Introducing Me (OldmanVan) and my Build

[OldmanVan]

G'day All,

I have been like a on the forum for ages now and figured it was about time I introduced my FB .

The history on the old girl is as follows.

The Old man fixed a few dings and painted it Red for a customer (mate) in about 1974. (mum thinks she has some pictures somewhere).
Then in about 1976 Jacky (dads mate) offered it to dad and dad being a panel beater/spray painter = hoarder could not let it pass. (good on ya Dad) A few years after this dad took the grey out and replaced it with a more "reliable" 186 Datsun 4speed and redid the brakes, as he was going to use it as a runaround for the workshop. He was painting up a Dodge tow truck for the business at the time so he decided to give the Fb the same treatment. The Fb was used as the shop run about for less than six months and was then parked up in the shed at home and sat there. Then in about 1992 a young bloke took a shining to the OldmansVan and asked if he could get it out and have a play with it. As a 14-15 year old I pulled most of it apart was going to wreak havoc with it and turn it into the coolest chev delivery style pro touring fb van in the world. But as with most things my dedication to the project was how can I say it not that dedicated . Any way last year the old man decided it was time to retire (as most retires he still works harder than most) but I said to him that I would pull the Fb out of the shed so he could finally get around to working on his A model.

This pic is of the first recon mission (January 7 2012) to see what the hell I had agreed to do. Parked in the shed for close to thirty years rolled in and out for a young bloke to dream over. (obviously not for many years based on its storage shelf status)



(July 3 2013) No it didn't take quite that long to move all the "good" stuff that had piled up on it in the shed. (but she was loaded onto a trailer for the trip "home")



One would think Mum was keen to get it out of "her" shed



I wont bore you all with the strip down photos we all know how that goes. Spanner - swear - wd40 - hammer + spanner - swear - Bigger hammer - swear - even bigger hammer - swear - get the grinder

[EKDV8]

welcome to the forum mate she looks like fairly solid lookin body there ,is there any serious rust in it ? what are your plans for running gear

[bootlegger]

Vans are cool. Have fun.

[Blacky]

Welcome to the forum mate, that an FJ stuck in behind the van ???

[michaeljohn1234m]

looks like it's in good nick so what's your plan oldman
( and please bore us with all your photo's) we like to watch

[WayneXG95]

Yep we love our piccies...

[OldmanVan]

This stuff might be interesting too someone


Some boring pictures for you michaeljohn1234m also happen to be the rust pics for you overall its not too bad considering her age. I am a little pissed of with myself because its condition could have been a lot better. The shed that it was in had a smashed window something my brother and I had done as kids. Anyway the weather was able to get into the left hand side a bit and has caused most of the issues.











As for plans it will hopefully go something like this. Strip it mostly back to bare metal (almost done with a grinder and various attachments, will have the tricky bits media blasted) fix the rust and and paint her back to her original Banff Blue. Im still tossing up if I should fill the windows in ???? I love the look of Southcoastkustoms van's so something like that and if I can replicate some of his quality ill be a happy man. Running gear will stick with the red for now and swap the 4 speed Datsun with an aussie 4 speed (so I can reinstall a non cut out bench. It had hr buckets in it). Then crusie her everywhere and anywhere with the little man hopefully in a little more comfort than this with a seat spring in the bum lol.



Wish me luck

[OldmanVan]

G'day Blacky,

Can't quite remember if its an fx or fj, fairly sure its a 4 door FJ (brothers car). Nice pick up by the way, I had better be careful what's in the background of my pictures from now on mes thinks

[parisian62]

Welcome aboard OldmanVan. Sounds like a great plan.

Stewart

[OldmanVan]

Well I actually managed to find a more sucky job than grinding 50 years of sh*t of an fb floor. Trying to get a rusted sub-frame bolt out. I'm gunna call this one a tie, because I got the sub-frame off and the body got to keep some of its bolt (for now).



On an even more sucky note the sub frame is in worse condition that I had previously though. That will teach me as I should have known better than to go looking

[Blacky]

That's pretty standard rust , how are the legs and beneath the battery tray ??

[bootlegger]

Im cutting up a windowless van soon. If you are interested in the whole side panels its a lot easier to fit them than to weld up the holes and if you are skilled will virtually be a factory job.
The panels are in bare metal and will need some work.
$350 for both sides.
I also have anothe van turret with windowless sides but whoever cut it off cut a couple of inches up so only good for a chopped van or sedan delivery project.
$450.
Dave 0413766501

[OldmanVan]

Well I think I need to go away more often. The old man came to look after the animals while I spent a few days in Sydney. He managed to get more done in a day and a half than I have in 10 months .

Love it when he makes up the fiddly bits



Not welding it in until I get the floor in properly


Think I'm going have to put him on the books.


Progress is progress

I managed to weld up a few pinholes around the fuel tank

[Rythmnblu]

[OldmanVan]

Progress is progress even if it is slow . Right ??

Fire wall smoothed


Rear doors stripped, Tailgate de-bogged then re-bogged with about 1/2 inch less bog, both primed