I love the Sunliner the 50’s and 60’s models. Love the fins and the dual antennas on the 1960 in this vid. Ford made some of the most innovative and well designed cars in the 50’s and 60’s. I am a fan.
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So I’ve gotten the new electrical connection installed on the switch. I now need to cut off the old switch and strip the wires.
Ya know it’s hard to take a video while you a squeezed under a car on jack-stands!!!
In this video you can see the striped wires.
Installing the bracket was easy enough except that it wasn’t formed properly and had to be bent. Keep in mind this is not ‘harden’ steel and too much bending will weaken it and when the reverse lever comes back will just push the bracket backward and not allow the button to be depressed enough to make contact and complete the circuit and turn the backup lights on.
Here it is all installed.
Here it is with the car in the reverse position. You can see the button depressed.
Here is a video shot.
And the intended results:
Now I’d love to tell you that all was well, however remember the bolt and the Sharpie mark I made on it so that I could gauge how far to screw it back in?
Well I was still pretty happy with the progress and I took the car off the jack-stand and started her up and backed out of the garage. That went well, but there didn’t seem to be a first gear once I decided to pull the car forward, nor second gear. She isn’t going to move.
So I’ve got the car out of the garage and right at the edge of the drive on the driver’s side. I have to get under the car and tighten that bold a few more turns. I end up laying partially on the drive way, partially on the rocks (we don’t have grass in your yards here..we have small, gather in you pants when you are laying on them, sharp rocks) and partially on one of your shrubs. Ok, lets not forget the glowing hot Hooker header pipes..yeah…just back out of the garage…no worries the hair on my arm will grow back. Any way, I tighten it just enough to get the car to go into second gear and pull it back into garage.
It had to go back up on the jack-stands for more adjustments, and I had to the switch off once to make adjustments to the bracket. But success was achieved!!!!!
How I measure success!!!
Thanks for reading,
.im
I have no words:
uumm....?????
‘nough said.
Tim
No matter what your politics are, everyone appreciates American Muscle.
Obama Loves American Muscle
As the Washington D.C. auto show took place, President Obama decided to make a visit. Truly impressed with the American muscle & sports cars. Though he checked out many new models and the likes of the controversial most iconic American sports car, Chevy Corvette(photo above), it seemed like the new Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Super Snake; or simply Shelby GT500; is what really grabbed his attention by stating, “This is sick”.
Thanks for reading.
Tim
Sometime planning ahead is a good idea. So want to buy a car now that will sure to be a classic? What would you buy?
Here is what Hagerty’s has to recommend.
1) Buick Regal, $32,535. Buick, he says, “is doing it with the Regal GS”;
I'm not feeling this one.
2) Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca Edition, $48,100. “A beast on the track, yet tame enough to drive on the street”;
That is a no brainer!!! I'll take two, one to drive now and one to put way and drive when I'm 70.
3) Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, $61,785. “Rugged, go-anywhere looks” but “performance characteristics that would earn respect on a race track”;
$62K for a Jeep? You better hope it becomes collectable...I'll pass.
4) Fiat 500 Abarth, $22,000. “Small but wicked,” and already having buyers lining up;
Sigh...I doubt it.
5) Volkswagen Golf R, $36,000. A “pocket rocket…geared towards someone who enjoys driving”;
As collectable as the VW Rabbit Diesel!!! Wait..there's more..it comes in a 4 Door too!!
6) Porsche 911, $82,100. A car to buy now and lovingly keep, “holding its value over the long-term”;
Can't argue with this one.
7) Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, $54,095. “Old school muscle is alive and well”;
Sure this one is on the list..but I'd op for the COPO race ready.
8) Nissan GTR Black Edition, $95,100. The car that today’s young videogamers will crave “years down the road after their student loans are paid off”;
I don't know.This will be collectable..like the an old Nash-Rambler.
9) Dodge Charger SRT8, $46,795. Won over by the “performance pages” on the video display that constantly update driver on performance;
Possible but I'm betting the Challenger will be the one folks will covet.
10) Audi TT RS, $56,850. “A car with global appeal (that will keep) global demand several decades down the road.”
Give me your feed back.
This is my 500th post for Average Guy’s Car Restoration, Mods and Racing blog (my one and only blog). It has become a bit more board in scope than what I originally intended, but if you are a total car nut case, like me (my wife uses the “o’ word) and have AADD (automobile attention deficit disorder…..HEY..that could be REAL…you don’t know that it’s NOT!!) you want more than just a Chevy or more than just 1950’s cars. You’ll be drawn to others. (“Drawn” makes it sound like a slow process…but picture a disco era strobe light…yeah that’s a but closer to what I’m trying to describe.) I’ve moved fairly close to the edge, having a ’70’s car and a 2007 model and mixing technologies and brands, Ford and Chevy. (I need a MOPAR and a Citroen.)
