Nev's tidy up

[mcl1959]

The gauge labels are a stick on decal.

Ken

[RET]

... printed in reverse. They go on the inside of the glass.

Phil from Newcastle also has re-printed glass, but that's a fair bit more expensive.

cheers
RET

[Johns]

They don't stick on, they're cleverer than that 8) They are shaped so that they fit neatly within the gauge face and so line up exactly where they should when its all assembled.

Cheers
John

[mcl1959]

John, must have made new ones because mine had a peel off back and were stuck on. The peel off back was a clear colour and very hard to tell the difference between it and the decal - just slightly grainier.

Ken

[Johns]

We made some real progress today, we actually started Nev's reassembly.

Most parts, depending on original finish, have been either been zinc plated, powder coated or painted. today we installed the steering column, some wiring, the entire front end and the front brakes. here are some photos;



The entire front end including the crossmember has been powder coated.


Nev looks more like a car here. He turned 50 in October and his original number plates have never been off. Even though we can't obtain these in NSW, we will refurbish the originals.


There is a lot of detail work to do, including the engine.

Stay tuned

John :)

[customFC]

Looks like a trick new engine bay.
You have done wonders compared to what you started with.
Congrats on the progress, keep at it.
Regards
Alex

[zulu]

Lookin good John, won't be long before we see it on the road now.
Did you know you can get white on black NSW plates? pretty much identical to the QLD items, you could probably even get the same content, not as expensive as some of the other crook lookin plates they have on offer either!
Regards, Gary

[RET]

She's looking good, John. As you've no doubt discovered, NEV-107 is not available in NSW. -106 and -109 are, if that's any help.

cheers
RET

[Ed]

looks great John,
very impressive.

;D :o

Cheers

Ed

[Johns]

Hi everyone.

Nev LIVES.

Its been a while since I reported on Nev's progress, mostly as I've been waiting for the engine..

When I last reported the engine had gone away for a (lengthy rebuild). It didn't really need it but it was out of the car and full of silt in the water galleries, so I thought it best to do it. With hindsight I should have flushed it out and left well alone.

It was bored 40 thou, so it could take EJ pistons, balanced and has a mild cam. Otherwise it is stock. All the ancilliaries have been rebuilt -except the wiper motor which will be completed soon - we have a new carby from Xtreme fuel systems, so hopefully it should drive ok.

Yesterday it ran for the first time, as we ran the cam in. It seems counterintuitive to run a completely new engine for 20 minutes at 2,000 rpm, doesn't it. There are a number of jobs still to be done, reinstalling the interior is the main one. Others include sourcing new plug leads, correct oil sender, correct masters and tins, block drain, hose clamps etc.,. We also need to complete the front end, the sway bar isn't on yet, grease it, adjust the new wheel bearings and align it.

Here are some photos;







And the final one as we we were running the engine in. Compare this with the engine photo prior to removal.



Here is the current interior state;



There's one guy without whom this would not have been possible, a huge thank you to Craig Alderson (Craig A on the forum) .  Also to Craig's brother Glenn Alderson of Hughes and Gibson and Garry Claypole (Zulu) for those vital bits I was missing, supplied at short notice.

Cheers
John

[Hewart]

Nev's looking great John!!
Won't be long now until he's back on the road now!!
Congrats to everyone involved so far... great job!!

Cheers
Les...

[Johns]

Hi Everyone.

After a furious few weeks Nev is (almost) complete and made it to All Holden Day 2008. There are still a few jobs to do, but generally he's finished.

Here are a couple of photos.





Regards
John

[RET]

... and he looks fantastic, John. Great job.

cheers
RET

[graham_fuller]

Another great FE back on the road. Looks terrific John.
Cheers,
Graham

[TTV6FC]

As mentioned above,looks fantastic John.Very comprehensive rebuild. :o

[smithy]

very nice indeed john ;) ;)

if thats just a tidy up i'd love to see what you do with a complete rebuild :o ;D

well done

dean

[Johns]

I've just realised its been six years since I first started negotiating to buy Nev - I didn't complete this until just before the Philip Island Nats which he attended on a trailer completely unsorted.

I haven't really driven him since the Nats at Orange, that was six weeks after my motorcycle accident and was a bit of a struggle. Since that time I managed to get sidetracked with a couple more cars so Nev languished until recently when I recommissioned him with a rebuild of all of the hydraulics and took him out to the Rare Spares display earlier in the year.

Prior to the drive to Orange I hadn't really put any miles on the engine, which was rebuilt in late 2007 and didn't run until 2008. I was disappointed that it was fuming more than I would have expected for a new engine and wasn't particularly responsive. On the run to Orange I decided to see if I could get the rings to bed in properly and the run over the mountains was perfect for this as I could vary engine speed with no long periods of constant throttle opening. On the way home I traveled via the Bells Line of Road and I gave him a bit of a workout. That was a great drive. I left early in the morning to beat the Easter traffic as I wasn't sure how well my leg would last. The morning was crisp, weather fine with little traffic. I had that opportunity that you don't often get with slow old cars, to get in sync with the car and let it find its pace.

As I drove, time slipped back 50 odd years and I could imagine how chuffed I was to own my new, fast FE Holden after than run of underpowered, undergeared and unreliable Austins and Morrises I'd been forced to drive after the war when the waiting list and cost of a new Holden was a deterrent to upgrading. My decision to spend the extra few pounds on the Detroit kit was also worthwhile because I had the flashest FE in the Golf Club carpark. ( I was going to buy one of those dark blue over light blue cars, but everyone seemed to have one....). I traveled up Scenic Hill watching the temperature light as it failed to come on and I thought of my Austin A40 which boiled every time it looked at a hill.

I had a great drive over the mountains, still no traffic and with an 80 kph speed limit perfect for Nev. It was the perfect finish to a great weekend.

It seems to have worked wonders, the engine is responsive, he''ll cruise comfortably at 60 mph on the standard, albeit somewhat noisy, diff and the fuming has virtually disappeared. Plans now are to replace the drivers door windlace which has collapsed, maybe a new boot mat and perhaps upgrade the diff to a 3.55 which I had in my EJ - oh, and fix the bloody windscreen wiper motor >:(

Other than that, all seems to well and I intend to get him out more often :)

Cheers
John

[HAD 708]

Great post John, and i remember a chat at Orange re the fumey new motor and your dissapointment in it. Alls well that ends well it has settled in beautifully and good on you, i still remember the Phillip island nationals and Nev arriving on the trailer and a couple of drinks at the Nasco Social club Bar! Take care we all really enjoy your updates!
Brett