FC Sedan 2008 Barn Find - FNQ

[hrpremier]

Well I've been a member of the site some time now using people's stories and feedback to help get me underway in the progress of my latest project.

I thought it was time I started my own post of the progress (or lack there of), which has been slowly building since I first started my journey in September 2008.

The car was acquired in June 2008, after I was told about it being stored in a shed for the last 28 years untouched.  Not knowing what to expect I ventured off on the 3 1/2 hour journey to look at the car with no real intension to buy. (Well that's what I convinced the minister for war anyhow).  I distinctly remember using the phrase "I'll never build another car again" and "Next time I'll buy one already done".  The FC was dragged out of the barn after all these years as two of the tyres were flat and the brakes and engine had ceased.  A quick glance over proved promising.  The rats had stayed clear and the interior was in remarkable condition.  Very little rust and seemed to take hold (Considering) and apart from missing a couple of chrome strips seemed straight and in good condition.  The car was originally Olinda Green all over and at some point the black was added to the car.

A price was agreed upon and it was now time to go home and face the music.  To my surprise the news was welcomed...........
Was this an attempt at that reverse psychology my father had warned me about many years ago..........
There was a catch.  As I did the hr previously, this car was to be hers and she got to choose the colour etc.  To be fair we discussed this scenario previously but I had forgotten, so I figured she must have as well. 

All the finalised details are a long way off yet as I have to get it stripped completely first. Plans at this stage are a V6 conversion, but leave it looking stock, including interior with a brighter two tone coat.  I should have read the contract fine print though, as I have since found out Lisa has the right to change her mind without notice and as many times as she sees fit.   . On top of that shes been pregnant so theres no way i starting an argument no rational person could win. hehe

Oh well.  I don’t drink, don’t smoke and are not allowed to associate with bad women any more so I need something to keep me busy.


Progress may be slow so dont expect miracles, but as this eventuate Ill keep all up todate. 


The FC on the day I first viewed it.


After getting it home and washing 28 years of dirt and dust away.


The FC with the hood and front guards removed.  Lots of ceased bolts needed to be cut off to get to this stage.  The VS V6 donor car in the background.  One day people will look at this photo and ask "what a shame to cut up an old classic"


Armed with a wire wheel the slow process of the paint removal has begun.


The dash and interior all removed.  Not easy for a 6ft 5inch gut to get behind that dash to remove everything.


Starting to look like a project now.  Hanging panels and interior removed.


The engine for the transplant and maybe the auto tans as well.  See what I can pick up in my travels.


Doors seem to be in quite good condition.  Never can tell though until all the paint is removed.


The standard fuel tank removed and getting ready for the tank from the VS Commodore


After a week or so working on the panels with a wire brush, a small amount of rust was found.  Quite please with the outcome.

Thanks for looking.  More pics can be found in the link below................

http://gallery.oldholden.com/hrpremier/

Jase

4869

[Paul In Ireland]

Looks like you are of to a fling start. You also seem to have got a very good car, condition wise - did you beat out the drivers wing yourself?

Keep the updates coming and watch out for the famous Henchmen who sometimes come and visit and "encourage" harder work!! 


 

[NosFEratu]

Hey Jason

Looks like you've got a good starter there and that you've been pretty busy. I don't think the henchmen need to be summonsed quite yet - and - by the sounds of it, you have your own task master anyway!  Just always remember, it is far better to have the wife/girlfriend making a "list" that has progress on the car at the top rather than at the bottom of it. 

Kathi 

[customFC]

Nice car to come across, I see why you could not resist.
Good luck with the build up.
Regards
Alex

[hrpremier]

Just to make clear in regards to the footnote with the interior photo of the dash.....  I am a 6ft 5in guy, I do not have aft 5in gut. lol

Typo.

Just wanted to clarify that.

[hrpremier]

Hi Forum.

