Progress Thread Let's try this again...

[Alldegree]

Being a southern boy I'm going to ask a stupid question about northern roads. Are they really so bad that you couldn't just rent a drive on car hauler from Uhaul and pull it to your house?

Honestly, it depends on the day. If it's dry, hasn't snowed in a few days, and is cold enough that there isn't any slush, the roads would be good enough that I could probably drive the car home safely. The problem is the salt. Like HotFox said, it gets everywhere. When it's wet outside, it dissolves in the melting snow so when you drive through it, it sprays onto the car and dries into a nice caked-on mess. When it's dry out, it gets ground up by the tires and thrown into the wheel wells. I don't know if an open car hauler would be enough to protect it from salt thrown up from underneath.

Also, the seller told me that the last time he tried to get it onto his trailer, it tore the exhaust off the bottom of the car, so a uhaul may not work.

I would let him store it or find a buddy with a enclosed trailer. If you do get impatient try to move it after a rain when the road is dry and or do a good rinse after it is home especially the underside.

I do have a former boss and family acquaintance that has a low-profile enclosed trailer that he uses to haul around his show cars. The problem is that it's a big beast. I think it's a two car trailer, so it's probably a pain to handle even when the roads are clear. I'll ask him about it.

 

[Noobz347]

Chicago? Covered Trailer.

Salt (which is the GD devil) is a major concern for sure. Particularly on a trailer getting hammered.

Keeping the car on the trailer while the driver stops to take a leak in Chicago....

I'd have to give even odds on which is worse or more likely

 

[General karthief]

What do you guys think I should do about getting the car to my house? I would need it to be in an enclosed trailer, right? The shipping quotes I've seen are around $350. If all else fails, the seller said he'd be willing to hang onto the car until the salt and snow are off the roads, but I'd rather have it in my garage and I think he'd rather get it out of his so he can move on to other projects. It's only 11 miles away.

$350 for a 11 mile haul is robbery. Get another quote from a tow company. Have it flat bedded to your house.
I would think $100 would do it. Maybe less if you toss em cash.

 

[EX-SSP]

$350 for a 11 mile haul is robbery. Get another quote from a tow company. Have it flat bedded to your house.
I would think $100 would do it. Maybe less if you toss em cash.

It's not the distance that makes the bulk of the cost. It's the hookup and unhooking that is most time and effort. The actual miles driven is negligible. If it was for 50 miles away, it probably wouldn't be much more at all. If it's in the Chicago area, you're paying city prices also.

 

[General karthief]

I'm in Florida, the going rate for a flat bed is 45+3.50 a mile. I have heard a couple times 75+4.50 a mile at night or weekends. That is what is call a 'consent tow', owner requested. A 'rotation' tow (law enforcement requested) or 'non-consent' tow, parking violation or private party impound will be higher.
That's here though, I suspect a place like Chicago or Detroit, for instance, can be crazy expensive.
i still think an 11 mile flat bed haul is robbery.

 

[Rdub6]

I’d wait for a dry day after a rain, as said earlier. Get it home, hose off the bottom, and park it in your garage. Then it’ll really be YOUR car!!

 

[Alldegree]

i still think an 11 mile flat bed haul is robbery.

If it changes anything, that was actually for a covered trailer. I believe they said a flatbed would be something like 150 less, which I think is about what I paid to get the 85 hauled to my place by a towing company, albeit a slightly longer distance, but not much longer.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Being a southern boy I'm going to ask a stupid question about northern roads. Are they really so bad that you couldn't just rent a drive on car hauler from Uhaul and pull it to your house?

Oh yeah. If they lay the salt on think it will pulverize under the tires and turn into powder that rises up like a cloud. I’ve driven on the highway and it looks like a haze floating up 10-15’ or so.

Eventually it lessens but another storm refreshes it.

Need a good rainstorm before it’s “safe”

 

[Rdub6]

Being a southern boy I'm going to ask a stupid question about northern roads. Are they really so bad that you couldn't just rent a drive on car hauler from Uhaul and pull it to your house?

Our “black” asphalt roads look completely “white” because of the salt during winter. Driving all the time, I’d have to think about things, and whether to drive a nice car. Moving my new car I just bought 11 miles..... I’d wait til after a rain and I’d get it to my place!!

 

[SpeedLobo]

The new Fox looks great! Enjoy it!

 

[Alldegree]

With the MAF conversion, should I get the A9L or just save up and get a Megasquirt? Are they both plug and play?

 

[Mustang5L5]

Start with the A9L. Rewire it for MAF and get it running well.

Then swap to MS later on

 

[Alldegree]

Start with the A9L. Rewire it for MAF and get it running well.

