Davo

That's interesting, thanks very much. I removed the canister and converted the PCV system to having the airflow come from a hose connected to the bottom of the air filter housing, then to the back of the block, and left the rocker cover breathers as is. Everything is new, so there shouldn't be any dirt or blockages. It hasn't changed the odd AFR readings and there is quite the vacuum from the oil filler. I actually found an Oz-spec canister online so I ordered it and will see if that helps.

So my V8, (with carbies and distributor), has been running strangely, (even for something with carbies and distributor), and during the usual swearing methodical investigations I've discovered that the engine will just about stall if I cover the pipe at the bottom of the charcoal canister in the engine bay. The strange running problem has been apparently something to do with too much air getting in, giving me a lean mixture, according to my AFR gauge, when on town roads and when slowing down, so I've been going through the whole air intake system. Oddly enough if I clamp the hose going from this canister to the back of the engine block, nothing happens. It's only a recent problem, so I wonder if the charcoal has disintegrated, allowing air through and into the engine. Pretty much the entire engine is standard, so it's been a battle to work out what original type part has been causing this. I seem to have a dim memory of this canister being disconnected when I got the car, so I guess the next stop is to convert back to the crankcase venting these had originally.

I'm as picky as some of you guys but have had to really rein myself in over the years. Things just got out of hand and took forever. It depends on what you're doing - a full restoration for the enjoyment of it, or something which needs to be on the road and used. A few rules for rebuilds are that everything takes much longer than you'd ever guess; the thing you've rebuilt will never look as good again as the moment it's finished; and before you know it, ten years or so have passed and the thing is old again.

I learned the hard way about this and used to buy things one at a time. Now I know that having a set means I'll be ready for the next time - and if you do your own work, there will be a next time!

I'd bet almost anything that within our lifetimes this will become normal again . . . okay, maybe with a 3D printer, but still . . .

Well, I've never heard of anyone better than Turner Engineering for engines, and I think they have a workshop, (which is someone else's business), they recommend for installing their engines. I think you're right about getting it done now, as in a year who knows what Customs queues you'll wind up with.

Not being familiar with powerful vehicles, I must ask if it is normal for the body of the car to wobble around so much?

I hate to think of how many perfectly good tools are lying around, (or thrown out!), just because the batteries are no good. I've got three cordless drills that are either unused or are being nursed along with eBay batteries.

Maybe you need a new business to work on your car, too? It sounds like they struggled with the details on this one . . . Would rivnuts be the best way to mount a filter guard?

Have a look for a chroming business and see what they say. I know they can be re-chromed.

You are dead right with those last three lines. Nowadays, I've noticed that there are two kinds of people from the way they respond to the mess in my carport: those who get it, and those who appear to be slightly panicked because they've suddenly landed on another planet and can't figure out what they're looking at. Which is very entertaining. Though up here, being in the bush, Fred's sort of skills are still very much in use outside of the towns.

There's a reason these things were built with a lot of slotted holes and shim spacers!

Good point!

I had to admit how sloppy my driving was when I started working as a car driving instructor. I was never taught very well in the first place and it just went downhill from there. However, once I had to learn properly and then actually teach properly it made a very welcome improvement. I haven't taught for a few years now but I still nag myself! So if that's been the case for me, it supports recurrent training for everybody. But can you imagine trying to sell that to the public . . .

I'm planning on doing the same thing with my RRC, and I also know damned well that it would be a good opportunity to fix whatever rusty horror I find underneath the body panels as well.