Its been a while since my last update but progress has been continuing, albiet slow.  Footy Grand Final in a weeks
time (Real Football - AFL, not that League shit they play up here in QLD and don't even get me started on soccer!!)
so hopefully October onwards will free up Saturday's, and at least two nights a week.

Here are some update pics to show what has been happening for the last couple of months.


The front guards and hood in primer to help prevent surface rust from making a hinderance of itself.
With the humidity up here in Cairns any exposed panels get a fine film sitting on them in a couple of days.
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The Fuel Tank Removed and floor cut ready for tank support straps to be located and fitted.
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Straps installed as I was going to go with a setup similar to sgo's 59V6.  New change of plans.  Weld VS Floor into Boot to keep
VS fuel tank underneath the vehicle.
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The VS Commodore Sedan Boot Floor Removed.  Next to clean it up ready to weld into FC.
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[hrpremier]

Part II of Update ........
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The VS V6 Brake Booster fitted onto the firewall.
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My son Brock, thrying to "help" after giving the FC another good hose, clean out.  Have also installed the
VS Steering Column into place.
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Have also aquired a HR Disc Brake Front End.  Now I can dummy fit the engine into place in the engine bay
once a few more pieces of the puzzle fall into place.
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Last weekend cut the floor of the VS Sedan out to be welded into the FC Sedan.  This will give me the hand
brake placement, trans tunnel to suit the M30 automatic gearbox, with mountings in place for front seats, exhaust, and gearbox supports.
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Front End of the FC removed ....... 
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......... And a failed attemp to remove the Y frame.  Damn rusted in bolts.  Nothing a cutting disc and a sledge hammer
with a punch wont eventually overcome.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cleaned up ID Plate on firewall with details of vehicle.
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Well thanks for looking.  Thats the latest for now.  As I said earlier hopefully a little more progerss will happen over
the next few months as I will hopefully have more free time.Thanks to the likes of FCVanV6, SGO and Pedro for the inspiration and ideas to keep me inspired.

I promise the next update wont be so far away as the last.

hrpremier

(Jase)
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[NosFEratu]

Great progress there Jase! 

[pedro]

Looking good Jase, seeing the floor sitting there like that brings back some memories(not all good).
                        Pedro

[JB]

Ah yep... I remember that bit LOL...

You will have fun amongst the swearing!!!

JB

[hrpremier]

Only had today (Sunday 13th Sept) to work on the car this weekend.  Managed to get what looks like some head way made today. 


The Floor Pan of the FC Sedan came out without any real problems.

After cutting the floor out here is a picture of some of the dirt stored inside the floor support frame.  22 years of use and
28 years of storage in a barn on a farm with a dirt floor.  No wonder the thing seemed heavy to push around. LOL.


I had to cut away the bolts holding the Y Sub-Frame on.  Finally managed to get it off with out it falling on me
while I was lying under it with a grinder.  A little rust but overall very good condition.


The Sub-Frame removed from the firewall and only three brusied fingers from hammering out the rusted in bolts
holding the Y Farames to the mounting points. Doh!


The Floor Pan of the VS Commodore is placed in its location doing a dummy fit before welding it
into place comences.


Again the Floor Pan from the Commodore sitting in its rough location inside the FC Sedan.


The FC up on stands with the original drum front end removed, the Sub-Frame removed and the
original floor cut out and the VS Commodore replacement floor sitting in place.


Here is a picture of the dirt and crap which fell from different parts of the car today as I hammered out rusted
in bolts, cut away the floor removed the and dirt fell from inside frame work.  Even though I've washed it many
times over the last 12 months shit seems to fall out of teh thing continuiously.  Seriously cant be much more
left in it.  No wonder it was heavy to push around in and out of the shed. Lol.

Next weekend probably wont very very productive as we have the grand Final with footy on Saturday so if all goes to
plan, and even if it does not, the weekend will probably be a write-off. 

[Rabbitoh]

The Floor Pan of the FC Sedan came out without any real problems.

