Should I try to start a Engine that has been sitting for years?

bkshaw · Apr 30, 2005

I found a 72 Mustang Sprint in a barn here in Oregon.

I found info about it on this web site:
http://www.mustangspecs.com/specialty/sprint.shtml

I didn't get a chance to examine it very long the other day. I told the old lady to put my name on it and I would come back on Sat...

Should I even try to start this thing?
She said her husband was using it as a daliy driver until he died.
Or should I just haul it away?

Bruce

MustangMatt1966 · Apr 30, 2005

hummm well if it was sitting for years, it would prob take a while to get to run, your best bet might be to tow it away and spend the proper time and care to start it somewhere where you have the correct tools and such to adjust stuff that will have to be adjusted....IMO

Max Power · Apr 30, 2005

Haul it away. The gas is vinegar, most gaskets and seals will leak, and a number of things can be a real hazzard if you try and drive it, like brakes.

Haul it to your garage, flush the fuel system, change the oil, turn it over by hand, pre-lube the oiling system and then give it a go in a controlled environment where you have no deadlines.

bkshaw · Apr 30, 2005

Max Power said:
Haul it away. The gas is vinegar, most gaskets and seals will leak, and a number of things can be a real hazzard if you try and drive it, like brakes.

Haul it to your garage, flush the fuel system, change the oil, turn it over by hand, pre-lube the oiling system and then give it a go in a controlled environment where you have no deadlines.

Thank you...That is sound advise. I wasn't going try to drive it...just maybe thought I'd see if it would turn over (might effect how much I offer)

Bruce

D.Hearne · Apr 30, 2005

one other tip, pull the spark plugs, and take a quart of ATF ( your choice, dextron, type F, mercon) and pour all of it into the cylinders ( should be 6 in a sprint) before trying to roll the crank by hand ( breaker bar and 15/16" socket on the damper bolt) rotate the crank at least 4 full turns to insure nothing's stuck ( two turns will do it, the other two are insurance) then spin the starter without the plugs to flush the ATF out. Then put the plugs back in, change the points and condenser, fresh plugs and wires before trying to fire it. You may need to at least change the accellerator pump diaphram in the carb to run it. It'll be sure to be dried out and ruptured sitting so long.

bkshaw · Apr 30, 2005

Just bought the car!

D.Hearne said:
one other tip, pull the spark plugs, and take a quart of ATF ( your choice, dextron, type F, mercon) and pour all of it into the cylinders ( should be 6 in a sprint) before trying to roll the crank by hand ( breaker bar and 15/16" socket on the damper bolt) rotate the crank at least 4 full turns to insure nothing's stuck ( two turns will do it, the other two are insurance) then spin the starter without the plugs to flush the ATF out. Then put the plugs back in, change the points and condenser, fresh plugs and wires before trying to fire it. You may need to at least change the accellerator pump diaphram in the carb to run it. It'll be sure to be dried out and ruptured sitting so long.

Hello Everyone!
Props for all the hints...
UPDATE:
I just got back from checking this out more in person...
Great news:
I jacked up the car and looked underneth and no rust at all on floorpans.
The only rust is in the trunk floor (I always thought that the top of the gas tank WAS the trunk bottom....but it looks like a thin sheet of metal...THEN the gas tank!) and BOTH rear qtr panels do have rust on the bottom

Anyways...no rust anywhere else!! The barn really protected it I guess!
When I asked the old lady about when it ran last she said would go out and start the thing every Sunday!! So I thought I'd go for it.... and I turned the key and vrooom!! It started faster than my newer vehicles!!!!!!!

Anyway thanks again for your help.
And I thing I got a super deal.
I will trailer the beast home next week.

Should I do a minor rebuild with the engine or what?
If I had money I'd do a full frame off restoration....but I'd love to use it as a daily driver.

I will post pics as soon as I take some.
Any hints about replacing the trunk and the qtr panel rust?

Bruce

D.Hearne · Apr 30, 2005

bkshaw said:
If I had money I'd do a full frame off restoration....but I'd love to use it as a daily driver.
Bruce

When you do that "frame off" resto, let me know I want to watch

bkshaw · Apr 30, 2005

Maybe "Frame Off" is not correct term

D.Hearne said:
When you do that "frame off" resto, let me know I want to watch

Maybe "Frame Off" is not correct term...?

But you know what I mean.
I've heard of people buying an original car and botching it all up...trying to do a restoration.
I know I don't have the skills to do a concours type show car....but I don't want to mess up a true survivor either....

