VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions The Australian Connection

Only recently I've become aware of just how many Aussies hang around this forum and I've certainly enjoyed the banter that we all share. Funny how it takes a USA based Chevrolet Forum for us folks down under to find neighbours with similar interests.

I finally went past a fellow members work today and found him in the shed so I popped in to say G'day. We got talking about our cars and I said I'd chuck a few pics up so that he could see what projects I've got in the queue.



This is a 1929 farm ute that I dragged out of a paddock near Tullamore in NSW. I was surprised to find that it is orginal with almost everything still there, other than the back having been hacked off it sometime in the 1940's. I bought it assuming it was originally a tourer that some had converted but the body tags tell me it was originally a Sports Roadster. Pity to have been cut up like that, but this will probably stay a ute and I'll tidy it up as a work driver.

Here's my 1930 Tourer that we affectionately call "Old Jack".







Really do have to do something with that steering wheel!! Hey Grant... PM me the contact details for the guy in Sydney you were telling me about today.

Old Jack came down to Melbourne from Bundaberg and the bugger of it all was the 3 trips I had to take up to QLD from VIC to make it all happen. It was worth it in the end though as I bought him from a lovely lady who I know appreciates where he has gone to. Jack starts first hit of the starter and just ticks away without any trouble... although the radiator has proven to be expensive!

Here's the old girl that started this whole addiction. A 1930 Tourer that has timber and doors/body in outstanding condition. The guards are a bit rough, but should come up alright.





I bought it from a bloke over in Adelaide who had bought the complete car cheap and had started to turn it into a rod. When I got her home I had planned to finish the rodding project and use it as an occasional work car. However, I found the more that I looked at her the more I thought she should go back to her original glory. So over the past two years I've been trying to collect the bits needed to get her back as she should be. I can't say that it will happen, but for the moment that's the plan.

If I showed you guys the original photos this bloke gave me from when he bought the car (pre-rodding), you'd probably cry!

Here's the latest addition to the crowded garage, another 1929 Tourer who's been called Old Gus.






Gus is by far the closest to being drive-able, but still there is a lot to do. There has been modern running gear fitted which I'm trying to figure out the best way to reverse the process.

Gus was over in Tasmania and the main reason for buying was the cheap price it was selling for. Of course I'd failed to consider the cost of a ferry trip two ways with a car trailer on the back... at the end of the whole process it actually wasn't such a cheap car!

Andrew
Seems like you have a good dose of the "Chevrolet Bug" and a nice collection of projects. Hopefully you wont be in my predicament and not get the time to complete any of them.
Tony

Nice fleet Andrew,

And your favourite one is?

Regards

Ray

Tony, I agree that problem could be a real risk and my wife would give you chapter and verse about why it is more likely than not.

I'm hoping that I'll have one on club reg by the end of this year... stay tuned.

Ray, tough question, I'm sure you know the analogy about which is a favourite child.

Probably have to say Old Jack (the red 1930 Tourer) due to the providence behind it. Closely followed by the 1929 ute that was dragged out of a paddock.

I'm reall enjoying your photos Andrew! Thanks for posting them. I'm working on a 1929 RHD Tourer (from British Honduras) at the moment.

All the Best,

Chip

Thanks Chip, those of us that sit and steer from the right hand seat are certainly in the minority. I'm sure you'll enjoy the novelty of sitting on the "wrong" side of the car. I have a LHD 1975 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz which is always fun to drive around town. It's nice to chat to those pretty young things standing at the kerb when you stop at the lights.

Have you got a copy of the Master Parts list for the RHD version? Some things you'd obviously expect to be different, the pedals for example. Some not so obvious... for example the export RHD engine is listed with a different part number. I have no idea what would be different from a LHD version so if anyone knows I'd like to hear.

Hi Chip,

Just think of us down under when you finish your resto and your powering down the road as one of Gods chosed few in a RHD.

