Advice

Project VK + rally Escort build + Brougham blues – Mick’s Workshop 470

Guido's VK, parts delays, a TVR turns up, RS-cort resto, Brougham blues and rally Benz on the block

We have an engine and car all in the one place! Ed Guido’s Project VK is starting to look like a proper car again.

As you expect with custom builds, it’s the details that often take the real time. This is a 304 block going in, built as a 355 stroker with a mild cam that makes power from around 2100 to 5500rpm, and a 650cfm Edelbrock carburettor with electric fuel pump.

The carby runs an electric choke with vacuum secondary – easy to tune, start and run and it’s not too bad on fuel.

There’s a set of custom extractors and that’s being hooked up to a TH700 four-speed auto with a 2500 stall converter.

So far so good. We’ve had a few adventures with various components either being incredibly slow to turn up or not quite fitting, and that’s all part of the game.

We’re at that point where we’ve got the engine in the hole after playing and rejecting several engine mounts before settling on a set that cost $295 a pair. The rules are, they’ve got it and we want it!

Parts scarcity is an issue: The air-conditioner compressor, alternator, and starter motor have all taken time. You spend a lot of time on the phone and even more time waiting.

Absolutely critical has been fine-tuning the engine location. Too far forward and we won’t have enough clearance for the radiators and fans – we’re aiming for a unit from Norm at Aussie Desert Coolers, with twin fans. Too far back and we won’t have room for the big bell housing on the transmission.

I’m also using a laser to help site the longitudinal alignment, so we have the driveline properly in place. Then we’ll get a driveshaft built, possibly a two-piece for smoother running as we’re not going for huge horsepower. Somewhere around the 350 hp mark will pull it up and it will be perfect as an easy tow car for a trailer with a couple of motorcycles behind it.

 

TVR time

tvr.jpg

Parts game, episode 349: We have a lovely one-owner 1970 TVR in the shop at the moment. It’s a rare car in Australia, though the good news is it runs a Ford Escort Kent motor with a matching four-speed gearbox. Now in these engines, there are two options on the transmissions, one with a removable bell housing and one with a non-removable unit. We have the latter which has a worn-out fulcrum point for the clutch lever and the pin. They laughed at me when I asked for replacement parts – there are simply none available, so we’re getting them made by a local engineering mob.

We’re coming across this the whole time now. Sometimes parts aren’t available, or they’re delayed by manufacturing and shipping issues. Increasingly we’re asking people to bring in their car, we assess what it needs and send them away again until the bits arrive.

Here’s my tip:

Battery time

battery.jpg

Is your battery acting arthritic? Assuming it has fluids and you’ve been keeping it charged, a lack of grunt is a clear sign the end is near. The problem is a struggling battery leads to a cascading run of issues, like straining the starter, weak ignition and eventually fouled plugs that create a whole other set of issues. If it’s on the way out, it’s best to face reality and make the change.

| Mick’s tips: Maintaining car batteries during winter

LETTERS:

Rally Benz

rally-benz.jpg

Peking to Paris Rally ready

Further to the Mercedes-Benz Dave Morley has for the Victorian Variety Club Bash, I purchased a 1974 Mercedes W114 and had it strengthened, rebuilt and fitted for the 2019 Peking to Paris Rally. It cost me about $130,000 in total.

We made it through China, but unfortunately, that is as far as we got. Apparently, the coil was leaking oil, it was a new coil, it overheated and I, and the mechanics supplied by the rally failed to pick it up.

rally-benz-interior.jpg

Rare manual box and roll cage equals unique build

As well, the starter motor solenoid failed in the congested Peking (Beijing) traffic. Both have been replaced with new parts.

I brought the car back from Mongolia, at great expense, and it has been sitting in my shed ever since. I want to sell it but have made no effort to do so. It is taking up space which I need for other cars and would be prepared to let it go for $60,000.

rally-benz-interior-2.jpg

Gary Baxter

Gee it’s not often you see a manual in one of these! I love the build, with the roll cage and spare wheels.

The engines are as strong as an ox, however it’s obviously the electrical ancillaries that have let you down. Those oil-filled ignition coils can overheat if they’re fed too much charge. There’s a breather in them to allow for expansion, but they will boil if too much voltage is running through them. About 14.5 volts will do it and it’s possible a wire was misplaced when everything was connected up.

Don’t you love the ability of old cars to keep you on your toes?

It’s interesting to see the difference in cost versus price on this car, which is typical of a lot of builds. As I say to people, we’ll quite happily build you a $200,000 car, but don’t do it if you’re planning to sell. It’s a decision you make with the heart and not the head and it’s being done because you love the project and want to play with it.

In this case, someone out there could potentially get a fascinating car for a lot less than the build cost. I suggest you put it up on tradeuniquecars.com.au (which is free), to get to the right audience.

 

Brougham bits

holden-brougham.jpg

Okay, I’m pulling my hair out (great mag, by the way). I’m the owner of a 1970 Holden Brougham bought at a Shannons auction by a friend of mine in 2008.

That was an experience because as the hammer dropped he noticed an older couple in tears in the background. They had owned the car since new.

I since took over the car in 2012 and am finishing off a few fixes. One of the most annoying is I need to replace the blue tip for the radio aerial. While I can get a reproduction one that’s a push fit, the aerial is designed for a screw fitting.

This has defeated all the local experts, so I’m hoping one of your readers might be able to help.

Rob Sloss

There’s no easy answer to this one, Rob. It’s one of those situations where you’d need to see the parts in the flesh and then work out a custom-made solution. I’m wondering if there might be an option from a car from another market? Maybe our readers can help – could there still be a NOS part out there? Good luck with it.

 

RS Resto

ford-escort-2.jpg

Threaded plastic tips are tricky to find

Hi, I would like to let you know we have been building a 1979 RS 2000 back to a complete nut and bolt factory original it has taken four years but the car is finally finished. We purchased the car sight unseen from QLD it was a genuine matching numbers car.

Soon after it arrived we completely stripped the car and acid dipped the shell and rebuilt the car from scratch with 90% new parts.

The car was a rotisserie prepared car as you will see in these photos.

ford-escort.jpg

Rally monster resto coming up

The reason I am contacting you is if you ever desire to do an article on it we would be happy to be a part of it.

See attached sample photos there are over 800 photos of the rebuild.

Geoff Cashion

Trivial Pursuit

Cold comfort

shackleton.jpg

The first car in the hostile Antarctic appeared in 1908 with an Ernest Shackleton expedition. It was a 12-15hp four from the Scottish firm Arrol-Johnston. It saw limited use as it struggled for traction and at times, ironically, overheated! It did however help to establish a couple of supply depots.

 

WANT SOME ADVICE on a build or a potential car purchase? Heck we’ll even tackle long distance diagnosis. Drop MIck a line at uniquecars@primecreative.com.au

  

 From Unique Cars #470, Sep/Oct 2022

 

Previous ArticleNext Article
Send this to a friend