Tuesday 10 December 2013

Preparing a new "Heart" for the Lioness …

I happen to work in an environment where there are some mechanical enthusiasts around me to help, if needed. I am also lucky enough to be have access to equipment that can do some very good cleaning. The big cleaner is RoboWash - and as long as I don’t interfere with the day to day work … The block and the “new” cylinder head got a good washing. Later in the week, I took them round to an old friend (Bob) in Perth, (who used to be my manager in a previous life) and who now runs Rad Rides with his sons, one of whom is Trent (… they have just joined Facebook) www.facebook.com/radrideswa … and please “Like” them if you like what you see. Anyway, young Trent (who you’ll always at www.facebook.com/radrideswa suggested that I go around the corner. I went to see Ian, at All Torque Engineering … http://www.alltorquecylinderheads.com.au All Torque ( http://www.alltorquecylinderheads.com.au/products.html?NSID=Gn5bAC) looks like a traditional workshop, set in the middle of other commercial units, with cylinder heads - all over the place. Ian and I had a really good chat … he commented that very few people are doing ‘red motors’ up these days … 20 years ago, he couldn’t count the number of heads he was doing through the year. Today, he can count ‘em one one hand. There is a certain irony with Holden ( http://www.smh.com.au/comment/holden-on-a-manufacturing-dilemma-20131211-2z4v1.html ) thinking about closing its doors here in Australia. We both spent some time lamenting the end of the ‘red’, but, that is what it is. He looked at the modified cylinder head and said it looked like it was in very good condition, overall. It looks like the head ‘work’ that was done was … Opening up inlet ports by removing the centre cylinder head bolt casting. Counter bore, in the lower floor of the inlet ports, to accept a shorter head bolt that should just intrude into the inlet port. Re-cut valve seats to suit V8 valves and fit the V8 valve springs, with valve stem seals. For about $100, the head was a very good buy. Ian offered to acid wash the stripped block and strip, acid clean and overhaul the head for me. So, remove valves, acid dip and clean, check valve to valve stem clearances and re-lap the valves and fit new valve stem seals, if the head was OK. IMG_3109-2013-12-10-14-50.jpg The acid wash is a very good idea and I would recommend it every time. It’s cheap insurance. It got rid of about 99% of the paint, (see above) so I could re-paint the block in the correct colour and know it was going to “stick” for many years to come. It also ensured all the cooling paths around the head and block were free of scale that had built up over the 40 odd years the engine had been in service and almost guarantee no cooling problems - as long as the pump and radiator are OK. DSC01483-2013-12-10-14-50.JPG The block and head have come up looking very good. I’ll be dropping the parts off at Pete’s place as I have a chance over the next few weeks. In the meantime there are parts to clean, like the pistons. They are 0.60” over size and look good ~ but a good dip in an ultrasonic cleaner will soon tell us if they’re OK to use. An ultrasonic cleaner is worth its weight in gold … it subjects the parts to a very high vibration that literally vibrates all the non metal ( carbon ) deposits off the piston and con-rod. That bath was clean when the pistons went in ~ 8 hours later, sheesh. Almost there. The first picture is what the pistons looked like … they’ll need one more session and should look like new in the end. DSC01439-2013-12-10-14-50.JPGDSC01442-2013-12-10-14-50.JPGDSC01444-2013-12-10-14-50.JPG Now, where was I … that’s right … the story about the cylinder head. There is a computer “guru” who does the on-site “work” for us at work and over the years. I get to see him 2 or 3 times a year for a few years now. Towards the end of his day, a few months ago … during one of his … I’m waiting for stuff to download/authenticate/replicate sessions, we starting talking about things we did in our previous lives and what we’re doing now. The subject of my HR came up … the last thing I expected him to say was that he had a ‘worked’ cylinder head in his shed. The story goes … in about 1990, Thomas used to travel along the Brand Hwy, here in Western Australia. One particular afternoon, he dropped in to see a slightly out of the way service station owner for fuel. The service station was (I do not know if it is still there, but intend to look for it the next time I’m up that way.) about 1km off the highway, the turn being about 15km north of Eneabba. The “servo” was not owned by a big fuel company, so it was not really “state of the art” but the fuel prices were good. When you are that young, any money saved is worth it. Anyway he pulled in, in his Holden (202ci) HQ, which was about 15 years old, then. After filling his tank, the owner asked him if he was interested in buying a replacement cylinder head for his 202. When he asked what was so special about it or why he had it in the first place and not used it himself, the story went something like this … The ‘head’ was given to him about 2 years earlier by a guy who desperately needed fuel one day and said he’d leave the cylinder head behind as collateral, while he finished his journey and would return a few days later to pay for the fuel … needless to say, he never came back and 2 years later it was probably time to sell it. (The truth be known, it was probably a very good investment for the servo owner). When he the owner described the work done (it had been stored very carefully) a deal was struck. Thomas fitted it to his HQ a few months later. He immediately felt the difference and was very happy with the head. A couple of months (and 2 trips north - 2,000~3,000km’s) later Thomas was leaving to visit Europe for a while. His car would be left in the hands of his sister and I guess he wasn’t comfortable leaving the ‘worked’ head on the car. So, he removed it, put the car back to standard and put the head in the shed for use on a car, that he was sure he would restore when he returned to Australia. That that was in about 1990 and the head had been in his shed ever since. So, 23 years later, lucky me … he realised he was never going to use it and for what amounted to about 2 cartons of Corona ( …in Australia) the head was mine. It was going to be a while before I needed the head, so Thomas agreed to bring it down the next time he visited. It wasn’t long (maybe 6 months) and the head has been stripped, cleaned and should be on a refurbished engine by the end of the year. Needless to say, a short chat for about 5 minutes netted me a very nice head. Thank you, Thomas. DSC01423-2013-12-10-14-50.JPG In ‘red head’ primer, as it came back from All Torque … and below, the correct “X2” RED … a much richer red than standard. DSC01427-2013-12-10-14-50.JPG Unmasked and ready for re-assembly … as soon as the rest of the parts are done. DSC01432-2013-12-10-14-50.JPG All I need to do … are the rest of the red bits … Rocker cover, Timing cover, Sump, Water Pump, Oil Pump, Thermostat Housing, Thermostat Outlet, Engine Side Covers … Then the real fiddly bits … Rocker Cover Bolts Washers, Engine Side Cover Bolts. I have been asked why not get chromed parts … well, the 1966 HR didn’t come out with chrome bits on it, so it wouldn’t look right. In a month or so, I should be ready to start assembling the HR’s new engine. In the meantime, I do need to get some ‘new’ parts like the thermostat housing … the cast iron one is very badly rusted!!! … the adventure continues …

