deankdx

28 December 2017 IT RUNS! (sat under a tarp in the rain for a few months.. fired up as soon as i hooked the coil up. I had a tough choice of pulleys.. shithouse chrome or rust.. decided the chrome matched nothing in the engine bay, so went with it.. the EGR pipe was still a pain in the ass, but surprisingly still easier than any i have ever done on an Xflow.. i had to use the other extractors that fitted the EGR pipe, that then needed the 2.25" pipe to be adapted to the 2".. should suffice, didn't fire it up again with the 2" system. when i got the panel van wreck, the throttle cable bracket was more like a twisted bit of wrought iron, mounted off one bolt it could have easily rotated and caused problems.. lucky i'm a hoarder and keep all kinds of brackets.. i initially tried an XF throttle bracket but the position didn't suit the cable arrangement or location. so out came the grinder, hammer and in the end it was tacked together, will be welded better tomorrow. rain caused an early pack up.. finish it next episode. only a few things left on the list. fill radiator, gearbox, fit starter relay, maybe fuel pump change(not sure if the stock intank one is sufficient) fit gear stick, make an air cleaner work, and anything else i have missed, then test drive.. youtube doesn't show how loud it is straight out of the extractors.. accelerator pump diaphragm was stiff as a board..

28 December 2017 on today's episode of sweat in the city.. HOT! everything was hot. Shed was hot, tools were hot and even the sweat dripping in My eyes was hot.. but.. still went out and got it done.. todays job included, new rocker cover gasket, water pump, thermostat, hoses for radiator and and bypass, fitted a neutral switch to the box i am using incase i ever fit cruise control.. fitted a new extension housing seal and clutch fork boot.. bolted up the 10 bellhousing to engine bolts(makes the 4 on a falcon Xflow seem inadequate) had a bit of a WTF moment fitting the engine in.. was up against the firewall before the engine mounts would line up, the panel van wreck must have had a diesel gemini cross member fitted(different mounting positions) it had diesel gearbox and cluster and firewall panel and remote brake reservoir setup etc.. once the brain kicked in, we swapped over the mounts and it dropped in.. called it done(gearbox is still sitting on a jack for tomorrow..) luckily i also planned ahead and cut the exhaust pipe and removed the extractors from the engine bay, this would have been a nightmare. . so there's another job for tomorrow. so, next episode should be, refit.. gearbox cross member, tailshaft, clutch cable, radiator and fan, extractors with EGR pipe, few wires and bonnet and fire it up again...(maybe out the extractors only.. should hear it from a few kms away...

26 December 2017 well, incase you were wondering if this thing was ever going to be finished(lucky OS readers don't have to wait)... it has progressed to next level.. hopefully tomorrow the 2 litre will be in, and if not running tomorrow, should be the next day otherwise. fired it straight up and drove it trouble free 37km again this morning, runs well on stale fuel had to deal with a big huntsman spider inside on the windscreen and across the head lining, lucky it went out the window when i slowed down and it's probably found another spot to hide for the next drive.. engine swap just in time, one of the welsh plugs was leaking, just started.. i'd been gathering things for the 2 litre engine over the last week or so.. new clutch and spigot bearing, flywheel machined, fitted new rear main seal. started undoing stuff around 1pm ish today and by about 4pm it was out and under a tarp..

24 October 2017 noting much been happening... i had wanted to get My "old school" mags suitable to use for a while now.. and wide tyres are not cheap.. new would be $420 min for the 4(cheapest on the market..or $520 for good brand.. ). used are non existent pretty much.. nothing uses them other than old cars.. mine were full of age cracks but i kept 2 to try resell incase someone is willing to risk for burnouts /display etc? or i may even do same.. contacted a tyre joint on ebay regarding standard size ones and what the fitting cost would be, basically said come down rather deal in person(aka not pay ebay fees) i asked if he ad 205s rather than the 175s that are common and he said only semi slicks.. gave me the brand etc and i checked they are road legal.. been used for track days.. $250 a set fitted..(new these tyres are $350 each i think?) Yokohama A048 barely roadworthy, but they aren't for daily use.. just for something cool to fit from time to time(calder 1/4mile if i go) maybe a track day if i think it wont die.. i'll give them a scrub (not polish) and fit the caps etc.. but have to track down a set of 12x 1.5 shanked nuts with washers.. not going on until the low springs anyway. haven't touched the car for a while, hoping to rego it after a motor swap within the next 4 weeks..

