Fairmont GT

so i have been doing some work.

last chat was when i had trouble lining up doors.
that is in place and i did a subsequent 1200km round trip in January up the South Coast to the Garden Route area.

actually got a decent 8km/l fuel consumption compared to 5km/l in town.

so far i cut my left drip rail off and made a new one:


then made a 25mm filler section to go between rail and roof skin.

cut the pillar/post panel out last night.
making a new one over weekend and fixing up rust areas, then it all has to be welded in place again!

Top job Wally.

Thought you had been a bit quite of late but clearly you have been busy.

Have seen a few XT ute's around lately since being back home and thought of yours.

This is what I'm working on at the moment.

ELEANOR...

wish i was at that stage!

oh well, mine is rolling resto and i have put so much money into it, i have to keep going.
it is painfully slow, as time and money play a role.
i use basic hand tools to shape and make everything.

been a busy time of year plus i took a break from the other forums - got a bit tired of seeing the same nonsense posted the whole time.

that will also pass..

plans are to get other side as well as sills done and in place before winter hits Cape Town - let's see!
only so many hours in a Saturday.

Hi Justin hows things mate?You had better throw up a few more photos of Eleanor.Great looking car!

KANDY351

the plan was to make the new post panel and have it welded in.
first i had to cut some wood blanks to form it around.
also had to cut out some rust sections to repair.

this is where things went pear shaped...

the pillar support beam looked like a small repair, but i ended up having to remake the whole section.
easy enough. the patch had slight curve to it. though i would try some tuck shrinking.

it didn't work...

so i cheated - cut small slits, shaped and welded slits up.

welding in the patch panel took forever!

tricky area to work with gas set. 1 side came out decent, the other not so much, but it is fine, as the post panel is going over it.
hopefully by this weekend!

took up the hammer and metal out of boredom/frustration last night and guess what happened:


not the best shot i know, but there it is.
made the post panel. this is just a test fit to see if my card template was accurate.
the panel still needs a slight curve from top to bottom.

looks like some good metalworking skills there mate. are you sealing up all the welds to prevent rust?
welding so close to the front screen, you are a brave man.

the gutter and post panel are in, but still needs finishing.

i use NS5 coating front and back of panel to prevent rust, also added rust treatment to older sections after cleaning them.
it is all pretty much trial and error at this point - more errors than trials!!
and pretty limited tools.

windscreen will get replaced at some point - nasty scratches.

using oxy-acetylene welding, so you can pretty much direct/control the heat and amount quite nicely.

will post some updates after sections are done.

looking good!
Chris.

thanx, but i am not happy with any of the work i have done.
cutting everything out and remaking it till it is perfect.

been a while.

the post is shaped and welded in. drip rail welded in place and attempted to repair the roof - but it didn't work...
it warped so badly - mainly because of my inexperience in knowing how to make the perfect repair panel.

so this past weekend i went to a metal shaper outside Stellenbosch who showed me how to do it properly!

cleaned up the whole roof with heat gun and scraper:


first we made a flexible shape pattern on the good side - this will act as pattern and guide for left and right hand side roof.



then with mallet and leather beater bag shaping, test fitting pattern, shaping, testing, finishing, shaping, finishing...

after about 4 hours got it looking like this:


and roughly in place:


next i have to make some spoons to see if i can access the panel without having to cut out the roof braces...

Wally thats alot of work!! Best of luck, really, I would not have taken up this. You really are a brave man.

I was also keen on buying this ute when it was up for sale and you beat me to it!!! ... very happy you got it now

All joking aside... great work mate... your one dedicated bloke

Cheers

Macca

i have a learned a few things in the process:

- look carefully
- buy the best you can afford
- some metal skills

i have wanted to trash this thing so many times and will probably feel that way a few times further down the line.

the best part is the motor Warren built and the new front suspension, but nobody will buy it for i have spent just getting that sorted!
the body guy was really good with his filler work!

i am stuck with it and have to deal with it.

what makes it "worse" is that it is a rolling resto - i keep it on the road and drive it as and when i can.

there is still so much to do - floor panels, sills, load bed, wheel wells, wiring, interior.

i yearn for something better, but money doesn't allow for it.

i have made peace that it will take a few years to get done and the aim is to have it done and ready before it's 50th anniversary in 2019!
then our son can use it to his farewell school function!

plus, the skills i learn here i would like to put to test building a proper old school hot rod.

i think a very irritating factor is money, space, time and the lack of good tools - but i have learned anything can be done with minimal tools - as the panel is testament!

Awesome work Wally I admire the hard work.