Just to show I haven't been sitting on my ar$e doing nothing
speakers and back shelf. Another of those faffing around jobs. I spent weeks deliberating whether to cut into the new parcel shelf to mount the speakers, then realised that the masonite cost around $10 and the vinyl about the same, so it would be easy enough to make up a new shelf if I decided they were crap. As it is, this is back to 80's spec anyway,
everyone put speakers into the parcel shelf ! Made up the vinyl strip that goes at the back of the shelf as well, so the rear window is ready for fitting.
Inside, tells a story of many things happening. The carpets were from Rimmers (although the main piece of original carpet wasn't in that poor a condition. Fitted up the centre section, mucked around cutting a hole for the seatbelt mounting point. The two side sections are in (contact adhesive) along the top of the sills. The flexible grommets are from a commodore (vauxhaul of some type ?) and will be for the speakers/central locking into the doors. The speaker cables are run to the rear and are awaiting fixing down and securing to the wiring loom.
I spent a few hours cleaning up the inside, vacuum, wash and dry. I found a magnet stuck down the chassis rail access holes picked up craploads of swarf, so that was combined with an air gun and I think I get them cleaned out pretty well. then I sprayed with fishoil.
More mucking around. Looking to getting the engine started, so fitted up the distributor cap, only to find the LH clip wasn't securing properly. managed to break it off trying to bend it into a better shape, so off came the distributor, removed the clip, replaced it with a clip from another dissie I had lying around, refit the dissie and static time repeated. Such a simple job, such a lot of messing around.
Tried to do a compression test, but realised the rocker cover would have to come off again so left it. Replaced the 15ACR with a 17ACR alternator after cleaning it up.
the headlight saga. Been waiting on an order for new plastic adjustment screws. After 4 months, got a bit fed up and out of curiosity, looked over the 2500TC shell. Found the screws and rubber headlight grommets right there in front of me. Quick swap and clean, rust kill, zinc primer and gloss black and they are ready to be rivetted back in. Quite pleased with that job actually. I have new (SH) indicator lenses too, which I'll fit when I do the bumpers.
seatbelts are now all back in (carpet first, then make holes for the bolts to go through), almost ready for rear seat. Waiting to do the prop shaft, waiting for paint to dry on the steering column before fitting that (surface rust). I need the car in a driveable state for the trip back to George for spray painting the black and polishing the mimosa.
If anyone can see anything I've overlooked or screwed up, please (oh please) let me know !
Meanwhile, back in real life, we milled up the tree that fell down. Turns out it was an Aleppo Pine (of Lone Pine fame), 89 years old, so probably planted just after WW1 and probably from one of the many thousands of seeds that were supposedly produced from the Gallipoli tree. Every country town has a lone pine tree to commemorate the Gallipoli campaign !
Anyway, a few mates came over and set up the Lucas Mill, nice piece of kit, designed to be lugged into rainforests to reclaim fallen timber rather than open slather logging.
Hard work actually, but 3 cubic metres in a variety of 4x4, 8x2, 6x2, 6x4, 3x2 sexctions, all about 6m long.
The timber will be kept in the shed for 18 months, strapped up, for natural drying. Timber is worth about $1k a m3, so not a bad haul. The timber has meant another rearrangement of the shed. Wondering what I'll use it for !
stu
