Scarlet

[soc123_au]

Expect to pay $80.00 to 100.00 per hour labour depending where you take it. The guys that can "realign" the car for $50.00 an hour & about 3 days, did they define what they mean by realignment. Again not being a smart arse but it can be misleading. A lot of guys consider realignment trying to get panel gaps looking reasonable. That is great if the body is square, given the age of the car who knows whats been done in the last 40 years.

Every old car we are restoring goes on the car-o-liner to ensure it is square. If it isnt (which is usually the case) then adjusting gaps is like pissing into the wind. So in short whoever you get to take care of this aspect (should be pretty much the first things you do) make sure they have the appropriate measuring equipment. I have done cars in the past without doing this step (read on a budget) & its a waste of time. I will never get involved with any of those type builds again.

[soc123_au]

All the kits I have seen, the sill panel/rocker has had to be cut away to allow the pipes access to the exit hole. This also involved removal/relocation of the front spring mounts. Then you gotta tool around with suspension, and the easiest way round that is a coil over set up. Some of the kits allow for the exhaust to pass under the sill and enter the side skirt from underneath, but it looks like crap when you stand back from the car

I concur, also add in if you want rail connectors it makes it harder again. One of the golden rules to remember with modifying stuff. To make your chosen modification work usually requires other things to be modified to suit. Even the fuel filler is a bitch. doing the visible bit is easy but its all the other crap you dont see that is a pain. Thats why the movie cars had fake exhaust tips & non functioning fuel fillers.

[gbx78]

Expect to pay $80.00 to 100.00 per hour labour depending where you take it. The guys that can "realign" the car for $50.00 an hour & about 3 days, did they define what they mean by realignment. Again not being a smart arse but it can be misleading. A lot of guys consider realignment trying to get panel gaps looking reasonable. That is great if the body is square, given the age of the car who knows whats been done in the last 40 years.

Every old car we are restoring goes on the car-o-liner to ensure it is square. If it isnt (which is usually the case) then adjusting gaps is like pissing into the wind. So in short whoever you get to take care of this aspect (should be pretty much the first things you do) make sure they have the appropriate measuring equipment. I have done cars in the past without doing this step (read on a budget) & its a waste of time. I will never get involved with any of those type builds again.

this is a very good point.. so you have all this equipment? :DD you can see where im going with this ? cant you? haha

so should i not worry about blasting it first and etch primer and just do the car-o-line? .. if its not square is it a big cost to fix it in your experience with the ones that werent.. i suspect mine isnt .. so your right no point making gaps look fine if the car is skewed!

im interested in your thoughts and perhaps your services in this matter.

[gbx78]

All the kits I have seen, the sill panel/rocker has had to be cut away to allow the pipes access to the exit hole. This also involved removal/relocation of the front spring mounts. Then you gotta tool around with suspension, and the easiest way round that is a coil over set up. Some of the kits allow for the exhaust to pass under the sill and enter the side skirt from underneath, but it looks like crap when you stand back from the car

I concur, also add in if you want rail connectors it makes it harder again. One of the golden rules to remember with modifying stuff. To make your chosen modification work usually requires other things to be modified to suit. Even the fuel filler is a bitch. doing the visible bit is easy but its all the other crap you dont see that is a pain. Thats why the movie cars had fake exhaust tips & non functioning fuel fillers.

ok, well id be happy to pay someone to do this but at the same time id like to help out and be part of it .. i guess like an apprentice, do the work with guidance ..

perhaps if its THAT much of an issue and cost i will just leave the fuel filler at the rear.. but i love the look of filling your car from up top like that hahaha nothing to do with the "eleanor look" just looks beastly and like a machine!

[soc123_au]

I use the guy Jas is talking about in Victoria for the kits. They require plenty of "tweaking" to fit as will any kit. But the fibreglass is good quality & being in Australia the shipping isnt off the charts. Also his billet grilles fit properly to the apron panels. Its not the sort of thing where you want to be mixing and matching from different suppliers.

[gbx78]

I use the guy Jas is talking about in Victoria for the kits. They require plenty of "tweaking" to fit as will any kit. But the fibreglass is good quality & being in Australia the shipping isnt off the charts. Also his billet grilles fit properly to the apron panels. Its not the sort of thing where you want to be mixing and matching from different suppliers.

agree.. are these kits smooth on the undersides of the bonnet and boot? and is there a contact? or a website to see prices and extra parts i might need like grills etc..?

