My Torana Rebuild

[Zeussy]

OMG, that front end looks so seamless... Is that just bare metal underneath? (and etch) Bare bones. I love seeing updates on this!

As said a few times before, insanely high quality build... Should be proud of this build, no corner cutting, close enough etc... lol.

What is the epoxy primer you use? Is that just like a 2 pack primer? Or something else?

 

[383 hatch]

Thanks mate.

The engine bay has some filler in it from when i smoothed the inner guards last time and so does the firewall (it's all just lightly skimmed to get it straight) but the new part of the inner guards is just metal. All the front panels are just bare steel with 2 coats of epoxy over them.

The Epoxy is a 2 pak primer to go over bare steel (much like etch primer, but much better), you lay this down first after all your metal work is complete, then scuff it over with some 120 grit paper, then do you filler work over it. Once you have done the filler work, you put another coat of Epoxy over the repairs, then hi-fill straight over it. It seals the body filler from both sides, and also seals the metal. I've only just started using it on a couple of cars before i started the Torana and i'm obviously using it on this, but it's great stuff. It has excellent adhesion to bare steel.

 

[tonza]

Just read through this whole thread.
Wow, just...wow. As a panel beater myself, I can really appreciate all the hard work thats gone into this. Absolutely mint job mate.
Cannot wait to see this beast finished, with a thumping 383 no less, crazy.
Really deserves the "Built NOT Bought" tag me thinks.

also, i would kill to have your shedspace haha

Great work brother

 

[383 hatch]

Haha, thanks mate, much appreciated. I can't wait to see it finished, but i also just can't wait to hear the 383 fire into life for the first time, that will bring a smile to my face

Definately built not bought, no 2 ways about that....

Shed space helps a lot, as always though, a shed is never big enough, lol.

 

[Hangman]

Shed space is the dream

As always, love your work mate

 

[Drawnnite]

keep up the superb work.
its nice seeing these updates.

and agree on the shed space.
been needing a shed at home for years, thinking of getting one organised soon, to eventually store the next toy/s.
and that shed you have would be perfect. maybe not big enough =P

that 383 should bring the torana to life.
put a nice big smile on the face once it's all in and launching like a rocket

 

[383 hatch]

Thanks guys. Might spend a bit of quality time in the man cave tonight actually.

 

[383 hatch]

More progress.

I did some work on the firewall to tidy up some things i wasn't happy with. The plate that bolts in with around steering column is a bit ugly IMO so i decided that needed to go. I also got rid of the lip and seam welded it. Then i cut out some lumps and bumps and put a new piece over the whole lower part. I have been thinking about a way to do this for a little while that i would be happy with, so i decided leaving the majority of the original firewall in place and simply welding a new one over the top was the best plan of attack.

So, basically most of the original firewall is still there from top to bottom but smoothed over with new steel.

I also plated over some recesses in the chassis rails at the rear to finish it all off. I still have some welding to finish off, but i ran out of MIG gas so i called it a day. I also just need to put a hole in the firewall for the steering column to go through. It'll just be a neat hole the size of the column, not the massive hole it had for the bolt in plate.

Pics:

Much better:

 

[ari666]

geez, once again totally approve. its like your building me a car based on things i want.


...so when can i have my car?

 

[383 hatch]

Hahaha, obviously we've got similar tastes.

You can probably have your car when you build it.