Gedday Slim,
I know your add is now nearly six months old, but do you still have the diff for sale and if so what condition is it in?
Thanks,
Brendan

Thanks Jockster,

I am confident there are no leaks and the brakes do not drag so I`ll see the mechanic again to check the tuning and timing.

Chow,
Brendan.

Thanks Dr Terry,

That is all the info I need. Now I just need to give some thought to which way I go.

Chow,
Brendan.

I am a little surprised at the fuel economy of my FC.

I think its quite bad at 53lt for 130miles.
I`m not sure of the conversion to Mile per Gallon but I thought it should be better than that.

It is a standard car with a standard grey motor. I didnt drive it real hard, but most of those 130 Mi were around town. I am yet to do any real highway cruising so it may get better.

The motor runs sweet, doesnt blow smoke, any suggestions on how to improve this? It has been recently timed and tuned by a mechanic.

Maybe this is normal?
Any suggestions?

Brendan.

Gedday all,

I just fitted the towbar to the FC this weekend getting ready to tow the van, and as such I am wiring up a socket for the lights to plug into.

With the FC having the indicators and brake lights together, what is the best way to wire up for a trailer?

I`m assuming I may need to run a seperate wire from the front of the car to the boot for the brake lights?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Brendan.

Well, after nearly four years, the car is registered and on the road.



These photos were taken on the weekend. I took the boy for his first FC trip. We went down to the local playground so that he could play on the swings while daddy used up a roll of film.



Just today I recieved the original number plates from vicroads that I ordered. So the car now proudly wears the GYS958 number that it was first registered with on 27-04-1959. While I was at vicroads registering the car I found out that you can get a rego search on a numberplate. I paid the $13.30 fee and they sent me the recorded history of the vehicles registration. It told me it was first registered on 27th April 1959 as a grey and white car with the chassis and engine numbers that it still has today. The rego was then transfered to the second owner on 26-08-1997 but the rego expired on 27-04-1998. It remained unregistered untill last Wednesday with its third owner, me..



The car drives absolutely beutifly. Even my wife who had never driven a car older than ten years found it a dream to drive. It sits on the road well, is quiet, and gets many looks. Even the vaccume wipers and standard headlights worked well on a rainy nighttime drive last Friday to Waragul and back. (120km trip.)

More pics to come......

Chow,
Brendan.

Just to let you all know, just incase your wipers are a bit sluggish like mine, Ken was right on the money. I cleaned out the old sticky grease, cleaned the paddle, re-lubed and put back together and they work like new.

Thanks again,
Brendan.

Gedday All,

This topic could possibly go in the Trade Refference Section but thought more people may see it here...

If you are thinking about getting any part of your car re-chromed,  then I highly reccomend HARKROME ELECTROPLATERS in BRAYBROOKE (MELB).

I sent rusted and dinted bumpers and overriders to them last Friday, and they were ready the following Thursday. (6days for repair and rechroming.) One of the overriders I thought was beyond repair, but they fixed it and rechromed it for me.

The finish is outstanding. And the cost was cheap compaired to all of their competitors. Just $110.00 per bumper section and $80.00 for each overrider. And as I said, there were considerable dints and rust to be repaired.

The guys were friendly, and easy to deal with. I will fit the bumpers over this weekend and garauntee that these will have considerable `WOW` factor.

Chow,
Brendan.

Gedday Slim,

I`m in the process of swaping my mirrors with someone who has the type i`m after.
If this doesn`t work out I`ll let you know.

Thanks for the interest.....

Brendan.

Thanks Slim, but I`m actualy after the ones that clamp onto the door rather than those ones which bolt through the mudgaurd etc.

My car actualy had a pair of those exact nasco mirrors on it when I bought it, but I pulled them off and filled in the holes. I still have the mirrors in the shed.

The mirror(s) I`m after are listed in the Tech section of the car club website.  Part number 7404690.

Sorry, I should have described what I`m after a bit better. I have the Nasco carravan extention mirror which I`ll use when towing my old bondwood van, but it sticks out a bit too much for everyday driving.  

Chow,
Brendan.

The project reached a new milestone this arvo..... the first drive on the road

I got a 28 day permit from Vicroads so that I can get a front end alignment and do a bit of pre roadworthy testing without stuffing around with transporting on a trailer.

I came home and stickytaped the permit to the windscreen, kissed my wife and baby boy, and roared off into the world in my good as new car.

First stop to the servo for some LRP. I couldnt believe the stares I got from people as I cruised along. I was grinning from ear to ear as I looked out across the shiny bonnet as I drove along.

The only other FC I have ever owned was a ute I used as a paddock bomb on my dads farm. I had never actually driven one on the road before. This car was not registered when I got it, so it has always been trailered. Come to think of it, this was the first time I had ever been in any FC traveling along the road!!!

After three and a half years of blood, sweat and beers, I was finaly driving an FC on the road.

I drove out of town, slowly worked my way up to 60MPH, I could smell the paint baking on the exhaust manifold. I drove at 60 for about one minute marveling a how quiet the car was when all of a sudden I heard a clunk clunk clunk!!! and a shudder in the steering wheel. Oh F--- I thought. It turned out to be a combination of a loose wheel bearing and loose wheel nuts! The wheel was wobbling around. Anyway, a call for some tools and a jack (coz I had none with me...doh) and I was back on the road no damage done.

