Dean's (deankdx) 1981 Holden Gemini wagon on a budget (Melbourne Australia) 2litre G200z upgraded

[deankdx]

G'day OS 

this thread is already complete on another forum, but i'll migrate it here to share with you all. so bare with Me, 
DISCUSSION THREAD HERE 

 

I bought this unfinished project in April 2017, I'll let the thread tell the story with a date on each post, the posts here may have references to days/dates that are no longer relevant, but i'll try to edit as i go.

I had the goal to get it back on the road as soon as possible and on club permit (limited use registration for cars over 25yrs old, cost comparison $150 ish per year compared to full registration of $800ish) 

pity the tyres on the Bathurst globe wheels are so old.. heaps of tread, but heaps of age cracks also.

i had only pretty much picked it up with the help of BGDAV(just joined OS today), and dropped it off at Daves till Saturday when it can go up on the hoist and see all the issues i didn't see when it was in the owners shed.

it runs, it moves.. that's the extent known so far.  

currently a 1.6 and 5 speed as far as i know... probably will stay, its had a head gasket change, new alloy radiator and heater core and some other new parts and "rust bubble" repairs..

the paint is pretty crap, good excuse to paint something. has that "patina" everyone loves lately (haters gunna hate)

 i suspect finding wide 13" tyres might be difficult.. (wide and Cheap i mean)

plans are to make it road worthy asap.. club rego and drive it places. (including Calder Park drag strip)

has low kms.. doesn't mean much to me.. this wagon has been sitting in a shed for 2yrs doing nothing much. (cars that have sat for a long time usually have issues like stale fuel, gummed up brakes etc)

anyway..
that's where it's at currently..

 

 

start up video.. bit of a glimpse inside.. needs a console surround.. etc

 

[deankdx]

The sellers missus was excited that i rocked up to view it in a gemini(My diesel TE that will get a mention later in the thread), and heard that it was going to be standard.. He had the usual P plater dream of crap race seats, sub woofers from front to rear, lowered till it scraped and "cepter rims" and some weird ass new paint colour that looks cool for 3 weeks and then gets a defect for life..

i said i'll send a photo of it with rego plates in 10 weeks.... see how that goes, hopefully it doesn't need everything..(i decided not to contact them in the end)

 

spending has started..(few days later)

went to pick a part today, 
bought 4 x dunlop 175/65/13" tyres for the stock rims(i always regretted chucking them away from My sedan when i left Tassie due to no room in the car) cost $80 plus will need to spend upto $80 if i fit all 4 to the other rims(2 currently on the front are new looking yokohamas.. not sure if any good yet)

i know you can get cheap new 13" tyres for $50 each($200) Vs $160 for used dunlops etc.. but i bet the dunlops are better than chyna etc brand no one has heard of. these tyres came up as $89 each when i googled the price.. for not much extra i could get wide tyres for the bathurst globes..

going for club rego, i intend to have it stock and neat as possible. .. the bathurst globes and super low springs it came with are calling me though.

 

[deankdx]

April 29 2017

well, had a look on the hoist today.. stupid cars, why do they rust? i know.. they leak.

pic of the ad, note the mention of rust all removed.. 

 

has water on the front floor, found the cause, minor rust on the drivers plenum(behind the heater air intake.. (i expected this)

has rust on the front floor. its not where i'd thought it would be.. on the angled part not the floor base.

the rear passenger floor is soft. doesn't look rusty though. will have to replace it probably

and the boot floor back edge needs a good going over with the flap disk/wire wheel to see what the hell the bodger has done..(i did see this, pretty hard to find a solid cheap gemini wagon..)
also removed all the wheels, looked at the brakes, needs front pads, came with new rear shoes but will get new wheel cyls also. and also needs brake lines across the diff for some reason.(parked in long grass possibly)

the rear opening windows seals are shrunken, so there is another leak, same with the tailgate seal..

went to start it up.. 2 pumps, turned the key.. running.. MINT!

didn't spend much time there today..

it came with some 15" x5.5" interceptor style rims that i'll be selling(hub centerbore is too small anyway, would need spacers or boring out) no idea what they would sell for..but it will cover the cost of some other parts needed.

the globe mags i can't bring myself to sell yet.. although it looks good with the 225s squeezed on the 5.5" rims but wouldn't be legal(these tyres are rooted from age unfortunately)
 

i'll be trying to round up all the missing bits/replacement parts and probably be ripping the interior out next visit.. hopefully not find anymore surprises..
the suspension doesn't appear rooted. but i'll drop it in at pedders after i make a fan mount for the new alloy radiator.
all that stop putty on the rear door area(if it had one) is due to some knob pulling the side moulds off and the paint with it. i will probably have to take that back to metal now because the rest of the bog just chips off as if they didn't clean the area. (plus i'd like to see what is under there.)
 

