My Pride and Joy's

[Rod]

High All,

I frequent this forum on a regular basis and have done so for about 12 years and have gained much information. I have been reluctant to share my holdens mainly due to not being sure if things will up load correctly. So I am having a go and we will see how things go. This thread could also go in the under construction thread because I have almost finished a spring clean of one of them.

If the images upload correctly I will give a run down on my two joys. The first one is a 57 FE Sedan.



The second one is a 59 FC Ute.





More pics to come.

Cheers

Rod

[Rod]

Well there you go. Hence the reason I haven't posted previously. Will look at the instructions again and see where I have gone wrong.

Rod

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

at least you are having a crack at it, soon enough you'll be posting like a pro 
Nice cars BTW.

[Not Happy Jan]

What are they... cars for ANTS. 

Looks good Rod. Two nice looking vehicles. Are they standard... c'mon give us the speil
Nick

[Rod]

Here are a couple of test photo's. I hope they aren't like Ants. If so I don't know what I am doing wrong.





Rod

[DN2168]

Hi rod,

Mate that looks one cool pair of early Holdens you have there. Glad you figured out the photos so we can all enjoy them.

Dean.

[Rod]

Well now that I have got the pics to load correctly I will try and give you a shortened version on the history of these two.

My love affair with the FC Holden began at an early age. My grandmother owned a two tone blue FC Special. I went on many trips with her needless to say very slow ones at that. I can still smell the old girl and the memories of getting in on those hot mallee days onto the seats. Lovely! I learnt to drive in it and drove it everywhere as a young bloke when I got my licence when all my mates were driving hotted up XD Falcons. Dad shoved me in the drivers seat in the biggest paddock he could find and said "here drive". How times have changed. Back then everyone would think what the hell is he driving that for. Now those same people and many randoms ask about my two beauties often saying "can I have first offer if you are going to sell?"

In 1987 I was fortunate enough to be invited on an athletic tour of England and Scotland. I needed something to stop me playing footy so not to get injuried. My uncle who lived two hours away had an old FC ute and he was willing to give it to me to do up but highlighted it needed A LOT of Work! Undeterred dad and I went over with a car trailer to bring it home. We had a look and yes it needed a lot of work but was achievable. As we were about to load her on the trailer my uncle said to hold off as he had an FE Special Sedan that he and his Son in Law were going to do up that he wanted me to look at. At that stage I didn't even know what an FE was / is. Had one look and I fell in love with her. It was rough, rust in usual spots but the seats had been barely sat in. Still had the plastic covers on. Rest is history. It took until January 1990 to get her on the road. I have done about 9000 miles since. Looking back I would do things differently but that is what life is about.

I was fortunate to live next do to the local garage (which was originally my grandfathers prior to his death and then my grandmothers and fathers for a short time). The mechanic who owned it was a second father. I lived in the garage from a very early age (you will see it in a photo shortly)and when it came time to do EFFY (yes I call her Effy like everyone else with an FE) he was the first to help and help he did. He did his apprenticeship (or whatever they were call way back then) on FJ's so he knew these backwards. It was great times and I had full use of the garage day and night.

Towards the end of the resto he caught the bug and purchased an FC Ute which was a local ute from brand new and he knew it backwards as he worked on it. Thats where I come in. I returned the favour and worked on this project with him. It didn't need much work at all and was unbelievable for a ute whose working life was on the farm. Only one dent near the drivers side door. No rust that we knew of. His intentions were to complete this and sell it to fund the purchase of a completely restored FJ Sedan. Unfortunately just as the resto had finished he passed away due to cancer. While it held sentimental value to the family they weren't going to hold onto it as he was always going to sell it for that FJ. They placed it on the market and surprisingly not much interest. It meant a lot to me but my wife and a young family at this stage couldn't afford it. My lovely wife did some negotiating and we purchased it being able to pay it off. I am for ever grateful to her and the owners family to allow me to purchase it. It has been my daily driver except for a couple of lengthy stays off the road, one which I will show progress in future threads. I not afraid to drive her. I take her on many long trips and in the main has been very reliable (except for two time gears - one original, one steel one).

[Rod]

So here are My Pride and Joy's (don't tell my wife that!). Interesting when we got married (bridal car being Effy, bridesmaids cars were my father in laws HG Holden, an EH Holden and would you believe it a neighbours VERY EARLY Immaculate, untouched, fully original and in the condition it came off the production line, 48-215- {Build number 48 or 49 I think} ) I said there was only one proviso - Effy is mine and always mine. No prenup but she had to be told - only joking.  Interestingly to this day (20 years next Wednesday - apparently I am out on parole), I still find confetti under seats etc...




Both are relatively stock except for carpets and electric wipers. I have got rid of the mudflaps on the ute and replaced them with repo's and have a set off smick original spats for her. Also put a bonnet bird on and a Smiths Heater which is needed where we now live - Buninyong - yes Ballarat). The ute has aged extremely well from the original pics for a daily driver. Hence the reason for this thread. I am in the process of giving her a new lease of life. I wont bore you any more with pics / progress etc.. If mods want to change this thread to the Under Construction one feel free as I will show some rust / paint repairs I have done and in the process of currently doing.

Cheers to you all.

Rod

[mcl1959]

Great stories Rod - and top cars

Ken

[fe350chev]

I really enjoyed the stories. It's the story behind the car that makes the car important 

[customFC]

Nailed it!!
Glad you stuck with it and shared your story.
You have some very nice cars which serve as great reminders of past times.
Welcome to the forum, looking forward to future contributions.
Regards
Alex

[FCRB26]

A story always makes a car unreal to read it.

