Rebuilding of Old Timer (EK wagon)

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parisian62
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Post by parisian62 »

Thanks for the comments guys and gal...some of you know the story...others don't...read on...

The Search
Fast forward 11 years to August 2001 and I’d decided it was time to start searching for the EK. I was in two minds about looking for the EK…

I already have an FB sedan…correct response is “...one old Holden is not enough...”

What if I can’t find it?…correct response is “...well what if I can…you’ll never know if you don’t try…”

What if it’s been scrapped?…correct response is “...yes that’s worse case scenario and I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it…”

My first move was a phone call to Mr Keith Collins. He told me that he thought he had sold it to a family named Smith (of all the names!) and they owned a hotel in Main Street, Wallerawang.

So based on that information I looked up all the Smiths at Wallerawang listed on the White Pages on the internet. Over the next fortnight or so I rang each of the 8 families listed…nothing. I also looked up both the hotels in Wallerawang, the Commercial and the Royal…nothing. :cry:

In some of the Grandads paperwork I found the EK chassis number (EK36096S) and so I rang the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) Parramatta office with this bit of information and was told that the vehicle had not been written off. This gave me some glimmer of hope.

By the time I had rung and spoken to the last Smith in Wallerawang I hadn’t located the EK and finding it was looking more and more doubtful. I even began to ring wrecking yards in and around the Lithgow and Wallerawang area in the hope that someone would remember the car…nothing. :cry:

I then submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) form and fee of around $40 in September 2001 to the RTA. Using the chassis number as the identifier, I requested that the RTA contact, on my behalf, the last registered owner of the EK and advise that I was searching for the vehicle.

On Tuesday 2 October, I received a phone call from the RTA advising that contact had been made with the last registered owner…Mr Collins.

So I had come full circle and after 8 weeks of searching I was back where I had started. I never thought that the FOI would lead back to Mr Collins so I rang him to apologise for the inconvenience. In conversation he said that someone else was looking for the EK as he had received a letter and phone call from the RTA. After explaining to him that it was me still looking for the EK he replied apologetically that he had gone back to his receipt book only to discover the EK had in fact been sold to a family by the name of Brown and not Smith! :o

So armed with this new information I looked up all the Browns at Wallerawang on the White Pages on the internet. The first to come up was a J Brown at an address at Main Street, Wallerawang…remember both the hotels are in Main Street and Mr Collins had earlier said he thought that the buyer had owned a pub at Wallerawang.

So I dialled the number…a lady answered the phone…I introduced myself and explained I was looking for an EK station sedan…I couldn’t believe my ears when the response was “Oh yeah, the old Holden wagon, its sitting out the back.” :shock: :shock: :shock: I nearly fell off my chair…I had found the EK! I still get goose bumps thinking about it today. :D So after a rather excited 20 minute conversion the story was relayed to me…

The Brown family had bought the EK from Mr Collins in 1990 as a project and work had begun stripping the EK for restoration. Unfortunately due to health reasons Mr Brown was never able to finish the work and it was parked under a pine tree down behind the Commercial Hotel at Wallerawang. Only a short time before my phone call, the EK had been offered to a nephew of the Brown family. I said that I was very keen on buying the EK and so secured a promise that it would be held until I had a chance to inspect it.

On Saturday 6 October 2001 I drove to Wallerawang with my father, brother-in-law and 2 children in tow to check out the EK. Opening the side gate to the pub and walking down the path I remember seeing the EK for the first time… it lookied a sad and sorry sight sitting there in the backyard. No chrome, grill or external trim, all the doors were sagging and plenty of visible rust. The first thing I did was to pop the bonnet to check the chassis number from the records I had from Grandad…EK 36096 S …this was it! I had found it! :shock: :D The photos below are pretty average in quality and I put that down to the fact that I could hardly keep the camera still as I was that keyed up at finding the EK.

