Hello all, my name is tony from New Zealand. Have been a member for a while but have only just got around to starting this thread.
Brought my car in August 2010 out of California. Was a 3 genaration 1 family car. Ralley package, 318 ,white int. and roof, top banana. Was a project that was started and needed finishing. Put in a container, 5 weeks a sea, fumigated, unpacked and trailered to its new home. Due to NZ's limited parts availability I brought lots of parts and put them in the container. This included a 383/727. Car came with a reconditioned 318/904, but I wanted the power and sound of a bigblock.
So far;
- pulled apart and put on a rotisorie so I could remove underseal and find any fill and old repairs. No major dramas, couple of replacement panels from side impact accident, and some rough slidehammer work on Driv. rear quat.
- Had underside and enginebay sandblastered and epoxy undercoated.
- Stripped , cleaned and painted all parts that came off underside.
- Stripped rest of body/panel paint with stripwheel, paintstripper and sandpaper.
- Employed a panelbeater ( bodyguy) to hammer, file , patch and smooth car back into shape. I work mornings so he turned up at 1 and we worked till 5 each weekday for 3 weeks.
- Due to budget and my wanting to do as much as I can myself, I have been doing the filling, shaping and sanding.
- current state is in final blockdown, getting prices for painting. Just today I sprayed underseal in wheelwells. Will topcoat is with colour.
- Finished look will be 80% original. Changes are; 383/727, black interior, black roof, ralley rims , 70 go wing, fliptop fuel cap and some parts painted wrong color.
- thanks to C-C members who have sold me parts ( ralley guages, HP exhausts) and have answered questions and provided info.
