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HG VAN Body Number 1A and an EJ UTE to rebuild
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The motor and box are out of the Van and the sub frames are finally off and suspension separated from it. The inner bolts were a pain to get out without destroying them or the surrounding panels. A lot of heat from a Red Devil Propane Torch and a lot of Inox and patience and eventually, out they came. The bottom of the drivers side door pillar is done as is the 2 front guards, both doors as well as the drivers side rain channel. It also had a hole in the DS Rear Quarter where an LPG Plug was fitted. The LPG is long gone and the hole had been repaired poorly. It is repaired properly now. The sub frames require a lot of work where they bolt on at the top sides of the fire wall. However the fire wall panels only have one hole each about an inch in diameter. Easy repair (for a panelbeater?) More to come as work progresses. Cheers, Ron |
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The sub frames were paper thin around the outer firewall attachment areas both sides as well as where the steering box and idler arm attaches. It also had holes both sides in the frame rails near the front tie rail below the radiator. The raised sections where the suspension cross member attaches was also mostly non existent. Most of the sub frames are repaired and it is now reattached with sealer in and around the joints. The windscreen came out and the bottom of the aperture is rusted out too. The weatherstrip area at the rear of the bonnet was also rusted badly and is now repaired. This Van left the factory with a 161 and 3 speed manual and drum brakes all round. It has disc brakes and a small (torana size) booster fitted. Later on I will rebuild a VH 317 Booster for it. It was powered by a 186 and trimatic when I bought it and that was replaced with an allegedly better 186 trimatic about 10 years ago. I have not driven it anywhere apart from in and out of the shed in the last 15 years. I am looking for a 3 speed HG Gearbox as well as a manual column and manual pedal box along with all the usual clutch and gear linkages to put it all back in with a 161H (HG) engine I already have. If anyone is interested in swapping all the Trimatic parts including the gear box, column and pedal box, linkages etc let me know. This Van will not be a fully restored Van however, it will be rebuilt to be used and driven. I haven't had any luck finding any videos or photos of the HK HT HG production line nor have I found the original engine (161H322145)..... It repowered a HR Van with (VIC) JTR 325 rego in July 1980. That number is not registered anymore. Surely someone would have something from the Production Line? I am also looking for any old photos that may show my Van. The original rego was (VIC) KST 093 and in the mid 90's had (VIC) NAE 716 on it. Do you remember this Van? In the LJ Torana Sales Brochure there is a Sudan Beige Van in the background of the LJ GTR Pic. Can anyone confirm if this is my Van? It has 'HOLDEN' on the windowless area of the Van. My Van had a HOLDEN Spare Parts Stencil painted on the drivers door when I got it and I still have the damaged door. The Stencil area is undamaged. Thanks in advance. Ron
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Ron
I can’t remember, was it assembled in Elizabeth, Pagewood, Dandenong or Mosman Park? Only the VIN plate will give this info up. I may even have internal GMH documentation for it (will check). |
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I also wouldn’t get too hung up on a HG 3spd, HQ-WB will do the same job, will just have ribs on the case. Even if you do get an old HK-HG 3spd for it rebuild it using a later HQ onwards input shaft and shaft cover as the front seal is better on those. I have a complete HK 6cyl 3spd Kingswood sedan optioned with the M15 box but I want to keep it complete at the moment as it is driveable. It is a 186 with discs and has beige interior too. It will eventually become a donor car for nuts and bolts and maybe some rust repair sections for my yellow 327 as both are mid 1968 Pagewood examples. Will be a while away though! Edited by user Monday, 20 May 2019 1:47:23 PM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: nineteenfortyeight Built at Elizabeth I’ll look at the documents I have and see what is in it. I can’t remember if the first van was Dandenong assembled or Elizabeth (both have Elizabeth body plates, ADR plate and chassis number). |
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I swapped a HG Van for a complete but very rusty HG Ute with 186 3 speed which I moved on as soon as I got it with the agreement that I would get all the 3 speed stuff back. That was a couple of years ago and I don't get a reply from them anymore...... I offered to give them all the trimatic stuff to keep the Ute complete. It was for a 14 yo boy who wanted to do up a car and his Mum said 'she could weld anything' so I told her here is a project for him so she could teach him..... Thanks for looking for any info. Ron
