The Champagne of Beers! And you deserve it!
The Champagne of Beers! And you deserve it!
Thanks dude!
As I told Brent(Norma66) last night via text, a cold 12 pack of long necks was $7.99 on 4th of July! 'Merica!
I buzzed by Casa de Furioso Corvair area on my way rack from NPD on Haggerty and Michigan Ave about 11:30am. Figured you were at work though I was wrong and you were playing hookie and being Billy Badass getting all bloodied up!
You using an hoses for the ps?
In reply to Norma66-Brent :
Yup for now. Unisteer kit came with the hoses and Im using then for now to get her back on the road. I plan on, and have all the bits, to make nicopp hardlines with AN fittings. Winter project.
Transmission filled and closed back up. I'm looking in to wiring for back up lights as the plunger switch from Ford has been replaced by a sensor in the trans case.
Tonight plan is to get the floor pan brace back in place then lower the car to reconnect battery and check switch function then left her back up and get that wired up. Then on to brake lines. The new proportioning valve location means some line tweaking or replacement and I want to get that finished before I reinstall the steering column.
Some family health stuff derailed me for a bit. That's settled down and tonight I got the exhaust lifted up and the trans tunnel brace in. I had some concerns about the driveshaft OD as the trans tunnel brace sits below the exhaust and the driveshaft. I specified a 3" OD aluminum shaft with 1350 joints front and rear but could have easily fit the 3.5" OD version.
I filled the oil filter and installed it in preparation for lowering the car and filling the new 7 qt pan and checking the dipstick for a new level after spinning the motor for a bit.
I got the O2 sensor back in and tied up the extra wire. Verified rear axle was filled and will now smell like gear oil for a week.
Should everything else go smoothly (HAHAHA) I could relearn how to drive this thing Sunday.
Jeez I hate the smell of gear oil!
I looked back over the last few pages but maybe I’m not clear, how long has it been since you had the Cougar on the road? I get the butterflies in my stomach after even a medium length slumber, and it drives me crazy so my fingers are crossed for a trouble free maiden voyage for you!.
Too damn long Jerry. Too damn long. 15 months since she moved under her own power. In that time I've done a wide range of modifications though:
-Pulled 3 speed with mechanical linkage and replaced with 5 speed with new bellhousing, clutch, alum flywheel, starter mods, pedal mods and hydraulic release system
-Pulled and replaced the oil pan, rear main seal, rod and main bearings, oil pump pickup, and motor mounts
-Pulled, modified,and ceramic coated the headers then reinstalled
-Pulled the old rear end assembly (2.79 open, 28 spline axles, drum brakes) then reinstalled an entire new assembly (3.70 Auburn limited slip, 31 spline axles, disc brakes) and 3" alum driveshaft with 1350 series joints and new yoke and clamps
-Replumbed the PS system for header clearance and cleaner fitment
-Replumbed the brake system MC and proportioning valve around hydraulic clutch master cylinder
-R&R the front suspension to pull wheels in to the wheel wells and center them within the wheel well front to rear.
I'm not the most talented or capable wrench and have limited fabrication capabilities. I know this list of changes would be something many here could have knocked out much quicker than I did and I'm OK with that. I'm also terrified that I've done something wrong with any number of the major systems I've torn in to and won't know I've done it right or wrong until I hit the key.
Sorry for the rant/justification/long winded post. I know you're not knocking me and you've never been anything but supportive of my efforts (thank you!) but this has been a huge challenge for me and I finally feel like I'm close to waking her up again.
I'd also like to thank Brent (Norma 66) and Patrick (Angry Corvair) for their support. It's appreciated guys!
Im sooo excited to see it move.
Have faith. By what i know, you seem to have do e good work with attention to detail.
Dont be suprised to find loose hardware and fittings after the first run.
When doing that level of work, i do a trmest drive up the street and back, do a nut and bolt and leak check. Then a hundred miles, nut and bolt and leak check again unless otherwise indicated to be done earlier. Then 600, 2k. Gives a chance to double check things before becoming a big issue, and keeps the feelings of failure and fear to a minimum.
