29 May 2017 - Trunk / gas tank covering/panels

I finished the driver side trunk/wheel well cardboard template.  Still need to finish the trunk/gas tank piece.

 

28 May 2017 - Trunk / gas tank covering/panels

I have the passenger side trunk wheel well panel done.  It is a cardboard template.  The trunk/gas tank piece is partially done.  The width is correct, just need to finish the length and make a cutout for the tank filler tube.

28 May 2017 - Tools

Picked up another tool today from HB.  Just needed a quick and dirty way to determine termperature and the infrared thermometer was the ticket.  THe HB part number is 60725.

I am going to do some temp checks on the engine and the plan is to upgrade the radiator to an aluminum unit.  I will compare temps before the upgrade and after.

But if I don't upgrade the radiator I do plan on installing an electric fan that is manual.  

27 May 2017 - Trunk/gas tank covering ideas

I have been working on cleaning up the trunk/gas tank area and dealing with the rust in the trunk.

So far I have cleaned up most of the factory soft sealer that was, for some reason all over the gas tank top and liberally applied all around the perimeter of the gas tank.  I have also started using a rust converter to stop the spread of rust on the trunk/wheel well areas.  There are more areas that need to be addressed but right now the areas are drying.

What I have started to do is create a cardboard template of the trunk/gas tank/wheel well areas to eventually allow me to create an installable covering for most of the trunk/gas tank/wheel well areas.

I am considering using plywood, treating it with a sealer then have the top of the plywood covered in carpet or maybe astro turf or something like that, the bottom of the plywood covered with foam sheets or foam strips to help with keeping the plywood structure in place.  Since there are two holes in the trunk floor I can use bolts/washers to scure the plywood flooring at those locations.

27 May 2017 - Door Panel ideas

The stock door panels on the car in pretty good shape for a 50 year old car.  I am considering removing the door panels and replacing them with custom metal panels covered with fabric.

Spring clips used to mount the original fiber board panels to the door interiour.  After removal and installation a few times(no matter how careful) the fiber board does show signs of wear.

What I am looking into doing is using ford nut clip.  These type of fasteners are used extensively in this car in other areas and are easily obtained from after market sources.

An idea I have about using the nut clips requires modifying the door to install the nut clips.  This would require cutting/grinding/drilling the spring clips holes and so there would be no going back to the original installation hardware or the original door panel.  That is not really a problem for me.

The basic plan is to install nut clips on the perimeter of the door and create a custom metal door panel with the correct cutouts/holes for the armrest, door handle and window lever.

The door panel would be fabric covered, and regular bolts/machine screws for the nut clips would be used to install the panel.  If the door components ever needed repairs/upgrades it would be very easy and it would not damage the door panel.

23 May 2017 - Back to a Daily Driver

I believe I have the car ready as a daily driver at this point.  The brakes, engine, transmission appear to be working as they should.  All tires have been replaced, the various vibrations that I had before with the old tires is now gone.  The rear window has a very bad rust out on the driver side lower corner.  I temporarily patched it with weatherstripping adhesive RTV.  It looks like that was THE source of water leaks for the trunk/wheel well.

I now will check the back seat/passenger window areas for leakage/drainage issues. 

• need to get the AM/FM radio working again....be nice to cruise and listen to tunes again...
•  

22 May 2017 - Corrosion control - gas tank / trunk

I am considering using this product from Eastwood Co.

Eastwood Black Rust Encapsulator - Paint Over Rust
Item #Encapsulator 16060

There is a rattle can version and a quart and gallon container for use with HVLP or brush on.

This product reads well, so I will give it a shot.

The areas I will use this on are the trunk/wheel wells/gas tank areas and see how it does.

I also will use this product before I use the rust encapsulator...

 Eastwood Pre Painting Prep Aerosol 11oz
Item #10041Z

21 May 2017 - Corrosion control - gas tank / trunk

Worked on the trunk/wheel wells.  Removed more of the tar like sealer, cleaned and prepped for rust converter paint.  The rust converter has been applied.  I will continue to clean up the trunk wheel wells and look for water leaks.

