Before the car went off for panel and paint I drove around for a few weeks.

I had a friend over from Perth who was staying out at Richmond (miles away). I figured it would be a good run for the new engine.

I was experimenting a little with the camera on the way back and took these photos myself.

In case you're wondering where my left arm is, it's holding the camera.

I'm NOT impersonating the drummer from Def Leppard!

I'm going really, really fast.

Not really, it's Sydney remember.

Too many bloody trucks in the way!

Made it home and everything seemed to hang together. Took a pic of the new gauges.

L-R: Ammeter (not connected yet, but the light works), Oil Pressure, Water Temperature.

They're Stewart Warner gauges supplied by my mate Corey Swift at Flathead Garage. If you're looking for cool old stuff, call him on 0409 514 222.

First official run was the Bobbin Head Car Park Invasion that my club (Northern Beaches HRC) puts on each year.

It was cold and miserable and I had a pink hot rod following me the whole way there.

Apart from that, it was a TOP DAY OUT!

I got the car back from the painter's on a Friday, two days before the Rat Rod Day.

As you can see it was another miserable day (I was starting to think it was me causing the bad weather) and if you look close, you can see how clean my windows are. They're practically invisible!

Drove there with a ski jacket on hoping to impressive everyone with my new metalflake roof (Did I mention the metalflake?)

Turns out you can't see metalflake for shit when it's pissing rain and overcast.

Finally starting to look like a car. All I need is to fit the trim to the rear and the badge to the bonnet and it's just about done.

Still needs some work on the trim, but I'll worry about that later.