Sunday 10 November 2013

… and how good is she, really

It’s been a few weekends, but we really have to start looking at what the insides look like … and measuring the critical dimensions. You know the ones … engine block cylinder bores, crankshaft journals and wear (if any) on the camshaft lobes. DSCF1410-2013-11-10-15-00.jpg (Funny how the newspaper page I used was the ‘auto’ section of the local paper.) There was a Mazda 6, MY06 going for $30,990 if anyone was interested. Anyway, the crankshaft journals looked almost immaculate. This photo above was to try to show the very, very light score on the big end. It was small and it was difficult to feel, but she was there. This is where it is a huge help to know people who are also car enthusiasts and/or have their own ’shops’. As much as I think I know, many people know much more. DSCF1423-2013-11-10-15-00.jpgDSCF1425-2013-11-10-15-00.jpg This weekend, I started measuring and writing down and looking at books … For now, this one is the ‘bible’ that I am using … I am currently looking for an original Holden Workshop Manual “HR Series”. Hmmmm, that’ll be eBay again. IMG_0073-2013-11-10-15-00.jpg I’d like to get as much ‘workshop’ time completed before the hot weather comes in … … and in most of Western Australia that means anything up to 40DegC (HOT!!) So it’s bores, journals this weekend … now, I have an external micrometer … how do I get a hold of some internal callipers? Ah, it’s brilliant when you are not alone in your enthusiasm. Another friend to the rescue - internal callipers courtesy of James. I could tell you his nickname but I’d have to commit an offence :o( Anyway, it’s Friday night James dropped in to say “G’day” and see how far the strip down has got ~ I have the cylinder bores ready to be ‘micro-metered’. This is what I have: Cylinder Bores Top - (1) 93.68 ~ 93.78mm (2) 93.62 ~ 93.65mm (3) 93.65 ~ 93.68mm (4) 93.64 ~ 93.63mm (5) 93.65 ~ 93.66mm (6) 93.66 ~ 93.74mm Bottom (1) 93.66 ~ 93.63mm (2) 93.62 ~ 93.68mm (3) 93.61 ~ 93.64mm (4) 93.60 ~ 93.63mm (5) 93.60 ~ 93.63mm (6) 93.60 ~ 93.67mm Main Bearing Journals (1) 55.350mm (2) 55.340mm (3) 55.340mm (4) 55.340mm (5) 55.345mm (6) 55.340mm (7) 55.340mm. I apologise for my instinctive metric measurements … I was born when the rest of the world went “metric”. Suffice it to say, all the dimensions are within wear limits - If you have fitted 1.5mm (0.060”) oversize pistons and 0.010” undersize ‘big end bearings!!! Yes, the engine has had some work, but the bearings were still OK and with no copper showing on any of the shells. Well, the engine block pistons and cylinder head will be coming home with me. I’lll need to wash them thoroughly and see if they can be re-used. In the meantime … there are 2 pictures I have added as a comparison. They are of the 2 cylinder heads. The one on the left is the one that I unbolted from my 186 … … the one on the right is one that someone (Thomas) had been keeping in a shed for nearly 20 years … … he was going to use it in the future. DSCF1345-2013-11-10-15-00.JPGDSCF1352-2013-11-10-15-00.JPG Now do you see the differences … with the cylinder head … its future is now … :oP DSCF1343-2013-11-10-15-00.JPGDSCF1353-2013-11-10-15-00.JPG The 2 pictures show the inlet ports to cylinder #1 & 2 … the one that was on my 186 has a casting in the middle about 3/4” thick that, well … separates the 2 inlets. … the one that I am going to fit … er … doesn’t. It’s a funny story, coming up next on … “Long Live The King” …