 

 

remember the ad above.. "all rust removed" yeah, we'll see more later, don't worry

 

 

•  

[deankdx]

10 May 2017

been spending, emailing, and physically touring the local ish wreckers this last week.

i found a lightly damaged boot trim off a VB or VC commo which will work as my side trim, i can get the correct one but its over the postage length at 1.3meters and so far i only know of the one gemini wrecker which is in Qld(elkygem/gemwreck) 1800km away ish.
i have ordered most of the parts needed to make it complete and get the brakes working properly(they are very touchy, i noticed while moving it around, seem to work well still)

i always wanted to get the SLE alloy wheels for my  gemini sedan, they look similar to the hubcaps i am running. and i think this wagon i may model on the Gypsy panel van.. as Chip Foose would say, make it look like it could have come that way from the factory.  so it could look like a windowed version of the below albeit ratty at first. because i am not painting it other than the issues at first.

i cant do much to it until the parts turn up anyway.. But i do want it on the road asap.. can't wait to drive it.

so, now torn between bathurst globes for the 80s look or the hippy wagon in stock style with sle wheels..



 

[deankdx]

14 May 2017

continued with the parts gathering the other day. found some SL/E TD wheels(same as the Gypsy had) 

these are the 2 cleanest ones. they had bald and flat tyres so i bought another 2 used dunlops for $35 each fitted.. couldn't be ballanced due to the center cap hole not being big enough for their machine.. (found a different tyre mob later for balancing)

i need at least one more centre cap, they are smaller than the commodore ones

and would need to find a wheel cleaner that works with them and some similar colour for the faded centre caps later.

no gemini work this weekend.. I will probably be doing brakes on it next week in the attempt to make it safely on a permit, and mounting the thermo fan, tail lights and tailgate latch.

i have been buying more parts, found the elusive left mirror and GC seller had new service parts like dissy cap, brake pads, etc  and has a spare 5 speed i'll buy just in case(at a price i could get my money back on easy) he has a 2litre (not twin cam) engine also in bits.. issue with in bits is whether its 100% still all there?..

apparently the 2 litre allows then to go up hills due to more torque..  (confirmed this later, it's what they should have come with)

[deankdx]

i had the chance to get a few more things done on the wagon today. forgot to take any pics.. nothing that interesting though.

repaired the too short tail gate seal with a section chopped out of a wreck boot seal..

silastic the gaps in the rear window seals(shrunken seals) more of an urgent temporary fix.

fitted the boot latch and it shuts and seals out water(fingers crossed)

i need to fit the new front door seals it came with, as that appears to be the where the front water leak is.. i had a bit of a dig around in the plenum area and seems like its not rusted through(surface rust needs addressing very soon)

also agreed to buy the 2 litre motor and 5 speed and a standard copper radiator.

due to The 2 litre needing a rebuild with assembly.. 

that concludes the buying stuff phase.. (No.. it doesn't .. as we'll see later)

actual progress will now begin.. i am keen to sand back the "repaired rust"  and paint that..

i did measure the length in the back.. 1.5 meters to the underside of the seat base(folded forward) so if to sleep in it, would need the seat base removed and the front seats flipped forward..  

[deankdx]

27 May 2017

well, today i did some more gemini work at Dave's(Dave had the welder and engine crane etc i needed initially.) had a "clean" day.. didn't feel like playing with spanners..

goal changed, from doing brakes.. to making it water proof.. i'd like to think i have succeeded (LOTS of rain on the forecast between next visit)

it came with 2 packs of door seals.. bonus was, it has 2 seals in each pack.. so i have spares for the sedan.

 feathered out the edge of the undercoat mask line the previous owner did.. sprayed my colour match Marenello red over 600 dry rub and  looks a good match around the petrol cap

have to work out if the petrol lid can be saved.. not sure if the stupid plastic hinge is still available.. its different to the sedan one which i think is still available..

i did some UN PAINTING of the window, seal and edge surrounding the seal.. thinners on a rag came in handy today.
( @kws I was too late to suggest this as a possibility for the marina) 

also DE STICKERED the rear window. and also thinners cleaned the rubber and glass of overspray and also did same on some areas of the paint..

