I like the 13s as well , my current xm rides on 13'' dragways and is lowered 2'' all round and runs the origional drum brakes.
As for the way they drive with standard brakes well that depends on the nut behind the wheel next to u , i used to drive my Zephyr to the city everyday and that was an experience

My XP im curently (slowly) restoring atm was a daily driver with standard XP drum brakes.
They worked ok with the 221 it had in it.
(it had the 170 air filter / rocker cover to disguise it as a 170)
They are by no means perfect, but they stop lol

Hi All,

An update after the three day holiday for "Australia Day". Here in Perth we had three days over 41 degrees C.

Starting on the finish and trim of the XL. Spent Friday cleaning and prepairing the boot for painting. Needed to fit "Falcon" script on the rear left and right as well as the stainless steel strips (and clips) so I could paint inside. Also fitted the F A L C O N to the rear. Main reason was to keep the paint inside and not have to mask up the holes. Attached all the clips with Sikaflex 252 after cleaning and pasivate zinc plating. After masking the inner surface was prepared with two coats of etch primer followed by two coats of primer surfacer and finally three coats of the interior Pearl Blue.

Left the petrol tank out so I could stand inside. The petrol tank had previously be finished on the under surfaces with etch primer and Ford Blue engine enamal.

Fitted the tank again using the 252 sealer and then painted the top of the tank pearl blue.

Spent Sunday morning wiring up the tail lights, stop, lights, indicators, number plate light and the fuel gauge sender. (have spare wires for boot light and reversing light under the side cover for later. - maybe)

Photos also on

http://picasaweb.google.com/westaussies ... veXLFalcon

Regards

Steve

 

 

Attachments:

File comment: Stainless steel attachment clips pacivated zinc plated and fixed on with Sikaflex 252. XL_e.jpg [ 112.72 KiB | Viewed 529 times ]

File comment: Falcon Script fitted with black double sided tape and speed nuts XL_d.jpg [ 146.03 KiB | Viewed 501 times ]

File comment: Rear with letters held on wither black double sided tape and speed nuts XL_c.jpg [ 168.01 KiB | Viewed 580 times ]

File comment: Back right with fuel gauge sender wire. XL_b.jpg [ 161.52 KiB | Viewed 516 times ]

File comment: Back left with new cover board XL_a.jpg [ 156.22 KiB | Viewed 525 times ]

Hi All.

It’s been four weekends since my last confession (err update). That is eight solid days of working on the 1963 XL.

What has been achieved..

Windscreen Wipers. The original ones were vacuum which I was not very fond of so I have upgraded them to electric by installing a 1965 set out of an XP Falcon. The linkage, was much the same but with the electric motor and the two speed switch. I rebushed the two pivots as all the ones I could source were pretty worn, what you would expect for 40 odd years. Bored them out and bushed them with a bronze sleeve. Should last another 40 years…

Heater. I managed to get two 1965 XP heaters on Ebay. Mechanically they were both reasonable but both the heater cores were rotted out. My local radiator repair shop recored one for me. The rest of the heater just needed a clean up. The heater tap I replaced with an after market universal type and after a little cutting and brazing it does the trick. The two air boxes needed a bit of attention. The air inlet for the heater is via the left air box. This I replaced with the XP unit as well as the original XL was not fitted with a heater (or demister) so there was no provision for the heater air. The air box door seals, originally out of foam had crumbled away to nothing. I tried to cut out some nice closed cell foam as replacement but was too difficult. None were available so I drew up the shape and got a cutting die made. This was about $120, and for two seals this was more than I could handle so I made 10 sets and sold them on Ebay for $20 a set. GRIN…

Air Conditioner. I managed to get hold of an original 1964 Smiths under dash air conditioner unit. This I have modified by turning the fan assembly up side down and with some custom built brackets mounted the unit at an angle in the centre in front of the heater unit. It is a tight squeeze but its fits. I will need to put in two small dents in the tunnel to give clearance for the carpet. Will need to also put two condensate drains through the top of the tunnel.

The Pointy End. I have now fitted the two front guards. The trims were cleaned and polished and the “Birdsâ€￾ got a tough of gold. A new radio aerial and the original “New Old Stockâ€￾ mud flaps were fitted. The front bumper and the park/indicator lights were fitted and connected. The eyebrow stainless steel trims were dressed out and re-polished. The headlight surrounds were a bit pitted but polished up OK. The grill had a few scars but with a few hours work came up looking good. The bumper had suffered a bit of damage on both ends and the chrome was also lifting in places. The bumper therefore required repair and re-chroming. In the attached photos you can see the installation of the air conditioning condenser. Some of the radiator surround needed to be cut away to allow access to the connecting pipes. The center support needed the back edge straightened to allow the condenser to fit. A custom mount under the condenser supports the weight and the top is attached to the radiator support. Still need to mount the air conditioner receiver/dryer and the radiator expansion tank, both in the same location. Will probably relocate the horn relay and use that position for the receiver dryer.

All is just about ready for the fitting of the motor and transmission….

Oh and I still have the doors to do. Been hoping that I might find some with out any rust but all the ones I have seen have MORE rust than mine.

Cheers

Steve

 

 

Attachments:

File comment: Smiths Air Conditioner under the dash XL_25.jpg [ 154.32 KiB | Viewed 496 times ]

File comment: Condenser from the inside with cut aways for hoses XL_24.jpg [ 138.35 KiB | Viewed 540 times ]

File comment: A/C Condenser and modified fron stay. XL_22.jpg [ 264.87 KiB | Viewed 533 times ]

File comment: LHS, Bird and Mud flap XL_21.jpg [ 211.85 KiB | Viewed 494 times ]

File comment: Pointy end starting to look good XL_20.jpg [ 219.64 KiB | Viewed 485 times ]

Nicely done dude, nice. Keep up the good work. Heres a pic of my old girl, that I still have but its in pieces now on a second rebiuld. I bought it in 1986, biult it, finnished it in 1990. pulled it apart again in 97, and still that way. Its a 1962 Valiant SV1.

