My stable

[glockmail]

'12 Jeep GC. This sweet ride is my daily driver. Traded in an '09 Expedition for it. Not as quiet or smooth riding as the Ford, but much better gas mileage. And the interior is gorgeous; much nicer than the more expensive Ford.
'11 BMW 328 xi. Wife's car. I've been a Ford guy since eternity but was turned off with her last one, a 500 AWD. It developed an issue with the AC compressor and there was no way to replace it without pulling the engine. With the FWD transaxle there too it would have been an expensive job, so I have sworn off FWD cars. Ford no longer makes a "real" car, with RWD, unless you buy a Mustang, a truck, or an Expedition, so I test drove several. I liked the Chrysler 300 the best, but she wanted something smaller. Her friend was working at the local BMW dealership and got her a fair deal on this.
'04 Exploder. My daily driver prior to the '09 Expedition, parked it for 6 months until my son got his driver's license. This was my 5th Exploder. Nice vehicle because of the IRS. Currently my daughter drives it, because it is 4WD and she lives in the mountains, and winter is approaching.
'05 Mustang. I bought this 5 years ago when my daughter got her driver's license. Manual transmission, 4.0 V6, same engine as the Exploder. I had a budget of $10k and this fit it, bought it from a small dealer near Asheville. Drove my Expedition to see it and test drive it, made the deal, then trailered it back home. One previous owner from VA, put 99k miles on it then apparently missed his last few payments. The upholstery was a mess, so I found a set from an '07 on Craigslist and replaced it. PO had kids who peed and ate cheerios. Noisy synchros and sloppy shifting; cured with Royal Purple and polyurethane bushings. Crappy, Y pipe to drone mufflers; replaced with X pipe, OE GT mufflers. Sloppy ride and handling; replaced with all new OE GT suspension. My son is now driving it. My two kids fight over this car, and I do too.
'64 TBird. I bought it for $1 off my wife's stepdad 28 years ago, back when it was just an old car, tons of rust, partially disassembled with no brakes. After storing it for 25 years I finally found the time and money to restore it. I lost track of how much I spent, but everything has been disassembled and rebuilt except for the rear end gears and brake pedal. So I'm talking complete. I don't do body and paint, so had that done. Also had the short block and heads rebuilt by a very reputable local guy. Bored, decked, balanced, lots of tweaks in the oiling system (these FE engines were terrible for oiling, that's what they wore out so fast). I installed the hydraulic roller lifters and shaft mounted roller rocker sets, with custom made pushrods. I rebuilt the transmission. Another local shop balanced the drive shaft. My body guy delivered the body to me 5 months ago, then the trunk lid, doors, fenders and hood, in that order, and I assembled the entire car in my garage in about three months, nights, working sometimes until midnight. Lots of modifications under the hood: electric cooling fan, serpentine belt system, AC with all the hoses hidden along the frame, New electrical power panel from a modern junker with fuses and relays that control all the high amp circuits. The cooling fan draws over 60 amps at running voltage, and the original alternator only put out 40. Interior is now all leather, black on black. It's been roadworthy for 2 months now but I'm still making modifications. I am currently in the final stages of installing electronic fuel injection, with an intank pump.
'74 Fiat Spider. I spied this little beauty in the basement of a house that I helped renovate and picked it up, running and driving, for $2100. I overhauled the engine and it's currently undergoing rust repair where I had the TBird done. I plan on restoring it to mostly original, driving it for a year then selling it for a new toy.

[gabosaurus]

Glock I didn't know you were a car collector. Orange County has a ton of like minded folks.

[glockmail]

Not really a collector, as 4 of these are daily drivers. But I'll always have at least one classic in my garage. Some guys have to have a boat; I have to have some old car to tinker with. It's quite a bit cheaper than a boat, and you can use it a lot more often.

This part of NC is very big on classics. There are dozens of cruise-ins to go to every year, and cars come out of garages and barns all over to go to them.

My state is also very friendly to classics. Anything over 35 years old qualifies for an antique plate. The county can then only tax the vehicle based on $500 valuation, and there is no annual inspection requirement.

