Sorry Dr Terry. I just checked the pic I took of the trans and it is FO and not FD. The O looked like a D at a glance and it was hard to see in the shed. The engine number was VR38632. I will check out the carby and dizzy details HK
Thanks.
Ron

VR38632 is from a VB Commodore, that sequence went well over 100,000 by the time XT5 engines came about and there is only VB in it until WB release. So if it has its original heads it will have a HX or HZ 308 intake on it, probably a carby off the same car the intake came from. These are easy to get the choke working even if bits are missing. The down side is that carby won't work easily with a HG throttle linkage, can be done but without the right primary throttle linkage it won't be easy. Best bet would be to talk to someone like Nigel at Xtreme fuel and see if he can do an overhaul on it for you but use a HT-HQ throttle shaft so it will all work like new with a HT-G 308 throttle linkage. Keeping the HX or HZ carby is good IF it's setup for a 253, if not you are better off finding a blue 4.2 Quadrajet and using it, with the same shaft mod.

If you do grab it I'd be giving the 4.2 a birthday:

First step would be check the bearing clearances with plastigauge as you have to take the sump off anyway. If they have excessive clearance but the crank looks OK just put new ones in - do the rear main at the same time.
Replace all the welch plugs with brass, at least do the rear ones. If not already done.
Pull the thermostat off and remove the water pump, will allow you to give it a good flush out. Will also allow you to check corrosion levels on the alloy timing chain housing, and also where the thermostat sits.

Thank again HK. Mudgeeraba is about 2.5 hours away. I haven't made an offer on the 253 trimatic yet. As I can't run it or drive it, it is an unknown quantity as to condition.
I just came across a 67 Pontiac Firebird diff assembly asking $1350. He says it is in good condition? The housing looks like it has holes for the upper control arms on a HQ. He said they are leaf spring. I fitted a HQ 10 Bolt to my HK Monaro back in 77 and had to gas axe the top holes off the housing to fit it in. It never hit any part of the undercarriage or exhaust. Is that the right price for a 67 Pontiac Firebird diff complete drum to drum?
Cheers,
Ron

I've seen them for $500. They aren't all that wanted as they are the dunger diff for a Camaro, like a banjo in a Holden. The 12 bolt is the preferred rear axle on a Camaro.

The good thing about a Firebird diff though is I think they run a bearing like a traditional Holden does, whereas the Camaro uses the axle as the bearing inner race so the axle wears.

Edited by user Saturday, 6 November 2021 2:48:20 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

You do have to do floor member work to fit a TH700. Even a TH350 only just fits, the few I have seen they have removed a tab off the top of the box at the rear that isn't used on rear wheel drive cars or used a hammer to clearance. A TH700R4 needs a lot more massaging to make it fit. My mate just fitted one in his HK behind a 400 SBC, he had to cut and plate the floor crossmember.

Yes the yoke is the same, rear mount is close, maybe 3/4" backwards compared to a TH350.

TH700R4 finished around the same time VN was released. Its name changed to 4L60 when GM moved all engine and transmission into GM Powertrain. So you'll find 4L60 in VN and VP, but only the V8 version will fit behind a 350.

You will have to run a floor mounted shifter, and your best bet is to buy an aftermarket torque converter lockup kit like the one in the attached Ebay link. If you do it, make sure you get the TV cable sorted properly or you'll have troubles. It will use the same speedo cable as a Saginaw or V8 Powerglide in a HG, so you'll have to drill out the firewall for the LH side speedo cable, and buy a cable and supports.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/254225146231

With a 350 and TH700R4 you'd use somewhere around 3.5-4.11 rear axle in a HG with tyres close to the originals. Overdrive is 0.696:1, so with a 3.9 rear axle 4th gear is the same as a 1:1 box with a 2.71:1 rear axle.

The other box to consider is the VR-VS 4L60E. Fits the same as a 4L60 but needs a transmission shift controller like the one in the link - it will look after the torque converter lockup too though. These 4L60E/4L65E ran right up until the end of VZ and will work with a 350 with the right converter. However the later ones do not have a speedo drive, which means an electronic speedo conversion of some sort to drive your speedo, or you can buy electronic speedos reasonably cheaply that take a speed sensor signal (see second and third links). You can also buy GPS versions and not need a cable at all.

https://www.ebay.com.au/...WcS-&frcectupt=true

https://www.ebay.com.au/...6c2f:g:hM4AAOSwR15hUGL6

https://www.ebay.com.au/...7b75:g:~PUAAOSw7RteG93g

I wouldn't move it forward. Nothing would be standard then and too much weight forward of the front axle.

I too would have liked to run a 4L60/E or a TH200R4 but this HK is the oldest known surviving V8 HK GTS so I didn't want to butcher the floor. So I chose to run a TH350C. These are just like a TH350 but have a lock up converter. Nowhere near an overdrive auto but it will still give me an extra 2-300rpm drop. It is the same size/fit as a TH350, and just needs a small amount of sophistication to make the lockup work - I even plan to try doing it using the Holley Sniper EFI, however I think that means losing thermo fan control.