My ever-after Ute

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Devilrod
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Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2004 12:55 pm
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Re: My ever-after Ute

Post by Devilrod »

Sounds like its time to get a garden shed for Horse food storage.... But your time struggle is no different to many. It does make it harder, but that is life. It gets in the way of a lot of things.
Speed and Style........... One day I'll get the speed bit.
parisian62
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Re: My ever-after Ute

Post by parisian62 »

Unfortunately a lot of things in life get in our way...spend the down time planning and getting things organised and sorted...you'll hit the ground running come spring. :thumbsup:

Stewart
Feelin free in a '61 FB.
Member of FB-EK Holden Car Club Of NSW Inc.
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Tasek
Posts: 346
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 11:43 am
State: TAS
Location: Launceston, Tasmania

Re: My ever-after Ute

Post by Tasek »

Devilrod wrote:Sounds like its time to get a garden shed for Horse food storage.... But your time struggle is no different to many. It does make it harder, but that is life. It gets in the way of a lot of things.
Bloody life
Garden shed sounds like a solution but there should be room in the old packing shed just need to convince the horse lady that the lean-too around the back is where the hay belongs not in the shed. Anyway I am now organizing all the feeding of animals so that little problem has been solved. Wish all the jobs around the place were as easily solved can't get over how quickly things get away from you in the garden and on acreage if you don't keep at it.
If I work it right now I should have a clear run when the nights draw out. One of the draw backs -not complaining as there is some much I love about Tasmania- of living so far south is that in winter you get so few hours of daylight in the winter. I tend to leave for work in the dark and get home in the dark. It is not that inviting in the cold damp shed when the temperature is less than 10 degrees. The area is too big for a heater.
Bring on Spring.

Is that your sedan (The one in your avatar ) up for sale on gummie ?
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/melton-w ... 1082112472
I have been keeping track of vehicles advertised so was just wondering.
Tasek
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Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 11:43 am
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Location: Launceston, Tasmania

Re: My ever-after Ute

Post by Tasek »

parisian62 wrote:Unfortunately a lot of things in life get in our way...spend the down time planning and getting things organised and sorted...you'll hit the ground running come spring. :thumbsup:

Stewart
Thanks Stewart
Spring is the plan and I am starting to accumulate quite the collection of ready to bolt on freshly painted and refrubed bits.
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Rusty EK
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Re: My ever-after Ute

Post by Rusty EK »

Iam hearing you Tasek , have plans to go out to the shed of a night , but hard to find motivation when it's so cold of a night .

Know what it's like sharing with stock food too , made me laugh .

That is a good looking ek for the money on gumtree , what's the catch
Tasek
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Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 11:43 am
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Location: Launceston, Tasmania

Re: My ever-after Ute

Post by Tasek »

Rusty EK wrote:Iam hearing you Tasek , have plans to go out to the shed of a night , but hard to find motivation when it's so cold of a night .

Know what it's like sharing with stock food too , made me laugh .

That is a good looking ek for the money on gumtree , what's the catch
Yeah Bloody horses - wouldn't mind if they were mine but they belong to my Neighbor we are just looking after them for a while .

10335
Last edited by Tasek on Sun Jul 12, 2015 7:15 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Tasek
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Location: Launceston, Tasmania

Re: My ever-after Ute

Post by Tasek »

Question Best way to cure undercoat when the temperature is in single figures.

Straight to the hothouse
10336
Tasek
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Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 11:43 am
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Location: Launceston, Tasmania

Re: My ever-after Ute

Post by Tasek »