Sorry, but couldn't resist hi-jacking this thread-
looking at that photo, it seems a shame we can't get these pan assemblies reproduced by an enterprising someone (hello Rares, et. al.). If they were to give it a go, and the result was a close repro, the queue would form behind me
I know, I know..., a man can dream can't he?

[hrpremier]

To those who have tackled this problem;

I believe the most important part of the floor transplant planned is to ensure the trans tunnel is centeral to the body, which I believe it is.

I bolted the seat into position tonight before looking at welding it over the weekend, and using the exisiting mounting points from the VS Commodore floor  the seat sits not centeral to where the steering wheel is located. I had previously placed the steering wheel where the original sat, in the centre of the dash display guages "on the drivers side of course". I would have thought the steering wheel centeral to the guages is a necessity for the appearence of the car let alone legality reasons to read the dash.



Have others come across this problem, and or how was it overcome..  Surely I dont need to cut the dash display panel out and resetit centeral to the seat?

Any suggestions will be welcomed.

On top of that tonight we had a rush to the medical centre with Brock as he fell off a low window ledge tonight just after I finished work and smacked his forehead on the endge of the ledge, so its now 21.49 and I am just staring back on the car with plenty of prep work to get done before tomorrow. Doh!




Jase

http://gallery.oldholden.com/hrpremier/

[NosFEratu]

Ouch!     That had to hurt!  Hope Brock feels better soon and his head doesn't hurt for too long!

In relation to your steering wheel/seat placement problem - sorry can't help except to say just pretend you're driving an LC Torana! 

[NosFEratu]

Hang on - just had an idea that might help you out.  How about putting an FC floor and bench seat in it? 

[JB]

Hey mate,

You have just found a problem that cant be overcome. the steering wheel is offcentre to the seat but when you are sitting in the seat get an unobscured view of the instruments. Not everything about the conversion is perfect. 

To tell the truth the driving position is only wierd for the initial bit and you get used to it quite quickly. Just ask Glenn who has now got the Van.

I found that when I put the VT floor in the ute that it was a little more pronounced, but still acceptable. I believe that the Torana had one like it from the factory as well, someone correct me if i am wrong.

You cant push the column over any further as there won't be room for your booster... If you push the instruments over they will look wrong.. i.e not symmetrical with the dash. So the best you can do is what is there already and accept the angle and the position of the wheel.

Hope you son is ok.

Jason.

[Paul In Ireland]

You may be able to move the seat over an inch or two - won't fix the problem bit it might lessen it a bit. There would surely be at least an inch there....

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

How about putting an FC floor and bench seat in it? 

x2 

[pedro]

I hadn't even considered it as a problem Jase as I've had the same thing happen when fitting bucket seats even with a standard floor pan, with a bench seat you can position yourself where you want with a bucket you sit where it fits, hope brock is alright that's a decent wack to the head .
                                          Pedro

[hrpremier]

Well I have been guilty of dropping the ball a bit over the last few weeks and got very little done on the car.  With the V8's on at Phillip Island last weekend , the Gold Coast A1 event prior, Phillip Island MotoGP and starting off the motorsport marathon, Bathurst it seems I have spent more time in front of the idiot box rather than in the shed.

It has not been a total loss though.  Managed to clean up the hr front end and give it a lick of the black stuff, and aquired a set of HQ rotors and Girlock Calipers.  Purchased an outrigger for the conversion, along with a FEK4A : HR Front End Mounting Kit RUBBER (FE-EK With HR X-Member) from rare spares, so the process of putting the front back in is getting closer.  More Pics to follow soon.


HR Front End Compnents.  Some cleaned up ready for refitment.


HR Front End with HQ Rotors and HQ Girlock Calipers.  Also the Outrigger off of a EJ-EH.  getting closer to putting it back together.


The X Memeber Rubber Kit on Order for the HR Front End.


For those who saw the previous effort it has happened again, the same eye would you believe.  This time he ran towards me flat out playing chasey, in the interest of my crown jewels I stepped aside when I realised he was not going to stop and crashed into a bedside table.  Poor little bugger.