[soc123_au]

Still get them to blast it & etch prime it, just dont waste your time getting them to "gap it up" The measuring stage comes before you comence any panel work. You can still play around with mechanical stuff or pull it apart & get it blasted.

The fuel filler mod is worthwhile & in the scheme of the whole job isnt a big deal, just an example of one thing leading to another.

Mate, we can do whatever you like from just squaring it up all the way up to towing it in as is & drive it out finished with rego. Plus anything in between. It all depends on what you want & what you are willing to invest into the car.

Regardless of weather you want us to do it or not you need to have a good think about exactly your vision for the car when its finished. Forget about your budget for this stage & go the ultimate with everything you want regardless of how impractical it may seem. Then we can work out a rough costing & then you can trim it back as needed with the least important things getting the chop. It gets more expensive if you chop & change midway through a job, not due to anything like "a pain in the ass allowance" just things that have already been done may need to be undone to change things (Cage can clarify on this when he reads this thread ) The other thing to consider is your prefered time frame for comencement & completion. For anything other than realigning the body I would be hard pressed to take it on before Febuary next year. Whatever way it goes I will help you where I can.

[soc123_au]

I use the guy Jas is talking about in Victoria for the kits. They require plenty of "tweaking" to fit as will any kit. But the fibreglass is good quality & being in Australia the shipping isnt off the charts. Also his billet grilles fit properly to the apron panels. Its not the sort of thing where you want to be mixing and matching from different suppliers.

agree.. are these kits smooth on the undersides of the bonnet and boot? and is there a contact? or a website to see prices and extra parts i might need like grills etc..?

Prototypes Plus Engineering
Factory 4 22-24 Tova Drive, Carrum Downs, VIC 3201
p: 03 97750566

The bonnet & bootlid are smooth underneath. The full Eleanor kit comes with all the fibreglass bits, the upper & lower billet grilles & the lower light bar. There is plenty you still need to source & fabricate.

[gbx78]

Still get them to blast it & etch prime it, just dont waste your time getting them to "gap it up" The measuring stage comes before you comence any panel work. You can still play around with mechanical stuff or pull it apart & get it blasted.

The fuel filler mod is worthwhile & in the scheme of the whole job isnt a big deal, just an example of one thing leading to another.

Mate, we can do whatever you like from just squaring it up all the way up to towing it in as is & drive it out finished with rego. Plus anything in between. It all depends on what you want & what you are willing to invest into the car.

Regardless of weather you want us to do it or not you need to have a good think about exactly your vision for the car when its finished. Forget about your budget for this stage & go the ultimate with everything you want regardless of how impractical it may seem. Then we can work out a rough costing & then you can trim it back as needed with the least important things getting the chop. It gets more expensive if you chop & change midway through a job, not due to anything like "a pain in the ass allowance" just things that have already been done may need to be undone to change things (Cage can clarify on this when he reads this thread ) The other thing to consider is your prefered time frame for comencement & completion. For anything other than realigning the body I would be hard pressed to take it on before Febuary next year. Whatever way it goes I will help you where I can.

Yeah ive been doing that.. i have SOOOOO many visions and lists and its kept changin based on alot of things.. and ive trimmed it down to what id be happy with for the moment and the things id like to change later can be done without any major issues or fabrication or backtracking..

FEB!!! damm .. thats a shame id like to have something of that nature done by at least the end of the year .. if funds are ok for me .. was hoping to be ready for summer hahah but i think im being a bit optimistic!

yeah i think ill leave alignment to the actual panelbeater/kit fitter-pperer/painter etc..

is there any labour cost saved if i assist... not meaning to sound cheap but i would really like to say "i helped or assisted in doin that" rather than "i paid someone" .. but no biggy if not.

Really the only thing i need assistance with is body/paint related the rest i got covered and have done before (not on a mustang but cant imagine it would be too different) ..

maybe when i get my car and blasted and etch primed .. i can then decide what to do or who to go to regarding body and if i have the funds by then ..

do you suggest not blasting it UNTIL i have funds to follow through with paint etc.. i guess then i can keep it running even if it looks like a shitbox.. but it will keep moving parts lubricated.. i may not have funds to get paint etc.. until closer to the end of the year anyway ..

