fbekholden.com

Thanks Wally. Its a bit hard to see but there is actually deadening strips glued to the back wall; same as the sections on the floor.

As for the cross member I flushed mine out as much as possible from underneath with air the high pressure cleaner. I'm not sure if yours is the same but I have to factory pressed holes at the ends or the cross member about 1/2". I spent about 2 hours today blowing air and water in every crevasse above the cross member between the floor, the floor handbrake cross section mounting, and the holes at the end of the cross member. My plan is to drown everything in fish oil including the front cross member and y frames. I will also be doing the inner quarters in the rear tub. Rosco will be a good one to talk to re rust preventative stuff as he has gone into it with some detail with his car.

Front end all re-bushed and finished. Still running the original shocks with the spiral casing, cant fault them apart from some staining on the shafts.There's no leakage and they dampen well on the rebound stroke.
Trev, can I at least paint the front end???

Your sending mixed messages on this build Craig, an unpainted rear end with a painted front end????
Your chances of retaining the "GRAND CHAMPION" title are slipping away!

I told you I'd give you a yell when I'm close to loosing my shit......................but alas I'm a bit late I think................now where did I put that brush?

Box stripped down yesterday. What a beautiful thing. Cant fault it apart from some minor scoring on the lay shaft and a coupe of bearings being a little worn. Cant believe the cluster and first/reverse gear leading edges are in such good nick. Definitely never been dragged into first gear on the move. I'd say she'd seen no city work at all. Mind you it pissed oil out everywhere though. Surprised it had any in it at all.
Off to Roger Hancock's for some steering box parts today.

More progress today. Finished assembling the steering box and fitted it up after replacing the steering shaft and end bearings.
Front end fitted as well after replacing all knackered bushes and pivot bolts.
Gearbox assembly is stalled as I'm still trying to source a new rear bearing (double row). As I'll be towing I'd rather fit a double row and not the early single row from previous models.
Hoping to make a start on banging the engine together tomorrow. Getting closer now...

Getting there. Good day today except for deleting some of my progress shots of today on my phone...stupid technology.
Same old thing I guess that most have seen, just some little mods like a Nullarbor rated timing gear and my special grind cam.

looking good.

Tell us more about this special grind cam ?????

Thanks Toey.

Blacky re the cam, I've been experimenting with different grinds over the years with the obvious motivation for more power (torque) whilst retaining good drivability. Probably a bigger factor has been reducing tappet noise. My last in the FB has been a good success so far. I have found that generally opening and closing ramp profiles on each lobe (inlet vs exhaust) have been poor on regrinds to the point that the most of the tappet noise as suspected and is more related to valves slamming shut on their seats. To a point I have found increasing duration helps a lot in reducing ramp speed on the valve but then there's the point that you loose low down drivability and the car becomes a pig unless your always flat biscuit on the hwy. So far crossed fingers the current cam in my FB is going well although I've only done 3500 miles on it. No tappet noise with only one valve adjustment done since getting through the run in period. That said I will be checking for loss of clearance (valves seating in) prior to Renmark.
All this might be moot point anyway. My next project I'm looking at will be modifying the grey for my boat and converting it to hydraulic lifters. I'm about 1/2 way there with the lifters and bores, just have to sort the oil system and pushrods.

Flat Biscuit!

Hi Craig

I'm enjoying the build on this one and all the pics you are posting up. You may have already mentioned this...will we see it at Renmark?

Stewart

G'day Stewart. Yep going hard for Renmark. Hopefully have both cars for it fingers crossed.

Ok, todays work: Finished off front end in place and overhauled drag link. Clutch and box fitted up. Sump guards on. Front wheel bearings done and now on its wheels.
Where did the day go? I'm sure I did something else.