Practicality over History

[HARKO]

  8
I'VE GOT A GOOD TOPIC
How many of you are out there building or driving Custom's ?
I just love seeing custom's on the road and in the garage ,After all isnt our sport based on individuality ,
Don't get me wrong here a good solid original old Holden should remain that way if it's been looked after for this many year's ,but if you come across something that is'nt pristine and your putting the time and effort in to a build up then I say go your own avenue then next time you say "Did you see my car I drive a dah da dah dah dah" Then the person will respond with enthusiasm ,Otherwise they respond with did it this, did it that to try to pin point which one of those eight two tone green sedan's was it
I have grown up with a father who build's Street Rod's not Hot Rod's the difference being that he is not a hoon ,He build's a car that is turn key reliable and upgraded to as close as possible to a modern car without away the little uncomfortables of history ,
Modern day practicality is what it's all about to me ,Sure he has rubbed off on me but I just dont have the passion for Rod's ,
The last Street Machine magazine I opened I flicked through and spotted a Rod and responded with "thats nice" kept flicking and spotted that White FC and gave a whoooaaarr that's cooool
Keeping a car standard when it comes down to leaving the standard faded colourless upholstery in because it's original rather than retrimming it with what you like or something close to original is beyond me .
My 28 year's didnt see these car's factory fresh so a lot of the older enthusiasts might see me as having a lack of respect ,But on the contrary if I am another person recycling an Old Holden then the Holden's are way better for it and maybe even better than driving a stockie because my pride and joy in another ten year's will still cut it in City traffic which will allow me to be seen and remembered from the custom paint , flame's graphic's mural's or whatever make's the car individual
Where as a stock example wont cut it in modern traffic so wont be driven as much and wont be seen parading history down main street at peak hour in the rain {oh did I say in the rain ,Well maybe not in the rain
                                           
                                               Harko.
8

[fc_ute]

good topic harko.
i drove a standard fc everyday for a few years but i still stood out from the crowd because i built it as a 1959 perth taxi right down to the signwriting,meter,2way radio and lights. certainly stood out in any crowd.
now i drive a mild custom ute which is purple with metalflake purple flames from the front to the back,louvered bonett and tailgate, custom lakes pipes and lowered 4" font and 5 1/2" back with whitewalls and smooth chrome full wheel covers. it still has a grey but has been sklightly warmed. i drive this EVERYDAY rain hail or shine and will be driving it across the nullabor in november to attend Johns Rod and Kustom Picnic. it has been on the road for 18 months and still turns heads ALL the time. isnt that what it is all about?
craig

[fc_ute]

i am trying to show a pic of the ute at last years hot rod show here in perth

[fc_ute]

ok that didnt work. i have a lot of photos stored on a site called webshots but how do i find the url's of photos?
this is the page it is on
http://community.webshots.com/photo/24241361/24241999rZMJMYdWJR

[FEHOLDEN]

OK HARKO

YOU'VE OPENED THE CAN OF WORMS SO LETS SEE HOW MANY PAGES OF REPLIES WE CAN MANAGE.

FIRSTLY, I LOVE THE LOOK AND THE LINES OF THE FE AND EVEN THE FC TO THE POINT OF NOT WANTING TO TAMPER WITH THEM AT ALL AND CANNOT UNDERSTAND ANYBODY ELSE WANTING TO EITHER ALTHOUGH I DO LIKE THE LOOK OF ALEX'S FC CUSTOM.

HAVING SAID THAT, I AM NOT SURE THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY SPONGE FACTORIES ABLE TO TURN OUT A PRODUCT WHICH HANDELED ANY WORSE THAN THE ORIGINAL SUSPENSION SETUP OR FOR THAT MATTER STOPPED ANY BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL BRAKES. AS FOR THE OLD GREY MOTOR I WOULD HARDLY BE THINKING YOU WOULD FIND ONE UNDER THE BONNET OF A FERRARI.

IT IS WITH ALL THIS IN MIND THAT MY "EFFIE" IS GOING TO BE THE ORIGINAL SLEEPER: HOT MOTOR, DISC BRAKES, TRICKED UP SUSPENSION AND A LOOK AS IF IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST RESTORED EXAMPLES ON THE ROAD.

I HOPE THAT I HAVE BEEN CONTRAVERSIAL ENOUGH TO EXCITE COMMENT FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE ORIGINAL VS MODIFIED FENCE AND AWAIT ALL REPLIES.