[scott66stang]

Welcome to the forum gbx78
We would love to see your project and help in any way if needed, start a thread and throw up some pics.
cheers Scott

There ya go mate, like i told you in the other thread "we will help you in any way" well the real experts above and previous anyway. All we ask in return is heaps of pics when you get it and during the build.

[gbx78]

thanks guys .. very informative. i might have to sell off some of my guitars to get this project happening. once the stuff that "I" cant really do or not experienced in .. is done .. the rest will be alot of fun putting it together etc..

[soc123_au]

With assisting it is hard to do much "in house" public liability & so forth play a part in that. Also logisticly it is difficult as things need to flow through the shop in a certain way. That said if you are doing the dissassembly & reassembling the car you will leave your mark on it so to speak anyway. Also any part that are being reused you can take away & cleanup etc as per what sort of things you are capable of doing.

You are better off getting it blasted when the job is ready to commence. Up until then keep it running & you can amuse yourself playing with anything that unbolts & goes back on easily. Just dont rip the thing to bits, anything you change/recondition can still be reused when the major fun begins.

Do your list & either post it up or PM it to me, like I said go your hardest it is easier to chop stuff off than add it halfway through. Some things you think may be out of reach might be doable & visa versa.

[gbx78]

With assisting it is hard to do much "in house" public liability & so forth play a part in that. Also logisticly it is difficult as things need to flow through the shop in a certain way. That said if you are doing the dissassembly & reassembling the car you will leave your mark on it so to speak anyway. Also any part that are being reused you can take away & cleanup etc as per what sort of things you are capable of doing.

You are better off getting it blasted when the job is ready to commence. Up until then keep it running & you can amuse yourself playing with anything that unbolts & goes back on easily. Just dont rip the thing to bits, anything you change/recondition can still be reused when the major fun begins.

Do your list & either post it up or PM it to me, like I said go your hardest it is easier to chop stuff off than add it halfway through. Some things you think may be out of reach might be doable & visa versa.

Sounds like a great plan .. thank you and everyone else that has provided advice.

my lists are scribble at the moment but i intend on typing them up in a spreadsheet so costs can calculate as they change and i can see where im upto or how much i spent etc..

"leggo" bits will be fun! .. its the body/kit/paint that scares me .. while i know you can ask "how much to do a paint job" and the answer can be "how deep is your pocket" ..mines not bottomless and i need to draw the line somewhere to make it feasible. otherwise i could just live in my car with my dog and my guitar.. true cowboy style

[gbx78]

at the moment all else aside.. im researching front Seats.. i dont know whats "expensive" or whats overrated etc.. then i read that certain seats are best for tall guys who need headroom so they are lower.. well im a shortass 5'7 and i was hoping to get some comfy bucket (not racing) cushy seats so when tha ladddiees want to ride its comfy on their cute asses .. wait did i say that outloud .. dammit inside thoughts!!! ..

i read bmw 320i e21 seats are direct bolt in but being they are old they will need retrim which i can see by the end of the day you could have just bought brand new seats up in the sub $1000 mark AUD or US and they generally are bolt in, with no fab or drilling etc.. but my concern is i dont want something 'low' cause then i wont be able to see over the steering wheel hahaha embarassing!!!

any suggestions.. im not too fussed as to which ones but ive given myself a budget of about 1000AUD.. preferably less .. any suggestions in everyones experience?

maybe i should ask these type questions int he main forum otherwise noone can keep up in this thread? its 3 pages with no actual progress of the car hahaha

[gbx78]

Up until then keep it running & you can amuse yourself playing with anything that unbolts & goes back on easily. Just dont rip the thing to bits, anything you change/recondition can still be reused when the major fun begins.

Do your list & either post it up or PM it to me, like I said go your hardest it is easier to chop stuff off than add it halfway through. Some things you think may be out of reach might be doable & visa versa.

i just got a mental image of space odessy 2000 (or whatever that movie was called) .. where the apes were carrying on with that music in the back ground then i pictured myself like in Zoolander when they did a skit based on that same thing .. bashing the computer and making grunting noises.. oh yeah thats me when trying to unbolt hahaha.. all you will see is parts flying out the window and therse me cross legged on the floor hehe