Turn that frown upside down! There's clouds you could be yelling at, rants you could be posting, and many more things you could be doing.Another day off,....Still no converter,......another day wasted,....nothing to do but lay around and mope.
Build Thread 1978 Mercury Cyclone. The pig is in the pen.
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A new milestone today...600 pages of Monster goodness. ( I’ll bet i’m good for ad dollars,..they should pay me to be here) 
There are two things I can do today. I planned one, the other is one of those things I’ve been ignoring that needs fixing.
One can be done in a matter of a few hours, the other opens a can of worms on something that busted my ass the last time i dicked with it.
The “quick fix“ is the water line that leaked. The original line routed out of the engine, into a really obscure, impossible to get to once the engine is installed- bulkhead fitting in the transmission tunnel, then ran inside the car to the heater core, then out through another bulkhead fitting back into the engine.
A necessary evil if i cared about having a warm interior in the cold months.
History with this car has shown that to be UN necessary. The freakin thing is always down from November through..........( insert random mid summer month here).
A 2jz has a hard line the runs under the exhaust manifold that routes the water from the back of the head to the heater core, to the turbos, and returns it to the back of the water pump. The “ mike-mod” routed the water over the river, and through the woods as described above before returning it to the water pump.
Im changing that today. Today, the water is gonna come out of the back of the head, and go straight back into the water pump. that line will stay hooked up with the engine. In other words, I’m eliminating the potential leak at the bulkhead fitting.
Besides,....I freakin hate how this looks.
I gotta go to an AP store and buy some pre-formed hose bent at 90 degrees so that I can get it routed out of that straight up stickin’ hose nipple on the head. I have one already, but it’s really too big ( like 3/4” instead of 5/8”) So,...gotta go to O’reillys.
The other thing requires bodywork, and paint.
The hood that I replaced the original one with was broken where the old Fairmont hoods typically crack. I welded the crack closed, but......neglected to check the hood for fitment afterwards. It was sprung at that point. It wasn’t until after the hood was painted and installed that I discovered that. When you shut it, the drivers’ side of the hood doesn’t line up with the fender line. it stands off.
Trust me,..when you’re standing there,...it looks a lot worse than this.
But fixin it requires that I remove it...cut a relief cut in the underside that I welded the piss out of, and relieve that crown. That will require I push down ( probably stand on) that side of the hood to push it back. And that will probably break the bodywork that’s under the paint...( maybe it will, maybe it won’t) once pushed back to where it’ll meet the fender, I’d have to make a strap to hold the hood at that position, and screw or rivet it on, because I won’t be able to weld it back. THAT will surely fck up the paint or bodywork.
Its a point of obsession for me, and i’d leave it the hell alone if the car was running....but it’s like it says on top...I gotta do something.
There are two things I can do today. I planned one, the other is one of those things I’ve been ignoring that needs fixing.
One can be done in a matter of a few hours, the other opens a can of worms on something that busted my ass the last time i dicked with it.
The “quick fix“ is the water line that leaked. The original line routed out of the engine, into a really obscure, impossible to get to once the engine is installed- bulkhead fitting in the transmission tunnel, then ran inside the car to the heater core, then out through another bulkhead fitting back into the engine.
A necessary evil if i cared about having a warm interior in the cold months.
History with this car has shown that to be UN necessary. The freakin thing is always down from November through..........( insert random mid summer month here).
A 2jz has a hard line the runs under the exhaust manifold that routes the water from the back of the head to the heater core, to the turbos, and returns it to the back of the water pump. The “ mike-mod” routed the water over the river, and through the woods as described above before returning it to the water pump.
Im changing that today. Today, the water is gonna come out of the back of the head, and go straight back into the water pump. that line will stay hooked up with the engine. In other words, I’m eliminating the potential leak at the bulkhead fitting.
Besides,....I freakin hate how this looks.
I gotta go to an AP store and buy some pre-formed hose bent at 90 degrees so that I can get it routed out of that straight up stickin’ hose nipple on the head. I have one already, but it’s really too big ( like 3/4” instead of 5/8”) So,...gotta go to O’reillys.
The other thing requires bodywork, and paint.
The hood that I replaced the original one with was broken where the old Fairmont hoods typically crack. I welded the crack closed, but......neglected to check the hood for fitment afterwards. It was sprung at that point. It wasn’t until after the hood was painted and installed that I discovered that. When you shut it, the drivers’ side of the hood doesn’t line up with the fender line. it stands off.
Trust me,..when you’re standing there,...it looks a lot worse than this.
