Category Archives: #SR73

#ProjectSportsRoof Leaf Springs Install Part-ll

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Welcome back.

Install of the new leaf springs on #ProjectSportsRoof was pretty straight forward.

Check it out:

 


 

The left side went a bit smoother (lessons learned).

Now a test drive in order!!! That’s coming up.

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Tim

 

 

 

#ProjectSportsRoof New Leaf Spring Install Part I

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In the last post I prepped #ProjectSportsRoof  bolts and nuts for removal.  I treated them twice a day for two days (sprayed with Liquid Wrench) in hopes they would be easier.

This post, I’m removing and install the new leaf springs.    Pay attention to a couple of safety tips in the video.

 

 


 

Next up a test drive to see how the new springs preform.

Thanks for check in.

Tim

 

#ProjectSportsRoof Leaf Spring Prep

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Thanks for stopping to take a peak at what is going on with #ProjectSportsRoof!!!

My 73 Mustang still has it’s original leaf springs and you can tell they are falling apart and sagging.

Several area were the spring is separating.

After a look at the old springs, not only are they sagging and separating they have been on since May 1, 1973 (only 47 years).   Bolts are pretty rusted.  Take a look:

 


Keep checking back for the leaf spring installation.

Also the look for finishing up the seat upholstery that is coming shortly.

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof Upholstery Part V Front Passenger Seat

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Welcome back.

I’ll be working on the the front bucket seats for the next few posts.   I’m starting with the passenger seat because I want to keep #ProjectSportsRoof mobile.

Here is the beginning of the work.

 


 

 

More coming up and wait until you the mess that was the driver’s seat.  It required a donor car part.

Thanks for stopping by.

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof Upholstery Part III Spring Support

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Thanks for checking back in on #ProjectSportsRoof (my 1973 Mustang – #SR73).

This post covers a little more on adding support for the seat springs.  I’m working on bottom of the back ‘bench’ seat.

Not a purest approach but I think very effective in giving  47 year old springs a little help.  Check it out and let me know what you think!

 

 


Next up I’ll show you a little secret to getting a not too awful tuck your car seat.

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof Upholstery Intro

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Thanks for checking in!!

Progress is moving along with #ProjectSportsRoof (#SR73 – what will be it’s new hash tag when it’s mostly done).  

I’ll be focusing on the interior for a bit.  As you’ve seen the floors were done some time ago with patch panel installed and a layer of heat and sound proofing and  new carpet.  I have the headliner to do (which I’m not looking forward too!!) and some dash work including these:

 

Mach I triple gauge center dash panel. I have a set of working gauges for it as well!!

 

One of the more time consuming is re-upholstering  the sets so I’m tackling that while I’m still on break from teach, which really doesn’t give me much time (my district starts back in mid July), of course with all the on going issues (COVID19 and other stuff) we’ll see what happens.

Here is my introduction and quick plug for  TMI, super quality products and the beginning of the work on the rear seat for my ’73 Stang.

 


 

Thanks for stopping by!!

Tim

 

 

 

#ProjectSportsRoof – Brake Shoes – The Measurements.

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If you stopped by to see a video on measuring for brake shoes, you’ll have to read instead.  I was pretty frustrated at the time and my selection of verbiage would have been Rate R. Sometime a story is best told through pic only.

I’m not inventing something new, merely showing where I went sideways and what I should have done.

For the record, most you know, I went with what the all the parts books said were the proper size, 10 in x 2 in.   Again, I took a quick measurement and it looked to be 10 in.

Here is what I should have done.

Measure the back plate.

yeah….11 inches not 10!

Inside Diameter

I captured my mistake on camera – just wee bit off not 2″ but 1.75″.

These are the measurement I should have taken.

So the story dragged on with the ordering of shoes for a Ford Galaxy – they were huge  and finally finding the 11 in x 1.75 in from a 1973 Bronco.   That was it!! They were the right size….even brought the old shoe with me and matched them at the store. 

