Fitzy's GP is back!

[Wrongway]

Yup that's how I routed mine to bro. But man, I wish my engine looked that pretty! Well done brother! 

[Fitzy]

Thanks Andy - I could never figure out why that hole was there, but now I know!

And thanks to Wrongway too. Yeah, it looks neat. Let's see if it actually runs. I shall report later.

A quick note: that bloody RTV spread further than I anticipated so it ended up a bit messy. I shall fiddle with that and clean it all up at a later date. There seems to be a higher visibility of intake gasket with the new manifold, hence the sight of gasket goo everywhere.

Edited November 17, 2023 by Fitzy

[Fitzy]

I can't delete that video - it's not working. Ringo, if you're out there, can you delete it for me? I'm too stupid to upload a short video.

[Ringo64]

Looks like the video was removed or at least the attachment was but deleted the post for you 👍

[Fitzy]

Looks I had to learn how to do upload a video through YT.

Thanks to Ringo for stepping in and deleting my prior attempt.

Today I checked the oil, filled up with coolant and dribbled some juice into the carb float bowls. De-isolated it, flicked the kill switch, said a quick prayer, double checked everything and gave her a kick in the guts. Fired right up, no strange noises, no leaks and sounds as good as it ever did, hence the very short video. Drove it gingerly around the block and took her home and forensically inspected it for any sign of leaking. Will take her for a bit longer drive tomorrow.

Now pass me that well earned beer!

 

[64 kiwi boni]

Well done mate 

[Fitzy]

It's Manifold Madness! Hurry hurry hurry - these manifolds can't last. Crazy Fitzy's NOS Intake Clearance Centre is overstocked and everything must go!

Look at this beauty: brand new but unused Weiand dual plane intake for Pontiac - just 350 Australian pesos. That's about USD217 at today's rate.

So, the chap who sold me his NOS Edelbrock also has this Weiand for sale, and he asked me if I would put the word out. For the record, he has a 57 Chieftain, I think. Anyway, it's a cheap intake. Let me know - I'm happy to pass on his details, and he's an honest bloke. Don't forget that shipping will also be in Australian pesos, so it's still cheap.

[Fitzy]

A cyclone came in yesterday - Jasper, the first for the season. Only Cat 2 and the centre was 110km north of us, but it still packed a punch. Our house almost went underwater, the generator decided to break down, the power, phone & net all disappeared within hours. The power has only now just come back on and life will be normal one day...once I clean up the destruction & mayhem it caused to our property.

Thank goodness for my old 1990 4WD Isuzu Pickup - the causeway just down our street was flooded and only high clearance vehicles could get through. Because cyclones & crazy weather are part of life up here, we were stocked with plenty of packaged food & supplies.

That bloody generator though...I only just bought it. I will give it the most major service it's ever seen when this is all over.

Even though all our vehicles were under cover, the wind & rain were so severe that everything got a wash - even the Pontiac which NEVER sees water. I'll post some pics tomorrow of how close the water came to our back patio. I should have tagged along with the Kiwis and stuffed myself silly in NYC instead!

 

[Ringo64]

Glad you guys made it through and are ok, that's the important thing! Know the "fun" of these things. Hope the damage isn't bad!

[Wrongway]

Glad yall are safe brother!

[64 kiwi boni]

Wow mate ! 
Glad your ok , even though you have cyclones every year, I bet you never get used to them !

and I bet it’s a pita cleaning up the mess !!!! 
now you know how we love pictures around here ! The boss made comment yesterday on the way home about coming for a visit , but I think we will wait till it’s your winter ! 

[Fitzy]

Thanks Guys - we're all good. The rain just won't stop though and I'm back to work for 7 days on Tuesday, so the clean up will have to wait. All these pics are from the house perimeter. I was getting ready to move the cars and get stuff off the floor! Happy days.

[Ringo64]

Wow! That’s a ton of water! Glad it didn’t come in. Happened to a buddy of mine last year. Not a good time ripping out everything there 3ft and under down to the studs. 

[64 kiwi boni]

wow !!! what happens with your septic tank when it pisses down like that ? 

[JUSTA6]

Glad you guys are OK.  Looks like quite the mess.  Can laugh now, but New York City lost power yesterday.  Couldn't even imagine that mess.  Happy our visitors made it home safely, you guys left JUSTA in time. 

