The white GTS, and plans for it. |
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Eliteman76
Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 5044 |
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Posted: 12-March-2009 at 4:52AM |
Well, after kicking a few things back and forth, and talking with my wife, and my Dad I am going to keep that GTS around.
I have most of the parts I need to spruce the old girl up, but for now, I am going to just tuck the car away for a while...not in a rush to unload it at this point, and I don't want to kill the car off.
I plan on fixing the rust issues down the line, and giving it a very basic paint job in white again, and maybe keep it around as a driver.
I am going to get it running hopefully next week, we are going to be getting back into the upper 60's so I can swap the drivetrain.
Planning on looking into the high back buckets from an explorer or similar Ford 2 door, maybe a bronco, and get a console out of a Explorer.
Does anyone know of a basic floor shifter I can use on a 3 speed Automatic? I wish I still had my B&M mega shifter, but I sold that thing a long time ago.
I would like to stick some sort of shifter on the floor for some bang shifting auto fun.
Maybe one of the old Mr. Gasket/hurst 3 speed shifters?
One thing I plan on doing for sure, I need to convert this one over to a 5x5 bolt pattern so I can run the 15x9.5 Nascar rims. If you have a pair of the 5x5 rotors laying around, let me know, otherwise looks like I'll be drilling out for a 5x5 with 5/8" wheel studs.
Trying to think about the rear axle, but I think I will be ok on that...I have backingplates and drums off a '77 LTD, but I need to figure out if I can get away with altering the stock axles to do a 5x5 pattern?
I saw in Popular Hotrodding magazine, on the Chevy project car, the Talledega project {it's one of the Chevy Laguna models...basically a fastback '75 aero chevelle.}
I thought about doing a sheet metal dash, but I'm leaving the stock interior alone.
I am going to finish up my GTS if I can help it before tearing into this car hard, but the thought of having a DD torino makes me smile.
*Edit*
I figure this post should have a few shots of the car as I got it:
Here is the picture I got on this old dog that started this whole debacle:
And after getting her home:
A couple interior shots:
Nothing like the dead of winter and having a project car you can't touch.
Edited by Eliteman76 - 31-March-2009 at 4:14PM |
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Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
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Psquare75
Admin Group Member of the Stroker Club Joined: 26-November-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 4591 |
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I always liked the Pro Matic 2 shifter out of the 3 shifters I had in my Elite/Cougar combo.
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Paul
77 XR7 460/C6/3.00:1 *SOLD* 78 XR7 523/C6/3.5:1 79 F100 460/TKO500/3.25:1 'I also have some left over potatoes-I understand you can generate electricity from them'- Foote500 |
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picon3
Senior Member Joined: 20-February-2007 Location: North Carolina Status: Offline Points: 2097 |
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Andy,
That sounds like a good ending to a potentially bad situation. Keep us posted.
Paul~
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1972 GTS 351CJ-4V black/black
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Eliteman76
Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 5044 |
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Well, managed to get the engine pulled last weekend. Spent most of my Saturday outside doing spring GTS cleaning...like picking all the green GTS stuff that was sitting in the back yard {my back yard looked like a Torino exploded rather violently}.
Cleaned, organized, tossed a few misc. chunks of junk. Got done cleaning and started in on the '73 GTS. Unbolted the trans from the engine, converter looks brand new.
The engine was basically sitting loose on the mounts...only had 3! bolts hand tight on the engine mounts. Discovered the PO had done freeze plugs.
Thing had a 1/2" of greasy, going to dig out the scraper and power washer this weekend...looking at taking and power washing the entire front engine bay as it is in desperate need of a good cleaning.
Planning on taking a few bits to get powerdercoated Ford Engine blue or black, just to clean a few things up. Brackets, valve covers, maybe the air cleaner.
Debated about pulling the front clip, but I don't want to get into that sort of RFROSFI {remove fix or replace or say F it!}
I have an older edelbrock 4 barrel intake but a questionable carb, so for now it's staying a 2 barrel setup.
I have that smashed GTS hood...and a spare flat hood. Not going to do it right now, but do you get the picture? I'm thinking time to have the hood these cars should of come with from Ford, like what I have for prototype pictures showing a factory 1972 GTS with the hood scoop.
I was outside until 1am messing with pulling that engine...I got done pulling it around midnight in my driveway...it's funny, I sware during the day if you drop a wrench it's nothing big, but drop a 3/4" at 12:30am, and I sware it sounded like a gun shot...startled the hell out of me.
I'm thinking about changing out the wheels, been wanting to go run to a you-pull-it to find some more 16" crown vic police steelies...maybe look for a rear sway bar off a crown vic.
Occasionally get lucky around here with cop cars.
