FE Panel Van

[Beck]

Hi all,
I recently acquired an FE Panel van (with side windows).  I am trying to confirm thats its in original condition.  I have the engine and body numbers (but not the chassis number yet).  How can I check its year and month of production and if the engine is original.  I believe that all FE grey motors had L engine numbers...but mine is B54577 - any advice?
The car is in a pretty poor state - after sitting in a paddock for a number of years (covered in lichen!), but I plan to restore it to original...
Any advice would be great - thanks
Beck

[RET]

If you can post the numbers you do have, the approximate manufacture date should be able to be calculated.  Whilst the side windows were not fitted ex-factory, they were commonly done by the dealers on behalf of the customer, so they were fitted for all intents and purposes "from new".  Let us know if there are any brand names or markings on the side glass.

The engine has been changed at some point, as that number is - as you surmise - not from an FE, but from an FB.  This is not unusual.

Hope that's some help.  FE Vans are not common at all, so best wishes for the restoration.  You'll get plenty of help here.

cheers
RET

[Beck]

Cheers for that.
The numbers I have are;
eng. B54577
Body FE - 2104 - 4908 - A
I did not note any markings on the glass - but I will check again

Thanks
Beck

[RET]

The ID plate has a pile of other interesting and useful information.  Of particular interest will be the TRIM number, which describes the exterior and interior colour schemes, and the RPO number, which identifies factory fitted options, if any.  "333" in the RPO tells you the upper tailgate glass was factory fitted, for example.  (A true "windowless" van had no glass at all, sides or tailgate.  These are very rare indeed.)

There are a variety of side-window configurations, such as the "Canopy Industries" sliding type, and the more common fixed glass, in varying lengths.

Any chance of posting a photo?

cheers
RET

[Beck]

Hi RET,
Haven't got many photos as yet - this is one of the old girl sitting in her previous paddock...isn't she gorgeous!!!
(Hope its loaded ok)




I will check out the other info on the id plates and let you know

Thanks
Beck

[fe hotrod]

 ;)mmmmmm what a great find,hope you go ahead with it,bit of a rare find but she looks in fairly good condition,wouldnt it look great to remove the windows and make it windowless again!!!good to see another old holden being revived from the dead!!!! good luck with it!!

[20.4_seconds]

Hey Beck,
Thats a really nice little find, just take your time and do the right thing by it.
Post the id numbers please?

Nick

p.s Are you jealous Jamie?

[TAYZ]

Congratulations Beck,
                                    GREAT find!! My grandpa had one exactly the same.  How is the underneath of the vehicle??


                                            TAYZ

[Beck]

Thought I would add another gorgeous photo...
I will post the id numbers as soon as I have them, unfortunately the car is a good drive away from my place of residence.  I haven't had a close look at the underneath of the car - though I do know that the front floor is completely rusted through - just added ventilation!!!

There is an FE sedan that came with the van, which we will strip for parts - any advice as to what to salvage (besides the obvious...panels, windows, chromework, badges).  
Any parts that you guys know that are particularly difficult to source.
Thanks for all the help and feedback - this is exciting!  



Cheers,
Beck

[fe hotrod]

 ;)yep now i am really jealous,not only did you get a grouse van but you got a sedan for spares!!!!!!lucky you

[JB]

When I found my van it looked like this...


The floor was rusted as were the A pillars and the Y frames, the underbody crossmembers, sills, doors, bonnet, and a heap of other stuff, so when you finally get it apart it may be a liitle like this...


But what I am trying to say is just to grab everything you can at the moment and then work out what you are going to do with the van... all my chrome was stuffed so had to source it bit by bit, but patience and time got me through, not to mention this great website.

Good luck with your resto, and if you need to ask me something about my van feel free.

Cheers
Jason.

[Beck]

Got the numbers off the id plate  ...
Plugged them into the page on the FE-FC Holden car club of Aust tech website, but it didn't ell me much...
Body No;  FE - 2104 - 4908 - A
Trim; 156-883
Paint; 258-7481
RPO; 833
It told me where the car was built and the exterior colour (Elk blue) - but didn't recognise the RPO number or tell me the year/month of production.  Does anyone know where I can get this info??
Thanks,
Beck

[RET]

Beck,

I'll be willing to bet that the RPO number is 333, not 833.  See one of my previous replies.

The engine number is the most reliable method of dating the vehicle, simply because there was only one sequence of engine numbers for any vehicle, irrespective of which factory made it and which factory assembled it.  Note that they are commonly different, and the ID plate only tells you which one made the body.  The chassis number tells you where it was assembled.

Ken (mcl1959) can probably give you a reasonable estimate of when your vehicle was made based on the ID number.  This is based on years of research and collation of these numbers.  ID/Chassis/Engine numbers combinations known to be original are the key here.  These help to map the patterns of manufacture that are then used to estimate manufacture dates of vehicles with only one or two of the three numbers available.

On an FE the chassis number will be stamped on the ridge of the passenger side inner guard somewhere between the battery and the regulator, in letters 1/4" high.  Often quite difficult to find.  FCs chassis numbers are stamped in letters about 3/4" tall on the flat section of the inner guard on the driver's side, and are very obvious.

At a guess, yours will look like this: N-nnnnn-L, where N is the last digit of the year of manufacture (ie 7 or 8 in your case) nnnnn is the assembly sequence number (more or less), and L is the code for the city in which it was assembled.  Because all vans were manufactured in Adelaide, I couldn't guess where it was assembled from the info you've provided.  Sedans are simpler because they were made in all three plants, so from each plant there is only a limited number of destinations that they would be shipped CKD (ie Sydney built sedans might be assembled in Sydney or Brisbane, but not Melbourne or Perth).

Find the chassis number and plug that into the page with the other info, and you'll find it gives you a lot more info as a result.  It can only interpret the data you give it :-/

Hope all that helps.

cheers
RET

[4hammers]

Hi Beck.
Nice find. You have come to the right place for info. Where are you located?? The van has Tasmanian plates! I am Tasmanian, in Tasmania & would LOVE to check out your van. I am in Hobart, but have cars, will travel to help.

Rob J