Brown painted 1/2” Masonite sheet with black steel strips on the deck. Body colour is always there on the exposed metal inside the tonneau, under various supplementary finishes, the most popular in my experience being the grey salt and pepper fleck.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll see what I can find but will probably opt for stainless as opposed to black steel. I haven't found masonite available 1/2 inch think so may have to use an A grade ply and use a router to embed some SS flat bar just proud of the surface. Maybe 25 x 3mm SS strips with countersunk SS screws.

Cheers n Beers
Craig

I’ve been running stock HR setup with VH44. It’s not too bad until there is a load on board. I’m about to change to VH40, because I’ve got one on the shelf, and I’m sticking with stock single circuit master. Well for now anyway……
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Thanks for the guidance. The old girl won't be carrying a load at all - maybe a bag or two and a few beers in an esky at most. I think I'll be fine with just the pair of us up front.

Cheers n Beers
Jolls

Hi Team

I have searched the internet high and low and don't think I've seen one picture of tubs that match. I also have no ideas how the tub was done originally. I have seen options, refurbs that include pressed metal, timber, timber and metal, checkerplate, marine carpet, and combinations. Can someone tell me, or provide a pic of, what an original tub looked like so I can start work on pulling together a plan.

Cheers n Beers
Jolls

Hi Team,

Another piece of the puzzle has sort of fallen into place. I have been given an aftermarket VH44 booster so now I need to work out if/how I use this as it looks the goods. However. it is not the VH40 that came out the the HR - that would make life easy. I am mulling options over. I'm not sure all of them are acceptable; but, I'm pretty sure that they are workable:

• use the VH44 as a means to trade up to VH40 and run a full HR setup
• run the VH44 and boost the discs only - use the existing FC rears unboosted
• run the VH44 and boost the the lot - use the proportioning valve with the existing FC brakes

I'm keen to keep the FC rear end if I can - not wedded tothe idea though. If it neds to change - so be it.

Sent you a pm confirming what to send you Craig. Your brake thread seems to be corrupted.


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Nothing received - checked messages and email. Will keep an eye out and respond ASAP.

Cheers
Craig

With the stock master you really need a booster Craig. I'm not sure you want a proportioning valve. The standard HR setup is single circuit master to VH40 booster to discs front and smaller compatible wheel cylinders rear, which means changing rea housing and brakes to EJ HR.

Option 1 is HK HZ or other 1" dual circuit master, boost front circuit only using VH40 or smaller VH44 and retin stock rear unboosted on separate circuit.

Option 2 firewall mounted booster and dual circuit master with rear proportioning valve. Then you have to one the clutch master or else modify bonnet hinge.

Another option I have seen is smaller diameter master unboosted.

Easiest option with the grey is probably just swap the rear axle and brakes.

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Hi Errol62

Firstly thank you so much for the parts offer. I am all over it like whire on rice. I have been mulling over the options all afternoon. I'm going to run with the HR front end so the disc brake booster would be gold. I have been thinking about how to do this with a minimum of effort while maintaining "period originality". I am already throwing triple SUs and extractors on her and will have the cam reground, the head done and the bottom end refreshed and balanced and the flywheeel lightened. So the investment in being able to stop is pretty important.

I have thought through several options and am thinking about keeping the FC rear end but sleeving the cylinders down the the same as HR. Do you think that is achievable? Do you think istoo much effort and simply changing to HR/LJ drum to drum would be more cost effective?

Cheers n Beers
Jolls

I warned you about scope-creep . . .

The moment you change to an HR front suspension, you'll need to have an engineer certify the installation.  And I think dual circuit brakes become mandatory, and a collapsible steering column, and two-speed electric wipers, and a heater/demister.  It's not as easy now as it was in (say) the '80s.

Haha,
I recall the warning - I didn't think that through too far - I can always sell it.
Last time I did this was in the very early 80s and I started by adding the HR front and rear end. Then I cut out and replaced the tunnel and added a 4 speed box a little later When the grey died I simply welded in some engine mounts threw in a 202 and took it down to the RTA? and had it inspected. The only inspection it had in its time was after the engine change and it had a few rego inspections in between.