I wanted to have it running by now, but likfe has been pretty crazy lately, and trying to give myself time to work on this stuff has been kicked back to the weekends. I was going to work on it the other night, but after work, I got home right as a hell of a storm rolled through. Around Omaha, 8 tornados.
I watched as the main storm rolled past my place to the west of me a mile or two, and heard about stuff just getting wrecked.
Small town called Eagle, had three tornados span, one hit the town, the others 1 north, one SW of the town. crazy stuff like people watching the storm hit and seeing a house a few blocks down explode.
Anyways...going to have some more fun tonight. time to go use a plasma torch on the hood.
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Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
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BBPeik
Senior Member Joined: 17-July-2008 Location: San Diego Status: Offline Points: 357 |
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Sounds like things are coming along pretty good. fun to have another car to play around with huh. If I go to the junk yard what kind of crown vic do I have to look for to get the rear sway? Will the front sway fit too? What mods have to be done to make it work? I have seen a few cvpi units at yards around here and my buddy is an officer so he can get me into the police yard. Good luck with the hood.
Thanks Brendan
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1973 Gran Torino Sport 357 Cleveland FMX 3.50 auburn pro posi 1969 Black Jade
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Eliteman76
Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 5044 |
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Well, I got the engine dropped in, but geeze I forgot what a PITA an automatic can be. I should of just pulled the front clip and did the engine and transmission as an assembly, but I left the transmission that came in the car there. Oddly enough, I got my paperwork from Ford detailing some info on the car, and I learned it had an FMX and not the C4 I assumed it had.
Shows you what I know at times!
Got the 1/2" of grease off the cross member...it was only 42 degrees for a high here, so no power washing yet.
Just gross.
I'm having an issue with the trans not wanting to align up quite right, so tomorrow I go back out to pull it slightly out, and mess with it some more.
Brendan-
On the CV stuff, I don't know 100% yet. I had a talk to a guy with a '97 CVPI that had both sway bars...if he does not sell the car, I may end up getting both bars for $40. Only problem, a portion of the rear bar mounts are welded to the housing.
I know I'd like to snag one of the aluminum driveshafts off the 2000-ish cars...nice robust piece that could probably be made to work from measurements I took a while back {In theory, anyways...}
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Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
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Eliteman76
Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 5044 |
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Shot from last week...nothing like being outside around midnight pulling an engine.
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Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
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1975MontegoMX
Senior Member Joined: 06-August-2008 Location: Chicago,llinois Status: Offline Points: 206 |
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good to hear, what engine did you put in there again? i know you had a few with the car if i remember that right? I feel you with the weather 37 in Chicago and supposedly snow later
The driveshaft would be a great idea, be interested to see if it worked George Edited by 1975MontegoMX - 28-March-2009 at 4:27PM |
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1975 Mercury Montego MX /351 M/
1986 Ford Crown Victoria /302/"5.0" |
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BBPeik
Senior Member Joined: 17-July-2008 Location: San Diego Status: Offline Points: 357 |
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Thanks I look forward to hearing about the sway bars. Good to see your engine going in too. Thanks Brendan |
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1973 Gran Torino Sport 357 Cleveland FMX 3.50 auburn pro posi 1969 Black Jade
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Eliteman76
Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 5044 |
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George-
This GTS was a 351c 2v/FMX combo, according to the letter I got from Ford.
On the replacement, I got a 1974 351c 2v from a Montego...blasted thing had all the emissions junk on it, and I removed the rats nest of tups and vacuum tees as the lines were just junk.
Not of course I need to figure out what hoses go where for what.
{This is why I like my 4 speed car so much more.}
Andy
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Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
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Eliteman76
Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 5044 |
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OK, I was going to post pictures, but sort of hard to do this at work when I forgot to upload to phobucket last night.
Anyways, I'll revise this post hopefully tonight, but need help!
I'm a bit lost honestly, when it comes to all the vacuum lines for the automatic stuff.
I also need help on hooking up a points coil. I know I have a 1973 duraspark engine harness somewhere, but for now, I am just leaving the points setup on the car.
On this car, I have a 4 port manifold on the firewall with 4 hoses.
That piece does not have the line going to the brake booster.
I have a seperate manifold I can use, or swap the metal manifold tee, IF I can get the damn thing loose off the manifold {it is stuck frozen and I don't want to break the thing off.}
There are the metal lines going down to what I assuming is the vacuum modulator on the FMX.
Where do these get hooked up? There is a big line and small line.
The distributor has two ports. I know there was a discussion recently about a single and twin port, but forget the post. the front distributor port I am assuming goes to the 2v carb's port on the front passenger side?
Is the side port for that line that went to a temp sensor deal in the water pump?
My replacement engine had a pipe fitting in place of that. Not planning on putting one in, either. The side port is currently blocked off with a piece of hose, and I plan on replacing with a cap, unless it needs to be hooked upfor the vac advance.
