When you get old it's easy to forget things, but I don't remember the neat leather sleeve
on the bottom of the shift lever. Also, I like the shifter handle extension, where did that come from?
Next thing you know there'll be a "T" handle on the top of the shifter.
I wonder what the matching door panel kit would look like? Kidding!
Tim knapp's 460 swap into Walt's '69 F250
Moderators: MostMint, wxo, Fred32v, Basement Paul, ttamrettus
As you get older, your eyes sometimes play tricks on you, too. You easily spotted the leather boot I had made to cover the bolts that mount the shifter to the stub on the transmission. But you mistook the shiny place where I removed the black paint on the top of the shifter as being an extension. Over the years the oil and acid from a person's hands causes rust and gunk to form on the top of the shifter handle. When I installed the new ball, I did a little sanding of that gunk in preparation for more black paint which I have since forgotten to apply.
Hmmm....matching door panels?
Hmmm....matching door panels?
The Painless fuse auxiliary fuse block has arrived. It's a nicely engineered and complete kit. It appears to be a simple hook up, but when I looked around to find a place to mount the block, I found no location I liked very much. When I get the opportunity to work on this again, I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and make a place for it.
I also began to think about a solution for the no-radio problem. If you remember, I bought a Custom Auto Sound radio at Carlisle. It was incredibly difficult and time consuming to get installed and it worked for less than a year before it crapped out. I pulled it out of the dash (again it wasn't easy) and sent it back to the company. They tested it, said it was working normally and sent it back. Again I went through the difficult process of installing it and it worked (for a short while) then started crapping out again. Now it doesn't work at all.
I have been thinking of getting another radio (not Custom Auto Sound) but good quality stereos with two knobs are hard to find. After reading some of the Ford truck forums, I believe I have found a solution to the problem. Its a bolt-in headliner, specially made to fit this truck, that houses any radio along with four speakers.
Here's a link to an ad for this unit:
http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/i-274 ... eakers.htm
Up to now I've been using the one speaker centered in the dash and have hesitated to cut holes in the doors to install two more speakers. This solution has many benefits: easy mounting of the radio, speakers are positioned above the head (like headphones) for best sound, no need to cut up the truck to install speakers in the doors and it can be removed to return the truck back to stock. I think I have myself convinced. I'm going to start shopping around for a better price.
I also began to think about a solution for the no-radio problem. If you remember, I bought a Custom Auto Sound radio at Carlisle. It was incredibly difficult and time consuming to get installed and it worked for less than a year before it crapped out. I pulled it out of the dash (again it wasn't easy) and sent it back to the company. They tested it, said it was working normally and sent it back. Again I went through the difficult process of installing it and it worked (for a short while) then started crapping out again. Now it doesn't work at all.
I have been thinking of getting another radio (not Custom Auto Sound) but good quality stereos with two knobs are hard to find. After reading some of the Ford truck forums, I believe I have found a solution to the problem. Its a bolt-in headliner, specially made to fit this truck, that houses any radio along with four speakers.
Here's a link to an ad for this unit:
http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/i-274 ... eakers.htm
Up to now I've been using the one speaker centered in the dash and have hesitated to cut holes in the doors to install two more speakers. This solution has many benefits: easy mounting of the radio, speakers are positioned above the head (like headphones) for best sound, no need to cut up the truck to install speakers in the doors and it can be removed to return the truck back to stock. I think I have myself convinced. I'm going to start shopping around for a better price.
That looks like a great solution, but your truck is a '69 and the headliner in the link is for a 73-79.
Once you have the new radio installed in the head liner you will have to find a "radio delete" plate
to cover up the old radio holes. It will sure be fun looking for that piece.
Did you ever get the headrests?
Once you have the new radio installed in the head liner you will have to find a "radio delete" plate
to cover up the old radio holes. It will sure be fun looking for that piece.
Did you ever get the headrests?
Fred32v
GMC Canyon Crew Cab Short Box 4x4 V6!
GMC Canyon Crew Cab Short Box 4x4 V6!
Yes, I see that I'm going to have to look for the '67 - '72 version of the headliner. There are some out there...
The parts from the seat guy are slow to come in, but they are coming in.
I just received in the mail the reinforcing plastic pieces for the seat belt holes in the bottom (sitting part) of the seat. Unfortunately, I'll have to remove the whole seat and some of the seat upholstery to install them. While I have the seat out, I want to modify the seat back release lever to allow me a little more leg room. The lever is hitting the gas tank and won't allow the seat to move back all the way. I have some ideas about what to do about that.
