HZ Premier Wagon

[spauldj308]

Started this a few years back, got side tracked. 3 jobs, a new girlfriend, a 5 litre conversion and a new daily later, I'm ready to get back into it.

Model: October '78 HZ Premier
Colour: Supermint
Kms: 241 xxx
Engine: Stock 253
Brakes: Standard
Suspension: Standard
Exhaust: Standard, dual, Lukey mulfflers
Audio: Stock-ish. Early 90's spec tape deck.
Wheels: 14" Jellybeans
Interior: Standard Buckskin vynil, GTS Woodgrain Dash, GTS steering wheel
Things to do: Fix it! Complete resto, rebuild engine to stock specs, respray, overhaul suspension and brakes. Just a nice cruiser, cause I'm sorta doing this for my dad, it was his car and he liked it stock. I may re fit the original GTS rims (were swapped for the jellybeans around 1988) if I can find a set. I know its a bit rough, but Dad bought it second hand in March 1980, and its been in the shed since 2002.

Started stripping it;

Few of the screws holding the headlights on were a little seized, but with WD-40 and gentle persuasion, they came out.

Lots of bugs on the radiator and no real surprises.

I was pleasantly surprised to find minimal corrosion...so far. I know I haven't got to the bits where its most likely, but hey, its a good start! Only broken one thing so far, one of the small metal clips on the bonnet striker plate that retain the cable busted when I took it off.

No rust found yet...sills and front guards are all sweet.

Old engine teardown;

Block stripped and ready for the machinist;

Firewall after a quick polish

Front bumper. Right is polished, middle is half done, left is untouched.

Got the engine back from the builders, Dad never put coolant in it so a new intake manifold and timing chain cover were needed.

The subframe is painted, and is in a tarp in the carport, and thats basically how it sits at the moment. I've painted the underside of the floor (no rust at all!), so I just need to pull the brake booster off and get that rebuilt, paint the firewall and start putting the mechanicals back in.

Have a set of stock wheels with Premier hubcabs for now.

And thats pretty much how it sits. Trying hard to get the motivation to get stuck back into it.

 

[Deuce]

That green looks really good (except for fading on the taildoor)
the whole project looks to be coming along quite well

 

[VS 5.0]

Great project. The interior looks to be in awesome condition.

 

[spauldj308]

Cheers fellas! The paint is ok for a 35 year old car, there is some surface rust coming through on the roof, so its time for a respray.

The tailgate was repainted in the early 90's after Dad was rear ended, but it wasnt prepped properly. Hence the rust and the crazed paint. Have a new tailgate in a box ready to go.

 

[Hoska91]

Any updated on this one mate ?

 

[kingswood country]

I'm keen for updates too


__/ ][ \__
~O-----O\

Don't ruin a good story with the truth.

 

[spauldj308]

Started attacking suspension bits with a tooth brush and some thinners to clean them up, thinking I might get a wire wheel tomorrow. Been a few issues career wise lately, so I have a bit more time and a bit less money for a while. Good time for jobs like that that I've been putting off.

 

[kingswood country]

Sorry to hear, went through one of those pat he's a little while back, plenty of time but no money.

Are you rebuilding the suspension or just cleaning and replacing as necessary?


__/ ][ \__
~O-----O\

Don't ruin a good story with the truth.

 

[spauldj308]

Going to just clean and replace as necessary, I have new shocks for it, just really needs bushes and stuff. And a lot of cleaning, haha.

 

[Trevor 062]

HZ Premier Wagon best of the late model Holdens.