Project 3P, Part 20: a Belated Update.

After ten long months in hibernation, awaiting a new head gasket, Project 3P has reached the point of reasonable usability. It's not pretty. Nor is it particularly nippy. And I wouldn't bet on it being all that reliable, either! However, it does start, stop and steer properly, all its legal requirements have been met - tyres, restraints, wipers, lights, indicators, horn, whatever ... - and it's registered. Usable is quite a milestone!

The ignition points have made way for a Pertronix Flame Thrower set-up with a new coil and leads, and it's also running a set of "tri-y" extractors and a new tail pipe (https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2022/08/project-3p-part-18-custom-built.html). All the radiator and heater hoses have been replaced, as was the heater core (Motor Cool Radiator Repairs, Brownells Lane, Moonah / (03) 6278 2736). The head was machined at Just Heads (74 Springfeild Avenue, West Moonah / (03) 6272 5550), a mate and I took the matter into our own hands and did the head gasket and cam belt, and fitted a new cam with a sportier profile, while a Weber 34 DATA with a Ramflo air cleaner on a port-matched manifold has taken the place of the standard 32 DMTR.

Ironic GT stripes.

The new carby seemed to be out of whack with the rest of the engine, bogging down at low revs and not really providing much oomph towards the top end, either. This is unsurprising, given that it was from a Lancia Beta with a 1.8 or 2.0 litre engine. I swapped in some spare jets and emulsion tubes, based on advice on the X-Web forum (thanks!), and have got the car running adequately. However, there's clearly still room for significant improvement, so it's booked in with a Weber specialist for some expert tweaking.

https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2023/02/project-3p-part-19-wiring-vintage-cibie.html

The only other thing that's letting the car down is the gear-shifting, it having all the precision of an upright spoon in a bowl of melting icecream! Changing from second to third and back again can lead to crunches whether double-declutching or not. I suspect that this might not be entirely syncro-related; manoeuvring the stick in precisely the right pattern can, and often does, result in clunk-free gear changes.

Alfa "wineglasses".

https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2022/04/project-3p-part-15-refurbishing.html

These inlets were ground out to match the size of the gaskets and corresponding head ports.

Oil pressure and amps gauges will go where the ashtray used to be.

The driver's seat facing has all but disintegrated!

Minnie helpfully models the two torn seams on the otherwise quite nice rear seat.

Once the carby and gear shift are sorted, the plan is to tidy up the interior, starting with reupholstering the seats and maybe dyeing the otherwise surprisingly good carpets back to brown. At some stage - who knows when? - the car will be repainted and the bumpers tidied up, although I am enjoying not caring too much about the car's looks. It's surprisingly liberating!

Did you enjoy this article? If so, why not browse the rest of the uppermiddlepetrolhead site? Searching for P3P will take you to further pieces detailing this car's progress from pretty much basket case to progressively slightly less basket case. There are also loads and loads of classic, sports and performance vehicles featured, as well as stacks of car shows and motorsports events. Even better, you can follow either the 'blog itself or do so via Upper Middle Petrol Head's Facebook page. And please do like and share!

U M P H

(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

iPhone images.

EJ or EH Holden? (Up-dated December, 2022)

EJ or the later EH? Several years ago, I posed the question: Can somebody please explain the difference between an EJ and an EH Holden ute or van? The response at the time wasn't overwhelming, so I did a bit of Googling and ferreting through my photos and came up with my own rough guide to EJ and EH identification. Sedans and wagons are easy to tell apart ; the EH's vertical rectangular tail lights are a dead give-away. However, the workhorse versions of both models share the rear-end treatment of the earlier EJ, making it harder to identify one from the other. No super obvious hints here. Or here ... . It turns out that the main clues are in the placement of the front H O L D E N lettering and GMH lion emblems, the style of the radiator grille and the width of the vents in front of the windscreen, with all EJs - sedans, wagons, utes and vans - having one combination and the EH line-up having their own . So what exactly are those diffe

Vick Auto Prima Fiat X1/9 Brakes: An Owner’s Assessment

At the end of 2022, I fitted a set of Vick Autosport Prima front brakes to my mildly worked 1.5 litre Series 1 Fiat X1/9 . I was fortunate, having picked them up at a very, very reasonable price, brand new but surplus to the needs of a fellow X1/9 Australia member who had imported them from the US. The kit included: New single pot callipers , new vented rotors (standard X1/9 front rotors are smaller, non-vented items), DOT approved stainless steel brake hoses, and all the necessary mounting hardware. They are a value proposition, being particularly well priced compared to other manufacturers’ packages - even at RRP - with everyone I’ve spoken to saying they’re made to a high standard, too. Here's a link to a piece that I wrote about them at that time, including some costings: https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-x19-gets-prima-brake-upgrade.html . Initial Assessment: I was a little underwhelmed by the brakes' performance, finding that although they had a tiny

Random # 301: Nanna-Spec KE36 Corolla

Once upon a time - six or seven years ago, actually - there was a lovely pale yellow GC Galant station wagon getting around Hobart. It was totally nanna-spec; its paint was umarked, the chrome work and hubcaps were immaculate, and its very original interior was pristine. Then someone stuck feathers in its dashboard. Next, the windows were adorned with Tibetan prayer flags. And a hubcap went missing. And the the rear bumper was pushed in, mangling the bodywork behind it. And a mudguard got dented. And rust set in. I fear for this sweet, innocent KE36 Corolla. Somebody please save it before it's too late. Nanna needs you to do it. U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.) Photos by GlamRock.

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