Thanks Howard for the great insight on the intricate rust replacement panels that most people put in the too hard basket to repair, rusty hardtops can be intimidating! I've witnessed car to car the variations between factory panel fit from the 70's, nice fitment gaps of the panels were virtually non existent . Regards to Dazza..cheers (Apollo blue all the way)
Good job stocking these parts Howard and thanks for the video. I helped my brother repair a lot of the rust in his XB with your stock and after I've finished my XE, I've got one very rusty XA coupe to start on. Cheers :)
Astill Design, so great that so many panels are available for the older falcons. I have just restarted working on my TD Cortina after a long break, Unfortunatly for me the only panels that are available in Australia are the sills and lower quarter panels. So I'am going to have to order the panels from the UK, and the shipping cost for that is going to be crazy. Shipping is probably going to end up being more than the panels themselves :(
Another great vid full of the right info, im a xw/xy guy mostly, but i would own a xa 4door or a xc 2door round headlights, i know a bloke that's not long finished a xt gt & the shop that rebuilt that body,( which has since closed) brought rust repair parts from some1 north of Sydney & the quietly was 110%
Unbelievable, i had to make all the torque box, sills, plenum sections, quarter panel & guards sections, as you couldn't buy any of this stuff when i started fixing my xc 10 years ago, i had to learn how to make them. I was always envious of what you could get for the mustang for example in the US, basically anything you want, including a new shell. It would have saved me months of work if i could have gotten these new patch panels. Handy to know anyway, in case i ever have to do it again. Hope not though.
G'day Howard, This episode was good and bad for me. The info was very informative. As I'm about to "hopefully" 🤞close a deal on a XC Coupe/Hard Top. But the bank manager was sitting beside me aka the Wife (as we both love watching your videos) heard you quote replacement panel pricing. I told her we don't need this and that part replacement. Just a couple of little white lies. 😂 Keep up the great work mate. Ps! If I can seal the deal, I guarantee you're going to hear from me. 🤫😁
That was a brilliant video on what is available and what's not available, but you're looking for the 'HOLY GRAIL' parts that are being hidden, you are a great builder and manufacturer of 'unicorn ' metal work for these great cars. Have you seen the latest build by the
@@AstillDesign sorry forgot to put in "the ring brothers" it was in Jay Leno o Mon this week. Hope you're well and have a great week and got a perfect weekend planned 😌.
All panel sections require work to make them fit. For example the VB commodore could vary in length up to 15mm. And at the time GM considered that a success.
Impressive i can't believe the range now most of those we had to make patches in the past which now makes me want to undo all the work i have done on mine lol. Just not this year...
Howard, is anyone looking at XB front stone trays. Ive been keeping an eye out but finding a decent one seems a challenge. They are a complex part but even the centre section minus the indicator buckets would be a real help. All the ones i see are bent and buckled if not rusted as well. An XB front bumper would be a good option too. The ones i find all seem to be rusty on the bottom section where water and debris would most likely sit. Having to repair then get it straight enough for chrome, seems like a new one would be an economical option.
The XB front stone tray is certainly needed but haven't heard of anyone doing it. Front bumpers were available on a changeover basis from the GT shop in Melb a few years back. Not sure if they are still doing them. We used one on Blackmans coupe.
Does anyone do the back corner for a sedan where it wraps around the tail light. Mine had chrome trim that caused it to rust badly. Ive tried repairing it but it just does not look quite right. Plus it so thin i kept blowing holes through it. As I work my way forward I will need to get a few bits from you. Thanks for the video.
Depending on how picky people wanna be. Xc coupe rear bars are slightly different to xa,xb they have a slots to suit the xc style bumper jack. Useless trivia you may never need, haha
@@AstillDesign i was quite fond of your comment about the factory panels don't fit that well. people seem to be dilutional into thinking they were better built then they actually were
Very true. Holdens we’re the same. If you have pulled enough of the apart you see how shoddy they were compared to a modern car. NOS parts are also dud parts that were no good on the production line and put aside as spares to be sold at the dealerships.
