Vauxhall VX 4/90 (FD)

[Spurious]

What a wonderful car. Looking forward to seeing more of it. It looks in remarkable condition. 

[Datsuncog]

Wow, that is simply MEGA!!

An FD in VX4/90 flavour is probably my ultimate dream car; I've been smitten by them since I was about 14 or so. Just a fantastically styled car, with such purposeful lines.

I missed out on a really clean blue one back in 2006, and prices have skyrocketed since then. Regrets.

Looking forward to seeing this one recommissioned and back on the road - and although others have said the same, if you're ever moving it on, do give me a shout...

[Low Horatio gearbox]

9 hours ago, High Jetter said:

This, many percents. If you're tempted otherwise, counselling is available. DO NOT PAINT, etc etc

100% that.  I'm not really one from deviation from stock as the manufacturer intended or close enough. There will be some work though but I'd like to save as much originality as possible .   Most of the stuff needing attention is low, low down so fix the rust there, and stabilise the other few bits higher up (lower rear window edge, and little bits here and there) leave the rest well alone and drive it.

14 hours ago, wuvvum said:

That is amazing!  Only thing is if I owned a car with that low a mileage I'd be reluctant to use it...

Maybe.. if it was mint possibly yes, but it deserves to see the  sunshine and feel the damp tarmac beneath its wheels!

[tooSavvy]

No one has murmured 'Randall & Hopkirk' 🤫

[ProgRocker]

Stunning! 💖 Coke bottle styled cars make me go all giddy. 🙂

There were plans to put a V8 into the FE series but the 1973 oil crisis put a halt to that. 

[Rocket88]

This was supposed to be under the hood..................

[Austat]

Very nice purchase! I do like these FDs.

[Low Horatio gearbox]

8 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Wow, that is simply MEGA!!

An FD in VX4/90 flavour is probably my ultimate dream car; I've been smitten by them since I was about 14 or so. Just a fantastically styled car, with such purposeful lines.

I missed out on a really clean blue one back in 2006, and prices have skyrocketed since then. Regrets.

Looking forward to seeing this one recommissioned and back on the road - and although others have said the same, if you're ever moving it on, do give me a shout...

 Duly noted.

And thanks for the thanks.. I've passed them all on to the GF.. she is the enabler!

 

Noted on the moving on.. it was the plan  all along to get her on the road and in 12 -18 months find a loving home and enjoy something else.

 

@Rocket88  that would have been amazing. I'll dig out the link but Vauxhall had a raft if 4 6 and 8 cylinders planned that got shelved. Tho.. even in it's out if tune state this one  has a fair amount if pep and if the gravel marks  in the tarmac acces road behind my garage are indicative probably has an LSD fitted (2 scrapey stripes not one)

 

Now.. I have take a brave/stupid pill and had a prod.  The dash top had a big ass baggy section and I realised I could see no demist vents. It's been covered. The covering and baggyness I could live with but not being able to demist the screen effectively (by 1970s standards.. 68 technically) would limit its use a lot... so...

 

The shiny is where I've not removed the glue yet, tho it is coming off it's a slow stick job (fun fact... the GF is annoyed with me I'm doing this as "I'll never get to work on her at this rate" so.. obvs I'll leave plenty for her to clean up with a rag and some mineral spirits 😂🤣👌)

Pretty good really.

Its had a crack and a repair. It isn't the worst but could have been better - or left  as fixerating these things now is possible without... dashboardwob(tm) and you can get near seamless repairs.

There is a crack in the top of the drivers doorcard too tho both front doorcards appear to be red underneath and also have ashtrays which this year 4/90 shouldn't have fitted ( possibly done before it left the Vauxhall pool or a  fix before it was laid up) both front ones are a bit warped anyway tho more than fine for now 🤷‍♂️

http://vauxpedianet.uk2sitebuilder.com/vauxhall-fd-94000---victor-vx490-ventora

 

Also.. excellent reading if you want more Vauxhall licking fun! 

 

 

[captain_70s]

Man, that's quality.

Vauxhall really had some good styling going on in the late 60s, proper transatlantic style without the bulk. 

[RoadworkUK]

Phenomenal. Especially the rear lights. I now have a sudden urge to binge-watch Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), in which FDs made frequent appearances.

[Low Horatio gearbox]

1 hour ago, RoadworkUK said:

Phenomenal. Especially the rear lights. 

Pervert...

[RoadworkUK]

[warren t claim]

22 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Wow, that is simply MEGA!!

An FD in VX4/90 flavour is probably my ultimate dream car; I've been smitten by them since I was about 14 or so. Just a fantastically styled car, with such purposeful lines.

I missed out on a really clean blue one back in 2006, and prices have skyrocketed since then. Regrets.

Looking forward to seeing this one recommissioned and back on the road - and although others have said the same, if you're ever moving it on, do give me a shout...

I had one of these as a driveway toy back in '82 when I was 12. RCM866K IIRC. 

[Bren]

The professionals sacraficed quite a few FD's

[Low Horatio gearbox]

Too right! 

I'm waiting on some tools to arrive, mainly a vacuum  bleed kit as manual bleeding had improved them only slightly from almost totally  ineffective to just scary - if you pump the pedal it will firm up to ish normal feel.   I'll be rewatching  the video @Noel Tidybeard linked to and trying to reset and balance the carbs, definitly needs it at idle- giving a bit of throttle and its reasonably  decent. But stopping before starting and then the play in the wheel/rack and get the tracking done fits trip out (noticeable toe out) then do an oil & filter, gearbox and diff oil change.