Any hints about how to fix the trunk rust issue?

Bruce

D.Hearne · Apr 30, 2005

Kinda hard to do a frame off on a unibody car.

bkshaw · Apr 30, 2005

I guess I meant full restoration

D.Hearne said:
Kinda hard to do a frame off on a unibody car.

Hey....I'm a newbie....I don't know jack. I've never done a restoration before!
I'm just trying to gather info and see what is the best way to get another great looking classic on the road again.

We are all here to help each other right?

I take every scrap of info and file it away...Now I know that mustangs have a unibody...is that true for ALL mustangs ever built?

Bruce

Hack · Apr 30, 2005

bkshaw said:
I take every scrap of info and file it away...Now I know that mustangs have a unibody...is that true for ALL mustangs ever built?

Bruce

Yes. Edit: what all Mustangs have are front and rear subframes. The suspension mounts to the subframes. The subframes terminate in torque boxes which connect the subframes to the center of the chassis. Now the chassis does have formed sheetmetal parts that are somewhat similar to a frame, but the parts are spot welded together. A traditional frame car has a box shaped frame that the sheet metal body bolts to, perhaps with some rubber isolators.

IIRC, frame vs. unibody is the argument that originally caused the Chevy brothers to quit working for Ford.

Ford has done unibodies for a long time. The pickups and large cars still have frames, though. It used to be that most cars had a separate frame and body, now most have a unibody.

67MustangManiac · Apr 30, 2005

That's awesome that it worked out like that!!
Post pics ASAP!

If you are new to the game, I'd just concentrate on driving it and enjoying it some. Start with small projects to gain experience. Before trying any bodywork practice on something else (like the neighbor's car! ) before you mess up something on this car. Read, read, read! Go to autobody101.com and read some more. But I'd make this one a running project for sure!

Maniac!

FasterThenU72 · May 1, 2005

well to get rid of that rust in the trunk you first need to be more specific, where is it on the trunk floor, the drop offs/inner quarters, outer lower quarters, taillamp panel, trunk lid, that little rail that the weatherstripping sits in......etc....either way whatever you judge to be to far gone from sanding and stuff you need to buy/and have someone do it, or pay someone to do it, that of which is mighty expensive.....And there is a miriad of places that sell the sheetmetal just to name a few im comfortable with is california mustang, mustang country, and the depot for a few items that others most likely wont sell.....better yet just take pics of the whole trunk and we can decide for ya...

Max Power · May 1, 2005

Hack, many 60s Lincolns and T-Birds also had unibodies. Big heavy unibodies...LOL!!

Hearne, 72 sprints were quite often V-8 cars, unlike the 60s sprints.

bkshaw · May 1, 2005

Max Power said:
Hearne, 72 sprints were quite often V-8 cars, unlike the 60s sprints.

Yes this sprint has a 351 2v in it...

bkshaw · May 1, 2005

FasterThenU72 said:
well to get rid of that rust in the trunk you first need to be more specific.....better yet just take pics of the whole trunk and we can decide for ya...

The trunk bottom. I will take picture as soon as I bring the car home. I bought it on Sat and will pick it up on Mon or Tue night!

I have a friend who owns a body shop that is willing to put in a new trunk floor and the qtr skins...

Bruce

geostang351 · May 1, 2005

It's amazing. Everyone but me has a friend who owns or works at a body shop.

D.Hearne · May 1, 2005

Max Power said:
Hack, many 60s Lincolns and T-Birds also had unibodies. Big heavy unibodies...LOL!!

Hearne, 72 sprints were quite often V-8 cars, unlike the 60s sprints.

Seems like I'd read in the Mustang Red Book, that the 70's Sprints were six cylinder cars. Something along the lines of an fuel economy special model. But the books have been known to be wrong too.

bkshaw · May 2, 2005

D.Hearne said:
Seems like I'd read in the Mustang Red Book, that the 70's Sprints were six cylinder cars. Something along the lines of an fuel economy special model. But the books have been known to be wrong too.

My sprint has the H code 351

1972 Mustang Sprints by Engine code:
L (250-1v)
F (302-2v)
H (351-2v)
Q (351-4v)

This information was kindly supplied by Kevin Marti of Marti Auto Works. Marti Auto Works has access to the 1967 - 1973 Ford production data and is licensed by Ford Motor Company to produce statistical books and reports under license number 5012.
http://martiauto.com

FasterThenU72 · May 2, 2005

well i know the f code is right...

Should I try to start a Engine that has been sitting for years?

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