My ever-after Ute

[Tasek]

love your work. I am a Wynnum boy from way back, know your yellow ute but haven't seen it for a while.
Tim

I used to spend a lot of time on the Bayside back in the '90's. I am a bit of a cricket tragic playing well into my 40's. I played Warehouse winter cricket at Kianawah park Tingalpa and summer in the local comp for years. Played all around the area, playing at wellington Point and Ormiston Wynum among others. That ute came in handy as seat -esky carrier, portable Bar-be deck. Good days.

I am probably a little unkind to the guy that ended up with that ute, but my daughter gets no such pass as she knew what that car meant to me

[Tasek]

Update # 4 or 5

For those still reading. Tina may be sleeping.

Last weekend was a long weekend as I took a day off on Friday. Had planned to fit the steering arms etc so I could push Tina out of the shed and start some serious sanding on the body and roof.
Well that was the plan on Thursday night but come Friday lunch time I just couldn't stand looking at the horrible orange red colour the previous owner had chosen for the suspension, so I just had to whip out the 160 grit and rub those suckers back. Then a couple of coats of primer and black, job done.
Oh and I finished off cleaning the oddball gearbox that came with the project car. Casting mark says Holden but doesn't look like anything I have seen online yet. When I fix my old laptop with the bootleg photoshop elements (Don't get me wrong I am no IT guy but power cord is frayed and I only have to find the right cord) and I can get the photos under the size limit I will post and someone on here may be able to help me out.

Knocked off for the afternoon and watched the Black Caps flog the Poms at cricket, that time was well spent.

Saturday got guards, doors and front trim off. Started by sanding back the inside of the bonnet. I think I counted five separate colors and a primer. Used an orbital sander, brushes on pistol drill and then various grits with various size blocks . The step back here was the rubber bump posts were missing the rubber and I had to easy out an embedded broken off bolt. Those easy outs I bought for the brake bleeder drama came in handy, they haven't worked on the brake but worked a treat here. More on the brake saga later.
Finally I borrowed a neighbors tig welder and fixed the loose bonnet rubber mounting. Bit rusty but didn't disgrace myself-for a change- no seagull scats here.

That done, it was time to try out my compressor and new touch up gun. I bought the compressor from a neighbor who came down to Tassie built a house right on my boundary (On two 12 acre blocks) and buggered off back to Brisbane because it is cold down here. It cost $80 but he was a builder and used it for nail guns in a gang. I have been a little worried that the compressor may not have the puff I require to paint the project. I fitted a couple of new oiler/water traps to the line- No of course I didn't add oil I am accident prone not stupid. Mixed up some etch primer and set the gun, with plenty of pressure and no problems.
I came back Sunday and tried again with some heavier filler, to cover the sanding marks I didn't sand out, and again good result. Smoothed these over and the gun performed to my expectations.
Began cutting the rubber out of the rear windows Sunday, broke a couple of Stanley blades but no wounds or blood stains on the etch primer of the body.

So the curse of Tina may be weakening. Although I am sure she has plenty in store for me.

Just let me know when this becomes unbearably boring.

[WayneXG95]

Pics we need pics...

[Blacky]

all good so far















































....but we need pics

[Tasek]

Car-log Car date March 2015.

Well March is turning into a disappointment. It started out with such promise with two Mrs Tasek free weekends, both of which with a Friday off work to babysit her beloved pets, however it became more or less an EK free zone.
Oh, I have rummaged through the remaining boxes and sorted a few more parts that need replacing. I bought a Stormberg refurb kit with special tools cheap off Ebay. I went to the local swap meet and bought a nice tow bar for $15 and a radiator for $50. Mixed luck there, tow bar unit fits and looks the goods but the radiator is an auto unit and is too big for the Ute mounting.

If anyone with a grey motor and auto trans is looking for a spare Radiator I am happy to sell it for $50 if they pay the postage. Perhaps we can do a swap for some of the stuff I am missing - if interested PM me.

Plus, from the swap meet I caught up with the guy who was supposed to be getting me a grey motor from the east coast of Tas, he kind of had a different timeframe to me. (I was thinking weeks, he is more "sometime this year -maybe) They are slow talking folks down St Helens way.
Turns out he was there looking for a Massey Freggie T28 parts or full tractor. He is always restoring something from vintage motorbikes to Bedford trucks and back. Seems he picked up an old wreck and is mad keen on doing it up.
Weeellll I just happen to have one in the shed that I bought already partially restored that I finished off, only to have it break a valve spring. I replaced that and reconditioned the head at the same time. I have been waiting for another Tasmanian, with his own whole "I will get back to you" timeframe to come and pay for it after we shook on the price 9 months ago. This was about the time I got Tina and I ear-marked this spot for the parts car. Wifey is sick of the spare tarp-covered ute sitting in the turning bay up the drive.
There is a statute of limitations on a handshake isn't there ???

