1964 CHEVY NOVA

Jet Black and immaculate condition. Jame’s Chevy Nova has been an Auto West icon for years now.

1946 CHEVY FLATBED

For many years this flatbed was seen out the front of the Auto West Paint Supplies Bathurst store or these days more likely even seen at trade shows being used as our product display table.

1967 HOLDEN HR

Original colour, many original parts. This Holden HR is owned by the GM of Auto West Paint Supplies. Nathan has taken this car out for a Sunday drive more times than he can remember and the passion for this car shows there will be countless more drives too.

APRIL

Pete Sinclair’s Ermine White 1968 Chevrolet Impala took around 6 months to restore. With both windscreens and both back guards needing to be replaced, along with small amounts of rust and panel repairs the vehicle wasn’t in the worst shape but enough to keep himself and Villawood Engines busy restoring it. The vehicle was painted in Protec 625 paint 2 years ago and has been used primarily as a leisure vehicle since. With his one word of advice Pete says “Do not buy a rusted-out car if you are not a panel beater, if you cannot do 90% of the work yourself, don’t do it”.

MAY

The 1951 Deluxe Club Sedan200 Series Packard was a 7-year feat for Lee Harris finishing in early 2014. The main issues were the major rust in both the rear quarter panels and floor. While the majority of the work was done by himself, the rust removal and upholstery were done by a professional. The purpose of this car is mainly the lazy Sunday drives though there have been a few shows that this vehicle has participated in both competitive and friendly. The vibrant red colour is named ‘Packard Matadoe Maroon’ and is painted in Protec acrylic paint. Lee’s best DIY tip would be “Firstly count the cost and do some research before taking on such a big task and be willing to try anything yourself”.

JUNE

The 1953 Morris Oxford Utility Truck was a 5-year venture for the owners Bernie and Paul. With the ute being completely rusted out, many people including a professional said it would not be rebuildable. Paul never gave up and was eventually putting the finishing touches on. It was painted just 18 months ago (2016) in Protec’s Direct Gloss (GMIX) using a custom colour based on a 1984 Toyota Aqua colour and the featured 1.5ltr Nissan Super Charged Engine was installed. Finally, the vehicle is now being used happily as a Sunday driver. Paul and Bernie’s best tip would be to “Start off with a good body and go from there”.

JULY

Built in the back shed by Jon Kendall with a little help from a few experts, this 1977 Torana LXSS has been featured in various shows. It is hard to believe that 1 year ago (2017) this ended as the finished product of a nine-month project which started off as a body that had a lot of rust and no windows. Luckily the motor was working, though the hardest part was the fact that it was already started and Jon had to work with what the previous owners had completed. Jon worked through a fair amount of setbacks and he said the best advice he can give would be to “Network amongst the vehicle community, especially the specific makes and models of the cars you’re working on.” The Torana was painted in Protec Basecoat and has an Extra Flow Clear over the top of the GMH colour Morpheus and is now used as both a show car and as a personal leisure vehicle.

AUGUST

Julius’ Wimbledon White Cortina which was completed in 2007 in a Protec 2K paint is one of the classiest cars out there. The 1964 Mark 1 Super Cortina is completely original besides one little secret. When restoring they needed an engine… an engine they got from a 1971 Cortina instead. A decision they needed to make though when asked for a tip he said “No matter what, if the original is good, leave it that way!” Through hard work, the entire restoration was done by himself and a few mechanics, though overall the vehicle was not in the worst state. With a bot of rust bubbles in the old paintwork and the rear taillight pushed in, the restoration was not nearly as bad as they can be. In saying that, the 3 years was no easy feat but paid off as being a prize-winning show car and an enjoyable casual drive.

SEPTEMBER

“Talk to the professionals and talk to Auto West!” was the DIY advice given by Eddie Hopson, the proud owner of the 1974 Ford XB Coupe. After around 8 months of restorations with a complete stri down due to surface rust and dodgy paintwork, along with a rebuilt interior and a custom dash, the vehicle was completed. This was 6 years ago and Eddie has enjoyed those leisurly Sunday drives ever since. For those who love the paintwork it was done in Protec 606 (now GMIX Direct Gloss) 2K Solid with a clear coat and the colour name is EDS Red.

OCTOBER

The most unique car in the calendar. This Coffin Car is exactly what it’s name represents. Custom made by Mick from Boneyard Kustomz, this car is quite literally made out of a coffin. The only thing that is familiar is the engine. Powered by a 1970’s Chevrolet engine it has power and sophistication. As for the paint, it is painted in Protec’s 606 (now GMIX Direct Gloss) 2K Solid in a simple Jet Black. Completed just over 8 months ago and now used as a DIY car only for ‘Loving’. In the same wit as making a vehicle out of a coffin, the best advice from Mick that could be given when wanting to restore a vehicle would be… “Get someone else to do it!”