I am not going to run a line to the flapper door on the air cleaner snorkle. The snorkle got smashed, and not going to bother with replacing as I took it off and plan on probably just fabricating a mid plate with seal to the hood, so it pulls air in through the hood scoop.
Last,
How does a points type coil get hooked up? This car was apart when I got it, engine wiring harness was ok, but pulled off to the side, and from what I can tell thankfulling it's all there and not messed up.
I see there is the lead coming off the distributor, but I don't know if that goes to the positive or negitive off the coil? What about the harness lead? I am assuming the lead from the engine harness goes to the + positive and the - negitive goes to the distributor?
Also, shouldn't there be a capacitor off one of the terminals, for filtering?
Thanks
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Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
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mcford
Senior Member Joined: 31-May-2003 Location: Utica, Michigan Status: Offline Points: 2160 |
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distributor wire is negative side. no capacitor. vac port off pass side infront of choke goes to vac port ot the front of the vac advance. two vac lines to the vac modulator, its a dual vac modulator. i replaced mine with a single style modulator. as for the vacuum ports, you can use the firewall mouned deal or put a 3 or 4 port fitting in the intake. my 72 uses a 4 port in the intake. large 3/8 port for booster, one small port for vac mod, one port to go to vacuum canister for heater controls and the 4th i capped off.
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351BBGTS
Senior Member Joined: 30-December-2007 Location: Bryant, Arkansa Status: Offline Points: 250 |
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Mcford did exactly what i did with mine. my 73 originaly came with a C and i used the T off the back of the manifold for my windsor manifold. i took off the canister and ran the T from the manifold and just caped the 4th vacuum nipple off. it really doesnt matter which nipple the vac modulator gets hooked up to as long as its getting full vacuum to it. same as for the heater. i just used little zip ties to hold them in place. the temp sensor should be on the back of the C manifold if i do recall. i took that off on my C and put it on my windsor manifold which is in the front.
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'73 Gran Torino Sport "H" Code
Out with the Cleveland, In with the Windsor Cleveland build in the near future |
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Eliteman76
Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 5044 |
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Thanks guys, I appreciate it. I hate being fuzzy, but after dealing with my '72 GTS for so long, and working on nothing but duraspark stuff. I drew a blank because I didn't pull this car apart.
Temp sendor is on the front of the block, to the right of the waterpump. Oil pressure sender is on the back of the block.
On the modulator, both FMX transmissions I have are dual lines, and for now until I get the car driving I am not so worried about it.
If I end up changing over the car to a floor shifted setup, I will put a basic shift kit in the trans, and switch out a few parts then. Right now I need to just make it mobile under it's own power.
Thanks again
Andy
Edited by Eliteman76 - 31-March-2009 at 5:59AM |
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Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
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Eliteman76
Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 5044 |
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And a few more pictures:
Shot of the replacement 351c, as I was taking a break from scrubbing alot of built up dirt and a layer of oil off the engine. If I could of sandblasted this thing I would of...but it cleaned up from a ball of dirt, oil and cast iron V8 coolness to a slightly less ball of dirt and oily goodness.
Does the car look like it's almost frowning a bit?
Need to fix that front bumper, soon enough.
Well, it's in, after fighting to aling it, making darn sure the converter was properly seated before I bolted the engine and transmission together.
Man, nothing says Total Performance like a motorcraft 2 barrel carb. Well, at least the growl from the glass packs will make is sound fast, right?
Shot of the beast with a beat up 1972 400 V8 air cleaner.
More to follow. Might have something in the works concerning the body, going to play it by ear.
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Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
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Eliteman76
Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 5044 |
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I forgot this thing had air shocks...I poked around, and found the air fitting on the back of the car, right next to the gas cap under the flip down plate holder.
My '72 GTS had the same setup when I got it. What the hell is it with old Torinos and air shocks and cragers mags? LOL
I pumped up the shocks and watched the ass of this beast raise up a foot.
Now it's looking like a 70's street freak should!
Edited by Eliteman76 - 31-March-2009 at 4:24PM |
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Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
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351BBGTS
Senior Member Joined: 30-December-2007 Location: Bryant, Arkansa Status: Offline Points: 250 |
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i need to get a set of air shocks for mine to raise that ass up! lol. I just have heavy duty ones. Man your pictures look like my car all freaking summer! With the same laser stripe and all. yours is just white and mines baby blue woot woot lol. Glad you finally got it all buttoned up. i would like to hear it with the glass packs.
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'73 Gran Torino Sport "H" Code
Out with the Cleveland, In with the Windsor Cleveland build in the near future |
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Eliteman76
Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 5044 |
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Hell, it's a ways from being buttoned up, but it's getting there.
Joys of retiming the engine are coming up. I had to swap distributors, and wasn't happy about going to a points type unit, but for now if it runs ok, it's staying in until I dig up an ok duraspark harness.