took a pic of the "better side" will look much better soon..

the paint on the bonnet is Shithouse.. the car was stored under a TARP (to stop water getting in, but tarps sweat, and it blistered the paint..) i wiped it over with the thinners rag for a look.. (I found a better bonnet later)

 

[deankdx]

28 May 2017

well.. i had a brief look through the box of engine parts. to see how complete "complete in pieces" means...(of the G200z 2 litre) 

looked at the carby it had on it, usual full throttle check, was going to see if vacuum secondary had been rigged to open mechanically.. nope, but it doesn't open at all... there is a stop/lever possibly bent on purpose thinking that will make it mechanical.. but its actually stopping them from opening via vacuum or anything..
hmmm no wonder it ran "rich" ?? (also a 1600 carb, not a 2 littre one...not sure just how much that matters yet..)
see below crap photo..

i think this carby will now be a restriction... the XE XF webber can be fitted, but the 2 litre cortina one is usually the one fitted(maybe in the past they were more common? maybe its the smaller primary preferred? not sure.. more researching to do..

 

standard head appears in good shape, was looking to see if someone had fitted bigger valves.. looks stock here.

 

crow cam?.. i looked up the number.. it exists, which is good.. (mild cam, smallest crow makes)

 

price on it would have put me off.. but since its already there.. winning!!!  
 

 

[deankdx]

3rd June 2017

continued on with some more paint work today..  remembering the ad.. "all rust removed"

the reason all the undercoat is all over the rear quarter and tailgate is due to crows feet in the paint, that chips off with the orbital sander..(i used one today on it and it hadn't been taken back to metal or solid paint... i didn't either.. ) a simple hand sand with a block and paper to feather it out would have been all the bodger needed to do to make it respectable..

i decided i am not taking it back to metal now.. goal is to get it on the road as quick as possible.

there is rust i need to fix in the lower quarter corners. bugger all really.. will do it next time i lift it on the hoist(and make sure nothing will catch fire inside like tail light wiring...)

painted over the stripped back areas on the sill and under doors, also made more work for myself by filling and painting where the side mould had taken paint off the front guard(should have just left it, painted over the chips in correct colour)

i want to refit the alloy window trim asap(to prevent it getting damaged) so painted around that edge and some of the quarter, but the temperature at 4pm wasn't warm enough for the paint.. it went a bit chalky.. so packed it up for the day.

sanded and painted the boot seal channel also.. very time consuming, particularly trying to prevent overspray from going on everything.

rattle can colour match paint. 

 

should be able to see the difference quite easily.

 

 

[deankdx]

10 June 2017

managed to cross a few more things off the list today with the gemini project..

i modified a commodore boot trim to fit the lower rear window trim that was missing, its beat up and rough but its on and fits well..

i removed the ripped drivers seat and stuck in the pick a part one (slightly different style and colour) its got to come out again when the floor rust happens but wanted to check it was usable.. didn't get much else done but its set up for brakes next episode.

 

i pulled the brake drums off to be machined and the brake lines off to be re made. and took the stockies off the front for use on my daily..

fitted the front Bathurst globe for a look.. i should start looking for tyres for these also.. no idea why its so high in the front.. needs low..

i ran out of red colour match paint in the one can i bought, got all the boot seal done at least. one can should do for the rest i hope.

the bonnet got a full wipe down with thinners.. pretty sure its getting clear coated as is just to seal it.

[deankdx]

11 June 2017

bodge level.. expert?

the grille i got with this car was broken in the top sections..(hidden clips and impatient anger management people don't play well apparently)
they clip in with shitty little clips, but most people use Zip ties. i suspect the guy couldn't figure out how to either unclip it, or couldn't find the zip ties? and yanked it out breaking it.

i have a spare good condition TF grille, they look less awesome..(commodore fans might compare the TF grille to a VC commodore, and the TE grill is more like a VH commo(better)..

i glued it with araldyte, but it cracked still.. needed reinforcing.. so... here is the result.. concrete has wire reinforcing.. so.... bog with wire must be awesome?

if this holds up well and still fits everything(headlights etc) i'll leave it in.. otherwise i will have to fit the TF grille till i come across another TE one.

