Hi All;
A couple of years back I purchased this old beast as an old reliable banger to get me to and from work. Since then, my endearment to the wagon grew and I felt like I had to fix her up. This is the pic of when I first picked it up:

For starters, I rebuilt the 308 to a mild standard. A fresh coat of paint did the trick.......

After that, the diff went cactus - so I replaced it with a 3:08 salisbry. Then went the transmission went - (Ah, the Traumatic at work!) so I put in a reco one. It's always the way. Once you start fixing things, everything else breaks around it. I get the feeling that if I had of left it alone it would have run for another 5 years without a problem. I then had an impco straight gas mixer setup installed along with electronic ignition - best thing I have ever done to it! My fuel range for a 90L gas tank has gone from 300k to 400k+ with an increse in power! I will never go back to dual fuel again, especially with the obscene prices at the moment.

Then I had the bright idea of slapping it up to make it look neat. This again got carried away to a full respray with a colour change that blew the budget out over $3500! It came up sweet though. The colour really sets it off. As this is WIP, I havn't finished blowing my savings on it yet. I will attach more pics as I get further into it. Thanks for taking an interest;
Ged

I have decided to keep the sidestrips - they were in great condition and are a good insurance policy for absent minded people in carparks. The spotlights are gone - didnt achieve much with them. I have fitted the H4 headlights which are more than enough. It lights the road up better than most. I have also added these other mods on the way -

* Remote Central locking
* CD Player (still yet to fit the amp and quality speakers)
* WB Caprice alloy wheels, Not sure whether to polish them or leave them standard? Any ideas?
* I have to re-tint the front two windows - note that when you do a sprat job, keep the windows and anythoing else of importance clear of overspray!
* The ignition is getting upgraded with a billet/msd setup. I am in the process of getting the bits on e-bay.
* The pacemaker extractors and a new exhaust system - not sure on twin 2.25" or single 2.5"?
* Have purchased a kilkenny KC308 inlet manifold - the old holden one was pretty well corroded.
* I am going to re-trim the front seats, they are HZ Caprice leather ones and the filling has sagged. Otherwise the interior is spot-on.

If I get too carried away the household treasurer will send me out on my ear. It is just a modest upgrade to what was already a great car.

Cheers;
Ged

Thanks for your comments treborsenrab. I love the styling of these old holdens. I have finally got some more photos to show. The car has come back home and I am just adding the final bits and pieces before I take it on the road again. I am over the moon with the job the painter has done. The colour (inferno red - a chrysler colour) has really set the car off, especially under flouro lights where the pearl starts to show up. I still have to polish the wheels and the car needs to be cut and polished before I put the side strips back on. While the car was sitting in the shop the brakes have fouled up. The brake fluid is a rusty colour and there is absolutely no brake pressure left. Looks like that it needs some TLC which I will do soon.


Thanks and I will update soon;

Ged

Edited by user Tuesday, 4 October 2005 3:48:01 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Gday Ged love the colour mate sensational, i think you should polish the wheels as treborsenrab said itll set off the paint

Thanks guys;
The paint code is PEL (chrysler inferno red) - I think it would look sweet on any old car. The pictures dont do it justice especially under certain light). For the gas system I have used an impco mixer using the quadrajet throttle body and the old impco converter. Certainly worth the money spent. I found that with the dual fuel it was always a compromise in performance to be able to get it to run on petrol as well. Once the igntion system is fitted I would hope that the performance is improved again. The wheels are definately getting polished. Just have to save some money first. I have got my wedding in three weeks so my timing is not the best. Anyway, when it is finished I will post some more pics.

Thanks Leith for the opportunity to post our pride and joy in their developement stages. It means alot that there are other holden nuts out there that appreciate the best things in life.

Regards;
Ged

Gday Ged. Over the years ive had the stright gas i learn more about its benifits such as you can run the biggest cams high compresion,everything runs cleaner,ive got the rocker covers off my engine and mates cant get over how clean the rocker gear is.Apparrently gas vs fuel you seem 2 get alot more toque from the gas,my VK has 360+ hp on gas but equivelent to fuel it would be closer to 15% more, plus at the moment its ****loads cheaper than fuel.Good luck on your wedding day mate.

Thanks for the well wishes. Should be a top day - heading up to Port Douglas and having a small one. I thought about driving the Zed up from Victoria but I think it would be a bit much to ask of her (the Zed that is!) We have hired a statesman for the day - not quite as classy but it will do! HA!.

With a month off work afterwards I should have the zed on the road.

Cheers and have a beer for me;

Ged

thats a nice car a pitty it aint ordginal colour but still nice car man love it

Hi Ged
just have to say what a teriffic colour really suit the wagon.

if it aint broke we can improve it.

Cheers Steve

gees geoff ur rite mate that is a awesome colour.
looking good.

BLWNHJ