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Unfortunately there were no vans in the Press test cars. I knew with HG as there was a very short lead time from Pilots to Regular Production that they used some Pilot vehicles in the Press Test fleet. There were 40 Press test HG's and 10 were Pilots, but no vans. The V8 4spd Kingswood ute used as a Press Test vehicle was a Pilot. Just grab a smooth case or whole box whenever you can find one, and get the rest from a HQ onwards box. There are always HQ-WB boxes around for less than $50 (just look on Gumtree). Here is some smooth case boxes: https://www.gumtree.com....x-bellhousing/1215263285https://www.gumtree.com....nual-gear-box/1207865417https://www.gumtree.com....speed-gearbox/1191762958https://www.gumtree.com....g-hq-hz-hj-hx/1190728316Finding all the rest will be hard without finding a whole car or finding a complete one someone is wrecking to get the whole lot. Nice to get all the nuts, bolts, clips etc in one go as well as column, linkages, clutch setup, pedal box etc. |
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I had a mate who worked at Bathurst Holden and he showed the Parts Manager a pic of the Van when I got it home. The Manager told him that he worked at GMH in the late 60's, early 70's and he remembered my Van. He said they used it to ferry parts to Lang Lang. I don't know how long GMH kept it for? I didn't get to meet the Parts Manager. He is probably long retired by now. It would be good to get the whole lot in one go. I know I can pick up a box somewhere but not all the ancillary parts. Thanks for your help 1837. Ron |
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Originally Posted by: nineteenfortyeight It would be good to get the whole lot in one go. I know I can pick up a box somewhere but not all the ancillary parts. Thanks for your help 1837. Ron I get that, I was just suggesting you grab a smooth case (or whole smooth case box) and stash it away. The rest of the box is pretty much the same. That way if you find a whole car or whole setup and it happens to have a HX box or the like in it you have the right case. Personally I'd not bother, just use any 3spd, but if you are going to the trouble of putting in (and putting up with!) a 161 it might be worth it. Not that it matters, if it was me and for an every day driver I'd leave the 186 and Trimatic in it! Especially if you are going to use it over 80km/h. Trimatics are much nicer with a highway type diff (like a 2.78 or 3.08) than a 3spd manual is. |
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As mentioned previously the EJ Ute Floor is pretty bad around the rear spring (front) pivot on the drivers side. I came across a couple of EH Sedan bare shells recently asking $2,000. I have no idea what is included in the $2k nor the condition of them as I spotted them while driving past in my truck. There isn't anywhere to park a semi and walk in on that section of the highway. No phone number either.... What if any differences are there between the sedan, wagon, ute and van floor pans in the rear floor area? I believe the ute and van used the wagon floor pan? Thanks. |
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All the floor pans in that area are all very similar. Boot floor & fuel tank etc. is all the same.
The only real differences are where the ute & van have the spare tyre door & different rear bumper set-up.
Dr Terry |
If at first you don't succeed, just call it Version 1.0 |
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Thanks Dr Terry. I went past the place with the EH sedan shells and there were doors and guards lined up beside them with a second sign showing 'The Lot' alongside the one asking $2k? If anyone is interested it is about a k or so north of Apple Tree Creek in Qld...... But we still need a floor pan for the EJ Ute? Cheers, Ron |
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I managed to park the truck down the highway a bit and walk back to check out the EH's. One has badly rusted floors with subframes attached but requiring a lot of work. The other sedan body has far better floors. No sub frames attached but a set from an EJ (Numbers stamped in the inner guard)are sitting in front of it. They are pretty good but still require a little work to finished them off. Still asking $2k but is somewhat negotiable? He wants to spend a bit of money on his 48 chev ute. I have a phone number. My mate, the panelbeater, lost his job a few weeks back so doesn't have any money to spend on them at the moment. He also has the seats from one of them. I only saw the front seat and it is pretty good. Also there is a front suspension unit. The stub axles/kingpins, hubs and brake drums are near it and he said they have been recoed? I will be using the 186 trimatic with an alloy cam gear set (JP?) with gaskets etc in the HG Van. I was looking at engine paint. It is a very long time since I painted an engine and ask what cans I should buy? VHT 3 cans SP119 for $59 or Motorspray Engine Enamel, one can for $44.99? How accurate is the VHT Colour? I am not that fussy about the colour but just wondering? It will only be to make it a bit more respectable when you lift the bonnet. Thanks. Ron
