8 track repair - this is something we could theoretically do with Richard (our resident electrical guru and 8-track nut), as he is pretty good with that kind of thing. And he likes tinkering on 8-track decks. But I could also see where it’s not necessarily a high priority for us to spend the time to do a video that.
Trim & windows - we do plan on doing videos on both of these. Just maybe not the best kind of thing for our Open House.
Engine tuning - I think this is the best idea so far. We can do multiple cars, and people will be excited to get their engine tuned up for free, not to mention learning how to do it themselves.
Paintless dent repair - Funny you mention it, we just had the mobile “press a dent” guy over to WCCC this week. He did about 6 cars, including a Cougar and some employee’s personal cars (including my Miata). Wish I would have taken some before & after pics. I had about 7 dings around my car, and he got 6/7 of them completely, flawlessly straightened out, for not much money. Awesome. But this is a specialized skill with a specialized set of tools that take up the entire bed floor of a small truck. Not what I’d call an average DIY job.
Yep - once you have undone the two retaining screws that secure the chrome ring to the headlight bucket housing, gently unhook the ring outwards then up and over the headlight, starting at the bottom. The retaining spring the ring is still attached to is located in the top right quadrant of the headlight bucket.
If it is very tight, it may help to gently push the headlight rearwards a little as you unhook the ring over the lip.
How about a video on the hood and front quarter extension alignments on a 67-68 Cougar. This seems to be something that some of the nicest Cougars could use so the trim pieces are straight.
Steven
mine are connected behind the bucket … The C end of the spring is at the front, and the S end of it is in the back. Once you get the “glass bumps” in the light in the proper place in the ring, you also have to properly align them in the bucket. Once that is done, the simple part of screwing the retaining screws becomes a whole new ballgame for me.
I use a dent pulling hook to pull on the spring. Basically it’s a piece of 3/4" tubing with a wire welded to it. The wire has a hook on the end. Hook the spring, pull, remove/install screws. Done.
Assuming the hood and fenders themselves are aligned properly, as well as the extensions to the fenders, and the only problem is at the front edge: you can simply grab under the front lip of the extension with both hands and bend it out /up (since they’re usually pushed in a little) with brute force. The pot metal they’re made of seems to be malleable enough to do this without damage. Have seen this method make instant improvements on several cars.
Now, if there’s a height difference, you might have to play around with the hood latch.
I like the idea of getting drip rails to fit. I am especially having trouble getting mine to fit over the bottom where the repro hockey stick trims are riveted on. That last 1/2in or so of the trim doesn’t want to stay connected on the lip by the rivet.
Actually anything having to do with getting trim back on these cars and getting it to look right, if it ever did?
Andrew you explained the process perfectly. I’ve done the same thing after reading past post on MC.net years back. As you said you’ve “seen it make instant improvements on several cars”. Unless someone searches for this topics keywords they might not find the fix process. That’s why I figured a video segment would be good.
Steven
How about just looking at each car that comes and look for the individualism of each one and talk to the owners about the how and whys? Like inst of custom seats, or dash mods, just custom ideas that each of us have done to our cars, well except for those purists!
Would be interesting to watch an “Open House Interviews” video! Quick walk around of the cars, short talk with the owners. Probably would take some judicious editing to keep it down to 20 minutes or so.
I was given this information back when I rebuilt my carb so I might as well pay it forward and post it here:
Autolite / Motorcraft 4300 adjustments.
I’m assuming that both pontoons on the float are level and set to the correct height. I believe you stated the carb had been rebuilt not that long ago.
With the carb completely assembled make sure all the linkages work freely. Look for locations where they may rub or bind against the carb body, especially where they pass through the portion of the carb body. You may have to ever so slightly bend the linkages to insure they don’t make contact with the carb body. Make sure the piston in the automatic choke housing moves freely up and down.
I built a platform out of a 9” x 7” piece of ½” plywood to give me a stable working surface. Place the carb centered on the piece of plywood and mark the location of the 4 holes where the carb attaches to the intake manifold. Drill out the 4 holes with a 5/16” drill. Place a 5/16” x 2” bolt in the holes. Double nut the bolts. (One nut will hold the bolt in place and the second nut will hold the carb away from the plywood to allow for opening of the throttle plates). Cut a notch in the plywood to allow the throttle linkage to move unobstructed.
Choke plate pulldown clearance
Remove the choke cover and thermostatic coil assembly.
Block the throttle linkage half open so the fast idle screw does not
contact the fast idle cam.
Take a 4” or 5” long piece of .035” welding wire and make a 90
degree angle bend in it about 1/8” from the end.
Insert the bent end between the lower edge of the choke piston slot
and the upper edge of the right-hand slot in the choke housing.
Move the piston lever counter clockwise until the wire gauge fits
snugly in the slot. Hold the wire gauge in place by exerting light
pressure on the lever.
Loosen the small screw on the end of the choke plate shaft. (this
screw has a left hand thread) Pry the link away from the tapered
shaft.
Insert a 1/8” drill bit (manual transmission) or 9/64” drill bit
(Automatic transmission) between the lower edge of the choke plate
and the air horn wall and gently press the choke plate closed until it
is tight against the drill bit.
Position the link at the end of the choke plate shaft so that the long
axis is parallel with the base of the carb and then tighten it in place
with the screw.
Dechoke clearance adjustment
With the throttle plate wide open and the choke plate closed as far as
possible without forcing it, insert a 5/16” drill bit between the choke plate
and the air horn wall.
To adjust, bend the arm on the choke trip lever until the choke plate hold
the drill bit against air horn wall. (Bend downward to increase clearance
and upward to decrease clearance)
After adjusting recheck clearance.
Install the automatic choke housing, taking care to engage the
thermostatic spring with the slot in the tang on the choke lever and shaft
assembly.
Loosen the choke thermostatic spring housing retaining screws and
position the housing 90 degrees in the rich direction.
Position the fast idle screw at the kick-down step of the fast idle cam.
This kick-down step is identified by a small “V” stamped in the side of the
casting.
Be sure that the fast idle cam is in the kick-down position while checking
or adjusting the fast idle cam clearance.
Check the clearance between the lower edge of the choke plate and the air
horn wall by inserting a 7/64” drill bit.
Adjustment may be accomplished by turning the fast idle cam adjusting
screw clockwise to increase or counter clockwise to decrease the
clearance.
Reset the choke thermostatic spring housing to your previous setting.
Adjust the antistall dashpot (3/32”), put carb back on motor, adjust idle
speed and fuel mixture.
