Cruise in Rant - please excuse (LONG)

[bkdunha]

So since Charlotte in April both of the cars have been parked. The 72 just wasn't running right when we headed out to Charlotte and the 67 ran fine until we were just about home and the brakes went soft on me and just about gave out completely plus I started to experience an oil leak. So with all of the family duties I had to get back to after a 6+ month thrash to get the 72 done I have just not tackled the car projects. Back in July I told myself it was going to be to hot to drive the cars so I might as well crank the AC in the garage and get to work. What was a brake problem and oil leak in the 67 has become a pulling of the motor/cam swap/headers ordered/heads pulled and ALOT more than was initially budgeted and planned. So that car is currently down with the headers being built and the heads off for valve work. So, that leaves me the 72. With the help of a friend we spent an afternoon in late July doing a little trouble shooting. We discoverd a cracked yellow top coil arching all of the place and (***** alert) a plug with .000 gap. Somehow the electrode was bent with the numerous ins and outs while working on the exhaust manifold. So after a couple of tweaks on the carb and some kickdown questions it is running much much better. Not a race car with the H code 351 2V, but a good reliable (hopefully!) driver. So with the engine sorted I turned to a couple of interior issues. Gas gauge was not working so I assumed the sender was bad, interior dash lights were very dim (or I just became 20+ years older since I last saw them illuminated and I became more dim ). So, I pulle dthe dash apart to address the electrical gremlins. OHHH do I hate electrical gremlins! Now, here we are going into August, I have not been to one cruise in or car show this year and it is the 50th Anniversary Year. Could I have planned this out any more poorly. NO!

I know this is getting long, but it is providing me some free therapy. Getting up to this past week. They have a Cars & Coffee here each month and it is pretty low key in the morning and not a lot of outside spectators mainly car folks who respect each others cars and are not generally ones where you have to eagle eye your car the entire time it is parked to avoid scratches and sticky kid fingers. Told myself I was going to make Cars & Coffee. So, told the wife not to see me much last week as I would be in the garage to get the 72 buttoned up. Diagnosed a problem a with the printed circuit gauge assembly that I think lead to the fuel gauge not working. Replaced the incandescent bulbs with LEDs in the dash. Replaced a leaking front disc brake caliper. Replacement is still seaping a bit and it is killing me, but I will monitor it. So, Friday night rolls around and I am thinking I am good for Cars & Coffee. Wait for it, wait for it WRONG! Saturday morning car will not start. At this point I went back inside and loaded up the coffee cup with some JD and said we will at least have the Coffee part this morning ::beer:: . Come to find out my Marti Works Concourse correct starter solenoid died on me. Thank you Marti for overcharging me for something I could have bought a cheap nok off of that would last longer. So, I get a new solenoid on Sunday and think OK, I will make the Cruise In we have here on Tuesday nights. It is calmer than the Thursday night cruise and closer to my house. This morning I watch the news and they are saying rain this afternoon.

WHY CAN I NOT GET A BREAK AND ENJOY THE FRUITS OF MY LABOR!

 

[jeff8877]

Brian,

Thanks for sharing and the smile it gave me especially the spark plug. Pretty sure we have all been there but always hoping to avoid all the little irritants that seem to get in the way of enjoying a completed project...completed may be the wrong word as it is always something. Hope it gets better and you get a chance to enjoy your beautiful cars.

 

[Mister 4x4]

I feel yo' pain, Brutha!!

Every time I set "definite" goals for my project, I always wind up missing out because of the "whack-a-mole" nit-noids that pop-up randomly at [what seems to be] the most inopportune times.

For instance: Saturday, Sept 5th is the local Ford stealership's annual "Mustang Round-Up," and I was planning on attending with mine. Yeah... that's not gonna happen - ran out of time. I could take all of next week off working straight through every day, and still not make it because my rear tires are on back-order, with BFG being the hold-up. So... I'm "hoping" now to have it ready by mid-October for the annual Goodfellow AFB Car Show. I simply MUST make that one, so I can get some kind of retribution for getting it done, despite the adversity created by their decision to close the shop.

But yeah - I'm right there with ya, Man! :shrug2: ::beer::

 

[Dave72Rcode]

ok to rant... feel your pain... been there... oh yes, i've been there... i've decided to go with "functional" daily driver or performance parts vs super expensive concourse stuff... ive had problems with fuel sender, parking brake, brakes, alternator, starter, solenoid, carb, transmission, axle, distributor, power steering pump, headers, wiring harness, fog lights, battery, timing chain cover, water pump... i guess, just about everything has been replaced so far... i even did the LED lights like you too... you just don't know what will FAIL next until you drive it... ENJOY the Process!

