Been Awhile... '71 Rustang

[Mister 4x4]

I'd actually replaced the passenger side quarter once already, but it was my first time and I messed it up... and messed it up worse trying to 'un-mess it up.' Rather than cause the painter to have to work a miracle, it just seemed better to give it a do-over. He actually said the driver side wasn't so bad, but he agreed the passenger side was a much better fit and installation job.

Thanks for the kind words - been a long road so far, and I'm stoked that I'm finally getting closer to the point of driving down the next road, as opposed to still pushing this one down the current one (if that makes any sense... waxing poetic was never my forte`). ;)

[Mustangmike]

Curiousity question: What type of glue did you use on the rocker panel patches?

[Mister 4x4]

3M Panel Adhesive. Used about 90% on the quarter panel itself, then around 5% on the rocker patches... the rest got tossed since I had another tube on-hand.

[Mister 4x4]

Yesterday, I got the hood hinges cleaned, repainted, and springs installed. Today I was able to get the hood installed (mock fit for the paint shop, so they have all the fasteners in the right places - also, the best way I can think of to transport it). This is the first time since August 2010 that the hood has actually been installed on the car. Hopefully, just one more 'take off' (by the painter) and we're done.



And while we're at it, I decided to take one for the 'Over the hood pics' thread... just because I actually HAVE a hood now. rofl

[Steven Harris]

Nice to see the car continuing to take shape!

[Mister 4x4]

So yesterday was essentially a suck-fest.

I start out going by my pal Gonzo's house today to run to the shop and do a few simple things: 1. Get his '70 Camaro to the exhaust shop; 2. Get my '71 to the paint shop; 3. Retrieve his Camaro from the exhaust shop and take it to his house.

When I pulled up to his house, I discover that not only did my Ram's radiator sh!t the bed this past weekend (which I replaced on Saturday), but apparently the water pump and thermostat decided to check out as well - as I noticed the coolant puking out of the water pump area while parked on the street. SO - we roll out to the shop (he in his Hummer H2 and I in my Ram) and park the Ram in a slot, talking about getting the cars squared away then fixing the Ram's water pump and go get the trailer. He put the battery in his Camaro, and nothing - it was dead. So while it was charging, we started tearing into the Ram. Once we got to the water pump itself, we noticed that it was pretty much just the thermostat and upper hose leaking like a sieve - but screw it, the pump was around 50K miles old and we had the whole front of the engine apart anyway. Got the Camaro fired up and on the trailer - and off to the exhaust shop. Picked up the new pump and a few other things and grabbed some lunch on the way back.

At the shop, I put the Mustang up in the air and Gonzo helped me bleed the brakes. After that was done, filled up the tires (they were all way low) and emptied all the stuff out of the car - I'll take the rest of the small parts to the painter on Friday. After that was done, fired up the Mustang and backed it out under it's own power since 1980, I might add. It was a great feeling. Brakes still felt a little spongy, but whatever - I'm not going for a drive or anything. As I got around the end of the shop, I lined up on the trailer and poof - nothing. It died right there - within 2 feet of the trailer's ramps... same issue it had a few weeks ago: no spark. Just quit... and never started again - it's like its afraid to go get painted or something. After an hour or so of trying to get the ol' nag fired up (with no success), I finally called the painter and told him I wasn't coming today. He said he understood and to bring it by when I get it running.

After that, we pushed it into the stall previously occupied by the Camaro, and I'll try to figure it out tomorrow. Knocked out the water pump and thermostat housing on the Ram in about another hour or so. Went home in disgust. Called my Boss and told him the story and that I'd need another day off - he was cool with that.

The only thing I can think of is when I rewired the Duraspark module up the way one of my pals on the 7173Mustang forums rewired his - which was a little different than the NPD conversion harness specified. Mine ran fine for around 8 months beforehand... and has now [possibly] lunched 2 Duraspark modules after less than 15 minutes of run-time on each. I say 'possibly,' because it died shortly after I installed a new module... then came back to life again until today. I haven't found the right combination of which foot to stand on with which eye to keep closed while touching which part of the car with which butt cheek while cranking to get it fired up again.

My first attempt at troubleshooting tomorrow will be to restore the wiring I had before and hope for the best. It might not have been technically the right way to hook it all up, but it ran fine for such a long time, I have a hard time arguing with that logic. After I get it back from paint, I'll worry about going through all the wiring again to make sure the 43-year-old wiring harness isn't just having its way with me.

Oh yeah - and when your doors are off the car, the dome/courtesy lights stay on (along with the annoying freaken key buzzer) as long as the battery is connected. Just thought I'd pass that along. ;)

-----

OK! So today was a good day.

I got to the shop, rewired the NPD harness back to how I had it when I first started the car... no change. I took the Duraspark module back to O'Reillys and they warrantied it. Got back to the shop, installed the new one and it fired right up. I guess there's something going on with mine that's not liking the 'correct' re-wiring for the NPD harness... oh well - time will tell, and maybe after I get the car back I can track it down some more.

But for now:



Up and on the trailer under its own power! The last time it was on the trailer, was to bring its rusty butt to the shop. Hopefully within the next few months, it'll be shiny and ready to go back together.

The plan for this weekend is to get the upholstery ordered, do the "Mustang Steve" hinge kit, and take all the small parts (doors, valances, marker light surrounds, etc.) to the paint shop on Saturday. Then get the rest of my stuff organized - the stall at the shop looks like an old Mach 1 blew up its guts all over the place. rofl

[BLACK JADE 69]

SOUNDS LIKE AN INTERESTING DAY TO SAY THE LEAST. CANT WAIT TO SEE THE PAINTED PICTURES

[Mustangmike]

I enjoyed viewing the pictures of your restoration project and must say you have documented the project very well. The work looks phenomenal! These pictures are both inspiring and motivational...at least to me. Now I can't wait for Spring to jump back into my project! Thanks a lot and I definitely look forward to seeing more!

[Steven Harris]

Way to stay with it even when everything seems to be going in the opposite direction!

[Mister 4x4]

Thanks, Steve! It's had its interesting moments, that's for sure.

When I pulled up to the paint shop, some old gritty guy (the body man, and looked like he's about 140 years old) came walking out and said, "Hey - you finally brought my car!" I laughed and said, "Well, not quite all of it - still gotta bring the doors, valances, and some other things, but yeah. Here it is." He loves it and said he'll have a ball getting it back in shape. He asked if it ran, and I told him, "when it feels like it." More laughter - he's just happy he doesn't have to push it around the shop. I fired it up, got if off the trailer, and pulled into the shop. He was like, "Holy Crap! What the heck you got in that thing?" I popped the hood and he just whistled. I told him what it was, the story of the engine, and some of the things I'd done to it. He was impressed. The painter saw the engine and made some comment that it would be great for his '56 Chevy truck... and then commented on how it was I told him, "Yeah... and it had better still be in there when I come get this thing." More laughter. Had a GREAT time talking with those guys. I have such a good feeling about having them work on it. You know when you get that awesome feeling that you've taken it to the right place - yeah... I had that within the first few minutes.

I'll be taking the doors, valances, mirrors, small parts, Body Assembly Manual, etc., to them tomorrow. I think Bobby's supposed to get busy on it tomorrow as well. I'm SO stoked. Felt weird going to the shop and it was gone. Feel's like it's been gone for a month already, even though it's only been a few days.