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LH SL/R EFI 355 RESTORATION

Started by _LH SLR 3300_ , Oct 23 2010 08:05 PM

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277 replies to this topic

#51 _studricho_

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Posted 28 November 2010 - 08:28 PM

Thanks, your words of encouragement are appreciated . The main problem for me is after doing this kind of work five days a week, being pushed to do it faster & faster, i kinda don't have much enthusiasm to do it on the weekends. The main thing going for this car at the moment is it has sentimental value to me, i bought it when i was in my 20s long before i got married etc & i have many fond memories with it.

Dude I can total get where your coming from, but at the same token you know how much you would regret what you have lost if you sold it.

Maybe just pace yourself abit or take some annul leave. do nothing for a few days, watch some good car dvd's and get stuck into it.

I'm no panel beater or spray painter but i can help you with what ever else you need. Especially motivation. I'm like a mexican jumping bean when i consume coffee/coke.

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#52 SmacT

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Posted 29 November 2010 - 12:34 PM

Sooo glad this project is up and running again. Once you start blowing colour on it I reckon the enthusiasm will get a kick in the patoinga again. Waat brand of deoxidine do you use/reccommend, or are they basically the same?

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#53 notna

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Posted 29 November 2010 - 08:16 PM

The main thing going for this car at the moment is it has sentimental value to me, i bought it when i was in my 20s long before i got married etc & i have many fond memories with it.

I'd LOVE to have my SL/R from the 90's back. But I've also been there when you lose all enthusiasm and really don't give a shit. Keep plugging away Matt, it's a sterling job you are doing there. You and Lee are giving me the enthusiasm to carry on with my own, so if you guys quit on your projects, I will track you down and demand you finish mine!! Posted Image

Plus, I have a few IM's coming your way for advice... hehehe.

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#54 _LH SLR 3300_

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Posted 29 November 2010 - 08:28 PM

Thanks Sam, i don't have a prefered brand of deoxidine, i'm using Septone at the moment with good results. I got bored today so i thought i'd repair some rust in one of the doors.
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Started by making a paper template & tracing it onto a piece of scrap steel.
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I bent the repair section to shape as best i could by had, then self tappered it over the rusted area.
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This holds the section in place while i gently planish it to the exact shape of the door frame. It also makes it easier & more acurate to cut around so the section will fit perfectly. Once i start welding the section in, it's a simple matter to weld up the self tapper holes.
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There were two spot welds i had to drill out, then i was able to remove the rusted section.
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This is what i found behind it.
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I used a wire wheel to clean it up as best i could, then treated it with deoxidine.
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A couple of coats of weld thru primer & it was ready for the repair section to be welded in.
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I used a silicon bronze welder to weld it in as the welds are alot easier to sand, it is similar in principal to oxy brazing so you need to have a 1mm gap around the repair section as it doesn't penetrate like MIG welding, but done properly it's just as strong & less prone to rust as well.
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All sanded down ready for hi-fill.
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#55 _LH SLR 3300_

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Posted 29 November 2010 - 08:35 PM

I'd LOVE to have my SL/R from the 90's back. But I've also been there when you lose all enthusiasm and really don't give a shit. Keep plugging away Matt, it's a sterling job you are doing there. You and Lee are giving me the enthusiasm to carry on with my own, so if you guys quit on your projects, I will track you down and demand you finish mine!! Posted Image

Plus, I have a few IM's coming your way for advice... hehehe.
[/quote]

Thanks mate, the other thing going for my SL/R is my mrs loves it too & won't let me sell it. She pleaded with me for hours not to & finally won. PM me any time for advice, if i can help in any way, i'll be glad to.

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#56 _Herbinator_

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Posted 29 November 2010 - 09:07 PM

gday Matt, glad to see you plodding along at your own pace. I lost interest in my tonner a couple of years ago. Like you ive had it since my twenties. ( just turned 39 last week) refused to sell it after a couple of offers. then handed it over to a mate (dirtbag) to let the fun begin. I dont have time to do it myself & the job will be better now. long story short i am so glad i didnt give up on it. (moved house 7 times draggin an unreg ute around) i have the few friends that tell me it will never be done. cant wait to see the look on thier faces. good on you keep up the great work whenever the mood strikes.

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#57 _LH SLR 3300_

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Posted 29 November 2010 - 09:23 PM

Thanks Peter, my life has followed a similar path to your's, i turn 39 next May. I've gone through periods of time where i'd go hard for a few months on this car, then get bored or lose interest & not touch it for up to a year. Part of me wishes i'd left it as it was as i was so used to it that way & now it's almost like it's lost it's identity, but i really wanted to make it look nice to be able to take my family out in it once in awhile, that & rust was slowly creeping through the faded paint. Still, as you said, i'm working at my own pace on it now & i'm in no hurry to get it done. Taking one day at a time on it now.

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#58 orangeLJ

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Posted 30 November 2010 - 07:37 AM

Go Belinda! :buttrock:

I'll give her a high five next time I see her! haha.

