Another family member...

[Sox]

Last weekend I went wild and bought another car. Big $$ too.

I've been wanting one of these mighty machines for some time, but haven't found the right pristine example.

It came from out of the blue, a run down AU Fairlane Ghia Sportsman, with, wait for for it... 830,000k's!
It was a massive $1500 with 3 months rego.

Only it's 2nd engine, 4th tranny, and not sure what diff it's up to, but it's not original at 3.23:1.

It came with black leather, Momo wheel, BF ghia rims, and LPG. It was a silver service cab.

I've already yanked the LPG as I just don't like BBQ fuel, particularly when it's a dual system.
Tidied up a lot of odds and sods, and overall it actually goes and feels ok for such a high mileage weapon.

I'm not sure where I'll go with this, but I'll at least use it until the rego expires. Then restore or part it if it's too stuffed. If it hangs in ok, I may even re register.

If I keep it going, I won't do too much, as it will just be a run around, perhaps extractor, Tickford snorkel, 3.45 diff centre, better shocks, and some decent tyres.

What size 17" tyres do you Fairlane guys use?
.

[Electric XY]

Congrats a nice looking beast.

I am new to the au fairlane scene as well and loving it.

[ronwest]

Jeez, you can't beat that for $1500.

Good pick up.

[Bushbasher]

FYI, if it is in fact a Sportsman, the original diff ratio is 3.45:1 not 3.23:1. As for tyres, most ppl fit 225 or 235/45 R17 as they are cheaper but if you look on the tyre placard on the lock face of the drivers door you'll find it lists Fairlane tyre sizes as 225/60 R16 or 225/50 R17. I've just gone back to the 225/50s' and it does smooth out the ride a bit and lessen the tramlining effect you can sometimes get with lower profiles plus the extra side wall helps protect the rims from pot hole damage etc.

Nice pick up by the way.

Bushbasher

PS. How do you know it's a Sportsman, there's no sticker on the door that they all have? It's hard to tell from the pic but it looks a little high too. The Sportsman got the XR suspension so should be a little lower than a normal 'lane and a little stiffer. The quickest way to get an idea is check the seats, Sportsmans got the LTD 10 way seats with 3 position memory that the regular 'lane didn't have.

[EL.50]

Mine is a sportsman, and it sits that high. This has the right steering wheel, and howe leather seats....looks like sportsman to me. Being a cab with 830,000 on it...it could well have had the doors repainted/replaced.

[AUFanboy]

Nice score! Love those woodgrain wheels. Looks like the header tank is either empty or full of plain water though, I'd get some corrosion inhibitor in there asap.

[Sox]

Originally Posted by AUFanboy

Nice score! Love those woodgrain wheels. Looks like the header tank is either empty or full of plain water though, I'd get some corrosion inhibitor in there asap.

I changed the thermostat, and flushed the system.
I never put corrosion inhibitor straight after doing work on a cooling system, just in case there's a leak and the coolant needs to be ditched.
I run it for a week, then drain it all, replace with water and coolant.

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

FYI, if it is in fact a Sportsman, the original diff ratio is 3.45:1 not 3.23:1.

Yep, that's why I said - and not sure what diff it's up to, but it's not original at 3.23:1.
I have a 3.45 LS center under the bench to bring it back to standard.

As for tyres, most ppl fit 225 or 235/45 R17 as they are cheaper but if you look on the tyre placard on the lock face of the drivers door you'll find it lists Fairlane tyre sizes as 225/60 R16 or 225/50 R17. I've just gone back to the 225/50s' and it does smooth out the ride a bit and lessen the tramlining effect you can sometimes get with lower profiles plus the extra side wall helps protect the rims from pot hole damage etc.

Ok, I'll likely go with 225/50/17 then, as I'd like to keep it fairly standard, although I could be tempted to look at a 245/45/17, which are slightly higher than the more common 235/45, and slightly lower than the 225/50.
245 should be pretty chunky under there to.

I did look at the door sticker, but for some reason it only lists 16" sizes in the normal fashion, but something not normal for the 17". I'll double check in the morning.

BTW, it currently has 215/55/17. They look a bit weedy.

PS. How do you know it's a Sportsman, there's no sticker on the door that they all have? It's hard to tell from the pic but it looks a little high too. The Sportsman got the XR suspension so should be a little lower than a normal 'lane and a little stiffer. The quickest way to get an idea is check the seats, Sportsmans got the LTD 10 way seats with 3 position memory that the regular 'lane didn't have.