[LongTermGuy]

I have a Grand Cherokee Limited and a Wrangler Sport...Both modified slightly (tires / lift / shocks....Love and care for them both (enjoy off-road).....Got bored and tired of sports cars....*we live in different times now...

Thanks for the share...

[PixieStix]

Back in 2007 I sold a 1967 Buick Wildcat, the guy took a bus from Georgia, to Cleveland, and handed me $4000.00 cash and drove it home. It was in mint condition. It was a boat, that I had no use for it.

[glockmail]

That's pretty unusual to have a rust free car in Ohio, isn't it? My '64 was from NY, and I had to replace a ton of sheet metal. Both rear fenders, 5 trunk panels, one front fender, both floors...

[red state]

That's pretty unusual to have a rust free car in Ohio, isn't it? My '64 was from NY, and I had to replace a ton of sheet metal. Both rear fenders, 5 trunk panels, one front fender, both floors...

I try to NEVER get a "yankee" vehicle simply because of the salt issue. Most 4x4's have never been in the mud up there but MAN that salt is 100 times worse than our putting 4x4's in mud down here...

GOOD TO SEE YOU POST AGAIN! Would love to see photos of a work in progress and/or BEFORE & AFTER photos of a project. I love vintage/revived works of "moving art" but am partial to the old GMC 4x4's or the very classy, classic Ford put out in the early 70's for their Bronco.

[glockmail]

Having grown up in the "rust belt" I bad my heart broken many times with my vehicles. When I bought my mustang I made sure it was never registered up there. You'd be amazed at how many northern vehicles get transported down South and end up on used car lots.

[red state]

Having grown up in the "rust belt" I bad my heart broken many times with my vehicles. When I bought my mustang I made sure it was never registered up there. You'd be amazed at how many northern vehicles get transported down South and end up on used car lots.

Not surprised at all....most of the CRAP that ends up in the South came from "up north". Truly...FACT!

[Gunny]

Glock I didn't know you were a car collector. Orange County has a ton of like minded folks.

Y'all should see Albuquerque. This is 60s used car Heaven.

[Gunny]

'12 Jeep GC. This sweet ride is my daily driver. Traded in an '09 Expedition for it. Not as quiet or smooth riding as the Ford, but much better gas mileage. And the interior is gorgeous; much nicer than the more expensive Ford.
'11 BMW 328 xi. Wife's car. I've been a Ford guy since eternity but was turned off with her last one, a 500 AWD. It developed an issue with the AC compressor and there was no way to replace it without pulling the engine. With the FWD transaxle there too it would have been an expensive job, so I have sworn off FWD cars. Ford no longer makes a "real" car, with RWD, unless you buy a Mustang, a truck, or an Expedition, so I test drove several. I liked the Chrysler 300 the best, but she wanted something smaller. Her friend was working at the local BMW dealership and got her a fair deal on this.
'04 Exploder. My daily driver prior to the '09 Expedition, parked it for 6 months until my son got his driver's license. This was my 5th Exploder. Nice vehicle because of the IRS. Currently my daughter drives it, because it is 4WD and she lives in the mountains, and winter is approaching.
'05 Mustang. I bought this 5 years ago when my daughter got her driver's license. Manual transmission, 4.0 V6, same engine as the Exploder. I had a budget of $10k and this fit it, bought it from a small dealer near Asheville. Drove my Expedition to see it and test drive it, made the deal, then trailered it back home. One previous owner from VA, put 99k miles on it then apparently missed his last few payments. The upholstery was a mess, so I found a set from an '07 on Craigslist and replaced it. PO had kids who peed and ate cheerios. Noisy synchros and sloppy shifting; cured with Royal Purple and polyurethane bushings. Crappy, Y pipe to drone mufflers; replaced with X pipe, OE GT mufflers. Sloppy ride and handling; replaced with all new OE GT suspension. My son is now driving it. My two kids fight over this car, and I do too.
'64 TBird. I bought it for $1 off my wife's stepdad 28 years ago, back when it was just an old car, tons of rust, partially disassembled with no brakes. After storing it for 25 years I finally found the time and money to restore it. I lost track of how much I spent, but everything has been disassembled and rebuilt except for the rear end gears and brake pedal. So I'm talking complete. I don't do body and paint, so had that done. Also had the short block and heads rebuilt by a very reputable local guy. Bored, decked, balanced, lots of tweaks in the oiling system (these FE engines were terrible for oiling, that's what they wore out so fast). I installed the hydraulic roller lifters and shaft mounted roller rocker sets, with custom made pushrods. I rebuilt the transmission. Another local shop balanced the drive shaft. My body guy delivered the body to me 5 months ago, then the trunk lid, doors, fenders and hood, in that order, and I assembled the entire car in my garage in about three months, nights, working sometimes until midnight. Lots of modifications under the hood: electric cooling fan, serpentine belt system, AC with all the hoses hidden along the frame, New electrical power panel from a modern junker with fuses and relays that control all the high amp circuits. The cooling fan draws over 60 amps at running voltage, and the original alternator only put out 40. Interior is now all leather, black on black. It's been roadworthy for 2 months now but I'm still making modifications. I am currently in the final stages of installing electronic fuel injection, with an intank pump.
'74 Fiat Spider. I spied this little beauty in the basement of a house that I helped renovate and picked it up, running and driving, for $2100. I overhauled the engine and it's currently undergoing rust repair where I had the TBird done. I plan on restoring it to mostly original, driving it for a year then selling it for a new toy.



