Jump to content

The Bronze's - 1984 XE Ford Falcon Utility Vehicle


Recommended Posts

Old Mary
tumblr_mq2d2vxhtK1stxwt3o6_1280.jpg

Palmie is great for buying old Falcon’s; it’s like the Invercargill of the North Island. That’s where I got this about 5 years ago I think. A standard as spoons, rubber mat, column shift 4.1 cross flow XE Falcon utility vehicle. It has had ply covering the tray for most of its life, so it was mostly mint under there until i took it out to remove some debris and my Mum borrowed it. Bitch. Ripped seats. 2 cent pieces under the mats. Paperwork in the glovebox.

tumblr_mq2d2vxhtK1stxwt3o5_1280.jpg

 

So far it’s had two BW35 gearboxes – both shat the reverse gear so I swapped in a BW40. It’s on a newer motor, the first only lasted 250 odd kms. It’s had untold rust repairs and is due for another lot, but by and large she’s pretty sweet. Alternator, waterpump, thermostat, all that usual junk has been done. Gone through about 4 door handles. 2 sets of gauges (odometers crap out on these routinely). Redid the hinge pins. Rebuild the carb last week, first carb rebuild. Probably other stuff. Been crashed into a couple of times and I think i nudged a fence once, so some dings here and there, otherwise straight.

 

I have a few sets of wheels, i've tried a few but run factory steel, one day I'd like some gold ESP style ones. Probably need a visor one day, and some lowering but I put all the lowering kit I had into my XB. And It's practical having some ground clearance.

 

tumblr_mq2d2vxhtK1stxwt3o1_1280.jpg

 

No major plans to mess with it; it works well as a daily hack, especially on LPG and  I refuse to put a 302/351 in it; I prefer the plain oldman steez to blatant bogan. If I did do motor stuff I have the old motor that’d be nice for a rebuild and hotting up. Or a 1uz, but unlikely; it’s low on the list behind the other cars.

 

I have a Fairmont front end in the shed I sometimes think about putting on. Might do that when I replace the guards but might just swap the bumper for a colour keyed one – lots a bit tidier. 

 

tumblr_mq2d2vxhtK1stxwt3o7_1280.jpg

 

Tumblr Set: http://monkeygrease.tumblr.com/post/55665682292

Disgoose: //oldschool.co.nz/index.php?/topic/39340-the-bronzes-xe-falcon-vehicle-of-utility-purpose/

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

So, after extensive shitting round with the thermostat and associated gaskets over the past few weeks she has been running like a dream. A slightly warmer than kosher dream, because the thermostat is not the right temp range, but a dream, of sorts, with a twist. So the twist today was hootling along to pick up the kids from school and suddenly finding a fog bank emerging from the bonnet.

 

Automatic shit-yourself response is self-loathing for not changing the thermostat; so pulled over and opened the bonnet to see the expected damage to find all the fog blowing from around the LPG unit. Further shitting of daks in fear of LPG explosion before realisation that it is not LPG but steam from a hole in the m-fing heater hose. Drive back to nearby garage, and two geezers replace the hose in ten minutes for f-all dollars. Hooyah! Took them some beers too because Friday is Friday and I can drive another day.

 

In other news two newer guards are in the tray thanks to the OS GC Freight Department. Awesome, thanks guys.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...

This old bitch is chugging along. I did some skids on some gravel a few weeks ago and something went clunk but it seems to have settled down now so that's good. Ignorance is my preferred mechanical solution sometimes. Have noticed it now smells like it's burning trans fluid when i thrash it up the West Coast Road hill. Hmmm.

 

I've got two new guards for the front, got them a while back actually thanks to the OS freight network, which i finally unwrapped and stripped last weekend, only to discover a big bog patch, so i'm picking that out and welding it, just for shits and gigs. If I don't fuck it up I might have a crack at some of the other rust patches popping up. There are a few...

 

Then I'm going to have a whizz at painting, will probably do the roof too, which is all faded. 

 

Oh, some oldschool sorts left a card on it the other week up in Mt Eden inviting me to join up here. Might do that. Might just do that.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...
  • 8 months later...
  • 4 months later...

I find it hard to give up my toys.

And one of the cool things about Oldschool is seeing everyone elses' build threads makes me feel like an inadequate white collar wanker.

I bought a welder.

I got started with the grinder on one of the bits of rust and made my first template the other day. Felt good.

Now I need to find a cheapo folder and some panel steel.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

I started doing stuff on this every now and then, there's a lot of work, and I've never done this sorta stuff, but if figured I'd be a mega-pussy if i didn't at least try. So I started on the bits no one will see - under the guards first.

tumblr_ofmf99VUX91snjz6bo4_1280.jpg

tumblr_ofmf99VUX91snjz6bo5_1280.jpg

 

tumblr_ofmf99VUX91snjz6bo3_1280.jpg

 

Hid all the shit welds and crap folding under tons of POR. Then decided to patch the aerial in a new guard someone oldschool freighted me a couple of years back.

 

tumblr_ofmf99VUX91snjz6bo7_400.jpg

 

It's B&W for mega art. Bog hides all.

 

tumblr_ofmf99VUX91snjz6bo6_1280.jpg

 

Next on the list.

tumblr_ofmf99VUX91snjz6bo2_400.jpg

 

Got bored last night and needed the seat out for accessing the rust in the pillars. Had some sound matting floating around.

 

tumblr_ofmf99VUX91snjz6bo1_1280.jpg

 

Somewhere along the line, came across this thread, got me more motivated and basically treating it as a how to http://www.xfalcon.com/forums/index.php?/topic/27468-xe-s-pack-ute/

 

So yeah, not bad for a year.

