well i did have THIS thread going in the main forum a while ago but now we have this awsome new one so ill move it here. Its a 76 datto ute bought bout 12months ago off this site. I have been chipping away at it lowy to the point where i am now pretty much over my head :D and loving it. More recently i started cleanind up the paint to get it ready for paint when i started to discover the disturbing idden past of my ute. the latest being the entire rear quater panel having been pushed in at some point then roughly dent pulled backout again and bogged up. thequarter was a little rusty so i have bitten the bullet and decided to just replace the entire side seeings how i already had a brand new panel just sitting there anyway.. the advantage with thisthough now is that because i wanted to shave the big lip around the tray i have now gota nice folded overedge rather than the dodgey weldedbut joint that i had going now i just have to find someone who CAN weld o help me put it back on again.
i also have a few little rustholes and stuff that need fixing but i not entirely sure of the easiet method to fix these bits too. help MUCHLY appreciated thanks guys.

well it has been a while but the ute is coming along quite quickly all of a sudden i have put on new L+R rear quarters, new L+R lower sills, modified number plate mount, shaved lip, new floor pans, cut out countless kg's of bog and rust plus i am sure there is more. it may not sound like much but it has taken 12 months of blood sweat and tears to get to this point! a LOT of late nights and constant hounding from th girlfriend about how i spend more time with my ute than her! mind you shes probably right but ill still deny it. let me know whatyou think/suggestions all will be taken on board, some will just be thrown out haha. hope you like...




RH side rear quarter and sill all attached and good




welding up some rust




LH rear quarter and sill all pretty again




my new numberplate mount




new floor pans in and started to dynamat with some stuff i had lying around




just some of the holes left after cutting out the rust

coming along pretty good there, how did you go running the weld down the 1/4's....did it warp on ya!!,
reminds me of mine, i treated my inner panels before fitting them new panels back on, cheers rod.

i hate rust too, good luck with the rest of the build mate!!!!

this is where my ute is currently. i have once again got to a point in my build where i have no idea what i am doing. But as per usual i will press on however i would appreciate some input regarding what i should do next.

i have fitted all the panels and such how ever as you can see in the photos below they need to be prepped a lot still for painting. i want to know how i should go about it. will it be alright if i just bog from this point (especially on the tray lip) or should i be still considering welding panel beating of some description?

cheers for ya help. Simmo

coming along very nicely mate!
that numberplate pannel is the same as myne :) looks wikid! I really like how you have shaved the lip off of the back too. Great work.
look pannel beat all aspects to the best of your ability and then go form there with the bog. the least amount of plastic is always best haha! butt remember the majority of the bog that you wipe on you will have to rub off.
is the car primed ?
cheers
Dan

thanks mate. yeh i primed all (most) of the panels inside and out before i put them on. i am just really worried that 6 months down the tracki am going to start gettin cracks in my brand new paint job!? cheers for your help

hey are does anybody know of any good auto painters who can give me handadvice on doing my ute i have done plenty of painting myself as i was a furniture painter for over a year but i have never done anything to do with painting cars! i have been reading all around the net doing lots of research but it would still be great to have someone to give me a hand. i had a guy all lined up ex-spray painter who did a mates ute brilliantly but he has just shifted away so any help greatly apppreciated. cheers