FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

My Father {and best mate} is seriously ill and has been given weeks-months to live.
Needless to say I'm utterly shattered and really grappling with the news.
Dad and i have been great mates for many years and are very close.
Dad worked for Holden dealerships all his life and started out as an apprentice at Norman G. Booths in Mosman In Sydney.
He was considered "a natural" and went on to become" The Early Holden Guru" wherever he went.
Dad spent the later years of his working life at Muirs Motors Top Ryde where he finally "got off the tools" and became Service Manager.
As a child i remember Dad after a full days work would come home and have dinner with us and then go down to the carport to work
on friends,neighbors and colleagues cars in 'ALL' weather just to make ends meet ! What a Legend ! I would often go down and watch him until i got too cold
and would have to go inside.Our backyard was always stacked with parts along with quite a few cars including many FCs.
Dad has owned just about every model Holden up until 1990s.But his favorite was His " 48 " which was unfortunately stolen back in the 60s and he never saw it again.
More recently in the last couple of years Dad and I { mostly me} talked about getting a 48 series or an FC to work on together for "old times sake".
Dad was hesitant at first,but i told him i couldn't and wouldn't do it without him, as he has "forgotten more' "than i know".
And that brings us to present day and also my unfolding dilemma.

   

Hi Rich,

Very sorry to here the news.

Kind Regards

Rusty

After hearing the news about Dad i wanted to "take a Hammer" to our FC project as i was totally stricken with grief !
My thought was "I cant and wont do it without him!".
Even now i cant decide what to do,One minute i feel an overwhelming desire to get the car finished and the next i couldn't care less !
Last week i took a weeks holiday and went to Dads to work on the car,Under his guidance i did all "the brakes ", wheel cylinders, clutch and brake master cylinders
clutch slave cylinder,etc etc. Was starting to get excited and started her up and was " champing at the bit" to go for a drive.
That was short lived as Dad said he heard a miss in the engine and wanted to do a compression test. We did that and found very low compression in two cylinders and decide to take the head off and investigate.Burnt out valves !!
To cut a long story short, the head is cracked and not repairable.
I was really hoping to take " Our Project" for its first drive together.
Here's my dilemma, the machine head shop told me that 75% of grey motor heads that come into his shop are cracked around the valve seats and are unrepairable.
His advice was to try to find another head but even then there's a fair chance it will be " no good " as well.
I need advice on what to do here ?
Id really like to get the FC UP AND RUNNING ASAP for obvious reasons, but not sure now if that's going to be possible.
Any help and/or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much ! And thank you for an opportunity to talk about Dad.
Kindest regards Rich.

Hi Rich,
Life has lots of low blows to give. Your not measured on how far you go down but how well you pull yourself out.

Put the feelers out for a good complete engine or a reco head and you might be suprised what comes up. An expansive search would be required on gumtree/trading post/evilbay and be creative too. Search 132 vice grey as people may list differently.

You may get the required parts sooner than you think...

EDIT:
Just read the part about your Dad on the other post, really sorry to hear mate. How about organising some running FC's to make your maiden journey?
OR
Continue the car for HIM.

It'll be hard at the moment being upset but I think you will regret not finishing it in the long run. Have a good drink with him and see what he thinks maybe

I wish you all the best mate...

Thanks alot NES !

This week im really feeling like i want to push ahead with the FC and get it finished ! I was so close !
It is an excellent,very original car with all matching numbers so my strong preference is to only replace the head.

 

Where are you located ?


I have  donor cars with 2 heads untested ?

Pete

Sorry to hear about your father Rich, life throws curve balls like that when we aren't expecting them.
I think your engine bloke is exaggerating - I believe that a lot of heads coming off old motors will be ok. I have a couple of heads here which I believe are good (but not tested). They have come off cars I have wrecked.
Unfortunately they are in Vic which makes it impractical for you but as nes says - ask and you shall receive - there's bound to be some in NSW.

Ken

Sorry to hear about your Dad Rich.