30 September 2017 boot area finished also, side panels screwed on with self tappers rather than the broken plastic push clips.. the floor panel wasn't painted very well, guessing it had vinyl or carpet at some point. Might need to wash the inside to match soon black carpet from the panel van wreck.. obviously not a knox carpet.. must be tru fit, because it mustn't have fitted well.. has more cuts than a butcher shop.. i may tuck some black felt here and there to hide the gaps a bit.. but it's better than the rotten brown carpet it had

29 September 2017 painted wipers black doors are done, except i still haven't found the left mirror .. bugger. lower guard/door area was just untidy, i also burned a bit of paint while welding so it got a quick touch up.. what rust.. bog hides bodgy welds.. so does paint.. not the best photo of the boot floor.. it will only get seen a few times, hope its not too ugly for Mr RWC? i have since painted red along the edge, but didn't mask the black.. ran out of fucks.. might revisit the underside with the sander possibly before a full coat of stone guard to get a consistent finish

22 September 2017 finished off a lot of unfinished jobs today.. have tunes finally. worked until it was dark, even brushed on the body deadener inside on the floors by using the torch.. hoping it's properly dry for Monday when i might be able to put the interior back in for the last time. black carpet. maybe black console? have to see what looks better i jacked up the front to fit the replacement speedo cable, and seal the front floor repair.. also while doing under dash yoga, fixed both screen vents.. people reaching around running dodgy wires etc must break the duct mountings = bugger all screen air.. big washer fixed it. still on the to do list: i'll make it now. no particular order. rear speakers mount. paint wipers, probably black, but wondering if silver will suit the chrome locking strip.. finish sealing the under floors and paint/body deaden bog and sand rear quarter repair and paint. refit fuel tank and swap fuel sender/test.. refit carpet, seat belts, seats, console wire up console gauges fit rear door cards/make new ones? seal tail lights cant think of much more to do other than check the 2litre motor, clutch, do seals and paint and swap it in.. once done, RWC and rego.. fit lowered springs.. also likely. 13.DRIVE THE THING looking forward to hearing the weber roar.

19 September 2017 well, i spilled some fuel out of the tank when i removed it.. best way to test if it's going to catch fire after waiting to weld? get the blow torch and wave it around (and blow out the flames, as it was mostly petrol soaked dust.. ) recheck = fixed.. good to go. got the 2 litre water bottle with 3mm hole for squirting fire and also the fire extinguisher if i had the need. today i got to test out My anti spark burning a hole in your elbow vein cover(leather couch section, blue to match the gloves..).. also found out it doesn't protect you from burns if you forget to put it on again lol..was torn between using it on My head at some point also.. stupid sparks. got some wheel tuck. jacked up and put a stand under the diff to get some better access to the boot floor for a patch. still having seam sealer on the floor was hindering progress, it does wire brush off if you can get a tack nearby and the heat softens it up. also chipped out the bog and rust out of the spare wheel well.. remembers the advert description ALL RUST REMOVED. Really now.. ran out of daylight again, but the patches are all tacked in.. will hopefully finish it all off tomorrow if i am not too sore from welding yoga. found a new use for a towball also.. dolly to knock against to shape metal it's not pretty..i think a new full boot floor will be on the wish list when it's due for a paint job, will practice on the sedan.. as it's boot floor is far worse and i care less about that car.

