Fe sedan v6 build up

[fe350chev]

That's great. U might need to load the Mrs up if u get behind 😄

[Old_Mt_Isa_Boy]

A start is a start. Well done hopefully the weather won't stop you getting it to a blaster.

Regards

Wayne b

[Frankiej]

Haha Deano depends what you meen by that hmmmmmm.

[FireKraka]

FrankieJ what V6 and running gear are you going to use I know the later engines have more kilowatts but I tend to prefer look.
If you are going to use an Ecotec or later try to make sure you get it back and low, a lot of the ones I have seen seem to sit high in the bay.
Hope don't offend just my opinion.
Regards
Neil H

[Frankiej]

Hey Firekraka I will be using a VS ecotec, and I like what you say about getting it back and low, but a few questions I have regarding that.
Does the hr front end need modifying, does the sump need modifying, does the rear mounted rack fit ok with them back and low, is the firewall ok as it is or do I need to recess that as well.
Just a few things I am unsure about and cheers Frankie.

[NES304]

Does the hr front end need modifying, does the sump need modifying, does the rear mounted rack fit ok with them back and low, is the firewall ok as it is or do I need to recess that as well.
Just a few things I am unsure about and cheers Frankie.

You need mounts to suit placement of engine.
Throw away sump and modify a VN steel sump to suit rack and crossmember.
No need for firewall mod if you don't want to.
Rear mount rack is a bitch for unis. Get an off shelf kit from retro racks or V6 conversions. They also supply air con compressor mounts for that engine on drivers side.

[Neil FE Van]

I may have a steel sump here Franky. I'm in Dimboola. I did cut the lower bit out though.

Neil

[JB]

If you get it back far enough you can use the shrouded thermo fans which give great cooling for the V6.
Have a look at Glenn's van in the completed members car for the V6 conversion I did in Cairns. Never had heating issues at all.
I used the same thermofan set up in my ute as well.

Cheers
JB

[FireKraka]

Hi FrankieJ
Mate I agree with all the above but with my slight on it.
My answers - no need to modify firewall - sump has to go I use the V6 conversions sump saves time and dicking around - I remake the HR crossmember mounts and reweld them when I have the engine in the right position I prefer to do this than some of the dodgy looking box section stuff that are being supplied - NES is right about the rear rack I have the V6 conversion manual rack and it works great - your HR crossmember will need the outrigger replaced as the HR one is too long.
Hope this helps feel free to ask more questions mate as there are plenty of these have been done and everybody has probably come across different little issues that they have solved.
Regards
Neil H

[fcwrangler]

Frankie, Pete (FCRB26) makes new repo HR mounts and v6 conversion plates that will do the job. Cut the old mounts off the front end and reposition the new ones too suit.
Jim

[Frankiej]

Hey fc wrangler thanks for that I will,contact him cheers.

[fe350chev]

So just a question for those who have done a v6 and chev v8 with the hr front, I take it the crossmember doesn't need scalloping as much with the v6 conversion if at all? I have scalloped type but that's to make it as low as possible with the sbc but with the rear mounted rack, what's the lowest you can go and what tricks are there to get the rack as low as possible without affecting the geometry of the steering. Isn't there a rule of certain component lining up as in the parallel plane?

[Frankiej]

Yes good question Deano you said it exactly how I was thinking, in the 90's I designed and made my own rack out of a vb comodore and rear mounted it onto a hr frontend, and I am told that is still in the car working a treat the car is a stretched fj holden with small block chev and scalloped frontend, the only issues I really had was the starter motor fouled with the knuckle on the steering column, so I made a block out of aluminium and lowered the starter motor but also moved it around away from the rack, so I'm not sure if that applies to a v6 at all, setting up the rack was simple really I ran a string line from the centre of the nine inch diff to the lower control arms at the moving part at the front, then I made the adjustments to the inside of the rack by cutting down the shaft and re cut the tapered thread then I just used standard steering rods and hq stubs. It worked then and still works today and wonder if that's how they still do them now.

Thank god I typed this in the morning damn rums were good last night.

Frankie.

[FireKraka]

Hi FrankieJ
I have mentioned before mate that with the VP engines I use and I believe the VS is basically the same block you do not have to modify the crossmember, by using the mounts that I make I am able to get the engine about 15mm or so above the crossmember, that is using the V6 Conversions sump which is quite small in the front section it is designed to fit close to the crossmember at the back in between the crossmember and the rear mounted rack re my comment of low and back as far as you can.

Using the V6 Conversions sump actually lined up the TH700 gearbox mount exactly with the sill to sill rail under the firewall so I use the standard commodore gearbox mount.

You will not have a problem with the starter on your V6 mod mate.

I think you were ahead of your time in the 90's mate as the V6 conversions rack is a modified VB VH rack he supplys a strenthening plate and mounts for the rack tie rod end to tie rod end so yes it is still how it is done by some, I use HZ WB stubs on my sedan but the EK ute is going to use HR Drum stubs modified with adapter plates to mount the VP rotors and calipers.

The scalloped crossmembers I have seen have been CRS ones that are designed to use the Torana front rack (I dont like it but my opinion).

The steering principle is called the "Ackerman Principle" it talks about the relationship of the front wheels to the rear and the need for one wheel to turn more than the other when turning a corner or the car will not turn properly (a very rough description sorry guys).

My philosophy when I started to do the conversion on my sedan was to use everything I could from the donor keeping the conversion as standard as possible so I used the brake power booster which mounts to the fire wall very easily, the standard shifter (plus floor hump), wiring harness, fuel tank with intank pump etc etc there are obviously some other little tricks I have learnt with the wiring and getting oil gauges and tachos working properly. There are even things like when you get rid of the airconditioning compressor commodores originally came out with air con as non stardard therefore you can get a standard non air con serpentine belt this stops you having to have a one of and if it breaks out in the back of whoop whoop you are not stuffed.


At the moment mate the rums might help you stay a little less confused.
Hope I'm not making it worse.
Regards
Neil H

[Frankiej]

Hey Niel your knowledge is worth bottling mate and I appreciate the time you have given me, I reckon I will buy a set of your engine mounts and look at the v6 conversions sump or even do my own yet not sure. I also,have two full sets of drum brake stubs so would I be able to use the vs brakes without the abs or should I go with the vn vp brakes. Also I think I will buy myself a rack and pinion as I don't have access to a other anymore,to make my own, but way back when I was building the limo my engineer wouldn't let me use a front mounted rack from crs asmhenthoughtnthe car was to long and needed a better turning circle, I'm glad because he was right and he was very controversial in the 90's, he actually got Howard astills ten inch rims through the rego as standard.....Werner Ihll from TIC was his name you may know him.
Anyway thanks again and still more answers from me, but I can't believe the help I am getting from this forum, looks like I'm back on the rums it's Friday woohoo.

Cheers Frankie.

[NES304]

like when you get rid of the airconditioning compressor
At the moment mate the rums might help you stay a little less confused.
Hope I'm not making it worse.
Regards
Neil H

F@#$%^&*()_ that its 40 degrees.

Air con my arse till I need a bloody jumper

Now that is worth bottling  

PS Frankie- Rum is crap

[hsv-001]

I was aware of the non air con. belt but still the power steer pump that's why I went VW belt and used my own alternator bracket .So you just have alternator water pump and harmonic balancer and nothing else . Haydn

[Frankiej]

Hey NES rum is good when you make it yourself mmmmmm yum yum.....dam water.

[NES304]

I had one bad night on rum and can NEVER go back

[JB]

You don't have to get rid of the air cond... I had it in the van also on the one belt.