NOVEMBER

The most important thing that someone needs to remember is to “Use the same products all the way through the restoration” Barry from Nelson Bodyworks explains. It took 12 months to rebuild the 1955 Dodge Royal. It was stripped back and painted in Protec 606 (now GMIX Direct Gloss) with a two-tone colour scheme. Collen Green on the bottom and a custom green metallic on top. In 2002 the owner Darren Hill got his car back and it is now a leisure car for those Sunday drives.

DECEMBER

It’s been 5 years now since Michael from Deluxe Restorations completed his 1969 Holden HT Premier. In a full ground-up rebuild, the ‘Prem’ was stripped back to bare metal and recoloured, Aluminium Metallic, in Protec Basecoat with an Extra Flow Clear on top. Michael said it was a bit of work, but it could have been much worse. It had to be completely resprayed and there were, of course, the regular issues that all restorers have with a car of this age.

The McCormick Farmall

Restored by Barry Hughes in Bathurst. The iconic McCormick Farmall is still able to be used and is an absolute sight to see.

The Tractor Shed

Barry Hughes really loves his vintage machinery. This is evident in his immaculate Tractor Shed.

Victa Mowers

The iconic Aussie Victa mowers are a passion to restore by Danny Vella. While restoring them he takes the utmost care in making sure they are kept as close to original as possible.

Massey Ferguson Tractors

Danny Vella doesn’t just take pride in his Victa’s but his Massey Ferguson’s too. Painted in the original iconic red that has barely changed in the decades from original make. These tractors look crisp and stand out amongst the crowd.

Massey Ferguson 135 Model

The impressive Massey Ferguson Tractor gets a second appearance in this calendar with GWS’s paint job of their 135 Model.

Kenworth Truck

Justin Borg’s Kenworth truck has been repainted in the DNA custom paint range. The Candy Red truly stands out and is one of the most impressive looking haulage vehicles around.

The Nepean Belle

This beautiful River Cruise Paddle Boat has been looked after and loved by Chris at Bennet Cruising for many years. It is one of the most unique vehicles we have had the chance to photograph to date. Its amazing crisp  colours really stand out against the greens and browns of the Australian landscape.

Tram

A School in the local Nepean District used this old tram as a project for the seniors to work on together and was restored and painted mostly by the students. They now use it as a seniors lunch area and is a reminder of the teamwork that the school had in taking on such a big job.

JANUARY

Ford Winter White, Process Blue, and Azure Blue. These were the main colors that were used in doing up Jim Campbells’ 1975 Mark 1 Ford Escort. It was painted in Protec Basecoat with an Extra Flow Clear over the top. The vehicle was completed 2 years ago (2016) and is now used as a personal leisure car. Although, it does make occasional appearances at various shows.

Jim and his team at John Newell Smash Repairs spent 18 months restoring the vehicle. This was mainly because of the previous butchered repair work. Luckily, the bare shell was not in bad shape. The one tip Jim would give is to “Always be passionate to see the job through”.

FEBRUARY

“A lot of rust. So we had to sandblast the lot but, it was a solid body and vehicle”. This was the state that the 1923 Ford T Model was in, which for a car of that age is not too bad. The vehicle has been brought back to life by Barry Smith and Duco Fix It, mainly for leisure. The car was painted in the 1964 Holden colour London Green using a Helios Basecoat. And the key to it all?… “Patience”. The entire restoration was finally completed in September 2016.

MARCH

The Protec 606 painted (now overtaken by Direct Gloss – GMIX), Elk Blue 1956 FJ Holden Panel Van was a sentimental restoration. For Jason and Chanelle Vella it was a caring love job because the FJ was a parent’s old car. Six years ago, they completed what was thought to be a non-repairable disaster to put it lightly. The self-restored van is now a loving memory for every Sunday drive that is taken. When asked for one DIY tip… “Never give up on your dream”.

APRIL

Pete Sinclair’s Ermine White 1968 Chevrolet Impala took around 6 months to restore. With both windscreens and both back guards needing to be replaced, along with small amounts of rust and panel repairs the vehicle wasn’t in the worst shape but enough to keep himself and Villawood Engines busy restoring it. The vehicle was painted in Protec 625 paint 2 years ago and has been used primarily as a leisure vehicle since. With his one word of advice Pete says “Do not buy a rusted-out car if you are not a panel beater, if you cannot do 90% of the work yourself, don’t do it”.

