some of the more unflattering welds either side of the spare wheel door and a few other places.

Am extremely lucky to have a panel beater uncle so after a trip to autolac got stuck into the body work. Started on the roof first (witch I thought was perfect but apparently not). Great to learn from a professional but definitely not an easy job, my arms are still sore from a day of sanding. Didn't anticipate the amount of sanding dust that ended up on every surface of the workshop and the poor commodore parked on the hoist next to us well it was a cm deep by the end.

Not very exciting pics below:







All the fuel and brake lines are done, clutch is in and working. Thanks a million to Pete (FCRB26) for sending down the last piece of the handbrake cable and will install over the next week.

Does anyone have any ideas on containing the body work dusk while inside the shop? not to keen on doing it outside (seems a little dodgy for anyone walking past). Might just end up getting some drop sheets and covering everything in the shop, might save myself the three hours of cleaning (not to mention the poor apprentice who spent all of today cleaning the shop).

Thanks in advance :)

[fcwrangler]

Smitty, most of the sanders these days have vacuum attachments so you can hook them up and control the dust that way, although you will still get some excess dust

[smitty]

Not to much of an update this time. Pictures of bog are not that fun anyway. The car not starts, runs and stops. Got the engine running after a little hassle with the intake. Got to take the car for a drive around the car park at the shop so that was awesome!! Gearbox is now back out though after a few issue, so has been sent out to get a full rebuild. Anyway, dad got a video of me starting it for the first time so thought I would put it up.



Spent the long weekend working on the tailgate. Had two extremely average ones but have cut and put one good one together with the help of my uncle again. Still have to get the skin on but should end up being ok. Wont be an update for a while as ill just be bogging and sanding so we might have some colour next update.

[Not Happy Jan]

Looking very good.
where did you send your gearbox to?
Did you  get a quote?
Nick

[smitty]

Hey Nick
Not to sure where yet as it hasn't been picked up. They told my dad it would up being between 500 - 600 depending on a few things. I was reading your thread on gearbox rebuilds the other day to get an idea of what they should cost. figured what they said fell in that range (with Sydney/northern beaches inflation) so will let you know when I find out who is doing mine and what kind of total it will be.

regards
Mark

[smitty]

hey guys, not to much happening ATM on the ute unfortunately. Have had a lot of time to spend on the tailgate that has been a massive job. I managed to get an extra one that although was not rusted out it was bent and bashed to another dimension. I ended up having to cut up both and use the top half of the rusted one with the corner sections of the second one. Have fitted it up with all the hardware and fits well so will fit the skin soon and then back to bodywork.. will hopefully get some more time soon to get cracking on it and maybe one day get some paint on the poor thing.

[DJ]

A lot of time & effort that went into that tailgate. Great result.
After pouring all that passion into it, are you now considering a big heavy rear bar?

[smitty]

Rear bar isn't a bad idea, hadn't thought about it. If anyone ever run into I would be so pissed haha. Although annoying has been a good learning experience anyway, just glad it all fitted ok.

[JOX515]

This is going to one really good looking and well built ute - well done.

[smitty]

Thanks for the comments guys, glad to see you guys think I am doing a decent job.

Got stuck back in this weekend after a few weeks off just being lazy. Winter isn't kind to motivation at all. Decided to knuckle down on the tailgate and get the back of the ute finished up. Was always going to be hardest side as the tailgate was a mess and the lower section next to the spare wheel door were replaced and lets just say my welding still isn't quiet up to scratch.

Am so stoked with how it all came out, looks a thousand times better then I thought it would so rather stoked  ;D







Looking to keep the momentum going now and finish up the body work then off to paint.

Till next time,
Mark

[DJ]

It's a brilliant result.

Here's a spare for your parts collection (wouldn't it .....).
Not a good as your's now but considering how rare they are & seeing what you went through making one from two, I'd grab a spare if I had a ute.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/FE-FC-HOLDEN-TAILGATE-/231281735734?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item35d9773836&_uhb=1

[FCRB26]

Station wagons different to ute DJ or id be onto it..



Pete

[smitty]

Thanks Pete, was just about to say that. Had already come across that one but wouldn't work anyway. Am hoping ill never need to fix a tailgate again after this one. If i bought another one i would end up needing it haha.

[FireKraka]

Hi Smitty
Your ute is going to look fantastic when it is finished by the way I have 2 tailgates here can I send them to you to make one good one for me?  ;D ::) your has come out fantastic. Can I ask where you got the skin.

Regards
Neil H