Friday 25 October 2013

Deconstruction continued …

The next morning was sunny (but cold) … a good day to continue. Cylinder head on the bench. All looks normal. DSCF1342-2013-10-25-14-48.JPG So, we get on to pulling the rest of the engine down … DSCF1362-2013-10-25-14-48.JPGDSCF1372-2013-10-25-14-48.JPG Front pulley off, sump off, oil pick up off, tip the engine over … drop the hydraulic lifters out … DSCF1373-2013-10-25-14-48.JPGDSCF1374-2013-10-25-14-48.JPG Pull the timing cover off … DSCF1377-2013-10-25-14-48.JPGDSCF1379-2013-10-25-14-48.JPG Remove the retaining plate for the camshaft … and carefully pull the camshaft. Now, note to self, make a note of what type of ‘shaft it is standard or wild. DSCF1381-2013-10-25-14-48.JPGDSCF1382-2013-10-25-14-48.JPG … is that the time already … coffee and croissants … woo hoo !!!! It has suddenly dawned on me, that some of the old comparisons about getting a professional to do something and DIY are true. You know the ones. Professional Oil change … blah, blah blah … $45! DIY: Drive to the auto-store to pick up oil - $20 (oh, there is coolant on special an extra $40) Drive home … realise you don’t have a filter wrench … back to the store … oil filter wrench - $5. Mate calls you up to see what you’re up to and you invite him round to help … need to pick up carton of “coronas” on the way home - $45. Get home … forgot the chips and dip … and italian sausage … back to the store - $25 … etc, etc …. It was never going to be cheaper to DIY… but you do enjoy your day! Now, we are never going to get through tonight without some liquid refreshment and we haven’t got anything organised for lunch. The BBQ we’ll have will need essentials and the liquid will need to be cold for tonight so it is mid-morning and we don’t have anything yet (gotta go to the butcher and supermarket … ) DSCF1395-2013-10-25-14-48.JPGDSCF1399-2013-10-25-14-48.JPG Right the afternoon is taken care of, so I’m back to the strip-down. We pulled the bearing caps for the con rods and dropped the pistons … the crankshaft journals look and feel very, very good … so far, so good. I’ll see how they measure up. Main bearing caps off and the crankshaft can come out!!!DSCF1409-2013-10-25-14-48.JPG All this work is tiring … we have to fire up the BBQ (Pete, I’ll get the meat … !!!) DSCF1416-2013-10-25-14-48.JPG

Tuesday 18 June 2013

A Red Head … Deconstructed …

There is only one way to find out what you have … let’s strip her down. It’s a winter (in Western Australia that generally means 'cool') weekend and since we (I) had decided to get started we couldn’t (well, I couldn’t) wait to strip the 186. Poor old Pete might have some other plan for the weekend, I didn't really ask but he became my grunt for the evening … those cylinder head bolts!

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Easy start, the valve rocker cover off, then the valve rockers off, lift out the rods and then crack the bolts for the cylinder head. Sheesh they were tight. Once all the bolts were out, next, lever the cylinder head free off the engine block. It actually came off pretty easily. Now, I am not too sure about some people but I am sure about others … I am a little 'retentive' when pulling stuff apart. If I can, I will mark up a large piece of paper on a flat bench and mark every item that came off the piece of equipment. Some people think that is too much, some think not enough. Anyway, we will see if I can get all my parts back together without a bump in the road.

