Hope y'all had a wonderful and safe Freedom Day weekend !
Been really busy dealing with parts cleaning/inspection/painting. Backordered items, bad parts, wrong parts, and trying to keep up with the p... View MoreHope y'all had a wonderful and safe Freedom Day weekend !
Been really busy dealing with parts cleaning/inspection/painting. Backordered items, bad parts, wrong parts, and trying to keep up with the property,
An update on the 1959 Ford galaxy Fairlane 500. The body work is FINALLY done and the first coat of blue is on everywhere that is going blue, with the exception of the engine compartment having two coats. The areas that are still gray, are going to match the hoods cream color. When all the stainless and chrome is reattached it will once again be a show stopper !
71 LTD drove home with a very happy customer at the wheel, he will be bringing it back by after putting some miles on it, for retuning and re-torquing of the heads and intake manifold, and a general going over after sitting for so many years.
The 77 F150 is proceeding, along with the 48 Packard.
I'm almost very excited to announce and show y'all the newest project, this 1967 Fairlane 500 XL convertible. It's going to be a long term project. It will be a bit of a challenge, as it has a lot of rust. But, after going over it with my trusty hammer, along with talking with the customer, it shouldn't be too bad.
The 1971 LTD convertible project :
After a lot of work, hopefully, is finally finished. With the exception of flushing the milky oil, and changing the oil, along with resetting the timing, and refilli... View MoreThe 1971 LTD convertible project :
After a lot of work, hopefully, is finally finished. With the exception of flushing the milky oil, and changing the oil, along with resetting the timing, and refilling the transmission after changing the transmission oil pan gasket that was leaking. Not to mention the vacuum modulator that was worn out.
Yeah, and a shopping trip to town for "top off".
The LTD is going back together nicely.
While installing the passenger side head gasket, I found the last place had installed the old one backwards !
Sealed off the main cooling passageway largely le... View MoreThe LTD is going back together nicely.
While installing the passenger side head gasket, I found the last place had installed the old one backwards !
Sealed off the main cooling passageway largely leading to this whole boondoggle. The reused old one sure didn't help matters.
The added pressure that built up in the head from the boiling coolant caused these issues.
Luckily, it didn't cause warpage in the block or head. Ford tough meant something back then !
The Cadillac :
I was able to tear down the front end, finding the original timing chain set, which was very worn. Engines are an exact science, close enough just doesn't count....
The LTD :
I receive... View MoreThe Cadillac :
I was able to tear down the front end, finding the original timing chain set, which was very worn. Engines are an exact science, close enough just doesn't count....
The LTD :
I received the new head gasket set today, hopefully, tomorrow, I can get it back together.
The 77 F150 :
I replaced the battery cables, with heavier gauge cable, this time in heat resistant loom that will help prevent the cable from melting due to header pipes. I also received new valve cover gaskets, as the old ones were leaking, and I had to remove a wad of silicone that was installed to replace the PCV valve.
I also found a chunk of the old one under the valve cover. I still have a few things I need to do before I can start it.
Hopefully I'll have it running by the weekend.
The 1959 Galaxie/Fairlane :
As the song goes "It's been a long road to get from there to here. It's been a long time, but the time is finally here".
The drivers side rocker panel has been replaced an... View MoreThe 1959 Galaxie/Fairlane :
As the song goes "It's been a long road to get from there to here. It's been a long time, but the time is finally here".
The drivers side rocker panel has been replaced and welded in very well !
I only had to do a little Bondo work to make it look good.
Today, I was able to prime the rocker panel and fender. Then, painted the drivers side its first coat, and the engine room's second coat. I was also able to temporarily set the driver's side fender in place for painting.
The new hardware I ordered for it was lost in the mail. So, now I have to order another set after they refunded me.
Always something getting in the way of progress.
Been a busy couple of weeks.
The 79 F100. After freeing the engine, I gave it a compression check, it uniformly failed badly, compression ranged from 60-105 with oil in each cylinder. With those read... View MoreBeen a busy couple of weeks.
The 79 F100. After freeing the engine, I gave it a compression check, it uniformly failed badly, compression ranged from 60-105 with oil in each cylinder. With those readings it will require a full engine rebuild, I explained everything to customer and repeated the compression tests with them.
They decided to go ahead and rebuild it.
The LTD is cleaned, and ready to go back together, just waiting on the last set of gaskets I need for it.
The 59 Ford galaxy Fairlane 500 is going back together beautifully. Things are lining up better than when I took it apart...
The 77 F150 is doing well. The previously misinstalled new electronic dash has now been installed correctly, along with the rats nest of bad wiring that was installed, cut up, tied up, etc...
The Cadillac is still being a royal pain in my gluteus maximus. The only thing left is timing chain/cam shaft timing, which I can't get to until I get some of the other projects back together....
I've GOT to confess my "sins" once in awhile. Don't want the world to think bad of me, but gotta be real, too, and get people to understand that ain't nothing for free. Sometimes, hard lessons are req... View MoreI've GOT to confess my "sins" once in awhile. Don't want the world to think bad of me, but gotta be real, too, and get people to understand that ain't nothing for free. Sometimes, hard lessons are required, but can also be quite convenient. A large sense of humour can really refresh the soul, and I'M VERY REFRESHED right now. Can't help it. One of my customers brought me a 1979 Ford truck that hasn't run in over ten years with 3/4 tank of gas. I sniffed it, and sure enough it'd varnished. That's a lot of gas to haul to a recycling facility. Well, I decided to spread the gift. I towed it into the ditch 'longside the road near my house, with the rear wheels in the ditch and the engine up. Yeah, I pulled the coil wire and locked it. Next day, it was empty. SOMEBODY siphoned it. Thankfully, now my problem is solved.