Regards

Ray

Ray and Andrew
I never feel safe when a (especially back seat) passenger has (or thinks they have) the controls. I have also driven LHD here in Aus and in the US, both instances caused a few laughs.
Tony

Yes, I'm looking forward to getting my RHD on the road here. I lived in England for ten years, so I'm very comfortable with it. I also have a Morris Minor Traveller (a "Moggie") which I brought back from England, and it is RHD. It gets a lot of puzzled looks here when people notice that there is nobody in the "driver's seat" while going down the highway. Good fun!

All the Best, Chip

Well it's taken a while, but I finally got one of these old girls on the road.

The 1929 tourer we call "old Gus" needed a bit more work than I originally expected, but I'm beginning to learn that this is always the case.

When I got the car it had a modern diff and pedal arrangement in the car so that all needed to go. The original motor I got with the car needed a rebuild and so did the gearbox and diff. When doing the engine rebuild I opted for new aluminium pistons even though they probably really didn't need to be replaced... as I figured it was better to do this while it was all apart than maybe have to do it all again in a few years.








Here's the car in the workshop about to fire up the recently rebuilt engine.



After a few frantic weeks trying to get enough done that I could take the old girl out and be legal all in time for my 12 month anniversary of joining the car club, it finally all came together the night before!!

The wife and I won a prize for best period dress to suit the car... she was happy to go along all dressed up.



The project is not quite finished yet, but at least I can take it for a drive when I feel like it. This is a major step because rather than it just being something that takes up space, it's something I can use!

I am surprised you didnt get best car as well.

Tony

Thanks for the nice comment Tony, however there were many nice cars at the Kalorama event and mine didn't come close to many of them. I was just stoked to have something the right age to drive.

Since getting Old Gus out and about I now know that I need to replace the rear leaf springs. I might just take a set off one of the other cars for the short term and then get a new set made.

I'm going to look at another 1929 tomorrow that is also 6 wheel equipped so I can get an idea of where the hardware mounts and then I can get that sorted as well.

Too much to do and too little time!

Very nice car Andrew,

You should be proud of it, a terrific looking example.

Cheers

Ray

Beautiful Andrew..... Really nice. Both your car and your lady.

All the Best, Chip

One word. ASSUME !!!

G'day Fellas..

Skidd, well done mate, it looks very nice and is a credit to you.

Now what you need is another project to work on my friend, I personnaly don't think you have enough projects to think about and tinker with when you are at home and pottering about the workshop on weekends... Oh and BTW did I see and car hoist in the photos NICE OPTIONAL EXTRA

Thanks Ray, we'll have to get our cars together for a run down to see Grant when he's ready for a trip around in a convoy.

Not sure that my old girl would keep up with yours on the freeway though.

Thanks Chip, both for the compliment and the help with parts and advice. This car has your carby and distributor on it and it pretty much fired up straight away.

I can take some credit for the car but of course not for the missus. She has really been pretty tolerant through all this car obsession. One benefit is that she is a bit of a fan of the period clothes so she can get into it through her angle (the clothes and shoes) and I pretty much get to do mine.

Thanks Grant, the photos of the car were not taken in my garage they were taken at Bill Eldridge's workshop in Keysborough. So the hoist is his and all the background cars are customers.

The next project is already (or should I say concurrently) underway. This is a 1930 tourer which has just recently had the rust cut out of the cowl and tub.





I've got a nice set of wire wheels for this project, affectionately called Old Jack. It's actually progressed a bit more than these photos. They body has since been off again, the chassis sand blasted, treated and painted and the body is now back on and we're going through aligning doors etc.

Thought I might test Bill's technique of making VCCA pictures appear in the non-member area.

Here are the updated photos of what my 1929 tourer looks like after getting the final bits fitted on the weekend.







There is only one or two minor little things to put on, but either way she is ready for the Kalorama run in March.

It looks great.

Thanks for mentioning my "technique".

... it's just another benefit for VCCA members.