History
The car is originally a body/chassis kit with a compliance plate number 303k, so a Kadala built kit. I have owned the car since July 1981, and has been around the country on postings with the military and never driven by myself, although I have been a passenger in the car about 10 months before I bought it. I wonder if it the longest restoration ever in Australia, there's a challenge. Ok when I bought the car all I got was a body and chassis, everything else was gone. The body was broken off the floor pan, and there was cracks at every corner, the windscreen rubber was keeping the front of the door frames in tact, they broke when the body was lifted off the chassis. The Chassis was cracked everywhere I looked and almost completely down the LH side where the starter motor relief was, arghhh.
The car's body is now straight, original and unmodified as you can see in the photo, taken at Fibrecar by Jim Shanahan. It was finished then and waiting for me to pick it up, you can still see the red guards behind the front wheel (Royce's wheels).
Modifications
Without looking at dates, from memory: I contacted Royce Marion in the early 1980's (about mid 1982), and he mentioned the original Jigs and moulds where still around, and I asked about a new chassis, he said some club members were arranging to restore the jigs for use, so I gave some money to assist the restoration and Royce built me chassis number 456s. Yes its a space frame and I wanted it fully adjustable and 10" wide O.A. through the tunnel. Royce also supplied the full rolling Chassis with the body refitted and the Celica gearbox and drive shaft to suit the Holden 6. He built the Chassis to take a Chevy V8 or a Rover V8, or the original 186ci Holden. I already have the Holden fitted, but I would love to fit a Rover V8. The gear change is remote like in a formula car, right next to the steering wheel as Royce suggested, reverse is very difficult.
Other modifications are 7 x 14" Hot wire wheels (no wheels with the car on purchase), Volvo rear disc Brakes and LH Torana front brakes. Koni shock absorbers, Momo steering wheel, Tilton Engineering brake bias bar and individual brake master cylinders (as original).
The seats are recovered early Escort RS2000 (English Corbeau's), strengthened a little and new mounts made to fit the Mk7's flat floor. To get in and out of the car you need to slide the seat fully back.
