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Title: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Airfireman on March 15, 2016, 10:49:58 PM After many many many years of looking and not looking for a FC ute or Wagon I have finally purchased a 59 Wagon.
The car is straight and all body work completed, the paint is good. A 173 red motor has been fitted and fuel tank taken out and LPG in its place. I was told the car from Vic then ended up in Toowoomba before I purchased here on the Sunshine Coast (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Airfireman/IMG_1881_zps1akenpci.jpg) ($2) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Airfireman/IMG_1882_zpsh9bmufay.jpg) ($2) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Airfireman/IMG_1883_zpsfpkzkond.jpg) ($2) Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Airfireman on March 15, 2016, 10:54:06 PM I need to remove the choke cable that is hanging out (no carby fitted)
The wiper switch does not work (can you buy ??) The front indicators lens are missing Does anyone know if I can use the fuel gauge for LPG ?? Looks like a heater setup as well (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Airfireman/IMG_1884_zpsgka10try.jpg) ($2) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Airfireman/IMG_1885_zpsewaec2sk.jpg) ($2) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Airfireman/IMG_1886_zpsn6nk11v1.jpg) ($2) Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Airfireman on March 15, 2016, 10:56:27 PM I am happy with the purchase
Looking for venetian blinds for the back, maybe a sunvisor (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Airfireman/IMG_1887_zpswgbrofn7.jpg) ($2) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Airfireman/IMG_1888_zpsc8nmgehj.jpg) ($2) Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: FCRB26 on March 16, 2016, 06:18:27 AM Hopefully that car gets the love it deserves it has been for sale for a loooong time.
Pull the whole choke cable out inner and outer straighten the end of the inner and you may get it back into the outer when its straight. If it was me i would get rid of the gas especially being a wagon i hate the thought of sitting in a cabin with a gas tank but thats me. Venetians you can buy new off ebay they are good quality as per original. There are sunvisors around i would probably have a spare one in nsw but you should get one closer to home easilly enough. Indicator lenses you can buy new. Also the wiper switch will probably be a dodgey earth as they need a good clean earth to work. Strip half of those heater hoses out and give a good tidy up looks like they have added and added extras assuming water for the gas mixer maybe.. good luck with her.. Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: FireKraka on March 16, 2016, 12:45:30 PM Hi Mate looks like a nice wagon you have picked up there with a lot of the hard work done.
As Pete said a little tidy up in the engine bay wouldn't go astray but on the whole very nice. Good luck. Regards Neil H Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: hsv-001 on March 16, 2016, 01:01:33 PM Looks great . I'm guessing that it has FB-EK steering column . When I did that many years ago I welded the EK end on a FE-FC shifter to keep the original look . The key on the EK-FB horn button means that it will be upside down . Like I said it looks a beautiful vehicle . Cheers Haydn
Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Errol62 on March 16, 2016, 01:54:56 PM Very nice. If the fuel tank has been removed and gas tank fitted in place it sounds like a tidy setup. Motor can be tuned for optimal running on gas with significant compression increase due to the higher octane rating. I have thought about doing the same. As you don't need the choke you could replace with an electric wiper switch from EK or later to switch heater fan or similar.
Just don't run out of gas or it's a tow. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Airfireman on March 16, 2016, 05:02:33 PM Gday all
Thanks for the info Yes after rebuilding a Kombi from scratch (3 yrs & $25k later) it good to have a FC that I don't have do any major work too. FCRB26 - Thanks for info on the choke cable and yes I agree the engine bay needs tidying up, it has electric wiper connected to a separate toggle switch swinging under dash??? Why wouldn't they connect it to the original,,or is it something to do with the old vacuum wipers system HSV-001 - How do you know it has a FB-EK steering column?? is it the steering wheel??? and why would they do this Errol62 - I have never owned a LPG car before and was sceptical. I went to get Gas certificate for rego only to find out the tank has expired, I weighed up the cost of getting a complete fuel system (fuel tank, fuel pump, carby, fuel ines) and decided to stick with the under body LPG tank. Will my original fuel gauge work with LPG??? Also the steering is super heavy, has the original front end so maybe some more air in the tyres and some grease in the king pins??? I look forward to learning more of the FC Thanks Tim Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: mcl1959 on March 16, 2016, 05:47:38 PM The shifter looks like a later model shifter rather than an FC shifter. An FC shifter would be fatter near the steering column. The steering wheel and horn ring is FC but the horn button is FB EK. The horn button really suits the car though.
