Acustomer recently asked me for some advice, as his son was looking at buying a used Infiniti as his first car.
I advised against it. The model we were discussing is one running a Mercedes-Benz powerplant and I’m not a fan of cars from ‘mixed marriages’ – that is, where two brands get together to produce a car.
The issue is they never really seem to talk to each other and getting parts can be a nightmare. We’ve seen lots of examples over time, such as the Ford Maverick (Nissan) and perhaps most famously, the Toyota Lexcen, aka a badge-engineered VN Holden Commodore.
In the case of the Lexcen, I got caught out when I needed to replace a heater core. Toyota didn’t have one in stock, so I simply ordered the equivalent Holden part. And guess what? It had different diameter hoses and didn’t fit.
I reckon, in the case of the Infiniti, you’re likely to have huge problems in the future when you try to obtain parts. Infiniti is a low-volume brand and parent company Nissan has problems of its own at the moment. Meanwhile, Benz is not going to want to know you.
One of the things occupying us in the workshop at the moment is working on a lovely AP6 Valiant. They have a fulcrum clutch mechanism which relies on a whole series of nylon bushes to keep it all central.
In this case it had worn out and, because whoever worked on it last hadn’t set up the clutch rod properly, it fell out. It took four or five weeks to find the components and the hardest to find was the rod itself.
You can get a rebuild kit, but no rods were available. We did eventually track one down and we’re now fitting it with a washer and locknut, so if the clip does break it can’t fall out.
Ford power
I have inherited a 1974 Ford XB wagon in pretty good shape. It’s running the 250ci straight-six with three-speed auto and I’d like to get a little more performance out of it.
Am not looking for a V8 swap, but to get more out of the six.
What would you recommend? At the moment it is pretty standard.
John Simons
Mick says…
I like the idea of sticking with the six and you can get a lot out of them. Keep in mind there are two main types, the ‘plain’ 250ci six and the 2V. The latter I believe was initially developed for the Victoria Police as an alternative to a V8. They wanted something with more performance than stock, without the V8 fuel bills. Ford was soon offering the 2V to ‘regular’ customers. Its main claim to fame is it breathes much better and you can swap a 2V head across to a standard engine.
In the case of the standard engine, you can do some work on the cylinder head to help them breathe. A general freshen up would be in order and shouldn’t cost a fortune. You can safely raise the compression to 10.5:1 with pump fuel – that will help it to motor along. I would also put some effort into balancing it, because the smoother the engine, the more you’ll extract from it. Plus of course you’d have a look at the camshaft. I’d also look at the valve train, replacing the worn stock rocker arms and get a set of billet items from someone like Crow or Yella Terra. That will give you a nice package.
We have just built a nice 2V for a customer, complete with power steering, to go into a Falcon panel van. It will be as quick as a small block and will be a good car.
Sagging XJ6
My Series 1 XJ is sagging in the suspension. The ride is such a highlight that I don’t want to stuff it up. I’m pretty sure the shock absorbers are gone, and maybe the springs. Should I also be doing the bushes etc?
Also, the brakes are getting tired and I think new discs and pads are among the thing we need. Any recommendations on brand and material?
Jim Gould
Mick says…
They all sag with age and the simple answer is go out and get a set of springs and Bilstein shocks. They will maintain the quality of the ride and lift it back up to normal height. Check the bushes while you’re down there, but they rarely wear out.
When it comes to brakes a set of rotors from Disc Brakes Australia and a set of Bendix pads will do the job nicely.
Loose nuts
Have noticed the wheel nuts on my 1977 HX Holden, which is on stock steel rims, have a tendency to work loose over time. Is there anything you can do to stop this or is it just something you live with?
Damien Smith
Mick says…
Have a look at the wheels and I will guarantee you that the cone where the wheel nuts go is worn out – they’ve been undone and redone too many times and can no longer hold. The matching cones on the wheel and taper on the nuts is what is known as a Morse taper, designed to prevent the nuts loosening. However, they do eventually wear out and when that happens you will need to replace the wheels.
Chrysler boost
Mick I have a 2009 Chrysler 300C with the 5.7lt V8 and five-speed auto. Love the car but it’s been to the moon and back and is getting tired. It really needs a bit of a boost to bring it back up to scratch.
Is it a reasonable proposition to rebuild the engine? Am assuming a specialist is needed for the transmission.
Arthur Alexiou
Mick says…
The transmission is a ZF, so any decent specialist shop will be able to handle that for you. As for the engine, I would contact a company such as Eagle and buy a crate motor. It will be quicker, easier and probably cheaper. Most of the engines out there will be worn out, and a crate motor should just bolt straight in. What you want to track down is one that is already here, given how poor the exchange rate is at the moment.
Renault love
Hi Mick. I’ve always had a bit of a weak spot for Renault 16s and have been offered one in decent shape. It’s out of the local Renault club and is a 1969 TS, assembled in West Heidelberg.
It looks to be in good shape and seems to run well enough. It has a five-speed manual, which I like.
What are the weak points I should be looking for?
Andrea Roberts
Mick says…
They are a great car and a bit of a favourite of mine. If it’s been properly looked after, you shouldn’t have a problem. The steel in them is quite thin and body panels easily dented, so the usual checks for rust apply. Otherwise they are a little underpowered for Australia, but are nevertheless a good thing to drive.
First classic
Hi Mick. I am looking for a first classic car and I’m on a tight budget, say $20,000 maximum. I am prepared to do some tidying up but my mechanical knowledge is limited, and I’m happy to learn if it’s something simple to work on.
Do you have some advice on what I should be looking for? Australian car prices seemed to have calmed down a little, while there seem to be some bargains with older European and British. Maybe a VW bug? Morris Minor? Am open to ideas.
Jenny Andrews
Mick says…
You need to narrow the field down to a few cars you really like. The reason I say that, is old cars can sometimes test your patience and so you have to love the thing to be prepared to put up with it. Don’t listen to other people just yet – then start asking questions when you narrow the field. For the tailshaft, for example, I have a customer who owns a beautiful Triumph Dolomite and she loves it to bits. We recently had to wait a few months to get a new centre bearing. It’s all fixed now and so far as she is concerned, it’s worth the trouble. Please contact us again once you have the field down to a few options. Happy hunting!
Fairlane rubber
Hi Mick. Where does the time go? I was going over our lovely ZA Fairlane the other day and just thought I’d check the dates on the tyre wall. It seems they’re 15 years old and clearly need to go.
Any thoughts on what I should replace them with? I prefer something that looks period, if possible.
Thanks.
Mark Davies
Mick says…
I know exactly what you mean about time flying by. And the thing with tyres is their performance degrades so gradually, we often don’t notice. Then you put on a new set and feel like you’ve been given a new car that stops, turns and handles, just like the old one wasn’t!
I’m not going to recommend a specific brand but will suggest you track down you local classic-car tyre specialist. In Melbourne we have a couple, such Stuckeys and Antique Tyres. The good news is you’re not alone and there is strong demand for radials that have an ‘old school’ look to them.