The headrests are done and I have them stuck down into the empty, unfinished holes of the seat back. I think they look pretty good. I'm still waiting for the plastic inserts that allow the headrests to be adjusted up and down. The inserts are very poorly made and fragile and hard to come by. Brian promised me that he would find some and get them to me (along with the shoulder belts). No, problem, though. I haven't had much time to devote to the truck lately. This will probably end up being my winter project.
The parts from the seat guy are slow to come in, but they are coming in.
I just received in the mail the reinforcing plastic pieces for the seat belt holes in the bottom (sitting part) of the seat. Unfortunately, I'll have to remove the whole seat and some of the seat upholstery to install them. While I have the seat out, I want to modify the seat back release lever to allow me a little more leg room. The lever is hitting the gas tank and won't allow the seat to move back all the way. I have some ideas about what to do about that.
The headrests are done and I have them stuck down into the empty, unfinished holes of the seat back. I think they look pretty good. I'm still waiting for the plastic inserts that allow the headrests to be adjusted up and down. The inserts are very poorly made and fragile and hard to come by. Brian promised me that he would find some and get them to me (along with the shoulder belts). No, problem, though. I haven't had much time to devote to the truck lately. This will probably end up being my winter project.
Painless auxiliary fuseblock
I took some time this weekend to work on the truck. After looking at a lot of places to mount the new fuseblock, I ended up installing it right next to the old one. I had to sort through a birds nest of wires to find the open space. Anyway, it's all wired up. The gauges, tach and seat lumbar pump are all hooked up and working. Once I get the new radio project finished and the cruise control working again, I'll have the whole thing filled up.
I think the cruise control could be a challenge. On my Oldsmobile when I converted from the 350 to the 455, when I engaged the cruise the motor was so much more responsive that the car felt like it was rowing down the highway. There was an adjustment to help but I had that maxed out and the rowing remained a problem. I just gave up on it. Good luck, if anyone can make it work, you can.
Fred32v
GMC Canyon Crew Cab Short Box 4x4 V6!
GMC Canyon Crew Cab Short Box 4x4 V6!
Cruise control
The cruise has been pushed way back on the stove. The wires under the dash are disconnected and tucked away for some future time when the urge strikes me.
My immediate focus is to finish the details on the seat. I need to pull it out again and engineer the seat back latch to give me more leg room. I also want to get some shoulder belts installed while I'm in the area.
After that, I'm going to look into getting my hands on one of those fancy headliners and start the ball rolling on some nice road music. For now, I'm quite happy with my FlowMaster duet at full song.
My immediate focus is to finish the details on the seat. I need to pull it out again and engineer the seat back latch to give me more leg room. I also want to get some shoulder belts installed while I'm in the area.
After that, I'm going to look into getting my hands on one of those fancy headliners and start the ball rolling on some nice road music. For now, I'm quite happy with my FlowMaster duet at full song.
Oxygen sensors
The new fuse block has made it easy to hook up the oxygen sensors I installed in the exhaust pipes a long time ago. (It's hard to believe Fred and I installed this engine in the fall of 2005) I used my digital multimeter to monitor the output of one of the sensors and it worked! I was not too surprised to see it running rich most of the time (about .80 volts). .45 volts is supposed to be ideal (14:1). The voltage jumps around a lot, too. Anyway it was fun just to see it in action. I'll probably mess around with the carb to see if I can get the numbers down. Since this carb is a double pumper, I may disable the pumps on the secondary side just to see how it runs and if it makes any difference on the meter.
Just a thought, but if you don't use them secondaries they should not be effecting that richness.
Once you disable the secondaries, I'd lean out the primaries a bunch, but rich when your in the secondaries ain't that bad.
It will be fun to see how the mileage improves, maybe you'll be able to drive it to Spring Carlisle 2009!
Once you disable the secondaries, I'd lean out the primaries a bunch, but rich when your in the secondaries ain't that bad.
It will be fun to see how the mileage improves, maybe you'll be able to drive it to Spring Carlisle 2009!
Fred32v
GMC Canyon Crew Cab Short Box 4x4 V6!
GMC Canyon Crew Cab Short Box 4x4 V6!
Don't get me wrong. I'm NOT going to disable the secondaries. I love my secondaries!! That's where all the fun is!
I was just thinking about disabling the secondary squirters to see if I really need them on the street. This carb has mechanical secondaries, so the squirters may be necessary. Or maybe the secondary throttle plates are not closed completely or stuff like that.
