FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

(http://s473.photobucket.com/albums/rr94/lucky_gwen/P9230085.jpg)

(http://s473.photobucket.com/albums/rr94/lucky_gwen/P9230084.jpg)

This is my FC the day we bought it home. It was pretty dirty because it had been sitting under a tarp for a few months.

Regards
Janette

That's a great looking pick up Janette - a really striking colour combination.  Is it able to go on the road or does it require some work?

Cheers
David

Ditto those comments...... now if only it were an FE ;D ;D :D

Thanks David for your comments.

The car starts first turn of the key, but it needs a new steering column. The gear linkages are worn.
The one on there at the moment is off an EK. Also it has a steering wheel off an EK so I need to find an FC one.

Since we bought it a few weeks ago, my partner and our friend has buffed and polished it, all chrome work has been polished with Brasso, we have made new door cards and re trimmed the old door trims back on. All the seats and door trims have been cleaned and armour oiled. New carpets have been put in as well.

Its gleaming in the garage under covers. I would like to get it on the road by December 4 so I can take my son to his formal in it.

Will put more photos up when I take more.

Regards
Janette

Hi Janette,

Give me a call if you want as I have a spare column. You have my number, let me know if you want it.

regards

Keith
F4+
 ;)

I have some updated photos of my FC. Mick fixed the steering column and now you can drive it. Just a bit of wiring to do now and bleed the brakes. Enquirinf about a permit today to take it over the pits. Hope you enjoy the photos.

Janette

(http://s473.photobucket.com/albums/rr94/lucky_gwen/MyCar002.jpg)

(http://s473.photobucket.com/albums/rr94/lucky_gwen/MyCar004.jpg)

(http://s473.photobucket.com/albums/rr94/lucky_gwen/MyCar012.jpg)

(http://s473.photobucket.com/albums/rr94/lucky_gwen/MyCar013.jpg)

(http://s473.photobucket.com/albums/rr94/lucky_gwen/MyCar005.jpg)

(http://s473.photobucket.com/albums/rr94/lucky_gwen/MyCar006.jpg)

(http://s473.photobucket.com/albums/rr94/lucky_gwen/MyCar008.jpg)

Hi Janette

Certainly scrubbed up well both inside and out ;D

Kathi

Looking really good.  Lets hope the rego inspection all goes well.

Cheers
David

cleaned up very well  ;)

What a wonderous interior colour scheme - Go the Mighty Saints!!

What a beauty! :)

She looks great Janette.

I felt a bit sorry for her when I saw the photo that looks as though she was hooked up to the van ;D

Why on earth did people buy grey FCs like mine when just about every other two tone combo looks so good ???

Cheers
John

The van was just sitting at the back of the car because we had to move it back to get the car out of the garage.

The original colour of the FC is granite grey, which I would like it to be, but someone resprayed it this colour.

Janette

oops ;D

WOW!!!!   ;D   ;D   ;D

Blown away by the latest pics.  Congratulations.

Looks fantastic Janette. 8)

Janette, as a historian I can understand your desire to have the car in its original colour, but I think it looks better in maroon, it suits the interior well and I think has a higher value because of it's obvious appeal. It is now a standout in a crowd and a real credit to you.




Ken

Janette,
Great work car looks fantastic congratulations. Love the colour.
Cheers,
Graham

Looks really nice Janette, a real credit to you & your fellow clean-up crew.

Dean.

Finally got the FC on the road for its first drive with us today. Mick, my partner, drove it around the block a few times. He says its a bit tricky getting it into 2nd gear, it doesn't always go in first time. He says he is getting use to driving it and enjoying it. I'm not game enough to have a drive of it yet. I will wait until its registered then I will learn to drive it.  ;D

Taking it tomorrow for rego check, then getting a week permit on Thursday morning so my son can arrive at his formal with his date in it. Yay.  :)

Still can't work out why the blinkers aren't working!  ??? Very frustrating.

Cheers
Janette

Very nice, love the colour scheme .

Hi Janette

Re getting it into 2nd gear  - with mine I have to let it "drop" a little as it goes through neutral before I push it up to 2nd.  It's never liked being forced into 2nd. It's a little hard to explain my technique but I momentarily take the pressure away from the gear lever once it's in the horizontal plane by dropping my wrist a little before pushing it up. Perhaps you could try this technique and see if it works for you.

Hope all goes well with the formal.

Kathi 

Thanks Kathi,

I will let Mick know and he can try that way.

