Benno

Sweet wagon, how is it for rust?

Registered, will pay next week when I'm less broke

What else do I need to do for this then? I was planning on replacing all the lights, flashers anyway so 12V would make things easier. Would the alternator put out enough voltage to run this? I guess the 6V coil will need replaced too?

Yeah, it looks like it could possibly be a relay and the gauge of the wires coming out of it suggest either that or a regulator, they are fairly thick. As for the charging circuit, basically I want a AC->DC 6v rectifier/regulator? There seem to be heaps of cheap 12v ones around, I'm sure I can track down a cheap 6V one from somewhere. Has anyone else found a cheap easy module for this, if so how well did it work?

Yup, your first one should work without any troubles.

It's going to happen, its just a matter of time. I was/am thinking about chopping it now, but if I do that it will end up taking far too long to get on the road. Will get it running as is, then hit it with the grinder soon afterwards

That would make sense, it has something that looks like a diode on the back. I will definitely do that, not a fan of how it looks sticking out the side. Turns out the coil is there, I just couldn't spot where it was tucked away/i'm an idiot. Can't see it well in this photo, but there is something else which I am pretty sure is the condenser behind it, connected between the points and gnd. Not 100%, but pretty sure that the circled bit is not the points, it seems to be in series with the points. Possibly a thermal fuse perhaps? If it overheats, it cuts the connection to the coil until it cools down? Assuming it isn't the condenser, what else could it be?

I've had a fiddle around with converting a tape player to take a 3.5mm aux input before, there are a few things you need to watch out for which aren't covered in that second article. The main issue is that soldering directly to the magnetic tape head is going straight into a high level input. Basically this is means it goes through several other amplification stages, so taking an input from an iPod etc will be very distorted. The other issue is that mp3 players can produce a DC offset, which if you feed into a high level input will cause issues both with the amplifier and the speakers. To do it properly you either need to find/make a convertor board to lower the gain and remove any DC offset. If you know a bit about electronics and don't mind fiddling you can possibly figure out the input for the next amplification stage and solder directly into that, but without a scope etc can be quite tricky. Your results may vary, but I wouldn't risk a good head unit and speakers with doing it that way.

Had a better look at it now, it seems to be missing the coil which would explain my confusion. I have messaged Jack/jtkp61 so hopefully that shows up. Will wait and see if that shows up before I order new points. Couple of other questions, mainly what is this thing for? I originally thought it was the coil until I had a better look at it. It seems like a flasher or regulator unit or something. My electronics knowledge is generally pretty good, but never seen something like this before. Secondly, what is the reason for this bit circled in red? It seems like it is supposed to contact the cover. What does it do, and does this mean that this cover should be isolated from ground?

I'm shit at explaining these sort of things, so I made an average diagram. This is how I would do it in your case. Haven't actually run this exact setup, but don't see any reason why it wouldn't work. This way, radio plays through the head unit via the line-level selector to the amp. The RCA feed is split with one going to the audio amp and the other to the bass tube. To listen to the iPod/aux cable, press the RCA selector button to switch to the aux cable. You can probably hack this up and put the switch somewhere convenient/hidden. By RCA selector I mean something like this, you should be able to find something cheap at Jaycar or similar.

Done a bit of work on this, wheels were rusty as shit, so cleaned them up a bit then painted matt black. Still look pretty pitted, but good enough for me. Resisting the temptation to do any modifications, going to try just get it running for now so it doesn't sit around in the shed for months. Before During After

Can you get these things road legal with lights etc added?

Such an awesome wagon, love it

I paid $250 for a set for a ford crossflow engine, think that would be a pretty standard price for a 4 cyl engine.

Yeah, that would be great mate. I've got a busy day today, so probably won't get a chance to go past the atm. PM me your account and I'll deposit the money directly into that, then just drop it off whenever you get a chance. Cheers bro

Yeah, I'll probably pull a loom from pick-a-part and cut that up for it or something. I'll get the wheels painted and it put back together first, if I get stuck on getting it running I'll hit you up then haha

Yeah, I had a bit of a look at the wiring. Looks like a bit of a nightmare really. I'll have a better look at it at the weekend, but I'm debating just re-wiring the whole thing, doing it properly with fuses, LED light conversion etc. I haven't got a clue how that system works, keen to just get it running first, then worry about getting the electric start, lights and shit working. Probably need some advice when I get to trying to get it running, don't really know much about bike ignition systems.

So I have acquired this fine piece of 1960's engineering from jtkp61. Only got it dropped off an hour or so ago, so haven't even really had a good look at it yet. So far the bike has been stripped down, frame repainted and the top end of the engine rebuilt. Apparently it is a pretty rare model, with only a few others in NZ. Current plans are to get it running and on the road, then think about what to do next with it. I reckon it would have a lot of potential for a bobber or brat style bike, but as it is so rare might be worth keeping it original. Wait and see how things pan out at this stage. Pics below are from jtkp61

Pretty keen for this

Had a good time at the last one meeting some GCs and having some quality yarns, when's the next one happening?

So my escort failed its wof on holes in the exhaust system. I had previously put a bandage on there, and got through again with some exhaust putty but have decided that I should get it sorted properly. There is rust in both the pipe and rear muffler, so it's probably not worth just patching up. I'd like to learn a bit about it and make an informed decision instead of just taking it to an exhaust place and getting whats cheapest. I did a search and couldn't find much explaining exhaust systems in detail. I already have a set of Coby extractors fitted. I don't want something loud and droning, but wouldn't mind a bit of an exhaust note as long as it was a reasonable volume and didn't drone too much while at cruising speeds. I will be keeping the 1300 engine in it for the forseeable future, but would like to potentially upgrade to a 1600 in the future. It currently has the factory (1.5"?) system fitted. After looking through some build threads, it seems that 2" is the way to go. There was a noticeable difference in both economy and performance after I fitted the extractors, am I likely to notice anything similar with a new full system? What is my best bet for a muffler? It currently has a main muffler, then either a small secondary muffler or resonator. Is sticking with two the best bet, or would a single larger one be better? Is the muffler better to go closer to the engine or rear of car? Any types or brands better/cheaper then others? Is a flexi-joint necessary? If so, i guess it would go straight after the extractors to counter any engine movement? Any ball park figures as to how much I should expect this to set me back? Cheers

Thanks

Anyone?

Are any OS GCs in Christchurch interested in doing a cash job for painting a car, or know anyone that is? I've got my escort panelled and prepped ready for paint, is currently sitting in primer. Unfortunately I don't have a garage anymore, and can't justify the cost of compressor, mask etc for one job. I have already bought the paint (2K white). All I need is for it to be masked up (I can help with that), and sprayed. Prep is already done, and I will sort out polishing etc at a later stage myself. The prep work isn't quite perfect, so I'm not really expecting a show quality paint job, basically if the paint is on evenly without any runs I'll be happy. If anyone is interested, my contact number is 027 3420024. Cheers

A 1600 is more of a long term goal at this point. Definitely going to keep en eye out for one, but unlikely to have time/funds until at least the end of next year. I'm focussing on getting the car prepped for painting this summer while living with the rents as I don't have a garage/shed at my flat in Chch. Got the carb now as a bit more performance now would be nice, and I can always bolt it up to the 1600 when I get it. Yeah, that would be great. I'll pm you when I'm up in Christchurch next.