Might have to change my mind about you.

[glockmail]

Might have to change my mind about you.

Please, no. Getting hate from you is far too entertaining.

[Abbey Marie]

'12 Jeep GC. This sweet ride is my daily driver. Traded in an '09 Expedition for it. Not as quiet or smooth riding as the Ford, but much better gas mileage. And the interior is gorgeous; much nicer than the more expensive Ford.
'11 BMW 328 xi. Wife's car. I've been a Ford guy since eternity but was turned off with her last one, a 500 AWD. It developed an issue with the AC compressor and there was no way to replace it without pulling the engine. With the FWD transaxle there too it would have been an expensive job, so I have sworn off FWD cars. Ford no longer makes a "real" car, with RWD, unless you buy a Mustang, a truck, or an Expedition, so I test drove several. I liked the Chrysler 300 the best, but she wanted something smaller. Her friend was working at the local BMW dealership and got her a fair deal on this.
'04 Exploder. My daily driver prior to the '09 Expedition, parked it for 6 months until my son got his driver's license. This was my 5th Exploder. Nice vehicle because of the IRS. Currently my daughter drives it, because it is 4WD and she lives in the mountains, and winter is approaching.
'05 Mustang. I bought this 5 years ago when my daughter got her driver's license. Manual transmission, 4.0 V6, same engine as the Exploder. I had a budget of $10k and this fit it, bought it from a small dealer near Asheville. Drove my Expedition to see it and test drive it, made the deal, then trailered it back home. One previous owner from VA, put 99k miles on it then apparently missed his last few payments. The upholstery was a mess, so I found a set from an '07 on Craigslist and replaced it. PO had kids who peed and ate cheerios. Noisy synchros and sloppy shifting; cured with Royal Purple and polyurethane bushings. Crappy, Y pipe to drone mufflers; replaced with X pipe, OE GT mufflers. Sloppy ride and handling; replaced with all new OE GT suspension. My son is now driving it. My two kids fight over this car, and I do too.
'64 TBird. I bought it for $1 off my wife's stepdad 28 years ago, back when it was just an old car, tons of rust, partially disassembled with no brakes. After storing it for 25 years I finally found the time and money to restore it. I lost track of how much I spent, but everything has been disassembled and rebuilt except for the rear end gears and brake pedal. So I'm talking complete. I don't do body and paint, so had that done. Also had the short block and heads rebuilt by a very reputable local guy. Bored, decked, balanced, lots of tweaks in the oiling system (these FE engines were terrible for oiling, that's what they wore out so fast). I installed the hydraulic roller lifters and shaft mounted roller rocker sets, with custom made pushrods. I rebuilt the transmission. Another local shop balanced the drive shaft. My body guy delivered the body to me 5 months ago, then the trunk lid, doors, fenders and hood, in that order, and I assembled the entire car in my garage in about three months, nights, working sometimes until midnight. Lots of modifications under the hood: electric cooling fan, serpentine belt system, AC with all the hoses hidden along the frame, New electrical power panel from a modern junker with fuses and relays that control all the high amp circuits. The cooling fan draws over 60 amps at running voltage, and the original alternator only put out 40. Interior is now all leather, black on black. It's been roadworthy for 2 months now but I'm still making modifications. I am currently in the final stages of installing electronic fuel injection, with an intank pump.
'74 Fiat Spider. I spied this little beauty in the basement of a house that I helped renovate and picked it up, running and driving, for $2100. I overhauled the engine and it's currently undergoing rust repair where I had the TBird done. I plan on restoring it to mostly original, driving it for a year then selling it for a new toy.




