keep 138 or upgrade

[Devilrod]

A couple of questions...

Does a pair of headers and twin carbs add anything worthwhile to a 138.....

What would you need to do to get her to cruise at 110kmh on the highway with a full load

Find a long downhill run....

Seriously though a carbs and headers will help but so will a diff ratio change.

[DeadElvis]

Thanks DevilRod....what ratio would you recommend....

What do you run in yours, you run it as a daily driver?

I am wondering do I buy a fully original EK or wait for a modified one with HR front end and 186???

I am not a traditionalist...I want the cool EK look with a nice reliable and drivable cruiser.........but if the 138 will give me this with a few mods....thats OK to

[choppedfan]

Thanks DevilRod....what ratio would you recommend....

What do you run in yours, you run it as a daily driver?

I am wondering do I buy a fully original EK or wait for a modified one with HR front end and 186???

I am not a traditionalist...I want the cool EK look with a nice reliable and drivable cruiser.........but if the 138 will give me this with a few mods....thats OK to

I run a warm grey, crash box, 14" rims with 195/65/14 tyres and currently run a 3.36 diff centre which gives it a cruising speed of 100 to 110 kmh at 2800 - 3000rpm

I originally tried a 3.55 but still thought it revved a bit high at highway speed 100 to 110 kmh at 3000 - 3250rpm

Don't forget my grey motor isn't stock so I can't say how these ratios would work with a stock grey, while the original diff centre 3.89 with my current engine made it pretty good off the mark I changed diff ratios to make it easier on the engine at highway speed.

I'm a confirmed "greyaholic" so I can't give you an unbiased opinion in the red over grey debate, what I would suggest is try to have a drive of a grey powered and red powered EK and make your own mind up.

Mick

[Stygian]

Hey Elvis,

One of my wedding cars was an EK with a mildly warm grey. It had header pipes, twin carbs and a 25/65 cam. It was a spritely car, if not quick by modern standards. It idled nicely, had a good amount of torque (went up hills without slowing down) and was easy to drive. A good set up for a cruiser.

A 149 red would also be good and you would avoid most of the hassles of a larger engine. But they are getting hard to find now apparently.

[Devilrod]

Thanks DevilRod....what ratio would you recommend....

What do you run in yours, you run it as a daily driver?

I am wondering do I buy a fully original EK or wait for a modified one with HR front end and 186???

I am not a traditionalist...I want the cool EK look with a nice reliable and drivable cruiser.........but if the 138 will give me this with a few mods....thats OK to

I run 3:36 in the rear fronted by a trimatic with a clapped out 161 and I've got to say so far on all the nationals trips I've been on the stock and modded greys keep up quite happily at 60mph all day.

[Trev]

I run 3:36 in the rear fronted by a trimatic with a clapped out 161 and I've got to say so far on all the nationals trips I've been on the stock and modded greys keep up quite happily at 60mph all day.

Agreed, I have done many a nationals trip in my 186 powered EK and all the grey powered cars have no trouble keeping the pace with much better fuel economy too.
I did a Nationals in my grey powered FB wagon and kept up with DR when leaving others behind, but it had a mild rebuild with twin carbs, extractors, elec ignition, 14 inch rims and a 3.36 diff .

[MeFB]

What would you need to do to get her to cruise at 110kmh on the highway with a full load

A miracle

[MeFB]

My personal solution will be to eventually fit my Judson supercharger to a grey.

Was going to be my FB, but that's for sale at the moment as I'm reducing the fleet. Maybe the ute

[Marty K Bird]

After you chop it mefby?

[Mick]

I run 3:36 in the rear fronted by a trimatic with a clapped out 161 and I've got to say so far on all the nationals trips I've been on the stock and modded greys keep up quite happily at 60mph all day.

Agreed, I have done many a nationals trip in my 186 powered EK and all the grey powered cars have no trouble keeping the pace with much better fuel economy too.
I did a Nationals in my grey powered FB wagon and kept up with DR when leaving others behind, but it had a mild rebuild with twin carbs, extractors, elec ignition, 14 inch rims and a 3.36 diff .

BUT you didn't have the car on the road long before you changed up to a red motor i'de say there had to be a reason for that and i don't know what it was
in my opinion i've driven a few greys including a modified grey with 4 speed and diff ratio change and in my opinion none of them have been what i call comfortable at 100/110, if you come up on someone doing 90 and you want to pass it's not going to happen till you get a long strech or overtaking lane and pulling up a decent hill i doubt you'll be doing 100/110 at the top especially with a ratio change
i think they are comfortablish at 90 to 100 but as above big hills will slow you a little and overtaking will be a luxury that you may not afford

[Trev]

I run 3:36 in the rear fronted by a trimatic with a clapped out 161 and I've got to say so far on all the nationals trips I've been on the stock and modded greys keep up quite happily at 60mph all day.

Agreed, I have done many a nationals trip in my 186 powered EK and all the grey powered cars have no trouble keeping the pace with much better fuel economy too.
I did a Nationals in my grey powered FB wagon and kept up with DR when leaving others behind, but it had a mild rebuild with twin carbs, extractors, elec ignition, 14 inch rims and a 3.36 diff .

BUT you didn't have the car on the road long before you changed up to a red motor i'de say there had to be a reason for that and i don't know what it was

I had the grey in that car for about 10 months, and drove it as my daly to work and around on weekends for that whole time, not like I had club reg and only drove it once or twice a month.
That grey was pretty close to a stock red in the power stakes as far as overtaking people was concerned (but not on a hill and overtaking).
I recon for all those 10 months I wasn't used to the fine tuning that I kept doing to the motor (not having driven a grey motored car before) it started giving me the red hot squirts adjusting the tappets every couple of weeks (or if I over adjusted them) or days .
Thats the reason I sold the grey and put in a 161 red (set and forget) .
I did love that grey but the red was better for daly duties, and if you blow the red you can rip it out and get another for around $100 and you on the road again in a few hours .

[WesternWagon]

My ute has a stock grey, most events fr me are 200 + Ks round tip runs fine 50 - 60 mph all day

Extractors nd keeping well tuned makes a difference, want more power go SBC

Gazza