But fixin it requires that I remove it...cut a relief cut in the underside that I welded the piss out of, and relieve that crown. That will require I push down ( probably stand on) that side of the hood to push it back. And that will probably break the bodywork that’s under the paint...( maybe it will, maybe it won’t) once pushed back to where it’ll meet the fender, I’d have to make a strap to hold the hood at that position, and screw or rivet it on, because I won’t be able to weld it back. THAT will surely fck up the paint or bodywork.
Its a point of obsession for me, and i’d leave it the hell alone if the car was running....but it’s like it says on top...I gotta do something.
what if you run a strap around the hood with a block of wood where it needs pushed down and tighten strap till its corrected then weld it. Strap would hold it in place and you may be able to prevent damage. It may also bow the hood instead of doing what you want but worth a try maybe
GM used to have the same problem on the 73-79 pickup hoods. Welding the crack alone just lead to it re-cracking next to the weld later.A new milestone today...600 pages of Monster goodness. ( I’ll bet i’m good for ad dollars,..they should pay me to be here)
There are two things I can do today. I planned one, the other is one of those things I’ve been ignoring that needs fixing.
One can be done in a matter of a few hours, the other opens a can of worms on something that busted my ass the last time i dicked with it.
The “quick fix“ is the water line that leaked. The original line routed out of the engine, into a really obscure, impossible to get to once the engine is installed- bulkhead fitting in the transmission tunnel, then ran inside the car to the heater core, then out through another bulkhead fitting back into the engine.
A necessary evil if i cared about having a warm interior in the cold months.
History with this car has shown that to be UN necessary. The freakin thing is always down from November through..........( insert random mid summer month here).
A 2jz has a hard line the runs under the exhaust manifold that routes the water from the back of the head to the heater core, to the turbos, and returns it to the back of the water pump. The “ mike-mod” routed the water over the river, and through the woods as described above before returning it to the water pump.
Im changing that today. Today, the water is gonna come out of the back of the head, and go straight back into the water pump. that line will stay hooked up with the engine. In other words, I’m eliminating the potential leak at the bulkhead fitting.
Besides,....I freakin hate how this looks.
I gotta go to an AP store and buy some pre-formed hose bent at 90 degrees so that I can get it routed out of that straight up stickin’ hose nipple on the head. I have one already, but it’s really too big ( like 3/4” instead of 5/8”) So,...gotta go to O’reillys.
The other thing requires bodywork, and paint.
The hood that I replaced the original one with was broken where the old Fairmont hoods typically crack. I welded the crack closed, but......neglected to check the hood for fitment afterwards. It was sprung at that point. It wasn’t until after the hood was painted and installed that I discovered that. When you shut it, the drivers’ side of the hood doesn’t line up with the fender line. it stands off.
Trust me,..when you’re standing there,...it looks a lot worse than this.
But fixin it requires that I remove it...cut a relief cut in the underside that I welded the piss out of, and relieve that crown. That will require I push down ( probably stand on) that side of the hood to push it back. And that will probably break the bodywork that’s under the paint...( maybe it will, maybe it won’t) once pushed back to where it’ll meet the fender, I’d have to make a strap to hold the hood at that position, and screw or rivet it on, because I won’t be able to weld it back. THAT will surely fck up the paint or bodywork.
Its a point of obsession for me, and i’d leave it the hell alone if the car was running....but it’s like it says on top...I gotta do something.
Brothers Trucks HBK7380 Brothers Trucks Hood Brace Kit
BROTHERS exclusive re-designed hood brace kit is designed to correct or prevent ripples in the side of your hood due to insufficient bracing from the factory. Kit consists of (2) braces constructed of 14 gauge and a set of self-tapping screws for an easy installation.
www.brotherstrucks.com
Kits like that ended up being the long-term solution. There were several out there to choose from. I actually did my own thing (imagine that) and welded in 1/4" plate on each side that was an inch wide and 6" long. It looked like
, but to 16-year-old me, it was more important that my hood was straight, and it didn't cost an entire Taco Bell paycheck (they were a lot more expensive back then, and I made all of $5.50 an hour at the time).
While the hood was off the car before the 2 j went in ( the first time) I actually stood on it.
Needless to say, it didn’t do a thing to it.That underside area was a mess, because the previous owner attempted to fix it by just welding it ( badly) and it broke there again. When I fixed it, I FIXT it. I welded in new metal straps that went several inches past the crack in both directions.
Its permanently fcked.
A new milestone today...600 pages of Monster goodness. ( I’ll bet i’m good for ad dollars,..they should pay me to be here)
"Real Old Geezers of Stangnet"We're headed for syndication.
