Hey Rob,
I like what you have done, the new paint job would be a bonus if yiu can??!??!
C U at Coona.

Thanks for the good comments guys.

Bella now has a new secondhand water pump and new heater hoses and fittings fitted.
The drive to work on two days could have been so bad.
Bella overheated both times.
When I came to pull the radiator I got an awful surprise the bottom radiator hose wasn't attached to the water pump (nothing left had corroded away).
How did she not puke all the water out while I was going along at 100kph with the temp gauge in the red !!!!!

Hopefully I will get the radiator into a shop this week, for a recore or maybe an unblock we will see what the verdict is.

Factory temp gauge now replaced with aftermarket gauge.
Next is the oil pressure gauge, anyone done one of these?
I hope there is a simple T i can fit to run both oil light and gauge.

Oh yeah one final thing, since the o-rings, needle and jet and gaskets have been replaced I have been increasing the size of the main jets from 114 to 127 now 132, air correctors went from 160 to 145 now back to 160.
The cold air intake probably means I may have to go richer again, we will see.
The throttle response is improving all the time, sweet.

Until the next installment

Cheers
Rob

All good progress, mate. Yeah, they're good to us, not blowing that pipe!
I seem to remember years ago exactly that on my first car, a 'T' for a line presure guage and the original's sender.
Going good, Matt.

Rob,
You can obtain the T junction to locate on the bottom of the oil filter. I had one fitted to the sedan I had which now belongs to Gary Smith, the 1969 model. The only thing you need to watch is that when fitted, there is still plenty of room between the connection and the steering rack, I had to modify mine after the first fitment, the rubber persihed on the steering rack allowing to move and it was knocking against the connection, thank fully found and rectified before any damage was done!
They are very easily found and connected.
Dave M.

Hi Rob. Read again my posting on page 8 of epic Bella. AC Radiators in Greenacres if it's not too far for you. Google them. Chris will repair, clean out or completely recore anything that looks like a radiator. He cleaned out, repaired a leak and repainted mine for $95. He also said he could rebuild it like new for around $300 if that's what I wanted.

Testamony to Bella's toughness, still running, not much water and in the red at 100 kph !!

B.

Update time, been busy ..

Firstly made a replacement parcel shelf for sound system (not driving across the country with only the exhaust and wind to keep me sane ).



Second, thanks everyone for the oil fitting info here is a picture of the installed T-junction with sender and gauge line installed.



Now need some advice ...
It's been nigh on t ??? (not going to say) years since I did universal joints and I can't blumin' remember what order to install them in so it makes it easy.
So is it the floppy ends first then the tailshaft or the tailshaft first and the floppy bits last ?



Still waiting for radiator to come back, got to make front kick panels for speakers then mount stereo, install gauges in dash (oil press and temp), and a few other things ...
how many days left ????

Cheers
Rob

not enuff

tell me about it geoff.
was all going along easy, then had another "project" thrown in late last week, with only a week to get it all organised....
got 90% of it done this weekend (ohh, and had an emergency call out in the middle of it.... joy of joy.... some people shouldn't be allowed to operate machinery!!), and it will be over end of this week, then off to sydney on the 15th, racing Wal's Dick Johnson falcon at winton on the 16th, then off to coona on the 21st.... with normal, paying work jammed in the middle somewhere.
ohh, and i've still got alot of re-assembly to do on the race car to take it to coona yet....

rob.... as far as i know.... it doesn't matter which way they go in. is the same result either way.
and great minds think alike with ur speaker mount/parcel shelf mate! some 10mm MDF id the only way to go.
just remember to attach it really well to the steelwork under it, as the whole thing could vibrate. mine is screwed in 3 spots on each of the centre "ribs", and in 2 spots at each end near the C pillar. works well.

cheers!

Latest update on the front speakers.

The panels aren't covered that will be done later.
The sound is pretty good with all four pumping

Still got a fair bit of work to do, bit I'm still ticking things off my list.
Got radiator back, wasn't too bad after all, must have just been the water pump and lower radiator hose leaking pressure.
*Update: Radiator guy in Gawler bullshitted me, radiator was massively blocked, overheated all the way to Coona and back until it blew up*

Cheers
Rob

Well I reckon this will be the last update before I see everyone at the Nationals.