The gauge can be made to work but needs a specialist to get right in my opinion. Pumping the tyres up should fix the steering. A good wagon fuel tank is getting hard to find nowadays so maybe easier to stick with gas. Ken Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Stewy on March 16, 2016, 05:51:22 PM Welcome to the FE/FC owners club.
The horn button is FB/EK, but the steering wheel is correct FE/FC. It looks to be an FB/EK steering column because it is closer to the dash. The FE/FC steering wheel is flat, where as the FB/EK steering wheel is dished so the column is shorter. It seems to be quite common on modifieds that the shorter column is used and the flatter steering wheel to give you more "Gut room" I just measured the distance from the face of the dash to the front of the steering wheel. The standard FE/FC column measured 420mm from dash to wheel and the EK column in our FC is 325mm from dash to steering wheel. Hope this makes sense Cheers Stewy 8) Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Airfireman on March 16, 2016, 06:23:41 PM Thanks Ken, Stewy
So maybe the shifter rod suits to column!! I agree that the horn button suits the car but I will change the shifter knob What is original???? Can they still be found?? Where is a good place to source aftermarket parts?? Also is there a parts catalogue online that you can reference too?? (I do this when I rebuild my vintage Suzuki RM,s and RV's) Thanks Tim Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: mcl1959 on March 16, 2016, 08:26:31 PM The forum is a good place to find all sorts of parts. Ask and you never know your luck.
There are a few repro and aftermarket suppliers around, depends what you want. I don't know of an online parts book for FE FC. Workshop manuals are easy to get. Parts books are a little more difficult. Ken Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: DJ on March 16, 2016, 09:07:02 PM There are some scanned parts catalogues on CD for a small outlay on eBay. The page quality is quite reasonable. These are saved in a PDF format with bookmarks to chapters only. I could never get the Acrobat search function to work as it does on a doc created in Adobe, so finding specific parts can take a while until you get used to the numbering scheme.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/HOLDEN-48-FJ-FE-FC-FB-EK-EJ-EH-HD-HR-HK-HT-HG-all-models-FACTORY-PARTS-CATALOGUE-/252251774063?hash=item3abb609c6f:g:xXkAAOSw9r1WDM~d Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Airfireman on March 17, 2016, 10:12:46 AM Ken & DJ .. Thanks for that As a new FC owner I am unsure as what is an original part and what isn't. Like the Gear selector knob what is original, what does it look like?? My big delay in buying an FC was that I have looked for original as possible, what I have found looks great with the exception of the red motor. I am keen on the idea of building a grey motor that will run on LPG and be able to tow a trailer (small teardrop & motorcycle trailer) Any suggestions on this??? Any particular long motor I need to find?? Thanks Tim Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: DJ on March 17, 2016, 11:04:34 AM Like the Gear selector knob what is original, what does it look like?? "Maco" (John) from this forum may have what you need. Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Maco on March 17, 2016, 07:55:42 PM "Maco" (John) from this forum may have what you need. Hi Tim, I have sent you a PM. Cheers John Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Maco on March 17, 2016, 07:56:37 PM "Maco" (John) from this forum may have what you need. Thanks DJ. Cheers John Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: hsv-001 on March 19, 2016, 10:26:43 AM Sorry I don't always answer everyone's questions right away . How was it that I know its not a Fc column? Where do I start ? There was a time when I would buy the parts for a total engine rebuild on these while traveling home from work ,ring my boss to ask for the following day off and assure him that I would be back at work the next day . Because I spent years as a parts guy