fbekholden.com

Hi,
Totally agree with you Neil, there are great builders and knowledge here on the forum.
We learn by watching and asking others even those who know it all. Different routes to get to same finish line, a finished project.

Paint - OMG
There will colour change but as yet have not settle on a colour. I’m leaning towards a silver but with an under tone colour. As the build progresses, we see a new shade of silver every time we are out and about. Currently looking at Camry Clearwater, silver blue but it is a bit too blue.

I started to rub back the body and quickly found the paint could be picked off in flakes, WTF.
Seems the adhesion of the paint to the primer is lacking. Possibly the answer to why there is 8 litres of Pittwater Green in the cab when it arrived.
Pulled the windscreen and rear windows and used the tool of choice, a razor. I did the outer bonnet in the shed but ending up sending for dipping. Way too hard doing the nooks etc. I did nick the body a few more time than I would have liked but happy to get it off.
I had to vacuum the pavers and the lawn when I finished. Apparently the wind would not blow it away or so Anne- Marie tells me.
Learnt something that day.

Cheers,
Roger

Jeez what a shoddy job. I wonder if a clean and strip disc would be effect. Undoubtedly dipping will get the job done.

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Hi,
In hindsight, I should has dripped or grit blasted the entire ute.

Lots of sanding needed now to remove what appears to be a waxy filler or primer.
Some area are extremely heavy so the belt sander and 80 grit was used. I too cringed but kept the sander moving and did not allow any heat build-up. Doors were fair but needed a good flat hand sand with 80 grit then 120 grit.
Blocking the body by hand with 120 grit as it cuts through the waxy filler.

Ground out heaps of bog used to shaped the sills and the half door skin fix would have made a blind man cringe.
Cut and pulled the sills into shape, opened up the drain holes then used the metalized filler to finish off.
Plugged the drain holes, poured in the oil, soaked over-night then drained and cleaned up.

I had the guards and cowl dripped and tail gate got blasted.
The sun visor is being dripped as there is bog used to cover up the rust so I’m concerned with what will metal is under it.

Changing the handles to 55 Chev and also adding powered single piece windows and as I’m great husband, I added a door courtesy light to bottom of
the doors. Although raining here, I'm doing body work which is not in my top ten of things to do.
Cheers,
Roger

Wrongway Roger wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2020 4:32 pm Changing the handles to 55 Chev and also adding powered single piece windows and as I’m great husband, I added a door courtesy light to bottom of
the doors.

I've got half a dozen courtesy lights that I was planning on adding to the EK wagon. One in each door, perhaps one in each footwell, and two in the cargo area. I bought them a long time ago. They are '80s &*#@ units, as I liked the recessed shape.

I was planning on putting the door ones into the vertical part of the door (the painted panel below the door card). I like the idea of them in the horizontal bit of the door though, as they disappear. Isn't the bottom of the doors "wet" though (from water going past the window rubbers/door belts), and hence the drain holes and plastic sheet on the door cards?

Cheers,
Harv

Puddle lights, cool. Even if you are “ruining a classic”.

I would be using a clean and strip disc on a polisher at low speed, say 2, rather than belt sander. It will take off paint, rust and filler without affecting the steel.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

Hi,
No more belt sander as I have most of the top coat paint and way filler off. Gentle hand blocking with the long board.
Purchase one long Dura block and picked up scrap urethane off cuts from Clark Rubber.
Cut and shaped a piece of the urethane into a half circle about 25 mm round The wooden blocker is used for roughing down on 80 grit

Purchase new tub of filler which lays out nice and smooth. My old tub required fibreglass resin added to thin it down. I picked up the tip on YouTube when killing time.

More sanding tomorrow
Cheers,
Roger

Hey Roger,

Looks like you've been busy there sorting out a few surprises. Interested to watch your progress here.

Regards
Stephen

Love the little subtle mods Roger there the things I really like makes people really look to see how things are done.
Good work mate keep the pics coming.
Neil

Hi guys,
Thanks for the comments on my build.
What I’m posting has been taken over a number of years, more than I would have thought. As we all know, each build had a soft deadline when we started but there is more happening in our lives that eat into our time.
It is our hobby to build and sometime enthusiasm goes missing but seeing others build progress seems to kick start me along.

All this has been done in my shed by me and I’m very happy with the work done and happy to show others.
As we go through the build, some of the mods are variations on what others have done or that I have seen surfing the net.

I will continue to post and welcome your comments.

Cheers,
Roger.

likewise Roger - I'm always checking out other build threads (especially utes) - it keeps me moving when I go back out again...keep the pics and story coming Patrick

Hi,
Now for more modifications, some seen and others not.

Deleted the spare wheel door and added a roll pan as I’m going with the FC sedan rear bumper. Lots of dirt traps in the rear so I welding and filled these in. Cut out the bracing so I can fit a spare wheel and made a cover for the rear. I'm headed towards 15's so needed add room.
I will locate the battery to behind the cab on the left side and add tool kit on the right. No rust in the tub which was surprising and the wheel arches had a couple of small dents so definitely not a paddock basher.
I have some jarrah boards that I may use but could head to a more practical surface. Made up some spacers using 1.2 mm for the front guards, that will be screwed in with a foam strip to seal off the “eye brows “.
Where ever I find a mud collection area I try to eliminate it but closing off or smoothing it out. Made my variation on a chassis rails welded into the leaf spring housing. Still to make the tailshaft loop. Cleaned the under floor with a wire wheel on the angle grinder. A word of warning, use both hands and face shield as the bugger can grip and buck. I painted black chassis paint to seal with a little help from my son. My upgrade down the track.
Also cleared the blocked drain holes in the inner sills, then plugged and filled with fish oil with an overnight soak before draining. Heading out the shed now to do more gentle blocking on the body.
Cheers,
Roger

I’m envious of that fuel tank surround. You’ll have to retain the stock tank at least?

The other thing to watch using wire wheel on grinder is the ultra sonic missile speed bits of broken wire that imbed in your flesh, even through cotton drill overalls.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

hi,
All done with wire wheels and belt sanders now.
My first thoughts when I start the hand block of the body was " this should not take too long as it is smaller that a sedan".

Spent the afternoon hand sanding, filling small dents and other areas not to my liking the inside of the tub.
Heaps of nooks and crevices with tight bends so down to the "finger sander". Bent fingers and scraped knuckles but good progress.

Pending weather this week, I may spray a coat of etch primer, hit with guide coat then block with 180 grit.
Now I will how "flat" the body panels appear to be.

Clay - standard tank to stay at the moment but as you are seeing, I can not leave things alone.

Cheers,
Roger

Just remember me when you want that tank out of the way

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Hi,
Next installment.
Body mods started but I should offer my apologies to the restorers but I’m a hot rodder at heart so the build has a couple more of modifications.

FC taillights are gone.
I saw this on a post from Alistair on Rusty EK ute build, back in 2010 so I tracked down a set of 55 Rambler Nash lights from the US. I did cut off the “tail” so I had separation from the bumper.
What looks easy when you watch someone on TV is doing panel mods, you quickly learn that there is a heap of skill involved. Shaping metal by hand on the floor with hammers, tests you every time you swing the hammer.
Whilst I was making the backing and forming the rear guard, I did ask myself the question if I should have out sourced to skill panel guy but I’m happy so far.
A you can see there not must change to the top curve Roughed in and now requires a finish fill and sand I have these at A Class plating, here in Adelaide for repair and re-chrome as there is pitting and a crack on one.
The lens are OK but I will attempt to source either NOS or repo from the US.

I'm a little surprise no-one mentioned to taillight change from some of the other photo's I have posted.
Cheers,
Roger