The Barn

We realized we haven't added a photo of the front of the barn for quite a while. So here you go!

Two-fer...

I mentioned that the guy I got Rusty, my '65 Ranchero, from had another one. I was somewhat interested but wanted to mull it over. Well, mulling is done. On August 17th my good friend Earl and I took another trip to get Rusty #2.

Overdue Project Car(s) Update

Last blog I spoke of Rusty (my ’65 Ranchero) and all the things that can be used for Blaze (’65 Falcon). Well, I got the 289 in Rusty up and running after replacing the carburetor and distributer, both originals with stuck parts. I changed the oil and filter and then fired it up. When filling the radiator I found numerous leaks. All beyond my ability to repair. All these bad parts were original. Rusty had been sitting in a body shop for a few decades or so. I replaced the radiator with a 3 row aluminum one from Auto City Classic, Inc.

Ew! It’s all rusty!

Some may wonder why I picked up “Rusty” the Ranchero. Some background of Ford in the 60s, the small block V8 vs the 6 cylinder. Early 60s the Falcon was primarily a 6 cylinder car with lightweight suspension and small brakes. Perfectly adequate for the intended purpose. An economical family car.

Doing stuff!

Donna swore if I didn’t write up what I was doing THIS is what she was going to post:

He pried some stuff, he stabbed some stuff, he ground some stuff, he cut some stuff, he welded some stuff.

So, here is my version:

As mentioned in a previous blog post, all the 60-year-old rubber chassis components are well beyond their useful life. This includes the rear leaf spring mountings. I ordered front leaf and shackle bushings with new hardware. Parts have arrived and now the installation begins.

The drivers side shackle mount was loose in the frame. The factory weld was broken. Fortunately the mount and frame were in good enough shape the reinstall and weld back. I have a Miller mig welder but it needs to be cleaned up and some repairs are needed as well has some consumables. Rather than fixing and using that, I opted for a flux core welder from Harbor Freight. (Sometimes referred to as the “metal hot glue gun” for DIYers.)

I cleaned up the weld areas with a grinder and wire wheel after fighting the removal of the old bushings. Tack welded the mounting sleeve and finished welding both sides. The passenger side was secure, I just added some insurance.

Next I will tackle the front leaf bushings. These are pressed in and will require substantial force to remove the old ones and install the new ones. I going to use a ball joint press to accomplish this. Part of the project.

Here are some shots Donna grabbed from the security cameras. She says she does it for the blog. I think she just wants to keep an eye on me.

“There are no problems, just new projects"

Stay Tuned!

It’s a gas!

The gas tank in the Falcon was original. Leaking and previously patched, it needed to be replaced. A search on Amazon found a new replacement along with the necessary hardware, filler neck and associate rubber fuel lines.

Taking the old tank out was a simple affair. I emptied it into 5 gallon cans, removed the connection to the filler neck and the simple push-on connector for the gas gauge. Then I removed the hold down screws and out it came.

There was some minor rust that I sanded out and then painted with “Rust Reformer”. I scrubbed down the entire trunk. The tank is the floor of trunk, unlike many vehicles that mount the tank under the chassis between the frame rails. The mounting area was lined with an adhesive putty that will seal out road debris and water. Ready for the install.

The new tank came a new gas gauge sending unit along with a pick-up tube and screen. Easy enough to install.  Plopped the new tank in position, tightened down the new hardware, made all the connections, put in enough gas to to and get more fuel. Added a new gas cap and road tested to the gas station. Fuel gauge worked, before and after fill up.

Back home, put it on the lift and checked for leaks. All good. Checked off another item off my list!

Oh, and I installed two new sets of lap seat belts (not offered when the car came out).

Hmmm, what to do next…think it’s time to look at the suspension.

Stay Tuned!

It’s plated!

When we last left, I was busy finishing the outer wall to my office space. My next step was to add electrical outlets, then put up some stuff on the top half of the wall. Guess what, it’s done!

Some plates were bought for a reason. Donna graduated high school in NH in 1965. She moved to FL in 1965. The 1962 TN tag with a 1965 sticker is what would have been on our new project car. TKNA5TH and 2ZPCDS were the original plates for our Freightliner and 5th wheel. LILLIPAD and POLIWOG were Donna's plates for her motorhome and tow car.

Somewhere in there we have a MA plate from Donna's year of birth and a NY plate from mine. The BIG mural with a RT 66 tag was purchased in honor of our RT 66 trip in 2013. We do have plates from all 50 states in a variety of years.

On the front under the plates/signs are the bigger tools I want to have plugged in. At the far end is the space where the utility sink will go.

Once done, I arranged my office space to the outside wall of the office. When the inside of the office is done (still needs flooring, plumbing and electric work), it will all be moved inside.

I'm quite happy with more room to maneuver and am looking forward to continuing work on the office as well as the Falcon (gas tank is next). Oh, and did I mention there are still approximately two dozen more plates to hang. Some will go inside the office, others will be scattered around the garage.

Stay Tuned!

Bored? Nope, BOARD!

Taking a break from working on the Falcon, I tackled the front side wall of the office space. He added electrical outlets to use for floor-standing tools, they will be lined up in front of the metal siding (leftover from the exterior of the pole barn). The top will probably be painted and then he will mount signs and maybe some of his extensive license plate collection. I think we managed to get one plate for every state, one for Maryland and my year of birth, one for Massachusetts and Donna's year of birth, as well as a few from other countries we have visited while cruising.

Here are some pics of the progress…next up in installing the wiring.

Stay Tuned!

What’s that I smell? Gas???

Blaze’s gas tank is as old as the car, 60 years!, so no telling what might be inside. On my ride to bring her home I smelled gas. At first I thought maybe the carburetor or a fuel line might be leaking. Inspection under the hood revealed no leaks. I opened the trunk and the fumes were stronger. When I got home and put Blaze on the lift I found a number of leaky areas on the tank as well as the fuel filler neck was cracked. All of this was original to the car.

Internet/google found a new tank, filler neck and associated hardware. The stuff needed was ordered and has trickled in recently. As soon as the brakes were completed I took out the old tank after emptying the gas. (I had filled it for the trip home) 15 gallons later, the tank came out. The floor of the trunk of these 60’s car is the top of the tank.

There are some minor repairs needed in the trunk area. Some rusty areas and pealed up paint. A thorough cleaning, soda blasting, rust inhibitor and paint before installing the new tank.

Stay Tuned!