FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

HI ALL

ITS TIME TO SELL THE 179 HP I HAVE HORDED ALL THESE YEARS.
THE BLOCK IS A BIT SAD (BEEN BORED 120 THOU) A COUPLE OF BORES NEED SOME ATTENTION BUT THE CRANK, ROD AND PISTONS (THAT ARE NOT THAT OLD) ARE GOOD

$200 ONO

PM ANY QUESTIONS

CHEERS
GREGD

         WHAT IF I SAID $100 ONO?????????????????????????????????????

GREG

What is a standard bore 179 HP long engine worth these days ??? ??? .......FC427......

if it's like most things, if you have one it's worth nothing :o if you want one it's worth an arm & a leg >:(
i'm getting one on the weekend for nothing plus a 186 with EH sump ;D

Doesn't that always seem to be the way it goes, especially if you need to sell something ::)

I think the problem is that some believe the HP block to be something special, which it isn't, every 179 engined EH had one!!

Regards

Peter

I think the confusion of thinking the HP blocks were something special stems from the HP 308 blocks. These were special, where as you say all 179 EH holdens were fitted with a HP block

If it has been bored 0.120" larger with the bores needing attention, then there wouldn't be too much special about this particular HP block unless you were using it to do a concours restoration on an EH and were prepared to have the bock sleeved.

Effcee,I'd be interested in knowing what you think is special about a HP 308 block ?
ACE  8)

I always thought EH's came out with 179 & 179---HP and the HP got the steel crank and had a higher compression ratio by about 1/2 point [cylinder head cc smaller] or did all the EH's get the steel crank ??? I know 149's did.......FC427......

there must be some sort of difference ???otherwise why bother tooling up the HP casting from the 179 casting, i've always heard the higher comp and steel crank thing, but i'm no expert and never heard it from anybody official enough for me to beleive ??? ::)

Up to the end of 1964 all 179 EH engines were HP blocks. The 149 to the same time had no casting numbers on the block. At the end of 1964 from that point on the 149 and 179 were cast with numbers. I suppose when compared to the 149 the 179 was a HP (High Performance) engine.

As for steel cranks all holdens up to about mid 1967 had them, the grey, 149, 161,179,186 all had steel cranks.

Only ever had worked on one. 308HP have steel crank, much tougher rods, similiar to Chevy "X" rods, different cam profile compared to the standard 308. I don't believe it had been apart before I pulled it down, certainly didn't look that it had, still had std bore, main and big ends etc Also had a high volume oil pump that had a Holden casting. I quoted the number at the local Holden dealer, they had no record of the number. I was told it must have been obsolete.

i've seen EH's that are suposed to be original cars with 179 on the side of the block

Towards the end of 1964 Holden stopped putting on the HP and started with the  179 and 149. 149 Before this had no markings on the outside of the block. The last of the EH's would have had the 179 casting on the blocks

On the early 179s, they were stamped "HP" to differentiate over the 149.

The same system was used with the 253/308 where the 308 got "HP" over the 253 on the early motors.

There is nothing special about either.

Steel cranks were used up until mid 1967 I think (including grey), then all went to cast iron including XU1 etc.  Brock won Bathurst in 72 with a cast crank.

Dave

i'll through another spanner in the works but didn't the X2 HD's have HP blocks ?

Ratbox,
I dont know whether the HD X2 had HP blocks, however I do know that the 179 X2 engine numbers were prefixed with 179X. If anyone has a HP block with this prefix then this would be a clear indication. IIRC 179 engines fitted to EH's were prefixed with the letter M and 179's fitted to HD's were prefixed with 179F

someone else told me i was wrong i have seen one but it must have been fitted later

g'day all, ;)
 i own a hd x2 wagon,had it now  for about 15years still regeristed has the original x2 motor in it,with the 179x engine number,and on the side of the block it has 179 on it ...and not HP... ...but yes i agree that EH  had the HP.. motor 179M. engine no..however i had another HD  had wot was supposed to be the original motor iin it ....yep a HP block 179m,(i still have it) a early hd it was as it still had the  early "kingpin" front end in it before  the hd went to the ball joint front.....another  holden mystery. ???...
i was once told by a close friend of mine,' Roger Wells... who has  now passed away' who actually worked/raced a genuine EH S4 he told me that holden brought out the HP block for the S4 EH  as it had thicker bore walls, less prone to cracking / over heating when bored out? can anyone shed lite to this???
 Roger also owned and raced for several years the old " pete /ian geogan fx holden..(no 33 green with white stripes).did the appendix j circut with it,i would often help work on it, he showedand taught  me many hot up mods to grey motors...hi comp pistons/ cross flow heads/caged bottom/triples on greys... ends.etc .he knew his stuff.... any way  the fx car was sold shortly  after Rogers death and   recently went to tasmania, i hope it still races......also of interest Roger owned the REPCO  RALLY HDT COMMODORE, this is the car that has recently  appeared in a article in unique car s mag, it was one of 3 that holden raced ,and it was the real deal he bought after the car had be rallied a bit after the repco trail  ,no body really wanted it as it was thrashed and bashed up , came with heaps of genuine hdt gear,anyway we worked on that commodore got it re-rego in all its original unrestored  paintwork,/and  running gear ..people often would laugh when they ssaw it on the road as they thought we had just built a clone.. little did they Know!.we  did a couple of "kindney caper"/  rallies in it,hill climbs...etc will try find sum pics of it it  and work out how to upload em if there is interest......it was a very cool car  .........and Roger was great mate! ;)
...wow.... sorry to get off the 179 track got abit emotional :(

keep cruisin!!!!