What have you done to your wagon lately? (Let's keep the thread going!)

I just realized I didn't post the photo of the new line installed to the booster.



It was a very simple installation and it took care of the problem. The brakes haven't worked this good on the Fury in years!

 

Fixed a leaking manual steering box the easy way.

My '61 F85 has a leaker pitman arm seal, the 90w just drips thru it. The seal is a real pain to fix because it is inserted from inside the box, which means you have to remove and disassemble it, which means you have to remove the A/C comp. to get it out.

Doing some research (googling it), I found a grease used by all the really old car guys. It is Penrite Steering Box Lube - 1200w. It flows easily (if it's warmed up) and is self-leveling in the box, so it won't create channels like regular grease will.

I sucked the remaining 90w out of the box thru the filler hole with a syringe and windshield washer tubing, then added the Penrite.

I heated the bottle in hot water, but when it was running into the box it started to thicken up and create air pockets because the box was colder. When it appeared full, I took it for a ride with lots of turning and let it sit overnight. It took 3 times to get it to the normal level, but there is nothing running out now, and I'm happy.

Reading up on it it appears it will work in just about any manual steering box or rack & pinion. It is not for power steering units, you're on your own there. If you have a leaking box, try this before rebuilding your box, it may save a bunch of time and money.

It is available at https://www.restorationstuff.com/ecommerce/

 

I'm the youngest of five kids, three of which are my brothers, so yeah, I've been there.

 

As they say on the TV insurance commercial, we do have a lug wrench? what's a lug wrench?

 

thanks Andrew. I get a lot of use out of it

 

Replaced the engine mounts on the 85 Mercedes wagon the old ones were so bad that it felt like your teeth would vibrate out of your mouth whenever the old diesel was idled in gear.


The mount on the left is so bad the rubber is half disintegrated on one side, the car feels and sounds so much better now with the new ones in I hope when I put the new trans mount in it'll be even quieter.

 

I just bought a 1967 Ford Country Sedan about six weeks ago and it has had a LOT of great mechanical work done to it. The engine and transmission are both fresh rebuilds with maybe 2000 miles on them. Pretty much anything mechanical under the hood has been replaced also. About the only thing that had not been addressed were the springs.

The wagon drove beautifully but you hit a bump and it had some serious bouncing and wallowing. LOL I decided to put all new springs and shocks on it. Then when I got into the front end I noticed it still had the original steering parts up front so I replaced all four ball joints; inner & outer tie rods and sleeve; and every rubber bushing and bumper I could buy for it. The brakes looked like they had been done very recently also but I went ahead and replaced everything up front down to the cotter pins. I figure it was easier while it was all torn apart than to go back in and do it all over again!

Got it all back together yesterday and took it for a quick spin and it rides like a brand new car now! I need to get the front end aligned though before I drive it very far. That's one job I will leave to a shop with all the tools to do that correctly.

It has new tires and wheels on it but the wheels are some sort of uni-lug version of an old Chevy Rally wheel with no trim ring. I don't like the look and want to get rid of those! I have the original steel wheels that need cleaned up along with four sets of original Ford hub caps that came with it.

 

Good work. Now you have a fresh front end good for another 100 thou. Do any bushings in the rear of you have them. They will most likely be worn out like the fronts. Also make shire all rubber brake hoses are new and any fuel related hose is alcohol compatible. I've seen older rubber fuel lines turn to marshmallow from alcohol (ethanol) in the fuel.

 

Wrapped the center of my dash in white 3M vinyl for the correct 210 look

 

Yes all the brake lines and fuel lines have been replaced - both the steel and rubber. Someone spent a LOT of money on this before I bought it and did not scrimp on any of the work. I got a few records with it and it looks like it was driven about 89,000 miles in the first 7 years and since then only 12,000 more since. It had to have been stored inside its whole life and was meticulously maintained. You should have seen the amount of grease on the front end parts! I am looking for some of the rear axel bumpers but so far striking out. I did replace the rubber rear spring isolators so those are new.

 

Recently started the budget rebuild on the Smallblock for the wagon. My original plan was to use the 383ci SBC from my Camaro in the car, well upon tearing it down I found a good size chunk missing from behind the #8 cylinder, deeming it useless. So I resorted to plan B.

A 1996 L30 305 from a donor project truck we had. It had a blown head gasket, so we picked the truck up for less than $400. We bought it for the transmission to put in my dads truck, and I kept the motor before trading it off. I've taken it down to a bare block, thoroughly cleaned/degreased it, honed the cylinders, re-installed the bottom end with new bearings and rings. Also had the block and heads resurfaced. I currently have it masked off for paint, and awaiting gaskets. Some have asked "Why a 305?" well, simply because its what I had laying around, and I'm on a ramen noodle budget. I'm installing a small performance hydraulic flat tappet camshaft also, about .470 advertised lift, compatible with stock heads, and springs. I may have to throw my single plane high rise intake, and holley 750 carb on it. Just because its all I have. I'm putting a stock turbo 350 with a shift kit, and 4.10 gears with a mini spool in the rear. It may make 270hp (made 230 stock) and run about 13.00 at 105mph by my rough calculations. I've got ahold of another motor that will be a long term project, not sure which direction its gonna go, but it'll definitely be wild.

Anyway, theres my current update.

 

had steering u-joint replaced, a rattle from exhaust shield fixed and A/C topped of

 

Noting at all wrong with a 305....
When we bought this '83 G20 van conversion, used, I had my doubts about the 305. I knew we would be towing a travel trailer, and really wanted a 350...... Turns out my fears were unfounded. I installed an auxiliary trans cooler and we hit the road to the Grand Canyon with this rental trailer. Had absolutely no troubles, and it pulled the trailer quite well.

 

For sure they're good motors, just not usually the first choice when it comes to a performance build. But the vortec heads help my case on this one a bit.

I love the G-Series vans. Cant find any good ones anymore.

 

I got the Rally Wheels on it and the new white wall tires She looks so much better