 

 

grille differences..
thought about painting the TF Grille black, as it might help improve the look.

grille update..
DONE! .. till it cracks.. then maybe fit the other after painting it black or finding a good one.

even fitted a NOS grille badge that came with the diesel gemini when i bought it..

headlights are clear lens/shaped reflector.. not sure i like the look yet, but i have been told they work well(not as good as stock looking H4 Hella/Narva i switched to later) the sealed beams they come with are better described as candles

 

[deankdx]

16 June 2017

todays plan of brakes got postponed again due to stubborn mudguard bolts. the gemini must use the guards as a structural part of the car.. there'd be double the bolts than an X series holding them on. 2 of accessed behind the kick panel and under the dash.. (naturally the under dash ones were pricks, one had a rounded head Just barely good enough to undo with perfect alignment of the socket, and the other had the nut part come off the captive clip thing.. great..

painted most of the quarter panel .still rust on the very lowest part.

had a look at the tag after seeing the shifter area with pop riveted fill panel fitted. suspected it was an auto.. code says yes.. / M40 three speed 'Tri-Matic' (option)

rubbed the tailgate down for the last time, and primed over the metal and bog.. let it dry and then got one coat of red on before the can ran out of paint.... one more can will get the rest done.. good enough for now.

 

 

 

 

[deankdx]

25 June 2017

well,
weekend has passed and there'd normally be an update on this but a few distractions interrupted progress..

well, at some point i mentioned i wanted a better bumper.. and other parts no doubt..

came across a gemini panel van that needed to be bought. has the style of bumper i wanted bit bent, but i'll roll with it.
 

bonnet is so rusted, i tied over it so the skin wouldn't peel off on the highway.. even latched down lol..

i got it going.. it was sold as not running, so a bit of a gamble.. been parked 4yrs roughly. bush mechanic for the win.. sanded the points, rotor button, and cranked it over for a while before resorting to the start ya bastard(has no choke assy in the carby) fired up and idled pretty soon after

this turned out to be super rusty, surprised it didn't fall in half on the hoist

video of the hope its still good "after a 4yr wake up call"  engine has a  2507 crow cam same as i got with the other parts engine, it idles with a slight lope that i initially thought was just running rough(no choke/4yrs of parked in the beach) seems good.

Dave claimed the steering wheel as payment for picking up this parts car from a couple of hours away. 

motor seemed healthy.. good chance i'll be doing a compression test next visit.. if good, its going in the red wagon as its a rodeo 2litre with a cortina 32/36 weber on it.

interior is mouldy. not much usable on it at first glance.. seat frame maybe for My daily if not twisted also.

 

 

[deankdx]

28 June 2017
 

well..
rocked up this arvo for a quick garage session..

glad i paid part's donor value.. even still i don't think i'd want to use anything under the car. exhaust maybe... but not seeing value elsewhere.

pics speak for themselves

 

under the car is fucked.. ..rust is severe.

 

 

[deankdx]

1st July 2017
photobucket will have a lot of haters from this day forward.. (imgur.com used instead now)

anyway..
side cutters and 10 and 12mm spanner got a workout this arvo.. bloody cold outside, think around 6 degrees outside when we packed up.. i expect it will be just as cold when its time to lift the hoist for all the underside stuff in the morning.(down to 1deg at the moment..)

 

 

Well, today was supposed to be rusty parts donor ready for scrap.. usual distractions and priorities meant it's close but not quite ready.(

i took the tailgate off due to the hinges being perfect .. pretty sure the the wagon ones have movement. might stash the tailgate

dash is stuck in eleventy million times stronger than a falcon one.. decided that i don't need to remove it not even for practice..

pedal box was simple..3 bolts..unclip brake and clutch cable and pin and brake switch.. done. 5min job.

heater core was the easiest i have ever heard of.. undo hoses.. 2 screws holding the cover on, and slide out the core.. (and move out of the way of the white tail spider that was in there)

external door handles are way advanced compared to XD.. have adjustment in the rod(might take a pic later.) still fail in similar ways.

pulled the fuel tank out mainly so it wouldn't be a fire risk if i start chopping with the grinder.. surprised it wasn't rusted through..

only took 2 pics, was on a mission to get as much done before dark

 

 next time you see surface rust.. and think its just surface rust.... give it a kick... just to be sure..(i was going to remove this door.. .not anymore)

pulling a car apart has to be the best way to figure out how stuff works or to be repaired.

[deankdx]

5 July 2017

parts car...

engine out..
torque tube removed(heard they can be broken)
panhard rod removed, might have better bushes than my wagon one
steering rack removed, mainly because it was simple, but has a nolathane coupling fitted.

 going going gone.. leaving the locked diff in, not legal, no idea if done any good or twisted axles.. cbf

 

 

shitbox gone..
 

had to pay $100 for someone to come get it..  gone are the days of free car removal when metal prices were reasonable..
if i had known i was going to have to pay $100.. i'd have left more on it and listed it on feebay for $20 or so.

