Over the last year (maybe more, maybe less) Pete 'Spaceace' & I have been in talks of doing something with his rather average condition EJ Special sedan.
Now Pete & Kim owns two beautiful exaples of EJ Premiers (one bronze one blue) so we, ( Pete & I..I think Kim needs more convincing
) decided to go a bit differently on the Special in style & type of car. Yes, you guessed it...CUSTOM! (aww c'mon...I mean..it's me doing this after all..what did you expect?
).The story goes as follows... at some point Pete and myself were in a conversation of what to do with the EJ (that at this point was down in Melbourne being used by his daughter as an everyday driver..but was starting to be a bit of a handfull for her, & was breaking down a bit too much & costing (being ripped off by un-knowlegable mechanics) a bit to keep on the road. Well I was thinking go custom (of course) as the car is'nt the worlds straightest example.
Pete is one of those rare blokes that can own either a standard, restored or custom and appreciate them all on their merrits.
The final decission was seeing as this EJ was in rather rough condition..ie: bog on all lower pannels and all bog over a stoved in rear drivers side quarter it would be best to do a low budget mild custom...general rust repair, a few mods to the front 'n' back and paint.
So I did an artwork of what I 'recon should be done and the idea was OK'ed by Pete. Then it was a few trips to Melbourne ( four it turned out in the end!) to get the car up 'n' driving to road trip it back up to Termeil.
This particular car has had to be dragged litterally kicking and screaming from Melbourne to my place for major surgery!!
The story goes kinda like this... Pete rings me two weeks ago to tell me he's going to fly down & put another gearbox in the EJ and drive it back up to my joint..I say "I've got next week off so I'll be here for it's arrival", next Kim gets onto the airline to see if there's a seat for me to join Pete as she'd prefer he'd not drive all the way back by his self...next thing there's another change of plans a it's changed to a road trip with Kim's car down (with extra tools..just in case) and bring both cars back. OK we have a plan
.So last Tuesday Pete rocks up here for us to leave early next morning to run down the Hume and change the gearbox on the EJ and bring it back Thursday.
Well we got there about 4.30ish Wednesday arvo and removed the stuffed gearbox out ready to get the new one in early next morning and then toddle off with Pete's daughter to Lygon street for a slap up Italian dinner at one of the famous (& might I add yummy) resturants. Did'nt catch the name of the place but it's a Ferrari nut's heaven..it even had a full sized Ferrari F1 car hanging from the celing!
After dinner it was off to another place for desert, man! this place was full to the brim with patrons and had everything under the sun for 'sweety lovers'..(I'm boring and had coffee 
). Melbourne is a great city . Soon it was home to bed ready for the next day's tasks. After a good nights sleep (well.. for Pete anyway 
he snores big time! ).Up next fine morning and in goes the replacement gearbox.. with only one trip to buy a 1" spanner to undo the obviously rattle-gunned oil plug!
we started the old EJ up and did a test drive around the block to see if every thing worked as it should. It did although the engine sounded a bit worse for wear...rather rattley and a bit smokey..but that could clear up (we hope) .After the goodbye's we set off back to N.S.W. (avoiding the trams and such) me in the Micra behind Pete in the EJ.
It's at this point, I should mention that Pete's previous trips down was to replace the cracked & warped inlet/exhaust manifold and other bit's that needed attention.
The problem was that the only inlet/ehaust manifold he had was one that was painted in with what was for all intention blue enamel?
By the time we were about 5k's way a pungent foul smelling white smoke stared drifting up from under the EJ??? Yes, you guessed it, the blue enamel on the exhaust manifold had started getting somewhat hot and had started to boil into an acrid "anti pedestrian" haze.
To tell the truth I was kaking myself laughing at the looks and nose holding from all the poor pedestrians everytime we had to pull up to a set of lights! It was one of the funniest things I've seen in ages!
