What did you do to your car today?

[MooseStang]

Well, today and a few days prior....   (basically a catchup since I got Moose)

Replaced air filter
Located unconnected vacuum line to reservoir (ac vents now working)
Rotated the rear spoiler to the correct direction
Acquired some swag ( 8-tracks & '7273 Texas map)
Pulled steering wheel, cleaned up, removed old rim blow switch, removed broken inserts (new stuff on order)
Re-aligned the ignition switch rod ( now able to access all positions )
Discovered my steering column is BLUE and dated JAN 18 1972, has a broken turn signal cancel, and has a wobble issue
Pulled the driver's door panel, wrong speaker, window not aligned, broken front stop on window
Pulled the rear seat and panels, found both cylinders leaking around pistons ( 2 on order)
Pulled drivers seat, found both rear seat to track bolts had pulled through the seat frame.  Fixed with oversize washers until I can get welded.
Found the latch cylinder in seat, not connected.  There was a wire under the carpet, but the connectors don't match.
Found a loose connector near the driver's headlamp, is that for sport lamps?
Pulled the console.  Have some cracks to repair, needs a re-dye.
Pulled the radio, Ford Aerospace & Communications Corporation, model 7710  ( I think it's from 1978 )
 

 

[Idaho Chris]

Well, today I moved to the other end of the powertrain.  I removed the factory 2.75 one-wheeler-peeler and installed a new 3.81 Eaton Truetrac rear end that I purchased from Quick Performance.



First I pulled the axles.



Here's what the diff looks like after 48 years.  I spent more time removing the old gasket that all the rest of the job combined!



Since the new gasket ran me $20!!, I figured it deserved a photo of it's own:



And now the finished install.  Damn was it heavy.  Heavier than the Tremec transmission.



Tomorrow I plan to tackle the rear brakes, install new axle seals, and put the rear end back together so I can lower the car and measure for the new driveshaft.

 

[Idaho Chris]

I installed new rear axle seals and brakes.  Thankfully the rear bearings were good so I didn't need to replace them.





Rear drum brakes are something I really don't enjoy doing.  It is a very messy job and even with the right brake tools I always end up struggling with a spring or retainer.  A scrape or cut on one hand or the other just add to the experience.  I am happy to have the job behind me.

Tomorrow I dig into the heater core replacement.  After researching what is involved to get to the heater core I suspect I going to find I prefer working on rear brakes...

 

[c9zx]

I suspect you are correct. Good luck, you will get through it. Chuck

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Well, today and a few days prior....   (basically a catchup since I got Moose)

Replaced air filter
Located unconnected vacuum line to reservoir (ac vents now working)
Rotated the rear spoiler to the correct direction
Acquired some swag ( 8-tracks & '7273 Texas map)
Pulled steering wheel, cleaned up, removed old rim blow switch, removed broken inserts (new stuff on order)
Re-aligned the ignition switch rod ( now able to access all positions )
Discovered my steering column is BLUE and dated JAN 18 1972, has a broken turn signal cancel, and has a wobble issue
Pulled the driver's door panel, wrong speaker, window not aligned, broken front stop on window
Pulled the rear seat and panels, found both cylinders leaking around pistons ( 2 on order)
Pulled drivers seat, found both rear seat to track bolts had pulled through the seat frame.  Fixed with oversize washers until I can get welded.
Found the latch cylinder in seat, not connected.  There was a wire under the carpet, but the connectors don't match.
Found a loose connector near the driver's headlamp, is that for sport lamps?
Pulled the console.  Have some cracks to repair, needs a re-dye.
Pulled the radio, Ford Aerospace & Communications Corporation, model 7710  ( I think it's from 1978 )
 

On the console you do not dye the ABS plastic parts you paint them with the SEM paint you can get from NPD. They also have new console lids if you need one. The extra plug under the drivers seat was for power seat option in Cougar. You can put in mustang but was not a standard option. Prep of the console is very important due to most having Armor all put on and that makes it almost impossible to paint without fish eyes.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I installed new rear axle seals and brakes.  Thankfully the rear bearings were good so I didn't need to replace them.

View attachment 53397

View attachment 53398

Rear drum brakes are something I really don't enjoy doing.  It is a very messy job and even with the right brake tools I always end up struggling with a spring or retainer.  A scrape or cut on one hand or the other just add to the experience.  I am happy to have the job behind me.

Tomorrow I dig into the heater core replacement.  After researching what is involved to get to the heater core I suspect I going to find I prefer working on rear brakes...

I am sure you did not have a place to grind the shoes to fit the drums. Most shops got rid of the brake shoe grinders due to the asbestos in the linings. If not ground to fit the drum it takes long time to wear in and have good brakes. Also if drum is bell mouth that is not good either. You should also remove any step on the backing plate where the shoes ride they can hang up on the steps. Here are some pics of the Ammco brake shoe grinder I have in my shop. I got the brake drum and disc lathe at an auction for $350 and the shoe grinder was $150 with the table I think it was. I cleaned them up and painted.
So don't criticize your brakes if not good and let them wear in. Also do several fast back ups and hit the brakes to adjust them out properly.

