17 replies to this topic

[Lima31]

I should have pulled down the entire car rather than doing bits piecemeal

 

Work out your end goal before starting ...

Take your best guess of the budget, triple it and check you are OK spending that amount ...

Do not assume anything you have not personally checked is OK ...

[Liz Clare]

G’Day,

I would’ve had the dash gauges and various electrical wiring bits and pieces reconditioned and recalibrated whilst car was off the road, headlight, wiper switches, cigarette lighter and other connectors etc.

Check all the paint lines and take detailed pics of any blackouts to show location, assuming you’re doing car to original otherwise it probably doesn’t matter.

Good luck with the build.

Cheers,

Liz


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[jd lj]

Check the fit of any replacement panels before painting them.

Use good quality parts, sometimes if a part is available cheaper there's probably a reason for it.

Photograph things to show how to put it back together when the time comes.

Take your time and don't rush.

[neglectedtorana]

Couple of things I would do different

Be 100% sure brakes and wheels are compatible before buying new tyres

Use the Hilux type air con like Axistr

Rebuild the car while still in primer to make sure everything fits and works and has good clearances then take it apart and paint it

[ozyozyozy]

As said work out your end game first, dictates everything else.
What killed me was talking to people who think they know but actually dont, reckon 90-95% of people where i am suck, they know frOck all about what im trying to do, taken years to develop contacts to get the right info and parts.
No 1 person knows all, most have an area they specialize in.
some out there will work with you to help get you to the goal.
I have had to redo most of my driveline due to poor info, didnt suit my needs.
Replaced Shit parts that people say are the goods, thats what the catalogue told them and everyone uses them but know one knows any different.

[Ice]

If you strip your car do not and i repeat do not throw anything out until build is finished

[arrimar]

Check the whole shell is straight first.

A classic error, buying new tyres for something that will sit unfinished for years.

[Ice]

thanks guys, a few good tips. problem is ll i have is a rolling shell. I suppose its better than having to store everything during the build, its going to be expensive having to buy everything piece by piece. But that half the fun. I dont think there will be many factory parts anyway.

Cheaper to buy a donor car if you can find one

[madtoranajzedded]

As said work out your end game first, dictates everything else.
What killed me was talking to people who think they know but actually dont, reckon 90-95% of people where i am suck, they know frOck all about what im trying to do, taken years to develop contacts to get the right info and parts.
No 1 person knows all, most have an area they specialize in.
some out there will work with you to help get you to the goal.
I have had to redo most of my driveline due to poor info, didnt suit my needs.
Replaced Shit parts that people say are the goods, thats what the catalogue told them and everyone uses them but know one knows any different.

Hit the nail on the head Ozy

[ozyozyozy]

Good idea about checking the shell is straight too.
Know of a few that have been caught out with bent shells, easy to repair as a stripped shell.
Torana’s are old, years of punishment, lots have been in bingles.
These things bent and twisted as race cars with shit alloy roll cages and 400 flywheel hp.

[myss427]

Set the level of quality goal, money dictates the end result. Cant go up a level half way through without major fund splash.

[CI 0308]

Check very carefully all the hidden rust areas. The big one is in the plenum in front of the windscreen. It's worth the effort to unstich the cover and remove it to fully check and paint properly.

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[RallyRed]

Never done a Torana rebuild.
But what I learnt the hard way on son's HSV Twin turbo job was -
If you can possibly find good people locally, use them.
Big city guys have a limitless supply of customers, so some seem to be unconcerned about really doing the right thing. Local guys know bad news spreads far and wide, Local guys seem to be very diligent.
Also the novelty of doing a 300km round trip to drop off another part, or review progress, wears off very quickly if the shop is not local.

Whatever you can do in house, do it.
You may take 20 hours to fiddle around, but at least it is done correctly and how you want it. Even if you do it twice, probably still cheaper than outsourcing

[jd lj]

It's never really finished, some things that you you've think done how you want it or well enough you end up redoing later as the build evolves or your standards and abilities evolve.

Enjoy the build, it's half the fun of having a torana etc. Doing the work gives you a satisfaction and pride that paying someone else doesn't give. Doing as much as possible yourself will give you the confidence to sort out any dramas later if they should happen to arise as you'll be familiar with all aspects of the car.

[grumpy xu1]

It's never really finished, some things that you you've think done how you want it or well enough you end up redoing later as the build evolves or your standards and abilities evolve.
Enjoy the build, it's half the fun of having a torana etc. Doing the work gives you a satisfaction and pride that paying someone else doesn't give. Doing as much as possible yourself will give you the confidence to sort out any dramas later if they should happen to arise as you'll be familiar with all aspects of the car.

Spot on complete statement James. Gary.