114 replies to this topic

[RX25SE]

Every car has these lol.

The photo of the engine was taken before I did an oil change and radiator flush so those cable ties are gone and those radiator hoses and hose clamps are all new know.

When I did the radiator flush I took the top hose off the thermostat housing I found this =(

To help prevent the loud knocking sound that the older Holden V8s cooling system can suffer from, I place a short piece of pipe with a small flare at one end in the bleed hole. This forces un-aerated coolant to be picked up at the bottom of the manifold, rather than the top.

[Alex]

Sweet, sweet car.


I'd love a Holden of this kind of vintage, or older.

[Liberty]

I've always wanted to do up a HQ Kingswood or HQ GTS... I was considering it to be my first car but couldn't find a decent condition one.

[ScoobyOutback]

Update:

Got the car back yesterday from the mechanics. What was being done was all the front and rear control arm bushes both lower and upper. New flexible brake hoses front and rear with a brake bleed and new fluid and a couple of other little things too. And gees!! What a difference there is compared to before.

Though the thing that killed me was the cost of it all.

$2023.68 to be exact!!!

I had bought and given my mechanic 90% of the parts he needed to do the job. So the final cost was 90% labour cost.

I know people will gasp at that price but I dont know enough about the mechanics of these cars so I'm not going to try and attempt doing these "BIG" jobs myself.

Anyway also took it to my local exhaust place and they put the car up on the houst and had a look. All they found was 1 small leek in a joiner pipe between the two pipes and welded it up for me. So now the exhaust is roadworthy at least.

It was funny. The guy at the exhaust joint recognized the car straight away. Ive never met him before. He remember it growing up as a kid around the corner from house and even remembered the house and even seeing my old man washing it in the driveway.

Taking it yesterday evening to see a guy about the rust in the doors I had a "p plater" with his mates in the car try and trake me on in his V6 bombadore. Killed him which made it even better lol.

[ScoobyOutback]

The engine bay looking reasonable clean.



Video above^^
Click on the above image and it should open up another window and play a video

[Adam]

God damn.

[RX25SE]

Is it just me, or the heater not connected?

[Adam]

Is it just me, or the heater not connected?

Hahaha this guy.

[Shiv]

Video above^^
Click on the above image and it should open up another window and play a video

That is a nice soundtrack

[allpaw4]

The story behind this is awesome. Its great to think the maintenance guys can remember it from when they were growing up. Thats rare, and shows how special a car can be. Keep it in good nick man!

Is the top radiator hose supposed to flatten out?

Cheers,
Ben

[ScoobyOutback]

Is it just me, or the heater not connected?

Correct. Many years ago it started leaking so dad had it disconnected. If you look at the engine pic on the first page you can see 1 hose cut with a wooden cork in it. The other one going around the back of the motor is the same so I had my mechanic just put that return hose on like you see in the new pics.

The story behind this is awesome. Its great to think the maintenance guys can remember it from when they were growing up. Thats rare, and shows how special a car can be. Keep it in good nick man!

Is the top radiator hose supposed to flatten out?

Cheers,
Ben

I pressume not but it does lol. It does that when the car is off and cooling down

Going to be sending both bases of the front seats to get reupholstered soon. There looking a bit tired. The back are perfect.

[RX25SE]

Correct. Many years ago it started leaking so dad had it disconnected.

They are not too bad to replace.
Center console out and the heater box comes out under the dash. From there you just open up the heater box to replace the core.
Be thankful you don't have factory air-con!

I pressume not but it does lol. It does that when the car is off and cooling down

The vacuum valve in the radiator cap is stuck, replace the cap.

IIRC Rares do a AC Delco copy if you are after a factory look. It's 15psi (XU-1, SLR spec) instead of the standard 13psi, but will work fine.

[ScoobyOutback]

So I went and got a new radiator cap. All good now. Thanks for that Jase. You live in Vic or interstate?

Also when I bought the cap I bought a new ignition switch which also came with a drivers and passenger door locks. Changed them all over so now the car has different keys lol

When I took the passenger door trim off I found something interesting. My old mans version of sound deadening. Chip packet wrappers. Found it quite funny.

[RX25SE]

Thanks for that Jase. You live in Vic or interstate?

No problemo.

I'm in Melb.

Also when I bought the cap I bought a new ignition switch which also came with a drivers and passenger door locks. Changed them all over so now the car has different keys lol

Have Rares fixed those god awful door lock gaskets? The things used to hang out the side something shocking and you could see the layer of cord in the rubber.
Originals were plastic.



Also, you are missing one indicator self cancelling spring. They are all the same up to VL Commodore.

[ScoobyOutback]

Not quite sure what your talking about with the door lock gaskets.

Yeah its the right indicator. I'll have to get one for it.

And im in Melb as well

[Hypnotic]

And im in Melb as well

I think about 10 mins drive from each other.

[RX25SE]

Not quite sure what your talking about with the door lock gaskets.

The gasket that sits under the door lock barrel on the outside.


Holden may still have the springs in stock, worth a phone call.

[ScoobyOutback]

Ok, so today I tackled the park brake which doesnt work. Took me longer than I thought it would to remove it but I eventually I got it. Still yet to figure out whats wrong with. Its the old style foot pedal with the release handle on the dash.






This is the new door lock Jase if this is what your meaning?



And also went to Rarespares and was able to buy a new pair of indicator springs



Next thing to do is fix the high beams and and get the park brake sorted out.

[RX25SE]

This is the new door lock Jase if this is what your meaning?

Thats it.
Should be a plastic gasket that sits under it.

And also went to Rarespares and was able to buy a new pair of indicator springs

I see they don't colour code them. One should be green and one purple.

Next thing to do is fix the high beams and and get the park brake sorted out.

If you need a hand, PM me; I know a little bit about them.

[ScoobyOutback]

The only thing that came with the locks was a rubber gasket that didn't fit around it properly. So I put them in without them. The previous locks didn't have any gaskets either.