Engine Freshen Up to this ........

[Rod]

I am about to purchase some Underdog Sound Deadner. Thanks for the heads up in your ute thread Clay about this stuff. If you read this Clay, can you tell me if you bought the rolls or sheets of this stuff?

Would underfelt still be recommended over the top of the sound deadner?

Have a ripper. Cheers Rod

[Errol62]

Used the sheets Rod. I wanted to minimise on anything that would hold water so didn't use underfelt this time.

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[FireKraka]

Hi Rod;
I used similar to to Underdog on my Ute then underfelt and then carpet just for that bit extra.
Neil

[Rod]

Slowly plugging away and starting to a twinkle of light.

Clay with his work has inspired me to clean up the front end. No where near as extensive but gee it took a while to get rid of 60 years of backed on grease. My plan is to get the front end back on along with the motor before replacing the shockers and one broken spring along with the perished bump stops.

I had a grrrr moment as I found movement in one of the king pins. They have had bugger all miles since being refurbished. At that point I remember a post from some time ago to check the lock pin. Low and behold after a nip up, the movement was non existant. This led to another grrrr moment. At that point my 34 plus memory kicked in and I remembered when the king pins were replaced one was a FE and one was a FC one (different wheel bearing size). I am not sure I will correct this but will think it through.

I am now in the process of cleaning up, replacing bits on the steering linkage. I have got the original one out of storage "from way back when" and I think I am going to put it back on. I had replaced it with a HR solid steering linkage but it always rubbed on the sump. I had to raise the engine mounts slightly but it still rubbed but not as much.

I have a couple of questions coming from the experienced ones. I hope you don't mind.

This weekend I am planning on putting the sound deadner on the floor and firewall. I have been cleaning up the pedal box. Would it be a good ideal to solid weld the stop bracket to the main frame?? It is only held on by a few spot welds and I know this area broke in my ute.

When putting this area together, what should be the sequence of events in putting each part back? ie: should the pedal box be installed before the insulation and firewall card or the other way round. I remember reading something about this on the forum but I can't find the thread.

Until next time. Have a ripper all.

Cheers Rod

[Errol62]

I had that rubbing problem on a car with red motor and disc front end but when I put the HR draglink in my ute no such problem. Now I have put same HR disc front in the Ute I'm not expecting the problem to return, but we shall see.

I would put the pedal box in the car first. You don't want a anything sandwiched between it and the firewall. Leave the firewall insulation card until your floor covering is in. Handbrake  has to go in after firewall insulation card.

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[ardiesse]

Rod,

You can answer a query I have about stub axles.  I have an upright/kingpin/stub axle assembly, apparently from an FC; but the holes in the stub axle flange are all through-holes.  Normally, the lower two holes are through-drilled, and the upper two holes are threaded . . .

Can you check your stub axles and tell me which one has threaded holes and which one has through-holes?

Rob

[mcl1959]

If your firewall insulation cardboard is still all in one piece as per original, you have to put it in at the same time as the pedal box otherwise it won’t go in.
If you have separated the insulation then you can fit it later after the pedal box.

Ken

[Rod]

Thanks Clay, Rob and Ken.

Rob, both stub axle assemblies are the same. ie: The upper two holes are threaded, while the lower two are through holes as you have described.

Cheers

Rod

[mcl1959]

Rob, I think EJ was the first one to have all 4 holes drilled through.
Pretty sure FE to EK all had threaded upper holes.

I used to supply parts to Rare Spares and they were always chasing the Drilled type stub axles because they were for EH

Ken

[Rod]

Hi All,

Not a lot to report as I have been laid up somewhat. I have almost finished the sound deadner. I only need to put some under the back seat area. I am looking forward in putting the confetti back in its place.

While laid up, I am thinking to much ahead and planning other jobs. One is replacing all the brake and fuel lines. I remember thirty years ago there was a leak in the fuel line half way along the inner sill. This was repaired with a joiner and has worked well but time for a proper repair. Should there be a joiner in the brake line as well, as currently there is one? If so I will put it back in on replacement but it is not showing in the Master Parts Catalogue.

Could I please confirm thread sizes. The following thread from last year - http://forum.fefcholden.club/index.php?PHPSESSID=jbheacq1l52p78dq49mtv5jc85&topic=27814.0

Harv if you are reading you gave the following thread sizes for certain pipes.

Thread sizes:
3/16" pipe uses 3/8-24UNF thread.
1/4" pipe uses 7/16-20UNF thread.
5/16" pipe uses 1/2-20UNF thread.
3/8" pipe uses 5/8-18UNF thread.

I have been able to locate some flare nuts but need to be sure before purchasing. I am all good to go with the Fuel ones but I am a little concerned with the brake ones. The brake ones I can get are for early Holden and Ford but the thread is 7/16 x 24UNF Thread. I have measured an old nut the best I can with a thread gauge. I think it is 24 UNF but want to be certain before purchasing. However as listed in the forum thread (too me many threads happening hear) it indicates the thread is 20UNF.

I am not in a position to get under the car and measure currently but can anyone give approximately how much Bundy Tube I need to buy for both the fuel and brake lines.

Thanks in Anticipation. Cheers Rod

[Errol62]

I just bought 6 metre lengths Rod. Also in a roll for one application. Can't remember which but the roll was much cheaper. I did all brake, fuel and vacuum on the FB ute.

