SPArKy_Dave

For the refz....... In order from left to right. NOS standard Mackay aftermarket RareSpares aftermarket Superpro

Two flanges, one at the end of each chassis rail. up to four bolts per side. The threads are captive on the bumperbar brackets, unless an aftermarket towbar has been fitted.

The cam dude (clive from Clive Cams), is just a small two man operation. I told him that it was going in an XG head, so whilst I haven't physically measured it, it should be suitable.

It'd be 488' lift wouldn't it? (I thought the EA-EL rocker ratio was 2:1, and the EL hybrid/AU was 1.8:1?) (It's running the standard XG rocker gear) edit - while the head is supposedly an AU casting, it was built with crow EA-EL 115lb non-conical springs, and stainless steel 41 / 47mm 11/32 valves. Intake 1.850 x .341 x 5.112" #PP3006 Exhaust 1.615 x .341 x 5.148" #PP3007 How have people packaged heads up, to send em cross country to you? (I can use Pack and Send as the couriers.)

I've got repro XW-XC bump stops to go in. They're shorter from the factory by a fair wack, when compared to XD-XG ones. I'd be interested to see the angles/clearances on an x-series race car of the same era - Trueblue, Greenstuff, etc.

Cut that bumpstop to the same as your ute, and it'll probably ride HEAP's better. Look like Pedders springs. I wonder if they've been cut?

Interesting! If mine supposedly flows 228CFM at 550, and head you've just finished, goes 231CFM at 450, would that not in theory, make your head more responsive - if both used the same cam I'm planning to use? Want to give that AU head of mine, a run on your test bench?

Flogged out caster bar and/or lower control arm bushes probably.

Yep.....

Two guesses who this is?

Yeah, it wasn't meant to sit on the bump stops, considering it's not really all that low. Hence I'm interested to see what config others are running, and the resultant angles/clearances. There may be manufacturing differences we're not fully aware of, since the majority of lowered x-series I see, sit about the same visual height as above if not lower. And might I just add....... the XG has been unused for the past two yrs - since just after I started the suspension mods, because - and But I would like to use it next year, since I finally saved enough to finish building the head, and finish the full Koni suspension setup that got halted. Care to share some similar pics of your suspension setup?

Shock length comparison -

Yeah looks close to Poly..... working on an EL in Heritage at my Factory atm, and it's almost Black in the shadow/dark.

Late 83' onwards, XE's ran the Sanden SD510 Compressor so yeah, I'd maybe try a complete XE setup, and see if it fits ok. The 510, relates to it being a 5 piston swash plate style compressor, which moves 10 cubic inches of gas, per compressor revolution. (508 - 5 piston / 8 cubic inches, etc.) http://www.highgateair.com.au/images/stories/products-pdf/Compressors-OEM.pdf http://speedyairspares.com.au/

That compressor is very similar to what the XE's ran. They just had a different cylinder head on the compressor, so the hose threads were in the middle of the flat area, rather than on the edge.

Info from the old Autospeed article - Awakening the Aussie Ford Six - Cylinder Head As a generalisation, the flow capacity of the Ford cylinder head gradually improved with each model. The exceptions to this are the ED (which appears to use the same head as the EBII) and the AU (which use relatively small ports). Jim says the EA head should be avoided - "there are weaknesses in the casting, design faults and flow problems." The EB was slightly improved and the EBII was better again. The EF/EL head uses nice large ports and runners and improved combustion chamber design. Be aware, however, some ELs were released with hybrid engines using an AU-spec small-port head. By far, the best head is that fitted to the EF/early EL. "The EF head makes good power in standard form and, when you decide to go further, they’re easier to port," says Jim. Valve sizes went unchanged except the EF XR6 and AU received 2mm larger exhaust valves. Inlet valve size cannot be increased due to space limitations. Regardless, Jim says there’s no gain in fitting bigger valves unless the engine is already modified in a big way. http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_2233/article.html http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_2236/article.html

The above head is a brand new casting, supposedly copied from a stock AU head. In your opinion, what cam specs would make the most out of the above flow figures? (as incomplete as they are) I'm in two minds to get it re-flowed, just so the chart gaps can be filled in.

What was wrong with the original doors? If they fitted ok, I probably would've stayed with them. Realistically, you'll have to take the guard off, and then remove the pinchweld door opening seal and the striker plate. The door frame may even be slightly twisted, and need reshaping with a block of wood in the door opening, and some brute bending force. Essentially do what panel shops do, when gapping a resto project. (And maybe have Moog's 'Game On', playing in the background on a continuous loop for inspiration.)

So, the other day, I won a set of four 14x8 Speedy California's on ebay, for $83.00. I always wanted some wider ones, to go with the two 14x6's I've had kicking around for yrs. Here's one of them. What'd you reckon, do they suit XE's? Yay or Nay?

Plus to cap off the day nicely, on my way back from picking up the wheels...... I came across Batman - out fighting crime like a trooper, in the Batmobile.

That's what I'm going to do with my XB GS Panno - get an Arrow or Todd Buttermore, or similar repro cleveland block. Then stamp it with my original engine/VIN number. (maybe with an extra prefix/digit on the end, to denote it's repro origin.) Some dope put an American F-truck engine in my panno.

Check the throttle body, for a sticky butterfly. When it's idling high, open the bonnet, and make sure the throttle butterfly is fully closed. It could be expanding and sticking slighty, when hot. If not the butterfly, and not ISC related, try looking at the EGR valve for a leak, and maybe look to see if the timing is varying.

I've done the tint thing on a pair of aftermarket wagon lenses. I pulled them apart, and tinted the inside of them.