FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

Hi there,
I just joined this forum after purchasing a FC wagon off evilbay yesterday. Probably paid too much...
Looking forward to collecting the car in a weeks time. My brother is going to restore it for me - hoping to learn lots from this site to educate myself.
Brother thinks he will have it on the road for me in about 6 months time - I will be using it on weekends as our second car, I was after something vintage and hopefully hold its value.
If someone can tell me how to load pics I will attempt to post some of the old girl that needs a lot of love & hopefully not too much $$$

Welcome aboard, funs times ahead for you and your brother.
As for pics, get yourself a photobucket account and follow the instructions here - http://fefcholden.org.au/forum/index.php/topic,5613.0.html

Welcome aboard..

Which wagon the one with green front fiberglass panels ?????

This one ? Ebay Item #290505620628

Yes that is the one - is it a terrible buy?

Nothing is a terrible buy if you love it and enjoy it thats all that matters.
Welcome aboard there is lots of advice here in the forum.
Cheers
Deano

Thanks Steamman I have had feelings of what am I doing to real excitement - but if it is really a horrible buy speak now before $$ changes hands in a weeks time.
Brother seems excited by it - he has restored a lot of hotrods, speedway cars

I thought that was a pretty good buy floors will be a lot worse when that carpet comes out  i have seen a hell of a lot worse done up


not a fan of glass guards tho...



Pete

Are the glass guards a safety issue foremost?
Are they able to be changed?
Will see what brother has to say about it when I have lunch with him on Thursday

Not a real issue just old fiberglass gets ugly crazes and cracks in them im not a fan but hey they might be ok..

Just remeber when stripping the car dont get carried away bag it and tag it is the key..

And dont go rushing out buying every rares part make a list and buy and repair sections as you go make a plan of attack..

thanks for the sound advice Fchoon - really appreciate it

In my experience its going to take a fair bit of effort (and longer than six months part time) to save a car like that.

You did get it at a low price but restoring it to a registerable and driveable condition is going to cost losts more $$. Maybe 10 times more.

A very good useable wagon in restored weekend driver type condition is going to cost maybe $10k-$14k. Maybe less if you are patient and come across one selling privately and not through eBay or a club.

I hope you don't get disappointed by the length of time or cost of your resto as your enthusiasm is shared by everyone here!!

Good luck and keep posting updates. Exciting times ahead  :)

Welcome to the forum.Your project looks exciting.Do yourself a huge favour,strip it and get it sand blasted!A car with this much rust is much easier to repair once that's been done (I know,mine looked a lot like yours) otherwise you spend your whole time chasing holes and there will always be rust you can't see.Of course this is only my opinion (wouldn't do it any other way).Good luck.Cheers,Jamie.

 ;D
Hi guys,

Don't let the resto time put you off. I bought a 58 FE Station Sedan that was ready for the tip. I was told I was mad when the pics were shown at a club meeting. I took it on and 6 and a half years later my wife and I drove it to Mt Gambia for the 12th Nationals, where it picked up 3 trophies. My wife drives it now, quite a bit. Like someone has already said here, get it sand basted. You are better off starting with bare metal, so you will know what you are in for. You will be surprised at what is under the paint. Good luck.

Cheers Rusty

Thanks again for the starting point, I am really excited to have this forum as a mentor - yes sandblasting is the first point of order.
Hopefully it won't be too costly (I am very lucky), brother will be able to write a lot of it off against his business and parts will be at cost from the US - I promise I will use this thread as a journal of the restoration journey and the cost.
I will post a picture of when we pick it up on the trailer

so no trip to thailand then?????

hey sis

got some question's

this fc has a 2.2 motor, (flintstone's could run faster then that) thinking of a baby 253v8 to put in it??

understand there is a few things to do to put it in, but

will the firewall need to be reshape? or put couple inch's back? or will the 253 fit in way it is?

haha you cheeky bugger!! Yes thailand absolutely.

Ok ok, your forum id is way cooler than mine - will have to put my thinking cap on to come up with something better  :P

Been discussed a bit before. Ed Ho built a brilliantly executed 308 V8 FE Wagon, sold on but he still frequents the forum.

