My VS III Maloo

[Gilly91]

Next was the rust in the tailgate which had formed under the Maloo number plate holder.

 

[Gilly91]

Then I tackled the dreaded tailgate mounts/tub corners. I actually tried to replace the parts with a cut from another ute, but there was still rust forming in that cut I took, so I ended up making all the patches from scratch.

This is before I had done any cutting, believe it or not.

This is after cutting the outer skin off only to discover the actual mounts were also rusted through.

So I welded the unrusted ones from the ute cut in

Then patched the rest of it up, piece by piece

Haven't actually taken a photo, but it is completely patched up now and has the first layer of filler on, ready to be sanded back.

 

[VS 5.0]

Great work !

 

[Gilly91]

Here's an interesting one for you all:

I recently was lucky enough to purchase an original leather steering wheel with HSV horn pad. When I got it home, I was so worried because it felt tacky and when I wiped it, it looked like the plastic had deteriorated to the point where it was actually smearing around; I was devastated. As I tried to clean with water to gently rectify the problem and not ruin the plastic with chemicals, it made it worse and I thought the texture of the horn pad and detail of the HSV symbol were as good as ruined.
I turned to Google and YouTube and eventually tried a few cleaning agents on it to restore it without ruining it. Some said alcohol, some said Armor All, and there were many other conflicting opinions so I'd like to share my personal experience.

This is the appearance when I got it home: Note the tacky appearance with almost a layer of what looked to be deteriorating plastic on the surface. You can see how I thought I had ruined the texture and detail of the horn pad.

I eventually took the horn pad off and doused it in Armor All carpet and upholstery foam cleaner

I then let the foam collapse as per the instructions and gently scrubbed it with a soft toothbrush. It was filth but I was happy because it appeared that the sticky stuff was just solidified filth from its previous life.

Once I had rinsed it and wiped it down, this was the result: To say I was stoked would be an understatement; it looks brand new.

So I would highly recommend these products to anyone cleaning their interior despite the mixed reviews online. Use my images to make your decision if you're undecided.

 

[Gilly91]

The next rusty section was behind the passenger quarter window in a really annoying spot so I had to remove the window. There is not much info online about this, so I will try to give a brief step-by-step of how to do it in hopes of helping someone. Hopefully when someone Googles "how to remove VS Commodore ute quarter window glass" they'll get directed here.

First I obviously took the plastic garnish off simply held in by Phillips head screws.

Then I removed all the interior plastic trim around the window so I would not damage it in the process. This is easy if you have a trim removal tool, if not, be careful with the trim plugs holding the trim in as they're stubborn and the plastic can be brittle.

I had purchased a cheap but effective window removal tool kit off eBay so I had a cutting wire and puncturing tool, but you can also get away with a sharp knife or sharpened paint scraper. Cut around the back of the window which has the glue exposed.

Then, there is a piece of plastic trim which meets up to the door when it is closed. It is also attached to the window with double sided tape and mine was set in the actual window glue in a few points so there was no way I was going to remove it without getting the glass out.

What I did was cut the glue as far around the window from the outside as possible, then get a very sharp Stanley knife or similar and cut the glue from the inside. It is difficult to get in there, but you can make slow progress. As you cut more, you can begin to lever the glass out from the rearward side of the window. This then allows you to gain more access to more glue with your knife from the inside and you can slowly cut more and more. Each time you cut some, you can lever the window out more. Eventually you can slice the glue enough so you can peel the whole window out.

Now I need a new rotary tool bit to cut the rust out neatly and I'll be able to get it fixed.

On a side note, I think the reason it rusted there is the glue/sealant they smear over joints from the factory had actually clogged the drain hole in that small cavity in the C pillar. So any moisture would just sit there. The driver's side is fine. If you've got a ute, it could be worth checking.

 

[Gilly91]

So that is where I'm at currently. I have rust around my windscreen and in the battery tray. I'm open to advice as I think these jobs might be a bit difficult, especially to make them look factory. I want to send the car the get resprayed soon and I would be happy to send it to a panel beater who will be able to weld the windscreen and battery tray rust up and then paint it properly.

If anyone has recommendations of good panel beaters in the Wollongong/Sydney area who have passion and skill with older cars, I'm interested. I want a quality repair and spray job that will see this car last the test of time.

 

[VS 5.0]

Here's an interesting one for you all:

I recently was lucky enough to purchase an original leather steering wheel with HSV horn pad. When I got it home, I was so worried because it felt tacky and when I wiped it, it looked like the plastic had deteriorated to the point where it was actually smearing around; I was devastated. As I tried to clean with water to gently rectify the problem and not ruin the plastic with chemicals, it made it worse and I thought the texture of the horn pad and detail of the HSV symbol were as good as ruined.
I turned to Google and YouTube and eventually tried a few cleaning agents on it to restore it without ruining it. Some said alcohol, some said Armor All, and there were many other conflicting opinions so I'd like to share my personal experience.

This is the appearance when I got it home: Note the tacky appearance with almost a layer of what looked to be deteriorating plastic on the surface. You can see how I thought I had ruined the texture and detail of the horn pad.

I eventually took the horn pad off and doused it in Armor All carpet and upholstery foam cleaner

I then let the foam collapse as per the instructions and gently scrubbed it with a soft toothbrush. It was filth but I was happy because it appeared that the sticky stuff was just solidified filth from its previous life.

Once I had rinsed it and wiped it down, this was the result: To say I was stoked would be an understatement; it looks brand new.

So I would highly recommend these products to anyone cleaning their interior despite the mixed reviews online. Use my images to make your decision if you're undecided.

And it cleaned the floor at the same time !