53 replies to this topic

[Neils LX]

HI There

 

Going to start a build thread on my UC / LX Hatch conversion which is owned by Myself and My wife and hopefully one day my Son. Hopefully wont bore you guys too much but heres the story behind it. Will update where possable and help out with any questions should anyone else attempt the same. Wont be a fast build thread but will do as much as possable

 

I originaly purchaced a UC hatch from Sydney which was compleate and i was fully awair it had rust. However once fully investiagated had some fairly bad rust issues in front rails and doors which while not unrepairable was just too much for me and i was going to strip it and part it out but  a mate realy wanted it so i sold it on to him for what it owed me and looked for another.

 

My Uncle said i could have a UC Hatch for free which had been sitting in his back paddock for the best part of 17 years including all the panels and seats ect which he kept in his shed. Its been sitting as a nearly bare shell and does have some rust in rear pillars and lower rear quarters is fairly solid in rails floors and under dash. The grand plan is to build a replica 05 Brock Hatch. The 79 car has been covered by a few people already so might go for 78 car.

 

Will put up pictures very soon.

 

Chears Neil

[Neils LX]

The first car that started off the idea

 

 

The second as had been left sitting for years unloved and no touched.

 

 

First job was to put a Kframe under front and make it a roller again

 

 

So after 17 year hip hip horay it moved

 

Lucky for me my wife is into cars

 

Time to start somewhere. UC dash has gotta go.

 

Drilling out spot welds

 

Ready for my Uncle (whos helping me out ) to cut out dash

 

Free UC dash anyone? FREE

 

How it looks with no dash

 

Big thanks to my Uncle for not only letting me use his tools but his a very skilled Boiler maker and theres no way i can do i better job than him with oxy or MIG welder. But im doing okay with grinding and drilling.

[Neils LX]

Plenty of grinding to do, it like an art. Body sealer not much fun but after heating with oxy does the trick.

 

I realy hate UC rear ends and cant stand them. Sorry UC fans maybe tinted lights and chrome trim helps but they still look ugly.

 

So after my uncle marked out where to cut i got into it with grinder, yee haa.

lower section dented and rusty so it came off too.

 

Got some rusty LX rear light sections to use as a kinda template.

 

Amazing looks a million times better already

 

 

Got late in the day but one side kind of sorted out

[purrlx]

Looks like a 63 pontiac in one of the pics there Interested in selling any parts or whole car???

[Neils LX]

HI there

The 63? has been there for just as long as the hatch, i think its been there since at least 1992 tbh. Will get photos in a sec.

Chears Neil

[Neils LX]

Hey got pics, cant remember if 62 or 63. Ill go with 63 if you know your stuff. Its a Holden assembled one factory RHD no motor or box and front panels are no good. Some of the moulds have been removed since photos taken (stupid effing cows) and are placed inside it.

 

 

 

 

I dont think its accendent damaged just been used for front parts. Photos 3 years old and to answer your question im sure he would sell parts or compleate. Theres nothing in the shed that neads its parts.

[Ice]

Spotto a couple of little toranas in that paddock to

[308mate]

Great project, heaps of fun, keep us posted.

[Neils LX]

HI

 

Not sure i have seen much information on tailight inner panels (iv looked but maybe not hard enough!)

Anyway will have to look into giving them some attention so rear tailight globes can be changed.

 

Inside LX Hatch panel

 

 

And now inside the UC tailight panel

 

 

The Hatch top floor also sits higher on a UC than a LX due to different spare tyre placement and fuel tank. I wont be lowering it like an LX thou.

[Toranamat69]

Mate, the UC looks to be a pretty good starting point.  

 

There are a lot rustier shells around than that one these days so you should get a great result.

 

I have a similar UC shell here that needs the same treatment.

 

Matt

[Neils LX]

Yeah not being picky with shells but 2nd car i have while looks rougher is a solid looking shell. Hopefully when stripped not too bad. Passengers upper sill neads a patch where trim was and has typical C pillar rust which i have bought repair sections for.

[Neils LX]

So Hands up whos made a mistake, Measure twice cut once hmmm. Oh well.

 

 

Everything here well to plan except accidently cutting to far into where fuel neck comes out (no biggy)

 

Took whole upper section inbetween tailight as wont be neading them.... well ummm.

 

Well heres a problem. The piece now sitting in scrap pile is now neaded back and other section will nead to be remade

 

So dont copy that idea lol. Is totaly fixable.

