Fletch travels to Mara, NSW, to visit Graham Bush, a builder by trade who has developed extraordinary skills in metal fabrication. A builder's workshop is always a fascinating insight into their abilities. In this case, it's not just the woodworking tools but the metal fabrication workshop that is a real eye-opener.
Graham confesses that he grew up in a family of builders, and from an early age, building came naturally to him. For Graham, metal fabrication was the next level that has taken decades to master, and his 1937 Chev fully customised Hot Rod with 392 Hemi engine with a 700 transmission is a prime example.
Gramham is now 71, and you can see the vehicle, while still not complete, is close to the finish. It's a project that he has been working on since he was 17 years of age. The inspiration came from his teenage years owning a '37, 4-door sedan, with the ultimate aim to have an American Fisher Body Coupe with a blown injected Hemi engine.
This project is a masterclass of metal fabrication exercises involving hand forming, hand cutting, folding and polishing. Graham walks us through his project and explains the intricacies of the metal fabrication required. Graham says, "it's about the passion to express yourself and create, keeping the dream alive".
There's another exceptional resto on the go, a 1928 Ford Coupe, which came into the workshop as a tourer. The owner wanted to upgrade with windup windows and air conditioning and re-engineered to meet today's regulations, plus changing the body from a tourer to a coupe. The vehicle has a 307 Chev engine and 400 gearbox and is pretty much your standard Hot Rod, very practical, useable and reliable, built to Graham's exacting standard.
As you will discover, Graham is a very keen Hot Rodder, and Fletch finds another unique model in the garage, a 1957 Chrysler Imperial with a 392 Hemi engine. This is a rare model with only 37,000 vehicles built in Detroit, USA. In particular, the 392 Hemi engine is a much sought-after engine.
The collection is not about quantity but outstanding quality, and it's a credit to Graham.