Now, going to say my "Hail Mary's" and tow it back. My bad.
This week has been a real challenge...
I had three things left to do on the 71 LTD. Thermostat, transmission oil pan gasket, and vacuum modulator...
Until....... I found the radiator down, and the o... View MoreThis week has been a real challenge...
I had three things left to do on the 71 LTD. Thermostat, transmission oil pan gasket, and vacuum modulator...
Until....... I found the radiator down, and the oil "milky."
Yesterday, I found that it was caused by a head gasket that was reused and put on backwards by the previous "mechanic", allowing things to talk that never should. Now I get to clean, inspect, and paint a whole new batch of parts.
The 77 F150 is coming along. The new radiator is installed, along with the straighting the radiator support, and bumper mounts. The customer is going to send me a new fender.
I know it won't ever be perfect again, but it's getting better, and things are starting to fit right once again.
The 79 F100 developed an issue while trying to bar it over, there is one area it just won't pass from either direction. I checked the valve train thinking it might be a sticking valve, finding 5 rusted rockers. One rusted enough it will require replacement. But, it's still sticking in that one spot, hopefully with oil and time it will work loose.
The rest of the projects are also coming along slowly, waiting parts and time.
Yesterday I was able to run the 1977 F150 after doing a compression check Saturday and filling it up with water.
The skip is now gone, the only thing I can think is it must of been a loose wire. I wa... View MoreYesterday I was able to run the 1977 F150 after doing a compression check Saturday and filling it up with water.
The skip is now gone, the only thing I can think is it must of been a loose wire. I was then able to tune the carburetor and get it properly adjusted. I heard the unmistakable sound of a cam, albeit a mild version, to go along with the 4bbl Holley, Edelbrock intake manifold, and headers.
I then found the vacuum hoses were hooked up all wrong, allowing the full engine vacuum to pull on the distributor vacuum advance, sucking the diagram right out of it.
When I went to test drive it to check the rest of the drive line, I found the shift linkage wasn't right. "P" for park was reverse, and everything was off. After getting into it, I found the linkage cross rod ears were bent and binding, pulling everything out of adjustment. Most likely residual damage from the wreck. I was able to straighten it today, then got side tracked on another project I discuss later in this post. In the next couple of days, after the rain, I should get it back together and in adjustment so what you see on the indicator, is what gear you are in.
Today Shalar "Dean" Sellers came by with his mobile welding outfit. and together we got the new rocker panel tacked then mostly welded on the 1959 Ford galaxy Fairlane project ! Might not look beautiful right now, but when he is done it will look fantastic. It is already welded on more than out of the factory did in1959 with spot welds.
Yesterday, also received yet another project. This 1979 Ford F100. With a 302 engine and 4 speed manual transmission. It has been sitting for over 10 years, it will take a lot of time to bring it around. Today, I started the process by putting Marvel Mystery Oil in all the cylinders so it can begin to work it's magic, along with blowing down the engine to remove all the debris you see in these pictures.
I just received this new project today.
A 1977 Ford F150 Explorer XLT, with a 351M engine, Edelbrock intake manifold and Holley performer 4BBL. Complete with header pipes and an unknown automatic tra... View MoreI just received this new project today.
A 1977 Ford F150 Explorer XLT, with a 351M engine, Edelbrock intake manifold and Holley performer 4BBL. Complete with header pipes and an unknown automatic transmission.
It came to me to fix a slight skip/miss, fix some wiring issues on the new electric dash, and go through it to make sure it can safely and reliability drive coast to coast without issue, per customer request.
These old vehicles are easy to come by, and generally cheap to work on when you know how and where to source parts.
This gas crunch will pass, and contrary to what "THEY" want you to believe, there are old vehicles that get 20, 30, even 40 MPG.
This truck might not be able to get that kinda milage, but it is also proof of something else I have said and believe. It was in a head on wreck at some point. it didn't drive away unscathed but it drove away, which can't be said about "new" vehicles....
Some of y'all may know this project, some not. This is a 1948 Packard Victoria convertible.
After being run into the ground, it was parked around 50 years ago. So, not only am I dealing with the dam... View MoreSome of y'all may know this project, some not. This is a 1948 Packard Victoria convertible.
After being run into the ground, it was parked around 50 years ago. So, not only am I dealing with the damage done by sitting that I can normally deal with, I have to deal with the original damage done. Starting with the engine, it development a leak in the cooling system, so they filled it with StopLeak. As the most of the cooling system was bone dry when it arrived, I don't think it worked to stop the leak.... however it DID work to stop up the cooling system, leading to the overheating and warpage. As you can see, #4 was rusted in, from the head gasket leakage.
The brake system, and the rest of the drive line are my next targets after finding out how the engine is, the frame and body are in really good condition !!!
If I didn't have challenging projects, I wouldn't keep doing this !
I see I really need to do some catch up here...
Let's start with the 1986 F150. After getting the engine back from the shop, I finished putting it together and reinstalled it. After having some start... View MoreI see I really need to do some catch up here...
Let's start with the 1986 F150. After getting the engine back from the shop, I finished putting it together and reinstalled it. After having some starter issues I finally got HIM running and returned to the customer. The customer and his wife are ecstatic !
I can't upload the video of the first run, sadly......... Wimkin's having issues again.
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