242 replies to this topic

[Kevrev]

Thanks Dave, that's good to know it didn't look like the diff had been out of the car, but you never know

 

One part that's definitely not date correct is the radiator, it looks like it's out of an LC by the date code if I read it correct.

It's stamped S G 1, I'm thinking July 71, and the S being Sydney?

I've never seen one before with the little clips on the side to hold the overflow hose, was that an LC thing only?

Does anyone have an LJ GTR radiator they want to swap? 

Attached Files

•  LC GTR radiator.jpg   232.84K   9 downloads
•  LC GTR radiator 2.jpg   161.07K   5 downloads
•  LC GTR radiator 4.jpg   198.94K   6 downloads

[S pack]

Yeah Kev, S G 1 Sydney July 1971.   2809857 = 2250,2850 regular duty radiator assy suit manual transmission vehicles.

 

Those overflow pipe clips are hard to come by.

[Kevrev]

Hi Dave thanks again for your reply. Are those clips LC only or LJ as well?

I have another radiator in storage that I thought had pressed out clips built into the side frame. it also has 8 mounting holes instead of 4, the same sort of flat top mounting plate but no numbers stamped in it. I'll drag it out next week or so and take a few pics. I'm pretty sure it's a manual radiator as well

[S pack]

Hi Dave thanks again for your reply. Are those clips LC only or LJ as well?

I have another radiator in storage that I thought had pressed out clips built into the side frame. it also has 8 mounting holes instead of 4, the same sort of flat top mounting plate but no numbers stamped in it. I'll drag it out next week or so and take a few pics. I'm pretty sure it's a manual radiator as well

Sounds like you might have an XU1 radiator.

Those clips are LC & LJ.

[Kevrev]

Big day in the shed today, removed the back window to see why water leaks in when the car is washed.

Found plenty of holes and filler, after cleaning up with a power file I decided the filler panel between the bottom of the rear window and the boot was beyond fixing and needed to be cut out

Attached Files

•  Rear window rust LHS .jpg   219.93K   4 downloads
•  Rear window rust RHS .jpg   195.54K   5 downloads
•  Rear window rust.jpg   218.65K   4 downloads
•  Rear window rust panel removed RHS.jpg   164.34K   4 downloads

[Kevrev]

The panel beneath is actually pretty good, it was only the end sections of the parcel tray that joins the rear window filler that now still needed fixing.

I cut the rusty bits out, and fabricated new pieces and welded them in. The bottom corner where the window sits will still need some work, but I'll wait until I have the replacement window filler piece before doing any more so I know exactly where the new panel fits in the corners

Attached Files

•  Rear window rust replacement piece LHS.jpg   196.21K   5 downloads
•  Rear window rust replacement piece RHS.jpg   182.45K   4 downloads

[Kevrev]

Also filled in the spoiler holes that were in the boot. The car was an XU-1 clone when I bought it, I want it back to it's original look so off came the spoiler. So that left 4 small holes self tapper holes on the bottom edge of the boot, and 2 bolt holes through the top of the boot and 2 large access holes inside the boot to get to the nuts holding the spoiler on. I made a couple of small plugs to fill these holes, and just migged up the other ones. Had a good look for rust insid\e the boot, only found some in one corner which is good (getting sick of finsing rust at the moment!)

Attached Files

•  LJ GTR.jpg   132.01K   4 downloads
•  Rear.JPG   79.67K   4 downloads
•  Bootlid rustjpg.jpg   212.59K   3 downloads
•  Bootlid corner.jpg   181.42K   3 downloads
•  Bootlid spolier hole 2.jpg   294.71K   4 downloads

[Kevrev]

Another pic of welded holes in boot lid.

 

Attached Files

•  Boot lid holes filled in.jpg   147.39K   5 downloads

[Kevrev]

Still had some daylight left (yay dalight savings!) so attacked some old towbar holes in the boot floor.

