What did you do to your car today?

[luxstang]

Swapped the stock pan on the AOD for an aluminum one and while I was at it I changed the filter. Then I flushed the transmission to get rid of the quart of F type oil I put in by mistake a few weeks ago.

Also changed the motor oil and filter.

 

[83slimer]

Well still staring at the quarter panel still not fitting right, i measure 33 1/2 centimeters from inside lip of rear marker light to the top bend on the quarter on the pass side original and i cant seem to get it much better than 32 1/2 on the driver side replacement panel FFS. I can bend it downward on the new panel but then the new wheel wells want to separate from the quarter rrrrrr.

 

[cudak888]

Well still staring at the quarter panel still not fitting right, i measure 33 1/2 centimeters from inside lip of rear marker light to the top bend on the quarter on the pass side original and i cant seem to get it much better than 32 1/2 on the driver side replacement panel FFS. I can bend it downward on the new panel but then the new wheel wells want to separate from the quarter rrrrrr.

Try tacking the panel to the wheel house with three or four sheet metal screws to hold it in place, then pull the panel flat at the back, allowing the steel to move upwards instead of down.

Also, have you checked where you slotted and bent the steel to meet the rocker panel? If you bent this in the wrong spot, the panel may tend to sit too high or low in the front, affecting the rest.

-Kurt

 

[Mister 4x4]

Finally got around to changing out the Holley "Black" (rotary vane) fuel pump my pal Jim gave me a few years ago. That thing was so dang loud, you could actually hear it over the stereo and everything.

Here's the old Holley pump (I had run the plumbing a bit different to make sure it didn't hit anything, by using a 90 degree elbow... but never got a pic:

Here's the new Holley solenoid style pump - fits even better and is QUIET!

This is the rock guard/cover I made for it using a piece of an undercarriage panel from a Jetta (or something) someone left at the Auto Hobby Shop after changing their oil... never came back for it after 6 months, so I figured it was fair game.

Still gotta get the sanding dust and overspray from the paint shop off of everything... but it'll keep.

 

[rpmcarter]

well....I've completed the TASK of getting the sound deaden material in the doors and quarters WITH the windows IN. I felt like a contorsionist having to turn every way possible to get my arms/hands into places FORD chose them not to be ... after that I went out to play some tennis...

 

[nbracken]

After replacing all 4 shocks, many suspension rubber mounts, all brake cylinders, new pads and shoes, front rotors and bearings over the winter months, all I had to left to do was fit the 4 shiny new 15" Vintique Magnum 500s and Radial T/As that I had bought to replace the incorrect 14" Magnums that came with the car and the accompanying 18 year old Dunlop Qualifier tires.

That was until, while maneuvering the car onto the hoist to change the wheels over, the high pressure line on the power steering pump burst spraying fluid over the right side of the engine, the hot manifold, and my friends nice clean garage floor. But that's the joy of olf cars I guess.....

 

[Mikes73]

Installed competition engineering subframe connectors and a dynamat extreme sound deadener door kit. Both of these upgrades made a huge difference in ride quality and interior noise. My stereo system sounds great and the car feels much more solid than it ever has.

 

[luxstang]

Replaced the o-ring on the AODs dipstick tube. Seems like I found the leak.

 

[Don65Stang]

The tag year on the 73 vert says 1985. The front cross member that the strut rods bolt to has a significant deformation that rendered it undriveable. The car has sat in a storage unit for the past 25-30 years.

Today I sanded the points, gave a splash of gas in the carb, hit the key and it fired right up.

While not as creative as the guy who made Eric's gas tank hammock out of a logging chain I think my mini tank was a good idea...probably not since a back fire would have made things interesting. I did start it the first time with a dry mini tank just to see what would happen with a splash of gas in the carb. All was fine.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I finished getting the new master cylinder on the 73 vert I recently purchased that had sat for 20 plus years. Glass beaded the brake booster and painted. Spent some time getting all the after market stuff off, burglar alarm, pioneer stereo, speaker in trunk. I replaced the power steering hoses, brake booster hose, heater hoses and started looking at the F&%$*@ up vacuum hoses. Will have to do some study on this one. There were at least 5 open ports so it should run much better when I get them fixed. I gave the engine area its first bath in over 20 years. Also put new valve covers on the engine is spotless inside and has dual valve springs. I will have to take some pics tomorrow. Going to start buffing out the original factory paint tomorrow and give the mechanical stuff a break.

David

 

[Mister 4x4]

::thumb:: ::thumb:: ::thumb:: ::thumb:: ::thumb::

Hey, whatever works Don! You should see the klooge-job fuel injection cleaner "tool" I made for my '97 Ram with an FI Cleaner can adapter, fuel filter, and fuel rail connector fitting. Worked like champ, too.

I'm especially proud of the swimming pool water-level tender I made from some PVC pipe, a garden hose, and a toilet bowl float/valve assembly. rofl

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

The tag year on the 73 vert says 1985. The front cross member that the strut rods bolt to has a significant deformation that rendered it undriveable. The car has sat in a storage unit for the past 25-30 years.

Today I sanded the points, gave a splash of gas in the carb, hit the key and it fired right up.

While not as creative as the guy who made Eric's gas tank hammock out of a logging chain I think my mini tank was a good idea...probably not since a back fire would have made things interesting. I did start it the first time with a dry mini tank just to see what would happen with a splash of gas in the carb. All was fine.

