Some of you know about this car as I bought it from a Forum member earlier this spring, but I haven't really posted anything about it much until now.
This is an X-Code, sold new in Texas. It's had one repaint about a 1000 years ago in the original color, and is pretty close to being rust-free. The car has spent a lot of time sitting. When it came, it kind of ran, shifted reasonably well, and braked somewhat alarmingly. My one trip into town to the DVM for the VIN inspection/titling resulted in a tow truck ride home.
It had had a gasket kit installed in the carburetor before I bought it; unfortunately, it is not the original. The fuel tank isn't new, but the PO appears to have taken it out and had it coated inside and out, so it is clean. First, I replaced the fuel filter on the carb and installed a second filter between the inner fender and the fuel pump... Still wan't right, so I replaced the fuel pump.
But you know how these things go. I couldn't get the new fuel pump lined up to bold in, so I pulled the radiator and fan so I could turn the engine by hand. While the radiator was out and since it was original, I had it re-cored, which it really needed, anyway. The fan clutch is still good, so I kept that and the shroud is also still in very good shape for it's age, so I just re-installed it with the correct mounting kit. I put a Tefba filter in my top radiator hose to keep the fresh radiator from getting clogged up from the crusty old engine.
While I was waiting, I changed the oil, which was a story in itself trying to get the filter off! Apparently, the filter was a type sold new more than 12-13 years ago, so the seal had plenty of time to dry out and fuse with the adapter. I also somehow managed to get the old battery tray off, of which only about 2/3 remained. I wire brushed the rust in the inner fender apron under the battery tray (this is the only rust on the car that I've noted so far), which is mostly just pitting and some minor perforation, sprayed the area with a coating of Zero Rust, and was able to re-use the welded in nuts to get the new tray installed. The temperature guage didn't work, so I replaced the sender while the carburetor was off. Something I worry about are the original solenoids, so I replaced that as well, and the positive battery cable as it was wallowed out. The negative cable is going to have to wait a bit before it gets replaced!
Finally, I got everything put back together and fired it up--and the problem, of course, was not the fuel pump.
So I spend a day and 4 trips to various auto parts stores getting a loaner Holley 500cfm installed, complete with some duct tape, as a test. And with the Holley, it runs really well--nice and cool--with good oil pressure, no bad noises, and it doesn't even seem to smoke! I was very pleased. I am waiting to get a 1968 Autolite off a guy's 390 car in Canada and I think I'll send that one out to be rebuilt as it is more correct than my current 1971 Autolite, and I don't care to use a Holley--too much trouble trying to adapt the throttle linkage and such (hence the duct tape), and it doesn't look right IMO.
Now that it runs and I'm waiting for the carburetor, I've moved on to the brakes. I replaced the wheel cylinders, shoes, and drums (bummer!) in the rear and they're all buttoned up and waiting to be bled. I started the right front this afternoon. I'm going to do the wheel cylinders in the front and the shoes, but these drums look great and are nice and thick, and the wheel bearings cleaned up and packed nicely. I'm waffling on replacing the soft lines...I'm inclined to do it, but I'll see how easily I am able to loosen the fittings. The lines "look" OK, but it seems silly to do so much brake work and to leave them to chance. Interestingly enough, I noticed tonight that the front fenders have been rolled by some owner desiring of fatter tires sometime in the past! That's OK as it gives me more leeway to also put bigger tires on, which I like.
In between waiting for parts, I still need to service the transmission, install a new fuel gauge sender in the tank, and remove and replace the gear oil in the differential. I also need to decide what I'm going to do about the rubber. The tires are some of the most weather-checked and awful that I've ever seen on a car that actually runs! It came with argent styled steel wheels, good GT caps, and nice trim rings, but I may swap them for a set of original chrome, or I might switch to some aftermarket 15" chrome styled steel wheels--they look pretty good if you don't get too critical. Lastly, I am going to finished the tune-up, with new plugs and wires; the distributor cap, rotor, and points were replaced by the PO before it came.
Anyway, I'm kind of excited about the car, obviously. It's been fun to work on--if you call screaming cuss words randomly "fun," but no tools have been thrown and no (serious) injuries have occurred beyond having a wrench drop on my forehead and giving me a nasty bruise for a few days when doing to transmission cooler lines on the radiator.
