AUII Fairlane Sportsman - BIG AL

[auIILTD]

Originally Posted by Blue Shadow

Cav, is the fairy a 185 kw?

Blue, Cav's is a VCT 6, not an 8. I think they where 168kw iirc. I may be corrected.

Cheers
Stu

[Cav]

As RR would say, it has adequate horsepower.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this elsewhere but my wife is overseas and she returns this week.

She doesn't know anything about the Fairlane and I have form about buying cars when she is away.

That'll teach her.

I have it locked in the garage now, but unfortunately I should have retracted the aerial before driving it into the garage. The result, one bent aerial

[Mechan1k]

Guard dog on duty in the background.

[Blue Shadow]

Originally Posted by Cav

As RR would say, it has adequate horsepower.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this elsewhere but my wife is overseas and she returns this week.

She doesn't know anything about the Fairlane and I have form about buying cars when she is away.

That'll teach her.

I have it locked in the garage now, but unfortunately I should have retracted the aerial before driving it into the garage. The result, one bent aerial

image

It has heaps, i have a VCT ute as well, never missed a beat

[Cav]

Got the old girl a full transmission flush today. I think I need one as well



Underside is in really good nick. No rust. Exhaust is new.

Next job - replace steering rack boots.

Oh and my trip back from Wagga today did highlight that the front speakers will need replacing - they get a bit fuzzy at higher volume. They struggled with The Hollies harmonies.

[Cav]

Audio up grade.

I dug out my old Apple thingy that Apple has now refused to let me sink (not sync) to my latest computer so I can't add more songs to it.

I connected the USB cable to the FM transmitter thingy and it now supplies power to the Apple thingy and then I connected a cable via the headphone jack thingy from the FM thingy to the Apple thingy; if youse can underconstumble all that.

Result - instant country music.

Music from the CD player is crystal clear, however sometimes music from the FM transmitter sounds a bit gurgly. I dunno if it is because the antennae is jammed up against the garage door or whether my $23 FM transmitter has outlasted the two day warranty period

[olfella]

You are a technical genius Cav. Who would have thought to put all those thingys together THEN make it all work. I tips me hat to you.

[Cav]

Not only am I a technocratic oldboy, I am about to regap the spark plugs

Or maybe I should get a new set?

[olfella]

Get the Iridium ones and they last 100000ks. Pretty cheap these days.

[falcongt4me]

Originally Posted by Cav

Audio up grade.


Music from the CD player is crystal clear, however sometimes music from the FM transmitter sounds a bit gurgly. I dunno if it is because the antennae is jammed up against the garage door or whether my $23 FM transmitter has outlasted the two day warranty period

I bought a different version off Ebay, Cav, that holds the iPhone in a cradle (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/300907430...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT)

Besides my iPhone 6+ being too heavy for it to the point of the cig lighter socket now rotating, I too have the issue of the FM reception being not as crystal clear all the time.
I have found its sometimes the time of day or weather conditions which determine the amount of quality I receive via the transmitter. Sometimes changing the frequency helps.
A bit frustrating but at least I can play what I want.

[Cav]

Thanks mate.

I have a phone thingy platform built for a 16 year old Nokia in the centre console that swings out. I have taken it apart and I am waiting for a non slip pad to mount my phone on it.

Then I'll post a pic.

Phone to FM transmitter is by bluetooth.

My FM transmitter can take music from aux in, SD card, 2 x USB and of course by bluetooth from my phone.

There is no control over switching from one to the other, so they all must be disconnected except the one you want music from otherwise bluetooth takes preference.

[TOP DOG]

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

Good luck finding a replacement, they're like rocking horse guano.

I wish some other bits were as easy to find. http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_s...sacat=0&_oac=1

[aussiblue]

Do these rust resistant gadgets really work?

No. See https://www.finance.nsw.gov.au/about...uction-devices etc.

[falcon_bandit]

Originally Posted by auIILTD

As far as I can tell Bandit, that is all standard Fairlane woodgrain trim. It is actually plastic, but hey it looks good!

The LTD's woodgrain is darker than the Fairlane/Fairmont woodgrain, has is in a few more places like the rear of the centre console, window switches & headlight switch. - Pic showing the difference in woodgrain colours.
image
Stu

the woodgrain strip above the stereo isnt found in anything. Looks custom made, and looks good i reckon.

i see what you mean about the ltd being darker, from the small pic, it sort of looks like cav's has the ltd headlight switch panel.

[Cav]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

No. See https://www.finance.nsw.gov.au/about...uction-devices etc.

Maybe I can make a claim against the company saying it was the main reason why I bought a 15 year old car

BTW, I had a set of axle stands that were a recall item by Superceapautos. I think they cost me about $40 and I got back $61!!!