(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i28/fefcnats06/MtGambierFEFCNats08/MTG%20FEFC%20Nats%20Sat/08FEFCNats180.jpg)

I love this picture of it - looks like a toy. Nice job Alex  ;D

(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i28/fefcnats06/MtGambierFEFCNats08/top12-C.jpg)

Try this search ($2)

Or here ($2)

Or here ($2)

Some more useful stuff

Rods Racks Steering Conversions ($2)

Rods Racks Engine Conversions ($2)

Contains a list of things he does to fit the 253/308

   1. Removal of existing Motor and Gearbox
   2. Removal of existing Front Kingpin Suspension
   3. Supplied HR Cross member to be modified as per following:
         1. Stripped and Sandblasted
         2. V8 Engine mounts and EJ/H Outrigger fitted
         3. New Ball joints fitted
         4. Painted  (black enamel)

   1. Subframe is recessed to fit bigger radiator.
   2. Radiator and Electric fans fitted
   3. Gearbox Cross member fabricated to suit
   4. Gearbox tunnel altered to suit.
   5. Floor shift fitted
   6. Set up accelerator cable
   7. Set up Demisters (standard heater/demister or 12V hair driers)
   8. Fit seatbelts
   9. Fit Windscreen washer
  10. Fit Battery into boot
  11. Fit Front and Rear Swaybars

Rod Shop Bits & Kits ($2)

Hmmmmmm, 6 months time and not too many dollars to spend - I would steer clear of the V8 option.
Even getting the red six up and running with the necessary certification will require lots of dollars & effort. Do you have a clear indication of budget?

$5000

$10000

$20000

Ken

Hehehehe it was a toy...A life size one.I had the pleasure of going for a blast in it at Mt gambier nats and it goes real well....355 355...  ;D Jamie

Hi Ken, budget is very tight hopefully around the $5k mark - will probably end up being double the time and money though if it is anything like house renovations.
These floods through a big spanner in the works though - my brother is currently up at Ipswich, he has vacated his workshop and the water is lapping at the door. The semi's that has all his stock in it has been stopped enroute and already has water in the trailers. I am very worried for him

Yes it has been very sad to see & hear about the devastation in QLD. I hope that you brother is OK.

In my opinion 5k will be way short of what is needed.

Getting paint and body work for nothing will help, but when you think that just getting a front and rear bumper rechromed nowadays costs $1000, money goes very fast.

Ken

Hi Maree

Like the others said, something is worth what someone is willing to pay, so you stop thinking about the purchase price if you love it, because that is the cheap bit  :)

It's good to not go into these things in a rush, don't put too much of a time limit on it as this like anything in life will only detract from the whole experience, plus if your bro is going to do a lot of it with you, make sure you go at his pace and don't rush it.

I have done up cars b4 and rushed and taken short cuts and afterwards u end up thinking "i wish i did this or that better when the car was apart".

I am planning this one very carefully (my FE with FB30), as FC Hoon has said to me and I agree, try to think ahead a bit and make difficult ( or what may seem to be) changes to suit possible future alterations, like if you want a bigger motor and don't wanna do it yet, you may as well do those little upgrades like wipers and brakes while everything is out....just think ahead a bit if its a long term car you will keep. I am at about same stage as you b ut have started a month ago.

For instance I might do a stock RB30 to start with but will probably put in a heavier rear driveline if I plan the same running gear. If I was gunna go v8 later, then id probably spit a few diffs and go with what I got now because I'd have to do different gearbox and tailshaft anyway etc.

Going V8 adds a whole new ball game, heavy engine requires good front end and chassis setup versus a straight six or v6 etc etc...

Cheers and good luck.

Deano.

It's definately a lot like doing a house reno but you've got the right idea, whatever you think it will cost double it and you will be getting close, don't let it discourage you though there is nothing like the feeling of driving a classic.
            Pedro

hi ken and everyone else

5k is around the mark,
we build race cars for a living, export parts from the states, japan for the racing industry, along with crate, mopar,etc engine, and we where just about to start exporting american musscle cars, but floods stopped that now.
as for 6 month its going to be a little bit longer now, damn water

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workshop has meter of mud in it lol, and stinks!!!!

theres water bloody everywhere! Im just downstream of horsham and the river is 3 km wide :) holding up my project digging levies and drains for neighbours etc.

Best of luck with the floods. Hope things dont get too wet for you.