mine & dazzajay's FB ute

[holdenutechick]

The weekend just gone we transported all the spare parts to Mum's shed (hoping she doesn't sell her farm too quickly!)

How's this for dedication? I'm missing Ariah Park BNS this weekend, so we can load the ute on a trailer and move her to her new temporary home in Berrigan, just means my mates will have to wait till new years to see me at Holbrook BNS.

Sam Crupi over the road will be most sad to see the ute go I think, he has been most helpful and enthusiastic about the progress of our FB, seeing and hearing his green EK has also given much motivation and inspiration to work on the FB.

Also I should note the Deniliquin ute muster secretary passed my details to the ute museum organisers, so the ute will be at the ute muster next year whether running or not!

[holdenutechick]

Ute is going great made the move from Shep to Mum's shed it's making good progress now, one setback with a dint in the passenger side door and a bend in the sill, as it came off the trailer the ramp gave way and it hit the side of the trailer so I'm now looking into how to fix that up annoyingly.

Removed the front grille, bonnet, dash items and in the process of removing the side fenders, think I may have found the original colour under the dash bezels, interestingly I don't think it's morning grey as it's kind of a pinky yellow colour might be undercoat not 100% certain, Daniel took some photos on his mobile but they might be a bit dark I'll poke him to upload them for you guys.

[DazzaJay]

Update.
Have removed most of everything from the front. the Air Splitter has been removed, so has the grill, and hood.
the Drivers side front quarterpanel is off, HOWEVER.... and this is where a lot of you will be going "THAT RETARD" with me....
The passenger side front quarter panel, has been WELDED to the body of the ute.
Looks like the 2 lower bolts had rusted off, and so to had the top one (The one where you go straight up through the bottom of the dashboard), so instead of FIXING IT, the previous owner WELDED IT ON.

Not happy. - Picts to come showing this idiocy.

[DazzaJay]

On a different note, I've lost a socket. Drivers side, I was using it to undo the bottom bolt for the drivers side guard, when I pulled the tool out, the socket has fallen down inside the rail, and I cant see it in there. - any ideas on how to get that out? its probably rolled into the bottom of the door frame. - I'm thinking high powered magnet attached to a flexible piece of plastic rod. - any other ideas?


Found rust in the front, here on the map highlighted in red is where the rust is, and there are picts below that show it.
click for larger pic


Also, highlighted here are the WELDS that are holding the passenger front quarterpanel on. - Grrrrrrr.
click for larger pic


PhotoSpam!
As always click for larger picts.

[Devilrod]

Certainly not the first to drop a socket down there or bolts for that matter... Go and get one of the tools that look like an aerial with a screwdriver handle at the base and magnet at the extending end. You'll need it for reassembly too.. guess how I know.

Happy fishing!

[WayneXG95]

Welcome to the Rusty Holden Club Allison...
As you can see your not alone, mines rusted in the same place, right over the battery.







Hows the sub frame, you looked at that yet?



Thanks for the hint Devidrod..

Cheers

[DazzaJay]

That last pic you have there, that same bar that's rusty on yours is rusted out, Both sides on Allison's. INCLUDING the bar where its the Trans Hump in the middle. (The 4 bolt points have rusted out)



I have updated the Metal Cancer map:
(Not to scale, but showing the areas where obvious rust is in the frame, as always, will check for more soon)


Also, any ideas on getting the passenger guard off? there's not enough space to use a normal grinder to cut the welds, but I'm guessing a dremel with a small cutting disc on it? (Bout the size of a 20c piece) would that be sufficient to cut through where the knob has welded it on?

Also, thanks for the Extenda-magnet idea Devilrod.

[WayneXG95]

Looks the same as mine, I can't asscess fully until we get the bloody tow bar off and get futher into the dismantaling...


Cheers

[Devilrod]

For the welds you're either going to have to get a dremmel (or similar brand) with a cutoff wheel but it will take ages to cut through using the dremmel. The other option is an air driven cutoff wheel. They are smaller in diameter than a 100mm grinder and should do the trick.

For the rust in the subframes get some steel (same guage) folded up to match. This was how we patched my subframe, luckily a mate had leftover from doing his. Then start cutting..... its a slow tedious part of the resto. But needs to be done right.

[Harv]

You gotta love it when you look at someones repairs and think "I'm rough... but not quite that rough ). Had an old mechanic once describe geting the timing gear and camshaft out of an FC when stuck in a small country town... by gasaxing a hole in the grille .

DR's right - the "magnet on an aerial" is a critical service tool (don't ask me how I know either ). While you're buying that one, get one of the "three retractable claws on a bending spring" versions - longer reach, gets around corners and picks up non-magnetic bits (doesn't stick itself to all the other magnetic bits like the magnet one either).

You might (just) get a 4" grinder into those welds with a new wheel - not one to try after a few beers though. Another way is to buy a new drill bit (or 2-3 of them the same size) and drill the welds out one drill-width at a time... will be about as painful as the Dremel though.

Cheers,
Harv

[WayneXG95]

A great man of many verses once said.....

Sounds like it'll turn into a ground up rebuild if you're not careful They always do.....

You have to agree with that statement.....

Cheers

[ekstevo]

Also, any ideas on getting the passenger guard off?

hammer and a sharp cold chiesel (20mm) you have 500 rust repairs anyway another 1 isnt going to hurt grind what you can first the finsh when the guard is off

[Smooth customs]

Update.
Have removed most of everything from the front. the Air Splitter has been removed, so has the grill, and hood.
the Drivers side front quarterpanel is off, HOWEVER.... and this is where a lot of you will be going "THAT RETARD" with me....
The passenger side front quarter panel, has been WELDED to the body of the ute.
Looks like the 2 lower bolts had rusted off, and so to had the top one (The one where you go straight up through the bottom of the dashboard), so instead of FIXING IT, the previous owner WELDED IT ON.

Not happy. - Picts to come showing this idiocy.

Hood is an American term, we have bonnets on our locally produced cars
Quarter panels are at the rear of a car.
You have removed a "Front guard" (in Australia) A Wing in England and a Fender in America
Using the correct termanology will help you and others understand what you are doing, and asking about
This also applies to your personal opinion on things you are finding as the ute is dismantled.
Your total lack of knowledge in these areas is evedent. In years past certain methods of repair were accepted, when related to the vehicle they were performed on. And lasted decades.
What you have is a UTE, a work vehicle that had to earn its keep for its owner every day used and abused to a level most people could not understand. Not a pampered vehicle as many are now.

Idiocy! not going there.

[DazzaJay]

I am using an American spell checker to check all my spelling before posting. - which is the Windows Default. Windows being made by an American Company - Microsoft.
"Idiocy" was its doing.
"Hood" was its doing.
FRONT Quarter Panels however was the doing of my Work Experience at Heywoods Smash Repairs in Shepparton.


So, how about instead if Picking apart everything that anyone tries to do....... too early in the morning to have a good rant.
Just if you don't feel like helping with the questions asked, and would rather insult people, then go over to 4chan and insult the trolls.

[WayneXG95]