Howard, I have an XA sedan, may 72 build, the rear stone tray has no exhaust cutouts, even though mine is dual exhaust. All the others I have seen have two, or one cut out. Is mine unusual ? Cheers
72 XA had no exhaust cut outs (except for GTs with the twin “square” cut outs). Unsure what month that changed but early hardtops didn’t have them either so it was like that until at least 8-9/72.
Ive purchased parts from Howard and Im very happy with the parts and the service.
Thanks Shane for the review.😀
Thanks Howard for the great insight on the intricate rust replacement panels that most people put in the too hard basket to repair, rusty hardtops can be intimidating!
I've witnessed car to car the variations between factory panel fit from the 70's,
nice fitment gaps of the panels were virtually non existent .
Regards to Dazza..cheers
(Apollo blue all the way)
You are very welcome, Yes our expectations of what the old cars were like is way above what they ever were. I pass on your message to Darren
Good job stocking these parts Howard and thanks for the video. I helped my brother repair a lot of the rust in his XB with your stock and after I've finished my XE, I've got one very rusty XA coupe to start on. Cheers :)
Glad it helped, still plenty of coupes out there waiting to be done
Astill Design, so great that so many panels are available for the older falcons. I have just restarted working on my TD Cortina after a long break, Unfortunatly for me the only panels that are available in Australia are the sills and lower quarter panels. So I'am going to have to order the panels from the UK, and the shipping cost for that is going to be crazy. Shipping is probably going to end up being more than the panels themselves :(
Thanks Rob, yes it’s funny I have sent panels to the UK, NZ, and the USA
Thanks again Howard, I'm a Holden Man but after watching this presentation i want to go and find a rusty XB Coupe! Thanks Bill Mc
Best of luck! Might be slowly converting you Bill.
Thanks Howard for again sharing your vast restoration knowledge - really enjoy the technical pieces you post on the channel.
Many thanks!
Another great vid full of the right info, im a xw/xy guy mostly, but i would own a xa 4door or a xc 2door round headlights, i know a bloke that's not long finished a xt gt & the shop that rebuilt that body,( which has since closed) brought rust repair parts from some1 north of Sydney & the quietly was 110%
Good stuff, thanks for sharing
Unbelievable, i had to make all the torque box, sills, plenum sections, quarter panel & guards sections, as you couldn't buy any of this stuff when i started fixing my xc 10 years ago, i had to learn how to make them. I was always envious of what you could get for the mustang for example in the US, basically anything you want, including a new shell. It would have saved me months of work if i could have gotten these new patch panels. Handy to know anyway, in case i ever have to do it again. Hope not though.
Yes it’s making it a little easier
Very interesting vid, didn’t realise so many panels made for xa/b&c falcons , i wish there were making that many for eh holdens ,cheers
Falcon hardtops are certainly the flavour of the month.
Good video Howard
Thanks very much
Brilliant. I hope you get into hq-wb Holden sometime soon.
Thanks, I will be just sticking to the Falcons
Check out The Resto Shed for h series stuff, not same quality but worth checking out
G'day Howard, This episode was good and bad for me. The info was very informative. As I'm about to "hopefully" 🤞close a deal on a XC Coupe/Hard Top. But the bank manager was sitting beside me aka the Wife (as we both love watching your videos) heard you quote replacement panel pricing. I told her we don't need this and that part replacement. Just a couple of little white lies. 😂
Keep up the great work mate. Ps! If I can seal the deal, I guarantee you're going to hear from me. 🤫😁
Fingers crossed! that you get the deal done. I won't tell.
@@AstillDesign Thanks mate. 👍
That was a brilliant video on what is available and what's not available, but you're looking for the 'HOLY GRAIL' parts that are being hidden, you are a great builder and manufacturer of 'unicorn ' metal work for these great cars.
Have you seen the latest build by the
Build by the ?
@@AstillDesign sorry forgot to put in "the ring brothers" it was in Jay Leno o Mon this week.
