TinMan

I've got a NOS rear bumper I bought 40 or so years ago. Not sure I want to use it. PM me if interested.

Mine are original. I thought they botched the alignment! :P

Help me out guys. I've built this girl in my head almost on a daily basis and have come up with almost as many different combinations. Going back to 1978 in fact. When I pull her out, I simply don't work on it cause I want to drive it. Even when I pull her out to work on her, it's an eff it, I'm driving. As talking with a buddy on the 500th different build concept, he said "it won't be a survivor any more". *oh* Sure. I've got that stupid aluminum radiator on her, but I've still got the original factory one and all original hardware. Now I'm questioning doing anything at all. How many survivors are there? Got original factory paint and all? Talk me down from the ledge!

For what it's worth. I grew up in a three bay garage owned by my Dad in the 70s. Any time we'd pull a drum off a car, we'd grab an air hose and make this huge black cloud of brake dust, then just walk through it. My Dad did have two "spots" on his lungs when he was in his late 80s. That's after 50+ years of doing the same thing. Sure, I'd avoid asbestos but there's quite a few of us that are still around.

Coming up on 5500 miles since the awakening.. I haven't done much because I'd rather drive her than work on her. Plan on at least a 100 miles today! :) Buddies building a house a few miles away. I've donated a 2 post to the project, so I'll actually start doing work spring next year. Still thinking pretty much just suspension, T5z and discs. My mind changes far too frequently. Just taken yesterday. I've only replaced one side light and one tail light. Pretty cool the original lights still work!!

There should only be a 1/4" difference between a late 90s Exploder and the 9" in a 1969/1970. The pinion is offset to passenger side about 3". If you lower the car, it'll probably hit the transmission tunnel. I know of a guy that pushed out the axle tubes and swapped sides to center the pinion. If not lowered, hopefully not an issue. I'm planning on doing this. Where else can you get 3.73's, discs and posi for $150? From my homework. Hoping anyway. Yeah. posi needs rebuild, so that's another $100.. as will probably be brakes, but still way cheaper than finding stuff for the 9" :)

MIne's held on with zip ties.. :(

Awesome! Thank you!!!!

Perhaps not the easiest.. but I pull the rotor out of the distributor and take it with me... Won't stop a tow truck, but should pretty much everyone else. :)

Ok. I've got a survivor kinda. I'm second owner. Original was a chick that I bought her from in 1978. The hood isn't a survivor. She said a tree fell on it and it's not flat black and the mud is cracking. I went to a builder that's big into SEMA and supposed to know is poo to get the hood fixed. Figured since it was already painted, doing it again wouldn't bother the survivor status. Other than being a total douche bag he kept telling me my cowl wasn't original. I'm thinking it is. Anyone else have an original hood??? Ok. This don't look good. The wiper arm has over spray on it. Is this normal? Or not?? Here's what looks was originally masked off.. Here's some age spots and what's obviously hand painted stripes... Looking from the passenger side.. he put a lot of stock that since this isn't coated, it's not original. Looks like someone was on the driver side painting the cowl. He's convinced it was someone with a rattle can... I see zero overspray on the windshield trim. If you have an original car, is it the same???

I went ahead and stuffed on the 17" Torque Thrusts that were on my 02 Crown Vic (yeah, I'm that guy). The tires are the OE 255/55 ZR17s that came on my 06 Mustang GT. So I think that's at least fitting. The rears are too big for the fender lips. I did weld on a 2x2 square stock on the axle to extend the bumpstops. From careful measurements that should leave me a 1/2" more than I need. Yeah. I've posted about 200 different things I said I'd do. But, right now.. here's where I'm thinking. Do front power disc brake upgrades from CJ Pony Parts. Do a T5z transmission swap from Modern Driveline. Gasp. Do a late 90's Explorer 8.8 swap. Get disc and 3.73s with LSD for basically nothing. Yeah, I know I might have to modify the tunnel a bit. It is also 1/4" wider Even though these Torque Thrusts look great, I'll probably do a S197 tire/wheel combo as I have lots of freedom in backspacing and wheel placement. Won't do anything until next year... For now...

