Project Craffie..the 75 Single Cab

[Eugene]

Ok, so one day I drove through Swellendam on my way to Hartenbos and there was this Single cab standing in the main road. I took note of the sign writing and telephone numbers and undertook to phone the owner on my way back. On my return it was raining so I decided to phone the following week. The next week I had to go to Swellendam for business and popped in and asked the owner about selling the car. He said he would speak to his son and phone me back. I phoned him again he next week upon which he told me that I could have the car but he'll phone me the next day with a price. I had a figure in my head and when he phoned me back, asking halve of what I was prepared to pay, I almost wet myself. The next day I was in Swellendam with the money and Fig's bakkie in my possession. Apparently Fig tried to buy the bakkie but without success.Capies 1 Vaalies 0)

Pictures of Craffie on collection.


I drove Craffie like this for almost a year but could see how the coastal conditions was taking it's toll. Fig mentioned earlier that he didn't understand why we wanted to cover a perfectly good car with a new coat of paint but if you don't live at the coast, you just won't know how quickly a car can deteriorate.

As I didn't care much for the wide bed look, (sorry Fig) I got hold of some German drop sides and started the revamp. We (me and the laaities) started stripping Craffie and started working on the dents and rust in that order. For a Brazilian bus, Craffie had very little rust.



The rest of Craffie is now also in primer and ready for the new paint job but this is where the project lost speed.
The not so new drop sides were sent to a guy who "specialised in restoring old cars". After having them for more than a month it seemed he specialised in F@cking up old cars Please don't ever take your vehicle to Phoenix Auto Body Restoration or a chap named Johan Rossouw in Brackenfell!!! You will be sorry!!!!
If anybody knows someone who can sort them out for me, please let me know. They just need to be straightened and a couple of holes welded up.
I managed to break a finger in a cricket game but should be ready to continue the project in about 2 weeks time.
Will post more pics as we go along.

[MINCE]

I am sorry but that is too frikken cool!!!!!!!

Sorry, dont know where to look for what you want.
Hope you find the parts and i hope your fingers heals up perfectly.
I am envious.
lucky bastard

[fig]

That so was NOT a project when you got it.

I've seen the standard that you build buses to, Eugene, and I'm sure it'll be really beautiful when you're done with it, but I think it's a crying shame that the cleanest, most original Fleetline single cab I have ever seen should be molested in this way.

If you Kaapies can't preserve your original paint buses then you need to pass them on to volks inland.

[Beach_Bum]

Looks good
Can't wait to see the finished project.

[MINCE]

if he left that alone, it would fall apart in a few years.
DO IT!

[calooker]

Child labour??? Isn't that illegal???

[MINCE]

only if they get paid for it

[calooker]

What is CHILDLINE's tel.# again???

[vuyo]

Child labour??? Isn't that illegal???

the kids did a goood ! job whats they going rate? pls post more pics.

[flatfourfan]

Nice single cab......screw the widebody, it looks ugly.........lol.

[vuyo]

What is CHILDLINE's tel.# again???

do we still have that in S.A.

[MINCE]

ask Michael Jackson

[vuyo]

ask Michael Jackson

bwaaahahahaha

[Eugene]

So, a year has gone by and nothing happened to Craffie.....almost nothing

I'll start posting pics as soon as Craffie is done.

[Eugene]

Ok..I can't wait any longer...I'm just too exited.

These arn't the best pics but the best I can do for now.

Craffie's not done yet but should be done in about 2 weeks time.

As you might remember, I hated the wide bed. Searched long and hard and found a set of German Dropsides. They were in a bad state but got fixed up nicely and here's the progress.


Now we skip a couple of days and the dropsides are done and Craffie's ready for the final coat.


Now the light is bad and so are the pics but Craffie's home and assembly has started.










Light from behind not good at all for photography but that's not what I'm here for
Now the lights are fitted and he looks like a Splitty. He's just so handsome




Will post more pics later.