OK so after getting the AP6 Safari back a year ago, after a 4 year stay at a "Restoration Shop" I have discovered a lot of shortcomings with the work that was undertaken, everywhere from the bodywork to the mechanicals, even some items that were in good condition prior to ''restoration'' are now damaged beyond repair. Despite all of the negatives in recent months work has commenced on getting this vehicle back on the road. The photo above was taken late last month after removing the ''rebuilt'' engine to strip it down and look into some strange issues including a lack of oil pressure. Good friend, expert engine builder and fellow member of the Rich River Rod & Custom Club, James Bourke offered his expertise in diagnosing the issues, and boy did he find plenty! The oil pressure issue was due to a wasp nest that had jammed the rotor inside the oil pump, a burr was also found on the rotor that didn't make it very easy to turn. The upside to that issue was the oil pump drive gear span on the shaft eliminating any camshaft damage. A quick summary of other engine issues include;
The head studs not tensioned, the alloy rocker cover required machining to sit flat, the exhaust valves were all worn out, welch plugs not fitted tight, there was a lot of dirt etc in the cylinders (post machining and bottom end assembly) one manifold stud had been put into a damaged hole (and crooked at that!) and the list goes on.....

After a busy day's work the engine was stripped down, the head hot tanked and new Bronze K Line valve guides were inserted, new exhaust valves fitted and the remainder of the head reassembled. The bottom end was all carefully reassembled before the head was reunited with the block. The engine is now back to the original red and looks more or less as a factory Hyper Pak should. More progress this week has included refitting the water pump, fuel pump, thermostat housing, distributor, intake manifold and headers in preparation for dropping it back into the wagon.

At this point a huge thanks to James Bourke from Engine Action Echuca for his time and expertise!