jayz383

Started on the wiring today. Doing a push button start and getting all the engine sorted. Put a coil on, fuel line, battery, poured some juice in and it kicked into life! Ran for about a minute while l checked all the vitals. About 50psi oil pressure and purred like a angry kitten with its short straight pipe. Il put that on the list of things to sort asap as its real noisy and l like the people who live around here. Any way more pics to come of wiring tomorrow.

Not much been happening last few days as I have been working and Easter but did manage to get some other parts and another fuel tank to use as my other 2 are full of holes Will clean it out tomorrow if all goes well. Also my AU Falcon tail pipe fell off and burnt all the wiring in my everyday car. Guess I should of fixed it when I first saw it haha. Oh well temp fixed it so I can sort the Vivas... Will post up some pics tomorrow of tank cleaning and how i do it.

75x50x3 rhs for new chassis.... got another T bucket chassis and a ford pop gasser to do too

Bonnet scoop being trial fitted on the other car to see how it looks. Will need to be cut down and fitted to the new fiber bonnet.

Its a how long is a piece of string type thing. I recently did a Hq bare shell and it was $800 or so. That was all around the jams, windows, fire wall, floor inside and out etc. I went in and cleaned up the media before I moved it out to help out. Was steel media and roof skin and rear quarters where left.

A stock car mate told me you can tell ratio on them by the color of the pinion nut? He said a while ago I needed the pink 1 I think it was and sure enough, it was. 4:11 from memory but it was a while ago. Anyone else know?

Found this over in Hawkes Bay. Needed a complete make over. A few beers and mates and we ended up with this...

Just like River Rat l want this 1 to be fully street legal and certd.

I have 2 HB's and will be working on them every chance l get. No shed just a carport. Will be doing 99% of the work myself.

Rear clip awaiting install that came from a ford pop lm told. It will work but before that l need to build a chassis table. Want everything to be straight and level.

Wont be needing the floor since its rotten anyway.

Day after l dragged her home. I call her the cross eyed sister shes parked next to my 1900 holden star fire powered HB.

When l got River Rat and during my repairs. Then me driving it all rebuilt. Many people said it couldnt be done. I proved them wrong for my own reasons.

Some pics of my old car before l got it. This is the same car just at different times.

I know it doesnt look like much but as l say, l didnt want to cut up a good body. Only really needed the shell. I went down to Horopito about a year ago and installed a spare front end l had lying around so it was movable. The car was then moved by the fence of the first paddock across the road. At the time l was limited on space at home so it was to be about a year before l could go down and pick it up. In the mean time l just collected parts when ever and where ever l could. I love my Vivas and Toranas. Over the years l probably owned around 20?

A few years ago I had the chance to own 1 of my dream cars. A big block chevy powered HB viva I saw as a young fulla. It was called River Rat. I brought the car sight unseen after it had been in a crash at Masterton Motorplex. I put a lot of time and effort into the rebuild but sadly had to sell it for personal reasons before I could finish it. Since then I have searched high and low to find another body that I could cut up to build another that I could call my own. I didnt want to cut up a good 1 as have had a bit of shit over the years for cutting up cars... Then while down at Horopito I spied a body that would become my new car. It was to be crushed but I saw potential in it. I have been collecting parts for the build for about 3 years and have now got the car home and have all ready made a start on it. I"ll make sure to put all pics and info as to my journey to get this car back on the road and fully street legal.

Wheels getting a refurb

Engine bay looking a lot better too

All bolted up

Assembled the front today. Got the bonnet hinges on, head lights, grill, blinkers and bumper. Really gave me some motivation Pics tomorrow as I got carried away working on it...

Cheers mate, still looking for some bits and pieces if you know of anything?

The engine in it had around $6k spent on it 20 years ago getting rebuilt and modified. If it runs ok it will stay. If it has issues il look at something else but id rather not cut the body up to put in another engine.

4 hours later...

After a water blast it looked better but still not great.

Works great on solid paint jobs like white, red etc. First off l water blasted what l could. Then l got a bucket of water, some jiff and 1500 wet and dry. Started with this...