| Author | Message | ||
     David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 3616 Registered: 04-2003 |
Vladimir's tip of the day: My next Pano [Panel Van] is being prepared. This time its a 1984 Holden WB, the last of the true Holden's and last of the true Holden Panel Vans, (ugly but flimsy Commodore muck aside.) A Pano is of vital importance to the saving of $1,000 of dollars if you are going to travel Australia and do not wish to be soundly fleeced by motels and caravan parks. One can sleep very comfortably in a Pano. Avoiding the park rangers/council parking inspectors etc who are employed to herd you like cattle into the nearest motel by way of eye-watering on the spot fines etc for camping is an art form which I have perfected but that's another story. This Pano when finished will run a 350 V8 Chevrolet engine with a 6 speed Tremec manual gearbox. Previous model Holden Panos could have been ordered with a 350 Chev engine and a 4 speed manual transmission but would now cost a fortune and I have never seen nor heard of one anywhere. The largest V8 in WBs was the Aussie 308 by special order only. Parts to repair these now are priced absurdly to cater for the stupid. I bought this Pano for a carton of rum and cola ($80 AUD). Originally it was a 202 blue six cylinder in line 4 speed manual. I have had, regardless of it being a rust bucket, countless offers to purchase it for many times what I paid for it. I spotted nice one a while back for around $250,000 (1/4 million). But sensibly priced ones move for 30 to 50 grand and if it does not have hidden rust that in itself would be a miracle. From 1972 to 1984 all Holden Panos came with a full quite solid chassis. Now the yak about the auto trans fluid. I will never toss out used ATF out again. The bottom tailgate hinges are solid affairs, steel and just under 1/4 inch thick. The hinge bits ie the eye-holes and pins also steel may have been coated at the factory with anti seize - I don't know but after 34 years and perhaps being parked under a mango tree for.a decade and treated with monsoonal rain, acidic bird droppings and many summers of insane North Queensland - Florida type humidity these hinges were that seized they may as well been stick or mig welded together. I really thought of drilling them apart and then machining up new pivot pins. These hinges are now "rocking horse excreta" rare and would command hideous prices if available. I dropped them into a plastic Tupperware container of auto trans fluid two months ago and forgot them. Today I retrieved them, put them in the vice and smashed them back and forward and in minutes they came back to life pretending they were never seized. Then I put them back into the ATF awaiting the grinding and drilling out of rusted fasteners and jagged rusted remnants of the long deceased tailgate which took a half day of swearing, labour and sweat to remove being jammed shut. A word of warning on the Tupperware. If you have a Minister of WAR don't use the Tupperware because it's the same as looking or even going near the kitchen knives or the clothes scissors and the screams will be deafening demanding infinite compensation. The above methodology would work on any RR/B rusted part." I have found Molasses is also very effective for rust removal without damaging what sound steel/cast iron remains - just put the items to be derusted into a container of pure Molasses and let time do the rest [4-6 weeks or more for heavily rusted items]. Old machinery and engine restorers are big users of this technique and a quick search will provide more information and examples of what can be achieved. . | ||
| Alan Dibley Frequent User Username: alsdibley Post Number: 229 Registered: 10-2009 |
I remember a comment somewhere on his forum that a 50-50 mixture of ATF and acetone/thinners is the dog's bo****ks. I guess it helps the penetration, but this doesn't do rust removal. Alan D. | ||
| Jim Walters Frequent User Username: jim_walters Post Number: 295 Registered: 01-2014 |
I have been using the 50/50 acetone and ATF mixture for years to loosen seized bolts, nuts etc. It works better in my opinion than any of the commercially available products. Someone did a test of various penetrating oils and the torque values needed to loosen bolts after soaking in the various products, the article was floating around the net on various car forums some time ago. The 50/50 mix needed the least torque to free a rusted bolt. Molasses works best if it is allowed to ferment. I use Sodium Gluconate as a de-ruster which is fermented sugar and basically the same thing as fermented molasses. Low voltage DC will speed up the process. Cheaper molasses for horse feed can be mixed with water rather than buying jars in the grocery store. SRH8505 SRC18015 SRE22493 NAC-05370 www.bristolmotors.com | ||
| Alan Dibley Frequent User Username: alsdibley Post Number: 230 Registered: 10-2009 |
Quote: "Cheaper molasses for horse feed can be mixed with water rather than buying jars in the grocery store." Nice tip - I like it 'cos I'm a cheap-skate, too and I don't think Sainsburys sells molasses, but I'll check. Alan D. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 3619 Registered: 04-2003 |
Alan, Any rural region farm supply store should stock bulk molasses for feeding livestock; cattle love it. Any cattle farmers amongst our members may be interested in how molasses is used in Australia for keeping cattle alive during droughts until the "flooding rains" arrive: https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/agriculture/disaster-recovery/drought/managing/fortified-molasses-for-survival-feeding-of-beef-cattle . |
