Mildred the RT40, RestoMod project

[DavidBoxhead]

Hey all,
I am brand new to the Toyota brand (apart from owning a few new ones)
I am a motor mechanic by trade (working in a different field now - so cars are for fun) I also have panel and paint training.
For a long time I have been toying with the idea of doing up an RT40 (my wifes first car), recently I have purchased a couple with the intend to carry out this thought.
I first purchased a 1970 (although stamped as 4/69 on plate, I was told 70 model due to tail lights).
Here is Mildred from pictures as sent to me by previous owner, she had been parked near a shed that caught fire at some stage, hence the surface rust.



Mildred came with an array of many parts including a NOS tail light and some door seals.
A stack of doors and a replacement bonnet.
Mildred was located in Brisbane, where as I am in Alice Springs, so a trailer and a suitable tow vehicle where purchased, I flew over and collected it all and drove home the following 3 days.


Soon after a 1968 model (same year as my wifes car) appeared on eBay, well I bought that too, except it was in Melbourne.
So same thing was done and I found myself flying to Melbourne on Christmas day and towed V2 home on Boxing day (and teh following 2 days)


Work started yesterday on the rebuild of Mildred, so after sorting out the workshop (has been very messy in there) I parked Mildred in her corner and started the tear down.

[DavidBoxhead]

There are a few rust repairs I will need to carry out, only 1 being a surprise, The plenum area is pretty bad, but I have ordered some spot weld drill bits and will use the donor car to rob sections from.




I knew about this before I started, so no surprise here.




An area that looks to be an old smash repair.


You can also see in following picture, the body seam in firewall is fairly rusted, I will most likely weld this together flat anyway.
But what you cant see is plenum panel around the bonnet latch is bent (I assume from when had smash in front pushed bonnet back), the donor car has a perfect top plenum, so that will be fitted.


Donor.


And that is where I am upto after day 1.
I hope to get the engine, gearbox and front suspension out over the next few days.
With rust repairs starting on Saturday.

[Zammo]

Hi David

im subscribing for awesomeness

[lilcrash]

Bam.........

[Silly Rabbit]

Top job. Gotta love the enthusiasm to drive all over the country to rescue these old girls. Good luck on the resto and I am sure from the 2 cars you will have one awesome car at the end of it.