FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

I have just replaced the wiper buttons in my FC ute and FE sedan. It then came to my attention that I have three different types of buttons to put on. One is all black and I know these were on the FB / EK (i think). But what suprised me was that were two different chrome buttons which I thought were identical. Not so.The first one was all plastic with the chrome pressed around the plastic. This was the type I had on the ute and sedan as the plastic had broken where the grub screw was hence why I had to replace.

In the ones I replaced with they looked the same but are different in their design. It is plastic but is reinforced by metal (die cast I think) where it goes onto the switch. The chrome ring is all metal and solid in comparison to the other one. It slides onto the plastic which has perforations to hold it in place.

I am assuming the first one is off a FE while the second one was a design change at sometime because the plastic broke- possibly FC.

Can anyone confirm this? I am sure Ken of Richard have some idea of what these came off.

Cheers

Rod

Yes the superior knobs with the metal top and inner were FE and the cheaper and nastier plastic ones which tend to strip out in the thread are from the glorius FE's younger brother the FC. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

By the way there were also light switches with a solid metal top as well which screwed onto the plastic base. The chromed metal knobs polish up much better than the stainless ones. I have never seen a choke knob with solid metal top however.  I have a couple of the light switches with metal knobs if anyone is interested.


Ken

I did not know that.

But I do find it ironic that the cheap and nasty variant is actually the later, FC one ;D

I thought this may have been the case but thought GMH would have improved the design not gone backwards. I am with you on that one RET.

Rod

Aaah one would think so little grasshopper - however - when the FC was being designed and produced Australia was experiencing a recessionary phase and GMH was trying to find ways to cut production costs.

So while the FC has, to the untrained eye, more "flash" it was really just GMH's way of disguising an inferior product!  :D   

:-* Luvs ya all!  :-*

I would have thought that with all the improvements and fixes that were built into the FC, GMH were faced with a dilemma on how to bring the costs back down. The only possible way to be able to offer the new improved version to the public for the same cost as the FE would to cut costs in less important areas, hence the knobs got plastic tops.  ;)
Regards
Alex

:P :P :P :P ;) :D :D


Nicely put Alex, i'm with you on this one 8) 8)
                                    Pedro

Just keep believing that - If you follow the "technically better" argument as a reason for owning your car then you should have a Commodore. The reality is that you have an FE or FC because of the body shape and the 50's style. 8)
And the second reality is that the FE is a better finished car than the FC. :-*

The FC can best be described as an FE with the quality missing.
The dash knobs are just one thing what about only having half a horn ring? ;D ;D ;D


Ken

 :D :D :D :D :D

Ken

Obviously they realised that they had made a mistake and improved the design. In an accident this had become a safety concern for the driver and was deleted. This saves the driver (somewhat) from facial injuries in an accident ;) ;) ;)

No.... Don't believe me..... didn't think so :-X

Seriously, the full horn rings look so nice....Pity they didn't continue them.
 
Keith

How about aN FC with commodore mechanicals then i'll have the best of both worlds ;) ;D ;D


Maybe if i stick some viagra in the fuel tank my FC will have a full horn ring  ;D ;D

                           Pedro

Ken,
Im just wondering how you know that the superior knobs with the metal top and inner were FE and the cheaper and nastier plastic ones which tend to strip out in the thread are from the glorius FE's younger brother the FC.
I always thought it was the other way around as i have a couple of mid to late 59 cars that have the superior wiper knobs and FB-EKs also have the reinforced superior wiper knobs.
ACE  8)

Hey Ace that's a very interesting observation. My findings have been the opposite with all the FE's I have owned having the better knob and the FC's with the inferior knob. Do you find that the better knob is more common in NSW? The inferior knob is way more common in Victoria.
I'm thinking along another tack that maybe this may be a case of two suppliers as have been used on various other parts.
Is it possible that the 2 different knobs were used concurrently and possibly can be found on both FE's and FC's?

Ken

Hey Ken
Your not suggesting that Victorian cars are somehow inferior to NSW cars are you?  ;)
Now there's a whole new debate waiting to happen.  ;D :o ;D ::) ;D
Regards
Alex

Something about Cabbage Farmers are happy with something that looks good whilst those in NSW are more discerning?   ;) :D ;D

Ken, I checked some FE instrument panels i have and they all have the inferior wiper knobs,some broken.Two suppliers sounds right as with many other FE-FC and many other Holden parts.
Regards ACE

i have six dash facias 5 fe and 1 fc of these i have a 3/3 split on thbs

ashley

All the dashes i have are FC and i also have equal amounts of each type, if some broke over the years they could have been replaced with the stronger type though ???

how are the knobs removed from the shafts ?

I couldnt see how to remove the choke and light switches from the shafts.

My wiper knob had a grub screw and thread on the shaft.  However that was for the electric wiper switch that had been installed at some stage.  What does the button do on the wiper button ?  Mine appears to not do anything.

Stapla, the button in the centre of the wiper button is removed and replaced with a special vacuum button to operate the optional vacuum washer set up, I have found this is a hard to find accessory in NSW, maybe more common in VIC

It comprises of 2 washer nozzels that screw into the base of the wiper pivots, a washer bottle with vacuum diaphram on top, the metal frame to hold the bottle, rubber hoses & T pieces to tap into the cars vacuum and the special button that actuates it all. You can probably see pics of it in Accessory of the Week Section

The choke button stays on the cable from memory & the light button is attaced to a shaft that is removed by pressing a small spring loaded metal button along the body of the light switch behind the dash

Thanks Zulu.

Thankfully I had already worked out the light switch shaft removal (not on my own though) - had to resort to the bible (manual).  The manual is so well detailed that it saves me posting as many stupid questions on this site.

Was just trying to get the button off the shaft but I guess they are pressed / moulded on and not supposed to come off.

Cheers
Peter.

No the button doesn't come off the shaft without wrecking it.

Ken

I don't think there would be too many people on this site that didn't get stuck on that one the first time, definately had me stumped on my first FC until i got a manual.
                                                          Pedro

Yep, these things can be tricky to the un-initiated, that's why we have started a "show & tell" session at the Vic Club meetings - and what did we start off with first - the dash including the removal of headlight knob & shaft, ignition barrel/switch (with the trusty piece of wire) etc. Nascohunter had great fun that night  ;)
Next meeting it's wiper arms and fittings - that circlip at the wiper motor can be tricky for some.

Trevor_B