From my limited understanding you replace the bearing retainer part on the front of the T5 with the B series hydro' part and are away laughing - No clutch fork any more.

The pipes etc etc could possibly be put through a E series bellhousing if you're that way inclined.

Hey Josh

Great to hear from you again and many thanks for the kind words.

Cheers
BenJ

Trials, Tribulations and Tunes

I love my Wagon. I love my Wagon. I love my Wagon. If I keep saying this, it will be nice to me. Really, it will.

But sometimes my Wagon really likes to stretch the relationship.

I was being nice to the Wagon. After giving the new rotors not so long ago, I thought I could detect the faint rumble of a wheel bearing, and decided to check the bearings for play, as that can happen after things bed in.

When I was pulling of the left front wheel, I noticed a chip in the paint. Not the first one, and I expect more, and even have a paint pen to touch up such issues.

Then I noticed this.


f**k NOOOOOOOOOO!

Maybe it is just the paint!!!!! Yeah!!! That is what it is. Has to be!!!!

Hmmmm, I will check out the back of the spoke.

BUGGER!!!


I really was not happy. After all the time I invested in tracking down a single rim, stripping and painting them, only to have another rim crack was really disappointing. I decided right then, to move away from the CSA Prowlers. I have seen multiple sets on Ebay with at least one rim cracked, and I have had two crack within 13 months of each other.

The real issue for me is that in two weeks time, we are driving the Wagon up to the Sunshine Coast in QLD for holidays and Christmas with my Family.

Luckily I knew a local Fordmods member with a set of 17s up for grabs cheap. A quick phone call secured them, and I pick them up on Tuesday. Once they are fitted I will put up some pics and details.

******************************************************************

On a much brighter note, as indicated above, my family and I are heading up to QLD for a few weeks over Christmas.

We are leaving on the 19th Dec and will be returning on the 5th Jan. Lucky me then has an additional two weeks leave to play with the BA engine. (I hope to get it installed in the test car and make a good start on the wiring)

At one point last year I got ripped off by a dodgy ebay seller when I bought a NO NAME DVD STEREO.

I ended up putting it up on a shelf thinking that one day I might risk some $$$ on it to see if it could be repaired. It has collected an impressive amount of dust.

With the long trip from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast coming up, I talked to my wife about taking it in to get looked at, and also of the option of a new one. The prices in these has dropped significantly, and I have found a local seller that I can pick up from, giving me someone to pound on if this one also died. In addition the unit I was interested in is an 'eonon' branded item, and they have a website etc with specs, manuals and pictures of installs etc, giving me a bit more faith. SWC has also had an 'eonon' double din player for a few years and has been very happy with his.

But the price was the final deciding factor. For $209 pick up, I wouldn't be risking a lot of money.

This is the unit I bought eonon d2208

It does about everything bar GPS. I now have a stand alone Navman GPS.

Enough talk, more pics.



We also have a couple of portable 12v 10inch screens for my kids to use in the back seat, so I ran a video out cable and installed a 12v socket on the back of the console area.



Not many choices to mount this sort of thing, but in this location it is out of the way, but easily accessible by myself as well as back seat passengers.

Currently doing a couple of other odd jobs in preparation for the trip, and will update soon.

Cheers
BenJ

lovin the wagon build

only one major thing that puts me off........ passenger & driver's airbags are the most basic safety feature in cars these days & are a MUST in my opinion, and i would hate to see that metal 'racing' steering wheel carve your head like a roast in the event of something unfortunate

I understand your concern, but, this model Falcon did not have even an option of airbags. 4 years too old. First Falcon with airbags was the EF in late 94.

Some have retrofitted the airbag system along with the dash conversion, but, there are issues there as well. The front of the EB is very different structurally to an EF/EL and the crumple zones are likely to be completely incorrect for proper air bag release.

Cheers
BenJ

Last edited by BenJ on Sat Dec 04, 2010 9:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Not to mention you dont have to deal with a crappy E series steering wheel

Shame about the rims after all the work you put in em mate. The rest might look good on a trailer. One made out of the a** end of a wagon.

That's a hellova shame to read about another rim cracking! You have not hit any potholes of late have you? If so, send the local council a bill for the rim & tyre.

Pitty they crack, they are sexy rims. It's making me worry about using my set now.

Cheers

ToranaGuy

Damn shame, they are a nice wheel, and your extra work made them real nice.
Now I don't feel so happy with mine.....better check them out - fingers crossed. Anyone know if they are repairable in any way?

Yes, they can be repaired.

But, at around the $150 mark for them to be welded, then the need to smooth the weld on the visible face, repaint the rim, then find you have to paint the other 3 so they all match, it isn't cost effective by any description.

Then, there is the possibility that the rim you just got repaired is now more likely to crack again on either side of the repair.

Last time I sourced a good second hand for $120, but they are not all that easy to locate.

This is the reason I have elected to move on to a different set of rims.

Cheers
BenJ

After following this thread constantly (and with great interest as a wagon lover myself) i am yet to see a turbo set up on this vehicle?(did i miss something?) I did read of future plans of turbo- but no set up as of yet?

No I just thought I read somewhere Ben is planning to put the BA turbo setup in the wagon at some point after the DOHC install.

Ben you have the manifold already?

Mate i aint doubting he wants to turbo it in the future.(dont we all.lol) i just hoped i hadnt missed the stage where he set it up-cause i will copy that.lol

its all good~

Hmmm! seems a shame indeed with the rims Ben but you can't put up with that kinda crap - you never know when they might just collapse, glad to hear you've moved on seemingly without too much pain!

if you look back a few pages you will see that i sold him a XR6T manifold and dump pipe.. i also have a heap of BA XR6T gear here he might be keen on when he gets up here in a few weeks

Love your work Ben. Coming along nicely there. The DOHC route is begging at me. But I think i will buy a BA and save all the hassle they are getting cheaper these days.