How many birds is that with one stone ???

So my grey motor guy is now talking swapping holden parts for Freggies, so not a bad days work I suppose.

After some online research and downloading the Three-speed Crashbox Enthusiasts Guide from the net I worked out that the box that came with Tina is actually an EJ box. I am not sure why it had mounts at 10 and 2 o'clock other than someone had used it behind a Red motor at some time. But reading the Three-speed Crashbox Guide convinced me that stripping and rebuilding a gearbox is a job I am not keen on tackling, so I will be looking for a good shop around Launceston.

I had hoped to get the engine bay painted this weekend but looks like Easter is the window of opportunity.

But I have worked out how to upload photos and when I get the hang of it I will insert them into the post.

thanks for reading.
Those eagle-eyes will note that yes I did once keep Ostriches - what can I say I am drawn to money pits

EJ Box not mine one from the net. My photo is still too big

[Tasek]

Well Easter has come and gone and Tina has had the last laugh. Well a chuckle anyway.

Started out Thursday night with the intention of ripping out the front end and getting that sorted once and for all. Well in truth I was going to paint the engine bay first but couldn't decide the right colour for my wicked beauty. The original colour, according to the plate, is honey Beige .........
The original colour being the roof in this photo- perhaps?



......... but I have always liked the light blue /chrome combination and since Mrs Tasek won't allow mw to re-visit the Hayman Coral, that my first ute was, we both agreed it should be light blue. So it came down to Seaforth Green, Colleen Green, Wedgewood Blue and """"gasp"""" a &*#@ colour Horizone blue. In my defense all you "found on Rubbish Dumps" haters it is a sweet colour - exhibit "A"

The local general paint store had no idea what I was talking about when I asked for Colleen blue, although they advertise "any colour mixed". Wasting time while they looked through colour charts is the reason I was late getting a sample and didn't have it ready for Easter weekend. So I went to a specialist auto-paint shop that a friend recommend and got 1 litre pots of each.
Friday worked on the property - did I mention I have acreage to keep my idle moments full as well as my new passion (Tina)
With a good stock of Brownie points banked up I cashed in and so Saturday I cranked up the compressor and the touch-up gun and sprayed some samples on undercoated white cardboard box the new big tv came in. Don't ask. Needless to say my wallet is a one way revolving door at the moment and if it it was on Tina I would not mind but it seems everyone has their fingers in it.
The winner! it appears is Wedgewood blue because "it is not as dark as the others and would make the ute look bigger", not sure Mrs Tasek is the right sounding board for this but that is what we are going for a light blue so what the hell.
This is what I envision Tina turning out like, although I am thinking Wedgewood blue may be lighter and grayer

So painting was off the weekends to do list, instead I uncovered the old parts car and removed the bits I couldn't find in the boxes that came with the job lot. Also the only rust issue not eliminated to date is at the base of the rear inner panels of the tub so I scavenged the ones off the parts car and am getting ready to do some cutting and welding next.


Tried to extract the brake lines but gave up as I got stuff in my eyes and needed it flushed up at the house. Why the brakelines ? Well I am thinking if I get these off I can take the measurement and get some tubing cut to match and bent as well. Logical eh?

Anyway I found the wiring harness, spare gauges and a complete set of good chrome for the windscreen surrounds. I forgot that I also have 3 windscreen and two spare doors as well as those on the ute. So if I have any bumps there are spares

Next step will be painting the engine bay which I have masked up and top coated undercoat- don't think that makes sense but you get the idea- I am sure- once I have done that I will work my way back -cabin to tub with a coat of top coat undercoat and Wedgewood Blue.
Thanks for reading- sorry for late editing.

[WayneXG95]

There is another blue.. Strata Blue...it's the colour on the roof

http://s1032.photobucket.com/user/Wayne ... rt=3&o=154


but I love the blue on that 58 Edsel Pacer...

[Tasek]

There is another blue.. Strata Blue...it's the colour on the roof

http://s1032.photobucket.com/user/Wayne ... rt=3&o=154


but I love the blue on that 58 Edsel Pacer...

