Pyramid Hill SC 55

botcolon · Post by **botcolon** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 10:30 am

wow, thanks all for your great comments. I am just so stoked.

Been looking at a couple of mms pics on my mobile phone for about 3 months (which isn't long compared to other finds) wondering how bad it is, and hoping it is a simple clean-up job with a few minor rust areas, but alas.

I remember telling my wife about this find, and her words were "how annoying". She comes from S.Africa where one doesn't repair cars.

The lifestyle equation currently is :

free time = total-time - ( house renovation + day job + kids + already have a pride/joy)

HAHAH, and the money equation doesn't look much better

so some deep thinking is necessary

HELMUT · Post by **HELMUT** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 10:59 am

That is a sweet find for sure. Get it on the road and and we'll have to organise some sort of get together for all the dove blue early sc's that have popped up recently.

Or if you decide to sell i'd be interested in the canopy

Nice low light too.

IN2VWS · Post by **IN2VWS** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 11:27 am

It is worth doing.
There is always more rust in them than you first suspect.

I remember when I got my '56 SC, I thought there was bugger all rust in her. How disillusioned I was.

Here is my '56 when I picked her up:
viewtopic.php?t=13070&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

FrankenCab · Post by **FrankenCab** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 1:05 pm

as said clean it n then step back and even put it aside till u have time , dont be hasty to sell as most utes are bastards with rust but worth it in the end esp if u have the hoops n timber with it

D-Train · Post by **D-Train** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 1:27 pm

FrankenCab wrote:as said clean it n then step back and even put it aside till u have time , dont be hasty to sell as most utes are bastards with rust but worth it in the end esp if u have the hoops n timber with it

I 2nd that. Rainy day ute is good an Og hoops an wood, even better. At the end of the day, it's early an they don't make them anymore. 2012 is the 60th year of the Singlecab, now u have a little piece of history..

Ian 68 · Post by **Ian 68** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 6:50 pm

I agree with what everyone else is saying.

Put it aside if the timing isn't right, it's far to good to not do so just bide your time and get there bit by bit.

This place is the best place for advise / help and sourcing parts etc.

You'll be amazed what you'll learn along the way.

That has to be one of the earliest Non barn door's out there ..great find, well done !

resinmonkey · Post by **resinmonkey** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 7:10 pm

yep - you'd be hard pushed to find such a nice patina'd single cab out there in the wild for a second time!!! keep it- tuck it away undercover and build yourself up for it - great find, a real score

winerot · Post by **winerot** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 7:54 pm

yeh looks like some good parts on it, chop it up

does look good really & dry as bar the leaves on the tray, good score.

botcolon · Post by **botcolon** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 11:59 pm

thanks everyone for your encouragement. I think I was a little wound up and need to have a stand-back approach before deciding what next.

Got the pressure washer out tonight and hosed him down, so I could see whats what.

He has the rot in

- sills (inner / outer),
- outside rockers and jacking points,
- front sill (inner / outer)
- The worst is the cross members (at least that is what I think they are called) that span between the chassis rails in the middle of the body. They are shot and need replacing.
- Floor looks good, and the tray needs some new metal where metal is missing the size of an A4 page.
- B pillars have a little. I suppose this is because the semaphores let dirt/water in.
- battery trays are a little loose. They seem solid, but loose.
- LH gate needs repairing (hinge on the body is ok, but hinge on the gate has come away)

Cleaned the windows (minus the lichen quarter window). Safari's open. Started sifting through 8" of leaves in the cabin finding all sorts of hidden treasures.

My biggest issue is I need to get him into the garage. I need a rear suspension. What should I do?

Anyone got a spare rear axle? they don't want in Melbourne?

067DUB · Post by **067DUB** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 4:36 am

Make up a jig from RHS steel with a few castor wheel from Bunnings... something like this will wirk to push it around, i once made one with inflatable wheels off a bag trolly.

Ian 68 · Post by **Ian 68** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 6:35 am

My biggest issue is I need to get him into the garage. I need a rear suspension. What should I do?

Anyone got a spare rear axle? they don't want in Melbourne?

Can you use a trolley jack ? Scoot it around on that if possible ?

botcolon · Post by **botcolon** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 8:06 am

My drive is grass and stone. Need big wheels. Are rear axles around?

HELMUT · Post by **HELMUT** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 8:14 am

Everything you have just listed there is pretty much what I have just done over the last 12 months on my ute (check the thread "poor old ute" just a few under yours) It takes a while but if you tackle it one step at a time you'll be suprised how quick it can progress.

I made a rear axle for mine using a box trailer axle and ford hubs, bay kombi wheels bolt up to these. I welded two 90 degree brackets to the axle to bolt up to the frame horns where the gear box mounts up.

FrankenCab · Post by **FrankenCab** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 9:09 am

some planks and then use the trolly jack , rust sounds very straight forward and typical for a ute , your looking at about 1k in steel at the most and a 10 week build

martinigreenbus · Post by **martinigreenbus** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 9:20 am

I've got a set of spring plates and a temp axle you can "borrow" to get it moved, will only set you back a box of beer..... But it can only be a short borrow as I need it often....

Pyramid Hill SC 55

astraddle

encouragement