Ford foreshadows no more Ford dealerships

[highfigh]

I can tell you there are quite a few in Florida, I own a '68 Ford.

What model? My first car was a '67 LTD and I would buy another one.

 

[MaxInValrico]

What model? My first car was a '67 LTD and I would buy another one.

Ranchero w/ a first year 302.

 

[cpp]

I can tell you there are quite a few in Florida, I own a '68 Ford.

So very true. I actually have a 66 vette in the garage.

Yes, true, but I wonder how many pre-'74 vehicles there are on the road today..?

A lot. I have one, my neighbor down the street has 4 another has 1, and that's just on 2 streets. Big pre 75 cars around Fla supported by a lot of classic car clubs. And Fl is not the only state.

 

[Pogre]

A lot. I have one, my neighbor down the street has 4 another has 1, and that's just on 2 streets. Big pre 75 cars around Fla supported by a lot of classic car clubs. And Fl is not the only state.

Yeah, I ceded the point. I didn't take into account all the collectors and muscle cars out there. There's prolly a good bit more of them than I realized.

 

[Mikado463]

So very true. I actually have a 66 vette in the garage.

very nice Chris, lets see a pic ! 45 years ago my first Corvette was a '66, Ermine white, base (327/300), M21

 

[highfigh]

Ranchero w/ a first year 302.

Mine had been treated like a farm animal, but it never failed to start although at one point, it badly needed a tune up. One of the guys I worked with did that and it was back to purring like a groundhog again. I drove it for a bit over a year, then sold it to that guy who also drove it for about a year until being t-boned. It had a 289 and even at the lowest temperatures in Winter, I would pump the pedal, crank it and it would start. The heater coil leaked and it was held in by one or two screws and two hose clamps- now, the dash needs to be removed.

Ford really DID have a better idea.

 

[highfigh]

very nice Chris, lets see a pic ! 45 years ago my first Corvette was a '66, Ermine white, base (327/300), M21

Ah, the M21 Rock Crusher.

 

[highfigh]

In the bicycle world Specialized has advanced this concept many times, often met with resistance (wonder why?!)

Which concept?

 

[Mikado463]

Ah, the M21 Rock Crusher.

no, the M21 was the 'close ratio' , M20 'wide ratio' and the M22 was the straight cut 'rock crusher'

 

[highfigh]

Yes, true, but I wonder how many pre-'74 vehicles there are on the road today..?

Depends on where you go. I drove through Missouri and near the highway, I saw a large lot, filled with '60s & '70s muscle cars. Look on YouTube for a company called Maple Motors-

 

[MaxInValrico]

Mine had been treated like a farm animal, but it never failed to start although at one point, it badly needed a tune up. One of the guys I worked with did that and it was back to purring like a groundhog again. I drove it for a bit over a year, then sold it to that guy who also drove it for about a year until being t-boned. It had a 289 and even at the lowest temperatures in Winter, I would pump the pedal, crank it and it would start. The heater coil leaked and it was held in by one or two screws and two hose clamps- now, the dash needs to be removed.

Ford really DID have a better idea.

I wound up bypassing the heater core as it was a major PITA to replace since it has factory air. I replaced the coil, points and condensor with a Pertronix module and it starts like a new vehicle. Still keep the point and condensor in the glove box though in case of emergency.

I have a guy who really wants to buy it which I may take him up on and look for a 66-67 Fairlane GT-A.

 

[Mikado463]

Depends on where you go. I drove through Missouri and near the highway, I saw a large lot, filled with '60s & '70s muscle cars. Look on YouTube for a company called Maple Motors-

Cool but another area of concern for those of us with some of those vintage machines is not the supply of gas but rather it's make up. Lead free, low octane does not bode well for those with high compression, non-hardened valve seat head motors......

 

[MaxInValrico]

Cool but another area of concern for those of us with some of those vintage machines is not the supply of gas but rather it's make up. Lead free, low octane does not bode well for those with high compression, non-hardened valve seat head motors......

