What did you do to your car today?

[Mister 4x4]

Well - this weekend I had big plans of getting all the side glass into the car. But at 95 w/60%+ humidity, I was denied.

Saturday I managed to get the plugs changed (fouled after running some gas that had a little bit of diesel in it - which is out of its system now) - she was removing the blue plastic protective strip from the grille's stainless trim. After it was out of the garage and under the carport, we started working on getting the door locks and handles installed. The passenger side started catching full sun right about that time, and only managed the door lock... after about an-hour-and-a-half of trying to figure out exactly what the Hell the body shop guy did (rather than remove the retainers to the door locks, he just pulled the E-clips). I'm starting to not like the old man anymore. Also discovered the studs on the repop door handles stick out further than the stockers, so the day was done after struggling with that for an hour.

Got back at it a bit earlier today, pulled the studs from the repop door handles (double-nut method) and installed the passenger side. Done! (finally) Moved to the driver side, and all went well (of course, I'd done the passenger side, so it was much easier)... until I tried the door handle - no workee. Crap. Pulled it back out and noticed that the inside door handle was slow to retract, the lock button seems tighter than it should, so we pulled the door latch mechanism, cleaned the crap out of it, and sprayed in some good ol' WD40. Put the whole thing back together and we're in business. Then it was decided to clean up and install the Ram Air plenum... everything's cleaned up, paint's [mostly] dry, and just about ready to go, but it was just too damn hot and I don't want to run the risk of fingerprints in the black paint. Tackle it tomorrow evening or something.

So, I got door locks and door handles installed, Ram Air plenum ready to go back on, and she got all the nasty blue coating off the grille's stainless trim. Personally, I think she got more done than I did - that stuff was ON there. ::thumb::

 

[73vertproject]

Always good to see progress, guys. ::thumb::

 

[Gold Rush]

Removed top of DS torque box and fitting the top of the new 70 torque box. Lot more work than expected, lots of cuttin and fittin and bending. I'll post some pics when it's done.

 

[jeremycfr]

Got the thermostat replaced, trans resealed/refilled, center gauges installed and working (decided to go aftermarket so we know actual #s), installed radio/ran wire, and began installing the rest of the dash. Hopefully we will have the brake problem fixed this week so can get the mufflers on.

Oh and got the AC compressor and all related components working.

Trying to get everything bit interior completed before we move. I loose free access to the colleges shop since my new school does not have a auto program.

 

[OMS]

Got the thermostat replaced, trans resealed/refilled, center gauges installed and working (decided to go aftermarket so we know actual #s), installed radio/ran wire, and began installing the rest of the dash. Hopefully we will have the brake problem fixed this week so can get the mufflers on.

Oh and got the AC compressor and all related components working.

Trying to get everything bit interior completed before we move. I loose free access to the colleges shop since my new school does not have a auto program.

Well you are going to find it is quite relaxing laying on the garage floor when working on your car. Ask Eric [ MR 4X4 ]

 

[Mister 4x4]

Well you are going to find it is quite relaxing laying on the garage floor when working on your car. Ask Eric [ MR 4X4 ]

You sir, are an evil man. Well Done! rofl

Today, after changing the oil in the Ram, worked on getting the door glass installed. She cleaned up the glass from the '72 parts car, and with the exception of some minor scratches, they'll do nicely. Pulled the old glass and door felts. Vacuumed out the stuff collected in the bottoms... cleaned and lubed the regulators... then put 'em all back together with new felts and the '72's glass. Also popped in the new door buttons recently received from OMS - they work perfectly (key and "lights" buzzer is confidently back online, too). All exterior lights (except the sport lamps and one reverse bulb) are functional as well - except the signal flasher is toast, and the hazard flasher is weak. Looks like a trip to O'Reillys for those items on the way home from work Monday.

Tomorrow - tackle the roll-up quarters, drip rails, and door seals... and whatever else we can manage in the 101 degree heat.

 

[will e]

I started it. The car is parked in my parents garage. It's been consistently over 100 degrees here in Phoenix and for the past few days over 110. Last time I started it was about 5 weeks ago. About 10 weeks since I last drove it around a bit. I am looking forward to when the temps cool.

 

[droptop73]

A friend asked me to drive his daughter and her Youth Fair court in a parade. It was more fun than I thought it would be. As an added bonus, a local ice cream shop was giving small soft serve cones to parade participants.

 

[mach71351c]

Well I'm back in the game after a 4 month break,"Damn honey do list". I started to strip the drivers fender from my parts car and found it to be a mess under the thick black paint. I knew it had some work done to it from what I seen on the back side. But I didn't think it was that bad.:-/ I wanted to use this fender because it fit the hood and door better than my original. The body line is just to ugly. Oh well back to my original fender. Funny both fenders had bondo in the same spot but my original fender was no wear near as bad as my parts car fender. About half way threw the day I realized I need some shade so I Micky moused up some shade in my RV bay. I knew I was holding on to that galvanized pipe for something.

 

[cudak888]

I knew it had some work done to it from what I seen on the back side. But I didn't think it was that bad.:-/

Proof that this country's driver's training has failed - for over 30 years - to teach the public* how to drive a wide car with long overhangs. How many of these cars have we seen with at least one corner crumpled up?

-Kurt

*Now everybody compensates by building short, narrow junk with curved edges on all corners (and less rear visibility than ever - hah!). Making cars easier for idiots to drive is the wrong solution...

