Gateway 3 – Restoration Scope
How deeply do I want to restore my vehicle?
The third gateway involves choosing the scope, or depth, of the restoration. We specialise in ground-up restorations, but can also focus on a single or multiple systems such as just the upholstery,or you may have already dismantled the vehicle and just need us to perform rust repairs and paint the body.
At Finch, we utilise a system of nine major stages to describe and control the restoration processes. In the diagram above, the nine stages are shown in a Vee shape. On the lefthand side of the Vee the vehicle is progressively being disassembled into constituent systems, sub-systems and assemblies. In the righthand side of the Vee, the constituent systems, sub-systems and assemblies are progressively reassembled into the completed and tested vehicle.
FR20177 Stage 1 - Transport and Receival
At Finch Restorations, one of the first steps in the 1973 Ford Falcon XA GT RPO 83 coupe project was to assign one of our project managers. A project manager was assigned before the Coupe arrived at our workshops in the Adelaide Hills.
-
FR20177 Stage 2 - Archaeology & Measurements
Due to the poor condition of the 1973 Falcon XA GT RPO 83 coupe, after decades of rat-infestation while stored in an open-fronted shed, the car represented a bio-hazard to humans.
While being careful to note any archaeological details, the coupe needed to be rid of rat faeces and rat's nests. Their removal started to reduce the terrible odours, which lingered in the body until the car was eventually stripped and dipped.
-
FR20177 Stage 3 - Disassembly
The disassembly stage is a major activity during the ground-up restoration process when a car is transformed back to its constituent components. Usually the car will transition to a state where it is in more pieces than it was in the factory, as sub-assemblies used in the factory, like the drive-line, also need to be repaired and reconditioned.