Thanks again
Janette

Janette, there is a good method for changing from first to second as it can be a little tricky if not adjusted well.
Pull gear lever towards wheel
Lift firmly to disengage first (don't go so far as to hit reverse- you should "feel" it come out of first)
Let the gear lever travel through the gate using its own spring tension (away from the wheel)
Lift the gear lever into second.
Some people even like to declutch between first and second (however I don't see it as really necessary)

This 4 stage action will help you learn the shift pattern - the worst thing to do is push directly upwards from first pushing diagonally into second. This causes wear on all the joints and is the usual cause of broken gear shift tubes.

Ken

Yeah - what Ken said!   ;D  He's just ever so eloquently described pretty much how I change gears - you let  it to "find" it's own way through the horizontal plane before moving up to 2nd! ;D   

 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

YAY!!!!

Well my FC went for rego check yesterday and it only needs a few minor things done to it. Apparently a few things under the car have 'play' in them and need fixing. Nothing too major.

We now have a weeks permit so we can take it and do a bit of work on it.

So the formal all went well and my son Dylan got his ride. So happy.

Here is a few photos before he went....
(http://s473.photobucket.com/albums/rr94/lucky_gwen/DylansYr10Fomal002.jpg)
(http://s473.photobucket.com/albums/rr94/lucky_gwen/DylansYr10Fomal004.jpg)
(http://s473.photobucket.com/albums/rr94/lucky_gwen/DylansYr10Fomal012.jpg)

Regards
Janette

Cool dude 8) Remember how hard we worked at being casual?  ;D

Cheers
John

Well done - it is a great thrill to get a car back on the road, and to have a child beaming at the prospect of turning up at the formal in it.

I can't see a peep mirror there - how did you go with that one?

Cheers
David

Hey Janette, those pics are priceless! (and I'm not just referring to the beaut FC...)
cheers jack

Great pics Janette!I also had to drive a couple to their formal last night,but unfortunately not in my Black FC  :'(.Instead,it was in my boring 355 powered VH commy....
(http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/ttv6fc/commyrebuild117.jpg)
Hopefully we'll have the FC ready for next year...then I guess no one will want to use it... :-\

Hi all

Thanks for the nice comments.

As for the peep mirrors, it didn't even get a mention on the rego inspection. This is a list of what needs to be done to it....

wheel bearing play LHF - do we have to replace the wheel bearing?
steering arm nut missing - already fixed
idler arm play - in regards to the idler arm, there is one on ebay for $30.00, is it worth buying?
drag link play - not sure what that is or what it does?
blinker nil - needs wiring work
horn nil - just needs re-connecting the wire
upper front bump stops -


To us that doesn't seem major, but if anyone knows more about mechanics, is it major???

regards
Janette

Janette
Wheel bearing - tighten only. Don't over tighten.
Idler Arm - needs replacing. These commonly do wear out
Drag link - urgent - there is a large screwdriver slot in the end cap of each side of the drag link with a split pin holding it in position. This needs to be tightened to the specs in the manual - LHS is different to RHS.
I would actually completely disassemble, clean inspect and replace worn parts before regreasing and assembling. Bad things can happen to your steering when these come apart at high speed - known to happen!
Blinker - check all earth positions - especially front indicator bodies.
Horn - could also be more than just a wire disconnected - Check all components under horn ring - especially the little connector which goes through the wheel. You may have to remove steering wheel and look at the ring underneath as well. Horns are also known to be problematic - check it with a battery directly across the terminals.
Upper front bump stops - I assume they are perished - new are available as well as s/h

Ken
 

We finally got the FC registered today. Yay.  ;D

Still haven't fixed the back blinkers yet, but Mick did a little trick at the final rego inspection to make out that both blinkers work.

And what about this close to great number plates  YFQ 58K

If only the Q was a C. Oh well I'm happy about the 58 anyway.

Just got to learn to drive it now.

Cheers
Janette

Congrats on the rego.
Looking forward to seeing you on the road sometime.
Regards
Alex

Had my first drive of the FC today and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Mick says I drive it better than him. I drive it more smoothly, like a girl should.

Mick adjusted the linkages somehow and second gear goes in great.

I don't know much about car shows, never had a car entered in one before, but is my FC worth taking to the Nationals at Orange next year???

Thanks
Janette

Congratulations!
Yes it is, there are all kinds of cars at the Nationals, it's a very social event.

Nationals is not about trophies - sure there are trophies there, but it is about meeting and socialising with all the FE FC fraternity from around Australia.

Ken

I couldn't agree more with Ken.

Jason.

Hi
 If you have either an FE or FC does not matter what condition it is in they are all welcome. It is a GREAT weekend and you are able to meet and make new friends all with the same interest. See you there ifI do not see you before that.
WAYNE