Pinky's FE cruiser

[black57]

I did a small intro of my FE Standard Sedan over in the members area. (Black 57)
Well, it's been a long time coming but finally I am ready to start transforming my hidden treasure into something I can drive again, rather than just talk and reminisce.
The problem I have, and the cause of all my delays, is the age long dilemma, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH IT?!?!
I’ve spent years trying to decide if I go all original, all custom, all retro, big red six, little grey six, plastic V6, 4cyl turbo, V8 injected, blah blah blah.
I could wax on forever about the different choices I’ve looked at, settled on, and then thanked god I didn’t follow through with.
The favours I’ve lined up and dropped at the last minute, the stuff I’ve bought to fit, then sold, usually at a loss, because I changed my mind.
The never ending search to stock up on ‘everything’ just in case you decide to go that way..
I’m sure most of you know what I mean.

Well, I have decided I can’t wait forever for the perfect answer to fall in my lap. It’s time to act.
I’ve had purists tell me to spend $20k and make her all original. I’ve had Hot Rod mates tell me to make an ‘off its guts’ style custom, that barely holds on to its roots. I’m really not keen on either, or being shoeboxed into any category in between, so I’m doing what I need to get her back on the road, and I’m doing it my way. It’s not a restoration, it’s not a customization, it’s not even a RatRodization. It’s just a mixture of stuff I want to do…and isn’t that what it’s all about at the end of the day!

I have a whiteboard in my garage next to my sink. This is where I have been writing down my list of goals with my FE…..it is now blank. In a fit of frustration I wiped it clean and I am doing this project going by the way I feel at each point I reach.
I have no real idea of what I want to achieve, or how I want her to look. You may think that is crazy and naive, but I never had a plan when I was young, and those were the best days of my life, driving some of the coolest cars I’ve ever owned. I’m making this about the journey not the destination, and every time I feel I’m losing sight of what I am trying to achieve, I will come back to this post and remind myself that I can’t see what I want to achieve because I am trying really hard not to look that far ahead. I'm hoping you guys will help me if I accidently stray back ON the path.

I’ll post as often as I can, and I have also just started a twitter account 'FERatRod' and will be posting there often, as it’s easy from the phone.

But seriously, I'm hoping you guys will help me if I get a bit stuck here and there.

Wish me luck guys.

Pinky.

[black57]

Can someone please explain how I add a pic to my reply...LOL
I press the little 'insert image' button and I just get this in my text. How do I go browse and add an image?

[JB]

With no plans, all I can say is good luck!!

You are correct though, it is yours and you do with it as you wish.
I hope you find a starting point.

JB

[zulu]

Black57,

once you hit "Add image to post" there is a box where it says browse,
click browse,

this will open a box in your puter, choose from there go to the place where you store your pictures on your puter,
 
click twice on the picture you want, and it's url or code should appear in the insert image window,then hit upload it

good luck

[black57]

Thanks JB. I'll be right. I have a clue about some of the things I want to do, I'm not going to do anything silly like a 454 convertible with a drum brake king pin front. I know the right and wrong way to do most things. This is more about style than anything. I just have a happy medium of things I want to do rather than go completely one way or the other.

Pinky.

[black57]

Thanks Zulu, call me dumb, but I can't find the link that says "Add image to post". I found the button that says "Insert Image" but I just get a set of brackets. Once I have the brackets, I still can't find a way to add an image. What am I missing??

[collecta]

  Its an FE thats all that matters , i love beaters and rats your way or no way. Good luck and most importantly have fun ding it.

 The "add image to post" is a black dot only seen by club members,  you can find instruction at the top of members cars section.

heres one i prepared earlier


cheers
Scott

[black57]

Cool ride. Thanks for the encouragement Collecta.

AAHH....well, there you go. I'm not a club member. Ain't never been asked....

For a minute I thought I was loosin it!

Pinky.

[black57]

Well,

Thought I would start with the brakes...somehow I feel stopping is more important than going...

A couple of years ago after moving the car around in the shed a bit, I found a massive pool of brake fluid on the floor. I figured rats had a chewed a line or something just gave out..one of those 'I'll get to it later' jobs.
Well, I pulled all the wheels off and to my surprise the left front was missing it's drum. I guess I must have forgotten about it and hit the brakes at some time, popping the piston out of the cylinder and causing the leek.

[Old_Mt_Isa_Boy]

Good luck Pinky.

Its a great ride.

