FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

We had a few days of leave left after returning from Orange so after a family meeting we decided to resurrect Nadia's FE Ute (last seen at the Philip Island Nats) by doing a ground up rebuild and adding a pano roof from a rusty EK Pano that I picked up.
Plans at this stage :
- Red motor, possibly Red 3.3 (got one already), Supra 5 speed (got one already), M90 style blower (can get one cheap) with a Gas Research Carb running straight LPG. This one will be a regular driver so 5 speed and LPG should make running costs bearable.
- HR front end and brakes (got one already)
- Probably a Volvo diff, I might use the one I have rather than putting it in the Sedan.
- Metallic Green paint, the lighter/brighter shade on the recent Commodores
- Tan/Natural Leather interior, Custom Gauge Cluster, Tarago Middle bench as the front seat for the 1/3 flip forward and a station sedan rear seat for hopefully 6 seater capacity.
- Body mods: High Roof, Commodore side indicators to replace the FE front indicators (got none), possibly a one piece tailgate but then I can't cruise with the tail-gate half open  :'(

The Ute, double defected  ::) requiring repairs to be sited in bare metal for defect to be removed.
(http://s1.postimage.org/CsOfJ.jpg) ($2)

The Pano, more tin-worm than an entire wrecking yard  >:( going to a good cause. Some goodies from the van will help fund the project, I think I'll keep the unopened (rip-top) stubbie of Southwark Bitter for posterity though  ;D
(http://s1.postimage.org/Cthbr.jpg) ($2)

The usual suspects "helping out" again
(http://s2.postimage.org/xqgii.jpg) ($2)

My first full interior will be going  :'( lot's of mistakes and lessons learnt in there.
(http://s2.postimage.org/xtyk9.jpg) ($2)

Old 161 and Aussie 4 speed to be set aside for my LC GTR
(http://s3.postimage.org/lTvOi.jpg) ($2)

Don't mess with Jaras!
(http://s1.postimage.org/CyxWr.jpg) ($2)

Possible final colour
(http://www.carsguide.com.au/images/uploads/Holden-Commodore-wagon-green-1.jpg)

Sounds good Stinky almost sounds like it could be a 1950's Prototype for the Sandman.

Cheers Jim

i'll be watching this one!!! and what do you mean by dubble defect?

Hey Stinky,

Sounds interesting... but at the risk of sounding harsh or over critical

I don't think the high roof will improve the lines without making the vehicle look disproportionately top heavy.  Think of the horrid lines of a disabled cab, or a mr whippy truck or a high roof transit.. unless you need to accomodate a physical disability, I'm sorry I can't see it improving the lines.

If anything the roof on an FE/FC is too big, so a 1 inch section removed thru there normally makes it flow.

I'm all for different things but sorry Mr Stinky, chops and sectioning have been the norm for a reason... hope I havent offended you, and apologies if I have.

Cheers

Ed

i'm re-reading this... are you high roofing the ute, or adding the FE front to the pano?

if it's the pano, then cool, but the ute? no.

Hamfist - double defect = 1 defect in Tintanara on the way back from Philip Island Nats (suspected too low) then they added a second when I went to get the first taken off.

Ed - No offense taken, people are entitled to their opinions and with a project like this I am expecting some "feedback". I was looking at grafting an FE front to the EK Pano, but the Pano is too far gone. The ute was languishing so we decided to combine the two, either way the same end result. Some people think HR Panos are ungainly and others like them, one of the first jobs is to unpick the roof from the pano and fit up to the ute to make sure it is going to work and will look the way I want it to.

Well, I am no great scholar on old cars and rebuilding etc. but if thats what you want to do - go for it. Look at that double bogey sedan/ute hybrid I saw pics of at the Nats. Whatever you build, build for yourself, you may start a trend and at the least, no one else will have one!!

G'day Stinky, while it would be sad to see the EK van wrecked the roof would be going to a good cause, I'm one of those that likes the high roof vans( :P Ed ;) ;D ;D) and it sounds to me like a great one of a kind project, It might be a bit of fun ::) getting the windscreen pillars and frame aligned though the FB/EK has a completely different setup.
                       Pedro
p.s. parcel sent

Sounds like all the fella,s from the shaggin wagon erra love the high roofs.

Maybe some bad experiences with a low roof. ;D

Growing up on the gold Coast a shaggin wagon with six surfboards on top and a "don't laugh your daughter may be inside" sticker on the back window was compulsory ;), Ahh the days of the drive in and a mattress in the back ;D ;D
         Pedro

that applied not only on the gold coast, Pedro  ;D ;D ;)

having owned a number of FB/EK panos, and being an admirer of FE/FC panos, I'm having trouble forming an opinion on a 'high roof' FE pano - can a photoshop genious give us a pre-view??

