Just blew a brake line near the left rear on my main ride, my '96 F-150. haha... the line is so well hidden I can't even see it, just notice the wet brake fluid. I'm going to take it to the dealer Monday morning and let them have at it. Kind of a shame.

I found an original oil bath cleaner to mount on the single bbl Holley. All the parts are there, but rusty. Is there a chemical process or product to clean the metal to get it in condition to paint?

 

a part that small i take to the machine shop at red rooster to sand blast it, not sure if that particular item can be blasted or such,
if the rust aint too bad. take some muriatic acid and dump on it after you loosened up most of the loose stuff with a brush or sand paper. thats how i clean most stuff, wear a mask and gloves though. the only other option is gool ol fasioned elbow grease or power sanders...lol
you wouldnt think a brake line to be too bad, you only have one line running back to the axle still, i think. maybe a wheel cylinder bit it or the rubber hose? i know that it costs lots a dough to get things done at a dealer, but the tank might be in the way which will only cost more, though i hate messing around them stupid plastic fuel lines because you need a special tool to press the fitting in them if they break.

 

Yeah, muriatic acid will be a good idea. Would you use it full strength on the parts? I use a 50% mixture with water to clean my fiberglass boat hull -- no scrubbing is needed, it cleans it nicely.

Did you survive the big storm last night? No damage out here.

What's new with Bessie?

 

i use the acid full strength but it eats the sprayer fast, i do i on the dirtiest part of the garage floor to have it do double duty...lol
i parked the wifes car under the big tree and had no luck, so the storm wasnt big enough, figure a 500 deductable aint bad, the wrist pin is starting to let you know its there in a 97 3.1 gm. i parked the 93ford truck in the garage...lol.
right now i am cleaning up a 71 olds 350 rocket i have and have it all painted up getting it ready to sell, its a cherry motor with fresh heads and tight bottom end., i need to fund the cause. though the motor looks so puurrrty and olds motors are so powerful that i was tempted......nah.

 

Well I'm $250 lighter after my visit to the dealer. It took them over two hours to replace the left rear brake line. I still can't see it. They must have had to drop the gas tank to work on it.

You know what irritates me is these safety checks they perform before they attend to the problem. They charge $29.95 to what amounts to checking your lights and fluid levels. That's a ripoff IMO. Then there's the Environmental charge -- that was over $20 -- to dispose of an oily towel I suppose.

I need an attitude adjustment right now. lol

 

i used to work for a ford dealer in the metro area a 5 years ago so it aint the first time i heard that. sometimes the environmental charges could be waived, they should always give you a estimate up front, thats the time to haggle or say you "have to think about where you r taking it", though i like the dealer because the guys usually know the cars they see everyday, and with corner shops you dont know what you r getting inless you have built trust or heard others talking. think my old man has worked for 2 dozen corner shops in the last ten years, cant count how many times he brought his box home or how many times since i cut ties. i worked for firestone when i was in high school. at 16 i was slow but knew what i was doing... part of the time...lol. we had a guy come back because he had a nasty vibration. i pull the hub to find out the guy who did it got ****ed off and left half his lugs loose, when i reported it the boss told me to keep quite so to speak. i can understand that but why have a guy wrenching that is a liability? not to say much about ase or certifications, because i know guys who know more about cars and r car smarts but like me not book smarts. it is a talent thats either aquired or learned by ingenuity and simply doing in my opinion. whether its lumber, bricks, computers or any thing else i guess some are better at it than others. my friend can build a garage in a day, that would take me a month...lol. a few of the shops i worked at advertised ase, but most the guys i knew werent nothing but hires with a box of tools in my opinion. i think a mechanic in action should speak for them selves by their work. i dont think thats too much to ask, but thats just me. lord knows i am stll learning and he's still chalenging me ....lol i heard ase was cracking down on that lately making the guys get certified again or be current if they wanted to advertise it.