Well...I managed to do what i set out to do.
Whoopdi-—-fckin—doo.
I tapped a hole, I spray bombed the scraped up places in the engine compartment, I solved the water routing issue, i put a big ass paint chip in the passenger door.
I can never have a show car,...it’d be trashed in a matter of no time.
See below:
This little metal penis is how I’ve decided to cleanly solve the water line issue. I stuck a 3/8”npt tap in that dude, and took a chance that it wouldn’t break through..
It was close by the time that tap was down far enough to adequately screw in the fitting..For good measure, i sealed it with JB weld...it’s a permanent addition.
Doing that allows me to reduce the water line that comes off the rear to -10, instead of the -12 line that had to have a reducing adapter at that bulkhead fitting..And i’ll have a single -10 line that’ll loop to the back of the engine like before, only instead of it having to be adapted at the firewall, and again at the rear of the engine to convert it from AN to pipe nipple... it’s just one clean hose now.
* pic is obviously post rattle can.
I had to do some wiring...i bought a new TPS sender plug, and needed to confirm which of the three wires was TPS signal...
And promptly smashed the door into the transmission that was sitting next to it.
Like I said...I’m too much of a clod to have a nice car.
Whoopdi-—-fckin—doo.
I tapped a hole, I spray bombed the scraped up places in the engine compartment, I solved the water routing issue, i put a big ass paint chip in the passenger door.
I can never have a show car,...it’d be trashed in a matter of no time.
See below:
This little metal penis is how I’ve decided to cleanly solve the water line issue. I stuck a 3/8”npt tap in that dude, and took a chance that it wouldn’t break through..
It was close by the time that tap was down far enough to adequately screw in the fitting..For good measure, i sealed it with JB weld...it’s a permanent addition.
Doing that allows me to reduce the water line that comes off the rear to -10, instead of the -12 line that had to have a reducing adapter at that bulkhead fitting..And i’ll have a single -10 line that’ll loop to the back of the engine like before, only instead of it having to be adapted at the firewall, and again at the rear of the engine to convert it from AN to pipe nipple... it’s just one clean hose now.
* pic is obviously post rattle can.
I had to do some wiring...i bought a new TPS sender plug, and needed to confirm which of the three wires was TPS signal...
And promptly smashed the door into the transmission that was sitting next to it.
Like I said...I’m too much of a clod to have a nice car.
Are you contemplating a bracket, clip or some way to hold that hose still? Engine vibrations + the weight of that braided hose may break that penis thing right off.
Did I actually type that?
Did I actually type that?
I'd do the whole " @Noobz347 CT!" thing... but I'm too tired... wait, did I actually type that?Are you contemplating a bracket, clip or some way to hold that hose still? Engine vibrations + the weight of that braided hose may break that penis thing right off.
Did I actually type that?
Though this is true, you really could use some penis in your CT.
Though this is true, you really could use some penis in your CT.
So @74stang2togo - who do you call when the CT editor leaves a CT worthy post??
Ignore it, such assignments are above my pay grade.So @74stang2togo - who do you call when the CT editor leaves a CT worthy post??
See, that would tempt me in the right project. The Buick straight 8 had one of the sexiest exhaust notes of all time.
I told myself that if I didn’t hear from PTC this morning, I’d tell them to send the thing back to me, and I’d have to have the pilot adapter and feet stand-off extensions made by a friend with a lathe. No sooner did I get that thought put in the “ will do” box,...I get a call from them. The lead tech is coming down here for a DR appointment, and says he can bring the thing with him “ If I’d like”......
Of course I’d like.
So,...Thursday will be the go back together day...Hopefully everything is gonna work this time.
Of course I’d like.
So,...Thursday will be the go back together day...Hopefully everything is gonna work this time.
I didnt. It will most assuredly fck up the paint and body work when I do..That is a wait till I get around to it kinda thing.
Hopefully you'll have the car mechanically sound by the end of the summer and the hood can be a winter project after car show season.
the hood almost borders on the “ too subtle” for me anyway. If the car runs like it’s supposed to do, I’ll focus on some body changes next time I doom it to Jax stand duty.
I took the thing to “ If Mercury didn’t suck in the late 70’s, what could/would the Zephyr look like” school Last winter...
This time,...I’ll either go a little more A/FX, and make the hood do this:
1965 Mercury Cyclone ram air hood...
or...
I’ll sell the wheels and tires,..and go really big..like...275/18 up front, 335/18 in the rear and push the sheet metal out.
Widebody style.
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