Do some homework on tools and their quality. There is some crap out there, and if all else fails buy bits and pieces from ebay such as old Sidchrome rather than Chinese junk. Sidchrome spanners, while not in the same league as Stahlwille (German) or Snap-On (USA) represent old school value for money if you buy some old slightly worn and ugly pre-loved tools. Eg Ebay # 260662504418 - a good start and includes a starter motor spanner (the crescent shaped one) 220664884374 = cheap and OK etc..................
All fasteners on a Holden will be AF (Across the Flat) and are plentiful.
Kingchrome are also good value for money and a little cheaper than Sidchrome. I've found my socket set to be invaluable.
Shop around and look for sales to by bits and pieces, before you nknow it you'll have the basics more than covered.
Speed and Style........... One day I'll get the speed bit.
To start of with i got a 148 piece Stanley set. It was a offer to good to resist. At least its got all the things i need to start off with and if something breaks i know i'm using it enough to warrant a Sid-chrome set.
Today i took out the front bench seat. It was the first time a took a screwdriver and Wrench to a car. Seems like some jobs are meant for two people. The seat belt points in the floor have a nut underneath the floor and my arms aren't long enough to reach the nut and turn the wrench to undo it. Sounds like a tomorrow job to me.
I tried to start the motor for the first time. It took me a little bit to figure out how to get it in neutral but i got there. The engine didnt start but it was trying. It seems there is a fuel leak aswell some where around the plastic bottle thing in the engine bay.
I got really worried that this could be totally over my head today. Some of you guys would have been shaking your head at some of the mistakes i was making just getting the bench seat out! I snapped out of it and will just put it up to learning.
Im taking out the rear bench seat tomorrow and ripping out the plastic floor covering and the sound proofing. Im going to sand the floor back and put a rust proofing spray paint on it this weekend.
Don't through anything away till you finished you will be surprised at what you may need or can alter
BILLY
BILLY BLACKARROW
MY Father always said do the hard part first --because when you are OVER IT you only have the easy part left to do THINGS I HAVE TRIED TO LIVE BY
Do some homework on tools and their quality. There is some crap out there, and if all else fails buy bits and pieces from ebay such as old Sidchrome rather than Chinese junk. Sidchrome spanners, while not in the same league as Stahlwille (German) or Snap-On (USA) represent old school value for money if you buy some old slightly worn and ugly pre-loved tools. Eg Ebay # 260662504418 - a good start and includes a starter motor spanner (the crescent shaped one) 220664884374 = cheap and OK etc..................
All fasteners on a Holden will be AF (Across the Flat) and are plentiful.
Hope this helps
Dave Mac
or if you want new and you want snapon quality, buy blue point. it is snapon (built by them, sold by them, only difference is your not paying extra for red handles and the name
cheers, luke.
Bought my grinder today. Just about to go do some rust removal. I watched a how to movie on you-tube. Quite help full. I took out the interior yesterday and found out she has a lot more rust that i thought in the floor. i forgot my camera cable in Melbourne so i cant show you unfortunately. I'm getting it sent up however.
Good on ya, keep plugging away at it.
I found that knotted wire cup brushes on a 4" angle grinder are excellent for removing paint (might want to use paint stripper as well for paint removal, be careful the grinder doesn't flick it back at your skin, it burns)
and rust scale without eating into good sheetmetal, so that might help you.
And don't worry when you see rust holes appearing in some of the heavily rusted areas, it looks like you'll get some. Just about anything can be fixed so don't despair.
Also, with seatbelt bolts if you haven't got a helper i sometimes sit a ring spanner over the head of the bolt inside the car so that it's lying on the floor with the ring around the head, then just carefully go underneath and undo the nut.
Hope this helps, good luck
Jimmy
'The best engine in the world is a vagina. It can be started with only one finger. It is self-lubricating. It takes any size piston. And it changes it's own oil every four weeks. It is a pity that the management system is so f*$king temperamental.'
Thanks for all the advice so far guys. It has helped me heaps!
#EKjimmy. I saw plenty of rust holes appearing and did freak out a little. Its good to know it can be fixed though.
And i can see myself using that trick with the ring spanner. I bought myself a 5'' Hitachi angle grinder with a knotted wire disc. I think I've gotten all the scale rust off and I'm going to spray it with a rust killer during the week. Ill be sure to post all my pictures when i get my cable back.
Hey guys, So im back after making a move to Melbourne. It was a drama and took me a while to find somewhere to store my car so i could work on it but i never gave up! At the moment its in a cozy garage in Lower plenty. Ive done some work and will take pictures today. Just a quick question though: To take the doors off, do i take them off the hinge to the hinge off the Chassis?
Mick-Hett wrote:Hey guys, So im back after making a move to Melbourne. It was a drama and took me a while to find somewhere to store my car so i could work on it but i never gave up! At the moment its in a cozy garage in Lower plenty. Ive done some work and will take pictures today. Just a quick question though: To take the doors off, do i take them off the hinge to the hinge off the Chassis?
Leave the hinge on the car mate , heaps easier. If you are doing it yourself , close the door , remove all the bolts (dont forget the ones behind the door trim ) then climb out the other side , open the door and slide it off the hinges - pieca cake
I started with nothing and still have most of it left.
Foundation member #61 of FB/EK Holden club of W.A.
