My Reccomended Rust Converter

Over the last 4 years I have achieved excellent results with Ranex Rustbuster.

http://www.bondall.com/rustbuster/Ranex_Rustbuster.html

Its a clear liquid that can be brushed on, or in my case soak the part in Rustbuster for up to several days. The finished surface can either be wire brushed before priming or left to dry prior to painting.

The first time I used the product was to clean out the rust from the engine block cooling system areas. I completely filled the block with Rustbuster and let it sit for about 1 day then flushed several times.

Rustbuster can be re-used time after time, filtering through a cloth after each use.

Below is a before and after photo of the same part, which is still to be wire brushed.

Here are some more before and after shots

Applications that I have used Rustbuster on are

Steering Wheel Frame
Steel Radiator surround
Radiator surround inner panels
Water Pump Housings
Engine Block
Thermostat Housing
Windscreen Surround
Brake Linkages
Transmission Gears
U Bolts
Various nuts and Bolts

And probably more I have forgotten.

The Chev is now entertaining the third generation of my family

My daughter Melanie, and my grand daughter Ashley. The second and third generation of the family that have enjoyed the Chev.

I will let the pictures tell the story.

From the Land of the Good Ol' Boys

Back in 2007 I purchased a complete radiator assembly from the Black Hills of Dakota USA. The main attraction was the steel radiator surround which I prefer to the aluminium. The photo on EBay clearly showed that someone had put a couple of rounds into the side of the surround. I was still happy to buy it as the surround could be repaired, and there was a chance the honey comb core could be serviceable.

When the package arrived it was a bit of a drama, full of black mountain soil. I was amazed it had made it through customs.

After being packed away for the last 4 years, I finally got around to pulling it apart last night (22nd June 2011). Luck has gone my way on this purchase as the slugs had penetrated the surround and glanced of the side of the top brass tank.

So as well as having a spare steel surround, I have the bonus of a serviceable honeycomb core.

Who knows what history this radiator that was pulled out of a Chev commercial vehicle has seen.

I have included a few photos below to show the damage from the 2 bullets.

Caffine addiction?

The Chev is constantly seen loitering outside this cafe in the Melbourne bay side suburb of Chelsea.

All I know is after the 30 mile high speed run on the freeway, at 45 mph, (hey that's fast for me) the Chev violently pulls off the road and comes to a stop just out the front of Kelly's Cafe.

My Friend Monty the Chev

The name Monty has always had a special meaning to me, as it was the name of the first dog I had as a young child, and in a childhood that at times was not all it should have been , Monty was more of a friend and a constant companion, than just a dog.

Let me tell you about another Monty who I have known since December 2010, and speak of the devil.

Monty and his carer/restorer Grant both reside in Gippsland, and it is because of them that you are reading this blog. They were the inspiration for me to detail the history of my own Chev.

I won't go into Monty's story in too much detail. Grant covers this with a lot more passion and emotion than I ever could, and if you have not read the story of Monty the Chev, may I highly recommend it.

http://montythe1928chevrolet.blogspot.com/

My own snapshot of the man and the car can be best summed up by a VCCA posting I made on the day I drove Monty for the first time, and it goes like this:

"It was 8.30am on a wet and cold Gippsland Sunday, and I had driven for 90 minutes to visit Monty and his owner Grant.

What an experience. To look at Monty you would shudder and think what a lot of work to be done, but once you start him up, the bugger runs and drives like a road going car.

Now Monty has no comforts, in fact he has no seats, and no steering wheel as such, and by the way, not really any brakes to speak of as well.

But for a car that was found under a tree by Grants father back in 1969, and kept in a shed for 40 years, what a surprise.

Monty accelerates, pulls away in top gear, and apart from a very LOUD exhaust you would swear you were driving a restored 28 Chev.

The gear changes are perfect, and the dam oil has not been changed in over 45 years. The clutch works fine, and Monty rides the bumps as well as many other restored Chevs I have driven.

For a car to be in such good mechanical condition found dumped under a tree with no front end, it amazing.

If it was not for the fact that Grant plans to bring Monty back to a road going car in memory of his late father, I would be green with envy, but how could anyone not feel emotional about the journey that Grant has embarked upon, with Dad over his right shoulder no doubt.

God speed to you Grant, and to Monty, and enjoy the years or memory making you have ahead for you and your family".


Make sure you follow the progress of "Monty the Chev"

2011 - Picnic in the park

This posting is a late entry for April 2011, but I think it is worth putting in, even though it's out of the date sequence I am trying to follow.

It’s 10am on a wet and overcast Sunday morning at Pakenham racecourse after 25 to 30mm of rain the night before, and 300 vintage and classic cars and trucks have turned up for this now annual event.

This is an annual event organised by the DVHCC http://www.dvhcc.com.au/

Chev 4’s were well represented with about 20 Chevs from the 1920’s in a separate display.

The stars of the show were a 1914 Royal Mail, a 1918 490 roadster and Peter Lafranks nearly completed 1924 Roadster.

The rest of us were in our humble assortment of 26, 27 and 28 Chevs, but it’s always great to see a line up of Chev 4’s

One guy had driven his old blue 1928 from Portland about 240kms west of Melbourne to attend, and said he had a great run, sat on 45mph all the way, with the rain making the brakes a little hairy at times.

 It may have been wet, and the food vendor ran out of bacon and eggs, but a good day was had by all.

Below is a sample of the Chevs that were on display.

And last of all my own pride and joy

2011 - My "To Do List" of Jobs

Over the last 2 years I have found the best way to get non urgent jobs done on the Chev is to have an ongoing "To Do list", and every so often cross one or two off. Regardless of whether a job is large or small, crossing one off gives a sense of achievement.

Depending how I feel or how motivated I may be at the time, some jobs come off early, and more fiddly jobs may be there for a few months, but they are still there as a reminder.

I am now on my "To Do List" no 6 and the jobs in no order of priority are as follows:

1. Wind proofing where side curtains fit into the hood
2. Stitching repairs to the hood
3. Recondition windscreen surround
4. Remove sump, check and clean.
5. Engine and gearbox oil leaks
6. Replace door handle screws and gaskets
7. Check tension on front and rear suspension u bolts
8. Treat rust on spare cylinder heads
9. Insulate exhaust under bonnet
10. Fabricate better cover for rear of battery kill switch
11. Replace charger connections for battery with heavier gauge wire.
12. Tidy up wiper motor wiring
13. Tidy up under dash wiring