You're absolutely correct, pre-73 ICEs were designed with leaded gasoline in mind and really don't like unleaded gasoline, as such fuel and oil additives are a must unless you really like doing top ends on a constant basis.

 

[highfigh]

I wound up bypassing the heater core as it was a major PITA to replace since it has factory air. I replaced the coil, points and condensor with a Pertronix module and it starts like a new vehicle. Still keep the point and condensor in the glove box though in case of emergency.

I have a guy who really wants to buy it which I may take him up on and look for a 66-67 Fairlane GT-A.

One of the others who worked at that stereo store (still a great friend) had a '66 Fairlane at the same time and one cold night, he went out to warm it up before he drove home. He walked out of the store and returned a minute later, saying that he had locked the door and couldn't get in, so I said "Let's see if my key works". It did, like it came with the car.

Another job I have had was as a boat mechanic and lots of them used Pertronix or PrestoLite as OEM and generally, only the older guys know how to adjust the points these days. A friend has an '89 Carver with two GM big block engines and his distributors are OEM, so they have points. I needed to check or replace the points and couldn't find my feeler gauge, so I decided to find something that would be close to the usual gap- all I could find quickly was a guitar pick that's .73mm thick, which is just under .029". I used my meter to check/set the dwell and we were off.

 

[highfigh]

You're absolutely correct, pre-73 ICEs were designed with leaded gasoline in mind and really don't like unleaded gasoline, as such fuel and oil additives are a must unless you really like doing top ends on a constant basis.

Or, when it's time to do a valve job, just change the seats. Might as well 'freshen it up' at the same time.

 

[MaxInValrico]

One of the others who worked at that stereo store (still a great friend) had a '66 Fairlane at the same time and one cold night, he went out to warm it up before he drove home. He walked out of the store and returned a minute later, saying that he had locked the door and couldn't get in, so I said "Let's see if my key works". It did, like it came with the car.

Another job I have had was as a boat mechanic and lots of them used Pertronix or PrestoLite as OEM and generally, only the older guys know how to adjust the points these days. A friend has an '89 Carver with two GM big block engines and his distributors are OEM, so they have points. I needed to check or replace the points and couldn't find my feeler gauge, so I decided to find something that would be close to the usual gap- all I could find quickly was a guitar pick that's .73mm thick, which is just under .029". I used my meter to check/set the dwell and we were off.

My grandad showed me how to file down the old keys so as to be able to pull them out of the ignition without having to turn off the car which worked well for opening doors and trunks as well.

 

[Mikado463]

. A friend has an '89 Carver with two GM big block engines and his distributors are OEM, so they have points. I needed to check or replace the points and couldn't find my feeler gauge, so I decided to find something that would be close to the usual gap- all I could find quickly was a guitar pick that's .73mm thick, which is just under .029". I used my meter to check/set the dwell and we were off.

I doubt very much that the distributors were GM OEM. For if they were point adj(dwell) is accomplished through a slide up window on the dist cap and an allen wrench. No feeler gauge required !

 

[Kvn_Walker]

Depends on what you mean by "on the road". I'd think that there are very few actually being used as daily drivers, but there are probably a LOT more parked in garages waiting to be driven.

At least the gas stations and 18-wheelers used to transport fuel will still be up and running after the EMP attack too, right?

 

[Mikado463]

My grandad showed me how to file down the old keys so as to be able to pull them out of the ignition without having to turn off the car which worked well for opening doors and trunks as well.

Since this thread has evolved into a walk down memory lane for some of us 'old farts' here's a memory tester.........

Why were all GM cars back in the day supplied with two types of keys ?

 

[highfigh]

I doubt very much that the distributors were GM OEM. For if they were point adj(dwell) is accomplished through a slide up window on the dist cap and an allen wrench. No feeler gauge required !

You're right- they don't have the door- I had forgotten about that. Had a Nova that would eat the fiber wedge very quickly and it would always screw up when I didn't have more than a screwdriver with my when I was away from home, but I was able to 'ballpark' it well enough to make it home without it stopping. I didn't beat it, so detonation wasn't a problem.

No feeler gauge, but a meter was needed (preferred).