Car Running Countdown

Isn't that a huge PITA? !!! I can think of many other ways to hook that up. Ford made the big white nylon collar a bit awkward, but that shifter column could have been made likewise.

 

Major PITA. I found that lowering the column down a few inches by loosening the mounts helps a lot! I have to take mine back apart because the stinking left turn signal indicator light blew out and I have to fix the shift indicator. The collar on mine was already broke and held on with a worm clamp which actually works well. All the Fox Fords had that stupid design up through the last Fox Mustangs. Just dumb.

 

Never thought about dropping the whole column. That makes more sense. Thanks (for the next time.)

 

Just remember to loosen the white plastic collar first. Actually take if off the column first.

 

Now this one was tricky, but not difficult.

There's a little springy stainless steel clip that has a barbed jaw which fastens into the floor, right at the heel for the gas pedal. It holds the speedo cable at the proper distance and angle into the tranny. Well the clip was NFG (No good).

I hunted down some short 3/4" length big headed 'ground wire bolts' that come in the hex boxes (house wiring boxes), from my junk drawer. Nice domed galvanized head. And a stainless self-locking nut.

It sits flush on the floor and should take 20 years before I have to change it. A hex-head bolt would have cut through the carpet pretty quick. I'll fill the hole with the dum-dum strips. Pro-form make those for bonding door liners and filling sheetmetal gaps. Works nice and never hardens. But I just wanted to fill that cavity to keep water or melted snow from settling there.

 

Mine was in fine shape. When I moved the shifter shaft from the steering column, I had a nice huge gap to ease it back over the steering collar. No cracking. I was watching out, because the donor cars was broken and then Andy was looking for a spare for the ND Wagon (Mabel). Who needs a shifter indicator if its always slipping.

Mine had a strip of dried out glue to 'lock it' in place on the collar, so you can line up the gear selector properly. It worked fine, so I may do that too. Or slip a thin rubber strip between the white collar and the steel collar before I crank it tight(er).

 

Yeah, I think mine is part Granada. A hoop-type headliner, extra undercoat, even the wheel discs look different.

 

Just have to install the radio wiring, glovebox, and carpets. The inner seat belts go on after the carpet and the seats.

Then the engine compartment vacuum lines, carb, linkage and connect the wires. And watch the electrical meter for voltage drops and amps, before I start her up. :confused:

I've got 3 blind circuits going to nowhere, but I know where they should go. Options I don't have - power windows, floor shift light and a map light. I'm 99% sure the rest is fine. Since I merged the optional wiring sections into mine from the 1978 Donor (electric deicer, cruise control and six-cylinder electronic ignition and 130 AMP alternator - mine was the small 90 Amp unit), according to the 1979 diagrams, I figure I'm ok.

 

Dang Norman I would have added options that didn't come with the car and loaded it out. I'm going to do that with my truck

 

I might do that, next time. But without them this project took way too long. :confused:

 

Yeah it does add on more time. But with my truck I can add as I go along the wiring is all there for it.

 

Fairmonts were built like wooden blocks, after 1978. You got the basic black harness, and each option group had colored tape. Courtesy lights had blue, AC/Deicer/Defogger had brown, etc. The 1978 donor was old-school black tape all over. I studied those wiring diagrams for a week before I merged them (peel back the tape to the switch, fuse block, next major connection, etc.) and change that section, then the next, etc.

I hope I did it right.

 

I'm sure you did Norman,Hopefully you can make a video of the start up and everythings work you will be excited

 

Well this camera let's me take a short video, so we'll see.