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TexasEd

By TexasEd
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Mach 1

Mach 1 1677

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4 minutes ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Carefully remove the old sending unit, clean it, make a new mesh screen to cover the pick up tube, and re use it if the float is still sealed.  The new units just do not work as well at giving you an accurate read on how full the tank is. So many repo mustang parts are not that good. Finding NOS could be an option, but I'm not sure I've ever seen one.

Interesting.  I'm with you on saving original stuff when possible, but mine came with an ARP replacement sending unit.  Looked pretty solid.  We'll see when I fire it up.

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Onboard 2.0

Onboard 2.0 9083

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2 minutes ago, Mach 1 said:

Interesting.  I'm with you on saving original stuff when possible, but mine came with an ARP replacement sending unit.  Looked pretty solid.  We'll see when I fire it up.

Yeah I got a shiny new one that I figured would work just like the old one. It doesn't read accurately in my opinion.  I stumbled on the old vs. new on VMF or Allfordmustangs.com. That was about 4 years ago so there may be a better one out there now.

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Chad Fuck

Chad Fuck 17675

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19 hours ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

I've think the best resource for the mechanicals is the original factory shop manual. Obviously that doesn't cover restoration techniques, but it's good for repair/part replacement. 
 

 

Thanks.  I have the shop manual.  I'm looking for something a little beyond that.  Updated "best practices" for resto/restomod.  I've found a lot of good random info, but nothing complete in one place.  

 

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Horn of Gabriel

Horn of Gabriel 1614

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Big update on the 'Cuda...I bought it about a year ago, a craigslist special.  The guy trailered it down from Montana where it was garaged and I gave it a look and went for it.  Now, it's a 50-year old car, so you have to expect some issues.  This one was originally a 318 car, at some point was swapped to a 383.  I had all the fluids and consumables like belts and hoses swapped out to start fresh and see where I was at.  The shop I've been using (Austin City Hot Rods) has been good, but we've been putting band aids on it for awhile so I could drive and enjoy it (it's a driver).  But it's had some persistent leaks - first an oil leak which we had some trouble tracking down, thought maybe it was a blowby issue due to crankcase overpressure (installed relief vent), then found one of the oil pan bolts was stripped out and addressed that.  Then it had a PS fluid leak, that box is old and needs to be swapped out, put it on the list.  But the most annoying issue is that you'd drive it for 30 mins to get a burger, and it would be fine, then you'd let it sit and when you fired it back up, on the way home it would BELCH smoke out the back.  I think that maybe the oil leak hitting the hot headers and exhaust, but the seals in the transmission were going as well and trans fluid smokes also. Thinking that as the exhaust heated up and those fluids were slung onto it they'd burn off.  At the same time I wanted to upgrade the breaking and make it more drivable.

Long story short, I decided to have the engine rebuilt so I could really see what I was dealing with and kill the leaks for good.  The shop pulled the engine and took it up to WCH Racing Engines in Midlothian to do the work.  They've had it for the past month or so and tore it completely apart - new gaskets, new pistons, bored it .060 over, new value springs and seals, etc etc etc - basically all new.  They also broke it in on the engine dyno.  I have the report, I'll see if I can scan it and post it here.

At the same time, we can swap in a known cam and put on a FI tech TBFI system so cold starts are no longer an issue.  I had them pull the transmission and sent it off to a guy here in Austin to rebuild it with hard parts - good thing because it had leaks also.  I also had them install new brake lines, a new master cylinder, new torsion bars (the old ones for the 318 were still there), we put in a new FirmFeel level II power steering box, new fast ratio pitman and idler arms to really tighten up the steering as it was pretty loose, along with new headers to make it all fit.  We're also putting an electric fan with a shroud on it because these mopars love to overheat, and finally a new Vintage Air A/C system so I can actually drive it during the summer without dying.  While we had the engine out I also had them do some other minor stuff like spray the engine bay body color (Mopar!) and relocate the battery to the trunk to clean up the look.  Of course, we found some issues in the metal when it was scrubbed for paint, which had to be fixed too, fortunately they were minor.

I should have it back on the road in the next few weeks, right now I'm just waiting on the transmission to come back and the rebuilt steering box and we can get it all back together.  Here are some WIP pics, I'm a fan of the crated motor all fresh and repainted mopar orange and ready to go back in!

IMG-2683.jpg IMG-2685.jpg IMG-2686.jpg IMG-2687.jpg IMG-2689.jpg IMG-2693.jpg IMG-2698.jpg IMG-2699.jpg IMG-2702.jpg IMG-2703.jpg IMG-1388.jpg IMG-2512.jpg IMG-2522.jpg

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Onboard 2.0

Onboard 2.0 9083

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5 hours ago, Chad Fuck said:

Thanks.  I have the shop manual.  I'm looking for something a little beyond that.  Updated "best practices" for resto/restomod.  I've found a lot of good random info, but nothing complete in one place.  

 

I think at that point you;re really looking for a book on resto mod projects.  I haven't seen one, but I'm betting there's something  out there in the googlezland. The problem is it's more than likely to be a coffee table  book with resto mods, then you have to dig deeper on the research for specific details you like or want to resto mod.  

For me it's just better, more modern systems: brakes, Suspension, certain engine upgrades, clutch systems, power steering systems, safety features, etc.  Interior stuff is all over the place, my dash is a place for some possible resto modding at some point.

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Mach 1

Mach 1 1677

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Posted (edited)
7 hours ago, Horn of Gabriel said:

We're also putting an electric fan with a shroud on it because these mopars love to overheat, and finally a new Vintage Air A/C system so I can actually drive it during the summer without dying.  

I'd recommend putting that A/C in before anything else.  I just did Classic Auto Air and it was a PITA even with full access to the firewall from both sides.