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As I’ve said the EK was in very average condition. If you were looking for an EK to restore this probably wouldn’t be it. Inspection revealed rust in the outer sills, inner rails, bottom of A pillars, floor pans, front fenders, rear quarters…pretty much everywhere. However the EK was complete as all the chrome, external trim, grill and other extra spares were all piled inside the EK. Opening the glovebox I found the original owners manual and service policy and this little beauty in Grandads copperplate handwriting…

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After chatting to Mr Brown and based entirely on sentimental reasons I purchased the EK for $400. So after nearly 40 years since Grandad had bought the EK brand new, it was now back in Watters ownership. The same day I arranged for Lithgow Towing to transport the EK on a flat bed tow truck to my Aunty Beth’s house at Lithgow who let me store the car under the protection of a carport whilst I organised more permanent storage back in Sydney. Following photos are of my Mum, son Thomas and me...I was one happy chappy… :D :D :D

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Thommo
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Post by Thommo »

Great story Stewart 8)
Looking forward to the updates :wink:
Cheers
Jeff
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Post by Mephious »

Hahahaha unreal Stu !!!

Great read mate !! .... can only hope my offspring ( when ever that happens ) have the same admiration and determination to look after my Holdens !!!
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parisian62
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Post by parisian62 »

thanks Jeff and Scott. I was extremely lucky to find the EK after 11 years.

OK on with the story...the next chapter is short...

On 10 November 2001 I drove to Lithgow with my Mum and Dad and son Thomas to prepare the EK for towing. A loan of an air compressor got the tyres inflated and it was pulled onto the flatbed tow truck bound for Sydney. As I didn't have the space to park/store the EK some lateral thinking was required...I didn't have the $ to pay for storage...so I found a neighbour who backs onto our place in a neighbouring street with an empty garage and paid the rent by mowing lawns and doing edges.
Feelin free in a '61 FB.
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Sunnymick
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Post by Sunnymick »

Hi Stewart sounds completely worth it. Cant wait for this resto to unfold....
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retro
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Post by retro »

stewart i reckon this post will be the most sentimental thing on this forum, i cant wait until i log on and read...." going for a club run in my wagon, will post new picks of it when we get home".

Buddy, good luck and keep at it, if its worth it in your eyes, you have convinced me that its a worth while project. Hopefully thomas will understand when he becomes the rightful owner.
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parisian62
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Post by parisian62 »

Thanks Sunnymick. Cars often become a member of the family and the EK was like that. So after losing it and then getting the chance to get it back it was always to be a keeper. Due to the rust I have had my doubts that it would ever get back on the road but thats beginning to change now that new steel is going in. Hey Retro...I can't wait either!


On Saturday 31 August 2004 the EK made the final leg of its journey home. Craig Wilson helped out here and using a solid tow the EK was hooked up to his FE ute.

It was the best 1 km I've 'driven' in a long time. I had Thomas then aged 5 sitting in the front seat with me helping me to stear the EK and for a brief moment the EK came alive. The mileage began to tick over and speed indicator started to hover. As it has been sitting so long every tyre had a major flat spot...so you could hear and feel the tryes going ker plunk...ker plunk...ker plunk...ker plunk as we rolled along behind the FE. We got some funny looks as we rolled down the street. :lol:

YouTube movie showing the EK arriving home...click on the pic below...

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The last picture shows Grandad’s FB and EK back together again. As mentioned on page 1 when Grandad sold the EK he bought the FB secondhand...so they are FB EK brothers? :) :lol:

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Last edited by parisian62 on Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:40 pm, edited 9 times in total.
Feelin free in a '61 FB.
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customfc
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Post by customfc »

Hey Stewart.
That's a fantastic story with a dream outcome.
There sure seems a lot of work ahead of you, but the sentiment will provide the drive to get it done.
To have both those family cars in your posession is truly amazing.
Good luck with the resto.
Regards
Alex
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Post by lulu »

What a brilliant story and even better ending. I'm a sucker for a happy ending :lol:
Congrats and Well Done :P

