Harv's HR Holden Premier wagon

[Harv]

Having driven a crapbox VS ute around for too long, I bit the bullet and lashed out on a flash new set of (late-model ) wheels.

HR Holden front.jpg (990.36 KiB) Viewed 4536 times

HR Holden side.jpg (1.11 MiB) Viewed 4536 times

HR Holden front seat.jpg (590.68 KiB) Viewed 4536 times

HR holden rear seat.jpg (549.35 KiB) Viewed 4536 times

Fairly original, but some minor butchery that needs to be fixed. Looks to be correct 186 engine, single Strommie, drums, open-centre banjo. The Glide has been replaced with a Traumatic. I'll post some more pictures as I play with this one. Lots of fiddly stuff to sort out, and I am no HR expert... will need some help to work out how it should be.

Cheers,
Harv

[Errol62]

Sweet. Another wagon. Looks brilliant. You're better off with a trimatic in my book and should be able to look pretty well stock shift wise at least.

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[ardiesse]

Harv,

I learned to drive on the family HR wagon (and the family EK). I've had two HRs and two HDs since then too . . .
I have the knowledge. The parts bin is quite extensive too.

Rob

[FireKraka]

Very nice Harv, your going to need a bigger shed me thinks
Neil

[FJWALLY]

Nice harv - been thinking along same lines myself - Love a good Goon

[Harv]

Very nice Harv, your going to need a bigger shed me thinks

One of the very few good things about working away from home is that you get to have two sheds. Shuffling tools and parts between the two is not much fun though... the Qantas guys have had a few giggles at my luggage .

Cheers,
Harv

[greenwagon62]

Very nice car

[EK283]

The HR was indeed the first of the modern vehicle !!!!

Good score Harv.

Greg

[Harv]

Had a better look over it yesterday. Some things to fix (some more urgent than others):

• Adjust brakes (pulling to the left at low speed).

• Clean cargo compartment vinyl.

• Replace rear wheel arch vinyl trim. Will get a local trimmer to do these.

• Put spacer under spare wheel hold-down nut (nut goes down so far on captive bolt that I cant get at it with a wheel brace). Not sure if the hold-down clamp is correct - looks like a round dome?

• Replace shattered grille badge plastic (Rares has them, though $100).

• Replace black door lock snib buttons (look to have been stripped then glued on... some sit too far down). Rares has these too.

• Replace broken drivers guard Prem badge (Rares has these as a turret badge... not sure if they are the same but look close).

• Replace the missing towbar tongue bolts (that is one damn long towbar tongue).

• Replace missing wheel brace.

• Replace three lap belts in the rear (latches are not real latchy).

• Replace two retractable belts in the front (reel is mounted between B-pillar and bucket seats, and is rubbing on the seat). Hemco reckon they have a bolt-in replacement, but need to check dimensions. Will go to a non-retractable belt if needs be. These should be lap belts (lap belts in the front were originally an option, then became standard in September 1966) but I am happy with lap/sash.

• Panic straps missing from C-pillars, as is one of the screw-in press stud buttons that hold the strap from dangling around. Anyone got a set of straps or the button?

• Replace late model black plastic cigarette lighter fob with older type (sigh... I used to have a few CASCO/CUNO ones, but gave them away years ago).

• Replace later model radio with something closer to period-correct. Sadly it's got speakers in all four door cards, so radio delete is not an option.

• Replace missing front door outer door belts (rear ones are in place, look like a rubber lipseal that rubs up against the glass). All four doors are also missing the inner door belts, but not sure what these look like (Rares has them though).

• Replace missing tailgate outer "door belt" (must be some type of lipseal arrangement too).

• Repair butchered Preslite windscreen washer pump and remove aftermarket washer bottle/pump.

• Replace rubber hose and dodgy clamps on fuel filter inlet.

• Replace aftermarket horn with original one. Work out why only the centre of the horn bar works (the horn ring does not toot the horn).

• Replace "winged" tee-handle rocker cover bolts with standard ones. Damn hotrodders

• Replumb disconnected heater core (... after checking it is not holed).

• Investigate the alternator fitted to the 186. The lead from the alternator to the battery is aftermarket, and looks to be only 20A cable.

• Touchup silver body paint.

• Fix rust in turret and touch up (perhaps respray) roof).

I suspect this is the wrong compliance plate too. The correct ones are available from eBay, and only have places for Body, Trim, Paint, Insert and Top.

HR compliance plate.JPG (97.71 KiB) Viewed 4450 times

From what I am seeing:
Model: HR (this should not be on the compliance plate)
Body: HR28331M. I think this should probably read HR239-28331M or HR239AR-28331M. 239 indicates a Prem wagon. Whilst the plate no longer guarantees a Prem, the fittings in the vehicle look correct - I do not think it is a base model dressed up to look like a Prem. The body was the 28,331st HR vehicle assembled in Melbourne.
Paint: 585-1704. This is correct for Silver Mink Mettalic, which appears to be on the car. The paint looks to have had a closed-door respray, which has been blended in well to the interior. Silver Mink was only offered after July 1967 (ie was not an option at first release in April 1966).
Top: 585-9562, This is correct for a Grecian White roof (this was the only white colour offered on HRs).
Eng: 186A (this should not be on the compliance plate).

