A new chapter begins...

So, it has been a little while between posts. The Impala has been out and about, clocking up the miles, however that is set to change in the not too distant future; this turned up on the weekend...




Complete with this under the bonnet...




With low compression in a couple of cylinders and oil leaks everywhere, the factory original 327 has been on borrowed time since 2011.

After much umming and ahhing over rebuild/crate motor/2nd hand/conversion options, the decision was finally made to go with an LS swap from a later-model Commodore.

I was keen for a 6.0 litre for the low-down torque (over an LS1) and 4-speed auto (smaller than the VE Commodore's six speed, so a simpler fit into the Impala's transmission tunnel).

This left a very narrow Holden model range to look in, VZ Series II only... less than a year's production as VT Series 2 through to VZ Series 1 only had the LS1 and VE onwards had the 6L80E six speed.

Enter one statutory write-off VZ Series 2 SS-V Thunder ute, complete with L76 and 4L65E with less than 100k km on the clock. Perfect!

So let the fun begin!




J

Penrith Doughnuts and Cars - Feb 2015

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Penrith. Second Sunday of every month. 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM.

February brought a beautiful day for it and plenty of cars.






More photos here...
Penrith Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and Cars - Feb 2015

J

Coffee and Cars, Kellyville Plaza, June 2014

Random shots...

Max and Alex's Wedding

Congrats' Mat and Alex!

4-GC Idle Vent

Check it...
http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/293265/

J

Service and Tune

Oil change (Castrol GTX 20W-50)
Oil filter change (Ryco R2124P)
Top-up auto trans
Top-up power steering
Check spark plugs
New points
Set ignition timing + idle mixture + idle speed
Bleed brakes

Last Oil + filter change = 56,936.8 "miles"
This Oil + filter change = 59,554.7 "miles"
Diff = 2,617.9 x 2.12 (conversion factor) = 5,550 km

Plugs were sooty, but noticed soot on the last half of the threads. Time for a bit of research...
How To Decode Spark Plug Part Numbers - NGK

Original Plugs: NGK BP5S
Plugs Dec 11: NGK B5ES

The original plugs have the the standard 9.5 mm (3/8") thread reach where the 2011 plugs have a 19 mm (3/4") reach.

The original plugs have a projected insulator design where the 2011 plugs don't.

From what I can gather, 1965 Chev small block heads require 0.375" reach (i.e. 3/8") = original plugs!

Thankfully I had soaked the originals in thinners after they were removed in 2011, so were pretty clean; after gapping to 0.035" they were once more put back into service.

The points were pretty badly pitted evenly across the contact faces. New points installed and the dwell set to bang-on 30 deg.

J

Thinking out loud here...

Saab braking woes got me wondering a bit about the Chev discs and not locking the brakes.

 

Can you remember if the first master…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnandkath/11067382964

 

Had a larger rear bowl than the installed…?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnandkath/11067806103

 

The DBMC05 is the disc/disc master from Right Stuff…

http://www.getdiscbrakes.com/dbmc05

 

I *think* this is what is on the car…

http://www.getdiscbrakes.com/dbmc16

 

Ref.

http://www.mbmbrakeboosters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7:master-cylinder-faq&catid=2:brake-boosters&Itemid=10

 

J

 

Booking for Pink Slip + Tack Welds

Firstly the bad news, power steering pump is leaking so that is the next project. Showed me the spot on the floor where it was left overnight. It was leaking onto the cross member then dropping off there. Chris reckons Eagle Spares have them for ~ $150. Doesn't sound like a huge deal.

 

Good news is he passed it.

 

I chatted to him about cocking the rear calipers so the bleed nipples were horizontal and left the quick instruction card from the kit on the front seat with the rego papers. When I explained it to him he seemed to know all about it.

 

The pedal is the same as when I dropped it off. Not long, springy or pump-up.

 

See mounting tab photo attached (sorry for quality). Didn't quite get high enough to see all the weld.
 

 

 

Tyres rebalanced to make way for dress ring mounting. He had the perfect style of dress ring out the back (with sharp edge to it), but it was 14" dia.

 

pink slip

weld tabs

4 x wheel balance

$100

 

J

Rust Prevention Magic (RPM) Sales Inquiry

Hello John,

The RPM is $34.95 and the shipping would be $24.00 for a total of $58.95.  It usually takes about 10 business days for the RPM to reach you once shipped.

Thank you,

Charlie Vahey
ECS Automotive Concepts
855-532-7846 (Toll Free)
636-536-2221

***New Address***
719 Goddard Ave. Chesterfield, MO 63005
http://www.ecsautomotive.com

Check out our newest products:

RPM (Rust Prevention Magic)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPDN19T1kTo

AMMO (Avoid Menacing Metal Oxidation)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdr40BSNW-g

Couple of GM's

Kellyville Cars and Coffee again, this time dad's immaculate HK came along for a ride...



J