fbekholden.com

Hi fjwally, where you getting your front end rebuilt? Locally or doing it yourself?

Local mechanic who's a mate James - it's not in bad shape for the most part - rubbers are gone and outer tie rod ends sloppy and decided to change the springs and shocks but thought seeing as most rubbers were gone I might as well have it pulled out and replace the lot as they are so easily available.
a good clean and a coat of chassis black and re-assemble.
King pins are solid - drag link had never been adjusted so might not even need a refurb kit and just a clean out and tighten up one turn.
Get an alignment and she's ready for the next 40K.
Only problem with mates is they take a bit longer to get it done

5 months to go and shitloads to do!
Finished off the diff centre today. New pinion seal and backlash check.
Re-sheaved rear springs. Axle bearings and inner seals tomorrow and fit up diff housing.
Also just wondering if any others have ever noted what spline type they have with regards to pinion yokes. I never released till now that they produced course and fine spline yokes for the 3.89:1 diff centres up to EJ. Only found out when I went to fit a replacement yoke and it was a fine spline......bugger.

A little more progress today. Diff centre in. Replaced stuffed original axle bearings (UBC Aust made). Not bad for 53 years of work. Even found the original deflector rubbers still fitted. Took some tracking down and managed to find NOS UBC bearings to refit and NOS inner oil seals.
Inner oil seals in soak tonight for fitting tomorrow with axles.

Another job done, 1 step closer.
I'm not sure if I'm seeing things rite???
Is that the rear end going back in without being painted to a mirror finish Craig?

Yes Trev............Belinda has banned me from the wire wheel and buffers. Man its so hard........
I keep telling her I need to buff up the threads. She laughs immensely as I grimace through the pain of self control!

It's therapeutic, I can lend you that paint brush if you want?

Thanks Trev. I let you when I'm close to loosing my shit.

Dodgy shit some people do. Found this today. Both rear wheel cylinders and pistons measure up as 1"
One cylinder had 1 1/16" cups jammed in it. Not to mention grease under the adjuster caps. Top left is a slightly swollen 1 1/16" cup. The two right hand ones are 1" and are huge! Shit happens when you mix mineral based compounds with non compatible fluids and materials.
Done for the day....off to the pub. See you next week.

No surprise Tim..........they didn't return. Wheels locked up in various states. I have yet to get to the front cylinders.

Sorry Tim, they did. As I said very early on, she's a bit of a mudguard. Still trying to think of a easy way to clean out the brake lines thoroughly I.e. what sort of chemical can flush them clean as they are pretty bad. Might have to make up new ones.

So easy to make new ones , why risk it ? When I did the RHD conversion on my '46 I wiggled one of the brake lines and it snapped ! looked fine from the outside and was still working at the time.

Yeh good point Blacky. I procrastinate too much over some things. I was thinking of going over to silicon fluid later on anyway so I might as well bite the bullet...........but let me think about it.

Ok a bit more done today. Stripped out the front floor as the floor mat was stuffed and there appeared to be some moisture in the past. A bit tentative as its the last lot of stuff to come out and finger crossed no rust. Anyway all good with just some surface on the drivers side from a bit of water getting past the column rubber. Bonus find under the seat was a couple of 1966 one and two cent pieces (good year that) and of course a spare helper spring off something! A good scrub down inside and out and we are good for a bit of rust prevention here and there and start on getting some gear back together. 4 1/2 months to go. Paybacks a bitch!

Looking great Craig.

I see you have those same glue marks on the upright section behind the seat - what was stuck on there originally as nothing was in mine when I got it.

Also i had a couple holes in the drivers side floor where the cross member goes under and I can see it is full of mud - what do you suggest to A clean it and B -protect it - do I just drill a couple of 20mm holes in either end and try and flush it out? pump as much rust converter and fishoil in as I can afterwards?