Now … I have a friend named ‘Pete’, (don’t we all) :o) whom I have known for 17 years. At first, it was only through work and my travel as a recently ‘qualified’ engineer that kept me in regular contact with him. I was an engineering ‘associate’ with very little experience in the mining game in the 90’s, but Pete took me under his ‘wing’ on many occasions and showed me how to pull down and rebuild many pumps. In a previous life, Pete was a mechanic and worked for a small dealership less than an hour from where he lives now. So no, that apple has not fallen far from his tree. In the mid 2000’s we both moved into larger homes … but … his ‘man cave’ is a little more spacious than mine. Now,
in his previous life, Pete has rebuilt many of the engines that we consider ’classics’ today and the Holden ’red motor’ probably being the most famous Australian that he has ‘re-built’.
It has been many, many drinks since he had rebuilt a red-motor, so I have taken up his offer to help me start this restoration … and things tend to move along when you have help (or company). I know how I operate and I know that if I want the restoration to move at a reasonable pace, then there needs to be an incentive. I have decided to take the offer of a warm dry (well lit) place to rebuild the 186. (In case you’re wondering … no my shed does not have lighting yet, it’s one of the jobs I’ll get to … soon. Besides, it is always better working with someone, as it promotes a sense of commitment rather than … “ … hey, I’ll do it next weekend”.
Pete lives about 150km south of Perth, but I have reason to travel, weekly, in his direction and it means when I am away, there is a reason for me to stop in for a day or so (a weekend or two) and rebuild the engine at Pete’s. He is now as keen as I am, to see the project on the road, besides his wife spoils me whenever I stay over. What better reasons are there to get moving?
I have thought about this for a while and a few people may suggest that I am doing things the wrong way around … maybe. If I started with the bodywork first … I know I will take my time. If the engine is completed first, then I know that I cannot let the engine sit around on the engine stand, for years, waiting for the body work to be finished. So, there is a condensed timetable I MUST work to … there is my incentive! If I take too long, I may wreck the engine, if it stands around too long and not run (in).
Right let’s see what condition she’s in …
Ok, I pulled the engine out, drained the oil and gave her a good wash with copious amount of degreaser and a stiff brush …
… to get as much of the oil and grime that had built up over the last … 20? years.
I got the red to Pete’s and after a bit of a clean-up (it was as good a reason, as any, to clean-up the shed) … we bolted the engine to the stand … that I actually built 15 years ago to hold the engine out of my Alfa Romeo, when I thought it was going to need some work. The Alfa rebuild never happened (which is why the stand is still white … eek!) . The red is now ready for a complete strip down. Hope you like the nostalgic (B&W) photo in Pete’s shed. I think it looks period … :oP
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