the bird builds the nest...

[Ed]

Hi All,

here are a couple of pics I managed to take before my camera ran out of batteries.  They aren't as informative as I would like but more will follow.  They look like the ones already on the site, but alot of work has been done as future pics will show the slow tedious work.

The body shot shows the roof after blasting priming with POR15 and etched with tie coat prior to hi fill primer.

The panels in the shed, ready for fit up and drilling of holes for bright work (as some of the panels were NOS or FC origin)

the engine in bay, brakes and booster fitted, heater and trans cooler hoses etc.

will be updating these shots regularly as i have a camera now!

 ;D

cheers

Ed

[gree]

hey ed.

car looks good. (still would look pretty cool with a few inches whacked out of the top!  ;) oh well)

[RET]

I don't disagree with Gree (so to speak), but I'm not volunteering to do the work either!

Great to see some pix of the beast - I look forward to more of them.

cheers
RET

[gree]

yeah, i was just kiddin' around. you can appreciate the work gone into your car ed. be very cool to see out and about one day - sure looks like it will outpace the old grey.

the only thing i've had time to do lately is to finally mount up my home-made lake pipes. funny thing is, as soon as i finished putting them on, the car refused to start! >:(. think it's some major fuel thingy, so i doubt it will be at the all holden day  :( )

anyone know any good fuel injection mechanic type guys?  :P & can anyone help me push it there?

[HARKO]

WOW Centrline's on your trolley ,coool
Good to see some shot's ED ,better than expected..

[Ed]

Hello,

thankyou for the feedback (and kind it is), it's encouraging.

Preparation for the roof chop had begun in earnest with latch plates made up and roof support bows in anticipation of the lowering of the lid.  Serious enquiries were made and members like Harko and Gree gave really good advice.

Trouble is with the Nationals looming, Ive decided to do my best to get the wagon on the road, rather than in the shed!

Will post pics of some of the interesting repairs or mods soon.

Cheers

Ed

[JB]

Hey Ed,

Good to see the hard work paying off. Did you have any trouble with the gaps? It's my next problem after getting bit's and pieces from here and there.
Hopefully we will catch up with respective cars at the nats! But I have to get a motor first.

Cheers
Jason  ;D

[FCwagon]

Hi Ed,
Looks like you've got a lot of the hard work out of the way (and very neatly too).
I've plans to mount the same type of engine in my new FC next year and have a question for you. Ive ignored all the "experts" who said they (the exhausts) won't fit between the chassis rails because I've already seen a few fitted that way and wanted to do the same. I don't fancy the idea of chopping a big hole in the guard skirt. Castlemaine Electrics here in Vic have head hugger extractors which appear they might do the job for me but I can't really tell from your pic if you've got extractors or the original manifolds fitted so would you be kind enough to enlighten for me please?  ;D
Thanks,
Leigh  

[Ed]

Hello Leigh,

If you look real close you can see custom exhausts dropping down between the skirts.  I can provide detailed shots.

to enable this the motor was moved rearward 2 inches 1) to help fan clearance and 2) to let the exhaust drop down.  This however  creates a new problem with the oil pump coming close to the subframe rail.  the only option is to "dent" in your frame rail here.

I dont think any off the shelf items will be close enough, as it will foul either the steering rod, or starter motor (btw a gear reduction unit has been used for more clearance.

I had actually set it up for a toyota 5 speed but now have TH400 which is much larger, subsequently the extractors run a little close and minor mods are required for clearance on the gearbox.

I am also changing the heads to VN-VS type so another set will be made up, rendering these obsolete for my project.

By the way.. the "experts" were horrified when i told them i modified the kit to move the engine back 2 inches and also told me the exhaust must run out the inner guard.

i think with some creativity, your exhausts can be routed out between the fram regardless of shifting the motor back..
the front clip legs,however,  widen as you go rearward...

hope this helps

Ed

[FCwagon]

Thanks Ed,
As well as gathering all the bits for my project, I'm doing the same with as much info as I can get (and remember) I hope people such as yourself don't mind me pinching the good ideas and stuff but why re-invent the wheel?
I'm sort of convinced now that I should run custom exhausts but that's a long way in the future still so if I see another good idea....... :o
Cheers,
Leigh

[FCV8UTE]

In Follow Up to Eds Comments They Told Me I Wouldn't
Get The Pipes Out Through The Rails Either But I Proved Them Wrong. Looks Like Youve Used A Hadfield F/End
Ed.Unlike Ed I Left The Engine In The Orginal Position;But Widend The Rad Support Panel And Hid The
Rad Under The Bonnet Locking Panel And Cut The Support Bar Out That It Bolts To.Again Personal Choice.
Ive Had An Fc That I Fitted A Chev Small Block And This Time 5lt And Found The Injected 5Lt A Easier Fit (Photos On This Site.
Brad

[HARKO]

ED Would it be the bell bird builds its nest ?

[brads59]

Hi ED,hard to tell in the photo,but have you filled the seam where the stone guard section is tacked to the front mud guard. Thinking of doing the same is all.
Cheers ......BRAD :-/

[Ed]

Hi Brad,
Yes the seam is filled.

Ed

[HARKO]

HHmmmmph ED Would it be the bell bird builds its nest ?
,Just asking as "The bird Build's it's nest" is a rather unusual heading to me ,Trying to decifer that Bellbird Blue is an FC colour and maybe just maybe the girl will be blue .

[Ed]

Hey Harko,
apologies.. bad form... anyway back to the subject"bellbird builds its nest?"

I titled the thread "the bird builds its nest" just as an anology to a bird building its nest.

 Whilst watching a David Attenborough (is that how u spell it??) documentary on animals he said once "slowly slowly the bird builds its nest"...  the bird would hunt around for that perfect twig to add to his nest which would be one day his beautiful nest.  It starts off as a mere collection of twigs, unkempt, tangled, and apparently without much plan, however transforms into a beautifully engineered masterpeice.  And a measure of how much of a "man" the bird is, is how well built his nest is.  Which is how he attracts the female...

In this respect I thought the nest was a perfect analogy for a car....


initially i was going to reply "bower bird" because of the blue things scattered about the car!

.. the car will be original colours.. castle grey over etna maroon.

Cheers
 ;)

Ed

[JB]

Hey Ed,

You have opened yourself up here!
It's pretty sad that you have admitted to watching David's show but to be able to quote word for word... More time needed on the FE me thinks if that is all that is on the BOX.  ;D ;D ;D

Jason.

[HARKO]

Excelent and very inteesting , I sat here for a couple of minutes laughing ,I'd have never of picked that one -Not in a million years but very very good he he ha ha

[HARKO]

                           "What bird ?"

[HARKO]

The louvres came out mint ED Ill give it to back to you at the Chrissy BBQ as we discussed.





This is the sunken aerial in the ute ,Positioned between the roof and load area ,The poor ute looks worse every time I look at it ,Thats the matt black worn off and undercoat showing through.