• Hello Guest, welcome to the initial stages of our new platform!
    You can find some additional information about where we are in the process of migrating the board and setting up our new software here

    Thank you for being a part of our community!

1973 142 De Luxe Aussie Style!

carnut1100

New member
Joined
Jul 5, 2003
Location
Tasmania, Australia
Well here is my new toy.......in a deal I couldn't pass up I took over this 142 which was no longer required by another member on here, and both sides came away happy with the deal ;-)

I have long wanted a 142...and 1973 is my favourite year.
I prefer the later tail lights and dash, and I actually quite like the late grille and indicators, but I prefer the slimline bumpers and exposed fuel filler etc.
A D-Jet version would have been nice but I no longer have anything with carb except for my Ford truck which is rarely in a working condition......always seems to be the Ford UK bits that die too, not the Ford Aus bits!
Either way, a twin carb B20 is going to be a lot of fun to play with!

The body is straight and rust free (although I am prepared to find something when I go digging...but there is no external corrosion visible..) and the interior is not quite mint but the best 140 interior I've seen since I was a kid!
The fly in the ointment is the paint, as the vehicle was repainted when not very old and the prep left something to be desired, as did the coating thickness (more ain't always better!) so the left hand side is cracking and peeling in parts although being white I am confident of repainting myself (something I am not with metallic paint!) and although I plan on a full 2 pack respray at some point in the future there is 2 litres of arcrylic in the boot colour matched so I can respray that side of the car to keep it looking nice for a few years.


DSCF0208.jpg


Front view, damn I love that front on the '73s!
Grille is in nice nick, and the belly pan is unbashed too...


DSCF0209.jpg

DSCF0210.jpg


Sweet looking rig...those 240 wheels won't be staying long, got a set of originals in the boot, but I am tossing up whether to fit them or one of my sets of Virgos......I do like a 142 on Virgos!


DSCF0211.jpg

DSCF0212.jpg

DSCF0213.jpg

I really love those tail lights and that slimline bumper....
Wish it had the trim around the rear like my 164 does, but I won't be changing that.
Check out how straight the body is!
And no rust in the rear quarters....


And now for the interior........
DSCF0214.jpg


Dash is nice, with only one small split!
Sadly clock doesn't work but I may have a spare...


DSCF0216.jpg


Steering wheel is off a very late 240 but the original is in the boot.
I like this though, so I'll be leaving it on there.
158k miles!


DSCF0218.jpg

DSCF0217.jpg

When is the last time you saw a 140 interior this nice!
A loooong time for me...
If I'm being really fussy...there is slight fuzzing of the fabric on the driver's seat, and some discolouration on the rear trim panels at the tops where the sun has hit them a bit, and the parcel shelf mat is ropey.
Otherwise it is damn sweet!



DSCF0219.jpg

DSCF0220.jpg


Engine bay.....
Engine was rebuilt a few thousand miles back with the iPD street performer cam, which is an Isky cam. From my reading, it is a pretty old school cam, not extreme but it does give a nice burble to the idle...
Valves have been upsized to B20E specs.
Steel timing gears too, which give a nice but faint whine which I like...
Strombergs are not really my thing, I will probably put a set of SUs on it eventually, although I keep drooling over the Mikuni setup that John Parker has...just REALLY wary of trying to buy it!
Maybe if I ever visit New York....as I have heard he is ok if you front him with cash and walk away with goods...just don't send money!


DSCF0221.jpg


Australian assembled, and this is the paint code sticker.
Antarctic White.
I like it.
Interestingly, the Aus assembled 140s were IIRC the first cars built in Aus with side intrusion beams in the doors...


Plans......
First off, a good service and tune up, good cut and polish and get it back on the road!
To pass registration inspection it will need some fiddling with the brakes which are a bit sticky and uneven.
Probably going to bite the bullet and throw new caliper kits and hoses at it.
Greenstuff or Redstuff pads as soon as I can afford them.
Probably Virgos and Bridgestone RE002s...
Undecided about lower or not to lower....the front rides real high!
Needs new rear shocks, fronts aren't too bad. Probably will throw Bilsteins at it at some point.
Repaint side that is peeling with arcrylic, eventually full strip and repaint in 2k.
SU carbs maybe, and extractors.
Truetrac diff centre.
Fill it with petrol and enjoy!!!!!
 
Love it. I too am a '73 fan, i like the later rear, dash and door handles but like the earlier fuel cap and i think the big bumpers are too much.

