HX Sandman project.

[wbute]

Thanks Steve. It’s a tedious job made harder by the fitter at Holden buggering up the join to the quarter on the passenger side.
I have to try and make a new drivers side drip rail and fix the rust in the roof bracing. You can actually buy drip rail but they want $190 for 1.2 meters of it. If I can make it I will, but there are some tight bends in it that might be impossible to replicate without some proper gear.
Unfortunately I have to pull all the factory air stuff out of the WB now as it’s all exposed to the elements now.

[Valencia]

Wow wish i could work with steel
Love your work

[Robbo]

Good on you James, making good progress.

[pj350]

I can see what you mean .... underneath the outer skin it's a rust haven in there...don't suppose they ever painted underneath.

[wbute]

A few small updates, they took hours to achieve though. I am nearly ready to start welding some of the patch panels in.
This is the top door frame/roof panel cut and ready to weld in.

F7CF7784-0E8C-4A86-9341-DF704AF893FC.jpeg

I am going to replace the complete roof brace with the rust free one.
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[wbute]

Welded in, rust gone! Pretty happy with the result. Lots of measuring to get the rust cut to fit almost perfectly. Trying to get my mig set right at the moment.

F5AD65FE-7645-4FB5-B7ED-CEE3D26F21A1.jpeg

Before shot

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[SLR_dave]

Roof skin off. More rust. No more sun roof. I am going to put the whole roof skin on off the red WB. Hopefully it’s as rust free as it looks before I touch it.
I seriously wonder how much rust is left in some restorations when only the rust in the outside skin is cut out. Not sure I would be handing over 100K plus for a Sandman unless I could see photos of it being restored.

You can see where the factory never treated them. I thought they were supposed to be dipped from HQ on, but that obviously that didn't get into the roof frame.

Neat looking work on that roof WB, that wasnt easy I bet! Awesome!

I like your observation about restorations which chase big money afterwards. The roof bracing sections are easily unattended and difficult to get to components. I agree also, when restorers are asking big money, these should be in prime nick. Top work!

Sandaro mentioned dipping, I recall a picture on the net of an HQ-HZ dipping process. (I thought it was on this site somewhere but in a quick search I couldn't find it). I found this one (I think its the same pic) on pinterest. I don't know about the copyright to re-post it, so the link is below. I found this interesting. Looking at the track the vehicles follow, this part of the dip (possibly all there was) did not reach the roof, probably just the sills. The pic also seems to show there was a base coat prior to the dipping (interesting).

https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/471752129707706565/

[wbute]

It’s I wish there was more photos of Holden assembly at work. I guess they were scared of having their ideas/methods stolen like all big companies though.
I am sure I have seen a photo of bodies going into the dip tank too, but I can’t find them either. They mustn’t have got any up high. Either that or the product wasn’t much good.
I have painted inside that door jamb with weld through primer. I will get some sort of cavity wax and pump that in to the cavity before the roof lining goes in. That should keep it good in there. Strangely the red WB is really rust free from the plenum up into the roof, yet the quarters and beaver panel are chock full of bog and rust. The Sandman only has all this rust in the roof from that sunroof I reckon. It must have got moisture in there and then it would have stayed wet for months after rain, especially as it lived in Canberra.

[Sandaro]

The place I've seen it is the HQ brochure. Found the relevant page on the net. The picture (if that's the extent of the dipping) may explain why the panels you're working with don't have any... or it was crapHolden_HQ_06_t.jpg

[Kiwivan]

Awesome work

Cheers Kiwivan