Tailgate and hidden hinge work coming along

 Had a significant and sombre few weeks here which has stopped me from even looking at the truck and the only person doing anything at all is Rob, and it is not even his project! Good onya, Rob. Here's the latest from him

Cutting and drilling the tailgate to make way for the hidden latch kit. 

Mark, the welding guy I have been in negotiation with, is coming this Tuesday to drop some metal off and hopefully the following Tuesday, will start work on the cabin. Fingers crossed! 

How could NCAT get things so wrong? What a SURREAL experience!

I am waiting for the day the government instigates an  investigation into the corrupt culture that exists within NCAT. The disgusting manner in which they bend the rules to suit their own means is appalling, and had I not been a victim of their abuse, I would not have believed it. But I can tell you that it is true.

I complained to NCAT that a FAKE (that is, unlicensed, unregistered, unqualified) "fabricator" was ruining my vehicle. Well it turns out this turkey has no licence as a supposed auto repair shop, mechanical repair shop, or fabrication shop. He has, in my opinion, deceived** me into obtaining several thousands of dollars illegally by requesting an upfront deposit before he begins the work. 

**There is a law against this, mind you, but did NCAT acknowledge it? Nope! DISMISSED my case without a word! 

I paid him the deposit and when I discovered he was a lying scumbag piece of shit, wanted my vehicle out of there, and when I saw the work that he started to do on the chassis, that only reinforced my desire to get it out of his premises. I was prepared to pay him for the work he had started, but he refused.

It went to NCAT. Ha! What an insulting, offensive place that turned out to be! Read the Google reviews! 

NCAT basically ignored my complaints and awarded him virtually everything else based on an extraordinarily over inflated costings list that he scribbled down in ten minutes. Lies, lies, filthy stinking lies!  And the pathetic court officer at NCAT believed his bullshit! 

As far as I know these days, Fair Trading has shut the scumbag down as his shop has been closed for over six months. It doesn't help me, but it might save others. At least that is something. I can only hope word gets around that this lousy arsehole is someone to avoid. 

This is why NCAT got it so wrong:

The POS charged me storage costs! Against the law for starters, but not to NCAT! They said since he had an accident and couldn't attend his workshop he was entitled to sting ME for storing my car in his workshop during his accident period! That is a FACT! I didn't cause the accident and WHY was I penalised for his accident?  I tried to get my truck out, but he had his gates shut

I had Evidence in the form of copies of transcripts of text message and evidence of phone call dates made to respondent to validate the applicants attempts to have the applicants F100 vehicle removed from the premises workshop following the request for work to be stopped on vehicle. ALL IGNORED! 

The POS hit me over a grand for sandblasting the engine! Here is the engine! Doesn't look sandblasted to me!  Didn't matter to the pathetic NCAT officer. She gave him a grand for that! 

I supplied photographic evidence which was totally ignored!

The POS hit me with over a grand in itemising charges! Items that were already labelled in their own boxes. Items that would have taken a couple of hours to check. But not to the dim witted NCAT official. She simply said "how long do you estimate it took to itemise the things." The scumbag said "three days" She nodded and said "ok" despite me say "you cannot be serious!" I had photographic proof and documented lists of all items. 

The insults got worse! the POS says he paid $370 for a rebuild kit. I asked to have it, since I paid for it and have never seen it. I asked for proof of its existence. I was ignored! 

Further to that he stole a set of step plates and has refused to return them! I told NCAT he never returned them to me, but the charming lady behind the chair dutifully ignored me.

The horror goes on, but I will spare you the rest.

Did I complain? Yes, I complained about the disgraceful  treatment I received from the court officer but was advised she acted in accordance to the law.  I was told I could appeal the decision, but was advised by legal aid if I lost the case I would have to pay legal costs. I sent a letter to the ombudsman but never received a reply. I guess they were too busy dealing with all the other NCAT complaints! 

It is my honest opinion NCAT is rotten to the core. The court officer is a vile, disgusting person with an overinflated ego, and the low grade piece of shit who STOLE my money can rot in hell. One thing I am certain; what goes around comes around, and this low grade dog is definitely gonna have his day.

