Getting an oooold junker running again:

[Grant]

If the top hose was hot, your thermostat is probably fine and you probably have a plugged up radiator.

The heater core may or may note be okay - since the heater valve was closed you'd expect the in to be hot and the out to be cold. If the valve was open you'd expect the in to be hot and the out to be warm.

I was thinking there should be heat somewhere in the radiator, I wouldn't have thought the whole thing plugged up.

  I flushed the motor while the radiator was getting rebuilt this summer, but there probably was some gunk that broke loose and wedged somewhere. 

[WeTheArmed.com]

[Doug Wojtowicz]

I like her lines.  Can't wait to see more.

[JesseL]

But think how nice she would look with a nice, dark midnight blue gloss for all that chrome to pop out against...

Think about how much body work...  The rocker panels alone scare me.

Out west cars don't rust the way they do in the east and in places where they put salt on the roads.

That car looks solid, with a nice patina.

[Deer Hunter]

There's a '65 Galaxy sitting in a field not far from my house here in East Texas. It's a shame. 

[Grant]

Out west cars don't rust the way they do in the east and in places where they put salt on the roads.

That car looks solid, with a nice patina.

Yeah, there's a reason all the locals are pissed at the state.  They're going WAY, WAY overboard with salting the roads the last 10 years.    Nothing's changed, even after...lots of effort.

Past 15 years cars and pickups have been eroding 3X faster than they used to 

  There's a tiny bit of rust in the rar-quarter-panels, but not enough to mess with.

   Figured out the problem, a tiny leak on some type of plug in the lower part of the motor.   Expandable type.  It took literally 3 months of sitting to drain out just enough anti-freeze to make her overheat.

  Refilled and she runs plumb fine.     So...another little tweak to fix.

But she's one step closer     She won't ever be perfect, but I like her the way she is.    The dents and rough spots were added by my dad and three uncles, being the "first car" for each kid when they got a driver's license.     

[Grant]

  Just thought I'd post an update (because I want to, and saw a post on facebook of Jim's old ford).

  She's coming forward slowly but surely.   Put new coil springs all the way around with 1.5" spacers on the back,  sure improved her stance, she's got good clearance all the way around now.

    Next project is to put new rubber and ends on the whole front end.  Friend has a car lift so I'm using that.  Sure has made working on it a LOT easier than a floorjack and a crawler. lol.

  After that, installing the radio and speakers in the rear dash.   

Looking for another 390 locally I can put in with a 4-barrel and start rebuilding the one that is currently in it.   The local ford guru said he'd help with the rebuild if I was willing todo it myself.

   A hillclimber that's for sure     That hill it's sitting on has defeated half ton pickups at various times so for the old girl I was impressed enough.   

[coelacanth]

 

[booksmart]

*resists urge to sand, bondo, and paint*

[Kaso]

A hillclimber that's for sure     That hill it's sitting on has defeated half ton pickups at various times so for the old girl I was impressed enough.   

My son, that is not a hill.  We need to get you out of Montana to see the world.

[Grant]

My son, that is not a hill.  We need to get you out of Montana to see the world.

I said hill and not mountain     It climbed a 45 degree angle and bounced across two 18" deep washouts. 

[Kaso]

I said hill and not mountain     It climbed a 45 degree angle and bounced across two 18" deep washouts. 

Okay, fine, the picture does not show that clearly.  It looked like a little baby 'bluff' to me.

[Deer Hunter]

When I get my lift kit and suspension on my tacoma, I need to take a trip out to MT for some guns and views.

[Grant]

Okay, fine, the picture does not show that clearly.  It looked like a little baby 'bluff' to me.

well.......it ain't much....lol. probably about 300 feet high, soft sand.lol.

  DH, you're sure welcome.   We live in the barren, ugly part of the state but it's home for me 

[cpaspr]

That hill it's sitting on has defeated half ton pickups at various times so for the old girl I was impressed enough.

Unless you load up the back end, pickups basically have very little real traction for that kind of work.

[booksmart]

A friend of mine grew up in Franklin, NC in the mountains.  Near his house was a hill that was known for being treacherous when snow hit.  One winter, he and his friend were throwing snowballs at each other, and stopped to watch a heavy pickup attempt the hill... and slide into the ditch.  As they were standing there watching, a civilian Hummer tried the hill... and slid into the ditch next to the truck.  As those two guys got out, and started trying to figure out how to get out, a little ancient Datsun pickup skipped up and over the hill, easy peasy.

Wayne and Phil died laughing.

[Grant]

      Just thought I'd post an update because.....well...I'm enjoying it 

  Got the radio and speakers installed.....real....redneck job but they work good.     Still looking for a 390 but it'll wait until my January payday now.   Actually thinking of doing a 460 install but I want to keep it near true to original. 

   Going to put in a posi-kit this winter and redo the front end.

     Bought one of these and it's on the passenger side window vent

 And going to pick up a ghostbusters one for the drivers side window vent    A red code 3 dash laser for the dash and MAYBE.....I doubt I'll have the cash, but planning on purchasing someday a Feniex siren with the ghostbuster's ecto-1 siren on it