Originally the dude just said it was a Sportsman, I didn't question it at that point, but before I purchased I asked in another thread here what the differences were, and it has all those features.
Momo wood wheel.
Elec seats with memory.
And the curtain leather on the door trims.

I didn't know they got the XR suspension. Shocks too, or just springs?

Originally Posted by EL.50

Mine is a sportsman, and it sits that high. This has the right steering wheel, and howe leather seats....looks like sportsman to me. Being a cab with 830,000 on it...it could well have had the doors repainted/replaced.

What do you mean by that?

[XRGhia]

I've got a spare Sportsman drivers base sitting here ;)

If you do end up selling it or something, let me know, wouldn't mind another AU2 Fairlane sportsman...

[Sox]

Originally Posted by xrghiawagon

I've got a spare Sportsman drivers base sitting here ;)

If you do end up selling it or something, let me know, wouldn't mind another AU2 Fairlane sportsman...

The seat base sounds good, what condition?
Do you need any bits? I have lotsa spares from donor cars...

[XRGhia]

IRS, 4L engine, lowered springs... Just stuff like that I need...

I'll PM you a pic soon

[GK]

Sox,

You've done it again! Another AU for your collection.

Great pickup!

GK

[Sox]

Originally Posted by Sox

I did look at the door sticker, but for some reason it only lists 16" sizes in the normal fashion, but something not normal for the 17". I'll double check in the morning.

Door sticker shows the following -

215/60/15
215/60/16
T155/70/17

The last one is a space saver.

Interestingly the 15 and 16 are the same width and profile, meaning they'd be 1" in diameter different. 25.2" - 26.2".

I reckon somewhere between that would be nice, say ~25.7".

225/50/17 - 25.9"
245/45/17 - 25.7"
245/40/18 - 25.7" (if I swapped with some others I have here)

[Bushbasher]

Sox, a 245 won't go under the front without rolling the guards and even a 235/45 will catch the top of the guard at full lock with any suspension compression. You have a different tyre placard to mine which makes me think that the entire door has been replaced in the cars past with a door from a falcon, probably a S1 if the placard lists 15" tyres, that would explain why there's no sticker on the door. The 225/55s must be the stock size for the BF Fairlane that those wheels came from as the Sportsman wheels are the "Elegance" wheels that came with Sportsman, 75th Anniversary, and BA G220 Fairlanes.

Cheers
Bushbasher

[JR.]

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

Sox, a 245 won't go under the front without rolling the guards and even a 235/45 will catch the top of the guard at full lock with any suspension compression.

I've got my 245/40/18's on BA XR rims on the 'Lane and the fronts have never rubbed on the guards no matter what type of speed hump, bump, compression or driveway I've subjected them to...

[Sox]

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

Sox, a 245 won't go under the front without rolling the guards and even a 235/45 will catch the top of the guard at full lock with any suspension compression.

Yep, I rolled both my XR's long ago, and this one just today in fact.

You have a different tyre placard to mine which makes me think that the entire door has been replaced in the cars past with a door from a falcon, probably a S1 if the placard lists 15" tyres, that would explain why there's no sticker on the door.

Good pick up.

The 225/55s

They're 215/55/17.

must be the stock size for the BF Fairlane that those wheels came from as the Sportsman wheels are the "Elegance" wheels that came with Sportsman, 75th Anniversary, and BA G220 Fairlanes.

I kinda like the rims, and ordered the missing hubcap the other day, but in hindsight probably didn't need it.
They look really good with just a small plastic centre cap, more aggressive.

I was farnarkling around trying to get the electric mirrors to work today.
I found a little electronic module in the door which I worked out is part of the memory doodad for the seats.
It's dead, so I removed and rewired it so the mirrors work like standard. I can't get the passenger side going though as it's still tapped into the seat somewhere feeding it 12v at all times.
Any idea where this junction is?

Once that's done, the last thing is to get the traction control/ABS functioning again. I believe that would have been disabled because of the BBQ fuel. Any ideas there too?

[XRGhia]

Check the front sensors, and see ofthe tone wheels are still there

[EL.50]

I have 235s on my Fairlane with no issue. Also, pretty sure the 75th anniversary wheels spokes are different to the Sportsman ones?

[Bushbasher]

I ran 235/45 R17 and at close to full lock and full compression, like when you might turn up a driveway ramp in a curb etc., both sides snagged the guards right about where the front rivet is that holds the little plastic flare. Now, with the 225/50 R17 it's all good.

Originally Posted by Sox

..... the last thing is to get the traction control/ABS functioning again. I believe that would have been disabled because of the BBQ fuel. Any ideas there too?