18 September 2017 had a bit of time today to look at some more "previous owner genius fixes" i was looking for a accessory wire for the radio(didn't find one yet) found an illumination to tap into for the console gauges though.. while in there, investigated some more taped up wires.. i'll go looking for anything taped up now, i expect to see much the same. auto wiring was cut and joined for the manual.. when i say joined.. twist n tape..(with this join under the carpet, would have been a pain to find out why the car wouldn't crank one day there was some scotch lock thing not connected to anything.. but tapped in by literally wrapping the wire once around and tape..

17 September 2017 one less rust hole.. boot floor patch next available decent weather.. same for the foot rest refit i should have stripped more of the sound deadener off with the dry ice.. turned out it strips with the wire brush pretty easy after doing a few tack welds nearby.

13 September 2017 well, i rode 25km to pedders again today, slight rain.. was practically peak hour on the way home in the car, so video was boring.. got the best bit though.. pedders No Bull.. just needed a rack end and a wheel alignment.. $208.. good enough. should pass rwc other than the rust i need to finish and possible oil leaks(and swap speedo cable so the speedo works) permit runs out today, didn't really get my moneys worth out of it, but the next one will be for RWC and rego already had people asking if i was selling it.. didn't get a figure, but betting its less than what i've got in it now

12 September 2017 listening to a flock of seagulls.. no, not the band.. the tailgate squeaking/rattling. t's having a sleep over at pedders, needs a rack end.. apparently "reco steering rack" can have buggered rack ends.. i didn't notice it when i did the Deano check.. could well have had loose wheel nuts when i did it even.. pedders didn't pick anything else.. so it should be RWC after rust repairs and finish off the rest of the list(i can make one now.. ) the list will probably include engine swap.. the 1600 seems fine but once it's in 3rd the power runs out... i think the 2 litre will pick up the slack here and some

11 September 2017 well, some assembly required.. put it back together enough to drive to pedders tomorrow 10km probably. taking the bike incase they want to take too long? bike fits in the back with wheels on..

10 September 2017 what rust.. had 4 doors for sale on ebay for $40.. no takers.. whatever.. rust free metal for free.. took the handle panel with the grinder also, easier than finding the 10mm metal patch fits better than the cardboard template.. even just resting the panel on the floor was an improvement in strength one patch done.. what a prick of a job.. most of this patch couldn't have been welded from the outside anyway, has a chassis rail type thing in the way(nearly cut it with the grinder, missed it by fluke) i was trying to decide if i have enough time to smash out the rear floor patch. but then the rain came.. decided it's lunch time and put the car back together for tomorrow's pedders check/alignment/lowered maybe? started shaping patches for the rear floor, words cannot explain how much i hate welding over head.. might do that one on Dave's hoist.

9 September 2017 on todays episode of regret buying rusty shitboxes.. (all rust removed HA!) i booked the car in for a pedders check Tuesday before the permit runs out next Wednesday. wheel alignment due to the steering rack change and got them to order in some LOWs springs ($200 fitted was the deal...if they don't pick the shit out of all the bushes, but i'll accept replacing the lower control arm bushes seeing the arms need to come out practically to fit springs. so, what do you do on a nice Saturday, not a bike ride, or a BBQ ..... or even put the car back together so you can drive it to pedders.. Nooooo, cut some rust out.. well, LOOK FOR THE LEAKS FIRST, couldn't work out where the water was coming from, floor still had water on it after the rain.. Decided to look under the heater cover.. like fords, they gather spiders, dirt and stuff(not leaves, as it has a mesh from factory... smart buggers) was dirty but cleaned up spotless, no rust or leaks in there... where the water goes, running down the firewall it went straight under the bodgy floor rust repair some bodger did.. crisis averted, once i removed the patch and tested with water it didn't leak a drop inside.. cool.. cut some holes.