 

[1sostatic]

Took him to a show. He got surrounded by a whole bunch of farting little Brit cars and Euro-boxes

 

[Idaho Chris]

I removed the heater/AC box and replaced the heater core.  As it turns out the job was pretty straight forward and not as difficult as I had anticipated from my research.  I followed the steps in the Ford Shop Manual.  

First I removed the carpet.  I am installing new carpet anyway and figured I'd need every inch of room to drop the box.



The floor was in real good shape.  Next I laid out a sheet of craft paper on a table.  Not knowing what all parts I would be removing I labeled everything on the table as I removed things.  If I am not going to be immediately reassembling something I am careful to bag and label, but if I know I am immediately putting everything back together I find the table labeling method to be more convenient.



 The box was in real good shape.  No internal signs of leakage.  No critter nests.  No cracks or chips.

Of particular note.  I did not have to remove the dash.  (the Ford manuals confirm this).  By removing the footwell side trim and the carpet and padding I had just enough room to pull the box right and rotate it out from under the dash.

Other than removing the glove box and door no other disassembly was necessary.  Here's a photo of the box prior to disassembly. 



And here it is torn down.



I did buy a seal kit and replaced all the foam when I put the box back together.  I also spent the extra $15 to buy a non-aluminum heater core.  I have not had good luck with aluminum cores as they do not appear to hold up over time.  I did check the new core for leaks (as suggested by David w Carolina Mountain Mustangs) prior to installation.

I removed the A/C evaporator since it is no longer needed.  Since moving to North Idaho from Florida I find there is really no need for air conditioning and I have removed the compressor and other A/C equipment from the engine bay to give me more room.

The box went back in even easier than it came out.  I'd say the whole job start to finish took about four leisurely hours.  Having done the job once now I could probably do it again in about half the time.  All in all not the horror story I was anticipating.

 

[Idaho Chris]

Today I took apart the front seats and cleaned them up.  I also repainted and lubricated the seat tracks.



Next I took apart the instrument cluster to replace the lens and clean things up.

 

[Aus73Mach1]

Installed a USB charger for the cigarette lighter socket with one of these, no change to the socket and this unit fits tight.



Pulled out the threaded bit on the lighter knob and epoxied in a cut down male USB plug. Had to make sure all wires were removed to prevent any short circuit;



It's only fractionally longer that the original lighter.



Looks ok in place and also has an "on" light on the usb adapter. During my re-wire I changed the lighter to switched power so no chance of being left on.

 

[Sheriff41]

Installed a USB charger for the cigarette lighter socket with one of these, no change to the socket and this unit fits tight.

View attachment 53543

Pulled out the threaded bit on the lighter knob and epoxied in a cut down male USB plug. Had to make sure all wires were removed to prevent any short circuit;

View attachment 53544

It's only fractionally longer that the original lighter.

View attachment 53545

Looks ok in place and also has an "on" light on the usb adapter. During my re-wire I changed the lighter to switched power so no chance of being left on.

View attachment 53546

That's pretty clever!  Nice work and thanks for the idea!

 

[tony-muscle]

I almost got a ticket. I wanted to time the acceleration with the new tires and got stopped by a trooper. I was in a rural road and I have no idea where he came from. Luckily he didn't clock my speed. Got away with a warning!

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I removed the heater/AC box and replaced the heater core.  As it turns out the job was pretty straight forward and not as difficult as I had anticipated from my research.  I followed the steps in the Ford Shop Manual.  

First I removed the carpet.  I am installing new carpet anyway and figured I'd need every inch of room to drop the box.

View attachment 53442

The floor was in real good shape.  Next I laid out a sheet of craft paper on a table.  Not knowing what all parts I would be removing I labeled everything on the table as I removed things.  If I am not going to be immediately reassembling something I am careful to bag and label, but if I know I am immediately putting everything back together I find the table labeling method to be more convenient.

View attachment 53443

 The box was in real good shape.  No internal signs of leakage.  No critter nests.  No cracks or chips.

Of particular note.  I did not have to remove the dash.  (the Ford manuals confirm this).  By removing the footwell side trim and the carpet and padding I had just enough room to pull the box right and rotate it out from under the dash.

Other than removing the glove box and door no other disassembly was necessary.  Here's a photo of the box prior to disassembly. 

View attachment 53444

And here it is torn down.

View attachment 53445

I did buy a seal kit and replaced all the foam when I put the box back together.  I also spent the extra $15 to buy a non-aluminum heater core.  I have not had good luck with aluminum cores as they do not appear to hold up over time.  I did check the new core for leaks (as suggested by David w Carolina Mountain Mustangs) prior to installation.