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Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
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1975MontegoMX
Senior Member Joined: 06-August-2008 Location: Chicago,llinois Status: Offline Points: 206 |
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Looking good! What are your plans for the body?
George |
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1975 Mercury Montego MX /351 M/
1986 Ford Crown Victoria /302/"5.0" |
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Eliteman76
Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 5044 |
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For now, not a whole lot.
I have two good doors, a good original fastback 1/4 for the left, and portions of the right 1/4 that will get reused. Wheel houses and rockers need attention in places, so they will be getting replaced complete like the factory did them as I have complete assemblies off the green wrecked GTS.
Need to locate a good driver's fender where I don't have to drive a total of 12 hours to get the thing.
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Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
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1975MontegoMX
Senior Member Joined: 06-August-2008 Location: Chicago,llinois Status: Offline Points: 206 |
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What about those JC Whitney fenders? The other guy who bought them, his didn't look too bad.
George |
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1975 Mercury Montego MX /351 M/
1986 Ford Crown Victoria /302/"5.0" |
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Eliteman76
Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 5044 |
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Oh, those quarter panels looked ok, but I need a front fender.
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Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
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1975MontegoMX
Senior Member Joined: 06-August-2008 Location: Chicago,llinois Status: Offline Points: 206 |
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Oh I thought they had fenders too. I looked at it again. None in the yard you were at?
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1975 Mercury Montego MX /351 M/
1986 Ford Crown Victoria /302/"5.0" |
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Eliteman76
Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 5044 |
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Oh, there was a nice front clip on that white Ranchero, but that involves me driving back out there, which from my house is about a 12-13 hour round trip.
If I go back out there, I will be dragging home a complete car and not just a front clip for that sort of effort...because the sick part of the deal is the car and the front clip would end up costing me about a $100 difference from that guy.
I was also informed by my buddy in Colorado, there is a '73 GTS he has picked up from Colorado he is stripping for a back up race car {not the one I got} and he has a couple sets of laser wheel well moldings I need to pick up.
Along with 3 sets of glass, interior parts...wiring...I am going to have a truck load of crap coming home this summer.
And no place to store it!
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Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
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Mark
Member Joined: 10-December-2006 Location: Illinois Status: Offline Points: 50 |
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Andy: Which fender do you need. I am going to part out my first 73 and had also purchased a used 73 ranchero fender with no rust. PM me if you want to discuss.
Mark
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Mark
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Psquare75
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I for one like the air shock and Cragar look :)
I have a cheapo console I can sell you from a Torino, if you need one. |
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Paul
77 XR7 460/C6/3.00:1 *SOLD* 78 XR7 523/C6/3.5:1 79 F100 460/TKO500/3.25:1 'I also have some left over potatoes-I understand you can generate electricity from them'- Foote500 |
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mcford
Senior Member Joined: 31-May-2003 Location: Utica, Michigan Status: Offline Points: 2160 |
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you can store that extra stuff at my place, no charge!
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mcford
Senior Member Joined: 31-May-2003 Location: Utica, Michigan Status: Offline Points: 2160 |
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how cheap is cheap for a console............
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Eliteman76
Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 5044 |
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Thanks Mark-I sent you a PM. I'm personally getting rather excited about changing out the rotors and setting the car up for a 5x5 bolt pattern with 5/8" wheel studs and 1" lug nuts...now I just need another pair of 295/50/15's for the other pair of rims.
Amazingly enough, all the shocks on this thing are solid...this car does not bounce...I don't know how much air I put in them this weekend, but the back is pumped up. May have to pick up some regular shocks...but not worried about it right now.
A console right now would mean I need to get some buckets...which right now I am holding off. I got word back from my buddy Steve he has another pair of seat tracks for me when i get the glass and trim, so that's when this stuff is going in.
I may end up going to get the buckets and console out of the cougar, but it's entirely up in the air right now.
I'd really like to go get that Ranchero...but I don't want to drag another car back here and go through what the heck I did to the GTS.
If I could find someone who might want that white Q code ranchero, minus the front clip and doors, I'd probably gladly let it go cheap with the 9" and pretty clean body tub.
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Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
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Eliteman76
Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 5044 |
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Well, I am going Saturday to pick up a set of 16" CVPI steelies with some ok goodyears...time for the keystone unilug mags to get off the '73 GTS.
Going to maybe spend some time tomorrow trying to start the thing up...need to change to oil and such but I am hopig all goes half way ok.
I plan on having the fire extinguisher handy for this one...
eh, in all honesty, will be nice to get her mobile. Need to adjust the trans shifter.
I swapped out the steering wheel the other night and put on the wheel I saved off that blue '72 four-door, such an improvement.
Probably should replace the steering box with a spare, but for now I want to just get it drivable.
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Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
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