Nominal

How's it going?

Cheap kits are a complete fail to use imho. I couldn't flare for shit using one. I eventually picked up an older used set from The Toolbox in Petone. Don't think I have had a fail since. This is the ducks nuts, but I couldn't justify the spendyness http://www.mastercool.com/pages/flaring_tools.html

Wow, excellent. 2.9 diff - what's your projected top speed at 9000rpm???

OK, so much googling later (how can it be so tricky to find holden head photos?), a typical 186 head looks like the pic below. The hole that I have missing goes down through the head gasket surface to meet the small hole on the water pump face, which is the low pressure side. I'll have to see what can be done about it.

There's nowhere for the flow to flow though - the lower hose port goes nowhere as the channel is completely sealed off by the head face. Am I missing something

In anticipation of summitting the Takaka Hill while towing a trailer of camping gear, I'm doing a bit of maintenance on the Holden's cooling system. Radiator was recored about 10 years ago, might need doing again. I also pulled the water pump and thermostat. It has a coolant flow to the inlet manifold via a couple of hoses routed from the lower thermostat housing. I pulled these to check them, and found a lot of grungy rusty water, despite all my flushing. So, here is the lower thermostat housing. The inlet manifold attaches to the two ports on the left of the pic. The top port joins the main flow below the thermostat. The bottom port goes to the channel at the bottom of the housing. Fine and good. Here is the where the housing attaches to the head. Main flow is fine, into the head. However there is no connection for the channel. WTF. I don't know the history of this motor - it came in a car I wrecked. I'm ass-u-ming that the head is for a different application. Anyone know if this can be sorted by a bit of drilling? If not I'll just block the lower port somehow and do without the manifold coolant flow.

umad bro?

I wish we could get Astro's that don't crack and fail!

"LVV Certification is always required for any hub or axle-related modifications unless specified below: - Diff Ratio Changes (in existing housing) - Axle housing replacement (direct bolt-in only). "

Is my wedding anniversary, so will likely have to do something more, uh, romantic, than an OS meet (if that is even possible).

More bleeding required - it shouldn't require multiple pumps. I find my Morris the worst for brake bleeding. I find it takes two complete bottles pumped through the system. I made (hacked) an air-line adapter so I can put 20psi air to the reservoir which makes it slightly easier. With new shoes and what not it should be acceptable.

How would you like this as a project? Any traction engines for sale on the tard?

A few pics. Dog appeared unhappy shortly after this. Racy! Part of the operating lineup A Man's Reel Mower! This is the kind of shed and shed ornament I'd like! There was lots more to look at, a selection of stationary engines, more tractors, all the projects in the back of the shed, heaps of beards and bib overalls too.

OK, so this is from the NZ Hot Rod mag back in 1985, It is specifically about a Torana, but Viva suspension is very similar. Note that the chassis mounts on the Viva beam are also at the top, above the upper A arm, so you need a chassis/subchassis design that loads it the same way.

I think it is out of a Haynes manual or similar. I used to have the manual kicking around, but must have dumped/sold it.

Here's the dimensions.

What car? I just park my daily on the suburban streets nearby when on a private trip. Wouldn't do that with anything cool/desireable though.

I think I have a drawing that shows dimensions somewhere. Will have a look in the weekend. I was going to use this setup in my Minor (even pulled the suspension from an HC and stored it for a few years). The biggest issue IIRC was the need to have high chassis rails (the beam mounts below the viva body) which are ugly/intrusive. I finally sold it to someone who crashed their lotus 7 clone, and needed new parts.

When's the IH powered Go Kart going to be finished??

Heh, I say the yellow and blue car heading down the road too, and wondered. I can confirm that even with 390 cubes, the Merc is really hopeless at skids. Good night, nice to get back to daylight savings/fine weather.

Any suggestions on a good takeaway place nearby?

Might as well plan to replace all of them.

Have you looked at www.autospeed.com? There's a lot of stuff there, and I think it is all free to access now. It could use a better system for finding content, I use google with the site:autospeed.com parameter. e.g. http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&A=2934

It's a pity really, that the regular versions are dodgy, as they look really sweet! Another option is these Radir's - one piece aluminium so not problems there. I'd have a set if I had the bux.