I removed the A/C evaporator since it is no longer needed.  Since moving to North Idaho from Florida I find there is really no need for air conditioning and I have removed the compressor and other A/C equipment from the engine bay to give me more room.

The box went back in even easier than it came out.  I'd say the whole job start to finish took about four leisurely hours.  Having done the job once now I could probably do it again in about half the time.  All in all not the horror story I was anticipating.

Interesting that you could get out without moving the dash rearward. It is only like 8 bolts to do that. I tell people I will do a heater core for half what shop quote is for labor. They are crazy expensive to get replaced.

 

[Idaho Chris]

I did a lot of little things to the car today; filled the radiator, cleaned up the wiring behind the dash, fitted a new lens to the instrument cluster (waiting for new bulbs before re-installation), topped the transmission fluid, and made up a little wiring harness to connect the new T-5 transmission to the factory automatic transmission wiring harness:

 

[Idaho Chris]

I bled the brakes.  I used the vacuum method.  All in all I fed about a quart of DOT 3 into the system.  I will use the two person pedal method to confirm all the air is out before driving the car.



Now with brakes bled and the heater core replaced, I put the strut braces back in place, ran new vacuum hoses and finished up the engine bay.



Ha!  I've been looking all over for my missing deep 11/16" socket, and after posting up this photo I notice it is sitting on the washer fluid bottle.  Mystery solved! 

 

[Idaho Chris]

I reassembled my instrument cluster after installing LED lights. After bench testing to confirm all was well I reinstalled the cluster.  Unfortunately after screwing it back in place in the dash the lights did not light up when I turned on the headlights.  Damn...

After some troubleshooting I determined that the switch was to blame.  I guess after 48 years some corrosion is to be expected.



Since the dimmer resistance coil was loose on the switch and the internal contacts are suspect I decided not to try and clean it.  I have ordered a new switch.

I moved on from the dash to the underside and fitted up the new exhaust system.  The tailpipes are going to need a little work to get the tips to exit through the rear valence in the right spot, but otherwise all was well.



I am hoping my new driveshaft shows up next week. 

 

[Idaho Chris]

I fabricated a spacer to move the new Hurst shift lever aft 3/4" and right 1/4" to better align the lever with the new OEM spec rubber boot.



I finished up the new carpet install.



I must say it looks a little strange to see a clutch pedal and shifter in my Mustang after all these 'automatic" decades.  I'll finish up work on the center console next.  he console should trim out and hide the shifter boot attachment bolts.

 

[droptop73]

Looks good Chris! It's a proper hot rod now with 3 pedals... 

I dug a bit deeper on my rear brake issue and traced it to the combination / proportioning valve. Fluid goes in and nothing comes out. I have a replacement valve on order and some other parts to return... my life lately... LOL!!

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Chris a couple of questions. Looking at your picture of the brake bleeder hooked to your front caliper I think you have the caliper on the wrong side. The bleed valve should always be at the highest point on any disc brake set up. There will be air in the system for sure no way to get that bubble out of the top of the bore. Here is a picture of one of mine.
On the console around the shift boot. The manual shift cars have an additional piece that goes around the boot to hide the screws. It sits loose under the console and hides the base of the boot and the carpet. They do repo them but only the one for the short console. The only difference was that the long console has four rounded corners. I do not think I have a picture on this computer. NPD has them for sure and maybe a member has and original. Will be black on all color consoles.
I did not have a picture showing the bleed valve this is best I could do for now.
Here is a link to one Don has it is configured like the short version was. The long did not have the ears sticking out. Will fit and cannot see the ears. https://www.ebay.com/itm/192471265334?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=192471265334&targetid=1264870804704&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9010303&poi=&campaignid=10455986539&mkgroupid=123050588060&rlsatarget=pla-1264870804704&abcId=2146002&merchantid=6557784&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIr7roxpaa8gIVpBx9Ch0hNwqbEAQYAyABEgKAlPD_BwE

 

[Idaho Chris]

Chris a couple of questions. Looking at your picture of the brake bleeder hooked to your front caliper I think you have the caliper on the wrong side. The bleed valve should always be at the highest point on any disc brake set up. There will be air in the system for sure no way to get that bubble out of the top of the bore....

Well it wouldn't be the first time that I made a stupid mistake if I put the calipers on wrong.  I am always glad to have a second (or third) set of eyes to check me out!

That said, here's a pic of the passenger side caliper.  With the bleed screw up on the top I think they are installed correctly, no?



And, thanks for the heads up on the shifter filler.  I'll check out NPD.  Are you suggesting the small console filler would work for me on my full sized console?

Thanks.

PS (also reason for edit) I just checked NPD and they do stock the necessary filler, but damn $35 for a piece of plastic?  If I had a template I'd just cut my own...

Easier/cheaper to order from Don at OMS via his eBay link.