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The Mustang belongs to another friend of the shop owner.  I'm on the hook for the electrical in that one.  It's running a fuel injected 4.6 liter with a Ford Racing module and a digital gauge package.  None of which was standard equipment back in '65.
Nice.  We haven't even started thinking about the electrical in ours...The chassis and the 5.0 engine are currently in two different buildings...

Post pics here as you go along!  Need you to go first!

 
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The only one I had go bad was a seal issue and it was bleeding fluid all over the floor.  It's not uncommon to have to add a little every so often.  As long as it's not leaving a puddle, I'd add fluid and keep using it.
of course if it's leaking "a little" it's not stable.  Use it to lift and then block it up with something so the jack doesn't creep down on you while you're under the vehicle.

 
yeah i always use jack stands -

I have to rotate the tires on the jeep this weekend, keep forgetting to make an appointment to have it done, but rotating in the 5th tire on the back makes it pretty easy (with a helper / teenager)

 
of course if it's leaking "a little" it's not stable.  Use it to lift and then block it up with something so the jack doesn't creep down on you while you're under the vehicle.
I NEVER do anything under a car that's being held up by hydraulics alone.  It's one of those things that was drilled into me at a very young age.

 
Speaking of scope creep, this weekend was a shit-show with the racecar.  

Nobody makes a good long water pump pulley setup for the combination I'm running.  I wanted to upgrade my water pump anyway to the one designed for this motor (it has extra ports for center-block cooling and scavenge lines that pull water from between the center exhaust ports), so drove up to Mooresville to pick one up from the place that builds them for various NASCAR teams.  

Sure enough, I go to install it and thunk... hits the timing cover.  By like, a LOT.  About 3/8 of an inch or so.  WTF?  So I look a little closer and notice how close the timing cover is to the balancer.  Pull the balancer and timing cover, and sure enough... motor has a Jesel belt drive on it!  I should have expected it, but never confirmed.  Of course since it's of unknown age, I had to order a replacement belt at $110, and that gets added to the list of things to replace every 2 years.  It also means that I get to machine spacers for the alternator and dry sump pump, and to buy a spacer for the crank pulley.  

The engine is also so tall, that I have to fab a custom air cleaner housing just to be able to barely see where I'm going (cardboard mock-up in place).  REALLY wish I had a sheet metal shear for that one.

(The timing belt pic also shows the NASCAR intake manifold modified for fuel injection.  The guy who did the conversion for me did IMMACULATE work.)

IMG_0179.jpg

 
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^That engine looks awesome.

I didn't fare much better this weekend.  Getting the front and rear pan seals into place isn't all that easy with the engine upside down on a stand.  It's a real PITA when it's upright and bolted to the rest of the tractor.  Ruined one of the seals in the attempt so it was time to step back, let my blood pressure return to normal, and order some parts.

 
went and checked out some used car lots at dealers yesterday (since they are closed on Sundays and you can "look"), have to get the kids squared away with a vehicle. made the mistake of looking at the new cars, Holy Shit very depressing, we were at a jeep/dodge place and not much under $40K these days (for a 2018)

 
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Well, it's re-assembled, leak-free for likely the first time since around 1972, and back home.  Pictures with the sun shining on it Saturday:

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And I'm starting to line up the next project:

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1991 MR2 Turbo.  I took delivery of this car in May of 1990. I hauled it up to the shop Saturday to make sure it's as solid underneath as I thought it should be.  The underside of the car looks damn near new.  It's only been in snow once (bad forecast and got caught trying to get in one last drive before Winter) and has been garaged for all but 1 of the 29 years I've owned it.  I'm planning to dial it up to 11.

 
^Looks like an interesting little beast.  The only foreign tractor I have messed with is my BIL’s Kubota.

 
I'm more jealous of that house/piece of property than I am the tractor!
He has a really nice set-up.  He may have to relocate for work and he wants me to buy the place.  My problem is that my next move will be South.  I want to build something similar somewhere warmer and a little more tax-payer friendly than IL.

 
Took my Ford Explorer in because the steering has been very loose/wobbly (yes that is the technical engineering term).  Diagnosed as an excessively worn steering column bolt.  Not sure which since there's an upper and lower.  I'm going to ask the dealer to save the bolt and try to recoup costs from Ford.  At 35k miles there's absolutely no reason in my mind that bolt should be worn.

Anyone been through this with Ford or other manufacturer and have tips on where to start?

 
I dealt with the warranty process when I had CVT issues with my 2012 Focus. The main thing is to stay on top of the dealership and make sure you understand what they explain to you.

Also, don't be afraid to go to another dealership if you feel your current one isn't trying to work with you.

With that said, I don't see them giving you too much of a hard time. It's still fairly new I'm assuming and it would be hard to pin any responsibility on you. It's even easier if it's still under the 3 yr/36k mile warranty.

 
He has a really nice set-up.  He may have to relocate for work and he wants me to buy the place.  My problem is that my next move will be South.  I want to build something similar somewhere warmer and a little more tax-payer friendly than IL.
I've always lived in southern Louisiana.  It's hot and humid, but we're used to it.  I hope to have our house built by the end of the year.

 
Guys.  Serious question (since I never do car stuff): how hard is it to replace an engine filter/cabin filter on a Corolla?  The dealership tried to get me to do it today for $106+ and I felt like that was ridiculously high?  I looked at some videos, but the guys who do that stuff on youtube know what they're doing and thus it always looks easy...I'm thinking of maybe attempting the replacement of the filters this weekend?

 
should be really simple, hardest part may be to find it - that's one of those things they like to get you to do because its easy money for them -

Did they pull the old one out and say wow look how dirty this is?  I imagine its a $20 part?

 
Ah, okay, I kinda figured it was something like easy money and they were hoping I'd just agree since it was a Tuesday morning.

They didn't pull them out in front of me, per se, this is the second time I've had it mentioned to get changed (which means it's a real thing, as opposed to when they're usually mentioning things to be fixed that cost $$$$).  I think the parts are pretty cheap.  I found each filter hovering around $20/each, but I want to confirm those are the real filters/I might see if I can pop open my car to find the filters this weekend.

 
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