 A lot of us have heads laying around which are "reconditionable". I have a couple here which should be ok. I don't keep them if I find a crack. In your case I would probably have a look around for a good one which needs minimal work. Not many of them around though. An engine shop should be able to reco a head fairly quickly.

I'm in Canberra and will have a look for you if you want, you should be able to get one in Sydney?

Best Regards,

Colin.

BTW, I see your'e in Hurstville, I grew up in Oatley. Small world sometimes.

Rich

If you run into trouble getting a grey head, I've got a shed full of motors and heads everywhere. There would be more than 40 heads in total, none tested but plenty to choose from.

Only problem is that I'm in Vic as well, but just in case you get stuck there are options.

Regards

Scott

Rich,

PM sent.

Rob

Thank you so much everyone for your offers of help/advice and your good wishes, I'm truly overwhelmed !!!

My Dad is very "old school" when it comes to emotions etc and Im quite sure he wouldn't have wanted me to post "mine' about "him'.

Dad is a very private person and he is being very stoic regarding his condition and wants no fuss !

After the Doctors told him the news, He turned to Mum immediately and said " Don't tell the kids" Especially Rich !

Thank you so much again everyone !

Mate if you don't have a head sorted by weeks end I'm gunna be pretty surprised.......

Rich, Im sorry to hear about your dad. Just remember he would love to see the ol girl finished. Best thing you could do is if he is able is to have a pic of him taken with you and the vehicle. Once finished it will be a great momento for you.
All the best mate.
Brett

Hi Rich,

Also sorry to hear the news, hoping you can spend some quality time with your dad.

Dean.

Rich / . iv got several motors here mate, Same deal untested but should be one on a motor thats ok . Your welcome to it mate. Just so u and your dad get that fc driveing together, Bring ya tools to liverpool , cheers slim 0401246919

Back in the third week of December 2008 I went around my dad's place to help him take down a fence...

His neighbour wanted to put up a colourbond one and so dad asked for my help with the old one so a contractor could come in and erect the new fence.

A week or so later my sister phoned, she was on her way around there as dad had died about 3am that day.

We worked on cars together, cut down trees together, argued about various differences and laughed about things together. He outlived his father by 11 years to die at 86. I'll be happy if I can outlive him by 11 years!

Rich, it's all been said, I think the best thing would be as Brett has stated, get it on the road as soon as you can so your dad cn see the end result. To that end I have the old motor out of my car that was running when I took it of the road. You are welcome to it.
All the best, and I hope you get the long end of the stick with your dad.
Regards Jim

Sorry to hear about your Dad.  Do those things together now that you've always wanted to and create new memories you will look back fondly on in times to come. Life is too short to stuff around.

So sorry to hear the sad news Rich,

I have a head here "near Penrith" unknown condition, but yours if you want it

Gary

Hi Rich sorry to hear about your Dad,having lost my Dad late last year i know how your feeling. Mate im with Brett try and get some photos with him and the car, im still looking for photos of us four boys with Dad with not much luck ,Anyway mate if you need a hand with the car you know where i live you got my number
Gordon

I picked up the head from the machine shop this morning.It is obviously cracked and pitted.
Not sure whether it is actually repairable or not but the shop is exclusively for head repairs so im assuming
they know what they are talking about.
Also, the crack test cost $70 and would be $600 for total job including machining and replacing valves and seats ready for unleaded.
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Still trying to decide what to do!
I have to say i have learnt quite a few things lately besides the internal workings of a grey motor.
I have learnt that people really  " do care " especially when someone is down- The forum members have certainly proved that!
I have many public and private offers of help and advice and good wishes and its really lifted my spirits.
I also learnt that i should probably " stay away" from the keyboard when im feeling pretty ordinary !
Never the less THANK YOU !!!!

$600 for a reco head is pretty good. The one I've just had done cost about $800 but that had a couple of small "extras" done to it. For a standard engine I'd probably trust the machine shop regarding the crack.

Colin.

I paid close to $600 .....a little over from memory .......Looks like the right price.

I had a head done up a few months ago.  Crack tested, surfaced and hardened seats fitted for ULP.  Cost $550

Keith