MAY

The 1951 Deluxe Club Sedan 200 Series Packard was a 7-year feat for Lee Harris finishing in early 2014. The main issues were the major rust in both the rear quarter panels and floor. While the majority of the work was done by himself, rust removal and upholstery were done by a professional.

The purpose of this car is mainly the lazy Sunday drives. Although there have been a few shows that this vehicle has participated in. Both competitive and friendly. The vibrant red colour is named ‘Packard Matadoe Maroon’ and is painted in Protec acrylic paint. Lee’s best DIY tip would be “Firstly count the cost and do some research before taking on such a big task and be willing to try anything yourself”.

JUNE

The 1953 Morris Oxford Utility Truck was a 5-year venture for the owners Bernie and Paul. With the ute being completely rusted out, many people including a professional said it would not be rebuildable. Paul never gave up and was eventually putting the finishing touches on.

It was painted just 18 months ago (2016) in Protec’s Direct Gloss (GMIX). This was in a custom colour based on a 1984 Toyota Aqua colour. The vehicle was installed with a featured 1.5ltr Nissan Super Charged Engine. Finally, the vehicle is now being used happily as a Sunday driver. Paul and Bernie’s best tip would be to “Start off with a good body and go from there”.

JULY

Built in the back shed by Jon Kendall with a little help from a few experts. This 1977 Torana LXSS has been featured in various shows. It is hard to believe that 1 year ago (2017) this ended as the finished product of a nine-month project. It started off as a body that had a lot of rust and no windows. Luckily the motor was working, though the hardest part was the fact that it was already started and Jon had to work with what the previous owners had completed. Jon worked through a fair amount of setbacks.

He said the best advice he can give would be to “Network amongst the vehicle community. Especially the specific makes and models of the cars you’re working on.” The Torana was painted in Protec Basecoat and has an Extra Flow Clear over the top. Painted in the GMH colour Morpheus. It is now used as both a show car and as a personal leisure vehicle.

AUGUST

Julius’ Wimbledon White Cortina which was completed in 2007 in a Protec 2K paint is one of the classiest cars out there. The 1964 Mark 1 Super Cortina is completely original besides one little secret. When restoring they needed an engine… an engine they got from a 1971 Cortina instead. A decision they needed to make. Though when asked for a tip, he said “No matter what, if the original is good, leave it that way!”

Overall the vehicle was not in the worst state. Through hard work, the entire restoration was done by himself and a few mechanics. With a lot of rust bubbles in the old paintwork and the rear taillight pushed in. Considering the age of the vehicle, the restoration was not nearly as bad as they can be. In saying that, those 3 years were no easy feat. But, it paid off as being a prize-winning show car and an enjoyable casual drive.

SEPTEMBER

“Talk to the professionals and talk to Auto West!” was the DIY advice given by Eddie Hopson. The proud owner of the 1974 Ford XB Coupe. After around 8 months of restorations and a complete strip down due to surface rust and dodgy paintwork. As well as a rebuilt interior and a custom dash, the vehicle was completed. This was 6 years ago and Eddie has enjoyed those leisurely Sunday drives ever since. For those who love the paintwork it was done in Protec 606 (now GMIX Direct Gloss) 2K Solid with a clear coat. The colour name is EDS Red.

OCTOBER

The most unique car in the calendar. This Coffin Car is exactly what its name represents. Custom made by Mick from Boneyard Kustomz, this car is quite literally made out of a coffin. The only thing that is familiar is the engine. Powered by a 1970’s Chevrolet engine it has power and sophistication.

As for the paint, it is painted in Protec’s 606 (now GMIX Direct Gloss) 2K Solid in a simple Jet Black. Completed just over 8 months ago and now used as a DIY car only for ‘Loving’. In the same wit as making a vehicle out of a coffin, the best advice from Mick that could be given when wanting to restore a vehicle would be… “Get someone else to do it!”

NOVEMBER

The most important thing that someone needs to remember is to “Use the same products all the way through the restoration” Barry from Nelson Bodyworks explains. It took 12 months to rebuild the 1955 Dodge Royal. It was stripped back and painted in Protec 606 (now GMIX Direct Gloss) with a two-tone colour scheme. Collen Green on the bottom and a custom green metallic on top. In 2002 the owner Darren Hill got his car back and it is now a leisure car for those Sunday drives.

DECEMBER

It’s been 5 years now since Michael from Deluxe Restorations completed his 1969 Holden HT Premier. In a full ground-up rebuild, the ‘Prem’ was stripped back to bare metal and recoloured, Aluminium Metallic. This was done in Protec Basecoat with an Extra Flow Clear on top. Michael said it was a bit of work, but it could have been much worse. It had to be completely resprayed and there were, of course, the regular issues that all restorers have with a car of this age.