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Byron. Re: the HJ Ute mentioned previously. Last week my last drop was about an hour away from where the Ute Shell was. It is at Benarkiin now. The farmer pointed out the chassis in the long grass when I walked down the fence line to where the body was about 100 metres apart so that went on first. The motor and box was picked up next and tied down then the body was lifted back onto the chassis. It has been hit in the front so the ps chassis rail was twisted at the front. The door was bent and sitting inside the cabin. Drivers door was still on and a spare door is in the ute tray where the motor and box was. No front sheet metal or radiator etc. The diff and drive shaft were still on the springs on the chassis. The tags show GV7 (3.55?) centre. It was drum brakes as it still has the big nut master on it and no booster. Is the master the same as HG? I can't remember.... old timers? I got it for free so it went to a friend for free but I will keep the diff head as well as the master as he has a couple of spare rusty ute/tonner and chassis etc. The 202 is complete except for the water pump and dizzy. QL? prefix I think? I can check that next week. I put it over his fence (Hiab) and kept going back to the yard. I have a smooth case 3 speed box and HG driveshaft.... My mate in Sydney found it on gumtree and I picked it up at Ipswich. No other parts were available. Bugger! I drove the EJ ute up and down the driveway next door last weekend. Steve picked up a couple of front hubs. Into first gear and turn the key, stop, turn it off, into reverse and turn the key again! Put it up on blocks again and ran it through all the gears and everything works fine. Just need a couple of masters, slave cylinder, 4 wheel cylinders, a set of brake shoes and 2 drums and a rear floor..... The motor runs sweet. I told the farmer I was driving the ute up and down the driveway and he was amazed. I also met his dad, the son of the original owner and he said it started life at Mapleton and about 30 years ago he took the ute out to the farm when it was past its use by date so his kids could paddock bash it and they did! That is why the ute floor is so bad with the spring hanger pushed up to the cargo floor! And Fred Flintstone front floor! Ron
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If you go near the HJ and have a camera on your phone grab some tag pictures. If it is a Sydney build there will also be a number on the firewall under the left side washer pipe.
The master will work on a HG but it will have different specs, Dr Terry will know far more than me about that. |
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I have to rebuild the front suspension on the HG and require a spring compressor. There is one on Ebay for $199 and $28 postage? It doesn't look long enough to release the spring to remove it? The front end needs the inner bushes done top and bottom as they have perished from sitting too long outside in the weather. I have a new lower (Mackay) set (A1120) in my spares and only require the top set. The wishbones have to come off so the springs have to be released fully to do that. Is that tool long enough? I can't tell how long it is? I will take some pics of the HJ Ute in the next week or two Byron. Thanks Ron https://www.ebay.com.au/...de9e9:g:YGEAAOSwDk5T0zj9 |
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Have you got a HK workshop manual? It shows you how GMH suggest doing it. They had a special spring compressor for the task. |
_______________________________________________________ If we all had the same (good) taste, who would buy all the Fords? |
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Joined: 7/09/2016(UTC) Posts: 163 Location: Blackbutt Queensland Thanks: 9 times Was thanked: 4 time(s) in 4 post(s)
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I ordered the spring compressor and the upper inner bushes. I have a HK manual and will have to dig it out of one of the boxes.... Went and checked out the HJ Ute and took some pics but I am not used to my wife's phone so they are so bad most of the tags are not readable! I will go back with my camera next time. I checked his other HJ ute and it is also 202 3 speed manual and 3.55. And very rough! He said he will do the one I picked up for him and he sold off the other spare cab and chassis.
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I will be doing the upper and lower inner bushes on the front suspension soon and was wondering if there is an easy way to get the bushes out. Years ago I made a special tool to get the lower bushes out so I could swap the wishbone with a good one on a mates HG sedan. That was in the days when we were all short of cash (back there again) and recycled anything and everything. I must have given that tool away. And now I don't have access to any off cuts of steel to make another one. I have the stub axles and calipers off, and springs out. I am yet to order a new drag link and 2 bottom ball joints. I have 4 upper ball joints in my spares as well as a NOS idler arm. I only needed to replace one tie rod end. And I only had one in my spares which was also a left hand thread! Thanks. Ron |
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HG VAN Body Number 1A and an EJ UTE to rebuild
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