That is great that it ran. Keep like an old Briggs & Stratton gas tank around it will work and will be a little safer. Next time try putting some marvel mystery oil with gas and squirt in carb to get the upper cylinders lubed up. It will also help to loosen the rings they are about the only thing that really can stick unless a valve stem rusts. The vert I am working on now sat over 20 years and also starts and runs I drove it about 20 miles to see what worked and didn't. When I pulled the valve covers the engine looks like new inside. Will start to sort out the vacuum lines today don't know why he took so many off or left them loose.

David

 

[jhawk635]

The wife and I took her out to a local wine tasting event yesterday. It was a blast! We were a one-car car show. The owner asked us to pull it right up front and open it up. Must have had a couple hundred people check it out, admire it, and even thank me for bringing it. I met a ton of cool people and sparked up a ton of great conversation. Another example of how rewarding this hobby can be.

Cheers!

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Well you guys will be happy that I am working on one of the Barn Mustangs. It is the 73 vert that sat for over 20 years. I got the master cylinder changed and new valve cover gaskets. I gave the engine a bath yesterday and decided to give the car it's first bath in over 20 years, the don't rust if you don't wash them. Then I buffed it with #7 mirror glaze and gave it a coat of carnauba wax. It looks like about 1/2 the car has some re paint but 1/2 still factory. It looks so different than when it arrived. I will take some pics tomorrow if not raining. I have lots of wiring and vacuum issues to track down then replace the rear brake cylinders and calipers. When they sit long periods without silicone brake fluid it attracts moisture and rusts.

I am beat a 67 year old guy shouldn't do this. It brought back memories of when I washed and waxed one of the other barn mustangs years ago. It will be coming out soon.

David

 

[OLE PONY]

Well you guys will be happy that I am working on one of the Barn Mustangs. It is the 73 vert that sat for over 20 years. I got the master cylinder changed and new valve cover gaskets. I gave the engine a bath yesterday and decided to give the car it's first bath in over 20 years, the don't rust if you don't wash them. Then I buffed it with #7 mirror glaze and gave it a coat of carnauba wax. It looks like about 1/2 the car has some re paint but 1/2 still factory. It looks so different than when it arrived. I will take some pics tomorrow if not raining. I have lots of wiring and vacuum issues to track down then replace the rear brake cylinders and calipers. When they sit long periods without silicone brake fluid it attracts moisture and rusts.

I am beat a 67 year old guy shouldn't do this. It brought back memories of when I washed and waxed one of the other barn mustangs years ago. It will be coming out soon.

David

Amazing what a little elbow grease will do. Looking forward to seeing the pics.

 

[mrmach1]

I took her out for a drive. After the long and what seemed to be never ending winter here in the Northeast I finally got the Green Queen out for a little well deserved drive and a chance to feel the new tires and enjoy the feel of the new seat foam.

 

[jpaz]

I was finally able to install a new headlight relay wiring harness, fix my back-up lights (they were only out for a year!) & go out for a drive. Sure felt great to drive the Mach again after that long cold winter! Spring is here & summer is on the way.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Soooo many wires. I pulled all the aftermarket stuff out of the convertible today. It had a Pioneer radio CD player, Kenwood AMP, MTX AMP and a boom box in the trunk. It also had a burglar alarm and radar detector that was hidden under the carpet with a couple hundred feet of wires. I washed and shined it yesterday, PO had buffed the corners too hard in a few places and he pulled a trim strip off that messed up the paint. I took the seats out and pulled the carpet up but did not find a build sheet. I did not find one in my car that I ordered in 73 so they must not make it in all of them. There is absolutely no rust on this car it is amazing. Now to rewire the MSD box to clean up under the hood. The AMP gage in the center cluster had been so hot it melted the mount and ruined the pod. He had tried to wire the factory tachometer into the MSD that is why I could not find the connector wrapped in tape under the dash. Got to finish this week and have running so DOT inspector can come and give me ok that the car is operable to get a North Carolina title and tag the car.

It is killing the old man but great to be able to work every day on the car instead of going to work, lol.

David

 

[Mister 4x4]

OK - so I only got a few things done today, but managed to get some pics of some of the things I'd talked about buy failed to actually get pics of.

Finished wiring up the license plate lights and Pyle Audio back up camera and clip-on monitor. The wiring was already in-place, and I tested it, but hadn't made anything permanent. I also kind of lost the cool flip-up bracket I'd bought a few months ago for the monitor, so I wound up just clipping it onto the rear view mirror (as it was designed for).



I mentioned I'd replaced all the woodgrain vinyl with 3M Di-Noc black carbon fiber vinyl:





Since I went with ACC cut-pile carpet, I also went with some Lloyd's cut-pile floor mats:



To match cut-pile carpet theme, I decided to stick some cut-pile replacement carpet (like you find in rolls at Pep Boys, Auto Zone, O'Reilly's, etc.) to the cheesy painted masonite package tray insert. Looks a ton better, IMHO. These are also Retrosound 6x9s mounted with Retrosound risers, so I didn't have to cut-up the package tray sheet metal. They sound great! Can't wait to get the MTX Terminator subs installed right below them.



And finally, I'd installed some louvers a few months ago, and love 'em. Here's a couple shots - they look mean, and are a period correct restomod as well.

 

[Spike Morelli]

Well, I got into a little fender bender a few weeks ago. The car is getting new sheet metal and grille, but paint matching is out of the question, due to original paint. It's going into the body shop for a total re-paint ( stock factory color that it is ), so I started stripping the body of mouldings, stripes, wing, most everything that I can unbolt. Fenders, hood, trunk, and various pieces are being chemical stripped, so the finished car should be wonderfull.