Lulu

PS> This makes me want to find Dads EK. I have a photo of it with Mum and I in front of it. I was about 6yrs old when he sold it. Still remember it, even though I was that little. Plus you can make out the number plates..hmmm wonder if it's still around.
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Thommo
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Post by Thommo »

When I was born, I was brought home from the hospital in my parents EK van.
It was an ex ETSA (Electricity Trust of SA) fleet van.
While I dont have that van, my van is from that same fleet :)
Its close, but not like having 'the car' :|
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HOLD-ON-EKKY
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Post by HOLD-ON-EKKY »

awesome story parisian62 not many can claim a story like that, well done, if me in that situation i probley would have paid bouble that and still been wraped with owing it, you couldnt really put a price on a story like that, best of all ya mum & dad is still around to see all of this happen and the young fella to hopefully benefit from it in the future, good luck with the rebuild :D
STOP YOUR WHINGING, BUILD A BRIDGE AND GET OVER IT.
parisian62
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Post by parisian62 »

thanks for the comments guys. Ekky - I probably would have paid double that too :) Thommo - same fleet thats pretty good...I wonder how many other are around from the same fleet - probably not many if at all? Lulu - you've got a happy ending with your recent purchase now 8) Alex - you're right - the sentiment will drive this all the way.

After getting it home the strip down began. These are some before shots...

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guards and doors are off...

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Just for kicks...I made a preliminary list of what obvious rust repairs where needed...

Both guards
Bonnet
Subframe and Y ends
Fire wall
Bottom of A pillars
Sections of inner sill
Underfloor bracing
Both outer sills
Bottom of C pillars
Every floor pan
Bottom tailgate - cactus
Both rear quarters
Sections supporting the fuel tank
Drip rails both sides

..and about a zillion rust holes peppered throughout the rest of the body... :shock:

...and this was before the body had been blasted...

suprisingly I only found 2 obvious dents - one on the roof just above the tailgate and one near the petrol filler.

at this point in time I was thinking...

I should go and buy shares in Rare Spares... :lol:
take a bex tablet and a good lie down... :shock:
my 6 months TAFE welding course and my mig were not really going to cut it... :roll:

last final one...double check that this is THE EK before starting work... :D

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next chapter is firing up the old grey after 10 years...if anyone knows how to burn DVD footage into a mpeg file I'd love to hear from you...

regards
Stewart
Last edited by parisian62 on Tue Jun 03, 2008 8:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
Feelin free in a '61 FB.
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Post by lulu »

Stewart...Yes, very happy ending as do you. Will be watching the progress of your baby for sure.

With our wagon, the seller told me the old timer he bought it off (who did backyard resto 4yrs ago) wanted the original plates from his first ek. So the bloke rang the rta and they were available, so he got them re-pressed and put them on Casey. Don't know Casey's original number plates but will keep the ones the old timer got pressed, for respect & it's a nice story. He must have loved his first EK a lot, to want to have the same plates again.
-Never enough Chrome-
parisian62
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Post by parisian62 »

Hi Lulu...thanks for that. You've got a great wagon there and I'm sure the old timer you bought it from must but be very happy knowing its in good hands.

The next step was to remove the grey and take the front end off...so what to do...invite some mates over with a promise of a BBQ and beer...

where we are up to...February 2007...
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Andrew Hunter in full safety gear...thongs, shorts and t-shirt...
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out it comes...thanks to the loan of Matthew Hicks (Brown Bear) hoist and engine stand...
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its EJ grey motor and was installed into the wagon in July 1976 at a cost of $80 for the engine and $50 for installation.
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whats thats Fffford doing there? :lol: Andrew Hunters black EK wagon...its now green, Stuart Bowyers blue EK...and my FB...
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front end coming off...
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nearly 50 years of gunk...the y frames were in suprisingly good nick...
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Post by J »

hey mate,
if you have dvd footage on a disk, you can mail it too me and i can convert it for you and put it on youtube or whatever.

or if you want, we could try do it over email..

send me a pm and let me know
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