FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

Hi all, I am a new proud owner of a 1959 fc ute. I picked it up in South Australia and its fairly original apart from twin carbs and extractors which I would like to return to original, and it has an alternator and electronic dizzy, not sure what to do there? And it has got center line wheels on it and the front has been lowered, so I will get some standard height Springs and standard rims and new tyres. I am just in the process of going through checking breaks and front end and just making it safe and reliable and organizing a rwc. I met some of you guys at toolangi , and I am looking forward to meeting more members at the next club meeting. I have a lot of work ahead of me and a lot to learn but I hope that you you all can point me in the right direction and help me make the right decisions with the restoration. I sorry I can't work out how to post photos . The fc ute numbers are : Fc10618a trim : 353-650. Paint : 256-2038. And the engine number is L637072. From my homework so far the car was constructed in Adelaide and the trim is Dravo green and the paint is duchess green, I haven't been able to see a sample of duchess green so I hope that someone can point me in the right direction there. The ute is white at the moment with a red interior. Cheers Greg.

Hello Greg, welcome to the forum.
Sounds like you have a nice modified ute.
Returning it to stock should keep you busy.
Look forward to seeing pics someday.
If you would like to email the pics to me, I could post them here for you.
Regards
Alex

http://forum.fefcholden.club/index.php?action=profile;u=47 ($2)
You can find my email at the link above or by double clicking on my username at the left.
Regards
Alex

Welcome to the forum Greg sounds like you have picked up a nice Ute we look forward to seeing some photos.

Regards
Neil

We love photos (and utes)
Welcome Greg
Cheers
Clay


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G'day Greg ..
I have just UN- Lowered my FC Sedan ..If it helps ..I got the front coils at Bursons ..Australian made King Springs .came with anti squeak inserts ,very easy to fit ..and their price was the best ...don't forget when assembling to centralise the king pin body in the lower wishbone and fit the 2 rubbers on the bolt either side of the  king pin body  ..cheers Vern

Greg sent me some pics to share here.

(https://s17.postimg.cc/69g0s3oob/Greg1.jpg) ($2)


(https://s17.postimg.cc/gjifrjwm3/Greg2.jpg) ($2)

Regards
Alex

That's a nice looking ute, Greg. Love the number plate too.

very nice, though I am partial to a ute :-)

(https://s33.postimg.cc/3z0yuocnf/20180831_171058.jpg) ($2)
Hi all, I have started on the rebuild of the original grey motor for the ute but I was wondering if there is a way of finding out if it is truly the original motor, the engine number is L 637072 and the id plate is, fc 2106-4085-A and the number on the inner gard is Fc10618A . The motor thats in the ute at the moment has the engine number of 152412 totally different than what was on the registration papers from when I bought it which had a number of B315014 , and from what I can work out its out of a Fb! Cheers Greg

Greg,

L637072 is a very late FC engine number.  Cast onto the right hand side of the block along with "HOLDEN" and a seven-digit number starting in 74 will be a letter and three numbers: the date code.  What is it?  If you can, read the serial number off the gearbox.  It's stamped onto the rear face of the gearbox case, where the rear extension housing bolts on.  If the gearbox serial number is within a few thousand of the engine number, with an L prefix, you can be reasonably sure you've got the original motor.  But the chassis number seems way too low.  But then I don't know.  This might be a job for Ken.

152412 is an early FJ motor, I'm guessing, and B315014 is a very late EK motor.

Rob

Hi Greg ..I have just rebuilt a FC engine for my FC Special ( engine in it was EK ) ..If your bore is standard you shouldn't have a problem with piston rings ,mine had been rebored to 3.1/16" plus .030 thou..Repco pistons ..fairly odd size ..If it helps there is a bloke on central coast now has old stock ,( he took over old business stock ) after a few attempts he got me a set of Perfect Circle rings for my rebuild.He has gaskets .pistons,valves..I got the gaskets where I had the head done. Contact ..Bills Motor Parts..at Wyee ..have a look at www.billsmotorparts.com.au
cheers Vern

(https://s33.postimg.cc/5hefzpjdn/20180903_081611.jpg) ($2)
OK, I just went out to the shed and got the gearbox number and its 7409980. I hope that this helps. Cheers Greg

(https://s33.postimg.cc/zalg8fxrv/20180903_082918.jpg) ($2)
And this is the numbers on the side of the block. Cheers Greg

Thanks for the heads up Vern. Cheers Greg

Greg,

Your cylinder block was cast on November 17, 1959.
And on the left side of the shot of the gearbox case I can see 2 9, but unfortunately the letter and first numeral of the date code are out of shot.

Rob

(https://s33.postimg.cc/ubg2i5byj/20180903_192442.jpg) ($2)

(https://s33.postimg.cc/v28snd90r/20180903_192447.jpg) ($2)
Hi Rob, I hope that I have got the right ones this time. And thank you for your help. Cheers Greg

Greg,

A229 is January 22, 1959.  My guess is that the gearbox is more likely to be original than the engine, judging on the ten-thousand-and-some chassis number.  Unless the chassis number's 40618 . . . the stamping is often quite indistinct.

