Updates Galore!
Originally Posted 25 Jan 2009
Well, it's been a year since I have last updated this thing. Where do i start....1st -- I had to put a lot of restoration work, etc on hold because selling my house became a much higher priority. It's a long story, but the house is gone and I am MUCH happier. I've had a bunch of folks write me and ask about the car, etc...Thanks for all the email! I've been to europe twice since last I updated you - spent 2 weeks in France and 10 days in Bulgaria. Didn't see a single classic Ford either. lol.
In Car related news, I had a few issues. The linkage on the column shifter got where it would hang quite often. You couldn't hardly drive the thing without the linkage sticking. So, i took it apart and cleaned it up pretty good. WD-40 works wonders...lol. Anyway, i cleaned it, greased it, and it works much much better. The carb needed some adjustment. It was running too rich and after tinkering with it for awhile, much more power. Replaced the fuel line (again) with a rubber one. The metal one just isnt available and my attempts to build one out of brake lines just hasnt been successful. A couple of $3 fittings and a few feet of rubber line fixed it.
Big issue was the throttle cable and carb linkage. The old carb had a ball on the side of the linkage where the throttle cable connected. it was very low mounted on the side (check the gallery soon for a pic of it) and worked out perfect with how the throttle cable mounted. The replacement carb has the same basic linkage setup but is positioned differently. It was mostly fine until the throttle cable broke. And no one had a throttle cable which fit it properly, so I took the old one apart and rebuilt it with some stainless steel cable. I had to reposition the mount for it a little to work with the carb and had to modify the carb by removing the ball from the linkage and putting a bolt through it to mount the cable. When I finally rebuild the engine I will change out the entire linkage to a newer more modern kit with a new throttle cable.
Speaking of engine rebuilds, the time draweth nye. Most all of the trips i have taken in the car have been either short or on normal state roads. The other night I got this grand idea that i would drive it to Little Rock to visit a friend. Bad idea. The first 45 miles of state highway was perfect -- cruised right along with no problems. When I hit the interstate I went about 10-15 miles and my Oil Pressure light came on. So I stopped to get fuel and check the oil, and it was about 1.5 quarts low. It was about time for a change, so i figured it had just burnt that much in the last 3000 miles. So i top her off and throw an extra quart in the car and started off again. About 10 miles down the road, the oil pressure light came on again. So i pulled off the road (being very glad i had enough sense to grab my flashlight before I left the house) and it was again a quart low. So, i filled it back up, and drove at 55 (sorry to everyone who had to put up with me going so slow) back to Searcy. No issues. So against better judgement, I stopped at Wal-Mart and bought 2 gallons of the cheapest oil I could get (in 20w-50 no less) and checked the oil. It was full. So, I milled around in Wal-Mart for a few minutes just to make sure, and when I checked it again, still full. So I loaded my 2 gallons of oil up and started back home. I drove 55 on the interstate (again) until I got back to the normal road leading home. Drove all the way home without any oil lights. When I got home (time is now about 11pm) the engine was still full of oil. The next morning, there was no oil under the car. None on the engine. None anywhere i could see (well more than normal). And it was still full. I don't know where it went. I am thinking it may have burnt it or blew it out the back (I really think that it burnt it) but havent fully investigated it. I'm just going to have it rebuilt "real soon now" and I'm sure the problem will show itself then. (if not before). I'll keep you posted...
