Ok so I’m still cruising along slowly.
I had a bit of trouble with the tailgate and tail light area, being that they sold me the wrong primer so to be on the safe side I ended up blocking it all off and respraying it.
They said the primer I had on it would be OK but as I had to get more primer I thought I’d put the right stuff on everything.








Also I cleaned up the bonnet skin and the front and rear inner pieces and got them primed.






I welded up the seam on the rear inner support and straightening that up.










And now it was time to turn it around and start on the other end, firewall.















Nothing a skim of filler can’t fix.







Now just started on the door openings, getting them tidied up, any dints, spot weld indentations ect.


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Thanks guys.
Nick, when I left school all I wanted to be was a panelbeater, couldn't get an apprenticeship anywhere. Ended up getting  a trade as a wood machinist and did that for 10 years. In that time I did paint and panel work on the side.
Then I got a job in a major smash shop in Brisbane as a painter, did that for about a year or so then moved to Redcliffe in a small panel shop as a painter.
Buy this time I had built up enough equipment and moved to Hervey Bay and started up my own smash repair shop. Ended up with 6 staff, and a tow truck doing everything from major smash work to full resto's. Did that for 13 years, in that time I got my papers for trade qualified for painter.
Ended  up getting the shits with it all as it took up all my time leaving  nothing for my own projects and family.
I went back to night college and studied, got myself fit, learned how to touch type, this was all while running my panel shop.

Then got out of the panel shop and  joined the Qld Police and have been there in Highway Patrol ever since, 19 years.
Now I enjoy playing with cars again, building my own stuff in the back yard with less than 12 months before I retire from QPS.

Mal

Finally finished off the new dash, started with separating the inner and outer sections
.

Then fitted the new speedo, this just needed a bit of trimming to make the hole about 3mm bigger all round





Then made the new section for the other gauges and warning lights







Then welded them in





Next was to modify the plastic facia. I wanted to keep with the original look.
The facia was cut into 5 pieces to start with.









I sanded all the inside and outside of the plastic and taped it in place to the dash where it had to go. I then joined it all together with normal body filler. I also filled in the back for a bit more strength.



















Once the facia was finished I did a bit of tidy up on the dash panel



Starting to take shape





Then for a bit of primer, I also sprayed a bit of black on the facia to show how it will look all finished









Thanks for looking


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Got my new gauges for the Ute.
They look great. Came from Classic Instruments in the states.

That will be my next job I think doing the mods to the dash to fit the instruments

I had the made with the red needles.








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Thanks mate, I’m planning on putting some K’s on the old Ute when she’s done.


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Just finished off the release cable for the hard cover.










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Thanks guys for the supportive comments.
Another little bit I made was a stainless trim to go around the number plate recess.
This I made out of 2 EJ Holden cowl-panel moulds.
The 2 trims were cut into 3 pieces and welded together with stainless wire in the mig.



















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Hey all, been a fair bit done to date.
All the floor is finished.







The air con, battery tray and power steering pump is in the hatch area behind the seat wall










The lift up floor in the back is done.



I made quick release hinges for the lift up floor lid














The strips I made for the back I had chromed



I made polished stainless rods to hold the tailgate to replace the old rusty ones.
Each side was made up of 5 pieces all welded together and then polished.










I’ve repaired the tailgate inside and out and the tail light panel











I also made up these little trims to go on top of the tail lights. These were ground down from sedan trims.








I made and fitted hidden tail gate hinges






















I’ve made a hard cover for the back that’s operated by electric rams.







The hinges took a fair bit of working out but I ended up using VN Commodore bonnet hinges









Instead of using gas rams on the lid I used linear actuators







Then I designed and made quick release top actuator brackets in case the electrics failed. These were operated by a cable similar to the bonnet release cable. When you pull the cable the top bracket drops down and allows you to lift the lid by hand.























The top will be covered with water proof vynal.






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Sorry guys, can’t keep up with the updates and have been posting on the modified FE FC Facebook page


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Finally got the ute to the sandblasters, a couple of hours later and it’s all done, then home to get primed.
She’s starting to go ahead in leaps and bounds now.














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Picked up my bonnet and sun visor after getting the vents cut in.
Love the look, they did a great job








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While waiting on the sand blaster I did a bit more work in the tray.
I finished of the lid





I used the same profile in the lid as the inside tailgate










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Just catching up on the updates

She’s finally back on the rotisserie with just a few welds to finish off and then it’s off to the sand blasters









Quite overwhelming when I sit back and look how far it come


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Rear door made for access to the battery, electric power steering, electric air con compressor and air con evaporator. The door has gas rams to keep it open and closed. Works great.

















Now just have to sheet it all off .


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Finally finished off my fuel filler relocation. Decided to put it in the back.

Just a bit of press work and shaping to start with








Then to fit it









A bit of messing around remaking the new filler tube into the top of the tank





Now for the cover up







And pretty happy with how it all turned out


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Ross
All Vehicle Certification Services did my ute.
Randal HASWELL a great bloke to deal with.

https://au.linkedin.com/in/randall-haswell-a5087651

Now started on rebuilding the rear tray floor
Firstly starting with the wheel arches, making them 50mm wider



















Now for the next side


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Yesterday I got a bit more done on the LH rear wheel arch up to where I decided to do a bit of fuel filler surgery while that area was still accessible.

Been struggling with the fuel filler option in my head for a while and bought a flush mount filler door that I was going to put in place of the original recessed one.










This change came about as I was going to have to change the routing of the filler tube, due to the inlet on the Mustang tank being in the middle at the back





So ended up not using the new filler door at all and cut out the original recessed one and filled it in all together





The old one cut out, and new piece marked out ready to trim and fit











Nothing like welding on a big flat area and then spending the next couple of hours slapping it up to get the wobbles out of it


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Now started on rebuilding the rear tray floor
Firstly starting with the wheel arches, making them 50mm wider



















Now for the next side


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Bit of an update
Modified the wall behind the seat to move it back 50mm














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I finally got the tyres fitted to the rims so I could cut the diff to length and get that area all finished off.

I ended up using 265/50/15 on the back and 185/65/15 on the front.
The rear tyres are a nice snug fit.













The front tyres I’m hoping will be ok for clearance to the guards






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