Messages

Here are a few more images relevant to the last posts, Photobucket has been difficult to negotiate lately...













Steve's FC Ute has been assembled to the point that it can now be wet rubbed and the final color can be applied, the loose panels will be hung and painted inside and out before re-fitting back onto the shell

Gary has an impressive collection of FC commercial vehicles, this particular example began as a panel van that has had Station Wagon rear 1/4 windows cut into the upper side panels...these were to be removed and the van restored to a windowless van, before it was to be re-painted.

Replacement side panels were provided by the owner, however they were severely rusted





The decision was made to reproduce side panels...there was a lot of bullets to be dodged before the replacement panels were ready to be installed

















There were rust issues between panels that was cleaned up as part of the process





The upper edge of the lower panel was re-aligned to meet the upper replacement panel, here a weld-on pull plate lifts the car clear of the floor to achieve alignment







The upper panel was positioned and TIG welded in

Steve's FC Ute has been retrieved from the paint shop where the inside edges have been painted original body color, we will re-fit the front subframe, hang exterior panels and re-gap and make it a roller so it can be returned to the paint shop for final color on the exterior

lonestar  

        can l ask the process you went through on the under floor  

        you started  with bare metal  after doing the repairs
        you said sealer  was it two pack ?
        then primer what type ?
        what are you finishing it with  ?


            thanks greg  
                                                     

         

The process starts with abrasive blasting the floor then coating the areas with epoxy etch primer.

After the etch has set up, brush-on seam sealer is applied to the areas where weld seams or factory overlap joints exist...Sikaflex sealer is also used where it is appropriate to work along a seam with a caulking gun, then smoothing with your finger.

After the sealer has set, the whole area is masked, re-coated with etch primer and after flash time, it is sprayed with the splatter schutz (see photos).

Because the ambient temperature is below 15c, it was left for 2 days before it was re-coated with primer, ready for re-masking for 2K color.





Above image is as it appears just before masking is removed...there is a Ton of work on the rest of the vehicle to be done before it is to be painted, if there is any collateral damage here, it will be detailed and re-primed as necessary.


The Ute has been partly disconnected from the rotisserie to allow the front subframe to be trial fitted and front sheet-metal mounted to it for gap checking and adjustment before preparation for prime/paint





.

There is a 2 Pak splatter called Raptor (TM) that I also use where abrasion resistance is required, it can also be painted with color directly over the product, however it ain't cheap

 
We got underbody sealer sprayed under the finished floor areas, and coated with primer.

The lower door frames had some rust repair sections shaped and welded in






Wayno has prepared lower door skins, first wheeling the correct shape in, then tipping the edges, which is a critical step to maintain the correct door gaps after installation.
After trial fitting, the skins are tack welded, the tacks planished to restore the correct shape...then TIG welded to complete the join.

Got some more Mileage on the tailgate, coated all the inner pieces with weld-through primer to prevent future rust, fitted and spot-welded all the doubler plates and internal bracing into the frame, welded the replacement inner face into the shell and crimped on the outer skin we had previously wheeled up then trial fitted it to the Ute back with hinges attached to confirm correct fit...

I intended to post up more photos last night of the tailgate...for some reason we had no connection, mate said the state of origin footy had something to do with no data?





I will get something up when I get a moment...sorry for teasing Neil

Some useful advice there ardiesse, I will remember that when I am assembling my off topic engine in the near future...Stuart

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

The inner tailgate frame was rusted and beat up, it is unlikely we would find something better so the decision was made to fabricate a replacement panel for the damaged lining and TIG weld it into the remaining margins...A complete inner frame could be shaped, however this way results in an effective solution in a shorter time...read less cost.

As a new member here, I should introduce myself as Stuart, and part of the team responsible for the restoration of the FC Ute being discussed in this thread.
I don't own an FE or FC, nor do I have any allegiance to any specific make...I just like interesting old cars.
My background was in collision repair and always had an acute interest in shaping metal.

The owner of the Ute (Steve) recently delivered the doors and tailgate down to the workshop for repairs, Waynos has been working with the doors to align/adjust fit and refine door gaps, then lower door skins were wheeled and edges tipped, and they are a work in progress...we are waiting for the door frames to be abrasive blasted and epoxy primed. Meanwhile the tailgate was assessed and we decided to re-work the frame by replacing the inner face with new metal that we worked in the Pullmax and Turns is making a jig to assist in alignment when we weld the old to the new...An outer skin has been wheeled, the top margin rolled over and radiused, and the edges tipped to provide parallel gaps when fitted to the frame.