Made some disks of steel, welded them in then a light coat of filler over the top

Attached Files

•  Inside boot 2.JPG   96.24K   6 downloads
•  Boot floor towbar holes being filled LHS.jpg   142.32K   3 downloads
•  Boot floor towbar holes being filled RHS.jpg   175.15K   3 downloads
•  Boot floor towbar holes filled LHS.jpg   211.43K   3 downloads
•  Boot floor towbar holes filled RHS.jpg   228.61K   4 downloads

[grumpy xu1]

Hi Kev, fun isn't it? Um no ! Not to bad for rust so far. Hopefully it's painted well & in 2 pack so far ? Then you can rub down the back blow the colour on the boot around the window & into the qaurters & then clear the lot ! Might be an idea to pull the front screen to mate, while you're at it. Bmastic windscreen sealant is what we use to always use to seal & non acetic too ! If you want to see rust around a screen have a look at a car that's been sealed with acetic cure silicone, i can still remember doing 1 as an apprentice & i wasn't to happy to be given the job. Looks good going back to lj gtr again, not all that many of them restored. Have you inspected your wheel well for rust. Doing well if it's not rusty. Gary.

[gtrboyy]

Keen to see rear window filler reapair..my gtr is now rusted on driver's side corner,always after a wash moisture on glass.

 

Using rare spares or muscle car parts?

[jd lj]

Kev,
The radiator with the blank shroud is the one that you want to use for your car. The shroud should have a small hole on the side closest to the radiator cap which allows any spilt coolant to drain away. Instead of having numbers on the shroud there should be a number stamped on the passenger side of the top tank, possibly "K3" or "L3" in your case. If not next time the radiator is pulled apart this date code can be replicated by hand if necessary, it looks like you've got the skills to do it.

I've been told by a reliable source that after 1/4/1973 that all 202 LJ's received the xu-1 radiator and should therefore have a LN decal next to the top hose inlet instead of a LE decal which early 202 Lj's would have had.

It's good to see a LJ GTR which isn't going to be a xu-1 replica. Not enough of them are kept in gtr spec in my opinion.

[Kevrev]

Hi Gary I'm glad the rust is not too bad, always ugly when you first find it, you expect the worst but it's only a couple of fabricated pieces and a new panel. I bought some 0.9mm steel from an engineering place for fabricating the panels you can't buy, and my mate George has a bench mounted folder to put the bends in the metal

 

I'll be using a Rare Spares replacement rear window filler panel, the floor panel and lower valance I bought from them were pretty good so hopefully the window one will be as well. The radiator support was a bit dodgy but that is not made by Rare Spares so I'll forgive them for that

 

The paint on the car is 2 pack, but with a few repairs on it so far it will be blocked back and given a complete respray. 

There was a ding on the passenger door, one on the drivers side front guard under the XU-1 decal, and there is a big dent on the lower passenger side rear quarter. George has a mate with a spot weld gun, so I'll buy some weld on studs and have a go at pulling the dent out with a slide hammer. i don't really want to replace the panel, the car looks to have the original front guards and quarters on it and I'm trying to keep it as original as possible. 

There's even some scuff marks on the roof, something must have been dropped on the car at some stage.

I still need to weld up the hole in the roof where it had a centre mount roof aerial, add to that the boot now needs painting after welding up the spoiler holes a complete paint job is now a certainty.

I wasn't aware there were different windscreen sealers, I'll quiz the windscreen guy when i get a new front screen fitted.

Don't want any rust coming back!!

 

Attached Files

•  Door LHS repair.jpg   212.64K   5 downloads
•  Front guard RHS.jpg   220.71K   3 downloads
•  Quarter panel damage LHS.jpg   224.59K   3 downloads

[Kevrev]

I've checked the wheel well for rust also, looks like it's been replaced at some stage so all good there. The car was last painted in 2009, so I would hope any hidden rust would have shown through by now, once the front windscreen is out I'll find out if there's anything hiding in there.

And as far as putting it back to a  stock GTR, they have a nice clean uncluttered look about them which I like.
Not that I wouldn't prefer to have an XU-1 again!!