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Well, as you can see the engine has has a hard life, almost every single red part was a different red. Yup, she’s a red ‘motor’ as they say but …. she’s all shades of red.

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 Cylinder head off and the bores look OK.

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The gasket looks like it is in one piece and there is no evidence that it has been 'blowing' anywhere, either between the cylinder bores or between the bore and one of the coolant ports.

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Overall, the engine seems to be in very, very good condition. From the photo here cylinder #5 cylinder even still had cross hatch marks in it - all the cylinders were the same. Good result so far. For those that are a little retentive (Poms says anoraks) there was almost no ridge at the top of the bore. This leads me to think either the engine was probably rebuilt/re-ringed not so long ago … a few years … or less than 100,000km’s ago. So, she’s looks OK to work with.

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Here’s me being a little organised … Chinese take-away containers, that my wife actually bought in bulk would you believe. Apparently they are useful for a lot more than just engine bolts, springs and washers. I just know the containers will come in useful later … when I am trying to find the parts to finally put the engine back together.

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OK, so we pull off the ancillaries … water pump, alternator, fuel pump, distributor, oil pump (yes, that big red thing with the 4 dark bolts and 2 almost red bolts on the oil filter side of the engine.)

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Now, the sump off and oh, $#@t … there was still some oil in it. Quick the kitty litter!!!

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I know what some people are thinking … if you had an old red oil container nearby, to serve as a drip tray, where was it when the sump came off. Well, a little further away than planned.

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Mess cleaned up and the 'red' in bed for the evening. Over the weekend, we’ll have to pull the bottom end down. Crankshaft pulley, con-rods, pistons, crankshaft (... and the camshaft, in the old red) these days the camshaft is, oops camshafts, are up top.

Friday 26 April 2013

Let's get the engine to Pete's ...

Now … I have a friend named ‘Pete’, (don’t we all) :o) whom I have known for 17 years. At first, it was only through work and my travel as a recently ‘qualified’ engineer that kept me in regular contact with him. I was an engineering ‘associate’ with very little experience in the mining game in the 90’s, but Pete took me under his ‘wing’ on many occasions and showed me how to pull down and rebuild many pumps. In a previous life, Pete was a mechanic and worked for a small dealership less than an hour from where he lives now. So no, that apple has not fallen far from his tree. In the mid 2000’s we both moved into larger homes … but … his ‘man cave’ is a little more spacious than mine. Now, in his previous life, Pete has rebuilt many of the engines that we consider ’classics’ today and the Holden ’red motor’ probably being the most famous Australian that he has ‘re-built’. It has been many, many drinks since he had rebuilt a red-motor, so I have taken up his offer to help me start this restoration … and things tend to move along when you have help (or company). I know how I operate and I know that if I want the restoration to move at a reasonable pace, then there needs to be an incentive. I have decided to take the offer of a warm dry (well lit) place to rebuild the 186. (In case you’re wondering … no my shed does not have lighting yet, it’s one of the jobs I’ll get to … soon. Besides, it is always better working with someone, as it promotes a sense of commitment rather than … “ … hey, I’ll do it next weekend”. Pete lives about 150km south of Perth, but I have reason to travel, weekly, in his direction and it means when I am away, there is a reason for me to stop in for a day or so (a weekend or two) and rebuild the engine at Pete’s. He is now as keen as I am, to see the project on the road, besides his wife spoils me whenever I stay over. What better reasons are there to get moving? I have thought about this for a while and a few people may suggest that I am doing things the wrong way around … maybe. If I started with the bodywork first … I know I will take my time. If the engine is completed first, then I know that I cannot let the engine sit around on the engine stand, for years, waiting for the body work to be finished. So, there is a condensed timetable I MUST work to … there is my incentive! If I take too long, I may wreck the engine, if it stands around too long and not run (in). Right let’s see what condition she’s in … DSCF1266-2013-03-30-07-30.JPGDSCF1270-2013-03-30-07-30.JPG Ok, I pulled the engine out, drained the oil and gave her a good wash with copious amount of degreaser and a stiff brush … … to get as much of the oil and grime that had built up over the last … 20? years. DSCF1272-2013-03-30-07-30.JPGDSCF1304-2013-03-30-07-30.JPG I got the red to Pete’s and after a bit of a clean-up (it was as good a reason, as any, to clean-up the shed) … we bolted the engine to the stand … that I actually built 15 years ago to hold the engine out of my Alfa Romeo, when I thought it was going to need some work. The Alfa rebuild never happened (which is why the stand is still white … eek!) . The red is now ready for a complete strip down. Hope you like the nostalgic (B&W) photo in Pete’s shed. I think it looks period … :oP