The Trim code has not been entered on the plate, though the trim appears correct. Not sure if the front/rear seats have been retrimmed, or just very well looked after (suspect the latter). Would need to check under the seats with a mirror to see if they were retrimmed. Prems were only offered in a red colour of Astoria Red at first release, with Goya Red added in July 1967.

I need some help from a HR guru to work out exactly what should be on that plate, before I stamp a new one. Hoping Dr Terry will see this and jump in.

I can only read part of the number stamped into the middle of the firewall - HR26331. It should read something like HR26331XM. HR for the model, the numbers for which body it was (body number normally does not match the aluminium tag number of 28331), X will be the plant that the body was stamped in (S for Sydney, M for Melbourne, A for Adelaide etc), and the last M for a Melbourne assembled vehicle.

The engine number is stamped 186A89655. This is correct for a HR Holden 186ci engine. 161ci engines were prefixed 161W or 161R, X2 engines were prefixed 186K up to engine 186K162700 and then 186X2. 186S engines were prefixed 186K. I didn’t read the casting codes, though these will give the exact date of engine casting.

The correct BXV2 Stromberg carb is fitted (looks like it has been kitted). It should have 23-3014 stamped into either the float bowl, float bowl lid or reinforcing bar. I couldn’t read the stamping. The carb should also be marked HP with an ink stamp (manual 186 carbs were stamped HPM). The carb has had the transmission feedback linkage removed.

The original 2-speed Powerglide transmission has been removed, and a 3-speed Traumatic fitted. Trimatics were not a HR Holden option. The early trimatics had a cable kick down, whilst the later boxes (from late HG Holden) were electrically kicked down off the accelerator pedal. Suspect this is the later electric kickdown, as the linkages are missing from the carb yet the box still kicks down. Must have the electric detent switch fitted to the go-pedal, though I have not checked.

Diff looks to be the standard open-centre banjo. It could be the optional plate-and-spring LSD (unlikely), though if so the warning tag on the diff filler plug has been lost. Would need to jack the car up to check for LSD.

Front end is the original ball joint unit, with drum brakes.

Cheers,
Harv

[Errol62]

Somehow the original plate has gone missing and been replaced with an obvious non-factory stamping which would fool a novice. What is important to the authorities is the engine number and as long as it matches rego you are good. Probably no way of knowing what the original body number was which is annoying but not a big deal. It’s a frigging lovely looking unit which I hope you got for a reasonable price, whatever that is.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

[Blacky]

Nice Harv, I bought a HR ute on a whim about a year ago , I think I have a washer motor in my spares pile, will dig it out and send a pic to see if it's what you are after






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[Harv]

Thanks Blacky. The washer motor looks like this:

windscreen washer.JPG (708.35 KiB) Viewed 4429 times

It's been disconnected, but I don't know yet how damaged it is. Someone has put a later-model plastic bottle/integral pump type onto the inner guard (close to the radiator), so I suspect I am missing the washer bottle too.

The wiring in this thing needs some attention... anything disconnected has just been cut off with sidecutters I've got a few hours of fun with the Fluke meter and crimper.

Cheers,
Harv

[fb delivery]

If you were in Toowoomba i would have most of that
Nice wagon, i have wreaked about 250 HR's HD's
I guess that y they call me HR Rob

HR Rob

[ardiesse]

Harv,

Warning - brain dump.

I'll paste your bullet points and comment on them.

Adjust brakes (pulling to the left at low speed).
- take the car for a good drive. Mind you, Dad's HR never stopped in a straight line after I relined the brakes with Don linings in the 80s. I think aftermarket linings just weren't as good as OEM. The brakes should have self-adjusters. They have probably been "deleted". Check that the secondary shoe has the long lining, and check that the linings are the same on both sides. Make sure that the "secondary" (i.e. rear-facing) slave cylinder pistons are free. Duo-servo brakes can function quite well with the secondary piston seized. You'll notice the difference if you try to stop the car in reverse, though.

Put spacer under spare wheel hold-down nut (nut goes down so far on captive bolt that I cant get at it with a wheel brace). Not sure if the hold-down clamp is correct - looks like a round dome?
- There should be a long 7/16" UNF stud coming up from the floor. You put the spare on the stud through one of the wheel nut holes, and the hold down nut should be a wheel nut. Sounds like bits have gone missing over the years.

Replace broken drivers guard Prem badge (Rares has these as a turret badge... not sure if they are the same but look close).
- Similar style, but the sedan turret badge is smaller. You need to raid an HD Premier for the badge. It comes in three parts - "P", "remier", and lion shield. HD lion shields are dark blue, HR will be a different colour.