 

 

Attachments:

My first car, the SV1 Valiant.jpg [ 391.3 KiB | Viewed 525 times ]

any progress?

this must be close to being finished now?!

Hi All,


The XL project is getting on but still some way to go. The motor is in but had a lot of problems with the extractors I had. They would not fit and hit the side of the engine compartment. I think they must be of an XT or XW which has the wider engine bay. Still looking for another set of extractors over here in the west.

Rear mount on the gearbox was als a bit of a problem as I had the later gerabox behind the 221 motor. Ended up getting an XW cross member and cutting up the XL and the XW cross member mounts and fabricating it into one unit.

Will put up some more pics soon.

XFSteve

Hi All,

First update since last May. I thought I had retired but someone made me an offer I could not refuse, so I have been working "full time" again. Sure messes up your hobbies.....

Got a bit done though. The rear mounting proved a bit of a problem. Had to make a pair of adapter plates, pick up all 4 mounting bolt holes on either side and bolted the XW cross bar to it. Powercoated it black and bolted it up into position. This put the handbrake pivot point back about 100mm from the original position. The result was the rear handbrake cable was about 200mm too long. Turned up an end and silver soldered (SBA245) it on in the correct position and then cut off the excess cable. The remaining problem is the front outer cable is about 50mm short. The inner cable is new so is plent long enough so will probably turn up a solid adapter to extend the outer. See photos below.

Managed to make a set of extractors but had problem with clearance from the starter motor. The solenoid stuck out in the 10 O'clock position. Visited the friendly auto electrics shop and found a end body with the solinoid in the 12 O'clock position and rebuilt the starter motor into this end body. All fitted up well. Photos later.

Anyway weather starting to bet better so will move along a bit faster.

Cheers

Steve

 

 

Attachments:

Rear_Mount_1.jpg [ 135.69 KiB | Viewed 459 times ]

Handbrake_3.jpg [ 225.45 KiB | Viewed 482 times ]

Handbrake_2.jpg [ 151.9 KiB | Viewed 434 times ]

Handbrake_1.jpg [ 172.25 KiB | Viewed 517 times ]

steve you are doing an exelent job keep up the good work .im going to show my wife these photos. i want to rebuild one of these models aswell . good luck

Hi All,

Have been a bit slack in updating this project. Been a bit hot, etc, you know the excuses.

Anyway have had to rebuild the four doors. They are all done now, painted and fitted. Window bottom strip with the regulator "TEE" slot proved to be a problem. All were rusted out and could not get any deceint ones sooooo, had to make them. Also dismantled the window regulators, bored our the handle spindle pressing and inserted a brass top hat bush and silver soldered it in. Assembled the two halves and reamed them to suit the handle spindle. The spindles had little wear but the pressings were worn oval. Once finished, lubricated and assembled, they work "better" than new. The glass slides effortlessly up and down in the new bailley channel.

Anyway I will take some more photos and post them.

As 'they' say, the first 75% of a restoration takes 25% of the time, the remaining 25% takes .......

 

 

Attachments:

IMG_2389.JPG [ 102.5 KiB | Viewed 457 times ]

IMG_2390.JPG [ 205.6 KiB | Viewed 477 times ]

Hi Again,

Went out and took some more pictures. As you can see the doors are on but have the windscreen to go in yet.

Also some pictures of the engine compartment. The aircleaner says 170 but of course it is a 221.

 

 

Attachments:

IMG_2399.jpg [ 177.06 KiB | Viewed 492 times ]

IMG_2398.jpg [ 166.71 KiB | Viewed 508 times ]

Hi All,
Back again after a short break of 7 or 8 years. Time does go quickly. Took me ages to find the 'post' after all this time.

Nothing was done to the XL since the last post in 2007 except pay the licence. And of course, the paint deteriorated under the cover and spiders built a profusion of webs and nests. No excuses except for going back to work and now General Manager of the company. Oh and had a hip replacement last September.

Started work again on the XL last Christmas. Spent 2 weeks cleaning up and sorting out. All the paintwork had worn through on the corners under the cover. All the front suspension rubbers had rotted away (??). Have now started to do some constructive work. Have replaced ALL rubbers with red Nolathane including the tie rod ends (from redonesgofaster) and front and rear suspension joints. Put all new (again) front and rear brake wheel cylinders and braided flexible hoses. Fitted VH44 brake vac booster to the front brakes with the servo unit under the front right guard. Replaced all brake piping. Fitted anti sway bar (22mm) to the rear suspension. Fitted a 2" stainless steel exhaust system which required the rebuilding of the gearbox support cross member with a hole through it.

Fitted new battery and fired up the motor 9 years after I put it together. After priming the fuel and filling the carburetor started straight away. Have to work out how to adjust the hydraulic tappets. Can not remember what I did 9 years ago. Left hand doors managed to rust out again so got new skins front and back. Took off the "new" shock absorbers, wire buffed them back to raw metal, primes and painted them. Cleaned down the underside of the vehicle and gave it another (and final) coat of Hi Gloss Epoxy Black. Front bumper had blistered and pealed so got that re chromed.

Now to start again with the body work. Have welded up the radio antenna hole in the right front guard and will fit new power antenna into left guard. Fit new skins to the left doors and we are ready to prep and paint.

I will post some pictures soon.

Cheers

XFSteve (Oh, sold the XF 6 years ago and now the only Ford I have is the XL)