XA Fairmont Coupe

[xbrules]

Any updates Kerry

[Apollo66]

Sorry for the delayed response Dave, haven't done a lot at this stage, did a trip over to Geelong & Melbourne back in September and picked up two pairs of XA front guards ( one pair are mint ) a good bonnet and a grill in top condition. Been buying up the brackets etc needed to return the front back to an XA.
Engine wise, I've pulled the 460 down and I'm very happy with the internals, so all it will receive atm is a freshen up put back to standard for engineering. Later it will receive a major overhaul (already have some of the goody's needed to liven it up in the cupboard).
Still trying to work out wot wheels we're going to use, I've already got a pair of M/T slicks for a bit of straight line fun.

Just working out a bit of time off early next year to start on the body. Been flat out at work of late but I'm itchen to get started especially after having a couple of runs down the 1/4 mile at heafcote in the XB. Bought another toy (Honda CBR1100 Blackbird) which has taken up a bit of time but it's almost sorted now, (this thing rockets)

Untill next time
Cheers Kerry

[Apollo66]

Small update, been busy reassembling the engine, two of the bores are marked up from water been in them but they should do for the short time this engine will be used. The wear in the bores wasn't to bad so all they got was a bit of a hone (Will be bored out .030" when redone.
Striped the heads and found the valves only needed miner attention, guides were good just faced the valves and re-cut the seats, lapped them in and all was good.
Polished the crank journals, checked the clearance's and all in specs, so for a cheep dodgy rebuild it should run ok.

Still striping the last of the parts out of the shell so hopeing to make a mark soon.










Cheers Kerry

[Apollo66]

Engine all but done, going to fire it up in a few weeks then tuck it away for when the rest of the coupe catches up and needs it.






untill next time, cheers Kerry

[Apollo66]

Well I might as well put up the bad with the good.

Fired up the engine, it run for approx 3 seconds, first 1.5 sounded good, started on third compression started working the rev's up, then all turned pair shape in the second half of the 3 seconds. It took about 1.5 seconds for it to come to a rattly stop .
So with this been a bare bones budget build for the initial registration of the car (lucky if it would do 1000km before been fully rebuilt), there could be a few possibility's of old parts not wonting to do there job.
Pulled the inlet and rocker covers and all looked good which was actually bad, drop the sump and found a few parts not where they should be.

It broke the head off a big end bolt and it all parted company, with the sudden rise in the oil level and the fact I drain about half the coolant out of the sump I'd say the block is toasted. Should make a nice table, just need to measure up for the glass top.

So it's back to the drawing board, still wanting to run a BB, plus I still have a few boxes of nice parts to use up.

Few pic's of the death rattled parts.




Lesson to be learned here is don't skimp on the hard ware

Untill next time
cheers Kerry

[Tha Jack]

ouch, thats gotta hurt!!!

[GTB 351]

Sorry to hear about that Kerry.
I know somebody with a few 460's stashed away if you need another core.
Those stock 460 rods were always a bit on the wimpy side. Hope the water was only from the head gasket letting go after the piston hit the head.

[74xbkoop]

Damn!!

Sounds like "Murphy" is over your way at the moment. Keep him there I have had enough of him lately. Isn't it always the way 1 step forward 2 steps back. Why do we do it to ourselves? Hope Michelle isn't too upset for breaking "her" car.

See Ya
Anthony

[Apollo66]

Originally Posted by GTB 351

Sorry to hear about that Kerry.
I know somebody with a few 460's stashed away if you need another core.
Those stock 460 rods were always a bit on the wimpy side. Hope the water was only from the head gasket letting go after the piston hit the head.

I knew I was taking a chance on some of the parts, cost wise it's only set me back approx $400 for parts as the engine was a freebie. The painfull part is it's buggered a good block. The coolent was still running out after I drain radiator and pulled the sump, only a guess but the bottom of the bore isn't looking good an the piston has turned so good chance it split the bore.
I'll work out over the next few weeks which way i'll go, but i'm still heading down the BB path.

Originally Posted by 74xbkoop

Damn!!

Sounds like "Murphy" is over your way at the moment. Keep him there I have had enough of him lately. Isn't it always the way 1 step forward 2 steps back. Why do we do it to ourselves? Hope Michelle isn't too upset for breaking "her" car.

See Ya
Anthony

Michelle didn't think it sounded good from the house so she got a cold beer ready for when I emerged from the shed.

[gcg2503]

Originally Posted by Apollo66

Michelle didn't think it sounded good from the house so she got a cold beer ready for when I emerged from the shed.

Sorry to hear

Top woman having a cold one ready though!

[GTB 351]

Haha, mine only has the tongue lashing waiting for me. I can't even stir her up about her unreliable holden as the GT has the domino effect of problems at the mo!

[74xbkoop]

Originally Posted by GTB 351

Haha, mine only has the tongue lashing waiting for me. I can't even stir her up about her unreliable holden as the GT has the domino effect of problems at the mo!

Sounds familiar Glen,

Mines got an acid tongue and the coupe is a dirty word in our house. Some people are lucky!

[ianxy351]

Bad luck Kerry. Very sad to see a death rattle like that. All of us who build engines have had at least one die a violent death. My last violent end was a 460 BBF that detonated at 7000rpm mid track. Not my engine but I built it. Felt awful about it. Had a rod bolt let go and the resultant mess included holes in both sides of the block. Not pretty.

[XAanimal]

Good to hear you are gonna stick with the 460 BB in the coupe, not many people go with that. I hope its all going well