I doubt it's related to the LPG system unless you left the lpg controller and switch wired into the loom. Check the wheel sensors first to make sure they're all working. If they are then it's probably the ABS control unit on the brake block under the bonnet. It is a common fault with the ABS unit of that model, the same unit was used in Mercs, Audis and even Commodores I think at the time. The best and cheapest fix is to remove the ABS electronic component from the brake block and send it to Specialized Automotive Electronics. The blokes name is Anthony Pazin and he'll mod it and fix the fault so it never fails again for $250. He's a top bloke and if you go to the "Outstanding service" sticky in the pub you can read my experience with him, it's the very first post.


Cheers
Bushbasher

[Sox]

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

I ran 235/45 R17 and at close to full lock and full compression, like when you might turn up a driveway ramp in a curb etc., both sides snagged the guards right about where the front rivet is that holds the little plastic flare. Now, with the 225/50 R17 it's all good.

I think it has to do with how much negative camber they have.
More negative camber will have the top of the wheel further in.

I doubt it's related to the LPG system unless you left the lpg controller and switch wired into the loom. Check the wheel sensors first to make sure they're all working. If they are then it's probably the ABS control unit on the brake block under the bonnet. It is a common fault with the ABS unit of that model, the same unit was used in Mercs, Audis and even Commodores I think at the time. The best and cheapest fix is to remove the ABS electronic component from the brake block and send it to Specialized Automotive Electronics. The blokes name is Anthony Pazin and he'll mod it and fix the fault so it never fails again for $250. He's a top bloke and if you go to the "Outstanding service" sticky in the pub you can read my experience with him, it's the very first post.

I ditched all the LPG stuff I could find, but there was a lot of wires butchered which I had to repair.

I have a spare ABS unit and sensors, so that will be next.

[EL.50]

LPG doesn't stop the ABS working...only traction control. Because traction control works off the fuel injection.

[EL.50]

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

I ran 235/45 R17 and at close to full lock and full compression, like when you might turn up a driveway ramp in a curb etc., both sides snagged the guards right about where the front rivet is that holds the little plastic flare. Now, with the 225/50 R17 it's all good.

Cheers
Bushbasher

Thats what mine has on it...Car is otherwise stock, and I have no issues

[Dauphin]

Nice find! And it has those wavey leather door inserts that I sooo want.

[MrEL]

Great bit of kit.
How did you go rewiring the passengers mirror?
I want to do it to my missus's AU3 Ghia as the mirror was broken when she got it and I want to get rid of the stupid memory control mirrors. Gay things.

[mik]

other than a bit of foam replenishment for the driver seat it looks bloody good, nice pick up,
in the engine bay pic is that an auto filler tube i spy?? .

[Sox]

Originally Posted by mik

other than a bit of foam replenishment for the driver seat it looks bloody good, nice pick up,
in the engine bay pic is that an auto filler tube i spy?? .

I've only had a brief poke around the drivers seat, it looks like the foam is ok, just the leather cover has come undone at the back and slipped around.

Originally Posted by MrEL

Great bit of kit.
How did you go rewiring the passengers mirror?
I want to do it to my missus's AU3 Ghia as the mirror was broken when she got it and I want to get rid of the stupid memory control mirrors. Gay things.

I spent a good part of today on that. What a nightmare.
I thought it was sorted a few times, but it always came up slightly wrong, as in the control wouldn't behave exactly as it should.

In the end I traced it back to the wiring slightly different to accommodate the control module in the door.

The hot wire and one of the control wires are spliced together for the memory module. The earth feed is also missing.

I un-spliced the joined wires, added an earth, and away it went.

If you need more detail, let me know.

Edit - I also had to cut the 3 wires which go under the drivers seat and join into the memory buttons. Otherwise the system is powered in the wrong area.

[MrEL]

Good info Sox. If you can share a bit more detail with me on where I will find the modules etc it would be great.
With the memory mirror disconnected does the memory function of the seat still work? That is one thing about them that I like.

[Sox]

Originally Posted by MrEL

Good info Sox. If you can share a bit more detail with me on where I will find the modules etc it would be great.
With the memory mirror disconnected does the memory function of the seat still work? That is one thing about them that I like.

The memory function doesn't work any more.
The module is in the drivers door.

I'm actually a bit flaky remembering exactly what I did now, it was over a month ago.
I had to mess with a lot of wires to make the mirrors work properly.

My memory seems to work as well as the memory function on the seats.