Team,

I've been interested over the last year or so to see the comments on this discussion page regarding options for fuels used in the ol' girls...from additive packages to lead sinkers in the fuel tanks!!

I have worked in the oil industry for 24 years, the last 12 in blending petrol/avgas/diesel products for shipment all round Aust/NZ from Kwinana Refinery in WA.  I am NOT a qualified mechanic or engineer, but I have dabbled with Holden Reds for about 20 years. I don't know it all, but I know something about fuels and how the fuel scene has developed in Aust over the last 12 years...lead phase-out, clean fuels, operability specs etc etc.  BP was pretty much at the forefront of these changes in WA and Qld, driving the change to cleaner fuels.

There is a lot of myth and "clouded" evidence put forward by some as to what is the "gospel" on fuels, particularly the newer fuels...."my mechanic mate tells me that....", "I heard from so-and-so...".  The fact is that the fuel is only part of a complex design and operation that is an internal combustion engine.  Sure the grey and red sixes are simpler compared to the fuel injected monsters that inhabit the engine bays of later models...but they are still a complex balance of design, age/maintenance, tune and fuel.  Not many of us get all of these right ALL the time.

I have written a bit of a document trying to answer Keith's questions above (too long to be posted as is).  It doesn't try to tell anyone what is THE way to go, but to spell out the core considerations (I think) in deciding what fuel you want to run.  It's my offering on the subject, feel free to express your opinions, or ask questions about it...like I said, I don't know it all...but I do have a different perspective to most.  I've attached it as a WORD doc but can email as a .rtf to anyone who doesn't have WORD 2000.

I think that there is still a lot to be said about the benefits of different additive systems for those who choose to go that way, so Keith's invitation to put in your two cents worth should be taken up!  I certainly am not looking to stifle discussion on the issue, just provide some technical background to fuel issues.

Brad

Dean,

sorry for the delay in reply, I've been on shift....

went down to the place I got the stuff today to find out a product code or something.  

he looked in the Rare Spares catalogue under "Flocked Rubber Glass Channel" and the product code was 64-026

hope this helps....Brad

Hi again,

just another detail on speedo gears (in case you're interested)...

I counted the teeth on the speedo drive gear in my HT Trimatic today...8 teeth...so for the "blue" driven gear this gives a ratio of 0.3636:1.....

previously I had calc'd that for a wheel circumference of 8 ft 4 ins through a 3.89:1 diff centre, the tailshaft rpm was 2689 for 50 mph.....so the speedo drive gear to driven gear ratio of 0.3636:1 gives me 978 rpm on the speedo cable for 50 mph......pretty close to the 1000 rpm calibration given by Dave above (only 2% low, underestimating the real speed).  

no need to change the driven gear......woohoo!!  I've got enough bits to look for without having to chase that one up!!  Will be interesting to see if the calcs hold up when I get it on the road and test it for real!!

Brad W

Hi Guys,

just thought I'd share the solution I found to replacing the Bailey Channel in my FC (I hope I'm not trying to teach others how to suck eggs here, but I haven't seen too much about Bailey Channel refits on this discussion page)

I know this is not original stuff and that some people are particular about that....but for those a little less particular, I obtained these mouldings off the shelf from my local Rare Spares stockist.



I found two different section mouldings to do the job.

The first one, which is wider, I used to go in the channel pressed into the door frame, cutting a "V" out of each side to form a mitre where the right angle is required at the top of each door.  I found that the "tails" on the back of this moulding served to keep it anchored in the channel in the door and when cut to length, it stayed in place well without adhesive.  This moulding is the standard replacement moulding for "HQ" window channel.

When I tried to see how I could make this one fit the division channel, I experimented with cutting the "tails" off the moulding...without success.  Eventually, I went back to the Rare Spares stockist (a local panelbeater shop) and showed him how it wouldn't fit...then he came up with the second, smaller moulding.

The second one is much smaller in cross section and more "square" than "flared".  It was a tight fit in the division channel but I made it seat better by using the glass to press it "home".  At first, the glass looked like it might be too tight to freely move up and down with the regulator mechanism....so I used spray-on silicone lubricant on the felt to let it "slip" more easily.....worked a treat!!

Hope this helps someone searching for a non-original but neat solution to Bailey Channel refit.....the stuff was only about $7 a metre.....

Brad

Team,

am putting a HR rear axle on my FC so as to have matching brakes for the front HR discs...the axle I sourced did not have the plates for mounting to the springs/shock absorbers...is it usual with this mod to use the HR spring mounting plates or do some still use the "U" bolts from the FC through the holes on the HR bracket?

also,  do the auto shops still carry stuff like the anti-rattle bar & spring, shoe retaining pins and spring clips etc for the HR axle ...or best to try wreckers?

regards....Brad

Sorry for the delay, been opening a starphoto account and learning how to upload photos...

thread has moved on a bit... but here are the photos I talked about of the 3/4 chassis from Hadfields...










as mentioned in the links from sgo, there are some "tricky" angles in the bits and pieces of the chassis that are worth noting...I've given a close-up of the piece that goes under the "Y" at the front of the chassis to give an idea of some of the angles...

Brad

Hey team,

I've just bought one of these 3/4 chassis from Hadfield's and not yet installed it.  I've a digital camera so I will take some pics and try to post them here for you....stay tuned.....

Brad

Richard,

Thanks for clarifying about the need for club membership...no problems there....can you send me details or application forms?

Brad

Hi Team,

Are there any details on the Qld Nats next year yet?

I'm planning that I may drive my FC over from the west, just need to start thinking about dates etc for booking holidays from work....

A convoy from the West....there's an idea.  Anyone else interested??  Could this be the beginnings of a WA club!!

Brad

Richard,

because I'm 3hrs behind, I tend to use "10 Most Recent Posts" a lot.  Since the upgrade, I'm seeing black text on dark grey background in the message boxes in this part of the BB.  The rest of the pages I visit seem to be OK.

Brad

I think a photo section is a good idea, very resource hungry though, as you say Richard.
Might also be useful under the Technical "How To" section for the hard to describe bits.

Brad

thanks guys for the advice,  I got my cars in pieces and never actually dismantled the seats/mounts etc
I looked in the manual and found as Richard says that there were no pictures of the mounting brackets
I probably have some among my boxes of bits, just don't recognise them....I have seen the bakelite bits (shaped like an offset dogbone, about 1/2 inch thick??) and thought that they were tailgate hardware from a Stn Sedan...I got lotsa little bits!!!

I'll have a look to see if I've got some brackets with the right hole spacing for the floor pan holes...if not I will take you up on your offer Ace...

Can anyone explain how the bench seat mountings should be.  
The one I have appears to bolt to the floor at the back of the adjustment rack and slide back and forth at the front.
There are bolt holes in the floor to take a mounting bracket at the front of the seat mounting but no flange with bolt holes on the front end of the mounting bracket.
Am I missing something or does it only bolt to the floor at the rear of the seat mounting bracket?

Any advice appreciated.....

:-/