though at a dealer, think its like $80 a hour labor is really hard to swallow. the one i worked for i could say they guys were regulars and knew what they were doing and i give them credit, they were worth it,. i remember occasions where we wouldnt release a vehicle to a customer for safety reasons in less they had a tow truck coming or signed a waiver of liability. think people suing shops right or wrong, put the shops on the line to make sure they dont get sued, then they figure it takes 15-20 min of labor so i think that where they try to get you. but i dont remember inspections being mandatory, the service writers have been known to try and sell you as much as possible when you come in the door,they will sell you everything from muffler fluid to headlight bearings ...lol they work on commission most of the time and usually jump from dealer to dealer from my experience. not all, but it seemed like a job that always had a new face. i am not too familiar with the safety charge so i guess i really cant say exactly. i didnt get into the politics of it all, just washed and drove cars and ran people and stocked parts. best job i ever had, not enough pay though to do it forever.

 

My intention was to get it repaired a Tires Plus. I called Saturday and the service manager said they were swamped, so I asked about Monday morning. He said they're wide open, first come, first serve. I asked what time they open and he said 7 A.M. So I got there about 6:30 camped right at the front door. Two other guys who knew the ins and outs apparently were parked at the back door, unknown to me, where the service manager goes in and got in front of me when the open sign came out. Then the service manager informed me that the tire technicians start at 7, the mechanics start at 8. I had enough of Tires Plus by then. I drove to the Ford dealer and got right in.

I should get back to work on Doug. I would like to finish the brake job. I bought a double flaring kit to make my own brake lines, and am kind of looking forward to seeing how that goes. Everybody I talked to said it's very tricky but I don't know why. Looks straight forward to me.

But I'm taking delivery of a new pontoon boat today and I'm afraid that's going to take up a lot of the day. Life is tough.lol

 

dont let all that time playing out on the pontoon get to ya...lol..
brake lines are EASY! i buy the bulk line, then cut it to fit and reflare it. the hardest thing i have about it is bending like at angles, i take my time and dont go to sharp using my hand to do it, but i should try one of them little tubing benders they sell at the parts store. your rubber brake hoses and such should be the same size as a later model truck 70's and 80's
the biggest problem i have had with my 55 getting done already is the 93 truck. think i have had the motor apart 6 times already due to bad luck, and gone through 2 and had a bad boneyard motor, cost me too much already. i had the windsor in the effie running ready to go, then my brother blew up the 302 in the 93. but i obtained his cleveland so it didnt bother me much to take the 351w back out of the 55 and put it in the 93. then the 93 over heated last summer, took out most of the bearings, i replaced the rod bearings, but it still looses oil pressure when hot. i think it is going to spend another winter in the garage getting a whole crank kit this time or taken to a pro, i am tired of it. i never had such a string of bad luck. i bought the 93 in the first place to be spending time and money on the 55. the 93 it still drives good, just is being a ....well ya know. its all my brothers fault, if he hadnt drove it back from fargo with no oil the first time....

 

Well the pontoon is nice. I got a 4 stroke Yamaha that is super quiet. I wanted a Honda but they were about $450 more. It's been nippy out on the lake this weekend but still felt great to be out.

I have a tubing bender so I should be set for running lines. Looks like Sunday may be a little wet outside so it would be a good time to work on Doug.

You sure have had your problems with engines lately. BTW, what are windsors? Are they more of a high performance engine?

 