I like the last one. Pics?

[Gunny]

Please, no. Getting hate from you is far too entertaining.

Dude, I don't hate you. You annoy the f*ck out of me at times, but why would I hate you? LET IT GO.

I don't care if you hate me, don't like me or what the fuck ever. You're derailing your own damned thread over a pissing contest you lost a decade ago. Take it somewhere else. I have neither the time nor inclination to get into a pissing contest with you.

I like the car. Simple as that.

[glockmail]

I like the last one. Pics?

Here's the car when I first got it, before disassembly. And the engine after overhauling.

[glockmail]

Dude, I don't hate you. You annoy the f*ck out of me at times, but why would I hate you? LET IT GO.

I don't care if you hate me, don't like me or what the fuck ever. You're derailing your own damned thread over a pissing contest you lost a decade ago. Take it somewhere else. I have neither the time nor inclination to get into a pissing contest with you.

I like the car. Simple as that.

I've never lost any contest with you dude, pissing or otherwise. You constantly make shit up, like here, claiming that I'm the one derailing this thread. You started it; I'm just calling you on it. You like to try and control people, by making up shit, threatening them, even to the point of buying the forum and then banning them. It really bothers you that you can't do that to me.

Which car do you like?

[Gunny]

I've never lost any contest with you dude, pissing or otherwise. You constantly make shit up, like here, claiming that I'm the one derailing this thread. You started it; I'm just calling you on it. You like to try and control people, by making up shit, threatening them, even to the point of buying the forum and then banning them. It really bothers you that you can't do that to me.

Which car do you like?

Please. I took the liberal side of the argument and whipped your ass. Simply to prove you don't know what you're talking about. And the second you get called on it, then you start THIS lame shit. Been 10 years. Give it a rest. The fact is, you got your ass whipped 10 years ago and STILL can't let go.

Find something else to do. Really. Act like a grown up.

[glockmail]

Please. I took the liberal side of the argument and whipped your ass. Simply to prove you don't know what you're talking about. And the second you get called on it, then you start THIS lame shit. Been 10 years. Give it a rest. The fact is, you got your ass whipped 10 years ago and STILL can't let go.

Find something else to do. Really. Act like a grown up.

Dude, I don't know what you're talking about. Why do you hold a grudge that long? And you say I can't let it go. :laugh:

[Gunny]

Dude, I don't know what you're talking about. Why do you hold a grudge that long? And you say I can't let it go. :laugh:

What does this have to do with your car?

I don't do grudges, btw. I didn't come onto a board you post on and call you names. Look in the mirror.

[glockmail]

What does this have to do with your car?

I don't do grudges, btw. I didn't come onto a board you post on and call you names. Look in the mirror.

Awwwhhhh, poor little boy, got called a name.

Get over it. :slap:

[PixieStix]

That's pretty unusual to have a rust free car in Ohio, isn't it? My '64 was from NY, and I had to replace a ton of sheet metal. Both rear fenders, 5 trunk panels, one front fender, both floors...

I suppose it is, if you keep a car outside the garage and drive it all year round. The previous owner kept it garaged in the winter. Drove his winter car. Many people in the northeast have "winter cars" Then he died and left it to my husband.

I kept it in my garage, never drove it. My husband used to drive it in the summer.

[glockmail]

I suppose it is, if you keep a car outside the garage and drive it all year round. The previous owner kept it garaged in the winter. Drove his winter car. Many people in the northeast have "winter cars" Then he died and left it to my husband.

I kept it in my garage, never drove it. My husband used to drive it in the summer.