Sounds interesting.
As Pedro has suggested a photo shop preview would be great to see before you start the hard yards.

Cheers
Paul

Hey Stinky
I'm lovin' everything about this idea......but the colour!!
Bring it on I say.
Regards
Alex

Unfortunately this is the kind of thread that I try to avoid.Glenn,you know I love your work but IMHO and with what I have had to deal with (rust wise) I think the van is easily repairable and the ute just needs a colour change.As has been mentioned,this is your build and is entirely up to you.I doubt I'll be able to avoid checking up though as much as it will make me cringe.I am of course hypocritical because the next one I build will have extensive mods,just not body related ones.Having said that I do appreciate your "thinking outside the square".Good luck what ever you do.Cheers,Jamie.

Glenn,

I wish you luck with the project, I am a fan of the windowless vans and prefer the lowline look, although the FB EK could hardly be called high roofed, I assume that if you are going to put seats in the back you will be putting windows in it.

I am curious as to how it will look, with the higher than normal roof line, and the FE front.

I hope that ll goes as planned and that there are no major hurdles

Keith

Here ya go...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/hiroofvanblue.jpg)
Regards
Alex

ps. Thanks for the loan of the car Rusty, I bet you don't remember parking that out front.

Give it a run stinky, cant hurt!!  I think it should look ok, well just checked the photoshop, that looks great!!

Looks great just needs a roof chop  :o :o.......FC427......

I was apprehensive at first, now seeing what it could look like, I am all for it. Give it a go, Stinky

Keith

Yep, definately give that one a go Stinky, should looks the goods.

Dean.

Thanks Alex, that's sweet!

Looks like I have something in common with Peter Brock! My very own polariser  :P

I reckon the fb ek croud will take a double take on that when driving past :D

I'll take one thanks, nice work Alex, go for it Stinky, thats cooooool

   ditto

That looks wicked Alex, you never fail to amaze me at how fast you come up with these pics, I like that colour better than the green too 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
           Pedro

As an old Panel Vanner I daresay the extra headroom could come in handy ;) ;) ;D ;D. Go for it Glenn, nothing ventured nothing gained!. Cheers, Jack

The irony there is that the guy who originally suggested the idea is doing a chopped EK Panelvan.

This is my "Street Machine" project so I know I want the paint to be bright (rather than a subdued tone) so far the green is in the lead, I'll most likely put on a set of 14" Tasmans as soon as I can locate the extra 2 that I need for a set.

I am convinced. Go for it.
Alex you did a great job on the photoshop.

Cheers
Paul

Pick a colour....any colour...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/hiroofvanblue2.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/hiroofvanblue3.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/hiroofvangreen.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/hiroofvangreen2.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/hiroofvanpink.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/hiroofvanpurple.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/hiroofvanred.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/hiroofvanred2.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/hiroofvanyellow.jpg)
Regards
Alex

How awesome is that i love the Candy red one reminds me of a FE i seen in a street machine or other mag as a kid was something like 10 coats of candy red looks great.
I prefer the whole sleeper look thing myself but its all up to the induviduals taste
this is what makes car building so much more fun some people like your ideas others hate it but unless someone goes outside the square you will never know what can be done.
this post origanally put me off cos of that ugly thing on e bay the ek roof on the fe but this would look pretty kool sorta the height of a ej eh roof line different but looks good.

Take the rain rails of and it will look even better ;) bring it on Stinky it is going to look awsome 8) 8)

                                              Cheers Damo58

Love the colours, makes my decision that little bit harder now  :-[
Has anyone spotted the extra little bit of attention to detail?

The first one, or an electric royal blue....

The rain gutter around the door?

The number plates with VAN 56H on them ;)
                   Pedro

The window in the panel on the far side?

Special Trim, ie around the windscreen, across the door, longer spears, park lights etc

the pics look  good Stinky...

i misunderstood your entire first post.

I thought you meant you were going to keep the ute cab with a high roof and the std ute back!  ::) ::)

Yoiks! yep that would be ugly.

Got in one Pedro  ;)

Do I get a lolly pop ;D ;D
        Pedro

a dumpy roofed ute!? I thought you all had lost it.. turns out it was me  :-[

lol  the ute/pano will look good.

Ok...can I change my mind now...? :P

If I remember rightly (and if you haven't dropped it in something else) you've got a good EFI 202 which would fit in nicely ;D

Looks to me like it still has a back seat in it

Don't you mean a Gasresearch carbed LPG 202  ;)

Ahhhhh I see. Wots it in now?

Just for info - the ute's gone to Greg from Gawler Auto's!!

Well common sense, the time vs money vs skill equation and the start of my new business means this project has gone the way of the Dodo  :'(
But there is something else that will be revealed in another thread  ;D