After taking the #ProjectSportsRoof out for a power test and having the distributor die, I discovered that the head gasket on the left side did not hold.
So in this video I’m attempted to re-torque and see where that takes me. Oh and then there was a small issue upon restarting.
Thanks for checking in!!!
Tim
#ProjectSportsRoof
I’m trying to wrap my head around this. Maybe a reader can help.
I reading an article in Car and Driver entitled “Gravity Wins – The Final Moments of Flight 570S.”
This article lays out a crash of a McLaren 570S Spider on Route 33 in California. Car was driving by a journalist and the author of the piece is not listed but does state he was in the passenger seat. The passenger was was Sean Evans
The article goes on to chronicle the event. The author goes into great detail explaining the crash labeling the sections as “Launch”, “Flight” and “Impact”. He even gone as far as enlisting the help of a NASA JPL engineer to explain all the forces and speed etc., with cool phrases such as “…our flight time….about 3 seconds” and “…Priellis last touched asphalt.” He states “We started the right-hand turn a 78 mph…”
I’m just going to stop there. You can read an even more dramatic article here: https://www.menshealth.com/technology-gear/a26990660/mclaren-supercar-crash-safety/?src=socialflowFBCAD&utm_campaign=socialflowFBCD&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social-media&fbclid=IwAR1LWwzl9L5vxppBsZg9-v55eP6fE3uU9mg8o2AEgzqC-JFz8vSXQgib3RQ
I can’t decide what annoys me more. The fact that an journalist was driving a car he did not have the skills with nor the respect the for it’s power necessary or the fact that the speed limit on Route 33 in California is only 55 mph an these knuckleheads we traveling at 78 miles an hour!
Let’s not mention the fact that Car and Driver published the article at all. Oh and the kicker, it include a pic of the wrecked 570s with caption – “My old man is television repairman. He’s got the ultimate set of tools. I can fix it.” This show a total disrespect for the public, those of us that drive sports car safely on public streets/roads and real journalism.
One more example of the stupidity of a writing thinking his journalistic skills with writing about sports cars, actually mean he can drive one.
Shame on Car and Driver for giving these knuckleheads space in their…cough…cough…”Intelligence, Independence, Irreverence” periodical (that’s from their cover).
You can’t be gravity and you can’t fix stupidity.
Here’s a pic from Facebook of the Spider.
Thanks for reading.
Tim
The other day I was reading, yet another list of cars that someone had owed. Of course that always makes me think of my past rides (in some cases losses). I’ve recently lost my C6. Long story. Short version – catastrophic transmission/clutch failure (while racing) and a small fire in the rear. So the C6 is added to my list of past rides.
Today as I was running some errands in my red Ford Sports Trac, I was trying to recall how many red cars I’ve owned. So here the list of cars and colors.
1. 1966 Chevy Impala Vert, 283, automatic – Red
2. 1969 Dodge Dart, 318, 3 speed manual – Blue
3. 1970 Chevelle, 350, automatic – White
4. 1971 Buick Skylark – 350 automatic – White
5. Two Toyota Celica – blue/silver blue
6. 1974 Ford Torino, Cobra Jet, automatic – blue
7. 1984 C4 Corvette – 305 Crossfire, Automatic – Red
8. 1970 Ford Mustang – Bored .o40 302, 4 speed manual – White
9. 2007 C6 Corvette – LS3 – 6 speed manual – Black
Those are gone. My 73 Mustang is red – or will be red and my 04 Ford Sports Trac is red.
Thanks for reading.
Thanks for checking back on #ProjectSportsRoof.
Valve gasket installed, zinc added and now it’s time for quick power test. I have yet to get the pedal to the floor and now it’s time and I took the captured the fun….and…well…take a look:
A quick troubleshooting proved that the car was still getting fuel but would not start. After setting for a bit still not firing up. I suspect distributor. When I have time I’ll dig into.
The day ended with a flatbed trip home. 🙁
More to come!!!
Thanks for reading.
Tim
Yesterday started out just great, weather-wise.
In the two videos below I talk about valve cover gaskets, the current lack of experts at your local parts store, and online “No Help” clerk and a recommendation for the Mustangs regular dosage of Zinc – not in table form for the Mustang’s 351 Cleveland!!!
First valve cover gaskets:
Tim
It’s been a while!!!!
Ya know, one would think that as you get older there’s more time for leisurely things. But as second year teacher (at the age of “past 50”) and coaching our school’s basketball team there is no slowing down. That’s my only excuse for not working much on Project SportsRoof. Ok there’s one more….we’ve had a colder and wetter than normal winter. This episode is purely due to “Spring Break” and having our taxes done (almost).
If you’ve followed along (did you know you can find Average Guy on YouTube as well?) you’ll know it’s been a long road with my 73 Mustang. Multiple starts and stops, often caused by me exceeding my ‘Average Guy’s’ skill set and man power and even my car disappearing for a couple of weeks (but I found it). Oh and don’t forget the tow truck driver that “broke” my front end!
Now SR73 (not SR71 the blackbird aircraft) or #ProjectSportsRoof is back on the road. Having only driving about 30 miles since the engine rebuild, I noticed a lifter noise. Not something you want to hear after all the time and $$ spent on it’s 351 C, in fact it’s a bit concerning.
