j.e.d.

Costly update time..

Took all week prior to drag day for the exhaust to be sorted out, didn’t pick the car up til 4:45pm on the Friday with a new WOF so was cutting it fine to say the least.

I bought these headers on the understanding they’d bolt right up… weeeell, nothing works out how you think. Wes at E&H Motors was tasked with the install and he came across a bit of an issue where the drivers side header was running right into the column change linkages. The fix was to get an Aeroflow column change cable kit to replace the rod linkages.. took a lot of mucking around, but the result is a much firmer feel the the gear change which is nice.

The body mount on the right required some trimming, there’s about 2-3mm of clearance now. 

Got Wes to weld in an H pipe while he was under there. Will continue from that next year.

Unfortunately this hasn’t solved the chuffing noise like I hoped it would. I was hoping the noise was a cracked factory manifold, but there was no sign of any cracks and the noise is still there.. perhaps a bent rod preventing a valve from completely sealing is my next thought. I did remove all the rods to inspect about a year ago and noticed a very slight bend on some of them but didn’t think that would be enough.. anyone with ideas or feedback welcome.. looks like another costly fix?

Had a nice photo taken of the car at the drags though, and managed a 17.441 quarter which I was happy with for a first time.

Couple of little pick ups over the last week or two.. needed a better steering wheel as the factory one is down to the steel.. not being a factory wheel may be a problem come compliance time but will cross that bridge when I get to it.

This next purchase would have to be the ultimate find for me.. I looked at getting one in from the states a year ago and that would have set me back about a grand or more. This Hammond aluminium louvre popped up on TM last night for half the price so I jumped on it straight away.. looks perfect!

Probably a premature post on this considering I may not get started on it for a few months, but I did buy this off my mate a year ago and finally built a garage for it to go into last month so it was about time to pick it up!

The day was an entertaining shambles from the start, one highlight was my winch crapping out so borrowed the boat winch.. then that popping off the trailer on the way home and went tumbling down the road. Amazingly it still works. 
Anyway, the car is safely tucked away in my  garage.. some may recognise it as Ben’s old car originally.

My mate has done a few little things in his 6 year ownership, notably putting on an Edelbrock manifold and Holley carb (I’ll find the details out later for reference), and buying a full exhaust for it which needs to be installed. Carb needs setting up also, it’s missing a spring for the kickdown, and I’m not sure what else needs doing but it’s not quite running right. Also installed a trans cooler, headers, some new shocks and bushes here and there.

Barn find..

New home..

wish me luck

Got the correct filter the other week and chucked it in.. jacked the car up to bleed the air out of the system and the steering feel is so smooth now with no apparent shuddering at full lock. Took her for a test drive into Puke and also see a guy about the exhaust, so that’s booked in for tomorrow along with a WOF when the work is done hopefully..

Pic of wet Galaxie for post

Not much happening, but a scenery change for the car.. been sitting up at the parents since my breakup early last year, been a year since I moved into my rental and finally have a garage secure and dry enough for it to park.

Firstly it involved moving the existing garage around the back as it’s current position didn’t allow good access for all my other stuff I needed to move from the parents place.. the old man and I braced and jacked it up to put on the car trailer and back it into its new spot..

Next required some GAP65 to be laid to reduce the mess. I love my grass, but I love my toys more

Then some rough and ready concrete laid

I’m sure the old girl was not happy going from relative space and luxury of my parents garage..

to this..

so much so, she decided to shit the bed and start leaking out of the PS pump..

So that’s my first fix now she’s back home (wasn’t supposed to be).. PG Hydraulics have already rebuilt the control valve and PS ram so they might as well do this for me as well.. then I’ll get the leaking manifold sorted before taking it in for a WOF