Ok so some posts back I mentioned I had snapped the head off the bleeder on one of the HR front disc calipers. (Sorry I didn't take photos because by the time I got the camera working I had embarrassed myself by breaking an easi-out in the little sucker)
The caliper has been sitting on the shelf at the back of the shed since then. In the mean time I sourced some reliable hard drills. Also the courage to heat up the unit without warping the body thereby ruining the whole thing (Have you seen the price of these?)
So it was a cold rainy day in Tassie a couple of weeks ago, well my part anyway, this has been a cold winter down here. Snow and frost nightly, it seems for the last couple of months, not conducive to painting parts that is for sure. Anywho I thought playing with my blow-torch and drill would be a sensible activity. Besides I couldn't get to the long list of gardening and farm tasks kindly supplied on a loop by the better half.
So having discussed the best approach with a couple of workmates and a bloke next door who offered to do it for me all assuring that it was simple I reckoned I could handle this.
I drilled through the easi-out. This was not an easy out believe me. Wish I had a drill press but can't really justify one for the small amount of work it would get. So I mounted the caliper in the vice and used a variable speed pistol drill.
Varying sizes of drills, small drill and then gradually larger until almost the diameter of the bleed fitting.
Was a little concerned that I would go too deep and gouge out the seat of the bleed so measured the other one first and checked regularly.
That done, next dilemma was how to heat the body enough to loosen the screw . As mentioned above my baby is sitting in the middle of a shed full of hay, dust and paper. See the photo above it’s a fire trap especially when you add thinners and petrol to the mix. (Note to self -- buy a fire extinguisher)
As luck would have it recently purchased some rolls of wire netting, to wallaby proof the garden, that are standing on their edge outside the garage door. These cried out that they would assist if only as a platform for the heating. So I threaded some reinforcing rods lengthwise through the wire and the body of the caliper. Once wrapped through they were held fast to the wire. Not a vice but steady enough to withstand the pressure I was about to use to screw out the bleeder.
Fired up the Buthane blow torch. Heated around the bleeder. Tapped in a another easy out. Moe heat, not quite red hot but bloody hot. And the screw came away.
That done I decided to take the calipers in and have them properly honed and new internals installed- I believe $200 well spent.
Have just finished painting them and now they will be ready to fit.
Now I will endeavor to post a photo or two of my Heath Robinson workbench

10347103461034510344

Damn camera lost the first shots only go the afters
Tasek
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Location: Launceston, Tasmania

Re: My ever-after Ute

Post by Tasek »

Back again, haven't given up yet, well only just beginning.

After a long cold winter here in Tassie it has been good to welcome the sun back. Problem is the grass and weeds have been even more appreciative and have commenced jumping out of the ground with joy. Which has necessitated some harsh action. So I have been pe-occupied with taming the green monster known as my garden.

That beasty is now in some shape so my thoughts turned to my mimesis Tina. Nah she isn't that bad, well read on.

To date I have the motor in the shop and on call some time in the next year or so, when the guy gets spare time/ manpower; @ mates rates .

Gearbox is farmed out on same basis, to a mates brother who happens to like that intricate nonsense.

A couple of weeks back decided it was time to paint the engine bay that has been covered for the last 9 months waiting an opportunity and a still day. Still days are as rare as rust free bumperettes where I live. Temp in the early twenties, water on the river as still as a mill pond.
I have a touch up gun and thought perhaps since this would be a small job that would be adequate for the surface area. So mixed up the paint. First hurdle someone had been into my shed and my mixing beaker was missing but I thought I had the quantities worked out so mixed up the paint - acrylic not looking to have a show car just a nice everyday driver-
Paint mixed loaded the gun and began setting fan etc- Boy am I rusty just couldn't set the flow . Not sure why, probably it is a new gun and unfamiliar where the settings are. I am sure those of you who paint a bit know what I am talking about. The paint slips off the mixing tool in a certain way. You slap everything together and a turn here or there and Bobs your uncle fannies your aunt jobs done . There is a sweet spot and you know when you have re-constructed it each and every time.
This time things just weren't jellying - either too much air pressure or Paint too thin. Frustrated I swapped to my newish spray gun and re-mixed the paint.
Temper rising I sort of dropped rapidly dropped the toch up gun into the wash dish and splashed wash-up thinners all over the bench. Mostly into the milky cup of coffee Mrs T insists is required ever time you use paint. Remember the old wives tale about milk linning the stomach. Well I have the old wife.... her brother was some sort of panelbeater once.
Back to the test panel, a cardboard pallet layer board stood up against the wall. Set the gun and slapped on a coat. Took a quick look and the surface would have done any type of citrus proud not just orange peel but a whole spectrum of little pitty things.

