Thread: The Ultimate FC

This is from another site....(Amphiclopedia)...many years ago from a stalwart owner.





more a poem than a mail.

This wonderful green six wheel monster.

Weather it be:
replacing wheel stations,
replacing main gearboxes,
repairing transfer box seals,
lifting the engine out and back in again,
matching up tyres,
replacing the exhaust systems,
changing gearbox oil,
watching wheel wind up.


What ever it may be I will always love my stolly.
I knew what was involved
when I bought it and I can say:

I have enjoyed every minute working on it.
Come on guys its a Stalwart,
you either love it or you don't.

There is nothing more exiting than dropping in to a nice calm lake engaging the jets and pulling that hand throttle back to 3000 rpm and listen to it sing.

This vehicle will never die, it will sail into a never ending sunset.
Simon



Gotta throw different things into this thread to keep it interesting...........( but strangely all the different features and engineering of the vehicle keeps it interesting too)( nothing is built like the stalwart)......... .......if wasn't for this little fan club thread site keeping me going I think I would have burnt the big silly thing along time ago now.
I knew it was going to be hard on me time and money wise and there is the challenge ....Corowa the year of the amphibian is Two years away??????????? slight chance ?????????? may be?????
I am lucky in two ways
1/ I have the tools and equipment to handle the Stalwart.........a big socket set and a engine lifter just will not hack it .
2/ I have some of the skills needed.

Ron

Tailgate now has new stainless steel retaining strips for the rubber seals made.
just using stainless steel 1/4 UNF bolts into the retaining strip which I threaded to take them.
This means the bolts heads are not welded in place.
then the bolt heads are ground down to reduce the profile.
grey etching primer first coat and then red oxide sprayed shortly afterwards.
DSCN0095 by john smith, on Flickr
DSCN0093 by john smith, on Flickr
DSCN0101 by john smith, on Flickr

DSCN0103 by john smith, on Flickr
DSCN0104 by john smith, on Flickr

DSCN0104 by john smith, on Flickr

I am not getting too fussy about the finish of the paint work as it will get knocked around refitting the tailgate and finishing off the truck in general.
A time saver with working on the stalwart out side is placing the MIG and Plasma cutter , grinder and general tools on a pallet and using a forklift to move it all round as required and at the correct height for the job in hand.
I just wheel it all back inside the shop when finish work on the stalwart.
DSCN0096 by john smith, on Flickr

You're doing a great job, I enjoy seeing your progress with this fascinating monster. Keep up the good work. I second the penetrol recommendation.
Don.

Looks great Ron, how bad are the sides compared to the tailgate? How long before you think it's watertight? You'll need a big bathtub to test that....

Originally Posted by Homestar

Looks great Ron, how bad are the sides compared to the tailgate? How long before you think it's watertight? You'll need a big bathtub to test that....

The test bath tub is the Shoalhaven river.
Still plenty of rust to sort out.
Forward of the muffler box and the rear most side gate hinge area needs extensive reworking because of rust,but access will be much easier.
Small rust holes easy to get at both sides above the wheels up to the back of the cab occur.
The back of the body where the tail gate seals are needs to be finished off and the left-hand side near the rear tool box is corroded.
To be truthful I really don't know exactly how much rust I still have to tackle..
The left side rear of the vehicle.......Is the tool box and radiator header tank compartment needs to opened up treated,painted etc..........But appears to be in reasonable condition.
The area between the double hull where I can access with the exhaust out of it has corroded due to heat and water, but the metal is thick..........No replacement of steel,just hard to access to paint and treat.
Along way to go..................When I think it's ready you can be assured I will drive to 13 km down the road to swim it.
Right-hand side steering bucket linkage needs to be freed up properly and water jet impeller bearings lubed and hope bearings seals are OK.
If I was retired and not working for my self things would be moving quicker.
What I have noticed over seas Stalwart projects owned by normal income individuals seldom get completed and they have access to more spare parts and other old wreck's for parts.
What have I done ?

Originally Posted by 101 Ron

What have I done ?

Taken on a second marriage.

Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

Taken on a second marriage.

I think something like 50% of marriages in Australia end in divorce.

Even though we are currently having short winter days, the weather has been kind on Sundays which I have also had free from other things.
That means some stuff is getting done.
I am having a rethink on the alloy tailgate, and after the square top extra strengthening tube is looking good and working well I will take the tailgate back to the marine place and get the same done to the bottom as well.
it will further help straighten the tailgate and hide various dents and damage.

DSCN0124 by john smith, on Flickr

Much of this thread is just going to be about cutting out rust and welding in new plates for a while as there is much to be done.......boring stuff.

the pic below is before
DSCN0120 by john smith, on Flickr

This one below is after.
DSCN0123 by john smith, on Flickr

Just forward of this area is this pic below
DSCN0122 by john smith, on Flickr
Plenty of rust holes to sort out yet..
On the vertical edge in that pic are more holes which cannot be seen and the side gate hinge bracket is slightly out of alignment and the rubber side gate seals etc which give me more work..........easier to do it now with the muffler box apart.