[theedmancometh]

G'day,
As the profile says I'm new to the Ford game. Dare I say it, I'm mostly a holden fan but am converting now I've purchased the XR. Because most of my knowledge is on Holdens, I've got a bunch of questons about XRs. My brother in Aussie (huge Ford nut), has a massive amount of knowledge, but doesn't know it all, so he put me onto this site. Any help from members will be greatly appreciated.

Some pressing questions to start with:

XR Heater

According to some sites it seems these were an option back in
the day. How hard is it to find an original Heater system including
dash selector panel? Is there anyone out there who has fitted a non-original heating/demister system? It's fairly important over here to have a window demister, and I can only describe a previous owners earlier attempt as 'agricultural'.

Brakes

I've seen a number of ads in mags talking about disc brake upgrades for early Falcons. All these companies, such as DBA, seem to only talk about upgrades for XWs and XYs. Is it possible to get a kit for say an XW, and fit them to an XR? Also, can you/any advantage to fitting a booster/master cylinder from a later model Falcon, say XA - XC?

Window mechanisms

On the splined shaft that the window winding handle fits into, there is a keyed end which fits into the mechanism.The keyed end has rounded itself, making this shaft come out with the winder when you pull it off.Have tried all sorts as a temporary fix,but the whole mechanism looks like it needs replacing.XR parts are hard to find over here, are the mechanisms the same or similar in any of the later model falcons?

Undersealing

The first and by far one of the biggest jobs to tackle on this project. These days when they underseal cars, do they go around any joins with a sealing compound first, or is spraying underseal on generally considered good enough to seal off all those joins, and prevent moisture ingress?

Cheers Guys

 

[302xm]

Bolt in the complete stub axel with disk and caliper from xw-xf falcon into you car , the later the model the better .you will need to change the master cylinder to one made for front disks if your car had front drums.
A booster will make a big difference to braking but there might be a bit of work to fit a later model one as i believe Xr's had a remote booster bolted to the inner guard and are quiet expensive,but still worth checking out as xw/xys had the booster/mastercylinder style setups.

The window winder sounds like its rooted but you can use parts from the opposite side rear door to make a good one as these usually have a lot less wear on them ,just drill out the rivets holding the shaft mechanism together dismantle and reasemble with good parts.
I would think a xw -xy heater would fit without to many hassles but you might be better off sourcing a Xr-xt heater and controls just to avoid the cursing .They are out there as long as the price is right .
Theres still alot of early falcons around in australia compared with NZ and you might want to consider getting parts from over here.
What part of NZ are you in as im going back there for a holiday around june and might be able to help with small parts like side mirrors/heater controls
Hope this helps.

 

[smciner1]

One thing to remember when upgrading a Factory XR Braking System is if you use the original style booster (mounted on the passenger side) the rear brakes weren't power assisted.

 

[theedmancometh]

Thanks for the info guys.

It seems if XRs did have a brake booster fitted it was mounted on the passenger side of the firewall. I've checked out a number of Street Machine and Aussie Muscle Car mags, and all the GTs have boosters, but I can't find any standard 500s or Fairmonts that do. Was it only a GT option? I would like to a fit a booster, and it seems wise to go for a later model Falcon booster. Should I try to stick with an XW/XY setup, or go for something later, such as XA-XC? Am I right in assuming that the XW onwards have power assisted rear brakes?

302xm

If I put later model stub axles on the car, won't that change offset, and PCD of the wheel studs? How will this affect ordering wheels for the car? Do you order them for an XR, or say for an XW if those are the stub axles you've used?

The window winder is indeed rooted. I agree with sourcing parts from a rear door, I assume you're talking about from another car though, I still need to be able to wind down my rear windows as well! Still, if I can't find another XR door, or parts, can I use parts from an XW or later? XAs onwards are very easy to come by over here, but models earlier than that are hard to find. Parts are hard to come by. The photo you attached shows the exact parts that are shagged, so I'm glad you know what I'm on about. I have drilled out the rivets and removed the plate so I could get the window back up at least, for some security. Now I'm after those exact parts in your photo.

As for the heater and controls, I will try and hunt down some originals, but if I can't find anything, I will attempt XW/XY parts. I'm used to cursing when doing mechanical jobs on old things, our choppers are older than my XR! (refering to my profile photo).

I live in Bulls, near Palmerston North. Half the people I met in Oz when I was last over there were kiwis anyway, and you probably know it. My older brother lives in Adelaide (member of SA Falcon club), and he's onto his contacts trying to source me bits. I'm in discussion with Airforce suppliers to see if I can get large items such as seats back to NZ on a Herc. I wish we had the resources you guys have over there!

