Have started the long job of cleaning the 73 Mach 1

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Quick question - what kind of molasses do you use and where do you get it?  Ok that was 2 questions.
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I go to the local cattle, horse feed store. Some actually have it in bulk tanks and you can get a barrel full. Depends on where you live. If lots of dairy farms and cattle will be easy to find and cheap.

It cost between $18.00 - $20.00 for 5 gallons here. I see someone put links in but will go ahead and say the mixture is 9 parts water to one part molasses. So five gallons of molasses yields 50 gallons of solution. It does quit working after the acids are depleted but you can just dump outside or down a drain not hazardous. It does also get mold on top thought about adding something to try to prevent but have not. Going to dump my tank it is about done for.



 
Ok yesterday was a pretty good day nothing went backwards at least, lol.

I am in recovery for a while this morning.

Mudbilly sent me his AC compressor and I thank him for that. It needed a seal on the crank but seems to be ok inside. I had a Ford NOS seal in the hoard so I pulled it apart and replaced. Pretty crazy seal in there for sure not normal. Got it all cleaned up and ready to go back on engine when brackets are done.

Also got the brake booster back on. I ran tap through the locking nuts on there so they would go on easier.

Got the rear spoiler back on, space saver spare, jack and handle are all installed in the trunk for rear of car is buttoned up.

My list just does not get shorter, lol. Will work under dash some more today. The mice had pulled most of the cowl insulation out for nests not going to pull everything out to replace it. Won't be driven anyway so noise and heat not an issue.

See if I can get the master cylinder on and vacuum the brake lines out.

I was looking in NPD catalog and I think they sell the repair parts for the Bendix brake boosters. I am going to do my own next time. After looking at how it is assembled I thing I can get apart and back together without any special tools. Will take one apart to see.

 
A question I need answered. What brand of headlight bulbs did Ford use? It has Westinghouse in it will not change either way not a show car. Just like to know for reference. I have a box of the old T-3 bulbs like used in GM I use to sell at swap meets.

Doing lots of little things now to get ready to put interior back in. Museum has me scheduled to deliver the Mach 1 on Friday April 12 so 8 days left to get done. Cleaned up the ram air system yesterday. No it did not come with but will have it on it. The PO of the ram air system had rattle canned the plenum. So I applied liquid stripper twice then scrubbed with tooth brush and lacquer thinner to get it back to the fiberglass look. All of the vacuum motors are bad even the NOS ones. So beware NOS does not mean that the rubber parts have not dried out and died. The doors try to move with hand brake bleed pump so might work with engine vac..

Put the Havoline 10-30 oil in and the Lucas zinc additive in. Not going to pull the distributor to prime just crank over with coil off to build pressure. I had poured oil over the rockers and down push rods and when I pulled a rod cap still had oil in it.

Got the brakes bled and all the old fluid out of the lines. Gas tank still had a couple gallons of now varnish in it. Got the wiper blades looking new again.

Got the enclosed trailer lined up in case there is bad weather so that is out of the way. Just so much to do. If I pull this off I am going to take a long break and get my neck fixed next, lol.

Started when I got the invitation letter on February 1 so that gives you some idea of how long it will take you to tear a car down clean and put back together. I have not worked everyday due to my neck issues and never over 8-10 hours and not many of those or I can't do anything the next day.

All the tasks are easy just lots of them.

So if any of you are hesitant about jumping in and doing work on your car just do it. I am 71 and really bad neck spine issues so if I can do it you can. My memory is gone so lots of pictures for reference are needed. I am sure I will have some left over parts, lol.

 
A question I need answered. What brand of headlight bulbs did Ford use? It has Westinghouse in it will not change either way not a show car. Just like to know for reference. I have a box of the old T-3 bulbs like used in GM I use to sell at swap meets.

Doing lots of little things now to get ready to put interior back in. Museum has me scheduled to deliver the Mach 1 on Friday April 12 so 8 days left to get done. Cleaned up the ram air system yesterday. No it did not come with but will have it on it. The PO of the ram air system had rattle canned the plenum. So I applied liquid stripper twice then scrubbed with tooth brush and lacquer thinner to get it back to the fiberglass look. All of the vacuum motors are bad even the NOS ones. So beware NOS does not mean that the rubber parts have not dried out and died. The doors try to move with hand brake bleed pump so might work with engine vac..