DENIS

PS: LOVED THE PHOTO OF YOUR UTE CRAIG

[HARKO]

I hear you and beleive that is what it's all about, Your Ute is sweet as pie ,How  do you find the neighbor's cat's ,Do they catch on exhaust hanger's
My ute had a grey in it for over a year ,with drum brake's and dropped {compared to your's}not very low but enough to take a skim off the bump stops and in saying that , I had very few drama's with the driveline apart from 3 gearboxes "It turned into a work ute carrying colorbond sheeting on custom builder's racks" But I find it hard "although I do do it" to get in and not think twice about a trip to melbourne or surfer's or even cairn's
Upgraded driveline give's technology,,
With your photo's click your right button on the pic and go to properties - I used the info at the top of that screen,this should help , At least I hope so, I wanna see more
Cheer's ,,,Harko

[fc_ute]

my ute rides pretty rough because it is resting on the bump stops on all 4 corners but this is the price you pay for cool. my wife will come along for short trips but thinks that we (me and my 15yo son) are idiots for wanting to drive across the country. we are just treating it as an adventure.
we are currently building my sons fc wagon which will use the complete drivetrain from a vn commodore but from the outside will be full 60's custom. this will be his first car and should be ready for him when he turns 17. he cops a bit of flak from kids at school because they are all into jap crap and dont understand the thinking in wanting to own an old car

[HARKO]

I would love to know more about the Wagon, Your son is 15 you said ! At what age does it become a shaggin wagon ?I'd say 15,I'm clocking up the kay's on the bumpstop's at the moment chasing a wagon as you may have read ,Its turned out to be not a little red wagon but a white and grey sitting in a shed out west for the past 10 year's , I already have a rear ended VN Calais and the plan is to have Practicality over History which is a couple of step's behind you ,Any stand out tip's ?By the way tell your young bloke his mates will learn his foresight in a couple of years when they've owned 2 or 3 thousandsof dollars lost rice burner's and his clean talking point is gaining the money they lose on resale value,,
By the way did I mention your ute is sweet as pie ??
We dont see much of the scene from down your way but it's alive and kicking by that website , a bit of a surprise to me and I'd say a great deal of other East Coaster's
Denis were on the same wavelength here although I dont mind a healthy grey ,I much prefer a driveline more efficient ...."AND A LOOK AS IF IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST RESTORED EXAMPLES ON THE ROAD."
Harko

[customFC]

Nice ute. Love the flames. I agree with Harko to some degree. I like the fact that my FC looks different from the rest. Isn't that why we drive these old girls anyway. I think a stocker in traffic will be noticed and remembered as well as a modified. It's when you get them all together that I like the fact that mine is even more different. Check out the members cars thread for some pics..
Regards
Alex

[HARKO]

 8)Here's a few pic's to keep the punter's happy , But be warned  "virtual airbag's in use, This is a 2 inch chop FE, I hope you agree that this emphasizes the style rather than overdoing it ,ED I think you will see what I mean,Sorry about phone batteries,


This one's from the cover of Supercar 1985



Have more but if I spend any more time on this danged c/puter I wont be recycling art then will I......Harko

[normd]

Stockers , or Modified    
     I used to use my FC as a "Pro-mo" for the Music Shop I had in Sydney Years ago . I would display it in front of my shop on festival days , even drove it in the "Blacktown City Festival" one year (pic in "racing FE & FC's)  I couldn't get a permit off the RTA so I used a set of "trade plates"  nearly got BUSTED doing it (haha) .
     Best advertising I ever did, the old guy's would say "geez I used to drive one of these" and the young kids just couldn't get enough of it . The local camera shop told me 80% of the films taken that day had pics of the car , every one a "business card for me". Even made the channel 7 news.
   Sooo  , don't matter if they're Stockers or Modified  they still turn Heads
       Yeaaa     for  FE's & FC's
       Norm    

[mcl1959]

I'm rapped at the minute as I've just got my FE back from the painters.

It has a Victoria twin line flash and no other chrome.  No badges, no bonnet emblem, no indicators.  White with a blue back.  Blue flames on the front.  Custom grille and lowered
It's a 186 with Trimatic and should be a great cruiser  

It will be in QLD for the nats all going well

Those of you who saw my last car at the NSW nats will know that this one is a BIG departure from what you  saw last time  

Ken

[sgo]

Ever since the first Holden owner got their car into the home driveway I;m sure ideas for modifications and improved technology began to grow. Wanting the benefits of the latest technology is what led to the installation of heaters, demisters, twin carbs, lay back seats, and all the other mods you can think of.
This evolution includes red motor swaps from 149 to 202 and any other later motor to the current range of V6;s.I;m sure that whatever GMH comes up with next will eventually find its way into an FC/FE and years from now we will see hybrid -power , and electric engined cars at your local club events. It;s not just the urge to have an individual and modern equipped car but also pressure from government that will see these mods evolve in the future. The best part is that at least old classics will still be seen and enjoyed on the road for years to come, and those of us in this hobby will still have lots of fun trying to make it all work!
Oh, and stock is O.K. too!