The permit only allows for the car to be driven 7am to 7pm, but I found myself a few kays out of town, in the dark, with very poorly aligned headlights at about 7.30pm. I didnt get sprung though so I`m a happy man.

Anyhow, I have the bumpers and overiders at the rechromers in Melbourne and I should get them back later this week. Just bolt them up and its roadworhty time. All finished.

I have some up to date pics on a roll of film in my camera so I`ll get them developed and post them as soon as I can.

Chow for now,

Brendan.

Thanks guys for the advice. I`m onto it....

Brendan.  

Thank Cat,

I like Michelins, we run them on our fleet of trucks. They make top quality tyres.

I`ll check them out...

Thanks again,

Brendan.

Gedday all,

I have just fitted new door rubbers to my FC and thought it appropriate to share some thoughts for those about to do the same so as not to make the same mistakes.

First of all, If you are a member of the Vic FE FC car club, you will get a substansial discount from Rare Spares when you purchase the rubbers. (or any FE FC parts..)
Other clubs may have the same arrangement?
This discount makes the rubbers quite reasonably priced, especialy when compared to the price they list on the Rare Spares Website. I took the trip to the store with a pocket full of cash, and was very pleasantly suprised with the price. Neadless to say I spent the extra dollars in the store on other stuff. You just quote the account number listed in the front of the clubs newsletter.

The rubbers come with a fairly helpful instruction sheet although some paragraphs were incomplete. The main point being to have a clean channel for the rubbers to fit into. Spend a bit extra time cleaning out the old rubber and glue and youll be much happier with the result.

You dont need to buy four inner rubber seals as they are a lot longer than needed. Three seals will easily do the four doors.

I used two different types of glue, both Loctite brand, one was recomended by Rare Spares (424), and the other by a fellow car club member,(406). The main difference being that the 424 sets within 3-5 seconds so if the rubber seal is not in position within that time then you will have trouble trying to relocate it. The 406 glue seems to give you a few extra seconds before it sets. And man when these glues go off they are there to stay. Which brings me to my main point...., you dont need a lot of glue!!!!. The first door seal I tried to stick in ended up in a mess coz I had glue running everywhere. just a few drops every inch or so is enough for a really good bond.

Dont try to glue long sections at a time. You only have enough time to do six to eight inches at a time before the glue goes off. And if you have any glue on your fingers then you will have fingers with door seals attached, the glue wont let go so its either the rubber that has to tear or your skin.

If you have never done this before, then pick a door that will not get used a heap to start with. My first door was a complete F-up, but by the fourth I was an expert. Isnt it always the way??, by the time you learn how to do something its all over.

I also highly recomend the product sold by Rare Spares calle RUBBER MAGIC. You spray it on the door rubber once you have glued it in and it lubricates and softens the rubber. This turns doors that will barely slam shut into doors that shut with that great solid thunk sound.
I could open and shut my doors all day long just to listen to that good old solid door sound.

One last little piece of advice that is probably really obvious but I had to learn the hard way... when you remove the front doors (coz they have to be off to do the rubbers properly) undo the hinge bolts in the door and slide the doors off leaving the hinge attached to the car. If you try to undo the six phillip head screws holding the hinges to the body, you will have a much harder job removing and replacing the doors. You will potentialy dammage the paintwork that you just spent thousands of dollars on...... Doh...
Having at least one other helper would be good to. And scribe along the hinge in the door before removal, that way when you come to refit the door you wont spend a lot of frustrating time trying to align the door. (While scratching that expensive paint.... Doh..)

I`m sure many other people have a lot more good advice on this job. Its just so frustrating to stuff it up coz its one of the last jobs to do in the restoration process, and nobody wants their car to have leaky, bulgy, annoying door seals.

Chow,
Brendan.

I`m looking for a  Nasco Drivers side door mount rear view mirror. Part No. 7404690
Must be in good nic as it going on a resto project. (Ready to bolt on)

Will consider a LHS & RHS pair, but would be happy with RHS only.

Also looking for a set of four original FC hubcaps. Must also be in v-good nic. Will accept minor dints or scratches.

Please name your price for the above items....

Thanks,
Brendan.

Hi all,

The project is nearing roadworthy time but I have a problem with the wipers I dont think would pass.

It is the standard vaccum setup. When I switch them on they do two good passes of the screen, but then take forever to return. They get stuck at the outward position, but if I turn them off while they are out, they immediately (and quickly) return back to the bottom of the screen.

Given that I am restoring this car close to original, I would like to keep the vaccume set up. I have reconditioned the vaccume/fuel pump so I`m sure the diaphrams are good. Also I have only recently put the wiper assembly back on the car so all joints are lubed and free.

Is the motor servicable? Does anyone reco them?
Any suggestions what may be causing this?

Thanks,
Brendan.

Thanks heaps Jason, I`ll check them out....

Brendan.  

Thanks Graham, I`m not looking for whitewalls in particular, preferably something I can order through any local tyre servo. I`ll check out Coopers though.

Chow,

Brendan.

Gedday all,

Can anyone suggest a good value brand of tyre in the original size? I will need five for my resto.
The car probably wont do a lot of miles each year, but I dont want to put on cheap and nasties.
Any advice from past experience appreciated.

Thanks,
Brendan.

Here`s some close ups.





Seems like you`d be able to fill a shed with FE`s and FC`s for a couple hundred bucks.

Chow,
Brendan.