Regards

Wayne b

[black57]

Well it's been a few weeks since I've posted anything, what with a motor swap in my Hiace setting me back a week, an explosive amount of work coming in, and a weeks holiday in New Zealand. I'm surprised I got anyhing done at all, but here's a little bit of an update.

All brakes, including hoses, have been replaced and just need to be bled right through.
All suspension rubber has been replaced, and everything greased.
The rear has been lowered 2" and new shackle bushes fitted.
The front lowered 1.5".

Lots of goodies are sitting at the powdercoater waiting for me too.

I test fitted some 15x6 rims from Ajax the other week and they seem to have heaps of clearance so that's what will end up on there in a month or so.







And with these caps for the front, and the same for the rear but with the original centres so they clear the cruzin skirts.

[black57]

I was getting ready to give the undercoat a bit of a rub and spray, when I discovered this EVERYWHERE!



All the horizontal services, tops of guards, boot, bonnet, roof etc. Not surprised considering she's been about 5 years in undercoat. At least she has never seen weather since the day she was sprayed.
So half the car has gone back to bare metal, major setback, but nearly everything is back in clean undercoat and ready for paint. 1 last going over in a couple of weeks and I can start laying down some coats of beautiful flat black.

This weekend the interior comes out and my brother-in-law will start the retrim. I've already settled on and purchased the material, and we are putting a few days aside over the next week or 2 to get it sorted, so interior SOULD be back in pretty quick.

Motor is purring like a pussycat, and gearbox is solid, so nothing really to do there except the new exhaust to suit the new extractors.

There's a bit of play in one of the kingpins, so I'll see how that is once she is back on the ground.

So I'm getting there. My goal is the end of the year, but it's moving a lot quicker than I expected. My industry (glass pool fencing) goes mental from about October till January, so if I can get it on the road by September (fingers crossed) that would be heaven. I'm not expecting too much but at the same time I'm trying not to let anyhing slow me down too much.

I haven't been taking as many photos as I should as I'm usually going flat out and have my hands full, but I'll have to make more of an effort.

Now the only thing stopping me was me being silly enough to bring on another project. A 2 tone blue FC Special. (sshh..don't tell the wife, it's a surprise), but I'll start a new thread for that one when I get her started.

[black57]

BTW,

Just playing with ideas and this combo is looking pretty good....



Not sure if I'll go that way, but I am leaning towards it.

I'll update you with more when I can.

Pinky.

[NES304]

Black57,

once you hit "Add image to post" there is a box where it says browse,
click browse,

this will open a box in your puter, choose from there go to the place where you store your pictures on your puter,
 
click twice on the picture you want, and it's url or code should appear in the insert image window,then hit upload it

good luck

Dam those interwebs

[black57]

Well, there was a hold up on the interior due to my Brother-in-laws work load, but when you're getting something pretty much for free it's best not to grumble.

Anyway here are a few pics of the old seats and door trims.







And a start on the new door cards.



And a quick stitch test of the new material to see how thick I want to pad it...no prizes for guessing the new colour...



More when it happens.

Pinky.

[black57]

Hi all,

Well, in case anyone was wondering where I disappeared to, I bought a 1976 RA23 Celica in August for my son. I stripped it down, bare metal respray, new interior and lots of other stuff. It went for its road worthy today, and with a few small items to sort out in the morning it should be registered tomorrow. I've also bought and been working on a triumph convertible and 3 other Celicas, built and flipped a v-twin Honda, renovated my mums kitchen, built a shed, and god knows what else. What a year!

So I'm surprising my son with the Celica on Sunday at the classic Toyota show, and then the garage is empty again. So sometime in the next week or 2 the FE comes home and we're back on track.

I'll start updating again as it moves along.

Pinky.

[NES304]

And a quick stitch test of the new material to see how thick I want to pad it...no prizes for guessing the new colour...

Brown?

[black57]

Ok,

So the Celica is gone. Now the Triumph goes into the garage to have it's new interior fitted, a quick tidy up all round and then it'll be back out to the carport and under wraps ready for cruising the warmer months.
I'm aiming the have the Fe out of storage and home by the 5th August...we'll see!

Pinky.

[fe350chev]

Ive been a sleeper on this thread, I look forward to your ideas.

[GOA350]

You could go for this kind of look. .

At least you can take it to the shops and not worry too much about it. I have had so much fun in this car and it has taken me all over this country already.


Or this kind of look

This car has also given me enormous enjoyment and fulfilment and is always driven, but I always worry where I take it. I have gotten better but still.
This is my pride and joy.