ZJ Fairlane

Subject: ZJ Fairlane Sun May 27, 2012 12:53 pm

Ok biatches, time to step it up a notch (yes another project lol).

Last year I had the chance to buy a 302 ZJ Fairlane at a rather cheap price.
Her name is Bella, the previous owner named her and I've always known her as such so I couldn't really stop calling her that.

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She had been repaired and re-painted in acrylic Wild Violet a few years ago but in that few years a few more problems had arisen that needed attending to.

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Check the size of that bloody towbar Surprised

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Imagine smashing your knee into that in the dark of night.

When I polished Bella for the original owner I did a deal on swapping a set of 12 slotters for a set of snowflakes, which was a win in my favour if you ask me (I hate 12 slotters unless they're on a GT) so imagine my dismay when Bella arrived at my house wearing dirty boots Sad

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After a bit of thought I decided that I'd make use of all the Fairlane parts I had laying under the house and turn Bella into a ZL Smile

(on the outside only)
I mentioned this to a mate and he told me that he had a set of ZL tail lights that I could have for free, what a ripper, he shot them off in the mail and within a few days they were on my doorstep.
I was thinking I may have to give them a rub and polish up considering they were freebies.

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These are like "new", almost NOS looking.

I scored a few boxes of spares and a reco C10/C4 as well.
When I moved into my new workshop last month I finally had enough room to drag her in and do some work on level ground Smile

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Lowering blocks coming out Smile

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New rear shackle bushes and leaf spring isolator pads going in as well (found in the spares boxes).

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This is what she looked like after the first 1/2 day of work.

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A week later I spent a few hours playing with guards, bonnet and boot lid to make sure they'd all line up properly.

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Subject: Re: ZJ Fairlane Sun May 27, 2012 12:55 pm

Then got stuck into the spare door I got from a Silver ZL I wrecked out.

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Then the front doors from my old XF Wags project got a working over as well.

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The young bloke you see working on the doors looks like he's destined to become my new apprentice if he keeps going the way he is. His name is Dylan, and you'll be seeing alot more of him throughout this project.

Oh, and remember that towbar?
This is what happens when you're holding it vertically and you trip on a bit of steel left on the ground and land on the mother fooker!!

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Almost all of the alloy trims are off, I'll have to go through the spares I have here and find the best ones and polish them up and do all the blackouts as per factory.

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She's going to be bright enough that's for sure Very Happy

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Right hand rear and left hand front doors have been blocked and put into primer.

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Subject: Re: ZJ Fairlane Sun May 27, 2012 12:57 pm

Couldn't help myself, had to slap some paint on the insides of the two doors that are ready to paint.

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This sucker will give you serious sunburn if you stand close enough lol

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Put the windows back into the rear door, used new bolts where I could and painted the rest flat black.

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Cleaned up a few outer door mech's and threw some paint over them.

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Krylon 18K Gold and Engine Flat Black Smile

Painted up some Trico wiper arms I've had forever and slid some new blades in as well. Another thing ticked off the list.

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Played with bonnet hinges as well.

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Subject: Re: ZJ Fairlane Sun May 27, 2012 12:59 pm

Before I had even moved Bella to the new workshop I decided that I wanted to put an adjustable steering column in her for when the good lady wishes to drive somewhere in style Smile

So after scrounging through my parts I found an XF column that was an adjustable one and set about putting it in one day.

This came out.

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This went in.

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And after alot of mucking around with factory manuals and checking out a mates similar conversion on his Camp Quality esCarpade XD Wagon I finally got everything to work the way it should Smile

I also picked up a package that contained some parts I bought from a mate in NSW (thanks Wes).

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The colour difference between Monza and the Bright Red tinter.

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Ripped into pulling it apart ready for some colour.

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I spent more time getting the electric window motor out than I did pulling the rest of it apart.

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Once they were all prepped I smashed some more colour on.

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A mate dropped in as well to get silently stoned on fumes Wink

(in the background poking his ugly mug through the door)

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Another mate fished around at a wreckers he was at last week and got me 5 good door latches to replace the crappy ones that are on Bella now. Thanks Dean, you're a champ Smile

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Also in the package from Wes was a sensational looking headlight that will look great next to the NOS one I've got.

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Subject: Re: ZJ Fairlane Sun May 27, 2012 1:03 pm

Mirrors are reassembled.

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Blackout on the leading edge of the C pillar finished. I used 1" matte black striping tape and put it 15mm in from the leading edge and folded the rest over the edges and around the back.

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Minor stuff in the grand scheme of things, but can be ticked off the list and stored in the cupboard until the body is ready.

Boof rocked back up for a bit more hard slog. Had him working on the 42 Chev you see in the background for a bit to finish off welding holes in the firewall.
Then he got stuck into painting the inside edges of the bonnet he prepped up yesterday Smile

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I must say, for a noob, Boof has done a pretty good job on smashing the paint on the inside of the bonnet. No runs, has a tiny bit of peel on it. But really, it's the inside of a bonnet, anyone who has their head twisted upside down looking that hard for mistakes needs a high five ............ in the face ............ with a chair!

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Got some new mirrors cut up at the local glass shop. And yes, I've scratched them already lol

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Pulled the left front guard off and gave it a rugged block back.

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Few lows in there, nothing that can't be fixed with a bit of camouflage.

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Flipped the bonnet and masked up around the edge ready for paint stripping.
Slap some paint stripper on, cover with plastic and wait for it to do it's job.

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Give it an orbital sand using 80grit to get rid of all the surface rust.

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Smash some primer on Smile

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Subject: Re: ZJ Fairlane Sun May 27, 2012 1:07 pm

Bonnet latch and spring painted and installed.

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Headlight electrics assembled, just have to find a really good LH Reflector now. May have to lash the $40 to get an XF Repo light and rape that reflector instead (yes they are exactly the same).

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Found a ZL engine bay loom in my spares box and stripped it back to get the headlight sections out. Need to hide some wiring and adapt from ZJ to ZL headlights. this should be the easy way to do it.

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Subject: Re: ZJ Fairlane Sun May 27, 2012 1:09 pm

I didn't have power in the workshop for a few weeks (paperwork bungle between Powercor & TruEnergy) soI decided to rip the Fairlane in and do a few small mechanical jobs that needed doing.

Took off the rubbed through trans cooler lines and put on a shortened set, then put a cooler in front of the radiator so trans temps stay down while towing.

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Swapped out the pitman arm for a better one I have here.

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Then did the lower ball joints before I walked out the door.

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Put the left rear door up on the stand and started blocking it back with the long board.

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Contrary to what the paint shadows tell you the entire bottom of this panel was low. My ally straight edge sorted that one out for me lol

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This is where the car currently sits, so any updates from now on will be actual work, not a copy/paste from another forum lol

Subject: Re: ZJ Fairlane Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:47 pm

It's been a while, paying work is getting in the way Sad

Some more pieces of the puzzle turned up this arvo.

ZL Fairlane alloys courtesy of a mate in Geelong, thanks Brendan.

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And I also made some time to head up to Melbourne this arvo and grab a ZL rear cut from LukeGT.

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All I need to do now is give myself some time off to prep this rear cut so I can bring Bella in and do the deed.

Subject: Re: ZJ Fairlane Wed Jul 18, 2012 12:45 pm

Got an hour or two in each day since I picked this up last week.

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All unpicked, just needs a few edges tidied up and the inner door jamb sections removed and it will be ready to go on.