Finally underway again.......

[JOX515]

Back from a couple of days in sunny and warm Perth and get back to Ballarat - cold and wet.  Got the rest of the week off and batching for another 2 weeks, so plenty of FC shed time coming up ;)

No to get stuck into some detail work......

[JOX515]

Wheel alignment done - steers much better  ;D  They did suggest I look at a rack set up as the steering box is starting to show signs of age.  I still think it feels OK but it is a little sloppy.

What is general consensus re the fitting of racks......

Cheers, Graeme

[FCRB26]

The best my car ever drove with the rb30 was with a draglink assembly.
But I went to torana front mount but now have rear mount narrowed commodore.
Everyone seems to be happy with rear mount narrowed commodore.
Sump will be the only problem.
I hear rb30 nissan patrol is close but shouldnt be to hard to fab up.
I would suggest wings out the side of the sump to get more capaacity like a high energy.

[JOX515]

Pete, I always thought drag link provided the best steering for these type of cars.  The few I have driven that have racks just don't feel right.... 

Maybe I should invest in a better and/or recoed steering box.

[hsv-001]

You simply won't do better than a properly fitted [shortened and positioned ]commodore rack .I spent many years doing these conversions and can probably help you with some of the finer points .If you decide to go this way message me . Cheers  Haydn

[JOX515]

Thanks Haydn, will give you a yell if I go that way for sure.

[JOX515]

Bit more of an update - can't stay out of the car long enough to do much work on it....  ;D

Finally nutted out the vl oil pressure gauge and it is now working a treat - was an earthing issue. 

Washers also working but on a separate on/off button.  Tried a couple of different switches and had either washers and no wipers or wipers and no washers.  Back to the too hard basket for time being on that one.

Still can't work out the fuel gauge tho.  Put a standard FC one back in and that didn't work either.  Wifey bought me a multimeter yesterday, so once I work out how to use it I will tackle it again.

Will also use said meter to work out why the RH indicator flashes fast and the left one normal.  Bloody wiring...... lol

Am changing the handbrake to a HQ item and have only a couple of things to do on it and it will be done as well.

Also trying to fabricate some kick panels which will be a work in progress for a while I think.....

Very happy to say the car drives and rides really well, cruises along the highway without effort, steers well (am still considering a rack and pinion) and am looking forward to getting to some of the FE-FC club runs.  First one will be the auction nite.....

Cheers, Graeme

[JOX515]

JOX attending the FE FC Club Auction nite where he met some new friends.....



and topping up at a servo on the way home....

[JOX515]

Bit more of an update....

As always, no matter how careful we are putting things back together, the new paint always get chipped / scratched, not badly but enough to be annoying.  The really annoying part now is that my painter cannot get the paint made up again as the supplier has changed their computer system and no longer have the old colours available.  I only got my car painted 6 months ago......  The various attempts to get a colour match have been disastrous.......

SO, can anyone steer me towards a paint shop / painter who could match Wangarra Grey and Ascot Grey

Cheers, Graeme

[mcl1959]

Eastern auto paints are brilliant with the old colours, they should be able to solve your problems.
However matching another colour by formula alone would be tricky- I suspect they would need a sample to eye match to after mixing the colour.

Ken

[JOX515]

Have been in contact with Eastern, Ken and while very helpful they also said unlikely to get a match.  I will take the car to them to have a look tho, as they have been recommended by you and others on this site.

Just frustrating that in day and age of computers and technology, something created 6 moths ago is no longer available......

[DJ]

Graeme, I had a similar frustrating experience trying to match paint.
As Ken says, a formula alone is unlikely to work out - for a whole lot of reasons (apart from the obvious) I hadn't considered initially.
Once I found someone highly recommended I left a sample (wheel rim) with them for a while. It was the only way to get a match.

[JOX515]

DJ the thing that really bugs me is that the paint was provided by protec less than 6 months ago and was made from a formula not a colour sample from a car.  In this day and age of cheap computer storage etc, I would have thought that the formula would have been saved somewhere......

Just very frustrating......

The colour matches provided so far, taken from a sample from my car, have been bordering on the ridiculous - not even close, yet being passed off as good enough to do the job.

[DJ]

I agree. And they quote - 'The advanced technology of the Protec Colour Software ....'  how disappointing to think nothing is saved.
I was lucky. The batch I had made up has the formula written on the can. While it may not help anyone else, it should ensure the same place can readily provide more to match.

[fcwrangler]

Most panel shops have a machine they place over the paint and it will give them a workable formula, I find it strange that the painter can't eye match the paint. May be an idea to find an older painter as they would be more likely to be able to colour match the car.
Jim

[JOX515]

G'day Jim,  finding an older painter is one of my options and there are a few around down here.  My painter is only a young guy just starting out on his own and is a very very good painter / repairer / etc.  He probably just can't afford all the really top line equipment just yet...  He is as frustrated as I am at the moment, despite his best efforts, our local suppliers are letting him down.

[DJ]

I used Allard Paints Distributors in Canberra. They were recommended by other local paint suppliers (true) as being the best & only one to go to for spot on matching locally.
They use a scanner also sometimes to obtain a basis to work from, & then match it by eye. The shop is so full fumes I don't know how they stand it all day, but maybe that's the secret - find someone who's been as high as kite on paint fumes for years.

[JOX515]

lol DJ - high as a kite on fumes.  that could describe the whole industry 15 years ago before good ovens, fans etc.

[JOX515]

Has anyone tried this place yet???

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/171156890556?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

[DJ]

Yes, a spray painter told me once that 2 beers on top of the high octane all day was all he needed to be off his face.
Bad news sucking those toxic fumes. Good to see OH&S regs in place these days.