at a holden dealership . Because I paddocked these back in the sixties .I pumped petrol at my brother in laws workshop in the seventies . Would it be because my son shakes his head and walks off when ,he can name any part anywhere on an early holden and I will tell him what spanners he will need to take it off ,what problems he should look for ,what other parts he should look at , what size bolts hold the parts on and what type of thread the bolt has . Ok its a common replacement when us old guys get too fat and need a shorter column but the selector tube requires you to use the ball ended selector from the FB-EK or do what on occasions I have done and cut and swap both selector below the pivot pin and swap . Although screwing an eight ball [ or whatever] on the end of the selector was common in the day ,I drove way too many early holdens that jumped out of second gear to recommend this . Yes even had a FC wagon in the nineties that was purpose built for LPG ,192 red with 4 speed 308 diff and disc brakes . One thing I would often do was to find a FB-EK front seat before getting reupholstered [often with cloth inserts] .Why cos' summer in Qld ,vinyl will burn your but and also the plastic ends on the FE_FC front seats will crack and bite your scrotum when you get in and out .Eventually ,like my Dad I am starting to consider myself an alien in this world as it has changed so much I am struggling to recognise anything .(http://)
(http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a589/hsv-001/ok_zps0c490d8f.jpg) ($2) Took awhile to find this photo from around 25 years ago ,and yes original paint on this one .An amazing find and I wish I had never sold her .Cheers Haydn Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Airfireman on March 20, 2016, 06:10:37 PM Gday HSV
Thanks for the post, as a FC newbie it will take me a while to gain the knowledge of the model. Sounds like you have been around these models for a few years I am still hoping to get to Toowoomba and seeing other members cars and talking to fellow members will be a fun experience. Tim Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Billy Blackarrow on March 20, 2016, 09:27:38 PM Spotted your wagon today at the Kurri Kurri festival spoke to your lovely wife but you where away get icecreams when I came back to let myself known you had left sorry I missed you .the wagon looks great in the flesh hope you have many hours of pleasure out of it
Billy Blackarrow Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Airfireman on March 20, 2016, 10:58:14 PM Gday Billy
If you talking about my FC there must be a twin out there!! Mine isn't registered yet so hasn't left the Sunny Coast Nice to know there out there on the road :) Tim Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: DJ on March 20, 2016, 11:24:29 PM you missed out on an ice-cream then :'(
Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Airfireman on March 21, 2016, 07:48:27 AM Need my FC on the road this week for ice cream and road trip to Toowoomba this weekend
Tim Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Billy Blackarrow on March 21, 2016, 08:00:23 AM Must be a twin could have sworn it was the same car the wife even said they had just bought it a few weeks ago.
Billy Blackarrow Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Airfireman on March 21, 2016, 06:50:03 PM Billy
Did you get any pictures of the FC?? Is the colour scheme the same??? Tim Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Billy Blackarrow on March 21, 2016, 06:58:31 PM No ... I didn't get pic's but it looked similar obviously not yours it was very close. I wish I had now.
Billy B Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Airfireman on March 21, 2016, 07:18:15 PM Another reason I want to get to Toowoomba Nationals to see other members rides and rebuild style.
Is the blue/green an original colour??? I have used the FC plate ID and it says my FC Wagon was grey??? Tim Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: mcl1959 on March 21, 2016, 09:03:26 PM Yes unfortunately if you were hoping it was original, it's not.
