Originally Posted by HK1837
can i say its also seriously hazardous to your health to have a hobbie involving resto on cars.
I burnt my hand pretty bad a week ago. Partial thickness deep second degree. Not to mention all the bog dust, paint and chems for killing rust etc.....
BQZ
Oh, I wouldn't say awesome all around. It had previous repaired accident damage (in the late 70's) around the filler neck area that had been stoved-in probably 6-8 inches originally that had been just pulled out to close to the right shape and then slapped-up with up to half an inch of bog, the usual dents in the front guards and tailgate from gateposts (grandma was a lovely old lady but she probably should have given the driving thing away a bit earlier but hey it was really cool to have a grandmother who drove a V8 ute!) that had also been slapped-up and the odd very small and localised spots of rust in the lower rear guard (both skins) and in the plenum groove where the lower windscreen strip had nicked through the paint. So while it looked kind of OK (from 20 feet away) for what is now termed a survivor, if left too much longer it would have become very serious very fast, especially under the repairs that had surface rust under the bog causing it to crack away around the fuel filler and around the screen channel where the pitting was beginning to go through. So while the early attempts at inhibiting corrosion were good, it was beginning to succumb after 36 years (2011).
That $5K includes a donor ute for the genuine front guards (that I then wrecked-out and made a trailer with afterwards), a full rubber kit, interior carpet, new hoodlining and windscreen, new sound deadening/insulation, a decent second hand mig welder/wire coils and gas, a new 1.2mm nozzle spray gun, all bodywork consumables (including a small media blaster) and also the 2 pack undercoat and two seperate and complete 2K top coat systems. Could have got away with it much cheaper if I didn't have to replace/purchase a few things. Interior thankfully doesn't need much more but the driveline wont be cheap.
As has been pointed out... That time spent on it - is it really free? Yes and no, as it depends what you actually intend to get out of the whole exercise (personally) and what your intentions are for the vehicle - if you're doing it to sell or keep it. If you are doing it to make a big profit then you've got a better chance on the lottery and more pub/fishing time to show for it. If you're doing it for the experience of the build and the ability to say you built it, not bought it - then go for it. It costs one way or the other!
Nunc est bibendum...
Reading your post #!5, and the above, Byron I do agree. From a financial perspective and considering time (and space) the advice to sell and get another one is responsible and sensible advice. I was responding to the idea it was never gonna be sold a bit differently.
I should I think, have thought to add to my earlier posts that restoring a vehicle can be like having one foot chained to the ground, and, if I consider it, there is always a question if you restore it yourself if you will actually ever drive it that hard. And if instead you'll be forever be washing mud out of the bits you spent months (years ) getting clean.
Also, reading through posts 16 to here, I also agree. Referring to my earlier posts, I suppose its also very easy to suggest to somebody, that restoring their car is a good idea when it's not me thats taking on the work!
From my experience looking back my advice would always be to buy a car already done or buy a car that has survived and you are happy to do mechanical work only. Nothing wrong with people being motivated and committed enough AND have the resources to restore a car for whatever their individual motivation is, but the harsh reality is that most people are either not committed enough or lack the resources to accomplish the task. I take my hat off to those that are however I still reckon most who do it end up spending much more than they would have if they bought a car already done, probably twice as much in some cases.
Wow I wasn't expecting such a response. I've been off working for a couple of days and see an interesting debate and some great opinions. I really do appreciate your thoughts and the time it's taken to write them up.
My original post may have been misleading regarding the WB. It is just a shell (no chassis, guards, bonnet, interior or dash etc). Next to no rust and pretty darn straight. It was too good to pass up even though at the time I knew sweet FA about the differences is the bodies between models. So the WB could be used as donor panels if need be.
I will rummage up some photos of the Sandman and see if I can load them here. The car is in storage so I can't pop out and take photos but I do have a few general ones.
A lot of the work I do is for a chain of body shops in Melbourne and I mentioned to a couple of the panel guys about the windows and sunroof. They reckon the sunroof repair would be no problem because of the curve of the roof. They say they would spot weld a piece from a donor. The windows they wouldn't touch with a welder of any sort. They are using a lot of the 2 pack adhesives on body panels now and say that would be the way to go.
Anyway I'll have a go at these photos.
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That's not that bad for rust in the body, mine was ten times worse. From the few pics that looks very restorable, I don't think it needs a re-body. Sunroof isn't too big of a deal to fill in but those side windows are huge, I'd be using the WB shell as a donor for the side panels and other rust repairs. At least it is still in original paint so shouldn't be too much hiding from you.
image.jpg
4/75 HJ XX7 Sandman Panelvan ... Persian Sand currently restoring
7/76 HX Monaro 4dr 308 4sp... Absinth Yellow and rusty as hell.. SOLD
3/77 HX Sandman Panelvan ... Absinth Yellow and rusty as hell .. SOLD
save on roof rust repairs top chop it to a ute lol
If you base all the body work ( rust repairs, dent removal, panel replacement ect ) including stripping it down and fitting back up on a $35 an hour cost ( not including paint prep, painting and consumables ) you should be able to work out what the body work cost you. Break the job down into panel sized areas to work out the amount of hours ( 8 hours a door, 8 hours a guard ect. roof, side panels and larger areas need to be doubled in the amount of hours ). This may seem excessive if you have good guards or doors but the hours you save on them will easily be chewed up if you have to spend longer on other areas. If you spent 8 hours a day 5 days a week working on your van you should be able to knock it over in 4 to 5 weeks. Add another 2 weeks for paint and another week for fitting it back up.
If you can buy guards or doors ect that are in good to excellent condition and only require stripping and a few small dents fixing for under $300 it is better to to do this than spend 10 or more hours trying to fix rusted out or severely bent ones. I have spent too many hours than I care to remember repairing shit panels just because the owner wants to "keep it original".
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