More questions:
Which model Falcon did electric window washers come out on? The XR has a foot pump to pressurise the bottle to squirt fluid through the nozzles.

Were XR aerials the push-pull type to raise/lower them?I'm guessing they weren't electric. I wish to change mine from one thats permanently up to one that you can recess into the guard.

What was the warning sticker on the XR/XT engine bay strut towers,on the drivers side, all about? I would like to source one for some authenticity.

Cheers for your help,

 

[smciner1]

Yes, the XW and XY had Power Assistance to the Rear Brakes.

 

[theedmancometh]

Thanks, that was quick. Any advice or help you can give on my other questions would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

 

[smciner1]

Power Brakes were available as an option on the XR (not just GT which they were standard.

Heater was standard in Fairmont (not sure of NZ Spec Cars, but Austalian ones did).

Window winders, XW - XY should be the same (I am not 100% certain of this though).

Undersealer, I have no idea.

Hope this helps.

 

[theedmancometh]

Yeah, that does help quite a bit. Proof that this website works.

Thanks very much,

 

[smciner1]

No worries. Glad to help.

 

[302xm]

Changing to later model parts will only change wheel choice if you use Xc(maybe late XB) or later as the bearing housing on the disk hub that pokes thru the rim is larger and wont allow you to fit early rims, the PCD is the same on all models so you can fit later model rims to early hubs which is what it looks like youve got. Offset isnt a problem as i have XC stubs and off the shelf 7inch wide rims with a 4inch rear offset on my Xm with no problems. It wouldnt surprise me if the xa winder parts are the same as well as the photo is of xm parts.
I think Xw-Xy's have a large indentation in the inner guard to clear the booster which Xr's might not have but if your handy with a hammer...lol .My cars got a P76 leyland booster which has quiet a small diameter and requires redrilling the firewall to fit .the easiest setup would be to find an Xr Xt booster and dual circuit mastercylinder.
Superoo Falcon spares in perth sell XR engine bay decal sets for Aus$12.90 check there website out at www.superoo.com.au
Xw's have an electric washer which is part of the wiper motor l and ive never seen one work as the plastic fittings for the hoses have perished and broken off but the wiper switch should fit and give you the power to run an after market washer pump.
If your going to seal the underbody the only gaps that count are any drain holes which need to be clear to let any water to drain away, just make sure they are all still there after sealing if its a thick underseal it should seal any joins between panels.
Your right about the Kiwis over here some ones got to keep an eye on the West island.
The choppers a Huey isn't it a classic in its self

 

[outback_ute]

I think XR/T and XW/Y doors are the same. It would even be worth looking at XA-C winders to see if they can yield useful bits if they are easier to get a hold of.

One suggestion is contact places in Aus to see if there is anything they could send you at reasonable cost, eg Rare Spares. Have you tried wrecking yards in NZ, especially those in country areas.

 

[theedmancometh]

Thanks for all the good gen guys. This weekend I'm going to attack the flatmates XC to see what his winder setup is like, as it'll give me more chance of finding the parts at a wrecker. Alot of yards over here won't have the early Falcons (XY and earlier), so Rarespares is really the place to go. I'm waiting on some catalogues from them to see what I can get my hands on. Even when I did up my VC Commodore, I managed to find only one good wrecker who wasn't a rip off and had a wealth of parts. Problem was, he is located in Blenheim, at the top of the South Island. It was sweet when I was posted at the base there, but once I was sent up here I lost my parts availability. The VC was a 1981 model, and I had to use Rarespares a few times for bits like interior trim etc. You can imagine it's a lot harder with the XR being even earlier again.

My brother lives next door to a guy who manufactures new sets of Globes. He makes them to the correct offset for the car. I guess he can knock up a set to suit the bearing housing of the stub axles I fit. The XR has EA rims on it at the moment, and XF suspension. I don't like the EA wheels, I think they look horrible. I think I may go for XC-XF stub axles, preferably XF if you say the later the better. I will see what I can get my hands on. I know plenty of people that have XDs and XFs.

I don't think I will be breaking out the hammer in the engine bay. I will see how hard it is to get an XR/XT booster. I've only ever seen a couple of P76s knocking around NZ on my travels, but I see what you mean about just trying to find one that will fit though.

I'll be retaining my footpump setup for the washer bottle, it adds a bit of style I think. I was just interested in other Falcon setups, as I've never come across a footpump setup before. It took some researching to find out what it was, as it wasn't connected and someones moved the washer bottle from it's original location. I don't no how it got a warrant without it connected, as I think the law is that if a bottles and nozzles are fitted, then it has to work. My old man thought the pedal might have been a handbrake release of some sort, as he'd seen this on some 50s model cars in the UK before he came out here.