Can't specific a lot remember on our FC, but my EKs and FB all had a brass union about one inch long mid way along the sill.
Cheers
Clay

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[Rod]

Hi All,

I have just purchased some flare nuts for both fuel and brake lines. They are imperial for both thread and nut size. I mention this as there was a thread (excuse the pun) some time back that while the threads these days are imperial, the nut size is metric. If you are after "old school" sizes check this site out - www.autoaer.com.au.

Further to that I did pose a question about the thread pitch for the 1/4 inch brake lines. I can confirm they ar 24 threads per inch (Thread - 7/16 x 24 T.P.I UNF).

Cheers Rod

[Errol62]

Very cool site thanks Rod. Well done getting imperial hex heads. Save confusion down the line. Wish I had done same. Next time I can.


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[Rod]

Slowly moving along.

Sound Deadner has been put in. I decided to cover it with a thin layer of underfelt to take away the "sharpness of the lines where the deadner was pushed into the curves of the floor.







Oh and put the confetti back in for someone else to find in a future life.



I am a little further advance than these shots. Slowly plugging away with the interior including putting back firewall card, vent mechanism, steering column, tidying up electrical etc...

[Rod]

After the firewall card was back in place, in went the wiper and other cables etc.. that could be done until the card was in place.

I modified a set of wiper cranks I made some time ago for the electric EK wipers. The reason for this is to lengthen the primary so the wiper arms don't foul on the card. I reused / repurposed the pivot point from the vacuum crank. I then made a inset into one of the arms so it is more hard wearing while leaving the original rubber inset in the other arm which will pivot on the old vacuum pivot.

I hope it all works out in the end as I took measurements from an original crank.







UNtil next time.

Cheers

Rod

[Rod]

And has led to this....

While I had already given the front end a quick lick of paint I have decided to do some dismantling as some of the seals were no existant. King pins good - win!, Outer Upper and Lower Pivot Pins good - win!, Inner Upper and Outer Pivots seems solid - win!, One broken spring - replace, Shockers ready to replace, Bump stops perished - replace, Upper shock tower needs work (see below) and lower wish bones need work (see below).

This is at I found at the top of one tower. While the "original" shocks were still in place, it indicates that they have at least been removed in a past life.


It is missing one a rubber support as shown.


I will modify one of the 'old' supports and weld to the top.

The lower wishbone need attention as the bolts that hold the lower shocker support have to be welded back in (I assume that were welded going by what I could see) - weren't they a "shocking" job to do in getting a spanner to hold the head through the spring to stop them spinning.


Has anyone got any pointers in removing and more so reinstalling the Inner Upper and Lower Wishbone support bushes so I can replace the seals?

Intil next time.

Cheers

Rod

[zulu]

Rod
There should be a seperate plate underneath the lower wishbone to locate and bolt the shocks to

[ardiesse]

Rod,

It's a painful bloody operation to remove the control arms just to replace the rubber seals.  Oh, and be warned: the Rare Spares seals (tapered) are OK for HR upper control arms, but not much good for the king-pin front suspension (the small hole stretches too much, the seal splits and falls off, and you're back to where you began).  Cut the right size heater hose to length instead.

If the seals are present, do not replace them.  But if any are missing -

Assuming the front springs and (uprights + steering knuckles + brakes) have been removed -

1. Grab onto the outer ends of the control arms and try to rock them fore-and-aft.  If there's any looseness, replace the shafts and the bushes.
1a. If there is fore-and-aft looseness in the lower control arms, take a careful look at the lower control arm shaft where it goes into the crossmember.  It could be that the shaft is loose in the crossmember.  If this is the case, a whole new world of pain has just opened up.  You're best off looking for a better front crossmember.

All good? Then -

2. Undo the grease nipple from the bush.  Get a big socket and long breaker bar, and unscrew the bush from the control arm (front and rear).  If the bushes are good enough to re-use, re-use them.

3. Clean the grease and metal shavings off.  Thread the new seals over the shaft.  Put the control arm in place so that there's equal protrusion of the shaft through the control arm at each end.  Start the front bush back on the shaft.  It should "pick up" the thread in the control arm fairly easily.  Screw it on until it's nearly "home".  Start the rear bush back onto the shaft.  It should also pick up the thread in the control arm.  If it doesn't, rotate the control arm until the threads line up (or you might have to lever the end of the arm outwards a bit).  Screw the rear bush "home".  Screw the front bush "home".

4. Put the grease nipples back in and go nuts with the grease gun, at least until you can see lots of grease ooze out from the seals.

5. Repeat as needed with the other control arms.

Rob

[ardiesse]

Rod,

Part 2:  The upper control arm seals are 5/8" ID x 1/2" deep.
At a guess, the lower control arm seals are 3/4" ID x 3/4" deep, maybe 7/8" deep.

Rob

[Rod]

Thanks Gary and Rob,

Gary I have the plates that go underneath. The bolts I spoke about hold the plate in place. In looking closer at the bolts, it looks like they have been replaced in the past but not spot welded to the wishbone.

Rob, thank you so much for the information. It is great. I am fortunate that they was no movement at all in any of the pivots, partularly the Upper and Lower Inners. Of all the seals I was missing  three I think and I suspect that these wear blased of when I pressure clean the assembly. Most of the others were hard and brittle and broke when I removed the wishbones. Thanks for the heads up about the Rares Seals. I was about to order them. I suppose I still need to order them for the other seals or could I get away with heat hose?

Cheers Rod