Thread: Betsy, my 67 s2a build.

Originally Posted by Johnno1969

The cricket's been on, too!

I hope you're feeling better soon.

Feeling a lot better today. Back into it maybe tomorrow...

Cheers Rod

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I got an early Christmas pressie today...thanks Mick88. Might try fit it tomorrow if its not too hot too early. I would really like to go away for a couple days but the s3 is making funny noises in the transfer case. That will be another job for another day...to disgnose and fix

Cheers Rod.




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Good to hear it arrived Rod, only three days and at a very hectic time of the year too! Good old Australia Post have done well.


Cheers, Mick.

I was very surprised it arrived so soon actually. Ive had parcels take 2 weeks from NSW and 2 days from NZ. Strange at times.
So bloody hot here atm. I think i may have a kidney stone in my left kidney. Its hurting like hell atm. Im drinking gallons of water now to flush it through.

Merry Christmas to you Mick, and to all who read my posts.

Cheers Rod 🎅🎅🎅

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I have slowed down a bit as the kidney stones have resulted in the re appearance of my depression. I do struggle with it a bit but I find solace in food. I cant eat much due to gastric bypass surgery back in 2003. I really wish I could channel my want, or need, for food into motivation to finish off my land rover. Since the kidney stone ive put 6 kgs on. More triggers for my depression. Its a catch 22 situation. This morning I have spent the last 3 hours reading through the Klonk thread. I am amazed at some ppls motivation, and quality of their work. I have no such aspirations as my expertise doesnt extend to these heights. I am merely trying to get this old girl to be as rust free as possible and to stop when I push the brake pedal after going through water. Id also like to get the paint work to be a bit nicer. Im only working in my open driveway here as i dont have a flash shed or workshop. I have all the body panels sitting on a pallet in my back yard and the s3 tub sitting up on its end against a wall in the driveway. I've got the other bits in a shed which I have to keep a clear access through as its the only way to get into my dwelling. I cant call it a home coz it doesn't feel like one. I live in the rear part of a house thats been divided into 2 units. I now have to contend with my 2 trailers blocking my driveway as the new tennant wants to use the space I had them parked in behind my bedroom, which is actually on his part of the property. The trailers have been there for 5 yrs. Now withthe rolling chassis and 2 trailers and the s3 parked in the driveway, my car parked in the street, ive got no room to work. So I have to move the s3 onto the street and the trailers as well, they are parked with the no.5 drawbar under the s2a chassis and the other under the no.5. The driveway is sloped downwards as well, just enough to make life more difficult for me to move the trailers around. It sux. Ill have to sell my trailer now I think. No, not the no.5. I'll have to fix the rust in the front of the tray first. I have the repair patches of steel but need to decide if I cut the rust patches out or weld on top. The tray is of an old HQ 1 tonner so its very heavily built and the floor is 3mm thick steel. Decisions decisions. I need to make one pretty quickly. I need room. Well. Time for lunch. My rebuild will be what its going to be I spose. I'll try my best to do my best, if only I could get moving again.

Ive had my rant at myself now. I might feel better after food.

Cheers Rod

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Hey Rod, I hope you feel better soon.

With my 2a "refresh" I'm still in disassembly phase, so I am some way behind your progress. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have the tub off, then the fun begins.

I don't call my work a restoration, I think refresh is a better word for it, and it sounds along the lines of yours. I am aiming for rust free chassis and firewall etc, new paint and rebuilt brakes. I will also refurbish the steering, and make the wipers work as best they can, all for safety. I will also redo wheels bearings, seals and swivel ball seals too. I'll do some electrical work too, like halogen headlights, and probably re-wire a fair bit of it, if not all of it.

I hope you manage to get back on to your project soon.

Cheers,
John

Hi Rod. Hope you are feeling better. I find that sometimes if I have a rest from working on my land rover for a week or two I then get keen about it again and can't stay out of the shed.

All the best mate. I look forward to reading your next update

Today i got into Betsy's heart. I started pulling the motor apart. Now just a bit of background, the motor was running great, believe it or not the motor only had one little oil leak, coming from the plate on the rear of the camshaft thats held on with 3 bolts. So im thinking it only needs a bit of a look at and some gaskets replaced. She doesn't blow smoke or even use abnormal amounts of oil. Maybe a pint in 6000 miles. Pretty good aye? Hmmmm.... Well i got the manifolds off without any trouble. Pulled all the accessories off. Pulled the electronic dizzy off. Still no probs. Then i pulled the oil filler tube off. All good. Pulled the fuel pump off and the plate its bolted to. I gazed into the camshaft. Number 4 inlet cam lobe and roller follower have worn through the hardened surface. Bugger. Need a new cam and followers.
I haven't pulled the block apart yet.
So i pulled the head off. No surprises there. I had the head done up in 2008 by a mate. He fitted holden black 6cyl exhaust valves coz he couldnt get original ones. Bronze guides. Hardened seats and reground the inlets. Machined the head. All good....except when i went to pull the choke light thermo switch out i broke one bolt off and destroyed the thermo switch. Bugger x2.
So then i checked the crank end float.
It almost fell out.
I have got 2.85mm end float. My heart sank. 😭.
I was hoping for a little freshen up but now i'm prob up for a crank regrind and oversize thrust bearings. Bugger x3. This is starting to suck. I'll have to drill out and re thread the broken bolt, which means i gotta buy a couple taps. No probs there. But i'm not sure what to do about the cam and followers. I have another engine here out of a s3 but its condition is unknown. I don't have room to pull apart another motor let alone this motor.

I knew there was a reason i didn't want to start this phase of the freshen up on Betsy 😢.

This is gonna cost me money i don't have...

Cheers Rod

Edit..i know why ppl put holden motors in these things. So easy to fix if they stuff up...grrr

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