2nd September 2017 well, i bought some dry ice this morning.. 2kg for $11 definitely helped in digging out stubborn seal sealer in a hard to access spot. the boot floor had been repaired before, by a panel beater i am guessing, well, at least not by bodgy people. it has had a panel repair in the drivers rear quarter and the same sealer and paint is throughout the boot under the fuel tank. its very solid inside, but a rust hole under the chassis rail(stupid dry ice doesn't work through chassis rails.. well.. it does, but it falls out the rust hole underside..) so plan of attack for the boot floor is make a patch and weld from the outside, upside down ... yep, My favourite. this is a small area compared to the back floor area and will help me decide if i will be doing that the same way or not(the lazy in me wants to weld it in from the inside.. but not bodgy birdshit welds like what someones patch under the pedals has been) pics from today.. crappy pics, but .. i can't be bothered trying to take better ones yet.. finally got around to fitting the SLE wheels.. i think it needs lowering. Even with the jack removed it's still a similar height. sill got a bit of bog/painting to do, but otherwise this is about how it's going to look. depending on the weather, energy levels and whatever else is going on, i should be welding the floor rust over the weekend or soon after.

1st September 2017 continued chipping away(literally with the body deadener) stripped the carpet out, and had a go at chipping off the deadener without dry ice.. fairly successful.. will be heading over to supagas tomorrow for dry ice to attack the stubborn (aftermarket) deadener.. hopefully it lasts a fair while, as i still need to remove the fuel tank to check the boot floor(it has rust.. but to what extent i am not sure yet.. not as bad as My sedan at least)

1 September 2017 still crossing things off the list.. (don't actually have a list yet.. would need a page or 2...) fitted the rear window locking strip.. prick of a job.. but doable. also modified a commodore spare wheel bolt by welding on a correct threaded bolt on the end and reinforced the bodgy home made battery clamp.. (also used a falcon mud guard bolt.. love those things)

31 August 2017 continued on with some progress.. was looking a bit shit for even my rules.. Mythbusters proved you can polish a turd, so i thought anything they can do.. i can do nearly as good

28 August 2017 drove home 35km without issue Woo! resisted the urge to do anything that would incur a fine or worse.. cruised along the highway at 100 happily.. beat a mitsubitshit lancer in an exhaust note competition... well, it wasn't a competition, but it was the only other car with any sort of exhaust note on the road i saw today. next stop.. pedders check and alignment soon (if it passes), seats and carpet out for rust patch.. need to get some dry ice for the body deadener on the floor. stereo install also soon. 6x9s, 4" speakers and a MP3 deck. still torn between registering fully or just club rego..

27 August 2017 1600 didn't break traction in the rain... on the first drive.. drop a skid bro.. it could now.. i tuned it..(no parts purchased.. yep, a redneck dyno tune) first off took it to the car wash with Dave and i reckon the diesel would give it a good run, that's how slow it was. washed the engine and underside, dried the dissy cap and leads and drove back.. so, where we left off last time.. backfired when revved... checked the points, looked new.. gap looked "fine" so i didn't bother looking for feeler gauges set the timing to the she'll be right zone.. turned out Dave actually has a working timing light and when checked, it was near enough to spot on(was retarded...= much gutless)still backfired on big revs. carby next i bought a "reco" carby a while back, well by reco... it had a kit through it.. "ran rich" this is the one the secondaries couldn't have opened due to the lever being all wrong.. fixed that part, stuck it on today after cutting up one of my good spanners to make it happening.. idles like it has a cam in it, black smoke.. ran rich lots . not sure why... didn't like it but it revved better = get the old one and take a look i was pressing the secondary throttle open and felt the air leak out of the diaphragm AH HA!! fix that by swapping the other one over.. refitted the original carby.. it idled a bit worse than before and even with mixture adjustment wasn't as smooth.. meh, the all important big rev confirmed it was fixed otherwise.. second test drive.. WOOO!!! thing hammers in first and second, no idea what revs it pulls but sounds like 6000 ish at least.. 3rd is a bit gutless, but it would chop the diesel gemini easily now(cammed 2 litre should be even more impressive) i'm going to try get a video of it in car soon.. sounds good, definitely is fun now..

