That was me 😎😎😎



Edit..
Not really, but would've been a wicked purchase.. will be checking classifieds a bit more to see what pops up

great story Drew, similar to how long I have had the Capri also.
 
Budgets change when you go from being a student, then married, family,mortgage etc, then with revisits to the car along the way.
I regret cutting a sunroof in, but that was part of the journey, along with having 20 different wheel sets.
 
I dont think there are many 'barn finds' anymore, even when it comes to parts, but happy to be proven wrong.
Marty you have done ok I think !

Drew, Esci looks great next to the old Kingswood and Falcon. Funny but it does not seem to age like those two.
Maybe I'm just biased?
 
I changed the diff centre in the RS last year and looked at the alloy case but figuring its a 9" and weighs a ton anyway I just reused the existing steel behemoth. Sure there is some inertia, but lasts about as long as it takes to get a smile on your face.
 
Yep when your young you have time and no money. Then working and no time. Then family and neither
 
Heard an interesting one about living life in reverse. Bit too long to go into here, however you go out with a smile on your face cause your a little tadpole in a nice place, which has to be a good thing.

Hey Robbie, the new casing wasn't a drama, I had to swap over the studs in the housing as the alloy case has a much thicker flange, lucky for me the old ones tapped out with ease. It was much nicer getting under there to refit it with the weight reduction.
 
Gearbox is in the shop for a rebuild at the moment, took the liberty of throwing a few alloy parts into that too.
 

 

 
Its always leaked oil, when pitting it with one of the many defects I received in the old days I'd always pull up a couple of streets away to wipe it down and was never picked up on it. Hopefully those days of defects and a leaky box will be over but maybe I'm being a bit optimistic
 
I've also finally got around to doing an led conversion to the dash lights and have picked up an hour meter for the new engine. I've used this model in a couple of race cars, it does hours, service intervals, max revs and has an audible over rev alert. I just need to find a discreet in the cabin to put it now.
 

 
The matching number engine has also been put on a stand for safe keeping and I'm fitting all of the original parts that I've collected over the years. It'll be bog stock right down to the pollution control gear.
 

 
And last but not least I've been having a go at zinc plating. I have a good shop that usually does it for me but things have changed around there. I used to see the boys out the back and get small jobs done for cash but now its strictly report to the front office with a minimum $150 charge. Don't get me wrong they'll do alot of stuff for the money but I've only got  few odds and sods to do so I set up a rig at home using instructions from the net, and old phone charger and some zinc anodes from the boat shop. Results have been great and I'll keep going with it in the future.
 

 

 

 
Well thats it for now, I'm talking to the engine builder at the moment, he prepares alot of wicked pintos for Wanneroo park (Barbagallo raceway) so the car should have the go to match its show

All those alloy parts definitely look good! be interesting to see the weight savings im sure it would be quite a bit and make a nice difference.

Car is going be next level and a great testament to your long term ownership
 

The gearbox turned into a bit of a headache but its finally done.
 

 
I took it to a recommended shop, the guy seemed ok so I left it with him. I'd call every second Wednesday to be told it'd be ready for the weekend, turn up on Friday arvo and nothing had been done. This went on for 10 weeks. By then I'd had enough and went to collect it. He had the cheek to want payment for the disassembly. Funnily enough another guy had turned up in the meantime, he'd been waiting on his one for 6 months and was irrate. Things were going south pretty quick and some pushing and shoving began between them. At this point I saw my opportunity, grabbed my stuff from the bench and split.
Unfortunately, when I got home and did a stocktake bits were missing. I managed to find a donor box and another builder and within a week it was complete and back home.
 
On the upside I got a few other jobs done in the meantime.
The fuel filter has always been dirty so I pulled the tank and decided to put a kit through it.
 

 
After the first rinse it became apparent what the problem was when I was greeted by 40 years of fuel gum.
 

 
It took a whole weekend of soaking, pressure washing and rinsing for the fluids to finally run clear.
I put the sealer through it, blew out the vacuum lines and its as good as new.
 

 
One hint if anyones thinking about doing this, don't use the whole tin of sealer as recommended. The fuel baffle in the spout is very effective and its a bugger to pour out the excess.
 
I also managed to pick up some tyres worthy of the expected power upgrade. I'd been chatting with the tyre guy at Wanneroo park (Barbagallo) and he mentioned that he had some Nankang, road legal, semi slicks that I could have for $120 each. Couldn't get the money out of my pocket fast enough
 

 
I've fitted up all of the dash Leds and taken care of a couple of other electrical items aswell.
The engine build is commencing with the head in the shop at the moment being crack tested and parts arriving from around the globe.
Phew thats it for now...

Wow what a drama! I really dislike when people mismanage their business like this. If the workload is too much dont take on extra. 

Im glad you got it done and it does look the goods.

10 weeks! you are a patient man Drew.
Good bargain with the rubber.
 
I have 2 more wheel nuts spare if you need them :) 
 

Well spotted Deano I've got some nice hardened chrome ones to replace the old plated ones that are shedding chrome like an advert for dandruff shampoo

Drew, we all have stories of the guys that sit on your job and cause no end of grief for you.
That's what I had to do with the YB. 3 years and no end in sight, I told him I was coming up to check on progress and told him when I arrived I was taking it. Only headache as you found was trying to ensure all parts were there
 
With the KBS. I put that kit through the XB's tank. Brilliant. Don't stinge on the tank sealer. I put two tins through. Mind you it is about a 36 Gallon tank.
I have been using KBS stuff for a while now (helps they are located an hour away from me). I love the Rust Blast.
Self flows of the brush and sticks like the proverbial. Tough as nails as well.