 

/fucking useless.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

Dunno why those images are fucked out. Anyhows, here's some new ones.

 

Got the lpg tank out, which was a rather epic mish involving my gadget arm and three weeks of intensive traingin as a controtionist to enable me to access certain bolts. Dunno how the guy installed it tbh. And then, after much forceful prodding, managed to unrust the screws and get the deck lid up. Stoked as a most stoked thing to find zip-zero of the rust under here or inside the rear quarters. so fucking stoked.

I have some pieces on the pillars cut out and off being made for me to weld in.

Anyone want an lpg tank?

 

tumblr_oner8w4YIM1tddt8oo5_1280.jpg

 

tumblr_oner8w4YIM1tddt8oo2_1280.jpg

tumblr_oner8w4YIM1tddt8oo4_1280.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also got some rattlecan touch up paint made to tidy up some of the surface rust. 

 

Tossing up how to best use all that space there beside the fuel tank. I feel like I should indulge my desire to make loud sounds and tuck a fuck-off big amp down there. Just coz. Open to other ideas. Seems wasteful. Remote battery?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 weeks later...

Oh yeah, ran reasonably well in spite of the carb hoses all being disconnected and better yet, it blew fuck all smoke, so the stem seal job seems to have worked. It doesn't appear I ever documented that, but I did the rope in the cylinder trick with the head on and found that two seals had disintegrated, so now it has new ones, and it is much happier. 

And the LPG tank and system is nearly all gone except for the filler hose which I haven't got around to crawling under it to remove. When I do the 50 tonne tow bar is coming off too. I hate excess weight. Hopefully between the lighter arse and petrol power it'll do some skids soon.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Got the rear windscreen out with the help of some kids. The rust that was hiding at the edge wasn't as bad as I was worried, so that was good.

 

Put the battery on charge a while back. Yesterday I cranked it over and forgot I had the charger connected. not good. Now when I turn the key the speedo starts swinging and when I turn the key everything just dies. Anyone got a bit of a rough diagnosis on what I likely fucked?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dug out some bog from the guy who did a rust repair on this for me a few years back. What a shit job. Good news is only a small rust patch needing doing here.tumblr_ow1sroT9lK1tddt8oo4_1280.jpgAnd then this bit on the side of the rear screen. Then this thing will be cured of this bit of tinworm. Until some more emerges. 

tumblr_ow1tycR98y1tddt8oo1_1280.jpg

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

I did some small patches that took fuck all time on the weekend and wondered why it took me so long to pull my finger and do it.

 

tumblr_p3r8koOJOK1snjz6bo2_1280.jpg

 

tumblr_p3r8koOJOK1snjz6bo3_1280.jpg

 

I forgot to take other pics, and even if I did, my welding is shit, but yeah, you get the idea. 

 

Also building a speaker box to sit behind my head. It's really basic, because I can't woodwork. Or metalwork really. But anyway, means i don't cut up the door panels, which are good ones, and no one seems to have some cheap ones for me to fuck up. 

Did do an awesome emo photoshoot for Insta.. https://www.instagram.com/p/Be115sDnsDs/?taken-by=tinker.workshop

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I spent a disproportionate amount of time tidying up the panel that covers the fuel tank in the floor of the tray. It takes all the bumps and damage when you put shit in the back. It also goes under a big sheet of ply. So in two ways it was a futile thing to do. 

tumblr_p5359e00fW1snjz6bo2_1280.jpg

 

lol

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...

 

tumblr_p8svdfq3Fb1snjz6bo1_1280.jpg

I spent a good couple of hours today fabbing up some tabs to hold a stereo in the slot that was all mangled from a few installs ago when I got it. I've been rewiring the stereo setup and trying to troubleshoot an amp install that isn't working, but may be the amp itself. I also spent some time making a mount and installing a new centre speaker in the dash. It turns out in my boxes of shite I already have an original dash speaker mount (ie I wasted a day) and replacement speaker cover, which made me happy because the current one is missing some bars. And, a week or so ago I went through my many boxes of spares I've been hoarding and found the OE stereo and plate. It got me thinking. I'm wondering if I go buy a mechless BT unit, cut the front off the OE and use it as a face to hide a new unit behind. Hmmm. 

tumblr_p8svdsWZbG1snjz6bo2_1280.jpg

I've also started stripping the spare bumper I have to paint to match the ute, as the current one is OE black rubber. I'll keep it OE as a spare and put this one on. This is part of a Fairmont front I have. I'm wondering if I go balls deep and put the whole lot on.I have a pair of headlights and a spare standard XE Falcon bonnet i could cut to suit...

I stripped off the door trim to check out replacing the window rubbers and found a final bit of rust, so ended up cutting that out. So I need to order the rubbers and felts now. Oops. 

I pulled off the drivers door handle which is beginning to shit itself and the striker mechanism. I heard you can build up the striker shaft and it relieves some of the stress that makes these outer handles constantly shit themselves. I've replaced about 3 on this thing when it was on the road. Here's the theory..

So I welded some beads on the shaft, but it didn't make much difference to handle travel, so I got a bit smart and pulled out the door handle and added a bead onto the pad on the lever that the handle pushes down. It worked a treat. So now the handle takes sweet Fuck all to engage and pop open. I took some pics but my image host is shite. If you own one I recommend doing this. Mega stoked with the results.

 

Also peeled off the vinyl pinstripe and began sanding the bitch down. Oh yes, it looks like I'm going to teach myself how to paint next. Stay tuned for much cursing and crackled paint shennanagins..

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...