Was a little upset and wasn't watching as I walked passed the compressor to empty the gun and wash up I snapped the hose fitting off clean and that was the end of painting for the day. Bugger.

Some time in the next week I replaced that, luckily had spare parts on hand as I was going to plumb the compressor permanently into the rear of the shed so I could access the hose to pump up the tractor tire without dragging hoses around.

Waited until this weekend and sanded the whole thing back. Not to metal but just for a little tooth and re-sprayed it this time with the gun only and mixed the paint according to the instructions using the transparent beaker.
Turned out ok

My budget only works if I paint the car myself and now I am beginning to get nervous about my ability to deliver. Time will tell I guess
Image
Blacky
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Re: My ever-after Ute

Post by Blacky »

Looks alright from where I am standing :thumbsup:
When you're faced with an unpleasant task that you really don't want to do, sometimes you just have to dig deep down inside and somehow find the patience to wait for someone else to do it for you.


Foundation member #61 of FB/EK Holden club of W.A.
Trev
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Re: My ever-after Ute

Post by Trev »

When your on a budget you do whatever it takes or go into huge debt paying others to do it for you. I prefer to have a go and keep educating myself and getting better each time.
Looks good to me too
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Errol62
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Re: My ever-after Ute

Post by Errol62 »

Your shed tribulations, false starts and have a go approach remind me of myself. Your painting results however Sh¥t all over mine. Keep it up. Emery paper is cheap.
getting my FB ute on the road
EK van on rotisserie
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Devilrod
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Re: My ever-after Ute

Post by Devilrod »

Looks good to me. So long as you have good coverage you can block it back and polish it till it shines like no other.
Speed and Style........... One day I'll get the speed bit.
Tasek
Posts: 346
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 11:43 am
State: TAS
Location: Launceston, Tasmania

Re: My ever-after Ute

Post by Tasek »

Thanks everyone, just let down a little because I thought paint would be the last of my problems. But life would be boring if everything went to plan wouldn't it?
Although I could do with a little boredom occasionally.

Anyway front end is next, that should be fun- have brand new shocks to fit and a couple of different types of steering arms, came with the cars well actually there are two and a half with a ring-in at the bottom of one the boxes, I'll have to work out which is best fit. Bit worried about the jellybeans and clearances
I will try using the EK steering linkage and see if I can make that work - but first it will be a remove, clean and paint.

As outlined above the Calipers are reburbed and waiting. For my birthday a new set of rotors and pads have arrived from Mr Ebay -(""Quick story"" - My wife asked what I wanted and I made a deal with her; I would go on ebay and buy what I need right now - she could pick it up from the post office and wrap it and I will act surprised when the wrapping comes off. :OMGGG:
. Good deal everyone is happy.
Set of rotors - pads - solid brake pipes set - set of those little post/bracket thingys for the junction of flexible to solid brake lines and a couple of hydraulic master seal kits. Well I really need all those and then some. Good thing she is a techno-phobe hating computers so doesn't shop on line "because it is doing away with jobs". Now I just need to catch the mailman when he delivers the debit-card statement. :readingg: )

Image Image Image

The battle has been joined and I am up for the fight, just need to find the time.
Tasek
Posts: 346
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 11:43 am
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Location: Launceston, Tasmania

Re: My ever-after Ute

Post by Tasek »

Made a start of the Front end- now I have it out and a chance for a better look the rotors don't look that bad- oh well never have enough spares so the old ones can go into my ever growing store of useable spares.
Image

Guy I bought Tina from said he had replced the wheel bearing, by the sound of the grinding sounds coming from the front he replaced them with a cheese grater. So they will need replacing.
Have been belting a bolts with the impact driver, didn't realise how much these hold on. Good old UNF.

Having trouble resizing the photos so I will upload some others
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