Fordy

There has just been the opening of a new one in the town 25km up the road from me attached to "The Bend Motorsport Park" in Tailem Bend South Australia. This is around an hour's drive up a freeway from the capital city of Adelaide. This is the only dragstrip in South Australia, and we have not had one since the 1990's when the one at Adelaide International Raceway was closed down. The opening was a 2-day event and attendance far outstripped the expectations of the organizers. The whole complex has been a pet project for one of South Australia's wealthiest businessmen and looks like it is going to make him a hell of a lot richer. Steve

Full agreement with this statement. I get more benefit from this online platform than my real-world club. Thanks to all participants and administrators /moderators who keep it ticking along nicely. Steve

People here may want to look up the Australian Chrysler Royal. It was based on early Plymouth body shell with different fenders and other cosmetic changes. Also Australian Valiants and how they differ from those in the US. Also, the Aussie Ford falcons - essentially what the US market got with minor alterations. Steve

Pommy is Australian slang for British. The rest of your explanation makes sense when stated clearly. Thanks Frank. Steve

What TerryB said. The thing that beats me is Pommy fuse ratings. With my Triumph Spitfire I continually get told to up the Amp rating from that specified "as they use a different system" I stick with what the specs are because as an electrician I believe that an Amp is an internationally defined unit and not something to be messed with unless you want a fire. Steve

I may be wrong, but I would suspect that they would more likely be 5/16 UNF based on experience with other makes. Remove the cover and measure the combined thickness of the cover, the diff + gasket and the spring washer then add on 1/8" and that should work out ok. Steve

Bhigdog - I hope you are bracing for the inrush of challenges heading your way! Nice that you get a pat on the back and some praise - mostly this is usually left unsaid. Steve

Australia had its Holden cars (GM) and their 1963 EJ was basically a carry over of the mechanicals of their first offering in 1948 with different front suspension and bodywork. The EJ was replaced in 1964 by the EH which offered a new engine and some other improvements and tweaked the styling of the older EJ to a more pleasing look. They followed that with a new body in '65 which again was the same mechanicals as the previous model. They designated this as the HD which was jokingly referenced as "horrible design". In 1966 they released the HR "hastily rectified" with slight restyling of front fenders and rear taillights - still essentially the same mechanicals but different capacity engines on offer. This also was the first time a 4 speed (Opel) box and disc brakes was offered. I personally prefer the FJ Holden series that was an appearance upgrade on their first the 48-215 (or FX in popular culture). The EH was a far more pleasing car to look at than the EJ it replaced, and the newer engine gave superior performance. The HR over the HD purely for aesthetic reasons - I recently sold one that I had because I preferred the previous 2 mentioned above. I have an FJ "ute" or pickup as you Yanks call them that I call my "scrap heap challenge" - nearly there but for upholstery and wiring. Steve

Yes, and it still haunts me - a 1920's V12 Packard Hearse. This was at the height of the panel van craze in the '70s and mum and dad refused to let me bring it home so it went elsewhere as I could not store it. Boy I wish I had that thing - the body was eventually scrapped, and it was turned back into a limousine I believe. Steve

if the switch is a direct replacement for what is changed then a wire is on the wrong side of the switch. This is allowing power to pass in park and neutral but not when in another position. The affected wiring will need to be moved to the permanent hot side of the switch. Steve

We have a plater here in Adelaide South Australia who used to be my default based on the quality of the work done. They have "lost the plot" and now return substandard work and charge top dollar for it and expect a happy customer. People talk and people walk. I am wondering just how much longer they will be around when the competition is better, cheaper and a faster turnaround. Steve

Top of the radiator on that Albion is flat whereas this one is peaked. Trust the caption on the photograph and call it a Leyland. A little bit of research should reveal who ran tours or a passenger service between Lismore and Tenterfield in that time period and the vehicles used. The distance is 108 miles and in the 1920's "Coles service cars" ran Hudsons and Essex for the route. Steve

I have put it up here before but 12 generator brush springs US to Australia - regular with no priority or insurance cost me $85US. To put that in perspective if I stuffed myself into a crate and flew in the cargo hold, and they charged gram for gram the flight would be around the $500,000 mark. Stopped buying from non-domestic vendors since then unless they tell me what I am getting charged to ship up front. Steve

The random guy rolling up and taking the lot is most likely an "entrepreneur" who is hoping to on sell at crazy prices. I seldom charge for parts if I know that the person seeking them has a genuine need or interest other than in a $ value. The only parts I sell are those that I have invested time and money into refurbishing and again - only to someone other than a random. I regularly get "gifted" starters and generators by people I do rewinds for as they know I will either use the parts if incomplete or assemble a good working unit or 2 from them for offering as exchange. Steve

And I bet like other auction firms they add on a "buyers premium" that adds on 20-30% to the hammer price charged to the purchaser. Bunch of rogues if you ask me - private sales sees both parties with a better deal and cuts out the vulture in the middle. Steve

1926 Hupmobile A series rumble seat coupe - missing some parts and in need of work but "purchased" less than 10 years ago for a carton of beer. Hopefully the new year will see me making a start on getting it going as I now have scrounged the majority of the required parts. It turns out that there is only one other of these surviving in Australia and that is in Tasmania. Back in the '70s I would regularly buy a car or two for a few bucks ($50 or less) just to get a couple of good parts and scrap the rest. Those scrapped ones would be $5-10k cars now! Steve

Unfortunately, no Hupp related gifts for me. The aerodynamics are a rare beast here in Australia and I would gladly have one if Santa could get it down the chimney (of course he can - he uses magic). That engine is outwardly the same as the one I have for my '26A when I get around to working on it in the new year. I have a couple of other cars to sort out first to free up the hoist - my Triumph Spitfire with a bung clutch and a friends Nissan that needs the power steering hose changed. Once they are done it will be full steam ahead on the Hupp - apart from "paying" jobs that breeze in from time to time. (and the routine maintenance on my R series cars and the other 3 classics) Safe New Year all Steve

Wishing all fellow Hupp enthusiasts, a happy Christmas and a prosperous new year. Steve Ford

This year too I am without some treasured friends and loved family. A much quieter year but one of dads last statements was "well I'm off on life's last great adventure" - That he went off on that journey well and in good spirits comforts me and I know he is here in all our hearts just as the spirit of your wife remains with you in yours this season. Best wishes Steve

Should be the same deal where if the wires are unsoldered, they will pull out allowing new ones to be fitted up. Steve

I have done similar ones before where they are dismantled by unsoldering the connector contacts that mate and pass voltage to the matching part. I then used new wire and re se soldered them with some help from a pal who kept the spring depressed until it cooled enough to release. Steve

try here Frontpage - Vintage & Classic Reproductions (vintageandclassicreproductions.com) Nothing obvious in their Plymouth section but it wouldn't hurt to make an enquiry. Steve

And a very Mery Christmas to all participants here on this forum and AACA members. Steve Ford.

Hinges are the same as user on my early 20's Hupps so I don't believe the answer lays there. (same hinges on Chrysler and other bodies by T J Richards in Australia) The rear doors look like they curve up and into the rear panel of the front seat. Unfortunately a very generic looking set of doors that could be off any number of cars and very little to go by in gaining an identity. Steve

Thanks "Oldtech", I am going to do these over the Christmas break. I will use the thicker (1mm dia.) wire at 10 turns - as per the majority. I may even do one of each of the different connections and run some bench tests to see if there is any real difference. Possibly even "lap wind" one where the windings spread over 2 slots. I am sure the designers went thru all this, but they would have also gone the "easiest and works" route. Steve