TK Bedford, needs a hole in the head

G'day blokes,

I just lost a post to the ether but I'll try again with the abridged version.

If I drill a hole about where the "A" is cast in the back of this head am I going to find enough cast iron for a ⅜bsp thread & enough coolant to get a heater hose out?




dont forget to presss insert...... sarge! Maybe your photo was too big or too many first try, often if you just press the back arrow on your browser you will find it there waiting for you...... good luck

You have got two welch plugs just above that spot. If for some reason you don't want to convert one of the holes to an outlet I suggest you take one out to see what is where on the inside and use a caliper arrangemt the measure the thickness.

Thanks for the idea. The existing plugs are 1" which doesn't leave much metal in the recess to get a 1" pipe thread into. I already have a ⅜bsp tap & hose barb ready to go.

My main problem is that even just for a look, removing the existing plugs probably means removing the 16' flatbed tray. While I can get over the top of the gearbox with a drill, I don't think I can make enough access with a hole saw. The photo makes it look easier than it is

In better news, AU Falcon thermo fans fit like a glove.

When you drill and tap, use plenty of grease on the drill and the tap, to stop the shavings getting into the water jackets.

Its not always pretty, but why not try a T piece in the top and bottom radiator hoses???? Quick cheap and easy. :whistle:

There are plugs in the thermostat & water pump for heater connection but I'm actually trying to get heat out of the back of the head.

Greg Mcardle, Coomandook truck wrecker, has a head that's been modified he tells me, they used the welsh plug. I've gotta ring him tonight.

In the interim I might need to ask the parts supplier who's doing exchange water pumps... camera inside the "new" pump reveals pretty wide impeller tolerance & a blare about to fall off with corrosion.

Could you simply braze the barb into a new welch plug?

I'd thought about silver solder and a new welsh plug but with the plug only 25mm dia, a 15mm fitting would only leave 5mm to "hammer flat" when three plug is fitted. If there was enough dish left to deform, I think it'd crack the silver solder anyway.

Might work with a 40mm cup type plug, you could belt it in with a piece off pipe as a drift, but dished ones are a bit different.

I'm getting more worried about the water pump impeller now, it's not much of a pump, especially if it breaks a blade off.

Do you have a hi power alternator? those fans love power. Have a set in the Landcruiser and the standard 50 amp is just borderline. Volts drop to around 12 when running on high. Actually flattened the battery on a long run and also using the driving lights.
Cheers Steve

Yeah the generator is about the only thing missing from this original old truck. Someone (dad) fitted an alternator (badly) years ago.

I've made a much better mount up & built a Bosch 85a alternator with a battery sensed regulator & smaller pulley to make it spin a bit quicker.

Battery sense regulators are great. They're factory fit on an XY Falcon (external reg) but didn't come back into favor until EA Falcon/VL Commodore. Latest models are computer controlled so they're useless for retrofit.

What I'm looking forward to most is being able to hear the engine. Trying to double declutch when all you can hear is a fan roar is a pain in the arse. Over heating when you're idling around the paddok is also a bit of novelty I won't miss.

After that the biggest "problem" is a teacup stromberg carby. Apparently the factory two barrel carb was prone to warping so it didn't even last as long as the generator. I don't think a HZ Holden 6cyl unit is much of a replacement on a 300cube engine. Why they didn't fit a WW 2 barrel is beyond me. Perhaps a 350 Holley would help.