Hope you're well and have a great week
and got a perfect weekend planned 😌.
All panel sections require work to make them fit. For example the VB commodore could vary in length up to 15mm. And at the time GM considered that a success.
Oh so true, tolerance in the Factory workshop manual for XA_XC is 1/2"
The Best Chromer's are in the USA 🇺🇸 if u want a Show Job .
Copper , Nickel , Chrome .
Have my Eye 👁 on a one owner Coupe
I have always had a good run with "A Class Metal Finishes" in Lonsdale SA
@@AstillDesignis that where you quoted the 800-1000 price? I need a rear bar done for hq statesman
These parts would make great lounge room features. I might get rid of the family photos 😂
Yes some do have that classic look
Hi Howard, does anyone do a dual cutout XC rear bumper ? i've been trying to find one for over 30 years !
Not at this point. They come up on Facebook pages every now and then. Getting up in price as well
Great info! 👍👍🇦🇺
Glad it was helpful!
Impressive i can't believe the range now most of those we had to make patches in the past which now makes me want to undo all the work i have done on mine lol. Just not this year...
Its always the way, on Coolmint I used wagon drip gutters, front fenders for rear wheel arches etc etc
@@AstillDesign mines stashed again buried deep someone will find it one day lol 😁🇬🇸👍
Have you seen the graveyard cars video of them building a whole shell from aftermarket panels ?
No mate I haven’t.
Graveyard Carz repair Hemi's with the help of AMD and Tony's Auto Parts.
It’s a very interesting video .. I recommend it ..
XC coupe rear bumper has jack slots,
That’s true, forgot that bit.😀
Howard, is anyone looking at XB front stone trays. Ive been keeping an eye out but finding a decent one seems a challenge. They are a complex part but even the centre section minus the indicator buckets would be a real help. All the ones i see are bent and buckled if not rusted as well. An XB front bumper would be a good option too. The ones i find all seem to be rusty on the bottom section where water and debris would most likely sit. Having to repair then get it straight enough for chrome, seems like a new one would be an economical option.
The XB front stone tray is certainly needed but haven't heard of anyone doing it. Front bumpers were available on a changeover basis from the GT shop in Melb a few years back. Not sure if they are still doing them. We used one on Blackmans coupe.
Does anyone do the back corner for a sedan where it wraps around the tail light. Mine had chrome trim that caused it to rust badly. Ive tried repairing it but it just does not look quite right. Plus it so thin i kept blowing holes through it. As I work my way forward I will need to get a few bits from you. Thanks for the video.
I haven’t seen them anywhere,
If you want something new for the channel how about how to install the boot torsion springs without killing yourself. It would be much appreciated.
That would be an interesting one!
You are the Dynacorn of XA,B,C.
😂😂👍
Depending on how picky people wanna be. Xc coupe rear bars are slightly different to xa,xb they have a slots to suit the xc style bumper jack. Useless trivia you may never need, haha
Very true about the XC bumper, so many things to remember 🤦♂️
@@AstillDesign i was quite fond of your comment about the factory panels don't fit that well. people seem to be dilutional into thinking they were better built then they actually were
Very true. Holdens we’re the same. If you have pulled enough of the apart you see how shoddy they were compared to a modern car. NOS parts are also dud parts that were no good on the production line and put aside as spares to be sold at the dealerships.
Howard, I have an XA sedan, may 72 build, the rear stone tray has no exhaust cutouts, even though mine is dual exhaust. All the others I have seen have two, or one cut out. Is mine unusual ? Cheers
I would say yes, maybe a factory ordered dual exhaust on non GT
72 XA had no exhaust cut outs (except for GTs with the twin “square” cut outs). Unsure what month that changed but early hardtops didn’t have them either so it was like that until at least 8-9/72.
Ah ok, thanks guys!
I'd love it if an Aussie business would manufacture carbon fibre panels for classic cars. Not a popular opinion, but I'm over rust.
I don't see that happening in the near future