Sunday 17 March 2013

Let's see what we have

From the outset, I wanted an Australian icon from 1966. I have her, but she’s not very well at all. Now, after months of toying, battling with friends and even my beloved (well, we battle just to keep things interesting, not because there is any animosity or she doesn’t like what I’m doing … I mean, she’s helping finance all of this, so I have her blessing … even my daughter, who is 8, can’t wait to learn to drive in the HR), I have decided to get her back to ‘original’. However, (isn’t there always a however?) keeping her ABSOLUTELY original is going to mean it’ll probably take 5 years longer, than it needs to, because I will need quite a bit of time to get just the right/correct items she needs. I want to still be alive (and well) to enjoy driving her, when she’s on the road again.

So, the decision, is to keep her as original as possible, without compromising looks, or originality. That means period fitments are OK. I think rebuilding as much as I can will be the order of the day. Sure, I could buy a new alternator for her, that was made in China, or a new fuel pump (also from China) but if that means replacing a part that is 40 years old if it could have been rebuilt, I’d rather not … because I think that would mean the ‘patina’ of the parts that she is made of, will be compromised.


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Now I should say, from the outset, … I know, I know it’s 6 months into the journey, but it must be said …

The way that I am going to restore my lioness, will be my way. It may not be (though, I always hope it is) absolutely the right way. There may be a time, (again, I hope … ) when it’s the best way and on one occasion, it might be a brilliant and perhaps even ‘novel’ way of doing something. I am not advocating that what I am doing should be copied by anyone … this is probably where one should say something like “… this restoration was done under controlled conditions and no-one should attempt to replicate what is done, except with the supervision of a professional.” Hmmm, I can see some smiles already, but it has to be said.

In my work travels, I visit a few mine sites around the world and at the site, I most frequently visit, it has been drummed into everyone, “ … you have the time to do the job safely. So, please, be safe”. It’s a lot of fun (and sweating and swearing and laughing and ‘liquid’ refreshments) restoring a car, but there are heavy parts that make up the car, (the whole car, for a start, the engine block, suspension cross-members, the “traumatic” box that’s in my HR) that can injure you or even cause death, if not handled properly. You will be working with a grinder, perhaps an ‘oxy’ torch, so there is a chance of causing a fire. So be careful, be very careful. There, I have said it.

The first lot of work, is to completely strip her down of everything that is not part of the body shell. So, engine “out”, gearbox “dropped”, tailshaft “out” and then, eventually, cross member “off” and differential “dropped”. That way, I’ll be able to see all her wrinkles (age, as well as bingles) and rust. I can then see how bad she is and get her prepped for a blasting, to get rid of as much rust as possible. If I make a note of what is fitted to the HR, I’ll be able to decide how to restore her. (I think I am going to need a few more plastic boxes and marking pens …

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Now, the build plate says:

Body : HR 2106 - 5261-A
Trim : 510-E78
Paint : 585-9562

My research (with help from friends, family and forums like oldholden.com) so far tells me … http://codes.oldholden.com/index.php?Model=HR ->
2106
is a ute.
5261
, I pretty sure now, is the ‘order’ or perhaps more correctly the ‘build #’ .
A
, means it was driven out of the Holden Elizabeth plant, in Adelaide.

Trim: 510 … confirms white … and E78 is Mephisto Red (with a little help from Holden Club of SA … to be confirmed)
585
is a Dulux Paint Code and 9562 - Grecian White
There is no INSERT, which simplifies things and the blank TOP means the roof of the ute is not a different colour.

The ‘wizards’ out there will see that she has been ‘modified’ by someone in the past. Yes, that’s a ‘Trimatic’ and yes, those are the remnants of the manual gear linkages in the top left hand side of the picture. It looks like she left the factory with a ‘161’ ci engine, but someone saw fit to upgrade her with ‘186’ ( … complete with twin ‘Strombergs and a genuine X2 inlet manifold). So, the decision is to replicate an X2 out of her. That way, she will be technically correct. So, as far as the engine goes, visually, it will mean getting the engine paint code correct. That means, I believe, Holden ‘Bright Red’ rather than Holden Engine ‘Red’ for the engine block and an X2 exhaust manifold … that’s assuming the engine still has enough metal in it that it can be rebuilt. I’ll find out soon.

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