[Rocket88]

8 minutes ago, Low Horatio gearbox said:

Too right! 

I'm waiting on some tools to arrive, mainly a vacuum  bleed kit as manual bleeding had improved them only slightly from almost totally  ineffective to just scary - if you pump the pedal it will firm up to ish normal feel.   I'll be rewatching  the video @Noel Tidybeard linked to and trying to reset and balance the carbs, definitly needs it at idle- giving a bit of throttle and its reasonably  decent. But stopping before starting and then the play in the wheel/rack and get the tracking done fits trip out (noticeable toe out) then do an oil & filter, gearbox and diff oil change.

Check carb diaphragms……..

[PhilA]

The stock brakes are dire. All Vxls R etc.

 

Mine were bad because the vacuum booster had a leak only when the pedal was pushed down. That and the front brakes were derived from the Viva and really should've stayed there.

[Low Horatio gearbox]

@Rocket88  top man.. not even got that far.. neither of  the top covers was even remotely tightened down and one vaccume hose was hoplesly loose. Tops screwed down and hide replaced a quick flick of the key and much better, still overfuelling but fires on all 4 cylinders evenly instead  of 1 or 2 or 3 then 2 and all 4 if you boot it.  Ran out of time due to darkness and parenting.

 

@PhilA  the fronts are uprated..  allegedly. No matter one  caliper appears to be upside down big loop  to trap air, and the routing for the rear drums is prime for  air pockers what with the up and down routing  and   the LHS drum light backing off the RHS 🤷‍♂️  

[Dick Cheeseburger]

On 9/13/2021 at 12:03 PM, RoadworkUK said:

I'd forgotten what the original version of Carol Vorderman looked like. 

 

Good to hear the FD is firing more sweetly already!

[Low Horatio gearbox]

Ta. I am aware if the basics if how carbs work but I'm a novice and always wary of  fiddling with something  and then it not working (I ruined a pair of Rond suspension forks before they were even on a bike by.. "fiddling" ) these Strombergs are different to the SU's I'm vaguely familiar with.

Hopefully tommorrow will see me have a chance to go over them step by step slowly fingers crossed I can lean the mix out a bit evenly. Given the wheel nuts not being overly tight and the carb tops being barely fingertight I will first go over the rest if the car  and make sure any previously  replaced or renovated components and everything in general is fitted and tightened down correctly.  I forgot to say when I had the wheels off for bleeding round 1 I noticed it's got Spax shocks fitted (a fair while ago) .

[PhilA]

With work, Peugeot 106 brakes fit but you need 14" wheels at the absolute minimum. You then get decent floating calipers and beefy pads which actually stop the car effectively with the stock master. Drop links also need moving else they foul the brakes and push the calipers open on full lock.

Phil

[Noel Tidybeard]

Richard the Slag Stag has done a series of stromberg vids which show what to look for like the right and wrong way to install diaphragms

[Low Horatio gearbox]

I'm  out  on the 106 conversion, I  am not giving up my Rostyles!  

[bangernomics]

That’s a star buy. I think i may have some photos of this very car from billing aquadrome meetings of about 20 years or so ago. That reg rings a bell.

[junkyarddog]

1 hour ago, PhilA said:

The stock brakes are dire. All Vxls R etc.

 

Mine were bad because the vacuum booster had a leak only when the pedal was pushed down. That and the front brakes were derived from the Viva and really should've stayed there.

Having owned several Viva's and FE's I can't say I agree with that.

I always found them perfectly fine,certainly no worse or better than anything else from the era.

[PhilA]

1 minute ago, junkyarddog said:

Having owned several Viva's and FE's I can't say I agree with that.

I always found them perfectly fine,certainly no worse or better than anything else from the era.

Don't get me wrong, they stopped the car well enough but driving it in modern traffic would eat brake pads if driven spiritedly (V8 didn't help, autobox neither). They were a bit undersized for the weight of the car, really.

[Low Horatio gearbox]

6 minutes ago, junkyarddog said:

Having owned several Viva's and FE's I can't say I agree with that.

I always found them perfectly fine,certainly no worse or better than anything else from the era.

I'm fine with that,  I daily my other cars of similar vintage and have adjusted my driving style for bigger gaps when entering traffic, more space and steady if not brisk pace.   Though this is my first regular manual in 18 years so pace may take some while to achieve with the 4 speed (with overdrive  on third AND 4th!)   

 

 

Dramatisation of my first drive in it...

 

[trigger]

That is absolutely beautiful! Very well bought sir! 

[Low Horatio gearbox]

14 minutes ago, PhilA said:

Don't get me wrong, they stopped the car well enough but driving it in modern traffic would eat brake pads if driven spiritedly (V8 didn't help, autobox neither). They were a bit undersized for the weight of the car, really.

Ahh now you see you've the luxury of 150 or so rampant Rover  (cough Buicks) horses  on tap there. I'm stuck with the 108-112 (depending on who's saying) plus buckets of torque. 

[Bradders59]

Assuming its the 2.3, it isnt too difficult to  unleash 175 or so horses, although the parts would probably be expensive these days.

Blydenstein did a turbo kit back in the day that took them to well over 200.

Usually installed in Chevettes for competition, but same engine.