Here's the tow truck ride home...
This is an X-Code, sold new in Texas. It's had one repaint about a 1000 years ago in the original color, and is pretty close to being rust-free. The car has spent a lot of time sitting. When it came, it kind of ran, shifted reasonably well, and braked somewhat alarmingly. My one trip into town to the DVM for the VIN inspection/titling resulted in a tow truck ride home.
It had had a gasket kit installed in the carburetor before I bought it; unfortunately, it is not the original. The fuel tank isn't new, but the PO appears to have taken it out and had it coated inside and out, so it is clean. First, I replaced the fuel filter on the carb and installed a second filter between the inner fender and the fuel pump... Still wan't right, so I replaced the fuel pump.
But you know how these things go. I couldn't get the new fuel pump lined up to bold in, so I pulled the radiator and fan so I could turn the engine by hand. While the radiator was out and since it was original, I had it re-cored, which it really needed, anyway. The fan clutch is still good, so I kept that and the shroud is also still in very good shape for it's age, so I just re-installed it with the correct mounting kit. I put a Tefba filter in my top radiator hose to keep the fresh radiator from getting clogged up from the crusty old engine.
While I was waiting, I changed the oil, which was a story in itself trying to get the filter off! Apparently, the filter was a type sold new more than 12-13 years ago, so the seal had plenty of time to dry out and fuse with the adapter. I also somehow managed to get the old battery tray off, of which only about 2/3 remained. I wire brushed the rust in the inner fender apron under the battery tray (this is the only rust on the car that I've noted so far), which is mostly just pitting and some minor perforation, sprayed the area with a coating of Zero Rust, and was able to re-use the welded in nuts to get the new tray installed. The temperature guage didn't work, so I replaced the sender while the carburetor was off. Something I worry about are the original solenoids, so I replaced that as well, and the positive battery cable as it was wallowed out. The negative cable is going to have to wait a bit before it gets replaced!
Finally, I got everything put back together and fired it up--and the problem, of course, was not the fuel pump.
So I spend a day and 4 trips to various auto parts stores getting a loaner Holley 500cfm installed, complete with some duct tape, as a test. And with the Holley, it runs really well--nice and cool--with good oil pressure, no bad noises, and it doesn't even seem to smoke! I was very pleased. I am waiting to get a 1968 Autolite off a guy's 390 car in Canada and I think I'll send that one out to be rebuilt as it is more correct than my current 1971 Autolite, and I don't care to use a Holley--too much trouble trying to adapt the throttle linkage and such (hence the duct tape), and it doesn't look right IMO.
Now that it runs and I'm waiting for the carburetor, I've moved on to the brakes. I replaced the wheel cylinders, shoes, and drums (bummer!) in the rear and they're all buttoned up and waiting to be bled. I started the right front this afternoon. I'm going to do the wheel cylinders in the front and the shoes, but these drums look great and are nice and thick, and the wheel bearings cleaned up and packed nicely. I'm waffling on replacing the soft lines...I'm inclined to do it, but I'll see how easily I am able to loosen the fittings. The lines "look" OK, but it seems silly to do so much brake work and to leave them to chance. Interestingly enough, I noticed tonight that the front fenders have been rolled by some owner desiring of fatter tires sometime in the past! That's OK as it gives me more leeway to also put bigger tires on, which I like.
In between waiting for parts, I still need to service the transmission, install a new fuel gauge sender in the tank, and remove and replace the gear oil in the differential. I also need to decide what I'm going to do about the rubber. The tires are some of the most weather-checked and awful that I've ever seen on a car that actually runs! It came with argent styled steel wheels, good GT caps, and nice trim rings, but I may swap them for a set of original chrome, or I might switch to some aftermarket 15" chrome styled steel wheels--they look pretty good if you don't get too critical. Lastly, I am going to finished the tune-up, with new plugs and wires; the distributor cap, rotor, and points were replaced by the PO before it came.
Anyway, I'm kind of excited about the car, obviously. It's been fun to work on--if you call screaming cuss words randomly "fun," but no tools have been thrown and no (serious) injuries have occurred beyond having a wrench drop on my forehead and giving me a nasty bruise for a few days when doing to transmission cooler lines on the radiator.
Here's the tow truck ride home...