 

[mach71351c]

I knew it had some work done to it from what I seen on the back side. But I didn't think it was that bad.:-/

Proof that this country's driver's training has failed - for over 30 years - to teach the public* how to drive a wide car with long overhangs. How many of these cars have we seen with at least one corner crumpled up?

-Kurt

*Now everybody compensates by building short, narrow junk with curved edges on all corners (and less rear visibility than ever - hah!). Making cars easier for idiots to drive is the wrong solution...

Very true. My mother in law had a Bill Blast Lincoln and a cougar XR7 both had hood ornaments. When she bought her Explorer I had to put a bug shield on it. She said the hood was to sloped.:shrug2:

 

[Austin Vert]

You have my sympathy Sir, as paint always hides a multitude of sins doesn't it.:dodgy:

Greg.

 

[matrixx]

I knew it had some work done to it from what I seen on the back side. But I didn't think it was that bad.:-/

Proof that this country's driver's training has failed - for over 30 years - to teach the public* how to drive a wide car with long overhangs. How many of these cars have we seen with at least one corner crumpled up?

-Kurt

*Now everybody compensates by building short, narrow junk with curved edges on all corners (and less rear visibility than ever - hah!). Making cars easier for idiots to drive is the wrong solution...

Yep here's what I found hidden under my original fenders.

The bondo body sculpture job did a good job hiding this fender bender.

 

[droptop73]

I finished up installing the inner weatherstrip and trim on the crappy ABS repop door panels. I applied Velcro to hold them on since most of the clip plates are broken off and most of the clips are gone. The panels are all cracked to pieces inside but look ok on the outside. The panels are much better with the metal rails, i glued them to the inside of the panels and screwed the weatherstrip and trim to the brackets. I'll take some pics when I do the other side now I know how to do it.

 

[luxstang]

Finally got my new 18 inch rear tires. Had them mounted and balanced ând swapped the Magnums for the 18 inch rims again.

Waaaayyyy better!

 

[droptop73]

I finished up installing the inner weatherstrip and trim on the crappy ABS repop door panels. I applied Velcro to hold them on since most of the clip plates are broken off and most of the clips are gone. The panels are all cracked to pieces inside but look ok on the outside. The panels are much better with the metal rails, i glued them to the inside of the panels and screwed the weatherstrip and trim to the brackets. I'll take some pics when I do the other side now I know how to do it.

WOW!!! I thought the door panel project would be more cosmetic, I was wrong, I drove the car today and the first thing I noticed was reduced engine noise when the car started then less road noise, less wind noise and fewer rattles on the rough Michigan roads. It struck me how as things degrade over time and things get done without completion, how much I really tolerated that was unnecessary. BTW, the velcro holds the panel in place very well. I just want to massage the panel a little bit more with the heat gun to fix some poor gaps in the panel to door and try to get the handle to fit better.

 

[Austin Vert]

I finished up installing the inner weatherstrip and trim on the crappy ABS repop door panels. I applied Velcro to hold them on since most of the clip plates are broken off and most of the clips are gone. The panels are all cracked to pieces inside but look ok on the outside. The panels are much better with the metal rails, i glued them to the inside of the panels and screwed the weatherstrip and trim to the brackets. I'll take some pics when I do the other side now I know how to do it.

WOW!!! I thought the door panel project would be more cosmetic, I was wrong, I drove the car today and the first thing I noticed was reduced engine noise when the car started then less road noise, less wind noise and fewer rattles on the rough Michigan roads. It struck me how as things degrade over time and things get done without completion, how much I really tolerated that was unnecessary. BTW, the velcro holds the panel in place very well. I just want to massage the panel a little bit more with the heat gun to fix some poor gaps in the panel to door and try to get the handle to fit better.

Yeah, my sympathy to you Jeff. The repo door panels i used were a bad fitting nightmare all 'round.:dodgy:

Greg.

 

[Mister 4x4]

This week is like Christmas! Monday, I received the Pyle Audio back-up camera and video screen. This one clips onto the mirror, but I'm going to mount it up higher, like a sunvisor, so I can flip it down for use and back up out of the way as necessary.

Last night, I received several boxes from Summit Racing - 4 of them had Cragar logos, and the other one had Autoloc goodies inside (2 universal power window kits and a power lock kit with alarm) along with more baggies with Cragar logos (lug nuts) and a set of McGard Tough Locks. Still waiting for the ones with BF Goodrich logos, but it's all good.

I knew it had some work done to it from what I seen on the back side. But I didn't think it was that bad.:-/

Proof that this country's driver's training has failed - for over 30 years - to teach the public* how to drive a wide car with long overhangs. How many of these cars have we seen with at least one corner crumpled up?

-Kurt

*Now everybody compensates by building short, narrow junk with curved edges on all corners (and less rear visibility than ever - hah!). Making cars easier for idiots to drive is the wrong solution...

Yep here's what I found hidden under my original fenders.

The bondo body sculpture job did a good job hiding this fender bender.

EVERY '71-'73 Mustang I've come across has this issue on either or both sides. Mine - both. The '72 parts Mach 1 - both. The '73 parts coupe - both. I can't confirm whether Auron73mach1's fenders have this or not, because we haven't seen bare metal yet - if not, he's a lucky man.

People just need to pay attention - a lost art form, apparently.

 

[73Vert302]

New leaf springs! Correct height and night and day difference in handling! Going to look at the driveshaft next. Getting a noise when going into and changing gears. Anyone know what the problem could be?

 

[Mikes73]

Possible universal joint problem, check them for play.