Nice sedan WayneXG95 colours work well, yours I presume?
What is the colour of the EK in your Avatar?
Strata blue was an option but the sample card looked darker than I was going for. The colour on the parts ute is definitely darker than I want. I suppose I could lighten it and give it a try as I am not sold on wedgewood blue which looks a grey/blue and almost dull. It is a big decision and I want to get it right

Yes that light blue, white and lumps of chrome is a great combination . The trial pot I got of this (Horizon blue according to the description accompanying the photo) was almost white so perhaps they didn't mix it right.
I think I will get enough Wedgewood blue mixed to spray the engine bay and see if I like in on the car.

I want to get the old girl at least filled, sanded straight and covered in a coat of undercoat before the winter down here as it gets damp over winter great environment for surface rust.

[WayneXG95]

The colour of the FB in my avatar is Belmont Green and a HR colour

[Tasek]

Quick update
Decided to get a few of the easy things cleaned up so checked out the radiator that has been sitting in the back of the shed. To see if it would leak I laid it flat on its back, inlet outlet up, and filled it with water to see if there were any major leakage. Good news after a week there was very minor drop in the level and a small wet patch on the concrete (behave yourselves) So off to the local radiator shop for a proper test.
Took it the shop my EH owning friend recommended and after saying "there was no rush it is part of a project that is 18 month from being near eve fitting the motor, and all I wanted was to know if it is ok to keep or what the damage would be to fix it" , I was surprised when I received a phone call a couple hours later.
Well by now I have come to expect the costly bad news. Yep the core was Swiss cheese and it was going to cost around $400 to fix.
I declined the offer reasoning that one is bound to come up on Ebay for much less. So $100 lighter but weighed down with scrap steel and copper I now have to find a radiator.

Over the weekend I have looked on Ebay and there are many options so I need some advice about the durability of the aluminum cored radiators. A friend gave me a blanket "don't use em they fracture" is this true?

Thanks for reading

[Blacky]

Depends on where you buy 'em - the Chinese ones are generally craaaaap although every now and then you will get one that lasts.

[Devilrod]

Those cheap alloy ones on eBay will be lucky to last a year. I just went through having a new radiator built for my roadster, that was $600 - core and tanks. But it was tested and came with a guarantee all local. The radiator guy actually showed me just how cheap he can get those alloy ones for. Lets just say I saw nothing above $20.... I also had a HT radiator made for my EK a few years back, triple core re-used the top and bottom tanks and that was only $300.

[ben]

As above the cheap alloy ones are hit and miss, and even the big dollar off-the shelf alloy radiators can end in tears. A local custom job like DR s is way to go if your set on a alloy one. As you have time on your hands you should be able to pickup a new copper job for way under $400. From memory i paid $150 for a new HR radiator through gumtree.

[Devilrod]

Forgot to add mine are both copper ones. They'll outlast an alloy one.

[Tasek]

For those out there reading this story up until now I thought I would assure you I am no quitter, I know who cares, but you may have thought "there is another dreamer who has bitten off more than he can chew". or "Didn't take long for the shine to wear off that dream".
If you wondered at all you may have mused if there might be a cheap ute on Ebay or Gumtree in Tassie soon, well I haven't stopped working on Tina just had a bit of a health problem so haven't been able to work on my little she-devil.
Before I make this sound like some life threatening emergency, with ambulance rushing me off on life support sirens blaring and red lights ablze, I had surgery for a couple of hernias'. Once out of hospital (overnight stay ) I was and not allowed to lift over 10 kgs for 3 months. My first reaction was bonus two weeks off work and a chance to get into the shed and whip my project into shape. Mrs Tasek had other ideas and has been on ute work patrol and I have been banished from the garage.

I managed to buy some odds and ends on Ebay. Some good some not so. Got annoyed with a mate who said "Yeah we all go and buy things we don't really need then sell them at a loss" smart arse "that won't happen buddy" I boasted. Then I bought a hood Emblem that was pretty badly pitted and cursed him and Tina all at once.

Project "Subdue Tina" is on go slow because I am so far behind with all the work on the property which screams attention now that I am fit again. Besides since I haven't been there to defend my garage turf wifey has taken over half the shed with various horse food, hay, chaff and too many to quote other dust creating what-nots. A thin film of airborne stock food has settled on the covers of may baby to the point that the whole project will need to be blown down in the spring when the temperatures get out of single figures and into the 20's and painting is an option.

In the spring when the horse feeding fenzy stops I will remove the front end and overhaul that next. No room at present.
So there will be no cheap Utes in Tassie .....well not yet anyway she may send me broke yet.