Tait Schneider and his dad are currently in the process of restoring a rusty HQ Tonner with the aim of a February 2025 completion date. That’s when Tait is due to get his P-plates and this will be his first car. Here’s a brief run down of where they’re up to with the build and you can see more on Tait’s YouTube channel.

First published in the May 2024 issue of Street Machine

“I’m 17 and building a 1972 HQ One Tonner named HQ1TN. It’s running a fluffy 253 with an Aussie four-speed. My old man and I have taken on the task to restore the old girl to be my first car.

“Almost everything on the cab has been either replaced or rebuilt. It’s full of rust so I’ve redone almost everything, including the floorpans, doors, bottoms of the A and B-pillars, sills and scuttle panel. One of the bigger jobs I’ve done was the roof – it was full of rust, and I had to unpick the skin just to get access to the gutters.

“It’s been a big job, but I’ve found my passion for metalwork and fabrication during the build. My deadline to finish the Tonner is February 2025, which is when I get my P-plates.

“If you want to see more of the Tonner you can jump on YouTube and search up HQ1TN, where I’ve been documenting the progress.”

See more photos and updates at Tait’s Instagram here.