[S pack]

Hi Kev, I'd be having a look at this also. Is that a hole (yellow arrow) that shouldn't be there?

Looks like rust pitting & a pin hole (small circle) and all that sealer around the brace doesn't look original.

 

Attached Files

•  Kevrev boot floor mod.jpg   222.3K   8 downloads

[Kevrev]

Hi Dave, yes I saw that big hole, decided to leave it for the moment ended up pretty weary after a big day yesterday so I packed it in after finishing the towbar holes.

I will wire brush the boot floor, God knows what else I'll find, hopefully it won't be too bad. I'm pretty sure Rare's sell the boot floor replacement panels if the worst happens.

[Kevrev]

Hi Mike,

 

I've got a portable sand blaster, the only problem is the mess it makes! 

The cars stuck on the hoist at the moment, I don't want to fill the garage with sand and dust.

I'm also wondering if I really want to find any more rust at this stage? (Only joking!)

 

 

[grumpy xu1]

Hi Kev, I would also add to use a heat gun in the 1st place, followed by prepsol (wax & grease) then the wire brush & sand blaster. Noticed on the door the primer is almost painted to a tape edge, I would advise against doing that as even when you block it that edge can show up in the top coat. It'll look the goods with a new coat of cyan that's for sure & Then the black obviously. I am hoping that you are using 2 pack epoxy etch primer, not the single pack black etch like etch pro ect, as on old cars, they do not protect the steel, do not listen to anyone who says it will, or you will be doing your repairs again honestly. I've seen it before quite a number of times. & epoxy is around $100 per litre including hardener & thinners at trade, I use the sikkens ep epoxy, but bomber & other's use protec Epotec, basically the same thing. Interesting about the 4/73 radiator, guessing that's a Adelaide thing possibly late 5/73 in a brisbane car, I've seen 1 owner early 5/73 brisbane with original MPh dash ! & 1 owner brisbane 4/73's with roebuck trim. Gary.

[grumpy xu1]

& on the dent pulling slowly does it, take your time working side to side gently, if that makes sense. Dave, i have a question for you about the black used on the lj gtr & xu1 exterior, could the 04149 have been used ? Even if only on Adelaide cars, I have a 9/72 Adelaide door that "looks" to have it on the black outs, have to check it thoroughly for original paint, i know that this has been asked before, wondering if there has been further information about this found. My car was painted when i got it so not original, going to be hard to check that out Gary.

[Kevrev]

Hi Gary thanks for the paint and panel tips. I'm assuming the heat gun is to remove the paint?

I've never used a dent puller before, I'll take your advice and gently ease out each side bit by bit.
i am using single pack epoxy etch primer, the brother in all works at a paint place I'll ask him to get some two pack and give it a go.

I can always sand down whats already been painted and go over it again. 
 As for the blackouts, I've been told my car should be Tuxedo black instead of Warrigal Black, does anyone know the current PPG code for Tuxedo Black?

 

[grumpy xu1]

Hi Kev, it looks like there's sound deadener in the boot & the heat gun will soften it enough to scrape it of & the prepsol will remove the residue. Yeah mate i can't suggest enough to use the 2 pack epoxy, i can't remember if i have the new tuxedo formula written down, i'll have a look for you mate, do you need the cyan formula aswell ? Gary.

[Kevrev]

Thanks Gary I hadn't thought about using the heat gun for the sealer

My brother in law says he can get the Cyan, but if you have a formula it might help I wouldn't want to end up with the wrong clour blue

[Ice]

There is 2 Cyan blues i thought dont quote me on that

[grumpy xu1]

Early cyan blue is 2b014 new formula Kev, & yes Gene vh commodore particularly vacationer, had the later cyan, looked good on them too ! Early tuxedo seems hard to get a new code for "might be" 1k003 ? But please get your brother in law to check this, original code was 2214-15991 mate "late" 1978 onwards tuxedo is 1k001 Sorry i couldn't help more than that mate, Gary.