Project Zero Bucks Given - Part 3: Summernats or bust!

We turned Project Zero Bucks Given from a functioning paddock find into a genuine Jap rat in just one day.

Or three big days in total, once you count collecting it from the paddock in West Wyalong and tickling its vital functions to make sure it drives.

Since we last updated you on Project Zero Bucks Given, on Tuesday, we've had an almighty thrash to make it cool and get ready.

Despite our motivation to do the whole lot for $0, we reluctantly decided to get a new set of tyres fitted. The ones it came with were barely holding air and looked like they'd explode at the first corner, but also highly unlikely to reseat themselves after fitting Atlas whitewall insterts.

This is the difference a quick coat of leftover spray paint can make.

After a quick coat of black spray paint we had lying around, a trip to the local tyre shop netted us a set of deluxe Doublestar 185/70/R14 radials for the standard 14-inch steel wheels. These were the cheapest we could find (it seems retreads are a thing of the past), but still set us back $75 per corner. Ouch.

Trip to the local tyre shop netted us a set of deluxe Doublestar 185/70/R14 radials for the standard 14-inch steel wheels.

Then we delicately removed the Atlas inserts from my Echo shop truck (don't laugh) and fitted them to the Doublestars by using a Prado to pop the beads ghetto-style.

Ghetto-style tyre bead popping.

Soon enough we had four whitewalled Doublestars, and a quick wipe with wax and grease remover had them looking radiant and new.

NIce kicks, eh?

Back on the car, we considered leaving the wheels hubcap-free for more of a rat rod look, but then decided to go with the baby moon hubcaps also pilfered from the Echo.

We also pinched the mesh sunvisor from my KE20 Corolla, which fit perfectly because it was originally fitted to another Corona.

That towball was also looking pretty nude, so the dog next door's tennis ball soon had a hole in it to become the ultimate towbar accessory.

Remembering that Summernats is generally about performance mods, we found a perfectly sized section of flexible drain tubing under the house and set about routing it between the air cleaner and the left-hand high beam hole for a custom cold-air intake. This also meant the windscreen washer bottle had to go.

We won't need high beam and hopefully won't be needing windscreen wipers at Summernats, but nor will we be travelling faster than about 5km/h and therefore extract benefit from the intake, but its a theoretical horsepower booster!

A lick of gold spraypaint from the shed to the headlight bucket gives it a bit of a gold tooth look, we reckon anyway.

While under the bonnet, we generously threw in a new set of spark plugs, which set us back another $20-odd. Things are adding up!

Our solution to the grotty and torn seats came in the form of four beach towels bought using a Kmart voucher, and we went with watermelon as it was the only non kids pattern left in stock after New Year's.

By this stage, Zero Bucks Given was feeling like a bit of an homage to classic Aussie Dad mods, so we decided to run with that theme and add a coathanger bent into the shape of the map of Australia. However, unlike the freebie antenna replacement this usually represents, ours is just for show because the Corona's A-pillar antenna mount just wouldn't look right.

Straya.

Speaking of not looking right, we'd be the laughing stock of Exhibition Park if we rocked up with a Corona sitting at least half a foot in the air. But rather than any dollar or effort-intensive means of lowering the ride height, the ever-generous Matt Campbell offered to loan us as many spare pavers from his driveway we needed for the weekend. Hey presto, she's now on the bump stops.

Look out Summernats, here OverSteer comes. Courtesy of a LandCruiser tow vehicle and another servo trailer of course.

If you'd like to help us claw back our massive over investment in Zero Bucks Given, you'll find her listed for sale on CarsGuide right here.

Otherwise, keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram channels over the weekend for all our adventures, and we'll have a full rundown on OverSteer next week.

If you see us at Summernats, come and say g'day, and we'll be armed with boxes of free merch. If you post any pics, don't forget to hashtag us with #zerobucksgiven and #oversteer.

Read Zero Bucks Given - Part 1 here

Read Zero Bucks Given - Part 2 here

Read Zero Bucks Given - Part 4 here

Do you think Zero Bucks Given is Summernats worthy? Tell us in the comments.