Once the FJ ute was in the hands of The Surgery, work began on turning this old banger into a mobile BBQ, a restoration project that would last seven months.

The task in hand was to create a vehicle which a wide sector of the New Zealand population could relate to, plus it needed to have the feel of those old-time Kiwi golden summers – and so the task was to transform an old, retired icon into a genuine working classic.

Hamish’s requirements for the vehicle were quite specific and included such things as upgraded brakes, suspension, engine and gearbox, but the vehicle still had to retain its classic personality.

The FJ ute also needed to be user-friendly and reliable, as it was to be driven by a wide range of people and be capable of carrying heavy loads at times.

Another requirement was that the old FJ had to have a few creature comforts on board (for those long trips up country) and be capable of keeping up with the general traffic on the roads.

Last but by no means least, it needed to be self-contained with a complete BBQ that could be easily and quickly
set up and put away and, just as importantly, the ute still needed to look original to the untrained eye.

The first job on the agenda for e Surgery was to develop a suitable design that was not only practical, but that would also comply with the requirements set down by Hamish and his team at the Export Meat Warehouse. The Surgery produced dozens of sketches, working drawings and innovative ideas which ultimately came together to produce an end result which has since become a highly sought after (and very cool) marketing tool for Hamish. Basically, the result of The Surgery’s work ended up being a cross between a camper van, food catering vehicle, mobile marketing machine and classic car all rolled into one – complete with a bright red paint job and whitewall tyres.

In actual fact, the FJ Holden was in fairly tidy original condition, albeit a little worn, providing The Surgery’s team with a good base to work from. The first step was to completely strip all the mechanicals, interior, engine, gearbox, suspension and electrics out of the ute so that design work, mechanicamodificationsns engineering, upgrades and over- hauls could be carried out.

The next step was to test t the entire new drivetrain that included a fully reconditioned 3.3-litre (202ci) Holden engine with a modified sump and oil pick-up. e new engine also featured new standard 202 engine mounts, new heavy-duty 120-amp alternator and a Holden VK Commodore electronic pointless ignition distributor. A heavy-duty radiator with a thermostatic controlled electric fan was installed to take care of the cooling department.

e engine was then mated to a Holden Commodore ve-speed gearbox, and a heavy-duty clutch was added to take care of any extra weight. e next step was to install the ball-jointed (from original king pin) front suspension, but not before the front cross member was upgraded to

a Holden HR unit. New gas shocks and front sway bar
were also fitted, while the rear suspension received a set of adjustable heavy-duty gas shocks. e front brakes received a disc brake conversion complete with new callipers, brake booster, master cylinder and overhauled pedal box assembly, all courtesy of Holden VK Commodore.

Once the drivetrain was completely installed and fully

checked to ensure everything worked and operated as it should, the vehicle was completely disassembled again so the panel work and straightening could commence.

e bodywork on the FJ was fairly sound to start with for its age, considering that The Surgery and Hamish had spent some time looking for a good example. e Surgery discovered that the FJ ute was previously painted white, and there were visible areas of surface rust once the shell was stripped back to bare steel which required a small amount of cutting and welding operations before it was repaired and straightened.

When the body was perfectly straight and prepared for painting it was then fully sprayed in Export Meat Ware- house colours using PPG two-pack products, and the company graphics and sponsor logos were applied. e body was also fully rust-proofed and under sealed at this time.

Now the body was painted it was time for the reassembly of all the new and revised mechanical and suspension components, as well as a 12V electric heater/demister, remote electric central locking system, up-rated headlamps, 12V system and heavy-duty 12V starting battery. Originally the FJ didn’t have indicators, so an indicator switch was designed and fitted to the steering column and the indicators placed inside the front side lamps and tail lamps. e windscreen wipers were converted from vacuum to dual speed electric wipers and inertia seat belts and centre lap belts were fitted. To add the finishing touches to the ute’s interior, a CD player with iPod plug and two four-inch speakers were installed in the doors.