Update Report!

Today included a trip to Pick N Payless to pick up a few odds and ends. I needed to get a rear handbrake cable from an EL Wagon, but while there I also managed to find two EL swaybar links with Nolathane bushes. The EF/EL swaybar links are much thicker than the EB ones.

One of my long term plans is to convert the rear brakes to EF/EL. This will allow the floor mounted handbrake to operate correctly. To facilitate this, Snap is welding the handbrake brackets from an EL to the EB diff housing. I have all the bits I need, except for EF/EL rear brake rotors, so if anyone in Sydney wants to donate a pair, please don't hold back.

So while Snap was busy under the car welding I decided to have a bash at home panel beating.

So with the careful use of my size 10 foot, a 4 pound hammer and a block of wood I attacked the bent black bonnet. I really didn't like the red bonnet on the black car.

This is the result.

Before


After


Before


After


Before


After


I think a slightly bent black bonnet, blends in much better than a mostley straight red bonnet.

Plans for tomorrow are to complete the Dash swap.

Cheers
BenJ

The black bonnet looks a lot better now, at least you saved money on the export paint lol.

Will be looking forward to seeing how you go with the dash swap tomorrow

Josh

Nice work all round.

The Cluster lights look to be a very nice white. Does it have white LED's in it?

Cheers Josh. Have started pulling the dash out now.








Actually, yes it does - for the moment.


BenJ

Nice progress Ben, man those doors trims look beautiful in the black car.

:):)

holy crapola, not bad for a boot/sledge hammer panel beating job.

i know if i had tried to do it i would have ended up with ripples all up through the whole thing and made it worse than before

FINISHED!!!!!!

Well the EL interior anyway.

Even though this is my second conversion, and I have a pretty good idea what I was doing, it still took two full days from whoa to go.

As I was pulling the dash out, I noticed a burnt wire in the loom. So before I could start the conversion, I spent the better part of 3 hours, tracing it through the loom, unravelling, removing the wire, and running a replacement.

Then I could start the modding.

The EB1 Fairmont Ghia dash loom is a nicer fit to the EL dash than the EB11 Fairmont loom. It is less bulky in the main stem, which allowed me to tuck it away better in the EL dash.

For the most part the work went well.

The radio plug was spliced in rather dodgely, so I cut it off and resoldered it on.

Every button except the remote fuel flap button, had to be cut off and replaced with the EL equivalent, and then wires for illumination and dimming had to be added for most.

A couple of the Climate Control wires had to be changed about, and several pins added to the ECU Plug.

I also swapped in the EB11 Central Control Modual, so I could have the dimming lights feature, which is absent in the EB1.

While I was inside, studiously working away, Snap was finishing welding on the EL handbrake brackets to the diff housing, and then, as we decided to remove the Transmission Control Module, he built and ran a loom from the TCM Plugs accross to near the ECU plug. I will add the relevant pins over the next week and hook them up to the new loom.

The dash was actually ready to go back in late on Saturday night. Before it could go in however, a few things needed to be removed.

So after I struggled out of bed on Sunday morning, I removed the old EB handbrake assembly, the EB1 Cruise Modual and the EB1 centre dash bracket from the floor. This bracket is completely different to the EB11 and EL brackets, and wasn't able to be used. Snap and I modified the EB dash side pillar brackets to work with the EL dash side mounts. This provides plenty of support for the dash assembly. I also ran my loom for the BBM Switch and the Knock Sensor wires. Oh, and I had to custom fit a rocker switch to turn the LPG system on. It sits under the Fuel Flap release.

The fit up itself went quite well. By 6 PM the car was running. We drove up the road for some well deserved food. When we got back I noticed the instrument lights were not working. We decided to check it out in the morning. Oh, the other mishap was that I forgot to plug in the Blend Door Motor plug. So, we all know what that means DOH!!!! In a few days, OK.

Well, enough of the chit chat. PICS!!!





















I am very happy with the looks and more importantly, the extra functionality the last weeks work has added to the Wagon. I have a few extra bits and pieces to add to it over the next little while, but the modding will certainly slow down a bit.

Thanks for taking an interest.

Cheers
BenJ

Need i say Ben, you never cease to impress. It look stunning in the black car.

Andrew.

Mate,

You dont f**k about do ya??? Swap an interior, re-do dash elec's, what next......turbo....lol...

I'll check it out on friday, if that's ok.

f**k NICE!!!

Cheers

DA22LE

Now that is a unique wagon ben!

Bet it feels nice just to sit in it now.

Time to crack a few cold ones, sit back and look at your work!

Josh

I was just having another look at your dash pics ben.

Do you plan to change the switches for the windscreen wipers and indicators (i think you sydney boys call it repeaters) not that it realy matters, just thort i would ask lol

Josh

Well done benny, now about that cruise control form the EB, any chance of fitting it to my ED
Brett

The wagon is looking damn nice there Ben, well done and kudos to you! Isn't it great to A) be on holiday and B) be your own boss as the other half isn't there!

I am itching to get on with mine now, hopefully this week will be the starter. Even Rach is looking forward to the end result! I have my immediate work list on the pantry!

Catch up soon

Cheers
RD

Great effort. The car is looking good.
I could have helped you with a diff housing but you are too far away.

I have stripped my fairmont now so I have one stripped and one 3/4 stripped car. Next I will be starting the refitting with the complete wiring looms. I am even going to fit the extra sound deadening from the fairmont so the car will be nice and luxury quiet.

Snap, you still think the aftermarket central locking units are better, I am intrigued to know what it is you like about them? I have installed several kits over the years and found them to be rather cheap and nasty ... but functional...

I am however about to get serious with an electric window actuator reconstruction using denso motors and cables from a mitsubishi verada. I am hoping these are better than the rockwell units from the fords. They look very similar in design concept.

Thanks.




The factory ford units are well know for a high failure rate. Up here where it can get rather hot (over 40 today) and the locks just cycle up and down, instead of locking. Not to mention that god awful noise they make. My EB now locks and unlocks with dignity and style. as is befitting a Ghia. LOL


BenJ