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#59 _nial8r_

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Posted 30 November 2010 - 07:59 AM

go the missus Posted Image

glad to hear your gonna keep it now Matt Posted Image

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#60 _billywest_

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Posted 30 November 2010 - 09:00 AM

go the missus

glad to hear your gonna keep it now Matt

yeah matt i hear your pain about being stuck in a place all the time it drives you insane ,ever thought about getting your truck license just a thought hey to give you a bit of a break from panelbeating all the best with the rest of the build p.s. give us a yell if you need a hand more than willing to help cheers billywest , Belinda rocks Posted Image

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#61 _nial8r_

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Posted 30 November 2010 - 04:35 PM

3 CHEERS FOR BELINDA !! Posted Image

and a couple of these for Matt Posted Image

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#62 Heath

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Posted 30 November 2010 - 05:07 PM

That even excited me a lot

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#63 MRLXSS

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Posted 02 December 2010 - 07:59 AM

Woohoo!!!!

:party:

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#64 tsn007

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Posted 23 January 2011 - 08:41 PM

Matt

any more updates

i need inspiration and some more pictures and how to go about repairing RUST

thanks

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#65 _LH SLR 3300_

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Posted 23 January 2011 - 10:00 PM

Ironic you should ask Tony. I have two minor rust repairs to do on the beaver panel. Expecting doors & guards back from the media blaster very soon, i went down to Wollongong to get the bad news that one guard & both driver's doors need some rust repairs too, i plan to do some work on the car next weekend so if i have any pic worthy productivity, i'll post it up. If you have any working space i can set up my little air compressor & a small portable welder with access to a household power point, i'd be happy to come over & give you a hand with your car. I decided i'm in no great hurry to finish my SL/R, i'll just do work here & there when i feel motivated until it's done

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#66 DanWA

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Posted 23 January 2011 - 11:40 PM

loving this rebuild mate

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#67 dirtbag

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Posted 24 January 2011 - 07:19 AM

Matt, brilliant work mate!

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#68 _SS Hatchback_

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Posted 04 February 2011 - 07:37 PM

Not only is she a tigers supporter but a great supporter of you getting the car doen and keeping it

Good to see your still into it and i suppose for a little more inspiration or motivation i too have had my hatch for ages going on to 21 years now and i have been through times of being fed up with certain things not going right and most recently a vibration problem which was driving me crazy but its funny when you stick to it and fix it you get a new lease of life on it and start repairing all the little other things that were never really an issue before. Now my kids are grown up and last Sunday my young bloke was working so it left me and the mrs to cruise around like we were teenagers again and we sat back and realised we were so glad we stuck with it .

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#69 _A9XOSS_

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Posted 04 February 2011 - 08:41 PM

Matt its great your still going to finish it mate :bliss:

, your door repair job is billant - ya cant pick it. :clap:

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#70 _LH SLR 3300_

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Posted 04 February 2011 - 09:06 PM

No real work done on this car to date, it's going to be a slow progress, but that's par for course of chasing perfection. Still waiting for parts too, still trying to find a N.O.S rear door skin but if it takes all year to find one so be it. Once i get my reconditioned door hinges back, i'll re-skin the driver's door.
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Need to buy myself a new primer gun & air compressor too, but so far the bootlid is repaired & i might have to beg & plead work to let me prime it there to seal it from surface rust.
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I think there was around 10 hours work on this panel alone file finishing it, not looking forward to repairing the doors. Even with N.O.S skins, they'll need a fair amount of work to metal finish them, will post more pics once i start on the passenger side doors.

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#71 _LH SLR 3300_

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Posted 04 February 2011 - 09:25 PM

Another thing on my mind is do i go with 2K C.O.B paint, or do i paint it in acrylic? I know 2K is the norm these days & i know all the pros & cons of both paints, but seeing John Gong's immaculately restored LC XU-1 at Toranafest last year impressed me. Painted in acrylic, it looked like it had just rolled out of the GMH show room. To me 2K looks like a film of plastic over the car, whereas acrylic will give the car the same look as John's car, factory original, not restored. I know my car is far from original now, but one thing i always wanted with this car was to make it look like a brand new Torana that's just had the 355 fitted in place of the 202. Steve from Cool's who is doing the trim for the car is even trying to talk me into ditching the Pro-ratchet shifter for the factory t-bar & console. Any opinions on these points are welcomed.

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#72 _Bomber Watson_

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Posted 04 February 2011 - 09:30 PM

Yep, your going to train me and put me through my panel beating apprenticeship when i choose to do it....

No questions....It just will be done.

Cheers.

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#73 SmacT

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Posted 04 February 2011 - 09:52 PM

Great to see this moving on, Matt. You know the pros and come of both paint systems, but I reckon it comes down to what look you want, as you said. I'm going 2pak on mine because I want it looking modern (17-in rims, etc), but you're right, the acrylic looks better in a car aimed at looking more of a period example.

One vote for acrylic for your car from me. :-)