Rob

Thanks for that Rob, I will check out the chassis number tomorrow night. Cheers Greg

(https://s33.postimg.cc/ur54gaeuz/received_10210984411708190.jpg) ($2)
I just remembered that I had a photo of the chassis number on my phone already. Definitely starting with a 1. Cheers Greg

Greg,

One of the few chassis numbers that's perfectly stamped.

Rob

I ran the chassis number and body number through my database and the ute comes out as early 59. Rob is right on the money. The gearbox is most likely original and the engine is wrong. A number more like L560000 would be right for your ute.
Regards.  Ken

Thanks Ken, a shame that it's not the original motor but at least it's a fc motor so I will still rebuild it and install it in the ute. Cheers Greg

Hi guys I have just started the engine rebuild and I have noticed that there is no lower cover plate on the gearbox to cover the flywheel, should there be one?  It looks like it should have one. Cheers Greg.

Greg,

Yes, there should be a clutch cover.  They come in two "flavours" - six-bolt-hole and four-bolt-hole.  You'd need a four-bolt-hole one.

Rob

Thanks Rob, I will have to look out for one, anyone out there have one for sale? Cheers Greg.

Hi all, I am just about to paint the engine and I am wondering do you paint the crankcase breather and the oil cap on the rocker cover black or grey as I have seen them painted in both colors. I am trying to make it as original as possible. Cheers Greg
(https://i.postimg.cc/crtcPvRp/20190119-202618.jpg) ($2)

Greg,

Oil filler cap grey, breather tube black is how the overwhelming majority of motors was painted.

Rob

Thanks for that Rob, I have just popped in to see my dad at his nursing home and he said that his ej holden had a black hockey stick and the oil cap was black on the ej as well! .Cheers Greg

Greg,

See, there are always exceptions.

Rob

thanks for asking the question Greg ,and thanks for the answer Rob .on the road draught tube ,,mine is not the original ,it had the sump lip bracket missing and was pop rivitted into the side plate ,so I got a good one ,asked Ken if there was originally a clamp to fit in side plate ,he set me straight there,no clamp ,snug fit into side plate ..when I cleaned it I noticed it was black ,no evidence of other paint colour or other coats ,seemed original ,but I don't know what model its off ,so painted it grey same as engine , I will do it black ,same as generator and starter .whilst on the topic of colors ,distributor bases ? what was the original color of the base if painted at all ,mine was black ,the one I am using ( the best I have ) no paint at all just metal finish ,I have another spare looks like it was blue and looks original coverage ,not just slapped on with a brush ?????? cheers Vern

My late 59 was original and had a black hockey stick and grey and filler cap.  Distributor base, starter, generator and fan were black

Keith

(Apologies for the thread hijack, Greg)

Vern,

Road draft tubes aren't the same for all models.  I think they were longer in the Humpies and got progressively shorter.

Electrical equipment varies in colour.
FX Delco: black
FJ Bosch: orange
FE/FC: black. Wiring harness, generator, regulator cover (Bosch only), starter, distributor body.
FB/EK: Starter, distributor body, Bosch regulator cover blue; wiring harness and generator black.

If you're really keen to find out what model car your distributor came from, read the model number on the oval ID plate.
It'll say something like VJU6 BR 30.  The two-digit suffix changes with year.
30 (I think) is FE, 36 is FC. 41 is FB, 50 is EK (and the grease cup was deleted), and 54 is EJ.

Rob

Sorry Vern ;-)
I cut up a very early Sydney FB Rob and the loom was taped in blue. As you say there are always exceptions.


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Thanks Rob  .explaining what dissy suffixes are ..the one I have used is 36  .so that's perfect for our 58 FC..Vern

Hi guys, I have been lent a rotisserie so that I can clean up the underneath of the ute but it doesn't have a lot of adjustment to get the center of gravity right. So my question is does anyone here would know where the center of gravity would be on a fc ute for when its on a rotisserie? Cheers Greg

Hi Greg are you asking where to bolt the rotis to?
Regards
Neil

With sedans it is said the fuel filler outlet is about right, so 3” above bumper level. With my EK van it was higher. With ute would have to be not much lower than sedan. Front would be same weight as sedan.


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This is how I’ve hot the front of the van set up. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190514/a64bc47f378a7e6ce070ad56c67b6b8a.jpg)
It’s even more top heavy due to all the rusted floor and sills.


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Hi guys, looks like I have found what I was looking for as you can see in the photo of what I have been shown, this is the location of the center pivot point for the rotisserie for a fc ute. Cheers Greg
(https://i.postimg.cc/ctHr7jNr/Screenshot-2019-05-14-15-44-54.png) ($2)

👍


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You got it Greg and Clay is right with the front
Neil