 

So thats with two tailights sitting in before donar section cut out to fit. And has fuel filler section repaired and pump up shock hole filled in

[Neils LX]

Hi

 

Just an update on how My uncle and myself got around the UC inner tailight panel so access can be gained to globes

 

How we started.

 

Changed the angle

 

One globe will fit now to make the other.

 

Now other will fit.

 

Same thing now done to passengers side.

 

Probably unexciting but a few people on Facebook were asking how to go about inner section.

Chears Neil

[Neils LX]

Next bit was to sorce some Donar Cars for the best parts to go back onto UC Body.

 

My mate Patto had a LH Torana that he bought that had been impounded and gone rusty after sitting outside a Police yard for god knows how long. He won it on an Ebay auction but after purchasing another car and trying to sell this one (had no tags) he made the decision to cut it up for parts.

 

As he got it.

 

I bought front cut off Patto and while at my Uncles farm the Damm Cows have been rubbing against it but its fine to use

 

Had my old Torana BBQ i never finished propley and decided the rear on it looked to good to waste so decision was made to use it for rear.

 

After lead burnt off looked like it may of had a left rear quarter put on.

 

And after drivers side burnt off apart from dents it looks like a whole rear has been fitted. covered in bog and every time went to melt lead along boot floor spot welds kept blowing holes so decided to scrap that and find a better one.

 

Will update more on donar car tommorow

Chears Neil

[Neils LX]

Next thing to sort out another rear donar.

 

I had also bought this LX rolling shell , not as a donar but as a spare body.

 

I had already borrowed the front k frame and wheels and had no luck selling shell on so as it had best rear it was decided to use it.

 

Before the chop, for one to live the other must die :(

 

Chop Chop

 

And now to cut dash out, rusty shell had a very butchered radio area.

 

One LX dash awaiting some work to make fit.

 

One LX rear awaiting trimming up

 

Not all LX Torana sedans have the inner panel inbetween tailights. Both my BBQ and 77LX Sedan i drive dont.

 

Sedan donar now a sad and sorry SWB Torana, can still use it for cuts so wont be throwing it out.

 

Chears Neil

[Neils LX]

Hi there.

 

Next job was to trim up rear cut, grind down spotwelds (not drilling so can weld where want to) and get all the black sealer off and remove boot floor join.

 

Not much left so about ready to test fit.

 

Ta Da well better than looking at a UC Bum

 

Will still nead some work yet but getting there.

 

Will have to repair and replace upper panel that should have stayed on.

 

But all good as have another rear to copy off.

 

Next spot with some attention was the dash, trimmed up to test fit too.

 

Second photos bit shit but get the idea. Didnot realy take many photos as probably pleanty about.

 

 

Next spot after this will be to start on front.

Chears Neil

Edited by Neils LX, 02 September 2014 - 01:18 PM.

[Shiney005]

Having never read a UC conversion thread I had no idea how much work is involved. 

[Neils LX]

Its not too bad to do conversion just sorting thru shed for panels and hinges so after doing front might be another story.  I honestly think some rust repair work can be harder. Wont know exactly how much work body will nead til its fully stripped but so far looks okay.

Not a heap of progress to show on front. Just grinding out more spot welds atm but will update where im up to soon.

[Neils LX]

I'm not 100% on join but happy with current result. I have a few 304 motors sitting around and iv got a supra 5 speed in my registed LX I'm driving atm. Will get body sorted and go from there. Yeah that picture was on your thread iv only just started working on it thou. How's your Torana Hatch going?

[Neils LX]

Time to have a little update, doing work on front now.

 

Bumper mounts are different on LX from UC and also inner section tapers down near Radiator support.

 

UC inner

 

LH/LX inner

 

So with a plan and some thinking its time to start on what to do with front.

 

Pop goes the gas axe and this bit wont be neaded.

 

Which leaves this bit and a lot of spot welds to grind off.

 

Bit of reo to stop it flopping around

 

Grinding of spot welds and some bonnet hinge rust.

 

Bit more progress, lower radiator support will nead attention

 

Somehow Bonnet hinge section on UC was still ok so cut it out.

 

But ended up using fresh metal to replace LH inner section

 

 

Started on removing UC inner skirts

 

 

So will have to finish removing UC inner skirts, cut around Body number so its not moved or altered and replace rusted metal on lower replacement radiator support panel.Then might be able to fit up replacement front.

 

Also got some replacement parts from Rares

 

Chears Neil