I guess I am a little naive;  adding disc brakes is a bolt on safety upgrade. I did not expect the engineering etc unless I added a bigger donk. Then I expected all the additions plus seat belts.

The fella I purchased this off was running around with just the proportioning valve; that is what prompted my intial question. I know last time I did this I used a booster. In my mind I had thought through a plan of stock booster to VH44 to a proportioning valve to the brake setup using FC rear and HR front. Pretty sure that is the setup I had in the 80s. I guess if I have to change the diff as well I could go EH/ HR or LC/LJ and use the VH40 to keep it as close to original as I can.  I have just sourced the missing clutch parts, thanks to Clay, to keep it looking original in that area.

I will have a think about how I stage this - and if I want the PITA of having to do so. I can always add some paint and sell it - got it for a very good price.

Thank you for your efforts. I expect I will jump on board if there are leftovers from thos who have already put their hands up.

Cheers
Jolls

The parts list for the build is starting to decrease.  I just purchased up a complete HR front end with proportioning valve,  2 inch lowered springs, 2 inch lowering blocks and two new HR rims. They have been sandblasted and undercoated already.

So - now that I have the disc brake front end is the booster a mandatory requirement or something I can get to down the track?

Cheers n Beers
Jolls

Hi Errol,

Thanks so much for your kind offer - sent you a PM.

Cheers n Beers
Jolls

I used rare spares brake light light globe holders, front an rear. Only problem I had was getting orange/ white led globes that were short enough not to touch the lense on the rear.  Apart from that they are real cool especially the front as they are a very bright white so can be seen in the daytime and when the indicators goes of or on the white light kind of dims down then up and really easy to see. Also a decent light to reverse with which sheds a fair amount of light.

Thanks Mate,

Appreciate the feedback - good to know that I'm on the right track. I will wait until the globes arrive and trust that I have selected the right ones. The bulb is 26mm deep with a 20mm cap - similar to a brake/tail light bulb so I expect it will fit. I think they are literally on a slow boat from Chine as delivery is not expected before Dec 13. The holders from Rare Spares are on the buy list (which is getting longer by the day). I am keen to have pretty much everything in place when I really crack into it so I can get a good run.

Cheers n Beers
Jolls

742... part numbers are EH/HD vintage.  This is where we need Clay with his master parts catalog.  Mine dates from 1957.  It lists 7409631 as the brake master cylinder, and 7412001 as the clutch master cylinder (body, not assembly).

All master cylinders are 1" bore, and are functionally equivalent (except for check valve in the brake cylinder).

Rob

Hi Rob,

Thanks, I will hunt around and see what I can find. In the interim I may just purchase a set of aftermarket master cylinders and a clutch slave cylinder to get myself up and running. There are plenty about. I can then take my time finding the period correct options and restoring them.

Really appreciate your guidance.

Regards

Craig

[if both master cylinders are correct for the model.]

Craig,

Original equipment master cylinders helpfully have "brake" or "clutch" cast in relief on the side.  Post the part numbers if you can read them.

Brake and clutch reservoirs interchange if both master cylinders are correct for the model.  But - both the cylinders and the reservoirs were revised by Holden, twice, I think.  EJ, EH and early HD had tall, narrow tin reservoirs.  Late HDs and HRs had plastic reservoirs.  You can't take an HR reservoir and expect it to fit an FE-EK master cylinder, because the threaded part is bigger.  And the later brake master cylinders have slightly wider webbing than the early ones.

So it sounds to me like your clutch master cylinder is the later type, while your brake master cylinder is the early type.

Are (the remains of) your reservoirs both the squat, wide ones?

Rob

Hi Rob,

Confirmed my suspiscion. Thank you.

The brake master cylinder is is part number is 7423384. I have identified another that looks exactly the same on the net with part number 7409631 - confusing!
The clutch master cylinder is 7426553 232. I found and identical one listed on the web apparently beloning to a HD/HR - white plastic reservoir with white lid. Are you able to let me know the correct part number for the FC clutch master cylinder.

I guess the next question is what clutch slave cylinder do I match it up to? I would assume that anything that fits a grey motor would suffice - but then again.