Well after getting duded with one of the uni joints and the other not having enough packing to stop the rollers falling out every-time you touched the thing I finally got the tail-shaft back in.
In the meantime I also finally did the conversion from side handbrake to center handbrake. I still have to take the front seat out to remove the old handbrake

Stereo in and it's LOUD. First time I tried it it blew the fuses
Rewired it directly to the battery through a relay and heavy duty fuse, no blown fuses now all the way up to window rattling volume ... oh wait that's not that loud in a small Bellett

Gauges, spotlight switch and GPS mount fitted into dashboard. Though it's not pretty it will suffice for the moment.
Sadly, i'm going to run out of time to finish the steering wheel horn and boss, I will have to make to with the ebay purchase instead.

What else ???
Radiator not too bad for a 40 year old (I think it has been replaced once before, it has a really old NatRad copper label affixed to the fins), back flushed and pressure tested, cap neck resoldered and she's as good as gold.
I managed to get another washer motor, not the right one though it's good enough to spray water on the roof
Changed wiper arms, still need new blades but at least they sit on the windscreen instead of flopping all over the show.

Looking forward to catching up with everyone at Coona.

Cheers
Rob

Sad news

Bella didn't make it home.
Broken windscreen and blown engine.

Still had a great time and enjoyed catching up with everyone.



Will post some more pictures a bit later.

Cheers
Rob

ooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh dear

what happened?

Not good news Rob.
Must say I feel a bit gutted for you in hearing it.
My little green monster had a fairly good run home after my brake issues in Coona.
I did limp into Brisbane with some new front wheel bearing noises though and bit of an unsettling clunking when turning left.
Otherwise I had a fabulous weekend with all involved.

Real sorry to see your trip ended the way it did.
How far from home did you get before it happened?

Stickman

Hey Rob, sorry to hear your news!!!
Looks like you were on Hay Plains or close near there by the photo??
Did the oil/fuel pump problem have any influence on the motor problem?

Take care, looks like some more work for you.
Dave M.

damn mate!
just spoke to dave and he told me what happened.....

DM, fuel pump was fine, but it popped a welch plug before Rob left Coona, so it was limp home trip at best, but never got that far....
the screen exploding is an added bummer tho.

bugger Rob, i guess were going to have to get that fixed before the next one!
hope you all made it safely home and im sure bella will be good as new soon. I will have to catch up soon and hear it all from you!

Thanks guys.

DM it was 70km approx from Balranauld when the screen went. We then forgot to top up the water, so ....
60km from Balranauld engine expired. (oil exiting from between head and block is never a good sign).

MrF we got home safe and well if a bit cramped for the last 700ks.

I guess in hindsight we might have been pushing her (Bella) a bit hard considering the issues.

Still I had a great time, I got Bella to the Nationals so everything else was a bonus

Cheers
Rob

Mate, your effort was a top one and worthy of any trophy going around. Almost need a hard-luck trophy for next time!

I'm glad following our phone conversation that this issue hasn't killed the love! Bella will live again!

Cheers,

Dave

Bad news Rob! That's terrible to see Bella dead on the Hay plain (I'm guessing?) but good to hear you guys got home safely.

Good luck with the tow back and if you need any bits to make Bella live again you know where we are...

Cheers,
R.

Well guys.
I sure was an interesting trip. All along the Bellett just didnt want to get there and back on its own steam.
As we continued to nurse it and encourage it home i did have a though as we went thru some roadworks that a Windscreen would be something that would stop us getting back home.
And it did!
The motor was very tired and a testament to how hardy these cars are, and that it made it to Coona was pretty amazing.
Reckon a 2nd hand motor will go into it with a new clutch etc and then Rob will have the time to re-build or retire the original motor.
Should be one or two of these kicking around in my shed.
Got to keep these cars on the road any way we can.

Balranald NRMA will get a visit real soon.