Put the Havoline 10-30 oil in and the Lucas zinc additive in. Not going to pull the distributor to prime just crank over with coil off to build pressure. I had poured oil over the rockers and down push rods and when I pulled a rod cap still had oil in it.

Got the brakes bled and all the old fluid out of the lines. Gas tank still had a couple gallons of now varnish in it. Got the wiper blades looking new again.

Got the enclosed trailer lined up in case there is bad weather so that is out of the way. Just so much to do. If I pull this off I am going to take a long break and get my neck fixed next, lol.

Started when I got the invitation letter on February 1 so that gives you some idea of how long it will take you to tear a car down clean and put back together. I have not worked everyday due to my neck issues and never over 8-10 hours and not many of those or I can't do anything the next day.

All the tasks are easy just lots of them.

So if any of you are hesitant about jumping in and doing work on your car just do it. I am 71 and really bad neck spine issues so if I can do it you can. My memory is gone so lots of pictures for reference are needed. I am sure I will have some left over parts, lol.
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keep up the great work, definitely inspiring to see you're still at it despite your age related challenges.

 
Got the carb back together lost one screw, :mad: . Kit did not have carb to space gasket only the thick gasket. Got to find one of those.

Got the gas tank off and boy is it bad. Ordered new sending unit it was toast. I am headed out to radiator shop to see if they can clean if not I will use one of the Q vert for now. The top of the tank was shiny metal with date codes plain as day. I took pics but left camera in garage. The outside and bottom of the tank they covered in undercoating.

Put plug wires on and did several little jobs.

Just going to Ford dealer and get a Motorcraft battery they said would give me discount since the owner's wife is in our Mustang club with her Shelby vert.

Not going to have time to pull the rear and clean springs and housing. I understand at the museum they will just be in a side by side row and will be roped off so people will not be able to get close. They want doors closed so people do not climb over to look.

There will be special displays for some but not all cars.

Local print shop is doing one story board that gives details about car. I have window stickers and regular Marti, he could not do the Deluxe Marti in 2 months which is amazing to me. All you do is print and frame. They would not pull me ahead.

The list never ends.



 
Just wondering if your restoration buddy was ever able to fix and color match the right front fender ?

 
David, most name brand carb kits, including Motorcraft, usually only include the carb to egr spacer gasket. On your car the thick (almost cardboard like) gasket is the carb to egr spacer gasket. ( D3ZZ-9447-B, ID# D3ZE-9C477-AB, Motorcraft CG-364)

Spacer to intake gasket (D3ZZ-9447-A,  ID# D3ZE-9447-AB,  motorcraft CG-359 )

Carb to EGR Spacer

Spacer to Intake

 
Last edited by a moderator:
David, most name brand carb kits, including Motorcraft, usually only include the carb to egr spacer gasket. On your car the thick (almost cardboard like) gasket is the carb to egr spacer gasket. ( D3ZZ-9447-B, ID# D3ZE-9C477-AB, Motorcraft CG-364)

Spacer to intake gasket (D3ZZ-9447-A,  ID# D3ZE-9447-AB,  motorcraft CG-359 )

Carb to EGR Spacer

Spacer to Intake
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LOL, I figured that out yesterday and put the darn thing on. BTW I remembered whey the 72 carb was on there. I had the 73 off and was setting float lever and I lost the weight that goes in the center that controls the fuel shot from the accelerator pump. I had the 72 carb sitting there so I put it on. I have not found the bin with the 73. Not a show car so as long as it runs will be fine.

 
Someone ask about the fender getting painted. Not enough time will go as is and do later.

Yesterday I took the gas tank to radiator shop and he said the hot tank would not remove the rust. He would hot tank it and if rusty had to cut it open sand blast and weld back together. Costs more than a new tank. Why would you do that unless nothing available.

I pulled new tank off the 72 Q vert and put it on. While doing that I noticed a wet spot on the cross over brake line on the back of the rear end. Rusty line will pull the new one off the vert today.

I did get the carb back on and was flushing out the fuel line with denatured alcohol several times. The exit is getting clear and not rust now.

Got in touch with the Ford dealership owners wife, member of our Mustang club. They also sponsor our show each fall. She sold me Motorcraft battery at employee price to help a little. BTW on the size of battery box. My car came with the 70 amp alternator but had the group 24 battery that is about 10 1/2" long. My battery box is original so the 73 did not have the longer battery as an option I guess or would have been there. I have PW, rear window defrost, AC, convenience group all the things that use more power.