In relation to the 1 1/2 reserviors I have on hnad both are the short squat tin reservoirs and both fit the brake master cylinder.

Thanks for taking the time to educate me.

Cheers n Beers
Craig

Hi Team

I had not inspected the clutch master cylinder closely as I was more focussed on getting the innards out and the cap off the good tin reservoir that I have. I then turned my attention to what parts I needed to get the brakes back up to speed. I had assumed (big mistake I know) that because I had two tin reservoirs that one was for the brake and the other the clutch and that they were both the same. I was right in that both tins have the same thread on the bottom ( the top half of the second one is rusted away); however, when I went to see if the brake fitted the clutch I found that the reservoir base was way too small for the clutch master cylinder. I'm pretty sure I know the answer I am going to receive but I will ask anyway because I can't find any information in the manuals.

Are the tin reservoirs the same on both the brake and clutch master cylinder? They certaily look that way form the photos I have seen; but then again they are all of complete units.

If they are the same thread then I expect that I have a tin topped brake master cylinder and plastic topped clutch cylinder. Either way I have another parts problem to resolve!

It won't matter to me if they are a mismatch to get us up and running but I will need to make a decision on which way to jump so I can start looking for the matching part(s). Just got to love projects that start with parts in plastic buckets - always a surprise!

I look forward to your wisdom.

Cheers n Beers
Craig

The worst that can happen with a MAP gas torch:  everything will fall to bits, because either the cap or the reservoir will have soldered seams . . .

Took it slow and heated it a few times to avoid it falling to bits. Finally got the lid off - stubborn bugger. Now have to find a friend to go with him for the clutch master cylinder!

Thanks for the advice and support.

Cheers n Beers
Craig

As Dr Terry said, there is a plastic reservoir. Be careful though as the thread on the base of the reservoir was changed at some point, and the black lid reservoirs were produced to fit both threads. I did have a bunch of these a couple of years ago but moved them on. Old master cylinders are common at swap meets.


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Thanks for the heads up. I will keep an eye out to see what I can find.

Craig,

It's time to get serious.  If you have a blowtorch, *gently* heat the lid of the reservoir and see whether you can unscrew it (leather gloves!).  You might have to heat it until it smokes and the rust turns black.  Hopefully you don't have to go cherry-red.

Rob

I'll get the MAP gas out tomorrow ans see haow we go. What is the worst that can happen?

I have just finished wire my reverse lights, indicators and park lights on my FC ute. I left all the clear/white lenses in and used switch back led globes, indicators flash orange and reverse and park lights are white light. I did have to put a different flasher can that senses the load from the LEDs

I hve decided to take the low road and make life easier on those driving around me and go to orange LED indicators front and back and white parkers/reverse lights. I will modify the wiring to suit and incorporate and LED rated flasher can. That should be pretty straight forward to do.  I ordered four of these on eBay so just need to find a base to suit and modify it to fit into the bulb wells of the front and rear indicators/parkers.



When you did your conversion did you run into any problems? What base did you use? Did you have to modify it to fit?

Cheers n Beers
Craig

Hi Gman

I have been trolling through the old restoration pages for ideas, inspiration and wisdom as I have just started my ute restoration. I came across a thread https://forum.fefcholden.club/index.php?topic=15344.20#:~:text=Reply%20%2337%20on%3A%2023%20May%202009%2C%2020%3A00%3A59%20%C2%BB. He has replaced the original tank with an 80 litre VT Commodore fuel tank. May be an option unless you are keen to go back to original.

Cheers
Jolls

The brake and clutch master cylinders and reservoirs were on my list to do today.

I was able to remove the pistons and they and the bores look to be in reasonable condition. May only require a hone. I was not so lucky with the tin reservoirs. I don't think either of them are re-usable.

You can get the full story here: https://forum.fefcholden.club/index.php?topic=28497.msg180213#msg180213

I played around with the fuel gauge too. I have continuity across the coils so I have to imagine that the coating across the coil windins has failed on one of the coild and there is a or number of short circuits. I'll see what I can track down to replace this bit.

Cheers n Beers
Jolls