How bastards like him sleep at night is beyond me. 
 

Rob working hard on the tailgate of the 1956 f100

 Rob has been hitting the tailgate super hard by the looks of these pictures he sent me. I gave the tailgate up as a bit of a lost cause, but Rob reckoned he could make something of it again, and he is really bringing that old tailgate back to life! 

He tells me he had to go out and get a bigger hammer as these old trucks are solid steel and required a lot of bashing back into shape. Rob tells me the lower hinge needs repairs and I have a custom hidden hinge kit that Garry supplied with the truck. 

Now all I need is a tub! 

May 2023 update Going Slo-Mo

 Making slow progress with the truck these days, but I've found a guy who says he can do some welding jobs for me and he's coming over tomorrow.  Failing that, I'll probably go out and buy a bloody welder and have a crack at it myself. Thanks for following my progress guys and gals. I do appreciate the feedback. 

Just to recap. 

About a year ago I bought a 1956 Ford F100 truck from a guy on Ebay in Australia. She was a pretty rough old girl but there were quite a lot of good parts that went with the deal, and there was some junky stuff as well.  I still converse with Garry over the truck and I have never regretted buying it. 

Things went pear shaped when I took it to a fake low grade dog masquerading  as a fabrication shop for custom cars. That turned out to be a surreal experience of the worst kind.  He essentially f@#$#d up the truck during his six months in his fake workshop. The con artist began welding weird brackets on the chassis and it was then I realised he had no idea what he was doing. I tried to get my vehicle out but had given the prick a huge deposit. 

I took him to NCAT, the national court of arbitration, but they proved to be nothing more than a kangaroo court full of wannabee lawyers : low grade people with too much power. NCAT is such a disgrace to the legal system that a Royal commission should be conducted into their behaviour.  They blatantly disregarded my entire case and chose to side with a criminal rogue scamming dog instead. They are a blight on the legal system in this country. 

With nothing left in the kitty I considered selling the whole project, but the amount I needed to break even was now quite high. I have seen worse trucks than mine for sale for more money, but its current state doesn't make it much of an inviting purchase. So, I decided the only way ahead was forward.

Out of the mess I made some really good contacts and made a few friends along the way who were as digusted as I was that I got conned and their willingness to offer their help for a song (and since I can't sing, that makes their offer to help even more generous) has really inspired me to keep going.

So, with a new sense of positivity, I soldier on...

This is where we're at:

Hit the bonnet with paint stripper. Wondering whether this was actually a good idea as there are many small dints and flaws in the metal that I have now got to cover over again. Think I made a lot more work than I needed to. But anyway, what's done is done and no going back now. Paint stripper is shit stuff to work with and I made myself sick with it last night inhaling too much of it at the one time. 

The place where I was planning to order a tub for the 56 has shut its doors and the guy has retired, so without much choice I will be ordering a Mar-K kit from Autoware. Works out about a grand cheaper, so no real complaints. I do have to order a separate tailgate though. The truck came with this one, but she's a bit shitty and I think someone has taken a big chop out of the tailgate top section. Anyway, Rob, a good friend who has come to my assistance is having a go at resurrecting it. He took it away to work some magic on it. Hopefully he can make something of it. 

Work going ahead on the cab corner. Looks like I will have to remove the piece holding the hinge bracket as there is just too much damage beneath it. 

This whole section is going to have to come out. The rust under the cab mount is significant. A lot worse than I first imagined.  It's starting to look like a big job just like the other side. 

Not a pretty sight. 

This is the driver's side RHS and very much cactus erectus. Looking like the LHS is gonna be much the same. 

The engine mounts are sitting too high. This is the first time I was able to see exactly where the engine sits, and boy, does it sit high! I think we can easily drop an inch off the mounts and if I rotate them I might get another half an inch. I figure I have about an inch and a half to play with. The question is, is that gonna be enough to clear the Jag power steering rack? I really only need to drop the engine an inch and I think I can get away with it, but then I haven't even set up the tailshaft yet. I'm thinking the lower I can get the motor the better. Ideally I want to get it past the rack and then I have another inch to play with and we all need an extra inches we can get.