[Cav]

Originally Posted by TOP DOG

I wish some other bits were as easy to find. http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_s...sacat=0&_oac=1

The aerial on the Sportsman is on the rear mudguard and is not the same as those mounted on the front.

The radio is working OK, and I now have the aerial set to half mast. It cannot fully retract and it is on an angle that still looks OK whether up or down.

[Cav]

OK, I bought one of those sticky thingies. removed the Nokia attachment and put my phone onto the cradle. I can bluetooth to the FM transmitter for phone and music; and charge the phone via USB (you can see the spare port.



And here is the headlight switch with the time delay dodad.

[Dauphin]

There was a 75th anniversary model like mine for sale several years ago where the owner had woodgrained all this extra stuff in the cabin, including the A, B and C pillars, from memory. It is (or was) possible to get these items trimmed in matching factory woodgrain. I remember this because the seller used a photo of my car from aufalcon.com to advertise it!

Edit: I guess the ones with lettering / symbols on it like this switch would be a factory item.

[Cav]

Yeah, the switch is factory as it is mentioned in the handbook.

[Blue Shadow]

Originally Posted by Cav

OK, I bought one of those sticky thingies. removed the Nokia attachment and put my phone onto the cradle. I can bluetooth to the FM transmitter for phone and music; and charge the phone via USB (you can see the spare port.

image

And here is the headlight switch with the time delay dodad.

image

I done the same in my AU. I just used sickaflex and stuck an ajustable "thingy" on it its ok, (for a thingy)

[auIILTD]

Originally Posted by Dauphin

Edit: I guess the ones with lettering / symbols on it like this switch would be a factory item.

Andrew, that is an LTD one.

Cheers
Stu

[Cav]

When a little bit of knowledge can be useless.

I checked the plugs, well one anyway, in the Fairlane; and I panicked!

Check out the electrode - it has almost disappeared!!!




And the car is using a fair bit of fuel, not that it worries me, but the plug seems to be on the lean side according to the interweb.



Whatdoyareckon about the condition of the plug?

It certainly isn't running rich like I expected it to be.

Being in the country sometimes it is hard to source pasts locally. We only have Repco in town and they didn't have any plugs in stock but he could get them "in a few daze." Don't get me wrong, the Repco guys are OK, it is just that they do not stock a large range of stuff. And on some days they have a gorgeous blonde working there. I try to avoid the days she works because she keeps hitting on me.

So I ordered some stuff from the interweb - plugs, leads and Oxygen thingy. I can get some carby cleaner locally so I will also clean out the throttle body.

That's about the limit of my technically ability. In my youth they called me passion fist when I worked on cars. You know, whatever I touch I ****.

Why didn't youse blokes tell me that the electrode thingy is tiny in Iridium plugs?

Maybe the plugs in the Fairlane are OK after all, I just thought that the electrode had worn away from use.

The car has 178,000kms on it. My guess is that the one I looked at is an original from 2001.

Anyway this is what new plugs look like.



So I hope to get a fair bit done tomorrow, including an oil/filter change.

I report back tomorrow night on all the things I broke.

[olfella]

Dont forget the pics Cav - especially when getting number six plug out.

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by olfella

Dont forget the pics Cav - especially when getting number six plug out.

Number 6, hmmmmm 2 short extention bars and careful anti slip fingers. ..

[Silver Ghia]

Originally Posted by .:4:.

Number 6, hmmmmm 2 short extention bars and careful anti slip fingers. ..

Easy.

Use a short piece of 1/2" heater hose (slipped over ceramic body of plug) to undo the final turns and take out plug. Install and screw in new plug the same way. Then tighten with socket.

So easy you will probably use that hose for the other five plugs as well.

[Blue Shadow]

Originally Posted by Silver Ghia

Easy.

Use a short piece of 1/2" heater hose (slipped over ceramic body of plug) to undo the final turns and take out plug. Install and screw in new plug the same way. Then tighten with socket.

So easy you will probably use that hose for the other five plugs as well.

Will now that I know good tip

[Silver Ghia]

Originally Posted by Blue Shadow

Will now that I know good tip

That way there is no handling the spark plug at all. The hose grips onto the spark plug so you only need to hold the hose when inserting the new plug and starting it on the thread, or removing the old plug.

[Blue Shadow]

Originally Posted by Silver Ghia

That way there is no handling the spark plug at all. The hose grips onto the spark plug so you only need to hold the hose when inserting the new plug and starting it on the thread, or removing the old plug.

I just cut some old heater hose and put it in the tool box next to the plug sockets. No more screaming at the plug.

[Cav]

Right number 6 plug.

Is that at the front or the back?

[Silver Ghia]

Originally Posted by Cav

Right number 6 plug.

Is that at the front or the back?

Back.

Make the hose about 12" long so it can bend as required.