Once all of that is done, I am going to put in insulation and covering/carpeting for the trunk and wheel wells. Or I might look into a product from Eastwood that will leach into the rusted areas and convert the rust and then allow for top coating...

driver side rear fender/trunk area

passenger side rear fender/trunk area

20 May 2017 - Corrosion control - gas tank / trunk

Did a little more work on the area around the gas tank.  Removed as much of the sealer as I could.  Also cleaned more of the trunk floor where the gas tank sits and also the areas near the wheel wells.  Wiped down areas with denatured alcohol and painted the rusted areas with a rust converter/inhibitor.

18 May 2017 - Trunk area / gas tank

Continued with removing the installation sealer that is around the edge of the gas tank and on top of it.  Also continued with removing the tar sealer on the trunk areas.  The goal is to clean up/remove as much of the sealers to allow for removing rust if any in those areas and paint the areas.

16 May 2017 - distributor / ignition system information

Distributor / ignition information

Distributor:
MSD 8479

Cap and rotor kit for MSD 8479 Distributor:
MSD 84315

Wire set:
MSD 35399
 
Spark Plugs:
NGK
TR5
2238

MSD Ignition Control Box:

6A 
MSD 6200
 

15 May 2017 - general stuff

The rear tires were replaced a couple days ago.  After driving it with all new tires, vibrations from the front end are gone, and most of the very bad vibrations are gone from the back.  The car rides a lot smoother now.  Still need to look into the drive shaft and the way I installed it.

14 May 2017 - corrosion control - trunk area

While I was at the body shop this weekend and looking through and around the body with the specialist, I noticed a couple of areas in the trunk that need to be dealt with now.  The rear wheel well to fender seams on both sides have visible rust.  And after removing a bit of the factory tar sealer more rust was underneath that stuff.  

Today, I cleaned up those areas a little bit so that I can at least put a rust converter on those areas.  As I get more time I will continue to clean those areas and put a rust converter on the metal work.

13 May 2017 - Automotive Body Repair Shop

 I stopped by an autobody repair shop today.  I got a good quote and so I will be taking the car there for the repairs.  The rear window has three areas that need to be repaired if I am going to drive the car daily.  There are many other areas that do need attention but the rear window really needs to be repaired.

12 May 2017 - Rear tires

Today the rear tires were replaced.  The old ones were at least 12 years old.

I am hoping that the vibration that is happening was due to the old rear tires. Also that vibration could be the drivshaft. I may not have put the rear u-joint  connection inthe sane place as when it was removed.

11 May 2017 - Engine miss troubleshooting

Well it looks like engine miss is resolved.  The spark plug wires, cap and rotor seemed to have been the problems.

Engine idle is back to being like it should for a mild roller cam engine.  I will continue to monitor this but will now focus on other areas of the car.

There is a vibration I have noticed now that I drive the car more.  It feels like its coming from the back.  It could be the tires or the driveshaft.  I dont think I put the driveshaft back in the same position when I removed it.

I do need new rear tires, so I will get those replaced(they are about 12 years old).  The tread is still good on the tires.

10 May 2017 - Engine miss troubleshooting

I purchased an MSD 8.5mm wire set to replace the aging set of wires currently installed.

I started up the engine and ran it for a minute to make sure it started up okay.  Tomorrow I will go for a drive and see if that helped.

I also repalced the 14"x3" round Holley air cleaner assembly with an Edelbrock pro-flo 1002.  It is alot more companct.  It was much easier to route the plug wires as a result of changing air cleaner assemblies.

8 May 2017 - Engine miss troubleshooting

I ordered and received a cap and rotor kit for the msd-8479 distributor.  Installation was quick and easy.  Now I need to run test the engine and see if that was the problem.  Still need to replace the ignition wires since its been actually over 7 years since that set was replaced.