Some advice please?

[EddieT]

Hi to all
I'm returning to the Northern Rivers NSW once I sell up here in London UK and intend to own an FC panel van that will be used for long regular surf trips to Margaret River, Cactus and Bells so it's gonna need to be in excellent running order.  I'm not exactly a stranger to older vehicles having owned a Beetle, a Kombi, a '67 Merc and a '59 Harley Pan at various times and I've had to be a bit handy with all of them. What Im asking is generally do you guys think it's better to start with a project for something like this so that you know exactly what you've got or to shell out for a vehicle that's been the pride of a club member?  My return is at a the demise of thirty years of wedded bliss :-) so I will have plenty of time to chase up a project without anyone telling me to mow the lawn etc.  If however the consensus is that one is better off just getting the right vehicle upfront, if anyone here knows of a great FC van with a worked motor (pref 179) for serious highway speeding thru the desert please PM me if your sale is not immediate. (I'm hoping to be back December).
Thanks and God Bless
P.s of course I intend to apply for full membership to the club once I become an owner!

[hsv-001]

If you beat around the bush you scare rabbits ,but if there is a death adder under the bush, you hit it with the stick . The truth is you can build your own and do all the work and mods. yourself and by the time you are done you might know enough to get yourself out of trouble if stuck in the middle of an outback town that only has a pub and a post office with a broken timing gear ,a bent push rod and an inlet valve bent through your [worked 5 stage] . If you know what to look for and you have the dollars you can still buy something that is close to what you want . As someone who has done the outback thing with old Holdens ,I can tell you that you don't over modify your engine . You keep plenty of block wall , you port match and open up the head and balance the engine ,then you go with the largest standard radiator without too many cores you can fit in there . The gearing must suit the engine gearbox and tyres and ride height and suspension must allow for our Aussie roads [or the lack of them] tyre mismatch and high speed running . I guess my old van would be the closest car to what you are writing about with 179 bore and headwork and headers commodore 5 speed ,308 diff ,stiffer suspension and std. ride height , but most of all ,very little patchwork to the original body . The money would have to be good before I would sell it as I have owned it longer than you had your ball and chain . Anyway I don't qualify as I'm not in any FE FC club . Just the Hot rod Federation , the Ipswich Muscle Car Club and the Jimboomba Heritage Vehicle Club . I think that you have forgotten how large our country is and you should get back here for awhile before planning this . The dream is good though .Cheers Haydn       

[CraigFC]

I look at this a little different to most, you need to way up want you want to do most when you get back here in OZ. It will be summer and a hot one at that. Do you want to work on a old holden for say six months straight or do you want to surf for a few months then play with cars in the cooler months?

Pay the extra, buy a good one go surfing and clear your head. Then tinker with your engine and whatever as you please. At least you will be mobile, just take a bunch of spares with you, nothing has changed over the last 30 years out that way as far as extra spots to stop and fix things so if you don't do it yourself you can expect it to take a while and cost you plenty.


enjoy

[FireKraka]

Eddie T
Firstly welcome to the forum.
My advise is a mix of what you have already received having owned my car for a long time and done the work myself I would not have an issue taking it on long trips and I did drive it from Sydney to Perth when I moved back at the end of 97 however I feel your choice should depend on your knowledge and skills if they are basic (no offense) it may be better for you to buy something that has already been done as doing it yourself can take a long time just have a look at some of the builds going on and the people doing these builds are highly skilled.
Also something else to keep in mind is that since you have been gone the prices of these cars has gone up considerably you don't by a good running car for $1000 anymore do some research and it may help to guide your decision.
Regards
Neil H

[fe350chev]

Welcome to the forum mate. I'm not sure of your situation but things have become really expensive here. In your situation I dream of being in a bachelor pad with no ties to anyone or worrying about gardens and all that shit but I'm only 38 with the whole catastrophe lol, kids, long term marriage etc. But that's just when it all becomes too much lol. I am very happy but I think most family guys just wish they could leave shit everywhere and be a slob with their toolbox in the house. If your planning on having a base house I would get a car already roadworthy with a red in it perhaps and tall gearing. But I'd collect a front subframe, front end etc and all the peripheral bits that make a car, except perhaps doors and tinker on that stuff. If I was doing what your doing, I'd set off with a trailer and pick up cool stuff along the way. I'd restore smaller items as I went along when bored and be on the go with no timeframe. Then if you do the other bits up you can take yours off the road for a shorter time or get another body and have most stuff ready to go in. That way if you change your mind down the track your not stuck with a lot of unfinished shit everywhere.

[EddieT]

Well firstly, you guys are  AWESOME! Thank you so much for the real replys. Im saving all of this so I have a proper starting point when I do return. Haha I was thirty eight and happily married once fe350 :-).  My feeling now is yep who knows what's around the corner and I would rather ride waves than tinker so it's gonna be something almost there if not completely ready. I know its a big trip and also it's gonna be an annual one God willing so plenty of spares and knowledge on top of a good ride will be the way to go. Hsv pls keep me in mind if you do decide to part with yours ok ?!?Thanks again guys.  Looking forward to the car the club and the adventure!
God bless
Ed

[hsv-001]

When you get back to Australia let me know . I'm about an hour from the Gold Coast .


If its for sale will depend on what projects are on the go at the time . I'm the second owner and have had her for 30 years so I should also ask my paint guy if he wants it, as it was his Grandads . Cheers Haydn

[Ray Bell]

You certainly like tall gearing, Haydn...

There's nothing hard about maintaining a Holden of that era, it's mostly about having the tools and the spares or access to the spares.

I think I'd be looking for a ball joint front end and disc brakes if it were me, just a bit more modern and efficient, good shocks like Konis and make sure the cooling system was in first class order. Gauges would be a nice extension to all of that.

[hsv-001]

Like I said ,I run a larger radiator ,HR front and rear ends ,rack and pinion and 5 speed . The taller gear is because I run 7x13 with 205/60 and wish I had bigger wheels as it would be better on the rough roads around here .  Haydn