Thread: Sydney Series Owner; Electrickery question.

The wiring on a 2a is pretty simple. This means that since getting a new loom made is fairly expensive, it is likely that getting an electrician to "just make you a loom" is likely to cost no more although the difference is not likely to be great. But since the major cost is labour, and the loom maker is probably more experienced at it, the specialist loom maker is likely to be cheaper. The people who make looms pretty much make them to order, so modifications to suit your Holden motor would probably not cost any different. You may have the choice of a lower price by using modern rather than original materials, but as I said, labour is the major cost so I would not expect a big difference in cost.

Unless you are looking to originality (and the Holden motor suggests you are not) the original wiring can be significantly improved, mainly by putting in a few more fuses plus headlight relays, and regardless of which way you go you should consider adding wiring for radio, UHF, telephone, driving lights, reversing lights, hazard lights, interior lights, and anything else you can think of that you may need in the future

Hi

have a look at a mob called Vintage Harness http://www.vinwire.com.au/

also a mob in england http://www.autosparks.co.uk/

they both do harness for landies. I cant see a autosparky doing them for the prices they can.

Thanks both for your input ... Vinwires were who I was referring to as Vintage Looms and I'll probably end up going with the correct 2A loom from them and just get any changes built into the job. I have spoken to Vinwires a year or so ago so it will be easy to organize.

Just one of about a zillion jobs yet to be done!

EDIT: Incisor ...

I'm really enjoying your photo albums of Daddy et al, my 66 2A ( Bronson ) had the Holden 186 in it when I bought from the previous owner, replete with oil cooler infront of the rad. I see that you replaced Daddies 186 back to a Deisel and would be very interested to hear your thoughts regarding performance and economy when compared to the the 186. I am in such a stage of complete rebuild that with new wiring I could drop a new donk in myself and am open to ideas and suggestions.

Thanks, Simon.

G'day Tikirocker
What model is your 2a :?: as there is two different wiring harness's one for the Positive Earth models up to Chassis suffix "C" and one for the Negitive earth models Chassis Suffix "D" onwards the change over was late 1967 early 68 The wiring harness would not need much alteration as the engine wiring would be the same with only minor length differences for the Oil sender, Temp sender, the starter is on the same side as a 4cyl Landy so that wiring should fit OK, and any extra accessories would have been added to the existing wires,

If you are thinking of an engine change I would suggest returning to the 4cylinder Landy 2.25 long stroke as the rest of the drive train is designed for that power/rev range , with the 2.25 max torque is at about 2400 revs which is suited to the 4.7 ratio diffs, The Holden motor is a short stroke design and a high revver, with torque peaking at a much higher engine speed, with the 4.7s that is why they are always seem to be screeming their head off and a habit of breaking gearboxes

hope that is of some help

G'day Ho!

Thanks for chiming in mate; ok, here's the deal ... the suffix number on my 2A, which is an 88", is B; but considering the Holden donk and the few other accessories which it had added by the time I bought it I presume it was converted to negative earth, right? As I said, I'm no sparky and extremely green to that side of things. One thing I do know is that I am the fourth owner of the vehicle since it was bought new and I know from the previous owner the vehicle history right back to the first owner. There is some confusion however as to whether I have a 64 or a 66 2A on my hands ... I have checked the serials in the past but forget why it was a toss up between a 64 or 66 but I've always stuck with 66.

Here's what I got ...Vehicle no = 24306249-B

Body Number = 8509
Ser Number = 888509

Regarding the electrics to engine bay etc, the Landy also ran a regulator off the engine bay firewall ... I believe that would require alteration in the wiring harness also. I'm dubious about returning to a 4 cyl Landy engine due to possible loss of guts ... though I am very much open to discussion on this for reasons of economy as much as anything else. Did I hear something somewhere about Volvo engines of some sort being a great fit for a Series Landy also? Luckily when I bought Bronson the owner gave me a spare gearbox which is the original gearbox ... he recommended refitting the original since it is perfect nick while the one in there now since purchase is missing a tooth in second ... clack,clack,clack ...

The Holden engine was mainly fitted because it used to be a lot cheaper to convert rather than overhaul the original engine - I doubt this still applies. While you get more power, as Uncle Ho comments, the Holden power and torque curves do not really suit the gearing, so it is a bit doubtful whether the overall performance will be better with the Holden engine - just different. Fuel economy will be much the same with either engine. Neither engine will give comparable performance to a modern four wheel drive, but I presume you know this.

G'day Tikirocker

The Chassis No that you gave puts it between 64-66 88" WB CKD (Complete Knock Down kit) RH Drive as I have a few records of chassis numbers in the 24357----B as 1964, so that this vehicle could well have been sold in 65-66 the original owners papers would tell you This vehicle would have originaly been of the Positive earth type, and would have had, combined Ign & Headlamp switch,with a push button Soleniod Switch, the Dash Instruments and Switches differ to the later toggle type, so if you are going to buy a new one you woud be need to get the early one All 2a's were fitted with a Generator and Regulator, and if you fit another motor, be it Landy 4 or other it is easy for an Auto Elec to by-pass the Regulator, as mine has been (just means that a cople of wires get joined up missing the Reg. out :wink:

The benefits ?????? of the Holden are: high revving, high engine temps, gearbox failures, axle breakages, :roll: for not much added speed, and about the same fuel consumption, worse in some cases,
I have not heard of the Volvo motor swap is that is Aust or O/seas ? as they could have motors over there that never got to Aust.


Hope that is of some help

Hi
If you can tackle the rebuild yourself the wiring isnt too hard.
There is a site that hopefully still exsists,its the best Series/holden 6 site you could find. Mustang Sallys Landrover pages.
Cant find the web addy in my notebook,but if you google it in australia(QLD site) you should find it very easily.
Allsorts of info about Series Landys,you will get lost in there for days 8) 8) 8) 8)
Andrew