My first new car was an 85 TBird which I ordered from the factory with few carefully selected options, as I was on a tight budget. I found out that if you ordered it with trailer tow, it came with a suspension package that was the same as a Mustang GT. And of course I ordered the traction-lok, and the 5.0 V8. I drove it several years in Syracuse NY commuting to work 12 months of the year because I couldn't afford a third car (my wife had to commute to graduate school). Over the years I upgraded it with larger wheels and tires and tweaked the suspension so that it handled very nicely, and I was able to hit about .9 on a skid pan test. I drove the car twice at Watkins Glen at a performance driving school, both two-day courses.

Back in those days most of the dealers advertised "Rusty Jones" or other services that supposedly rust-proofed your car. They drilled holes in several places and sprayed some black goo in there. These services did not work, and their guarantees weren't worth the paper they were printed on. I forbid the dealer to do that, and kept that car as clean as possible by hosing down underneath as carefully as possible. I still had nice grey factory paint on the underside when I did finally get a "winter rat", a '69 F100 with a 360 that I bought, not running, for $100. I got the truck running and safe and then put my prized Bird on jack stands in my machinery barn. I did that for several years until we moved South, and I sold the truck and drove the Bird where I live now.

Then the rust started appearing. I was heartbroken. So I sold it and bought a new '98 Mustang GT.

[Abbey Marie]

Here's the car when I first got it, before disassembly. And the engine after overhauling.


That is a very classy car. :thumb:

[glockmail]

That is a very classy car. :thumb: Thanks. I think it is too. The market value, though, is very low. In top condition one sells for about $7k! These cars were over $4k new. Comparing it to the Mustang that it was sitting next to, the Fiat is a much better car. All the exterior trim is stainless steel v. the cheap anodized on the Ford. It has disc brakes, a dual overhead cam engine, and an anti-lock feature on the rear brakes. Two-stage Weber carburetor, and a nicer interior.

[glockmail]

Here's my new EFI conversion for the Bird, mounted in place of the carb. The fuel pump is mounted in the tank, and I cut a hole in the floor of the trunk to make room for the connections.

[glockmail]

I mounted the ECU under the dash, the fuel filter under the engine bay, and the O2 sensor in the exhaust.

[glockmail]

Some "non geek" pictures of the Bird.

[Gunny]

Awwwhhhh, poor little boy, got called a name.

Get over it. :slap:

Let's see ... going to be 56 next month. Think I got over it it about 50 years ago.

Still like your car.

[glockmail]

You're older than dirt! We are the same age.

[glockmail]

You still haven't told me which car you like. :poke:

[glockmail]

I replaced the corrugated sheath that the EFI kit came with to match the braided sheath I used throughout the car. The Russell Pro Classic hose matches it nicely.

Although I've never done it before, I put the kit emblem on the dash. I figure that this is such a substantial improvement, and the emblems match the OE fairly well, so I'll give it a try.

[Gunny]

You still haven't told me which car you like. :poke:

The one in your avatar. Used to have a 69 Mustang Boss with a 3 speed stick, 302 under the hood, and you actually could still see the engine back then. Probably my most favorite car. I've had trucks n Jeeps for so long I can barely drive a car anymore.

[glockmail]

The one in your avatar. Used to have a 69 Mustang Boss with a 3 speed stick, 302 under the hood, and you actually could still see the engine back then. Probably my most favorite car. I've had trucks n Jeeps for so long I can barely drive a car anymore.

I don't own that car, it's just a marketing image for the new 2015. I like it because the pony finally has an IRS.

I had a '66 coupe with a 289 2V, automatic. It was my MIL's car that my wife drove in college. I eventually acquired it, kept it for several years, then sold it to my wife's nephew. He got rid of it because of all the rust, being a NY car.

I just resurrected a '69 convertible with a 3 speed. It had been stored (incorrectly) for years and the owner's nephew wanted it. I convinced the owner otherwise. These cars are designed to kill you, the top of the gas tank being the floor of the trunk, poor survivability in an accident, especially the convertible. I rebuilt the fuel system, changed all the fluids, got the brakes safe and the car running well, then sold it for the owner to some guy our age who knew what he was dealing with.