The best place to start troubleshooting is to make sure the engine is getting the oil it needs. That requires pulling the valve cover and running the engine. Since I put the heads together myself, it’s a good idea to check the torque on the valves. What better time to check that than when you have to take the valve covers off anyway?
Here is my quick video recap. There are a couple good tips in this one and here is a one more great tip. I can’t take credit for it because was shared with me sometime back. Should you have an old set of valve covers, cut the tops off to make viewing possible. That way when you let the car run (it’s the easiest way check if oil is flowing) the spraying oil is somewhat contained. You won’t see that in these videos….but you will see the mess it makes when you don’t use them!!!
Don’t forget to drop a comment, if you are so inclined. Oh, if you have an event you’d like to tell other car peeps about, let me know and I’ll post it up!!
Tim
1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – Compression Test Part I
1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – Compression Test Part II
1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – Compression, Rods and Heads
1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – Engine Bay Components.
Bill’s 68 RoadRunner takes First Place in local show, Best ’60’s Muscle Car!!!
It was a good show with some awesome 1960’s cars – GTO’s, Mustangs, Corvettes.
Congrats Bill!!!
Thanks for reading. More coming up on #ProjectBeepBeep and #ProjectSportsRoof
Tim
68 Road Runner Gets it’s Beep Beep back!!
73 Mustang (Project SportsRoof) Engine Dress Up and Venting/Vacuum
Introducing #ProjectBeepBeep – Code H 1968 Road Runner
Over on Facebook one of the groups has a Then and Now series of posts. That consisted of folk posting the cars they were driving 10 years ago and now. I thought that was cool so I put quick clip together for my rides then and now.
For sometime now I have a Mustang Corvette combo, my ’70 Mustang/84 Vette combo and my ’73 Mustang/’07 Vette combo.
Just a little trip down memory lane!!
Thanks for reading.
Tim
Let me start out with a couple of pics of something most followers of my sight haven’t see in a couple years.
Project SportsRoof – not up on jack stands!!!!
The Stang getting a full tank….IN PERSON!!!!
It’s great to have it back on the road!!
As you know, I had a recommendation to have some work done on #ProjectSportsRoof. The story was this shop was expanding into Tucson and the son of the owner was going to run local ‘branch’. That was only 20% true. The son (for whatever reason) rented a bay from a garage here in town. Instead of paying rent he was going to do free repairs for the shop owner. Shortly after the Mustang was at the location, his deal with the owner went south and so did my car!!!
For two weeks I could not get hold of guy and when I showed up at the place he was supposed to be working, I was told they had no idea what was going on. Shortening the story about 2 months, my car is finally returned to me. Running great, but missing ‘stuff’. You can see the that part of the story here: https://wp.me/p2YxYx-5fK
BTW Twisted Addiction was the name of the shop and I still hear good things about the work they do in a town about 50 miles from here. But my experience was beyond crappy!!!
After wrestling with the shifting lever I needed to get the car on the road (O.K. – more like a want) I turned to a unique garage. They are unique not because they are one of a kind, in fact they are a chain. They are unique because the owner/partner pushed the envelope on the range of cars he would allow his team to work on. Work on older cars was (and is) not part of the chain’s business model, and certainly helping out the locals on their old project cars wasn’t either. But they did and with the new owner/partner, they’ve grandfather me and my project in. They were there when I needed help on my current project. From my 1970 Mustang to my 1984 Corvette and now with 73 Mustang (#ProjectSportsRoof) they didn’t hesitate.
I had the SportsRoof towed to the shop and the damage to the suspension wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but there was not need for it to occur. You can see the story here: https://wp.me/p2YxYx-5hV.
I have the Mustang back and there was a mix of used and new parts added to fix the suspension damage.
And now I have it back and still stinging from the series of set backs, but happy to have it drivable again. Here is a video update.
Thanks for reading.
Tim
1973 Mustang Project SportsRoof – Exterior Walk-Around
1973 Mustang – Project Sports Roof – Pertronix Ignitor Update
If you caught my last blog post (here) you’ll know that Project SportsRoof had another set back.
After disappearing while in the hands of a local shop and then turning up 50 miles way and then being returned missing the new starter and my new batter and a host of unfinished task, which were paid, the Stang was still not road worth.
The manual shift lever was butchered and a ratcheting shift mechanism was installed. After ordering parts and removing valve body, I realized it might be best to get this professionally done.
So I called a towing company to pick the car up and drop it off at the local shop I use from time to time when I get behind or run in to an issues. The tow driver showed up with a flatbed and winched my copy of the largest Mustang to be produced on board. He did not get it centered and decided to winch it sideways. Only problem, he wrapped the chain around the lower control arm. I was on the phone and heard a sickening snap. The bottom of the lower control arm is now facing the front of the car and the Strut bar has an “L” shape on the end of it!
The company paid for all the new front end parts, the alignment and labor. I had my local shop put it all back together including the shift lever.
Finally today I picked up my butt ugly Stang and drove it for the first time in nearly 3 years.
Thanks for reading.
Tim