 

[Totalled]

Could be worse.

This was August last year: http://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-totalled-s-rebuild-thread?pid=142207#pid142207

And this year I'm trying to make ponies in the park at the end of september... So I'll have about a week after that to enjoy the car before monsoon season.

 

[cudak888]

Could always be worse. You'll get it back together, and there will be other cruise-ins.

Think about it - fate might have kept your car from running due to an inevitable fender-bender that would have otherwise happened had you made it. If you think of it that way, you'll never regret having to miss an event.

-Kurt

 

[mdan575]

I feel your pain on things going wrong. Mine was the same way for a number of years. Good reason I have swapped out many of those components for more reliable modern parts. No its not concourse correct. But it makes my car drive well without breaking down on a regular basis. Not only that but the parts were alot cheaper than matching original replacements.

 

[73StangCoupe]

Man... Do I ever feel your pain. We probably all have at some point of ownership... These are old cars and most of us don't have ton of money or time to pour into them. I parked mine in the garage about 2 months ago and haven't driven it since. There is some interior work that I need to do, I need to replace some steering components and to top that off the rear PS window rolled down fine, but won't roll back up. It does get frustrating. If you can just leave it alone for a while to regain your motivation... Just my 2 cents. Good luck!

 

[jhawk635]

Truly sorry for your pain. Doing all the routine maintenance is key but it seems that sometimes you just need a little luck. Some cars just seem a little more finicky than others.

I'm almost afraid to say it...don't want any bad karma! I can't recall my '72 convertible letting me down in the ~20 years I've owned it. Starts right up (sure, I've had to jump it a couple of times and once had to replace the battery) every time and has never left me stranded. The 351C 2V is almost bullet proof in my opinion. My biggest real issue over the years was the headlights flickering/dimming that I struggled with for years until you guys pointed me in the right direction.

John

 

[Boss1Ray]

Brian - Thanks for sharing!

I think we all could write similar stories. No car gets to the level you have taken yours without challenges.

Most NEVER get there. For that - kudos.

I've been told many times to enjoy the ride (process) because if you don't you will give up. BTW this site helps a LOT!

Again kudos. Your car is a lot nicer than most.

Ray

 

[rpmcarter]

Could always be worse. You'll get it back together, and there will be other cruise-ins.

Think about it - fate might have kept your car from running due to an inevitable fender-bender that would have otherwise happened had you made it. If you think of it that way, you'll never regret having to miss an event.

-Kurt

Hmmmm I didnt realize "fate" had that much control over the universe. I guess I should pay more attention. Since that is the case now I know why I've missed all but about 10 cruise in's over a period of 8 years. I've missed EVERY car show that I've signed up for in advance.

Maaaahhhhnnnn that is some heavy stuff yor laying down. So maahhn your telling me Karma has been trying to get me in a fender bender for 8 years? Wow... far out...I'm beating the universe.

 

[72HCODE]

there is anyways something to drive you nuts.

sometimes you just have to keep peeling the rotten rind off the onion until you get to something good.

it took me 3 years before the car was safe enough to drive. then once i drove it i had to take it all apart and put it back together and every year i have major and minor problems to solve.

 

[bkdunha]

Thank you everyone for allowing me to vent a little yesterday. Well, somebody upstairs must have been listening. While driving home the sky was still partly cloudy with some bigger clouds to the north mainly moving southwest. I ran in the house and the weather guy said it should miss us so it looks like the cruise in was a go. Most of the mustang club was down on Beale St. for the monthly cruise down there. You have to have a parking pass for that and the 7 our club gets each month go fast. With both of my cars down at the beginning of the month I did not put my name in. I drove over to the nearby cruise spot and one other guy from the club was there and maybe 20 other cars. It has been so hot here and with the threat of rain and the Beale St. cruise I figured it would be light. Nonetheless, I was still able to take the car out and enjoy it some. It ended up being a good day. Any day ending with a mustang drive is a good one in my book.

 

[cudak888]

So maahhn your telling me Karma has been trying to get me in a fender bender for 8 years? Wow... far out...I'm beating the universe.

Well, you know how those dogmas are trying to run over my carmas:

[video=youtube]


Speaking of which, that dog drives better than most people in this town.

-Kurt

 

[rpmcarter]

bout to spew my beer watching that the music was perfect.