Clay coming tomorrow to help me slide the transmission back in and might try to start on Sunday if I get enough of the dash back in. Will also get him to help put hood back on. Probably Monday before it runs or tries.

Had to get some prescription Lidocaine patches for my neck or would have to just stop. They will not give any strong pain meds anymore here. They have people lined up at the local clinic trying to kick the pill habit.

Both of my thumbs are split open and bleed from all the solvent and cleaning, lol. I am falling apart. I put the glue on them couple times a day.

Got a sitter for my pups for the next week at the show / grand opening of the MOM.

Looks like I will at least have the car together now starting it that is another wonder. Can push it in just to display. I bet the exhaust pipes are full of acorns that the mice and chipmunks put in.

Going to have lunch and back to the garage.

 
Well the same but not the same bug has bit me again.

The cross over metal brake line on the Mach 1 blew when I was bleeding the brakes. So I figured I would just go pull the new one off the Q vert, both 9" rear and NPD catalog says they are all the same, NOT. It has new everything under the car, brakes, springs lines. I got it off and the wheel cylinder thread size for the line is 3/8" and the end that goes to the junction block bolted to the axle housing is 7/16". The one off the vert has both ends 3/8". Is this something the repo people took on their own to change?

I called NPD and they will not go measure one to see if theirs is like my 73. So I did not order one. After I eat supper going back and will check the one on the crashed 72 vert and see if it is good or not.

If not will have to bend my own I guess.

Had to find a good starter the bolt flange on the original had one ear broken.

Not much progress today but will go back for a few more hours.

 
My friend Clay that does the fantastic restorations came over to help me put the 4 speed back in. He has three bad disc and I just have one. The 4 speed only checks in a 97 lbs. stripped down but boy it seems like more. We got it in and he went on to help others.

Got the trans. in, exhaust hooked up, new u-joints in and driveshaft installed.

I ended up making the brake line since the repo lines would not fit. The underside of the car is pretty much done. Will bleed the brakes again tomorrow and might see if the engine will fire.

Jumping into the interior for one last blast.

I did get notice from MOM, Mustang Owner's Museum that I will be in the first 500 that will get to view the museum.

I hope I can hold up to make the trip, lol.

Spring is here garage door open all day today birds singing and I hope to see a turkey soon, lol.

 
Well about 2:00 today I squirted some gas in the carb and turned it over. It did fire. I do not have the sending unit for the gas tank until tomorrow. I will get some good gas and put the sending unit in and see if it will keep running maybe late tomorrow. Radiator not on either. Need the phosphate AC components on before radiator.

Have to go get the phosphate parts done tomorrow.

Put the shifter back in and adjusted the shift rods so should be good for drive train.

Heater AC box back in tomorrow. Then put interior down.

I am about worn out.

I got notified I was picked for the first group to get to go through the museum. Actually several from our Mustang club here got picked. The fire department has set limits of how many can be inside at any one time. I will get a little preview when we take car on Friday.

I wonder how many hundreds or thousands of parts I have touched since Feb. when I started?

I will do much of nothing for weeks to come. I will dig in garden and plant things.

My pups think I have abandoned them.

 
Well about 2:00 today I squirted some gas in the carb and turned it over. It did fire. I do not have the sending unit for the gas tank until tomorrow. I will get some good gas and put the sending unit in and see if it will keep running maybe late tomorrow. Radiator not on either. Need the phosphate AC components on before radiator.

Have to go get the phosphate parts done tomorrow.

Put the shifter back in and adjusted the shift rods so should be good for drive train.

Heater AC box back in tomorrow. Then put interior down.

I am about worn out.

I got notified I was picked for the first group to get to go through the museum. Actually several from our Mustang club here got picked. The fire department has set limits of how many can be inside at any one time. I will get a little preview when we take car on Friday.

I wonder how many hundreds or thousands of parts I have touched since Feb. when I started?

I will do much of nothing for weeks to come. I will dig in garden and plant things.

My pups think I have abandoned them.
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David can you do me a favour and take pics of every stage of A/C install. Mine was missing when i purchased the car. Now i got all the bits i will install at some point. The brackets under the hood i have no idea which way round they should go or which one goes where. I cant find any info in shop manual

 

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