I'm torn. Your post didn't help any either! I would love a T5 and discs. And yes. The manual drums and vague steering are scary!

She's a 2 barrel single exhaust automatic Mach. She's not worth keeping original from a collector standpoint. But she is a survivor. Probably not many untouched originals left. My goal is to drive and drive a lot. Right now I'd love to make the 55th anniversary at Charlotte in 2019. I'll do a compression check and the oil analysis. If this comes back fine. I'm just gonna keep driving her! :) :) :) The body will stay a survivor. Not so sure about the drive train. I'd like for the FMX and manual drums to go away.

Back story. I've had this car for 39 years and bought of original owner. Parked in 1983 awoken 2016. I've put 4500 miles on it since awoken. There's 119k miles on her. I did rebuild the top end. I'm trying to talk myself out of rebuilding the bottom end. The cross hatch was gone from the cylinder walls. There was no ridge at the top of the bore. It's burning a quart around 1500 miles or more. She don't smoke (she's old enough!). Full throttle is only black residue out the pipes. I've ordered a Blackstone oil analysis kit for an upcoming oil change. She's at full temp (180 thermostat from an overheating issue that's been solved, I'll get a 195 back in her). This is Valvoline VR1 10w30 oil at 55mph. This is idling at a stoplight in gear.

Search turned up goose eggs. Anyone do this swap? I've got to do something about the FMX. Just not excited about an AOD swap. Now a 5 gear sounds appealing. Watched the vids at CJ Pony Parts and looks pretty straight forward.

If I'm considering this only for a 1 time trip.. think I'll try and just get the FMX rebuilt.. It's a 2 bbl car so there's no performance.. Anyone recommend someone that really knows FMX's?

I've searched.. without a lot of luck... The 48 year old FMX isn't bad. Some stupid teenager decided to install a shift kit and kinda messed up shift points pretty good.. damn kids (that was me)... main issue is she leaks.. and seals that old should. I just drive around town so the FMX would be fine.. but I'd like to do the 55th anniversary event in a few years 700+ miles from here.. So. Just yank the FMX and find someone to rebuild or go ahead and drop in an AOD? To take advantage of the AOD the diff should really be regeared.. I'm leaning towards just rebuilding the FMX. Thoughts? Anyone done this (couldn't get a hit on AOD in the search)

No. That picture is in Washing Park IL. Home of my beautiful bride... Basically East St Louis. That house was burnt down decades ago.. New pic at friend's house in Alton, IL. He's good people!

No idea on A/C to this radiator. Construction actually looks pretty good.. better than a $600 Griffin I bought previously for a Jeep. My local shop went through my stock one and said it was fine. Asked him to re core with more rows and he never got back to me with a price..

Cherry is popped. Man I hate this ugly radiator! But. 90F and sitting in traffic, it's on the thermostat. Anyway. Guess I can start making changes since it's the first one that hurts the most!

Man.. I hate this ugly aluminum radiator. I'll have to at least paint the top tank black. Anyway. Yup capacity issue. Champion cheapo 3 core. 90F here yesterday. On the thermostat even sitting in traffic. Not possible before. No where near direct fit as advertised. Had to zip tie on shroud. Will need to think about how to fix that too. Mean time. Drive time!

Ok... Up to 1900 miles since the awaking...Here in St. Louis, we've been building a new Noah's Ark.. Was a beautiful weekend.. she was on the road the majority of the time... Gotta replace the radiator and front suspension. I've been putting it off.. I hate removing anything original. Gotta pop the cherry and start.. There's nothing on her that did not come from the factory.. First one will hurt the most... :( :( :(

Oops.. Didn't realize you have to publish them now! It's fixed! :)

Coming up on 2000 miles since awaking.. had her out last three weekends... Yeah global warming!! Time to address scary steering and overheating.. .. Brown Santa again.. 3 row aluminum radiator. Complete front suspension. Control Valve. Motor mounts...

lots of miles over the last couple weekends...