I'm getting onto the shop that sold me the undersealer to make sure it'll do the job. I don't think it's that thick and other people that have used it have said although it's excellent stuff, best you can get for car restos etc, that you need to put a couple of coats on.

Any pix of your XM floating around the site, that I can have a look at 302xm? And yes the chopper is a Huey, and a classic, built in 1965. They're a bit like Grandads axe now though.

Cheers for all the help guys,

 

[apolloxbgt]

Xt's had the same braking setup as xr's. An xt ute I had a couple of years ago had been converted to xd booster and master cly. And it certainly didn't look like the inner skirt had been bashed in for it to fit, it also had a collaspable xd steering colomn fitted in it with wiper controls on the stalk instead of halfway across the dash.

 

[theedmancometh]

Xt's had the same braking setup as xr's. An xt ute I had a couple of years ago had been converted to xd booster and master cly. And it certainly didn't look like the inner skirt had been bashed in for it to fit.

Do XEs/XFs have similar boosters and master cylinders as XDs? If so I may be able to find a wreck of a particular model (XD/XE/XF), and use it for as money parts as I can (stub axles, booster, master cylinder etc). Are the braking systems on these cars very good? I'm aiming to get the car to stop as well as it will go once its got the 302 in it.

Cheers,

 

[302xm]

Post 37 in Tell us about your classic has a couple of pic's its got xp front panels which im planning to sort out .It stops great with the Xc disks though .Xd/e/f brakes will make a big improvement on what you've got and there designed to handle 351c that were fitted to some models.I didnt mean go at it with a sledge hammer but looking at my car it required a little massaging to clear the bottom left side of the booster to clear, but i would try and see if the XD/e/f booster would fit as my model is a bit smaller in the enginebay compared to an Xr.
It sounds like those WOF laws have really killed off older cars in NZ ,before they got heavy on rust spots about 6-7 years ago there used to be heaps of older cars over there and you could get just about anything and drive just about anything.Couldnt believe it when i got over here (WA) and they have no annual inspections at all, just pay your rego .

 

[theedmancometh]

Had a look at your ride 302xm, it's pretty mint. Hope mine looks that good someday.

I had a look at my flatmates XC, practically the same winder setup, so I plan to go to a wreckers soon to hunt out some XA-XC doors for parts.

I saw an early Fairlane in street machine, with the booster mounted to the drivers side firewall, with the master cylinder assembly attached, as booster/cylinder setups are now days. This will be what I'll try to acheive as I want to avoid a remote booster setup. The place that sorted out my Skyline brakes and clutch will probably be able to acheive this for me.

I'm now trying to get my hands on an XD-XF for as many parts as I can. And the WOF are getting tighter all the time, making it harder for the owners of old girls.

 

[montyv8]

hey l'il bro. i sent you an email about the brakes. use XC STUBS AND DISC'S. nothing else. But keep the XF top a-arm. and use an XY booster. i have been told that they fit straight in. did you call anyone about the nine-inch conversion? the globes will be made to suit xc onwards hubs.

 

[302xm]

Hey montyv8 why only use xc stubs? as far as i can tell by looking at them they look exactly the same as the xd ones ive got sitting in the garage ,even Xg ute calipers bolt up.Hell im also using an Xc power steering box ,Tierods and shortened draglink (Certified).
Which im planning on ditching as Eb power racks are cheap and will give a much better feel on the road, with the measurments taken so far looks like it will fit with about 4mm each side of the rack trimmed off to get the inner ball joints in exactly the same place as original xm ball joints
Thanks theedmancometh thats how we bought it except for the wheels and some mechanical work (big plans for the future tho). Look after the old girl as its a real shame when i go back there and see all those cheap and nasty jap imports clogging up the roads.
A friend over in NZ,s got a skyline with a 265 Hemi in it , sick bastard

 

[tag141]

Don't know where you are in NZ (I'm as far south as you can get) but there are a couple of places you can try for parts. RareSpares has an outlet in ChCh (www.rarespares.co.nz), I had a photocopied catalogue off them which was quite comprehensive. Didn't have the little bits that people always seem to need like the bolt that holds the panel on top of the dodacky. You may also like to try a local breaker (www.geocities.com/balmoral_autos), he breaks Falcons etc and is the chairman of the local Falcon Club (which apprently is the largest Falcon Club in New Zealand. Over 50 members and a few genuine GTHOs. Anyone reading the last few issues of Performance Ford Magazine may have seen a few of their cars.) There is another breaker who doesn't have a website and his yard is filled with old Falcons, two big f*** off dobermans and including a few rotting XWYs probably with window components.

 

[montyv8]

he's near palmerston north, lower-ish north island.