NEW PROJECT FC UTE

[Mal W]

Hi all, new to the forum and I've purchased an FC ute. We travelled from Gympie QLD to Gawler in SA and towed her home. The ute has bad rust in the rear floors and chassis rails. The doors aren't to bad and the front guards need a lot of work. Also the front floors and front floor cross member have bad rust and will need replacing.
So the plans are - 304 Holden V8 with 4 speed auto. Ford 9inch diff with 3.5 lsd. Also planning on an after market front end and triangulated 4 bar rear suspension.
So we'll see how close I can stick to the plan.

Can someone advise on the best way to add photos to my post.

Thanks

Mal

[Mal W]

[RET]

Hey Mal,

Welcome to the Forum. Looks like you figured out attaching pics!

Lots of friendly and helpful folks here, and lots of previous build histories to check out.

Good luck with your project.

cheers
RET

[FireKraka]

Hi Mal
Welcome to the forum lots of good people here and great help when needed.
Have you thought of using a VN,VP, VR LSD instead of the 9 inch, I've used them in my V6 FC sedan and my V6 EK Ute; I recently fitted a SBC 305 and a 9 inch to a friends FC sedan and have to say that I thought it was an overkill along with being quite a large diff of course we call it customizing and it is every-bodies own choice but just my 2 bobs worth.

If you are going to buy a donor car for the engine and gearbox etc may be worth also using the diff.

Good luck and I hope we see a lot of pictures of your progress.
Neil

[Mal W]

Thanks guys, Neil I already have the 9inch fully rebuilt and the housing, the diff is a bit of overkill but I have a 9inch in my FB also and I just like using them.
I have bought a VT Calais as a donor car for the motor and box and any other bits I need and it has an independent rear end so I couldn't use that.

Just thought I show the cars I already have in my collection also-

My latest finished build is my 57 hardtop - took 8 years



Before that was my FB sedan that one was finished in 2008



Then before that was my trusty old 67 Mustang -  its been done now for about 19 years

[Errol62]

Hi Malcolm,
I remember following your build of the yellow FB.., and look forward to hearing about this one.
Cheers
Clay

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[FireKraka]

Hi Mal
No drama as I said just my 2 bobs worth and as Clay said I have read your build on the yellow FB that is a really nice car mate and well done, look forward to seeing the Ute
Neil

[Mal W]

Just a couple of photos of when she first came home







Mal

[Errol62]

Well the spare wheel door doesn’t look too bad....8)8)


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[Longman]

Big job! Looking forward to watchinging you bring her back to life.

[Luke Healey]

Welcome. Can't wait to see the progress pics

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[Mal W]

Bit slow to get into things with the ute as I still have other projects that I'm trying to finish as the same time also.
Anyway - to start with the LH guard, I bought rust replacement panels for all the corners. The headlight panels were so far off fitting I ended up making my own for the top and used some of the aftermarket for the inside.
Original front headlight section



New side panel made and fitted







Next side







Top, front and inner done







Next was the top rear section
Original










And finally the lower section










Thanks for looking
Mal

[ardiesse]

Genius at work.  Whose lower guard repair sections did you use?

You might need to transfer your attentions to the LHF wheel though . . .

Rob

[FireKraka]

Very nice work Mal wish I had half your metals skills
Neil

[camxsmith]

Wow off and running great work.. 

[my8thholden]

Your into it , I like your approach ,working the usual rust spots on the car ..going to love following this job ..Vern

[Mal W]

Thanks guys, Rob all the panels I got were from Rare spares.

[Errol62]

Mal that's swift progress by my standard and very tidy work on the headlight peak  no pull down on the butt welds. What's your secret?

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[Mal W]

I'm a bit slow at getting the photos up on the site so it may look as thought I'm going ahead in leaps and bounds but its just catch up. Errol, no secrets just hammer and dolly.

Still trying to work out how to get the photos resized a bit smaller.

mal

[Mal W]

Just a bit more from a few weeks back
My original tailgate






My original tailgate was a bit worse for wear and I had planned on rebuilding it with a new skin for the inner ribbed section and I got a new skin for the outer.
As I found the outer skin is flat and looks like crap.
I ended up tracking down another tailgate that a bloke had sitting inside an old wreck for the past 20 years that didn’t have a rust hole in it, just covered in surface rust with a few dints in the outer skin but the inner looked as if it had been run over with a truck.
So I carefully removed the outer skin and straightened up the inner skin then cleaned off all the surface rust with hydrochloric acid.








I also took the hinge reinforcing plates off so I could clean behind them to and to make sure I got all the acid out of it.
I made and fitted a new reinforcing section to go across the centre also






Then a trial fit




Next on the tailgate is to weld up a few holes and straighten out a few dints and refit the skin




Mal W