fbekholden.com

Blacky,

Not quite original bores - it's been been bored out to 3-1/16" + 0.040".

OK, so 0.007" end float on the crank. My Humpy wasn't much better than that. Maybe it'll come up better with new main bearings (?)

Rob

Harv,

Compression-testing is not that much easier on two-door Holdens which came out with SBCs as standard equipment . . . particularly numbers six and eight spark plugs.

Rob

Clay, I had the same problem when rebuilding a motor for my X2 way back when. The rear main bearings were overwidth on the thrust faces. Result: I couldn't even get the crankshaft to sit in place. Called the engine reconditioner,explained the problem, and he said to bring in the crank and bearing sh...

I think I must add another book to my reading list. My upbringing is obviously incomplete.

Rob

I am imagining marine-meets-vintage-guitar-amplifier -

Varnished wood, polished aluminium strips, black vinyl roof.

Rob

Thanks for the progress report Harv. One of the guys in the Humpy club has bought the Merc rear main seal (see Drew's FB wagon thread) for his FJ engine build, and I am thinking of a similar approach with aluminium strip. Of course, there's nothing better to experiment on than somebody else's motor....

Clay,

Wiper motor and switch, please.

Rob

Stephen, My two cents' worth - I have a Humpy with a stock 132, and I fitted a 3.55 to it. It's now much quieter at cruise. My FC has a 3-1/8" bore motor, and a 3.36. I used to run 185/70-13 tyres, and it was fine with them. Now I have taller profile Nankang whitewalls. It's not super-fast from...

@gdavid - I've private-messaged you.

Rob

Clay,

Are the brake shoes good enough for exchange? Cause if so, yes please.
(And did this van come with a motor?)

Rob

I've just been down the back where the spiders live, and I've uncovered a set of (front) windscreen moulds. But no corner moulds, no clip for the top in the middle.

Rob

Clay,

I was thinking of stretching the Humpy's legs . . .

Rob

Stephen,

Tempt me to drive over for it: what date's the SA All Holden Day 2024?

Rob

Clay wrote, "Rob should have one in Sydney but very quiet lately." Yes indeed. Just got off this morning's flight from Bedlam, aka LAX. There was an annular solar eclipse visible in Albuquerque. Quote from the guy who runs the T-shirt shop in Old Town: "You're the fourth person today ...

I wish . . .

It would appear, then, that the bore spacing of a Vauxhall six is the same as a grey. Does a Vauxhall six have fifteen head bolts or fourteen? But the first thing to do is get a Vauxhall head gasket and lay it on top of a Holden head gasket.

Off-topic - I've found out, by poring through online piston ring catalogs, that Rambler, &*#@ Zephyr, and Vauxhall piston ring sets suit grey motors, with the proviso that the grey's been bored out to 3-1/8". Some of these sets are for 5/64" compression rings, and one's for 3/32" compression rings. I've seen aftermarket grey pistons for both size of compression rings.

Rob