hi everyone
New member to this forum. I stumbled across it as a result of googling information about my new project - a 1960 FB Special Sedan. I guess you can call it a barn find, given I found it in a barn... Its been sitting there for 20 years and was driven in. Someone had started to strip it, but all the chrome and trim, door cards etc are in the boot. Seems to be very solid despite the surface rust. The windscreens (front and rear) had been removed years ago so its pretty dirty inside and the parcel shelf vinyl has perished, but otherwise it seems to be in really good condition. All i've done so far is place the glass back in, cleared the cobwebs, sweep the floors and remove a massive rats nest from under the rear seat...
I plan to restore it to new-ish condition and original-ish spec except where it's too hard to find the parts or it's cost prohibitive. Wont be a show car, but I like the idea of driving it somewhere when I'm not in a hurry on a summers day. I've never restored a car before but I'm reasonably mechanically minded, so I'm keen to do as much of it myself if possible. The forum has already provided heaps of good information and advice, so hopefully my dumb questions are kept to a minimum!
Few pictures below.
Cheers, Jonty
My new project
My new project
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Re: My new project
more photos...
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Re: My new project
Great find Jonty. I hope you don’t find too much rust in the lower sections. There aren’t too many bits you can’t get or make these days. Welcome to th eforum.
Cheers
Clay
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Cheers
Clay
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
getting my FB ute on the road
EK van on rotisserie
EK van on rotisserie
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In the Shed
- Posts: 1898
- Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 10:18 pm
- State: SA
- Location: South Australia
Re: My new project
Hey Jonty,
Good score with the wheels. Nice to see there are still cars to be unearthed and people who appreciate them. Look forward to seeing more pics and reading about your progress. Plenty of help on here.
Regards
Stephen
Good score with the wheels. Nice to see there are still cars to be unearthed and people who appreciate them. Look forward to seeing more pics and reading about your progress. Plenty of help on here.
Regards
Stephen
A day in the shed beats a day at work!
Re: My new project
Welcome to the forum mate, thought that was pics of 2 different cars there at first !!
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.
Foundation member #61 of FB/EK Holden club of W.A.
Re: My new project
Hi Jonty, welcome to the forum. I picked up the same year and model car at the start of the year and working towards getting it back on the road, so we can learn together 
.
You've got some fun ahead of you and, as others have said, some great people willing to share their knowledge on this forum. Don't worry about asking dumb questions, I've asked heaps
.
Cheers,
John
. You've got some fun ahead of you and, as others have said, some great people willing to share their knowledge on this forum. Don't worry about asking dumb questions, I've asked heaps
.Cheers,
John
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bumper
- Posts: 717
- Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 10:07 am
- State: TAS
- Location: Devonport tasmania
- Contact:
Re: My new project
Was that in shepperton?
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
wanker????
I'd rather consider myself as an "owner operator"!!
FBEKHOLDENFANS page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/253705454864/
I'd rather consider myself as an "owner operator"!!
FBEKHOLDENFANS page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/253705454864/
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Mick Jagger
- Posts: 3428
- Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 12:48 pm
- State: NOT ENTERED
- Location: Brisbane
Re: My new project
No bumper - was in SA.
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bumper
- Posts: 717
- Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 10:07 am
- State: TAS
- Location: Devonport tasmania
- Contact:
Re: My new project
Ok cheers, was sent pics of one in shep and man he wanted big $$$, good pick up and good luck with the resto
wanker????
I'd rather consider myself as an "owner operator"!!
FBEKHOLDENFANS page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/253705454864/
I'd rather consider myself as an "owner operator"!!
FBEKHOLDENFANS page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/253705454864/
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Wrongway Roger
- Posts: 710
- Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2014 7:06 pm
- State: SA
- Location: Adelaide
Re: My new project
Welcome Jonty to the forum.
You will find plenty of help here and lots of experience on rebuilding your car.
Cheers
Roger
You will find plenty of help here and lots of experience on rebuilding your car.
Cheers
Roger
There is a right way and a wrong way and then there is my way which is usually the long way.
Re: My new project
So ive started stripping the car down, the it is beginning to reveal its secrets. I've found a bit of rust in the body shell at the top of the rear screen.
I guess that needs to be cut out?
Also the left front gaurd has been bogged up in the bottom rear, and there's a few holes around the headlight.
I'm not sure what to do about the headlight rust, but I think I'll have to cut the bottom bit out and replace it with a new panel part (from Rares or Taylors I think). I have a MIG but I'm a novie welder - is it something that I should be able to tackle with a bit of googling?
Any advice appreciated.
Also the left front gaurd has been bogged up in the bottom rear, and there's a few holes around the headlight.
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Any advice appreciated.
Re: My new project
Im still a novice with posting pictures on this forum too! Here are the other photos...
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Re: My new project
It is all fairly typical jonty. For the window opening you will be best to cut it out. Depending on the extent and complexity of the bit you remove you could make up a patch, fold a bit in the vice or cut a section out of a good roof. Patch panels are available for the guard rust.