I advised the owner to do what I did for my daughter when she was his nephew's age: If they like the look of the original Mustang, buy a late model 2005 or so. It has a 5 star crash rating, air bags, no problems with leaks, overheating, and constant tune ups, the engine starts instantly, and will run for over 350,000 miles with proper maintenance.

[Gunny]

I don't own that car, it's just a marketing image for the new 2015. I like it because the pony finally has an IRS.

I had a '66 coupe with a 289 2V, automatic. It was my MIL's car that my wife drove in college. I eventually acquired it, kept it for several years, then sold it to my wife's nephew. He got rid of it because of all the rust, being a NY car.

I just resurrected a '69 convertible with a 3 speed. It had been stored (incorrectly) for years and the owner's nephew wanted it. I convinced the owner otherwise. These cars are designed to kill you, the top of the gas tank being the floor of the trunk, poor survivability in an accident, especially the convertible. I rebuilt the fuel system, changed all the fluids, got the brakes safe and the car running well, then sold it for the owner to some guy our age who knew what he was dealing with.

I advised the owner to do what I did for my daughter when she was his nephew's age: If they like the look of the original Mustang, buy a late model 2005 or so. It has a 5 star crash rating, air bags, no problems with leaks, overheating, and constant tune ups, the engine starts instantly, and will run for over 350,000 miles with proper maintenance.

The Mustang was actually originally marketed to girls, IIRC. I think the. So was the Camaro. A bunch of those old cars were death traps. The Vega and Pinto come to mind. I know they quit making the Vega for exactly that reason.

I've been drooling over the Dodge Challengers for awhile. However, me and a sportscar is like me and motorcycle. Bad things happen. If there's one thing I can't stand is some old fart in a sports car driving like a little old lady on her way to the hairdresser. I get one of those, I'm DRIVING it.

[glockmail]

The Mustang was actually originally marketed to girls, IIRC. I think the. So was the Camaro. A bunch of those old cars were death traps. The Vega and Pinto come to mind. I know they quit making the Vega for exactly that reason.

I've been drooling over the Dodge Challengers for awhile. However, me and a sportscar is like me and motorcycle. Bad things happen. If there's one thing I can't stand is some old fart in a sports car driving like a little old lady on her way to the hairdresser. I get one of those, I'm DRIVING it.

The Mustang was nearly as bad as the Pinto, it just came on the market before Nadar. I think the Vega was screwed by its aluminum block. The pistons wore through it in no time.

The Challenger is my favorite among the current crop. The chassis for it is actually a Mercedes design, like the 300 and my Jeep, fully independent sub-frames. And it's bigger than the Mustang or Camaro. I love the retro look.

You drive a nice muscle car like that, no need to drive it fast on the street.

[Perianne]

The Mustang was nearly as bad as the Pinto, it just came on the market before Nadar. I think the Vega was screwed by its aluminum block. The pistons wore through it in no time.

The Challenger is my favorite among the current crop. The chassis for it is actually a Mercedes design, like the 300 and my Jeep, fully independent sub-frames. And it's bigger than the Mustang or Camaro. I love the retro look.

You drive a nice muscle car like that, no need to drive it fast on the street.

Why didn't they use aluminum pistons?

[glockmail]

Why didn't they use aluminum pistons? Pistons are always made out of aluminum. I'm not aware of any major manufacturer who has used anything else. Different alloys, but always aluminum. The rings are always steel, again, different alloys, but always steel.

There are three rings seated in three separate groves near the top of a typical piston. The top two rings are identical and seal the piston to the walls of the cylinder. They are made of a steel alloy with elastic properties and slightly larger than the diameter of the cylinder so spring tension provides a seal. The bottom ring is an oiling ring, and distributes pressurized oil to the cylinder walls. The hard steel sealing rings are constantly rubbing against the cylinder walls so if the material is soft, like that used in the Vega motor, it wears quickly.

Back in the 60's Ford, Chevy, and Dodge all developed "small block" V8 engines as a technological leap over earlier designs. They were all made of alloys of iron. Ford blocks were made of "nodular iron", which I guess is a marketing term, but it was a lot harder than the Chevy iron. It was more costly to machine a Ford block than a Chevy block, so hot-rodders used Chevy motors.

