Thread: Shonky's '58 Series II SWB

Well I woke up on Friday morning and was unable to see, on account of my eyes forcing themselves closed in searing pain.

A pre dawn trip to the quack revealed that I have an ulcer on my cornea.


So... that ruined my plans for the weekend.

Since I have an eye full of sticky ointment, stirring up powder-coat dust is probably not the best idea. Since I also can't drive, I haven't been able to get my paint made up or pickup my compressor.

On the engine front, the head shop called me up the other day saying that they couldn't get valve stem seals and so were going to order some from the interstate!

A quick call to LVS and I dropped some off the next day.

Should be able to pick the head up on Monday afternoon, clean, straight and wrapped in cling-wrap.

Well I was planning on picking up Gus' paint today, as the paint shop in question clearly advertises on it's website as being open Saturdays from 8am - 12 midday.

So at 8am this morning I hit the road for the 1hr 15min journey to the geographic opposite side of the Sydney basin only to arrive and find the ****ing doors locked and a tatty sign made out of printer paper saying "closed saturdays"

I had to go for a walk to stop myself from driving through their shopfront...

I am a particularly easy going bloke, but I was *seriously* angry at the waste of my time and money.

2 and a half hours wasted, along with quater of a tank of petrol. NOT HAPPY AT ALL.

In keeping with forum rules I will not name the place publicly, but if anyone is looking for paint and wants to know who it was that ****s their customers around this much, PM me.

REALLY REALLY ****ED OFF.

As they would say in the Toyota ad - Bugger!

To make matters worse, when I rang them up and expressed my displeasure (politely) they were disenterested, until I dared to suggest that perhaps since they wasted my time they could courier my paint to me at their cost!

Their response? If you are going to be like that then we may aswell not bother - lets just forget about it"

"I DIDN'T COME TO YOUR SHOP TO DO YOU A ****ING SERVICE YOU MORON - I CAME TO YOU BECAUSE I ****ING NEED PAINT AND GUESS WHAT? I STILL DO!"

They wouldn't budge and so I am going to have to either take a day off work and go and pick it up (2x quarter tank of petrol + 2x 2.5 hours of my time + 1 days lost wages = more than the paint) or pay for a courier.

I had no joy finding a different paint shop that could do it either.

I almost just went and bought a few pressure packs of Brunswick Green from Bunnings and was done with it.


Oh, and apparently they haven't opened on Saturdays for about three years and "I should have called to confirm" what it says on their website.

Aaaaaaaaaaanyhoo...


In other news I picked up the head the other day. In contrast to my paint experience, I am very happy with Peter's Head Shed on Foundry Rd in Seven Hills.

I had them pressure test and clean it all up, machine it down a bit and replace the valve stem seals.

I have given it a coat of Ford Deep Blue and will put it back on this week, along with ancilliaries.


The firewall is rubbed back and awaiting primer (and colour... ) and once it's green I can start fitting it out and take the old one to the tip. Once the 'wall is complete I can get the chassis down from the farm, weld up my rear member and start putting it all together!

Hey mate,
Pity about the PIA paintshop. If you want I can go get it.

If you're going to chuck your old firewall, does it have any meat left on the door posts/where the door hinges are? I think Mary is going to need a little material replacement in that area.
Cheers,
Mark

Thanks for the offer Mark, but it is all sorted now.

One of the staff (the paint expert, not the owner) has called in a favour with a supplier who is out my way. He's arranged for them to take my paint back to their warehouse when they next make a delivery to the paint shop (late this week / early next week). Champion!

Coops... I don't think I could. I wouldn't want to diminish the individuality of the poufe souffle.


Mark - by "tip" I mean "farm" so you are welcome to chop bits out of it.

Head:

Got the head back on last night, and had just finished bolting down the rocker assembly when I realised I had forgotten to put the pushrods in. ****...

Stripped it again and got it all back together properly and fitted up the manifolds. New set of sparkies too courtesy of Inc.

Pics later.