It takes practice and a decent mig to get an acceptable result. It is only steel though and if you don’t get it right you can grind it out and try again. Tig and oxy are better for some jobs according to the experts. I am still learning myself and manage to get consistent results with the Lincoln 150 amps I think it is, gas mig.
I have a couple of roof cuts if you want to come and hav3 a look some time.
Cheers
Clay
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
It takes practice and a decent mig to get an acceptable result. It is only steel though and if you don’t get it right you can grind it out and try again. Tig and oxy are better for some jobs according to the experts. I am still learning myself and manage to get consistent results with the Lincoln 150 amps I think it is, gas mig.
I have a couple of roof cuts if you want to come and hav3 a look some time.
Cheers
Clay
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
getting my FB ute on the road
EK van on rotisserie
EK van on rotisserie
Re: My new project
Jonty,
The sheet metal-worker at work gave me a few hints about welding thin-gauge sheet-metal. Here they are -
1. Use a quenching block behind the site to be welded. A piece of aluminium, brass or copper, thicker than 1/8", is what you need. The quenching block takes the heat away from the weld quickly, so less distortion. It also holds the puddle of molten steel in place, so you don't blow as many holes in the weld.
2. When doing a long butt-weld, make a series of tack welds every couple of inches first. Then, arm yourself with a damp cloth and a hammer and dolly. (You can even use the dolly as the quenching block, but welds tend to stick to a dolly.) Resist at all costs the temptation to lay a continuous weld once you've tacked the repair in place. Choose a place, and lay in about an inch of weld. While it is still glowing, give it a few hits with hammer and dolly to relax the weld. Then hit it with the damp cloth until it is cool enough to touch. Choose another site about six inches away. Put in an inch of weld, peen it, and cool it. Bit by bit, "stitch" the seam together.
3. Don't use a grinding wheel to grind the weld down after it's complete. Sounds odd, I know. Instead, use sanding discs (36 grit) and a rubber backing disc with an angle grinder. Go in very lightly, and don't spend time grinding one spot away. Heat is the enemy here. If the weld becomes hot to touch, let it cool. If the sanding disc gets blunt, chuck it and use a new one. They're only a dollar or two each.
The rust holes in the guard eyebrow are fairly easy to fix. You'll need to use a quenching block behind. You want to draw a circle of weld around the crater first. Do this in short bursts of a second or so, just until the puddle freezes. Then you can "colour in" the hole in the middle. Dress the weld down, and if you do it right, you won't even need to use filler. Just make certain that you're not trying to weld a lead-wiped joint. (I didn't think FB/EK guard eyebrows are lead-wiped, but the colour of the metal doesn't look entirely like steel to me.)
If you're a newbie at welding thin sheet, see whether you can get a few strips of 1.2 mm mild steel from a sheet-metal workshop, and practise butt-welding them together. This'll help you get the wire feed speed and current right. I'd suggest 0.6 mm wire.
Best of luck,
Rob
The sheet metal-worker at work gave me a few hints about welding thin-gauge sheet-metal. Here they are -
1. Use a quenching block behind the site to be welded. A piece of aluminium, brass or copper, thicker than 1/8", is what you need. The quenching block takes the heat away from the weld quickly, so less distortion. It also holds the puddle of molten steel in place, so you don't blow as many holes in the weld.
2. When doing a long butt-weld, make a series of tack welds every couple of inches first. Then, arm yourself with a damp cloth and a hammer and dolly. (You can even use the dolly as the quenching block, but welds tend to stick to a dolly.) Resist at all costs the temptation to lay a continuous weld once you've tacked the repair in place. Choose a place, and lay in about an inch of weld. While it is still glowing, give it a few hits with hammer and dolly to relax the weld. Then hit it with the damp cloth until it is cool enough to touch. Choose another site about six inches away. Put in an inch of weld, peen it, and cool it. Bit by bit, "stitch" the seam together.
3. Don't use a grinding wheel to grind the weld down after it's complete. Sounds odd, I know. Instead, use sanding discs (36 grit) and a rubber backing disc with an angle grinder. Go in very lightly, and don't spend time grinding one spot away. Heat is the enemy here. If the weld becomes hot to touch, let it cool. If the sanding disc gets blunt, chuck it and use a new one. They're only a dollar or two each.
The rust holes in the guard eyebrow are fairly easy to fix. You'll need to use a quenching block behind. You want to draw a circle of weld around the crater first. Do this in short bursts of a second or so, just until the puddle freezes. Then you can "colour in" the hole in the middle. Dress the weld down, and if you do it right, you won't even need to use filler. Just make certain that you're not trying to weld a lead-wiped joint. (I didn't think FB/EK guard eyebrows are lead-wiped, but the colour of the metal doesn't look entirely like steel to me.)
If you're a newbie at welding thin sheet, see whether you can get a few strips of 1.2 mm mild steel from a sheet-metal workshop, and practise butt-welding them together. This'll help you get the wire feed speed and current right. I'd suggest 0.6 mm wire.
Best of luck,
Rob