(Sorry Melbouneites 
).Soon enough (not soon enough for the poor polluted folk of the North Western suburbs of Melbourne) we were on the Hume and pulled up for morning coffee petrol & chat to see how the EJ was travelling. Pete said it was noisey (like a WWII helicopter was his words) but seemed to be going along quite well, plus the smoke had finally cleared...thank Gawd!.
A few hours later I had to pull up to let Pete know I was starting to get sleepy driving the modern Micra (I can't handle new cars seats..they kill my ARSE!), don't get me wrong the Micra just about drives itself, is fantastic on fuel and is whisper quite..which is why I think I was getting sleepy!
So it was Scotty's first time behind the wheel of the mighty EJ..hmmm seems to pull quite well..Pete is right about the engine noise...but is within limits..getting over 55mph and has an ennoying vibration..could be front uni?..clould be rear gearbox baring..seems to smooth out with careful use off accellerator..ok..that'll do it..but next petrol stop I'll inflate the tyres to an even pressure to get it to ride better as it seems very heavy on the left at the wheel.
We seem to be trundling along at about 65 MPH (tops) on the EJ's speedo, about 100k's on the Micra and are eating up the miles with the odd stop for food etc the EJ is pulling up hills quite well eventhough the engine is noisy. But I'm having a ball driving this thing and also enjoying the passing countryside and the odd 'thumbs up' from a few folks passing by. It's a nice drive and my tiredness has totally passed now I'm driving a more normal car for me (don't forget my only car is the EK).
The hours pass and I look down to the fuel gauge, it's on just under half (we earlier determinded that half was probably nearing the low fuel mark on this thing) we are just cruising through Gundagai so I motion Pete to drive up next to me and inform him I'll need a fuel stop at the servo on the North side of Gundagai..he gives me the thumbs up and drops behind me again, next thing I know I'm travelling down a hill when the engine just stops..I give the accelorator a few pumps but nothing..looks like I've run out of fuel...no biggy we have a full jerrycan for just such events
.I look for a decient place to pull over (as this is the Hume Hwy and I don't want us to be skittled by a passing semi!)..there..over on the right hand lane they are doing road works on the bridge and have witch's hats that'll give us heaps of room and be safe from traffic too. I motion to Pete that the EJ's stopped and he follows me in. I get out and meet Pete then it's over to the EJ to check the fuel on the pump glass...er...that's funny?...it's low..for sure but not empty we take off the air filter and check to see if the carby pump has fuel...hmmm..it does?...Pete gets me to turn it over...HANG ON!...that does'nt sound right..the starter has no effect on the engine at all it's just one even sound..not the normal varieying sound it should make as the cylinders & valves move & open..this is'nt a fuel problem is it.....open the oil cap...is there any sign of rocker movement??? PLEEAAASE!!.....no.....quick let's remove the rocker cover ...maybe we missed it...rocker cover off..hand wind the fan...nothing...BLOODY TIMING GEAR!!! ARRRRGGGGHGHHH!
At this time Pete & I thought something would happen as the enginge is'nt the healthiest grey on the planet..y'know throw a rod..seize..cook or something spectaular as a final death throw..but a timing gear!!! really?.. what a let down!
What ensured was lots of phone calls lot's of dealing with tilt tray piolts and even one time of thinking of selling this car off to a mate of one of the towies (you see for poor Pete this EJ has been a 'money pit' over the last few years and he was nearing breaking point..and I would'nt have blamed him either way if he did unload it).
But to cut a (very) long story short we ended up getting home late that night and the EJ followed next day on a tilt tray from Gundagai to Termeil..to where it will now reside for a while getting much needed body work (and probably a new 179 Red & fourspeed to boot).
Here's the EJ just about to leave Melbourne..
It's arrived here ...finally!
Kev & Lucy discuss custom styles early in the morning..
..now...let's remove the old face...shall we??...
and here's what's in stall over the next year (or less?)
STAY TUNED..
Scotty.
