Rob mate, has been ages since we've heard from you.
It's a shame Bella won't make it to the nationals but I for one am really looking forward to catching up with yourself and the other SA boys I haven't seen since Coona 2010

T'was wondering how things were with ya' Rob Yeah, life has a habit of getting tougher than it should at times and smashing our plans.

Also looking forward to catching up with YOU, Bella Fella'.

B.

Well this is sort of like the becoming a yearly update

Still good news.

The headers (extractors or whatever you like to call them, I call them a pain in the arse, glad I got them and hate them at the same time) have finally been straightened and made ready to go into Bella when I next get the chance. I have to clear up a few of the wrecks littering the place before I'm allowed to work on her, 9"angle grinder time.

Life seems to finally be settling down a little and I can get everything that has been left hanging due to many of the things in a previous post, but nevertheless Bella will be going again.

So a belated happy Christmas and merry New Year to you all.

Will try searching the forum though haven't had much luck with the search engine on here, still need to find an exhaust/intake manifold gasket for the 1500 and a full gasket set for the G161S (SOHC) motor.

Good to see an update Rob. Try ebay for Chev Luv gaskets. ~71 - 75 engines. The head gasket may be a problem but i would imagine all the 1800 SOHC gaskets would fit otherwise. They come up from time to time.
glenn

Many thanks Glenn.

ebay item 170815288633 Not a full set but might give you an idea what to look for.

A full set for 1800 SOHC, see the part numbers below. You might be able to get a full set out of Japan.

The search for a water pump continues.
Bought an early Chev Luv pump ... '67 they said ... might be early Luv but I didn't think '67s came with SOHC
So I now have a water pump for the dead SOHC in the shed.
May have to try getting one of the dead pumps in the back of the shed recon'd, anyone in SA know a good place to get this done ?

It looks like once the pump is done, exhaust gasket is fixed, last bit of the exhaust connected and windscreen installed Bella will be up for sale.
Think I will try to hang on to her for as long as possible though, depend when the lack of space becomes a big issue

unsure of accuracy, but the LUV parts on ebay generally say from 71 to 1975 for the SOHC engines.

Rob, check PMs,
Cheers, Matt.

Well here we are again.
You may have seen the for sale section.
Two things have happened which has meant Bella needs to find a new home.
After months of getting everything together I finally had the chance to get Bella running.
New Supercharge battery
Petrol
Aerostart or in this case "start ya bastard"
She did, glorious to here the new sound. I fitted extractors and a hot dog muffler to quieten the bark which was slightly on the inappropriate side.
Unfortunately ....... the alternator lead wasn't connected properly and it contacted the bodywork resulting in lots of smoke, flames and several fried wires. Thankfully I got the battery disconnected before the flames took any sort of hold as the aerostart was sitting on the cowl hidden by the smoke :O
After all this time I'm just over the struggle.
I want to build another less difficult Bellett, simpler if you like.

So here are some pictures of Bella awaiting some loving.

Well, oh well.
Looks like I might have found some wiring off one of my wrecks to replace the fried stuff.
Just got to get to and fit it all in.

Yes the dark cloud off gloom I was in (not just smoking wiring) has lifted.
Many thanks to Oz-Toffa for looking as well.

Hopefully in less than a month Bella will be firing yet again

But yes she is still for sale.

Cheers
Rob

stay with it mate its part of you only you know what youboth have been through in 10 years you will say ...geez I wish id never sold bella we had some great times together ..I had a blue teardrop which I should never have sold ..but I did ..I still wear the scars even tho I have my 90 think hard mate $4000 or whatever you get it 4 weeks wages you have all ready invested part of your life think hard cheers davo

Still for sale.

Tried my best for ya mate......

I know mate it's all good just keeping everyone up to speed

So with only a couple of weeks until we all meet up in Albury I thought I'd post an update.
Bella is coming, barring any really weird shit

The windscreen fitting was really not as scary as I'd imagined. The new engine runs a treat, just got one final vacuum leak to sort out and it's all apples so to speak.

The exhaust is much nicer than the bark Bella used to have, a set of extractors and an extra hotdog muffler makes the world of difference. Some of you may also be aware that the lights all 6 of them are now putting out the candelas they should have if i hadn't ended up with a cold solder joint.

I'm really looking forward to getting to drive her after 6 years up on stands in the shed.

However Bella is still for sale, sad but true.
Still see youall in Albury

For those that might not have seen the blazing lights in all their glory.
I present the H4/H3 eyeball fryers.

Cheers Rob

The trial run from up North to suburbia went well.
The exhaust is much nicer now. Plus this engine doesn't use oil like the last one
Handling is to put it mildly is amazing, thanks Brett.
Just got head to re-tension, find the blown fuse or whatever that is stopping the radio working and find a few more dollars to replace the rear tires and vacuum out 6 years worth of shed dust

Cheers
Rob

I had a lovely day driving Bella around. She feels so much fun to drive. I'm now looking forward to the drive to the Nationals now. The rain may be the only fly in the ointment, Bellett standard wipers aren't that speedy across the windscreen. Should be entertaining to say the least.
Anyhow see you all in Albury

Cheers Rob

Wow Roberto, well done!! She looks phatt, and may I say...Sexy. Surprisingly Belletts were well designed to take a wet road. Always amazes me when I dare get the wheels wet

Too right tho, don't need a "fly in the ointment"

Will see you off on Wednesday, Ciao till then.

B