ECOmodding an Aussie Icon

[aussie_modder]

" It's not a car, it's a Kingswood!!" (Ted Bullpit from Aussie sitcom 'Kingswood Country')

Hi all,

Having read through all the excellent information on the forum, i thought that i would record the progress of my quest to ecomod an australian motoring icon..... my 1979 GMH (General Motors Holden) Kingswood station wagon.

Why you ask? Well as many of you know, cars that you grew up in, contain a lot of memories and just can't be parted with (despite the increasing price of fuel, and the constant nagging of the other half to get rid of that 'old bomb'). and they offer something that newer cars don't........ character.

Below is a basic run-down on the vehicle (photos to follow soon) as well as some fuel economy records.

Canary Yellow;
3.3L (202 cubic inches) Straight Six cylinder- a whopping 118bhp in a 3100lb car
3 speed automatic transmission
LSD (3.36??)
aftermarket airconditioning (fitted by my father prior to my birth)

(full factory specifications: HZ Holden Specifications )

For 22 years, it served my parents in this near-standard guise.

Fuel economy was approximately 16.75 L/100 [~14.2 mpg]

In 2003, it scored a set of extractors and new 2inch exhaust. This modification alone increase economy to 14.8 L/100 [~ 16 mpg] when driving around surburbia.

After graduating from university in 2004, I embarked on a number of road trips which saw an open road fuel economy of 13.4 L/100 [17.7 mpg].

I must point out that to date, this car has traversed this country from one side to the other with no issues; other than fascination and a wave from many a passing motorist.

At 331,000km (original transmission, engine #2 took over at 250,000km); approximately 207,000 miles, THE QUEST BEGINS.................

[Red]

Kewl car, welcome to EM. Since its a GMish car any thoughts of swapping in a newer fuel injected motor with an over drive trans?

[aussie_modder]

Hi folks,

Dropping in a newer engine and trans is definitely a good option (there are many conversion kits available locally for the 3.8L Buick engine-as used in the GMH commodore). However i would not expect much change from $4000 for such a conversion. and if i start with the engine, I'm inclined to restore the whole car. (you know how it is).

Those that have done similar conversions have noted fuel economy figures in the range of 23.5mpg. Which is great, however the cars that these engines were donated from would achive fuel figures closer to 27mpg. (theres a big difference in aerodynamics between the old and the new).

Therefore my goal is to achieve a fuel economy figure of greater than 23.5mpg (<10L/100) on my normal 140km (mostly highway) roundtrip commute to work, without changing the basics (engine, transmission, induction), and on a shoe-string budget.

Funnily enough, on a cost/km basis, the old car is far better than buying a new, FUEL EFFICENT car. registration, purchase price, insurance, servicing on a new car far outweigh the fuel savings. And i'm already miles infront of the energy used to construct a car, since mine is already built (i hope that makes sense....... re-use rather than re-place with a new item).

In a nut shell, my wish list so far is as follows:

• Front Skid Plat (improve undercar air flow)
• RAM air inake (overcome the intake restrictions inherrent with the stock carby/filter arrangement)
• Rear wheel fenders
• Streamlined hubcaps (the stock ones are great for this, but they are hard to find (& $$$) if i lose one)

Pretty much anything that uses duct tape, styrofoam, corroplast, readily obtainable items <$10 and has a big impact on overall fuel economy. (low hanging fruit)

If the budget will stretch, I would also like to change out the existing engine driven radiator fan and water pump with an electric fan and water pump. This should also alleviate overheating issues which also plague these older cars. (estimated cost..... AU$800).

[Tetsuo]

I'm not even going to comment on the feasibility of modding such a car as I used to drive a 72' HQ sedan myself in which I BARELY managed to get 16 [15L/100km] on long trips. And only if I tuned the carby to run the engine so lean it'd misfire going up hills LOL

Going downhill I tried EOC ONCE coming into Adelaide on the OLD road. My HQ had manual steering so that was fine but the brakes went away so fast I barely had time to say SHEEEEEEEEEEEET !!

But there are some easy things you could do to improve it's efficiency. change to a 4spd manual transmission. Electric fans from the wreckers should be under AUS$100. Electric water pump won't really save you much fuel % wise BUT you could try jerry rigging up your own if you're brave. Also don't forget there IS a fuel injected 202 in the early Commodore VK.

