Well things are finally starting to move with my build.

I've found a decent engineer - I'm working on a meeting in the new year to lay out the engineering details for the entire build. Before this happens I have the following to do:

Remove the front and rear suspension assemblies from the Jaguar XJ6 donor vehicle that is taking up valuable room in the shed.

Finish mock building the Wolseley to take a heap of measurements and photos of how everything lines up. Remove the front and rear axles from the Wolseley to investigate how to install the Jaguar suspension and the Holden engine and see how everything lines up in the chassis.

Then I have to pull the body off the chassis so I can take measurements and document what I want to do with the chassis so this can be presented to the engineer.

Thanks to the wizards of engine management at http://www.delcohacking.net I have sorted some questions out regarding the Holden V8 Powertrain Control Module (PCM). VL400's BCM Simulator will give me complete cooling fan control, air conditioner compressor control and subsequent engine idle increase, check engine light and transmission mode indicator. This is a breakthrough as I was stuck how to get these items to work without using the original Holden Body Control Module (BCM) computer. Yeah, I know - that's why most hot-rodders go for good old fashioned carby engines! :roll: I'm convinced I'm going the right path and the benefits in fuel consumption, power output and reliable running will be worth it.

By some strange miracle, I managed to pick up a 1998 VT V6 Commodore as a parts donor car for next to nothing. The car runs and is complete (I drove it 300 km home on a permit!), it had been hit in the rear quarter and the owner decided to pension it off as it has done 245,000 km. The engine is strong, quiet and doesn't blow a whisker of smoke - so I might offer it for sale. This VT will be my donor for heaps of things like the wiring loom, fuses and relays, brake master cylinder and booster, throttle linkage, floor and firewall, seats, evaporative control system (charcoal canister) and heaps of other miscellaneous bits and pieces.

Having a working VT in the workshop has allowed me to test a bunch of things to see how they work on the VT V8 engine and computer, because the V6 and V8 are very similar in their engine management configuration.

I tested my AutoMeter speedo and it works perfectly on the speed signal coming from the PCM. I tested the temperature gauge and the PCM isn't happy having it in parallel on the line to the temperature sender - no drama though, all I have to do it fit a dedicated temperature sender for the temperature gauge and everything is happy. I tested putting a low oil pressure warning lamp in parallel with the PCM and everything is happy.

Having a close look at the cruise control in the VT, I think I'll be able to adapt it quite easily for my project - so she'll have cruise control too! 8)

The other thing I'm going to do with the VT is use it as a test bed for my V8 engine - that will allow me to test it all hooked up before I start putting the wiring loom in the Wolesley - this will be great to hear it running and sort the gremlins out before I start ripping the wiring harness to bits.

So I've got plenty happening and plenty to keep me busy over the next few weeks. And my health has improved no end so I'm happy to report that I'm spending every weekend up and about doing things. :D

Sorry for the lack of photos, nothing much to see at this stage.

Cheers,

Andrew.