This goes for the 164s also.

Doesn't mean i dont like the later ones, just reckon they got it right in '73
 
Let me see....
My Volvos;
'79 242 GT, runs but gonna get pulled to bits soon for turbo conversion
'78 244DL, current daily
'73 142, runs but not registered. Plan to get it on road by late Jan.
'77 245L van, running but not registered. Going on vintage registration soon.
'73 164E manual, will run when I put the radiator back in. Needs exhaust and windscreen before rego, going to to get a turbo and replicate the turbocharged one I used to ride in as a kid...
'89 740 wagon, not running as it is a parts car
'74 164E, runs but not registered. Future project maybe
'74 164E parts car
'92 940, runs but about to become an engine donor for GT +T project
'84 240, blown motor but had new tyres and lots of good bits so we bought it cheap as a parts car

Dad's '79 245, put a battery in and it will run. Needs work to go back on the road
'81 244, will run when the new fuel pump and tank go in (old tank was rusty from sitting and destroyed pump ..) also needs two new windows after a teenage vandal broke them. Got spares, will probably become my brother's car when he gets his licence. Got a manual box to go in it too.

Late 360 GLT belongs to my sister but blew head gasket, think it cracked the head too. Engine swap maybe
Same sister has an '81 245 with a '77 front on it, cut springs, M46 and B23 with K cam. Runs well.

Brother has a badly beaten up 360 in my paddock too...it no longer runs after the hammering he gave it!
 
Hahaha...there's another few people with half decent stashes....but I'm always sympathetic to a brick needing a home!
Still need to find an Amazon and a PV....and a P1800 and a 262C and there's a 740 Turbo HP floating around, black with black leather on Hydras...if it ever comes up for sale again I won't make the mistake I did last time in not buying it!!!

Yes I am mad but I don't care!
:)
 
e
Hahaha...there's another few people with half decent stashes....but I'm always sympathetic to a brick needing a home!
Still need to find an Amazon and a PV....and a P1800 and a 262C and there's a 740 Turbo HP floating around, black with black leather on Hydras...if it ever comes up for sale again I won't make the mistake I did last time in not buying it!!!

Yes I am mad but I don't care!
:)

Haha its a sickness! Take care of the old girl won't ya, shame to let her go but I've lost the love for the 1 series now that the gt is nearly finished.

Keep fwd wheels in mind too as they bolt on with no spacers required...
 
Damn nice car, and that is unbelievable you have all those car! I love the list of have and "NEED TO FIND"! I agree with the amazon and the 1800, I personally need to get my other projects off the ground and pay school first!
 
I didn't buy 5 acres for nothing!!!!

Next few weeks spare time will be detailing and servicing and tuning, then brake overhaul, then save for rego and inspection...
 
Pretty sure the stock offset on a 1 series is a lot closer to the FWD cars than it is to a 240...so technically FWD wheels are incorrect offset but they are close enough to be basically in tolerance.

Yeah, lots of room, but I can't really have any more at the moment as the council will get shirty if I do.
Of course it doesn't help that one brother has stashed a couple of Datsuns and a Bedford CF on my place and another brother has a Commodore there too...
Not to mention my Peugeots (403 van, 404, 405...) and the Ford Transit truck and the Morris Oxford....
Oh and there's a couple of Ford Capri convertibles (Mercury Capri in the USA) and a Corolla too...

Pics will happen!
Watch this space!
 
Mod it/retro fit the earlier 140 front turn signals but keep the late black platic grille........:nod:
 
I'm keeping the turn signals, I actually like them!
Outside appearance will be stock, maybe slightly lowered but not crazy low.
Still deciding on what wheels. Got virgos and dracos and 140 steels and 240 steels and 940 steels and 240 14" alloys but also thinking hotwires or Tethys if I can find some...

Mechanical will be close to stock, maybe SU instead of Stromberg and extractors, not ruling out a beefier cam and head work later either but not for a while.
Thinking about the Buick roller rockers too.
 
160 steelies. They are 1/2 inch wider. Reverse the centers in the rims. Stock, strong, will look good.

A friend has a 122 done this way with 120 steelies. Looks sooper bitchin' IMO.

I like the "Hmmm, it looks stock, but not quite, because somethin' looks a little different there" mods.

This little 122 is a B20, and quite quick.


100_4580.jpg


100_4577.jpg
 
Last edited:
Back
Top