Good luck on your perilous project !

Tetsuo

[aussie_modder]

Sorry for the delay, but I've added all of my fuel log data from the past 3 months. A lot of miles have been covered, the few entries were assisted by moving house...... a task where this old girl excels!! (station wagons are great)

Photos to follow soon i promise.

[SuperTrooper]

It looks like one of the better GM designs for that period.

[Ptero]

If I had that car, I'd slap some Extreme Low Rolling Resistance (ELRR) Pirelli P6 Four Season 185/65R14 23.3-inch diameter tires on the front. Get some 15-inch rims on the back, if they'll fit, and mount 185/60R15 P6 24.5-inch diameter tires on them. That will give you a mild overdrive (~1.05) - about 5%over running OEM 14s on the rear. Put a spacer in the rear springs if you need more clearance. I think they'll fit with no problem.

Next, put a straight-through muffler on it (like a glass pack). Headers and/or a wider exhaust pipe would make a difference.

Make sure the A/C clutch is working and disengaging properly.

Make sure the radiator fan clutch is working properly and the fan shroud is in good shape with no more than 1-inch clearance to the fan tips. Test the radiator cap or buy a correct new one. Install a winter thermostat but only change it out to a summer thermostat if the car develops a tendancy to overheat.

Change the oil over to Synthetic Blend (not full synthetic). Replace the differential fluid with pure synthetic. Lube all fittings with mollybnium, expecially the driveshaft.

Install a high performance coil, new plugs, new plug wires, properly routed with proper standoffs so the wires do not touch metal.

Pull the carb, rebuild it and re-jet it to the smallest jets. Reset the valves just slightly and evenly loose, not tight.

Eliminate all vacuum leaks. Spray starter fluid at the base of the carb, intake man, vacuum hoses, etc. If the rpms increase, find the leak. Be careful of fire.

Make sure the air cleaner filter is the proper size or better yet, larger. Make sure cold air is routed from the grill, not hot air from the engine compartment.

Make sure the gas cap is sealing properly to prevent evaporation. There may also be a charcoal cannister. It can be bypassed but the hoses should be reconnected to each other.

Advance the timing slightly but do not allow pinging under load. This engine may have been retarded in OEM specs to minimize CO emissions but now may no longer be subject to those regulations in your area because of age. I suspect 4 to 6 degrees but I'd listen under load to be sure. Always drive with a light foot. You'll get 25 mpg without too much effort.

[Metrosexual]

Don't know if this is a direction for you , but here is a 69 Kingswood wagon with some mods @ bloodenterprises.com -done some work on that one meself

[aussie_modder]

It seems like an eternity since i last posted. The arrival of my first born has certainly turned my world upside down........ not a lot of time available for modding the old car.

On a positive note, the arrival of spring has brought with it warmer weather. This has seen my fuel economy figures below 13L/100 become frequent rather than just a fluke; current average for the last few tanks has been 12.6 L/100 (nearly a 0.5 L/100 improvement)

This has got me thinking about what mechanical mods would give the greatest returns based on this observation

• Electric Fan and Waterpump- a potential liberation of 5hp & better control of coolant temp (for faster warm ups & heat dissipation).
• Upgrade of existing single barrel carb/manifold to a coolant-heated 2 barrel (using a Weber 34 ADM). Much like the after-coolers found on CAT haul trucks.
• Also still toying with the idea of disconnecting the AC compressor

But alas, I must complete my aero mods first; front air dam, partial grill block, removal of mud flaps, fitment of aero hub caps (bare rims look terrible) & some rear wheel fenders if i have material leftover. Hypermiling has certainly yielded the greatest returns. Car-pooling is better though (i should get my car pooling buddy back after xmas, Yay!!)

A high energy ignition system (retro-fit from a 82 model) is certainly on the cards, but i'm unclear as to the impact it will have when 95% of my driving is in cruise mode at 100 km/hour. I've had an electronic ignition system (which uses the 'points' as a switch) on the car for many years, and i've only recently switched it back to standard operation (since the ignition kept cutting out on me..... works fine in regular mode.. dang technology) Through many highway tanks, i've also noticed that the difference in fuel use between 91 octane and 95 octane was negligible. Air temps and wind conditions (hint hint aerodynamic drag) seem to cause more variation.