Ammo's Ute

[Wrongway Roger]

Hi,
Time to share the rebuild of the ute that I got for my wife, Anne-Marie, aka Ammo.
To some it was a fair trade but I disagree, ha ha.
I purchased this out of Perth back in January 2011. I had my older brother check it out and he was impressed, “the ute looks as good as I have seen in a long time “.
He send a bunch of photos and I sent the money.
Restoration had started as you can see.

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A couple of weeks later it arrived and I actually drove it off the road and into the carport.

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Body number;

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Although in pieces it looked OK and it would not take much to get it together and registered.
Boy was I wrong as I’m sure a number of others have now found out.
I also had a number of suggested upgrades from Anne-Marie. Staring with a bigger motor- tick, auto trans- tick, power steering – go to the gum and air con – wind down both windows.

Another of the quick turnaround clean up and back on the road, has become a full strip down and build.

There are gaps in the photos as I was to build and unveiled at The All Holden Day in 2011 so I did not want to show what I was doing.
Cheers - more to come.
Roger

[gpi]

great colour

[Errol62]

Looking foreword to some inspiring reading mate. Looks like it had a colour change enroute from Perth from turquoise to blue wtf. Different light over here. Ok so it looks like a nice tidy stockish ute with the go fast red rims. Red motor yes, but don’t tell us you’re going to bastardise it in to another custom.....

Tell us more el prez


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

[FJWALLY]

Go the utes!!

[Wrongway Roger]

Hi guys,
Original colour is Pittwater green

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And Clay " don’t tell us you’re going to bastardise it in to another custom " the answer is YES.
Colour change, driveline, body mods and fancy wheels.

Rain days so i will continue to update.
Cheers,
Roger

[FireKraka]

Hi Roger;
Thanks for sharing the photos and your build, not surprising that it has turned into a full rebuild hey like most of it always escalates.

Oh and don't listen to Clay mate "Go the modified Utes"

Have you decided on drive line etc?

Neil

[Wrongway Roger]

Hi Neil,
i watch your build with interest and learnt some valuable lessons.

Drive line currently is 202 with trimatic but I like to sound of a V8 in the ute.
Still time to change as exhaust not sorted, small change to cooling and wiring looms to be built.

Cheers
Roger.

[Wrongway Roger]

Hi,
As what appeared to be a good start on the rust, quickly turns sour on closer investigation.
Doors did not line up at bottom, sill repaired with bog, etc.

It was a little crunchy under foot so pulled the carpet and found floors rusted under the fiberglass batches, so out they came.

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Added crush tubes for future chassis rails.

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Pulled the front clip off and found more.

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By now I’m a little concerned with the quality of any previously repaired sections and my " quick " turnaround look out of the window.
As we have all seen, it looks good when it is filled with bog and painted.
The guys who owned this ute had several other cars in this workshop. HR van with V8, EH premier and a LX SLR 5000 Torana so my brother tells me.

I have started now so the only way in forward.
Cheers,
Roger

[Wrongway Roger]

Hi,
A couple more photos of the rusty sections

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I cut out these and purchased patch panels from Rare Spares.

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I thought you only over lapped when spray painting not doing rust repairs.

Made the mistake of welding these in on the bench. When I fitted the guards to the ute the panel were out of shape.
I had to cut the welds open to relax the metal and then slowly re-weld. Another lesson learnt.

Cleaned up the fire wall and weld up any hole that was not required. Smooth out area that were rough and deleted the battery box. Add a new tunnel for the Trimatic.
You just have to love laying on your back and welding and grinding over your head. As yet no full face mask for grinding and old welding shield.

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Lots of advice from Anne-Marie on safety, which is helpful. I so wanted a rotisserie but had to settle for a couple of 44's ( 200 litre ) drums.

Cheers,
Roger

[Errol62]

As you know the body is the best jig.

Geeeez mate it looked tidy. As you say, you committed. It is on par with the van though that depends on the screen and cowl areas, and the inner sills.

About time you started sharing this. Tell us more Rog.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

[FireKraka]

Hey Roger I started as you know with a lot less parts than you and I suppose at least I could see most of the cancer
sad that people sell our old girls probably for pretty good money but aren't will to tell the whole story.

If Roger has come clean I might have to show what I've got lined up next at least there is no hidden secrets in it
Neil

[Wrongway Roger]

Hi Guys,
Appreciate the comments.
I was shocked when I dug out he invoice and saw the date that I purchased the ute. Looking back a lot was happening back then with the club getting in the All Holden Day event and change of factory with work.

The screen and cowl areas are good but all the normal areas affected.
I'm finding I did not take many photo's as I made changes so I'm busy snapping away.

And as for next, i have the sedan under the rear veranda on a mobile stand, strip to bare metal ( with etch primer) awaiting for me to get back to her.
This one is definitely hot rod material and like not quiet.

Hope to post shortly.
Cheers,
Roger

[EK283]

You are certainly doing it the right way Roger.

I have seen a lot of EK's going through their second round of rebuilds and it appears most are being done with more intensity in this modern day world.

Most of the dodgy repairs in my opinion come from the get it through rego back in the day and restoring really wasn't an option for workhorses.

Tax incentives also drove most land based business into the new ute market and the poor old girls were usually used for paddock bashing or hunting or even worse target practice !!

It would be be a tall ask to find a ute in original non rusted condition, they were pretty much a rust bucket before they were even sold.

I look forward to the result of your work.

Its a pity no one here in Australia makes full floor pans or full sections for these old girls. I love America for this, brand new body shells for Chevs and Mustangs and most panels for most cars, they have a huge car vintage repair market at the moment.

Greg

[Wrongway Roger]

Thanks Greg for your comments.
I'm disappointment is with the guy who started the repairs but copped out on doing it right.
You could be right about quick repairs for rego only.

Me, I build as if the car will be with me for life and that I'm proud to show others what I did.
Sometime I go to far doing stuff that no-one will see but I know if down the track some looks, no fingers will pointed back the builder.

Vintage car repair industry in the States is amazing when you see panel and floor pans from even the less popular cars are available.
In this country, is seems there is not enough rebuilds happen.

Hope to post more again tomorrow.
Cheers,
Roger

[FireKraka]

Roger I really appreciated your comment re my Ute build it is actually the first time I have gone so deep and like most of us never intended to go as far as I have just made it up as I went along and learnt a lot from some of the incredibly talented builders on this forum.
Looking forward to more of your builds as you move forward.
Neil