Latest News

The never ending mission of trouble *UPDATED JAN 2012*

The project car is home at last and work starts in the rebuilding. The first thing is that it is not quite square so adjustments are being made. This is the start of getting the body work all straight, level and square. It is one of those things that you see out there when the whole body has not been treated as one unit. When you look down the side of the car and the light is just
right, the different panels don’t have the same reflection. This is not being fussy but correct.

Maybe it is fussy but when you can why not get it right. Surely the car was once straight. Well that is the concept but in reality that may not be the case. Now there is an opportunity to “make it right.”

I had done a close look before the car was disassembled although that was some time ago and the car as a whole was straight and true. There are no signs of any accident damage or repair beyond a few dents. Two in fact and they were minor. So I have no excuse for panels not being true and spaced properly.

Gaps need to be checked. Well every gap really as this old girl was a bolt together body.

The main shell is what it is so everything that bolts on is at fault. The first thing that is a mind blowing aspect is that from the shell, the whole front (fenders and all) are bolted to one point at the radiator support front and centre. Get this picture in your head because I think this is a design oddity. The fenders are bolted to the shell at several points. From there they hang out at
the front and held together by the radiator support panel.

One point at the centre of this radiator support is bolted to the chassis. This is the only connection for the front. What that means is that when I hit that Kangaroo, all that force was absorbed at one point front and centre. Yes the car came out with zero damage. The mind boggles as to how today’s cars are put together as they crumble. Ok, I accept that the 50 Kilo metal bumper bolted to the chassis took the main impact. It is going to take me hours to get the body straight before I dare to get out the sand paper. Just a few hours to go Ha ha.