Wife's (rusty) ute, where to start advice

[Bushcreature]

G' day all, after advice from those who have already reserrected an FB / EK ute on where to start / order of repair.
Got the wife an EK ute from outback NSW, full of mud nest wasps nests and desert sand and dust. Has rust above the sills in back and needs a complete floor from dash to tail gate due to dust and sand sitting and getting wet. Y frames are solid, passenger side inner sil is solid except where rear rail connects. Drivers side inner sill is rusty from where the rear rail connects to rear wheel arch. Passenger outer sil is solid except for a few little spots under the crease line at the very rear and the driver side last 200mm is rusted, rest is fine. Rear rail drivers side is rusty just above front rear spring hanger, rest is solid, Both rear rails to sils rusted out. I need to replace the panel from drivers door to wheel arch due to accident damage, I have a panel cut from a van.
Had it up on the two post hoist, banging on everything underneath with a ball and pein hammer trying to find any soft spots. While on the hoist I am unable to open the doors, dropped it to the ground, opened doors then raised it up and doors won't close, they have dropped below the latch striker, I presume due to flex from loss of strength in the floor.
Thanks in advance for helpful advice, suggestion, etc.
I'll hopefully post up some photos soon

[Brett027]

Hi Bushcreature ( what a great name).

First recomendation is to brace. Inside the door openings so you can fit doors as you progress. I used 25mm RHS about 3mm wall thickness. A few diagonals and across openings and across pillars. Get it back to square before you start.

Second recommendation is too measure before you cut/ take bits off. If you have a look at my builds you will see scribbles everywhere.

Third recomendation is to only do one side/ bit at a time. It is much easier to master one task before attempting the next. Build confidence by starting small.

Final recomendation is to think " Zen and motorcylce mechanic". Try to fight impulses and plan each task before you cut away.

Good luck with it and have fun.
B

[Errol62]

Sounds like you are on the right track Michael. My ute project just needed a few patches, by comparison, apart from the rear, where I used a combination of fuel tank surround cut from a van, and fabrication. I didn’t need a rotisserie or hoist or any bracing.

My panel van sounds more like a similar level. Rather than bracing, I fitted new doors in position with hinges and latches and tack welded them shut, while I replaced both inner and outer sills and most of the structural bits underneath. Then took the doors off to do the front floors. Both methods get the job done. Good luck and have fun with it.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

[FireKraka]

Hi Bushy
Great to hear another Ute is on the surgery table to be resurrected.
Mate as Clay and Brett have said go slow, plan what you are doing before you start.
I’ve been where you are twice now with my Ute and now my wagon (had to change the whole roof on the wagon) have a look at some of the builds on here, Brett’s Ute build is great as well as Errol’s panelvan and you could look at both of mine.
When I first started my Ute I would procrastinate sitting in front of it and not now where to start until Blackys words of wisdom told me to get it blasted first so that I could see where all the issues were, if your whole floor pan is as bad as it sounds you may want to strengthen the whole thing before blasting.
Sounds like you have a lot of work in front of you we look forward to seeing photos mate.

[Bushcreature]

Thanks guys, currently unable to upload photos on here, click on the insert image icon and it just adds text
I'm going to try snip it and see if that works.

[Bushcreature]

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[Bushcreature]

Thinking of possibly using a donor floor from a VP commodore wagon, it will give me mounts for seats, seatbelts rear suspension, etc and a bigger fuel tank and tunnel.

[Mick]

WOW, i'd start on marketplace, there's better bodies out there

[Blacky]

Digging the exhaust setup

You have your work cut out for you ! One of the guys over here replaced the floor in his ute with a Rodeo floor for the same reasons

[EK283]

Sure its got rust but when you cut it all out there is none.

Most people probably dont realise this but the later holdens have the floor positioned at the bottom of the sills where the EK has it on top.

The extra room let the designers lower the roof lines.

An advantage here is there are so many different options for floor pans, the world is your oyster !

Lower floor, lower seat position extra room for the bigger beings.

By the way you can buy complete floors for mustangs, one piece, they might be the go if trimmed up ?

Looking foward to the upcoming work.

Greg

[FireKraka]

Hey Bushy
As others have said you do have your work cut out for you there, even I might have shied away (and I take on rusty stuff) from that one

In saying that mate if you brace it up properly you can cut that whole mess out and start again, there is a guy over here that has grafted bodies onto commodores and there was a FC Ute build on their forum so time ago where the guy grafted the floor into his Ute but I think from memory that he only used the front of the floor, if you are interested have a look at the FC forum or I can find a link to it for you.

I have used commodore fuel tanks in both my FC Sedan and my EK Ute and they are easy to fit.

Good luck with it and more photos please
Neil H

[Bushcreature]

Thanks, the rust is just from dirt and dust that has settled onto upward facing panels and gotten wet and of coarse the half ton of mud under every surface form mud nest wasps, including massive amounts under the dash. Window surrounds are still solid and have paint, Y frames are solid, front guards have a little at the top rear. Wasps also got into the rear sill pans where the rear rails join. Put the photo of the exhaust up cause I knew people would like that, think the bend is from over the axle.
Also have 2 bullet holes, both from the tray, one into the right side and the other into the cabin just behind the driver!
I've got 4 different wheels on this, 2x13's and 2x14's, one of the 13's has a riveted in centre. One front brake drum, right rear is a finned drum and left rear is smooth drum, no hand brake cables at all, front left brake hose is cut out, right is just cut, rear hose still there, but the 20m of sheep fence that was wrapped around the axle between the springs and wheel got so tight it has squashed the steel pipe flat against the axle housing.
So far I have picked up a replacement section for just behind the drivers door( to replace the massive bog filled dent), though it is from a van so will need a bit of extra cut and shut. A few sets of ute rear and side glass and I think there are some extra windscreens around here too. A set of doors though I think I will only need the passenger side, an original under dash parcel shelf, replacement drivers side guard spear( left one is good), some roof bows, HD ball joint front end and a set of HR lower arms, an assortment of brakes and stub axles, some rear axles and the list goes on.
May be easier to replace the roof too, as it's solid but very much dented.
Sorry if this is a bit of a longwinded rant.
If any one has any questions, wants clarification or specific photos, just ask.
I'll be looking for some bits too, Ill do a separate post on here for them as I think I've out done myself with this post.
I'll ad a photo of the big bogged up dent.

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Thanks.
BC.

[Errol62]

You don’t want to turn it into a panel van by any chance? Just kidding really, but I have a van roof here no one seems to want.


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