[64 kiwi boni]

2 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

Glad you guys are OK.  Looks like quite the mess.  Can laugh now, but New York City lost power yesterday.  Couldn't even imagine that mess.  Happy our visitors made it home safely, you guys left JUSTA in time. 

Dam ! Would have been cool to see what happens in a power cut ! 
no elevators , no traffic lights ! Hehe … 

but then … no no ! That wouldn’t be nice !!!!! No cold beer 🍻 

[Fitzy]

We were having lunch in Italy a few years sgo when I got the message that the house had been inundated. The good thing is that the water came in but went out straight away, so only some clean up to attend to. It's a scenario that I really don't want to happen again.

Septic tank seems to be holding up - it's inlets & outlet are obviously sealed and it's still above the water line. Do I need to be wading through my own filth as the water laps the power points??? I think not. 

Poor old GP looks like it's been through a car wash. EVERYTHING is satched and for the first time in 8 years, the roof leaks in a few spots - only tiny but enough to be concerning. Backyard water continues to threaten and the power goes on & off. I'm about to order a good size diesel generator - you don't know misery until the power goes off and there you are, wondering when it will come back on and thinking about food in fridges...and the prospect of less than chilled beer. Nooooooooooooo!

Oh, and the causeway on the main access road is probably so deep now, that nobody is going anywhere. Fortunately, our power supplier has these Iveco service trucks with ground clearance that rivals the old Unimogs, so they'll go just about anywhere.

The rain has not let up for 3 days now - it is absolutely belting out of the sky. How does that much liquid water be held in suspension in the air as water vapour? Mind boggling.

[Wrongway]

Damn it man. Glad yall are safe!

[Fitzy]

Look at the size of that log that was deposited by the water. The rain has obviously stopped, all the water has cleared and some highways have reopened. I couldn't fly to work yesterday so am going in Thursday instead. Time to fire up the chainsaw. Better do a service on the mower too. Once the sun comes out, that grass is gonna go nuts.

Better start the Poncho too and see if it still runs.

[Fitzy]

Can you believe this? I opened the hood to chuck some charge into the battery, but the hood wouldn't stay up. I have a closer look and one of the springs has lost it's hooked end, bounced off my newly painted rocker cover (thanks for that) and fallen to the ground. I can't find the little end bit - it's probably lodged itself into some crucial part of the engine bay so when I fire it up, it shorts something and the car burns to the ground.

Honestly, 60 years of service and this happens. Shoddy quality...

When you think about it, those counterbalance springs spend the majority of their time (if your car runs right) in a stretched position when the hood is closed. I'm now wondering how the hell I'm gonna stretch the new one on. They're a pretty tough spring.

[JUSTA6]

New scar or badge of honor, you choose.  You have be sooo damn careful putting on a new spring.  Guess you have to find one 1st.

[Fitzy]

Ames has them.

Check out this very short clip: it looks so easy, but I will be wearing a motorbike helmet! My place is Unlucky's Garage.

 

[Fitzy]

Apparently it's Christmas. I'm at work and it's been 38°C (100°F) for 3 days now. I have spent 3 days coated in sweat & grime...and no beer. This is the eighth Christmas I've spent here, but we get fed Christmas dinner so I guess it's worth it.

The pic is of a prop that goes out every year. Santa is wearing safety glasses and a fluoro vest as he must whilst he's here.

Have a good one.

[64 kiwi boni]

Merry Christmas mate 

we justA got to the beach 

and it’s 28 here !

ham steaks on the bbq for dinner !!!!

woop woop !

oh and nice cold beers 

hohoho 

[Fitzy]

I got home late last night for a very brief 4 days off.

Fun I will be having whilst 'relaxing:'

Get mower going, cut grass and service mower.

Clean up cyclone debris (service chainsaw & sharpen chain first.)

Change oil in Yaris.

Change oil in GP.

Install new GP parts (incl hood counterbalance springs.) Note to self: update life insurance first.

Fix generator and do complete service.

Re-engineer downpipe plumbing so that rainwater does not continue to overwhelm single pipe during big storms.

Install shadecloth partitions to stop us from roasting alive in afternoon sun.

Drink beer.

So far, I have achieved ONE of those tasks.