Replace the missing towbar tongue bolts (that is one damn long towbar tongue).
- Yes indeed. 9/16" Whit. Do you have the accessory towball ding on the tailgate?

Replace two retractable belts in the front (reel is mounted between B-pillar and bucket seats, and is rubbing on the seat). Hemco reckon they have a bolt-in replacement, but need to check dimensions. Will go to a non-retractable belt if needs be. These should be lap belts (lap belts in the front were originally an option, then became standard in September 1966) but I am happy with lap/sash.
- Early production HRs had Frankenstein bolts in the B-pillars like HDs, but changed over to the integral anchors in late '66, when lap-sash front belts became standard.

Panic straps missing from C-pillars, as is one of the screw-in press stud buttons that hold the strap from dangling around. Anyone got a set of straps or the button?
- I might. The button is an ordinary press-stud. Spotlight?

Replace late model black plastic cigarette lighter fob with older type (sigh... I used to have a few CASCO/CUNO ones, but gave them away years ago).
- Let me see what I can find.

Replace later model radio with something closer to period-correct. Sadly it's got speakers in all four door cards, so radio delete is not an option.
- Watch this space.

Replace missing front door outer door belts (rear ones are in place, look like a rubber lipseal that rubs up against the glass). All four doors are also missing the inner door belts, but not sure what these look like (Rares has them though).
- The inner and outer door belts look like they interchange, but don't. There's less clearance between the window and door sill one one side (maybe outer). You need a straightedge and sharp scalpel to cut maybe 2 mm off a door belt rubber before you can fit it to the outside. Sorry - this was mid '80s, and my memory is dulling with time.

Replace missing tailgate outer "door belt" (must be some type of lipseal arrangement too).
- Correct. Hopefully there are repro ones available. B.T. W., your tailgate is from a Special. Changing over to Premier lettering and the stainless trim will be a world of pain, though.

Repair butchered Preslite windscreen washer pump and remove aftermarket washer bottle/pump.
- Good luck. Even in the mid '80s, they were almost impossible to repair. The Preslite Synchro-Squirt(TM mine) washers were a triumph of engineering, a joy to behold when working, but chronically unreliable. Under the blue plastic housing is a cam on the output shaft and a solenoid. The solenoid engages a cam-follower which actuates a good old-fashioned diaphragm pump with check valves. The rubber diaphragm perishes, and the check valves give up. I managed to get a valve body from a Torana wiper motor in '85 (so "only" about ten years old), which still had working check valves. I still have a couple of Preslite wiper motors.

Replace aftermarket horn with original one. Work out why only the centre of the horn bar works (the horn ring does not toot the horn).
- Sould be "original ones". Premiers have dual-note horns, and a relay. Your horn contact is out of adjustment. Take the horn ring off, and you'll see an adjuster and locknut. Loosen locknut and screw adjuster in until the horn sounds, then back adjuster off half a turn (say). Drive the car at walking speed and turn the steering from lock to lock. If the horn doesn't sound, you can wind the adjuster in a little. My HD's horn contact ring was bent out of shape, and if I drove the car hard around corners, the horn used to sound.

Replumb disconnected heater core (... after checking it is not holed).
- I have a couple of heater-demister units spare. Repairing the heater valve is difficult. Although I think you can get repair kits these days, rather than having to improvise with toy dart gun plungers.

Investigate the alternator fitted to the 186. The lead from the alternator to the battery is aftermarket, and looks to be only 20A cable.
- Alternator B+ cable should go directly to B+ terminal on starter solenoid (inside the wiring harness though). I have an X2/186S ammeter wiring loom, if needed.

Rob

[ardiesse]

Harv,

Build date -

"I can only read part of the number stamped into the middle of the firewall - HR26331. It should read something like HR26331XM. HR for the model, the numbers for which body it was (body number normally does not match the aluminium tag number of 28331), X will be the plant that the body was stamped in (S for Sydney, M for Melbourne, A for Adelaide etc), and the last M for a Melbourne assembled vehicle.

The engine number is stamped 186A89655. This is correct for a HR Holden 186ci engine. 161ci engines were prefixed 161W or 161R, X2 engines were prefixed 186K up to engine 186K162700 and then 186X2. 186S engines were prefixed 186K. I didn’t read the casting codes, though these will give the exact date of engine casting."

My father's HR was sold new in May '67. It was HR 34-thousand-and-some S, engine number 186A163 thousand (approx). So given that your engine is 89655 and body number 26331M, and it has internal B-pillar seat belt attachments, I'd be inclined to think it's a late 1966 car.

Slippery-diffed HRs had the warning sticker inside the driver's A-pillar and on the bootlid for sedans, and a tagged filler plug. Usually only 186Ss had LSDs.

Rob