windsors are a stroked 302. i think of your basic line of ford small blocks with the 4.00 bore, the 289, 302 and 351w(named after the windsor foundry, )all are the same family(, i dont mean to sound like a putz if you already know this) they have interchangeable parts from the heads to the front covers, but differ in stroke adding displacement. the 289-302 use the same pan and 351 has a bigger intake to compensate for the deck height, the 302 uses a different firing order than the 351 and the 302ho. the 351 and the ho reversed the firing thus reversing the compression and exaust stroke on 4 of the cylinders. the 351/ho uses 13726548 while the 302 is 15426378(i think) so instead of firing on 3 it is having its ex stroke and firing 5 on its compression stroke etc. the 351m-400 and 351 c all are small blocks also because they have the 4.00 bore. the 351m 400 have big block trans pattern while the 351c will swap right into the place of a 289-351w. so picture this:
you have a 289/302running the same heads as a 351w just running more stroke, like a 1/2 inch or so. people all hype about stroking 302's, but from what i can tell, you bump your compression on a 351w and run a cam to lengthen the duration in the correct ratio, you have one hell of a race motor. i really dont know the difference between a stroked 302 or a 351 because to me they are the same thing. but i am sure there is one, i dont know everything, i fired my 351w up with a 215/224 duration cam and 58cc or so early 289 heads to bump compression and it thumped like a bat outa hell. i ran the same motor with the standard 69cc heads that have been on everything since the seventies, and it was weak mostly from the cam. the trick is bumping compression then the cam in the right ratio to bump your power curve. at least thats how i think of it (the pros on the tech line know whats best usually). the 289/302 use 7/16 headbolts but heads can be drilled out to use the 1/2 in 351 bolts. i just sold a set of my 1963 289 heads that were probaly the best head next to a cleveland for the large ports, or the 60cc 1969windsorheads for the intake advantages and chamber size. the 289 had small chambers for compression, and nice flowing exhaust ports because they were before the thermactor humps, the valves were very close if not the same size as all the later stuff also. i still have a set of 68 289 heads but they need to be ported to be equal. if i was building a 302 that would be what i run regardless. inless you can find the 1969 windsor heads with the 60cc chambers, very very rare and i happen to have a set....lol. problem is i am outa that type of engine to build...lol. got a 302 out back but it has a see thru block thanks to my brother. the ratio theory works the same in reverse, for a efficient motor running a rv cam, you want less compression to avoid high heat and detonation. you do that to keep the power curve in the driving range and make a streetable friendly driver, i just learned how to make some power and got into the bad habit of doing it too much...lol. my 93 tears the tires off, just gotta toughen up the block so i can run it wide open all day long. i made rod dowel pins but the mains are fried i think
i really want to drive my 55, think i would have it done faster if i could find the front end parts i need. know any one with a 75-79 cordoba or a 73-74 belvedere gtx roadrunner satellite fury or a 73-78 charger superbee? these bone yards around here crush everything older than 15 years. i live within 10-20 min of 6-12 yards and i doubt any have it. i dont know of any volare clips around either though. i wanted to keep the stock lug pattern for my 79 f150 turbine rims, even though i want to go old school and keep it in flat black primer with wide whites and moons. decisions decisions decisions. later

 

Thanks for the info. I'm not much into power, I suppose that's evident by my 223 in Doug which will do me fine. It seems to run strong.

No I don't know of anyone with those models. Why are you limiting it to only those particular years and makes? Almost all Mopar from the 80's will fit nicely I thought.

 

the 80's had a different style, that is a bit harder to install, i think it will be my second option.
all that power is expensive and hard on the day to day driveability.

 

I would think French Lake Auto Parts would be your best bet (320-274-8497). They appear to be the largest in the area and have quite a bit of older stuff, although nothing for my '60. I should try to get a piece of chrome for my '96. If you have any luck with them maybe we could cruise out there together. I haven't been there in years, but I know guys who used to go out there and drool all over themselves. We better pack bibs. HAHA.

 

i was there once 15 years ago or so. i drool everytime i am at joes also, its nice to have a all ford yard around....lol. not much i can do on a sunday though.

 

I doubt they're open on Sundays...some day in the future maybe we'll buzz out there.

I got more brake work done. It was kind of chilly this morning so I lit a fire in the stove. Next thing I'm sweating like a pig. I'm taking a little break now and cooling down.

Can a guy take off those rear brake pipe connectors? I wanted to soak it in solvent to get any hydraulic fluid crud out of there but I don't see any way to get it off. Maybe I'll just have to settle on blowing it out.