Thread: 1958 Series II resurrection

'Borrowed' a starter motor off another project and the 186 now runs, not well, but it at least it runs & doesn't blow smoke.
The fuel tank needs a good clean out so running from a bottle of fuel at the moment.

Fitted a temporary silencer to keep the neighbours happy. Already had the silencer box and just welded on a flange so it mates with the centre section of the exhaust pipe but it sticks between the leaf spring & chassis so not something that can be left on long term.

Probably need to put a kit through the carby to get it to run a bit better and maybe a new condenser to cure the misfire. Then comes the clutch......I think it will be well & truly rusted to the flywheel & pressure plate after 20 odd years. Fitted a new clutch slave cylinder & a re-sealed Series III master cylinder so the clutch can be operated so I can at least try to free it before removing the gearbox.

Need to track down an alternator & pulley so I can get the water pump working then clean the gunk out of the radiator.


Colin

Fixed the misfire....lubricated the distributor cam !
Found a vacuum hose leading to the brake booster under the rear of the vehicle. A hose had split so fixed that and it now ticks over nicely.

Next there was a leak from the fuel pump, looked like the gasket under the glass bowl. There was a repair kit in the vehicle, so fitted a new gasket and another job done.

Explored the brakes tonight. Behind each wheel was a mass of cobwebs and some interesting spiders. 11" front brakes, 10" rears.

Considering it's been standing for so long I was surprised that the wheel nuts undid easily, the brake drums came off without a struggle and the chrome on the swivel hubs looks perfect.
For some reason the previous owner had removed all the countersunk screws that hold the brake drums in place. Had a rummage and found 12 secondhand ones so fitted those.

Colin

Plugged a pipe in the cooling system (must have been a heater at some point) and topped up with water.

Then decided to try & free the clutch.
In first gear, no power to the coil, turned the starter over while depressing the clutch. Vehicle moved forwards.
Selected reverse, same routine. vehicle moved backwards.
Young bloke pushed & rocked the the car in gear while I depressed the clutch, still wouldn't free off.

Started & ran the motor for a while to get some heat into the flywheel, quite easy when the water pump isn't working. Turned off when it had heated up and left it for 10 minutes.

Disconnected the coil and into first, clutch depressed, hit the starter and the vehicle moved forward and kept going (slightly downhill). The clutch had broken free from the flywheel !!

Next I have to find an alternator & pulley so I can get the water pump working. Someone has offered me one along with a starter that I can hopefully collect tomorrow.

Hope to have it running around at the weekend.


Colin

Fitted an alternator (thanks Steve) and fired up the engine.
Waterpump immediately sprung a leak ! This was probably a 'given' seeing how long the vehicle has been standing.

$38 for a new one so the young bloke will get me one next week, probably worth fitting a new thermostat as well.
Flushed the cooling system and got tons of rusty gunk out. Once I've fitted a new pump I'll flush it again.

There's an overdrive fitted that I want for another project so I decided to remove it. As I pulled it from the back of the transfer box there was a sound of needle rollers dropping into the transfer box !
The needle roller race had disintegrated so off with the cover plate from the bottom of the transfer box to remove all the debris. Maybe the overdrive might not end up on that other project......

I now need to find a PTO cover plate & mainshaft gear.


Colin

The Series II came from a deceased estate, went back last weekend to collect some other parts and managed to find a NOS Holden water pump.

A fellow forum member donated a Series II gearbox (thanks again Steve) so I removed the PTO cover plate and transfer box mainshaft gear. Another member is supplying a PTO cover plate so I just need another gear so that I have a complete spare gearbox.

Today I fitted the water pump and started on the transfer box. Had to make a couple of gaskets and nearly got the job finished before the rain started.....

Hopefully tomorrow I can top up the transfer box and drive it, then I need to decide what to do with it.



Colin

still waiting for pics here....

Originally Posted by akelly

still waiting for pics here....

Not much to take pictures of......I'll add a few.

Filled the transfer box and a bit later found that oil was leaking out from behind the handbrake ! I'm hoping it's a leather seal and will come back to life.
Topped up the gearbox and both axles.

Starts & runs OK but the carby will need some work. The cooling system works better with a water pump that turns and doesn't leak !

Takes a bit to free the clutch off but once done it drives now.

So it has a galvanised chassis and a Holden 186 motor that runs OK and doesn't smoke.
It needs wheel cylinders, a kit put through the master cylinder and new flexible hoses. The brake booster needs to be overhauled
Door frames are rotten but it comes with a pair of replacement doors.
The electrics need some serious investigation, I've bypassed everything to get it running.
Swivel hub chrome is good.
Fuel tanks need to be removed and cleaned/sealed.

I need to get a few others finished so I can't devote much more time to this at the moment.


Colin

A few pictures.....
Weird bullbar and roofrack, both galvanised.