Of course one of the fun things that keeps me blogging are comments, not so many posted here, but a ton on Facebook and Twitter and now even Google+. I like when a reader’s comment sparks a blog entry instead of just sitting there. That brings me to the subject of this piece.
Bill is a frequent reader and leaves comments on a regular basis. In my recent entry on the 1957 DeSoto Adventurer sold at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, last weekend Bill wrote this:
Bill
Submitted on 2012/01/28 at 6:12 pmDeSoto was Chrysler’s Oldsmobile, and I think it was unappreciated both by the public and Mother Mopar herself.
Back when I lived in San Jose, CA (actually Santa Clara) in the early 1990s, there was a 1957 Adventurer 4 door parked in a driveway with four flat tires in a neighborhood near mine. I think the car had been registered last in 1979. The body, chrome, glass, and even the interior seemed in excellent condition, yet I knew the car needed more than just TLC to become roadworthy. Each time I passed that car I wanted to leave a note and see if I could get it cheap enough to restore.
I know that 4 door DeSotos would not be collectible, or bring the big money, but somehow this car seemed to be in good enough shape that it was worth saving from being just a donor parts car. I’ll be in San Jose on business soon, and will make it a point to drive by and see if the car is still there.
Have a nice day, Bill
It’s true that in the past 4 door versions of classic cars of the 50’s and 60’s lagged as far as pricing and collectivity. But that is changing. I as work to finish up my classic car auto appraisal certification, I’m finding that, much like the cars of 1910-1940’s, 2 extra doors aren’t hurting the price they’ll bring. Just take the trend of station wagons – sure at Barrett Jackson’s you’ll only see the two door(plus tailgate) and they’ll bring ‘bigger’ money, but 15 years ago, only crazy people had wagons restored. But the prices for cars like the Pontiac Safari wagon and the Buick Vista Cruiser (Sports wagon) are bringing higher prices. (Actually I think it was Olds Vista Wagon and Buick Sports Wagon.)
58 Safari Wagon
69 Buick Sports Wagon
I’m still quoted as saying that my Mustang, because it’s a coupe and not a fast back or a sports roof, will never to be worth what I’ve spent in restoring it. Interestingly enough, you can start finding them on the web and Ebay for $16k. One recently sold for a bit more than that and it to was a 302 with 351 heads and a wing. So these things are changing. Publications like Hemmings and others are often recommending the purchase of 4 door 50’s and 60’s cars. In part because they are well priced and with the after-market bolt ‘ons’ and drop in crate motors, you can take what was originally under powered 4 door and make it a rubber melting monster.
So go get those 4 doors. Winch them out of the barns and ditches, drag ’em home, restore them back to life and drive ’em!!!!
And I hope that Bill’s DeSoto (see I already have him owning it) is still there and at the least can grab us a few pics. And if you can get some contact info for the owner, I might add a pre-MOPAR to my driveway. Thanks for the comment Bill.
Thanks for reading.
Tim
Yup you read that correctly.
I’ll be giving away two (2) National Motor Museum Mint die-cast (metal) Ford licensed replicas.
1934 V8 Deluxe Roadster (image is of the card that comes with the car)
1932 V8 Convertible Sedan (Image is of the card that comes with the car)
Want to know how to win?
Grab my feed/subscribe or follow The Average Guy’s Car Restoration, Mods and Racing (https://www.average-guys-car-restoration-mods-racing.com/ or www.timsweet.wordpress.com) and stay tuned for details.
Thanks for reading.
Tim
I’d adding some new content to the site. I get a lot of emails on factory racing and I thought I’d include article from time to time.
These entries will not be my original work – but with my commentary (EVERYONE loves my commentary…ok….maybe some one does..but too bad, it’s my blog!!!) . This won’t be the driver stats, or the standing for championships, this will be about the cars.
First up is the Ford page which gives a look at the Ford Fusion race car for 2013…..now why would you want to EcoBoost on your race car??? (ok..fine ruin my fun….it’s only an ad!!!) Check it out at the following link: http://wp.me/PKHNM-SK
I really like this car. These use to carry the moniker – California Special.
Ford released three pictures of the 2013 California Edition Mustang, which has traditionally been an appearance only package. They have not released an exact part list yet but the pictures speak wonders for what you will get, including the popular glass roof.
You can check out more 2013 Mustang pictures over in our photo gallery.
Thanks for all your ingenuity. Enjoy your day.
Mr. Shelby
His legacy
Thanks for reading.
Tim