In the mid 70's, oil embargo years, fuel consumption was the marketing push. GM developed the all aluminum engine for the Vega and the alloy was soft. The engines lasted about 40k miles before they burned oil excessively and had to be rebuilt.

Later aluminum block designs had iron cylinder sleeves in aluminum blocks. Newer designs, like the Chrysler Pentastar V6, use steel sleeves. The newest all-aluminum blocks use some alloy of aluminum but I'm not familiar with the particulars.

[sundaydriver]

Nice collection. Where is the muscle car that would complete you're stable?

[Jeff]

99 Wide Glide

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7992&stc=1

2012 Electra Glide Classic

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7993&stc=1

2013 Charger

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7994&stc=1

A work in progress
79 Chevy P/U

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7995&stc=1

Last but not least
one I wished I owned

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7996&stc=1

[glockmail]

Nice collection. Where is the muscle car that would complete you're stable?

The TBird is a big block 390 FE with a stage 2 COMP cam and hydraulic roller lifters.

[glockmail]

99 Wide Glide

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7992&stc=1

2012 Electra Glide Classic

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7993&stc=1

2013 Charger

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7994&stc=1

A work in progress
79 Chevy P/U

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7995&stc=1

Last but not least
one I wished I owned

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7996&stc=1

I love the Electaglide and the Charger. Is the Dodge a Pentastar or a Hemi?

[Jeff]

I love the Electaglide and the Charger. Is the Dodge a Pentastar or a Hemi?

No Hemi, it's the ol ladies car and she really doesn't need that extra power to mess things up :laugh:

[glockmail]

No Hemi, it's the ol ladies car and she really doesn't need that extra power to mess things up :laugh:
I have the same engine in my Jeep. In the Charger it makes 305 HP. Idles smoothly at 500 rpm. It's been one of Ward's top ten engines for at least two years.

[glockmail]

New sneakers and bling for the TBird, new front springs, then I paid $203 to get the front end aligned properly. I know the technician at out local NTB that did the job; we traded cars once and he still drives the one he got. Camber is adjusted by shims, caster by a strut and toe by link bars.

I have declared the project complete as of last week. Last night I worked on some electrics that I have going on in the trunk: a new Hella relay box for the fuel pump, thrid brake light, and 120V inverter.

[glockmail]

Although I've declared the TBird project completed, meaning it runs and drives, the old gal is made from parts of several cars, plus new parts never fit as well as the are supposed to, then add in all the modifications, so there are still a lot of bugs to work out before she's perfect.

For example the gas tank. With the EFI mod I had to install a pump inside the tank, requiring cutting a large hole in the top of the tank, and a corresponding hole in the floor of the trunk. Since it is unwise to cut into a fuel tank I bought a new one and modified it. Lots of measuring, cutting, grinding and cutting later, I have the pump in and the new tank installed. I filled it half full with gas to dial-in the level sensor, completed the fuel lines for the new fuel delivery and return, hooked up the vapor recovery and then drove it to test the system. All this I did at my buddy's garage where I have access to a two-post lift.

I parked the car in my garage at home and smelled gas within an hour. About a drip/ 10 seconds coming out of a corner of the tank, on a factory welded seam. About as far away from the area of the tank that I modified as possible. That meant that the brand new tank had to be returned to the vendor, AFTER I had just spent considerable effort modifying it. Knowing that they'd simply blame me for somehow perforating their weld, I fixed it myself. Once again, draining the gas, removing the tank, cleaning it, drying it, coating the inside then re-installing.

Then I had a problem with the filler tube seal. This is a 30" long tube from the gas door to the top corner of the tank, sealed by a large O ring. The fill tube rides inside a protective pipe, and that has to be installed as part of the operation through an access hole in the trunk. Final insertion through the O ring is blind, so if you nick the O-ring while doing this you won't know until you test it, by filling the tank with 20 gallons of high-test. I'll spare y'all the details, but it took me three tries, and three different size O rings to get it to seal properly.

In the meantime while all this was potentially disastrous work was going on- it's never good to have a fuel leak- I installed a 2.5# bottle of Halotron in a very accessible location.