 

[deankdx]

8 July 2017

 today's update was ruined by poor planning and rain.. did get something done..

cut all the areas of rust out ready to weld using Daves grinder(cordless) then Dave used it and flattened the battery by the time i had made My cardboard patterns for rust patches.. i brought My grinder with Me but only with a flap disc... next time i'll bring my cutting discs.

i rust converted the affected areas, then it rained, washing my good work away..

it doesn't rain under the car, so i got under the back edge and wire brushed and sanded with the flap disc all the bodgy bog etc off.. silastic, seam sealer and bog.. there was some rust hidden, but it doesn't look bad considering the mess trying to hide it.. i'll take the petrol tank out soon for a better look/access to weld.

what i need to do next visit is remove the main rear brake line, goes all the way to the master cyl from diff hose. the front lines look fine, i may get them done when the motor comes out still.

rear quarter rust isn't too bad, i'll trim the back edge some more also. no rust on the left side

 

lower A pillar section cut out. very solid inside.

i decided not to cut this whole box off. i think a few patches will be plenty good.

the rusted to fuck bonnet is making good with rust repair patches.. i figured if it didn't rust in the center, must be impervious to rust?

the rusty pedders shocks worked fine, so they got a de flakey rust via the round file, then wire brush and rust converter. then painted red again..
good for another 4yrs parked in the sea

[deankdx]

12 July 2017

no welding today... 

i did bent up my roll of brake line i had flared up yesterday.. what a prick of an idea(has about 20bends in it), it turned out about 7cm short.. hoping i can dodge one of the clips and still have it work.. otherwise back again to the brake mob for a join somewhere and longer section fitted.

what i did get done is fitted the pedders shocks to the front, removed the front bumper(took 5mins, was in the way of refitting the front guards) fitted the left guard.

bit more description with the pics below..
should be welding tomorrow if weather permits. otherwise, brake line if it fits(doesn't rain under the car)

 

the patch below is for the A pillar rust box area at the front. shaped it in cardboard perfectly.. then lost the cardboard.. made another that was quite inaccurate, had to refold the edge twice.. won't matter much, cant be seen for starters.

paint stripper consisted of 1mm cutting disc, because lazy.. (could also be seen as "keyed for paint/bog)

left side didn't have rust holes, so just got a rust converter, wire brush over the the seams, re applied seam sealer and painted in killrust black and the guard refitted..
the top bolt was a prick to get restarted*(under the dash through the A pillar) due to the gemini bolts being short... solution.. XF FALCON mudguard bolt, same thread but longer

[deankdx]

13 July 2017
 

got a quick welding session in today before calling it a day.. weather not ideal and need to make sure i don't over do the upside down shit with My back .

rear quarter was a pain in the ass to weld, wind didn't help, even with the gasless wire.. nothing bog cant fix anyway.. no pics of that too ugly lol..

brake lines next session, and front brakes maybe .

apparently masking tape burns... who knew..

special shaped patch fitted like a glove..(A Bunnings gardening glove maybe?) 
in hindsight, i should have cut this off and made a new one, but then.. i might be still cutting looking for good metal.. its not too bad..

guards are back on permanently 2 falcon bolts on the drivers side.. removed the cluster to access this side.. cluster removal from a cracked dash is quite challenging. mounting tabs snagging on loose vinyl etc, needed to use two screw drivers and a bog applicator to pry it out

 

[deankdx]

21 July 2021

some of the quality wiring from this project.. this is from the CD player it came with. all joins were twist n tape.. but why you need 3 joins in the one wire i don't know..

funnily enough, this deck didn't work in the car.. wonder why? tested it out today works well, but why the hell do they need to be such a pain in the ass to set up

someone probably suggested, hey pioneer, too many buttons n shit, i cant work it out.. make less buttons.
result, no radio preset buttons googled for a while, need to tune a radio station, press the list button then select a pre-set number you want and click the volume dial.. this will probably help me remember when i fit it to the daily. no idea how to adjust anything but Bass either i mustn't be asian, could just be the over 40s dementia kicking in?
(can hear the comments, just buy a new one.. pfft.. no. I'm sure this unit will still run the CD stacker in the boot of the diesel sedan oooohhhh fancy)