Thanks Michael. I appreciate the kind words and the advice. Hopefully the clutch fully releases and the engine fully stays together!
Just remember no burnouts for the first 1k miles. Michael can speak to that experience!
In reply to Norma66-Brent :
Amen!!!
And do not grenade the clutch. Its expensive.
HAHA! Yup I wanna keep the insides IN! I'm sorry that happened to your car Michael.
Sorry for the rant/justification/long winded post. I know you're not knocking me and you've never been anything but supportive of my efforts (thank you!) but this has been a huge challenge for me and I finally feel like I'm close to waking her up again.
No need to apologize, I’m right there with you. I get soooo nervous when waking my car from a long slumber, especially if it’s a long time off the road and a whole bunch of major parts going in. Totally nerve wracking. Speaking of which, that is an impressive list of mods. Following your thread I knew a lot of what was going in, but seeing it listed out like that really drives the point home. Kudos!
I'm not the most talented or capable wrench and have limited fabrication capabilities. I know this list of changes would be something many here could have knocked out much quicker than I did and I'm OK with that.
I get get the same feelings also. I’m not in the trades, just a hobbyist will enough drive (and stubbornness) to power through challenges when they come up. I also feel dang slow at it, but I enjoy the work so much I’m not trying to rush. That and I’m nervously double checking stuff which also slows things down.
I know you’re also being careful and taking your time, and I’m thinking you’ve got this! I’m looking forward to hearing how things went, good luck brother!
Thanks Jerry! Dinner then out to the garage. Taking cues from Seth, I'll be drinking coffee, planning, and implementing.
I poured 7 quarts of Castro's synthetic 10W-30 oil in her new big 7 quart belly and installed the last valve cover fastener. Installed the high pressure line on the PS pump and figuring out where to cut the return line now.
PS lines finished.
Brake lines finished. Not pretty but finished and hopefully leak free. Need to get brake fluid tonight and bleed tomorrow.
Tomorrow is clutch hydraulics-fill, bleed and finish then steering column can be put back in and I can lock it down and torque the rack mounting bolts. I think I can get this fired and moving tomorrow.
Well let's see here. Last post noted all the thing's I just got finished today except the steering column. Work travel, family health scares, and kids activities kept me away from the car for a few days. I filled the brake reservoir previously and let the system gravity fill. Today I had fluid at all four calipers. I had to relocate the fuel line and fuel pump wiring and secure everything to keep it off the exhaust. After consulting with GRMs resident brake guru, Angry Corvair, I adjusted the clutch hydraulic lines then filled the system for a gravity bleed. After waiting and not seeing any fluid at the bleed screw I threatened it with my vacuum pump and the fluid showed up just as I was connecting the pump!
Dinner then back to the garage for steering column insertion and reconnection to the steering rack.
Old school Viagra
Nice knob! Two more selections than she left Dearborn with in 1969.
When's the maiden voyage?
Nice, What are the Ratios in your TKO?
I got the Mord Motorsport Z spec T5 and I love the close Ratios in 1-4.
4-5 are a bit wike but that's alright with me.
Greg
slantsix said:Nice, What are the Ratios in your TKO?
I got the Mord Motorsport Z spec T5 and I love the close Ratios in 1-4.
4-5 are a bit wike but that's alright with me.
Greg
Brent-hope in the next day or so. We were invited to a local lake with some friends yesterday afternoon so I had to knock-off early.
Thanks slantsix!
2.87/1.89/1.28/1.00/0.64:1. I'm using a 3.70:1 final drive ratio. Hope it works well for my intended usage.
Steering column inserted and connected to the rack. To do that I had to lower the rack and remove tie rod ends which were stuck hard. Finally got them off which dropped the rack enough to allow the steering shaft to engage the rack. Locked that down and got the rack and freshly anti sieze coated tie rod ends back in place.
The steering shaft clears the header and the brake lines and the clutch hydraulics. Yay! With the failed motor mounts I discovered earlier I had to change things around-both the mounts and frame pedestals as well as remove the spacers. All good now!
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