Pete

[FCV08]

Rod

Always great to read the stories behind the cars and as some have commented earlier, it gives the reader a better appreciation of what they mean to the owners.
They look fantastic!!

Regards

Craig D

[pearo]

Rod,

Great story beautiful cars.

Rob

[Rod]

Thanks everyone for your kind words. As we all know pictures don't necessarily give you a good look at their conditions. As said before they have aged but extremely well since the photos were taken, particularly the ute considering its a daily driver. Over the last couple of years I have noticed some rust creeping into the sub frame, spare well door and passenger side door. I got some quotes and while quite reasonable I wasn't convinced the job would be done properly (ie sub frame would be done while still attached) and to the fine standards that you all show with your projects here. While I am more than inept doing the mechanicals I have been hesitant in doing in body work. Following a lot of the threads here gave me much encouragement to "have a go".

So in July last year 2011 I planned on having the ute off the road for two weeks (school holidays) to do the sub frame. Well you guessed it, one thing lead to another and I only just got it mobile two weeks ago. I bought a mig welder and got a mate who is a welder to assist and guide me. I learnt so much off him. While the machine is gas / gasless I used it in gasless mode because I couldn't justify the rental of the gas. Now I have the bug things may change.






First job was to remove subframe (a lot easier than anticipated- bolts were in good nic). Was surprised how quick it took to strip it down. Then stripped and painted firewall etc.. Really pleased how this came up for a novice painter.

[Rod]

Time then to tackle the subframe. Was able to source replacement panels for front tire member and left side which was rusted. Came across a few other sections which would have been impossible to do in the car. These I was able to source of a wreck with some fabrication. Once again not too difficult. It was interesting to note that once the rusted areas were removed how much original paint was inside the panels.









All the time I was doing this I gave the motor a clean up, new gaskets  , head test, plane (slight warp) and a lick of paint. Interesting when I took the head off the gasket wasn't sealing between 2 & 3 and 4 & 5 not that I noticed anything wrong.   

[Rod]

School holidays was finished and I was a long time from having the ute back on the road. At this point in time I realised I was unrealistic in my expectations but I used it as an opportunity not to rush things. I became extremely pedantic cleaning, derusting every bolt possible. This took a lot of time.

I continued to work on the motor. Had the twin Carbys rebushed and new throttle shafts. The head has a little of port work so investigated on ensuring the carbys were going to be set up right. Based on recommendations form this site, the FBEK forum and Harv I placed Venturi Restictors in (took a little of tongue twisting) and reduced the size of the Power Bipass Valve from 67 to 70. Everything else remained as it was previously which included 48 mains. I will tell you the outcome of this work later on.




Next school holidays were fast approaching and I made it know she was going to be on the road. I ummed and arred about stripping the subframe. Began doing it with strip disks and some realised sand blasting was the way to go. Best $100 I have every spent. I was hampered a little by the weather and wanted the right conditions to paint it and the from end (front end didnt need any work as I had rebuilt it 2 years previously).




Had a little trouble getting subframe on. Realised that the mounting points had swelled and needed cleaning up to take the new sub frame bolts. You guessed it. All over red rover for the school holidays.

[Rod]

With everything off I decide to investigate the bottom of the A Pillar which we are all aware of is renowned for rusting. Surprisingly both sides were in very good nic or I was led to believe so. I took to it with a scriber and poked and prodded and was able to pierce through in a couple of spots. I cut the rust out and refabricated some panels. I am glad I did this with everything off. There was moist 50 year old mallee dirt at the bottom of the A Pillar.











Christmas was fast approaching and I wanted her on the road to take on a 4 hour road trip back home for a run. Yes you guessed it - missed that opportunity as well but only just. The reason for I will discuss in the next reply.

[Rod]

The hold up in not having it a goer for Christmas was the mud guards. On each guard down the bottom there was a slight bubble which mind you hadn't changed fro 4 or 5 years. I tossed up on investigating or take the punt and put them back on. Other than these two imperfections the rest was immaculate. I did investigate and didn't like what I found. Off each guard I would have removed bog about 1 cm thick. Underneath the rust was under control and not huge BUT a piece of metal was weld over the rust then dented in to take the bog. Easy. I cut this out, fabricated the correct shape and away I went.

Cut out rust pieces.

Small pin hole

Back of one piece cut out.


I then welded the pieces in. Yes I still have some work to do and at this point in time I realise how good it would have been if I went gas instead of gasless. It mean more work but it ground back well when finished. I was worried about warpage but I tacked as I went and let it cool regularly. This took a lot of time but ensure the guard remained warp free.

[Rod]

Pleased with result. Placed some under coat on now have to decide on who is going to paint the guards.




Anyway in the last couple of days I thought I would have a go at the painting. The tailgate was in need of a coat of paint. It has been repaired twice in the last ten years. The first time a panel beater repaired a dent caused by my girls, nephews and nieces when the decide to get in the back and undo the stays. Yes Bang onto the the tow ball. About two years after the same result, this time being my fault as I didn't check to see if the trailer pull was locked on the ball. The pull lifter denting and scratching the gate. I knocked the dent out and gave it a coat of under coat hoping to get it painted shortly after. That was about 8 years ago. So today I thought what is the worse thing I can do with this tail gate. If it doesnt turn out well I can always get a pro to re do it. I stripped the primmer and preped it, and had a go. If it worked out well I was going to tackle the guards.

Eight years of Primer



Stripped and Preped




Coat of Paint.


Once again photos don't do this justice. I was extremely rapted on how it came out. I will wet and dry tomorrow before putting down some more coats. By the way I was fortunate that I had about 1.5 litres of the original paint from when it was restored. Went to a paint shop to get some more mixed (eye matched) and they said there was nothing wrong with the paint and to use it first.