Then swap to MS later on

That’s kind of what I was thinking. With the kits available and the amount of information available about it online, it doesn’t look too hard.

 

[Alldegree]

I have a lot more questions about my car (still don't have it), I know the 86 motors had flat top pistons, but the guy said it has an '85 block, so I imagine it has '85 pistons as well. Those are notched, right?

Also, with the ford performance alphabet cams, which one is milder, E or B? The diagram on their website says B, but all the Youtube videos and online forums say E.

I'm also reading about how to use a manual transmission, and I'm a little confused about coming to a stop. Do you:

A. leave the car in gear and shift to neutral when you come to a stop?
B. Just throw it in neutral and brake?
C. Disengage the clutch and brake?
D. Row down through all the gears?
E. I'm overthinking this and/or it depends on the situation?

I'm pretty clueless as to how all that works, but wouldn't leaving it in gear make it harder to stop since the motor is still connected to the wheels?

Also, how hard is it to replace a clutch? Because I have a feeling I might be needing one or two of those...

 

[Mustang5L5]

If it's an '85 block and rotating assembly, then it will have pistons similar to the 87+ with 4 eyebrow valve reliefs.

 

[Olivethefet]

Push in clutch and start the car.
With clutch pushed in put the car in first.
Slowly let off on the clutch while giving it a little gas.
Once rolling continue to accelerate until to 2500 - 3000 rpm. More or less depending on driving conditions.
Push in the clutch and shift to 2nd.
Let off the gas a bit. Push in the clutch and shift to 2nd.
Start letting up on the clutch and give it a little gas.
keep repeating through the gears.

You can keep the car in gear for a bit when coming to a stop. By down shifting you can use the engine to help stop the car. If you are not familiar with driving a standard transmission I'd recommend just pushing in the clutch. Then use the breaks to stop the car.
Move the gear selector to neutral.
Use the brakes to stop.

Repeat the the first process to get going again.

It's not hard once you get the hang of it. Try not to rev the motor to much when your getting the car moving. I see people doing that a lot when they learn. Revving the motor and creeping up on the clutch will just burn up the clutch. If you're trying to get the car rolling and it feels like it doesn't want to go make sure you are in first and not third.

My cousin burned up a clutch trying to start on a hill. She was in 3rd and just kept roasting the clutch.

I would recommend getting someone you trust that knows how to drive standard to drive with you to a large parking lot or something similar. There you can creep around with the car not worrying about pedestrians and other traffic while your friend helps you learn how to shift it.

Starting on steep hills can be a bit tricky. Don't forget you can use the e-brake to hold the car on the hill while you get the car moving. When you feel the clutch start to grab you let off on the e-brake.

As for changing the clutch out. I've never done it, but I don't think its that bad of a job.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Push in clutch and start the car.
With clutch pushed in put the car in first.
Slowly let off on the clutch while giving it a little gas.
Once rolling continue to accelerate until to 2500 - 3000 rpm. More or less depending on driving conditions.
Push in the clutch and shift to 2nd.
Let off the gas a bit. Push in the clutch and shift to 2nd.
Start letting up on the clutch and give it a little gas.
keep repeating through the gears.

You can keep the car in gear for a bit when coming to a stop. By down shifting you can use the engine to help stop the car. If you are not familiar with driving a standard transmission I'd recommend just pushing in the clutch. Then use the breaks to stop the car.
Move the gear selector to neutral.
Use the brakes to stop.

Repeat the the first process to get going again.

It's not hard once you get the hang of it. Try not to rev the motor to much when your getting the car moving. I see people doing that a lot when they learn. Revving the motor and creeping up on the clutch will just burn up the clutch. If you're trying to get the car rolling and it feels like it doesn't want to go make sure you are in first and not third.

My cousin burned up a clutch trying to start on a hill. She was in 3rd and just kept roasting the clutch.

I would recommend getting someone you trust that knows how to drive standard to drive with you to a large parking lot or something similar. There you can creep around with the car not worrying about pedestrians and other traffic while your friend helps you learn how to shift it.

Starting on steep hills can be a bit tricky. Don't forget you can use the e-brake to hold the car on the hill while you get the car moving. When you feel the clutch start to grab you let off on the e-brake.

As for changing the clutch out. I've never done it, but I don't think its that bad of a job.

What ever is this place coming to?
Now we're teaching people how to drive a stick on the internet?

 

[Olivethefet]

He asked.... I was bored.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Well it is a dying art.

 

[LILCBRA]

What ever is this place coming to?
Now we're teaching people how to drive a stick on the internet?

True! It's hard to actually teach someone how to drive stick on the internet, it takes seat time.​