Follow up with some pics.  I've always like the Plum Crazy color. 

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TexasEd

TexasEd 8066

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@Anastasis Get a new tank and sending unit.  Don't mess around with a 50 year old tank.  On the sides your plan of wire brushing the surface rust and priming over it is the right one.  It's not like a body panel that people are going to see.

 

@Chad Fuck I learned everything from Mustang Specific forums.  Create a plan that prioritizes getting it running ans safe first (Suspension, steering, brakes, engine running, lights, etc.)  After that break it into parts.  I just created a new google sheet to lay out the body/metal work, paint, headliner and new windshield as 1st phase, trim and interior as second, and then possible things like putting in a modern AC system and updating dash with LEDs.  That way I can bite off a manageable chunk at a time.

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Chad Fuck

Chad Fuck 17675

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[mention=179]Anastasis[/mention] Get a new tank and sending unit.  Don't mess around with a 50 year old tank.  On the sides your plan of wire brushing the surface rust and priming over it is the right one.  It's not like a body panel that people are going to see.
 
[mention=699]Chad Fuck[/mention] I learned everything from Mustang Specific forums.  Create a plan that prioritizes getting it running ans safe first (Suspension, steering, brakes, engine running, lights, etc.)  After that break it into parts.  I just created a new google sheet to lay out the body/metal work, paint, headliner and new windshield as 1st phase, trim and interior as second, and then possible things like putting in a modern AC system and updating dash with LEDs.  That way I can bite off a manageable chunk at a time.

Which forums, specifically, did you find helpful?
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Onboard 2.0

Onboard 2.0 9083

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10 hours ago, Chad Fuck said:


Which forums, specifically, did you find helpful?

Try Allfordmustangs.com as well as VMF.  They have a decent group of folks with good knowledge.  Classic mustang forum > classic mustang tech There's a section at the top of the classic mustang tech page the called the care and feeding of your ponies.  It covers lots of typical mustang issues.

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mulletpelini

mulletpelini 5211

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My dad had a Chrysler LeBaron back in the 80's.  For some reason it would choke in certain weather conditions or altitudes.  His mechanic put some type of electric pump on it that would bypass whatever it normally used.  There was a toggle switch on the dash down by your left knee.  Fuel problems?  Hit the booster switch!  4 banger turbo!  Always cracked me up.

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Anastasis

Anastasis 23469

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Well furk.  Caught a screw in one of my tires. Took it to the discount tire to get plugged and they told me the date code said they were 18 years old, so the won't plug it. Looks like we're getting new shoes.  Gonna try to convince myself to get some redlines over a cold beer this evening. 

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Onboard 2.0

Onboard 2.0 9083

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3 hours ago, Anastasis said:

Well furk.  Caught a screw in one of my tires. Took it to the discount tire to get plugged and they told me the date code said they were 18 years old, so the won't plug it. Looks like we're getting new shoes.  Gonna try to convince myself to get some redlines over a cold beer this evening. 

Ohhhh baaaaaaybeeeee....  redliiiiiiiiines........

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Anastasis

Anastasis 23469

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3 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

Idk man. Radial TAs are hard to beat.

These fn redline tires are expensive as shit.  Not sure that I can justify it. TAs are what's on there currently, and I am thinking I am just going to replace the four corners, and have them throw whichever one of the old ones looks best on the spare.  May play around with one of the redline add on kits, but pretty hard to justify an additional $100 per tire for some fucking red stripe.  I'd rather spend that money on getting the wheels blasted and powder coated. 

 

BTW. This is the spare that I pulled out of the trunk. I haven't checked the date code, but if the Radial TAs were 18 years old, this one seems old as fuck.

F62-D3824-CDE3-438-D-B24-E-0-C7-BAA2-C8-

 

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Anastasis

Anastasis 23469

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On 2/13/2020 at 4:17 PM, utxmike05 said:

New shoes for Betty. Got rid of the white lettering on the old BFGs and trying out the Cooper GT radials. Not many options out there for 15” wheels...literally just the BFG and Cooper radials.

 

Before

 

 

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After

 

Shoutout to Discount Tire for extra love they gave her.

 

586a7ca5bfa15778a625bc34ae1dcc35.jpg

 

cdef3345abf7ec90ece9b1548ae6e5c6.jpg

 

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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

How are you liking the cooper radial GT's.  These are in the mix vs the BFGs T/As. 

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utxmike05

utxmike05 1828

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Also follow-up question, how much do you trust the discount tire guys.  I mean, I have no problem taking my Tundra or the wife's car in there, but not sure I want somebody else mounting a jack underneath my mustang without supervision. 

Coopers have been good so far...only have like 70 miles on them. Lol.

The discount tire guys treated her like gold. The young dudes were excited and asked my permission on somethings. They let me back her in and out of the bay. But they ended up not using the lift to protect the exhaust. The idea to use floor jacks outside the bay was theirs. I was hovering over them the whole time. At least this location was cool. We take our other vehicles there.


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utxmike05

utxmike05 1828

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Now I am in search for a battery. I keep a trickle charger on it 24/7 and always starts right up. But Sunday no noise when turning her on...(hey-oh!)...had to jump start her to back out and clean the garage. Jumped again to park back in garage.

Side note: I used one of those portable jump starters I got at Costco to keep in wife’s car. Worked great. Type S brand, very compact. Looks like a hard drive.

It is the same battery from when I got her 4 yrs ago.

Anyone tried Optima red tops on a classic? Looking at a 34R model which has posts that match my layout.


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Onboard 2.0

Onboard 2.0 9083

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10 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

I just call AAA and they come out and sell me a battery and install it. Best deal there is. Just did it a few months ago. Here in AZ they don’t last all that long.

AAA towing is the bomb, and well worth the piece of mind for about $100 a year.

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