Another thought may be to see if I can find a good deal on a big quadrajet on Craigslist or Carlisle. I don't know if a quadrajet would be better on gas mileage than this Holley spreadbore, but I'd like to try one just to compare.
I was just thinking about disabling the secondary squirters to see if I really need them on the street. This carb has mechanical secondaries, so the squirters may be necessary. Or maybe the secondary throttle plates are not closed completely or stuff like that.
Another thought may be to see if I can find a good deal on a big quadrajet on Craigslist or Carlisle. I don't know if a quadrajet would be better on gas mileage than this Holley spreadbore, but I'd like to try one just to compare.
Hmmm....it's now over two years later and I haven't touched the carbs. How did that happen??
Well, since I'm here, I'll relate the latest Ol' Blue anecdote. Last week I had taken some trash to the landfill and stopped at the local tire store to pick up one of Gladys' tires that had gone flat. Upon leaving, the truck wouldn't start. Just the familiar old clicking but the big ol' 460 was not rollin' over. I had the battery checked and it was good, so it was either the wiring or the starter. A few more tests and the starter had to be bad. So I tried to bump start it and wore my self out pushing, but could not get it started, so I tried the key again. This time, I got a strange whirring, scraping, metal type of sound, but the 460 was not turning over. I called a towing service and for the first time in 41 years, Ol' Blue rode home in style on the back of a rollback.
When I pulled the starter, here's what I found:
I spoke with Fred over the phone and he suggested that the torn up stuff may be the bendix. I pulled apart the starter and sure enough, this is what I found:
After running around to several parts stores, I was able to find a new starter drive and install it this afternoon. The starter now works better than it ever has. It has an entirely different sound. It sounds tighter and now has the familiar Ford starter sound that is different than before. I have no idea why or how, but I'm really pleased with the outcome.
Well, since I'm here, I'll relate the latest Ol' Blue anecdote. Last week I had taken some trash to the landfill and stopped at the local tire store to pick up one of Gladys' tires that had gone flat. Upon leaving, the truck wouldn't start. Just the familiar old clicking but the big ol' 460 was not rollin' over. I had the battery checked and it was good, so it was either the wiring or the starter. A few more tests and the starter had to be bad. So I tried to bump start it and wore my self out pushing, but could not get it started, so I tried the key again. This time, I got a strange whirring, scraping, metal type of sound, but the 460 was not turning over. I called a towing service and for the first time in 41 years, Ol' Blue rode home in style on the back of a rollback.
When I pulled the starter, here's what I found:
I spoke with Fred over the phone and he suggested that the torn up stuff may be the bendix. I pulled apart the starter and sure enough, this is what I found:
After running around to several parts stores, I was able to find a new starter drive and install it this afternoon. The starter now works better than it ever has. It has an entirely different sound. It sounds tighter and now has the familiar Ford starter sound that is different than before. I have no idea why or how, but I'm really pleased with the outcome.
Re: Tim knapp's 460 swap into Walt's '69 F250
Yesterday, I finally got around to fixing a nagging problem on the truck. In hot weather, at night, (of course) the headlights would go out without warning. Sometimes they would come back on, but you never knew what was going to happen. About a week ago, Randi and I had just returned from an outing in the truck and it was warm and dark out. As we pulled into the driveway, the lights went out. I could hardly stay on the driveway it was so dark. Thus the incentive to fix the problem.
As it turns out, this is a common problem with old Fords, especially if Halogen headlights have replaced the oem ones. Old wiring and heavy current flow causes the circuit breaker in the light switch to heat up and switch off the lights.
The solution is to rewire the headlight circuits to install relays. It took me about 4 hours of putzing around, but I got 'er done. Before I started, I measured the voltage at the headlights and the lowest was 10.9 volts and the highest 11.9 volts. Now they all measure 12.07 volts and the lights have a nice white brilliance to them. I'm glad this is done before someone buys the truck.
As it turns out, this is a common problem with old Fords, especially if Halogen headlights have replaced the oem ones. Old wiring and heavy current flow causes the circuit breaker in the light switch to heat up and switch off the lights.
The solution is to rewire the headlight circuits to install relays. It took me about 4 hours of putzing around, but I got 'er done. Before I started, I measured the voltage at the headlights and the lowest was 10.9 volts and the highest 11.9 volts. Now they all measure 12.07 volts and the lights have a nice white brilliance to them. I'm glad this is done before someone buys the truck.