Insert huge sigh

I installed them…almost.  Here’s why that didn’t work.

Old shoe is on the top and it’s tapered.

Here is a closer look.

That little bit of taper was key to getting the brake shoe under the shoe retainer washer.

The width of the new brake shoe was too side and forced the washer (times referred to a shoe guide plate) too far out on the pin and left no room for both springs and the auto adjuster.

So my solution failed.  What’s next?  Maybe a different direction for #ProjectSportsRoof?

Thanks for checking back!!

Tim

#SR73

 

 

 

#ProjectSportsRoof – Brake Shoe Consternation!

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Oh well this is crazy…of course it would have been easier if I followed the old adage, measure twice – post once.  I’ll get to that in a minute.

Every one of the parts house and everyone in one of the online forums and Facebook groups (including mine Average Guy’s Car Restorations and Projects) said the rear brake shoes for #ProjectSportsRoof were 10 inch by 2 inch.  Maybe  because that’s what the parts books said it should be so I went with that.  I did a quick measurement of the shoes (not the drums). 

Ordered the 10×2 and went to install them I noticed they seemed too small. I ordered a set from NPD and attempted to put them on, too small.  Called them up and went over it with them.  Together we thought they were just miss packaged.  They comp’ed them and sent me another set.  Check it out:

Those were (of course) the same as the last set.  By chance I thought let me order a set from SummitRacing.  Those too were too small.

Here a quick video:

 


 

Clearly there’s been a swap of some kind. Now if I had taken the measurements and done so thoroughly, I could have saved some frustration.  Taking the shoes back and forth the local parts stores (more then one and more then one time) I found little help.   I will say that CarQuest – which is way across town from my place, were the best at helping me track down the shoe size.   The guys on 3 Facebook groups all were helpful…but I made a mistake there.  I had mocked up the drums you see in the video just to show them the size difference.  Well that led to a lot of post freaking out about the lack of auto adjuster parts – which aren’t necessary, if you don’t mind making the adjustments yourself, when you feel the braking a bit off – NOT RECOMMEND however for general/common drivers and the spring wouldn’t fit…because the shoe were too small to hold them in place I popped any spring that I could get on easily.  As always you’ve a few condescending “experts” that missed the point of the pics/videos but that’s gonna happen on the web.

So the hunt began.  I’ll fill you in on that in the next post and show you the measurements I “SHOULD” have taken.

Thanks for checking in!!

Tim

#ProjectBeepBeep Door Hinge Replacement

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There is nothing easy about lining up new car door hinges. Doors are heavy and getting them aligned is a major undertaking….but Bill’s got a better way.
In this posting. Bill lays out a great process for changing door hinges using his 68 Road runner #ProjectBeepBeep as his patient.
There are a host of tips in this video. A must watch!


 

Bill’s correct, the drivers door hinges on #ProjectSportsRoof are bad.  But now that he has perfected the art of door hanging, I’ll borrow his expertise and this Rest Door Hanger for getting the Mustang’s door perfect!!!

Well protected against damaging the paint

floor jack with cradle removed and door support tool the Steck EZ Rest Door Hanger

Coming up Bill gives a few tips on painting your hinges.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof Fuel Issue – Carb Float Adjustment

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Well we’ve landed here temporarily with the vapor lock – not series of posts.   Clearly we aren’t having a vapor lock issue and had I set up a camera much earlier I would have seen the issue pretty quickly.  

With fuel spewing out of the carb, which isn’t ideal, we can narrow it down to a carb issue, not a fuel line getting to hot and not a fuel pump issue (but I’m glad I upgraded from the old one).

Here is the video of the float adjustment:

 


 

So my options at this point is to have carb rebuild or down size to 600CFM Edelbrock.

What would you do?   Drop a not and let me know.

Thanks for checking in #ProjectSportsRoof.

Tim