hey harko i just got back from overseas and saw this post.
it is great to see the new lease of life you are breathing into the car, i only wish circumstances would have allowed me to do the same. i had such grand plans for it and was happy steadily chipping away at it, but as i am sure everyone knows other committments come to the fore at a certain time in your life and you have to let go of a few things. (every time i get into the (gasp) mazda i am driving now i still feel a pang of loss).
it certainly has had a varied life, and when thinking about it i owned it for about 6 years as well, and i remember when chuck first swapped his new and very shiny ek ute for it - we all thought he was absolutely insane (especially because of its taxi yellow colour - i can still hear the taunts of the guys in the workshop before chuck painted it "taxi!") i remember cruising around in it in my highschool days when each sometimes reckless but always blissfull experience only served to draw me deeper into the old car culture - building great memories of great cruises and friendships.
i loved seeing it transform slowly after i bought it, planning and gradually changing towards the car i always wanted. there was a perfect time with this car for me (all one colour, skirts and lake pipes, nice and low with whitewalls and smooth caps, custom grille, welded bumpers etc etc) before the old lady (not my wife but an actual old lady) ran her car down the side of it resulting the primer finish it had when i sold it.
nothing beats that feeling of cruising down the road with the arm out the window with that distinctive burble ringing in your ears. ahhhhhh think i will cry again! i have never had so many looks - not that that is what it is all about of course!
anyway my whole point was that i am really glad that you ended up with it harko so that its life can continue to evolve in the way i saw it happening with me before i had to part ways with it. i know that it will contribute many more memories during its lifetime. I am really looking forward to seeing how it turns out... keep the pictures rolling in.