24 August 2017 bit more homework done during the week haven't gone for the second drive yet, considered it today but busy sorting out junk and looking for parts.. i finally found the 4th hub cap, seller had 6 sle wheels and 2 caps(one cracked) so i bought 1 wheel and both caps for $30 and that chapter is closed.. i painted the caps with silver paint and cotton bud, they are a bit too silver but i expect them to fade. finally found the horn ring for the boss kit also, not sold on this wheel yet, but i also have a full lighter coloured wood one i could fit with chrome spokes same for the console.. i will be fitting black carpet(because its near new and free. came in the rusty wreck) last time i was at Dave's i pulled the rocker cover off that was leaking like a sieve and thought it wasn't clamping down enough.. so went to bash the sides down(appeared bent from overtightening) rocker cover is strong.. not likely bent.. so i put washers under the mounting nuts as they seemed to be bottoming out, and layed a bead of liquid weld(silastic) over the cork gasket and nipped it up.. engine wash and check is planned for Saturday. (i have a new rubber gasket, but keeping it for the 2 litre engine. )

17 August 2017 FIRST DRIVE STORY wish i had a phone mount for the first drive video... no pics taken today but i got an unreg permit and went round the block to bed the brakes in/shake down test literally over the speedhumps(pedders shocks are very good) the "reco" calipers i fitted were obviously not as good as you'd expect, the left one stuck on.. i suspected this might happen as the pads were a prick to get in due to the pistons not going back as far(easily) as the other side.. with new pads and rotor as thick as new i gave it the benefit of the doubt.. first lap of the block i could smell the brakes, and next it was pulling to the right due to the left being hot.(brake fade).. stuff that.. back home, swapped the old caliper on.. ..fitted easily.. well, as easily as changing a caliper on gravel driveway and the rain coming while bleeding the brakes again. took it out again a bit later, gave it a bit of a thrash seeing the brakes were more confidence inspiring, brakes seem fine now. (under the speed limit) but some revs in first and second.. its loud, doubt its legal.. i remember the ad saying HOT DOG EXHAUST, NICE AND LOUD.. it has a muffler and hot dog and extractors, it's louder than i expected. on the way back i saw an older lady out of her car taking a video of behind me... (so as to not have me run into her if i was a terrorist? ) which she then aimed at me as i drove past and video'd the rear also. no number plates, but i have a permit on the windscreen so other than being loud i can't see what she'd do with the video other than send it to ACA for hooning footage.. This hoon was seen driving with no rego in my street with loud exhaust and terrorising the neighbourhood? i made it backfire with some revs on board.. so before i drive it home 35km i'll take a look at the leads, cap and rotor and points and need to fix a bad rocker cover leak and also will wash the engine and surrounding area so when i swap the engine soon i won't need as much hand cleaner ... well, that's the plan anyway.. congratulations if you read all that... for you're reward i'll link you a video of a fast gemini..(aka not mine)

14 August 2017 bit of homework before heading over to Dave's this arvo.. new wheel bearings in the rotors i bought a while back. hoping to get new pads and reco calipers fitted today.. should be easy... lol.. famous last words. brakes are done, one of the antisqueel strips came off the back of one pad.. have the paint on stuff if it does rattle/squeel. test drive time midweek i think.. daylight time.. so i can see anything that might need looking at..

12 August 2017 chipping away at the little things.. had another session on the gemini today.. fitted a new radiator cap, a washer jet from the rusty wreck and new wiper blades. all working fine. still need to do the front brakes other than the floor rust. test drive after that. carpet is still wet/ or wet again on front floor.. will need to do some more investigating there. had to fit 2 tailshaft bolts and adjust the handbrake cable, so while under the car, was ideal to fit the rear pedders shocks to replace the 1981 GM versions that are no doubt original. also glued on the bumpette with silastic, will probably run a bolt or self tapper through it just in case . all locks working now, removed the sculls head door lock knobs it had to fit originals from the rusty wreck fitted the correct window winders, i think they are small more for the proximity to the dash than anything else.. few issues with the door trim vinyl, grinder cuts? haven't considered how to fix that.. maybe a glue on patch. suspect previous bodger used a grinder to cut off door handles as they didn't know how the jesus clip held the handle on(jesus where did that go)