The wagon's original colour was Ascot grey and Wangara grey Ken Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Airfireman on March 21, 2016, 10:21:38 PM Thanks Ken
Yes grey on grey,,, Is the blue / green colour scheme used in the FC range ?? Interesting that Billy found my twin the other day painted the same!!! Tim Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Stewy on March 21, 2016, 11:40:58 PM I think Billy was talking about Pete's wagon
(http://s28.postimg.org/oz5xgkbyx/Peteswagon.jpg) ($2) Your original two tone Wangarra Grey insert with Ascot Grey body and roof would have looked a lot like Fred and Candy's wagon. (http://s29.postimg.org/40zj2kmdv/fredandcandyswagon.jpg) ($2) There are blues and greens in the FC colour range but certainly nothing as bright as what you have. Cheers Stewy 8) Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Billy Blackarrow on March 22, 2016, 07:56:32 AM Could have been but not sure was Pete's at the Kurri Kurri festival ;D
Billy B Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: hsv-001 on March 22, 2016, 09:26:19 AM Tim ,Sorry I won't be there [Toowoomba] . I am fairly busy chasing some vintage parts and part No.s . [ broke my 30year old hip replacement and am trying to keep what original parts I have left ] . Why can't people realize , it always appears smarter to admit you just don't know than to get it wrong , or get angry to cover your lack of knowledge . May be able to help you with some original parts [or how to get back there ] sometimes there is a good compromise . Example is what I was talking about with the coffee pot and stick . I have a complete stock set here with the s/steel plug in the knob , but like I said if that's FB_EK then the end of the shifter will have to be altered . Anyway if you need info , I wont be going far for awhile .Cheers Haydn
Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Airfireman on March 22, 2016, 08:14:55 PM Cheers Hayden,
I defiantly need to get out and see / talk with other FC owners in person. Best way learn Cheers Tim Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: mcl1959 on March 22, 2016, 08:39:26 PM Tim, Toowoomba is where you need to be. Nationals are only held once every two years with more cars to look at than you can imagine and more people to talk to than you can have conversations. ;D
There will be owner builders their who have heaps of experience and have attended many National events. I can't recommend highly enough how valuable the experience will be. Ken Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: detective on March 22, 2016, 08:54:02 PM Cheers Hayden, I defiantly need to get out and see / talk with other FC owners in person. Best way learn Cheers Tim ...don't be defiant ol' mate .. just definitely get out there and chat away with the FE-FC crew.. ;D Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Airfireman on March 22, 2016, 09:47:29 PM Ahhhhh so that's why they invented spellcheck,,,
;D Thanks Detective Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: hsv-001 on March 23, 2016, 08:55:17 AM Yes , when looking for mechanical solutions I will visit many forums and google gets a comprehensive workout and my many contacts will get the third degree . In a lot of cases I will ask questions that I know the answer to , just to validate my source [yes I am annoying ] what I am trying to say is get all the information you can before making changes . You may not be as far as you think from the combination that suits you . Haydn
Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Airfireman on March 23, 2016, 10:01:45 PM I have been through this experience before, 4 years ago i said to the wife lets get a dualcab 4x4 with a camper trailer,,,nope she says she wants a Kombi
I had never owned or driven a Kombi before, so I joined all the forums and thought I could do this, so I bought a kombi off ebay (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Airfireman/P3310024.jpg) ($2) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Airfireman/P3310022.jpg) ($2) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Airfireman/28_zps60c10181.jpg) ($2) Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Airfireman on March 23, 2016, 10:07:43 PM 3 years and 25k later this was the end result..
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Airfireman/Kombi%202_zpseutfbvvp.jpg) ($2) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Airfireman/Kombi%205_zpsjjb4prd2.jpg) ($2) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Airfireman/Kombi%203_zps57pdexox.jpg) ($2) Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Airfireman on March 23, 2016, 10:13:42 PM Im so super happy I bought an FC that didn't need to be reborn....hahhahahahha
The was a long 3 years but it has all paid off now and time 4 fun (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Airfireman/Feb%202016%20151_zpsuacvi5cv.jpg) ($2) Tim I need Holden rims and hubcaps to fit to trailer when we go camping with the FC Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Airfireman on March 24, 2016, 11:42:00 AM Personalised plates arrived this morning 8)
another small step to getting the FC ready ;D (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Airfireman/IMG_1922_zpsmowzdugl.jpg) ($2) Tim Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: DJ on March 24, 2016, 02:26:35 PM very flash
Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: bung on March 25, 2016, 01:44:38 PM great job on the Kombi m8, looks sweet as..............you didnt sell it did you ??
Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: Airfireman on March 28, 2016, 08:46:22 AM Gday Bung
Yes the Kombi was alot of work and the wife would never let me sell her dream car. So now we will have a his/hers vintage garage.. :) Joined the FC/FE Qld club and thanks Greg for the invite to come to Toowoomba and see so many great Holdens and meet good people (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Airfireman/IMG_1929_zpskncvyphv.jpg) ($2) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Airfireman/IMG_1931_zpsg7pqpfjg.jpg) ($2) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/Airfireman/IMG_1936_zps1gnvm41s.jpg) ($2) Title: Re: Finally own a FC Wagon Post by: JOX515 on March 28, 2016, 08:52:47 AM Looking good and another wagon back on the road :) :) :)
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