Pilbara FB Project

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 12:16 am

G'day every one,

My name is Jason, now that I've worked out how to post stuff (well hopefully, we'll see if it works) I thought it was high time to introduce my self.

I live up in the sunny Pilbara in a town called Karratha, WA (about 1400kms north of Perth).

I currently have three FB's and one EK all in various states of dis-repair. The plan is to rebuild two of the FB's back to their former glory and use one for bits (the donor was a complete car when I got my hands on it but is pretty rusted & well beyond restoration, I hate chopping up these old girls but hope fully its death will resurrect another two. The running gear seems in really good nick so I suspect that the seller was being honest when he said it is only in its second time around the clock so has only done about 113,00kms. Though the bit about his granny driving it only to church on Sunday's, I'm not to sure about).

I ended up with the EK when I bought one of FB's because the seller would not separate. It has a red motor, HR disc front and 4 speed aussie gearbox etc. I'm not really sure what to do with this one but I will probably (eventually) turn it back into stock again as modifying them isn't really my thing though after seeing some of projects on this site I've come to realise that anything is possible. It might be fun to give the mods a crack.

Here are some photos of the old girls when I found them.

http://i535.photobucket.com/albums/ee35 ... 0_2211.jpg

One of the old girls to be restored, she looks a bit rough in the photos but is actually in pretty good nick rust wise. Still, I enjoy a challenge. Sometimes I just need to remind myself.

http://i535.photobucket.com/albums/ee35 ... 0_2275.jpg

The other FB to be restored

http://i535.photobucket.com/albums/ee35 ... 0_2214.jpg

The donor, The car was complete when I bought it but just riddled with rust. I'll post some more photos as I pulled her down to the bear shell as this photo doesn't really show it.

http://i535.photobucket.com/albums/ee35 ... 0_2271.jpg

Finally, The modified EK

If this works I'll attach some more progress photos as the cars do not really look like this any more

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 12:30 am

Mmmm Bugger,

So how do I post the photos and not the links?

Back to the drawing board!

matches · Post by **matches** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 1:18 am

hi jason, welcome to the forum. it seems that you have some very good starting points there. i like the blue one (looks like someones done alot of the work for you)
as for the pictures hit the Img button then put the direct link then hit the Img button again.

Trev · Post by **Trev** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 7:16 am

Welcome Jason, looks like you have your hands full, good luck and keep up dating us with your progress, Trev

.

Aussy Edo · Post by **Aussy Edo** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 7:20 am

Welcome mate,looks like you will have ya hands full there for a while,I was thinkin you should paint them red and then you will never have to wash em!!

Ive worked up there a few times on the Burrup,beautiful place and the only place ive caught Barra off the bank but faaaark me it gets hot there in summer,its the only place ive worked where i have seen walkers and joggers wearing fly nets too!!!

Keep us posted on the builds mate,we luv photos here

Edo

V8EK4us · Post by **V8EK4us** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 8:44 am

Welcome Jason, I wish I had all them sitting in my yard!

Make sure you keep us posted with the build progress.

blue ute · Post by **blue ute** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 12:09 pm

V8EK4us wrote:I wish I had all them sitting in my yard!

Gary don't you have a enough on your plate already ?? with black beauty to finish & one more to do

Devilrod · Post by **Devilrod** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 3:33 pm

Some fun to be had there Jason!

As for pics if click on the bottom choice IMG and copie the whle line into your post and instant pics.

Post by **Blacky** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 1:34 am

G'day Jason , better late than never mate

maurice1 · Post by **maurice1** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 2:19 pm

Hi. i also lived in the great Pilbra for 20yrs in South Headland, i now live in Perth and am looking for a sub frame for my EK, was wandering if you have seen a spare one in your travels?

parisian62 · Post by **parisian62** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 8:08 pm

welcome aboard Jason. resto or modified...you can't go wrong.

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 12:38 am

Cheers for the welcome fellas,

Yeh I suppose I have got some work in front of me, to be honest I just enjoy being in my shed pulling things to bits, grinding, sand blasting, welding etc. Having something cool that I can drive around in at the end is just a bonus.

Thanks Matches & Devil Rod I'll give the IMG a crack with some progress photos

Hey Gary, I've been watching your project develop. Not sure how you've managed all that during the wet as Edo mentioned, Karratha's hot as faaaark especially in the shed. I do most of my work at night (how to get along with the neighbours), how do you get on in the NT?

Edo, yep flys & the heat, that pretty well sums up Karratha but if it wasn't for that, every man and his dog would be here and there would be no Barra for dinner. It's all a trade off I suppose.

Blacky, yep it’s been a long time coming but finally worked out how this site works.

Maurice, I’m a surveyor by trade so I do roam around country side a fair bit. I do see a few wrecks from time to time but the bush fires during the wet seem to do the job with them. I bought an EK home last year from out the back of Panawonica. It was pretty shot rust wise but some one had rolled it over to pinch the rear axle, there for it had rusted in the most of the opposite spots to where they do normally. I managed to get a most of the front subframe that sits under the radiator as mine is pretty stuffed there. I also got a pretty good spare tyre well and some other bits and bobs. The side of the block and the sump had a large hole in it where she stuck a leg out of bed.

Just before Christmas I came across a couple of EK utes, a FB sedan hacked into a ute and an EJ ute. They are basically rooted but it really depends how desperate / keen you are. I’ve been waiting for the weather to cool down a bit and for the area where the vehicles are to dry out a bit as I had to cross a creek to get in there. I was going to grab the FB subframe myself as it didn’t look to bad and I was also going to grab the rear ¼ panels as mine are also shot. I was going to do a reccy next Friday as I have some work in the area coming up so I can grab some better photos of the others. I don’t mind cutting some bits off for you as I usually travel with a grinder and a generator for such occasions.

Devilrod · Post by **Devilrod** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 12:57 pm

Ahh yes the joys of fieldwork! Its amazing what you stumble across. Although I'm now the head draughty so I'm office bound. I do miss playing arond in the paddocks, sometimes......

Seems the old girls were quite popular out that way. Nice finds. Even if they are a bit too far gone.

Later,

Brett

blackstack · Post by **blackstack** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:59 pm

G'day Jason,
I dig the hub caps on your project car! They staying on?
I grew up in Karratha. Went to millars well primary.
Haven't been back for about 15 years!
Good luck on the build!

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:47 am

G'day Fellas,

Blackstick, I must admit I'm a bit of a fan of the hub caps, I'm looking forward to seeing them with the rest of the shiny bits.

Devilrod, Feild work does have its moments, though sometimes when its 45C I start to wonder about my sanity. The problem is that I can only stay office bound for a short time before I get towey and need to get out in the feild again.

fbekholden.com

Pilbara FB Project

Pilbara FB Project

Bugger

Hot work

Sub Frame