Monthly Archives: February 2010

Missed Car Show – Mustang Front End – Closure.

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We all love closure and especially when it ends well.

Mustang is back from the shop. Buying the control arms ahead time saved a few dollars.  HINT:  If you know you need a part, but not right away, but you have the funds (too many buts???) look for a sale.  I’m continually sent emails with discounts from Mustang parts places.  I purchased these on an email and got free shipping.  What I didn’t have was the spring perches.  Luckily I found them at a local place that specializes in muscle cars and in particular Mustangs.  They ran about $80 for the pair. 

 While they had  a part I splurged for a set of shocks…no labor because they had it apart already. (Hint:  More savings!!)

So I drove over to pick it up and drive it around the corner to the tire place and got two new tires tossed on.  I can’t believe the difference the new front end makes.  Took it out for a drive.  This car is nearly done. 

Side note:  I’m enjoying this Blogging thing.  Although we are light on the comments..Mr. Sears is always helping out there, it’s good fun.

Got to give a shout out to a loyal reader…HEY PDAWG!!!  Get me that pic of your garage!!!!

Restoration vs. Restromod

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There has never been a clear understanding between these two ways keeping a car alive.  Perhaps is not so much an understanding issue as to a delineation of the fine line between the two.

I do agree that there is a difference.  Clearly if one were to take a 1970 Camaro and put 1989 front end on it, or a Ford 8 bolt rear end and 351 Cleveland that’s a restro-mod.  A couple of car shows ago I saw a 1967 Ford Mustang with a Corvette engine (LS1) shoved under the hood.  Oh..hey..I have pics…here’s one and there on at the bottom of this post.


I spoke to the owner and asked him “why” to which he responded “Because I could.”

 

Sometimes it’s pretty easy to know when to call it a restoration or a restromod.  But what about finer changes, cosmetic, or safety changes.

I mentioned, in a previous posting, that a judge called my Mustang a restromod. Which I was take back a bit by.   I started thinking about after I posted that and  I’m going to have to agree with him and here is why.

I believe the swapping of the 250 for a 302 wasn’t the problem (unless your definition includes a requirement for a matching year block …I’m sure mine isn’t from 1970 at least not the short block)  or the dual exhaust.  The Center Line wheels…. maybe.  Now the rear spoiler and the Mach I mirrors might be where I crossed the line.  You couldn’t have purchased a coupe with those items, as far as I can tell with the research I’ve done.  But aren’t we now just talking about accessories, like dice hanging from the mirror or a locking gas cap?

Now what if there was just a brake change (drum to disk) for upgrade for safety, or seat belts added or something as simple as steel belted tires.

Where would you draw the line?  Drop me a comment and let me know.

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Cleanest Garage of the Week – Disaster Garage of the Week Contest

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Hey….send me a pic of you nice clean garage…I’ll post them up here….under the post…Cleanest Garage of the Week.  OH…don’t have a clean garage (me either)…send me  your cluttered up, messy garage photo and I post it up here..under the post…..Disaster Garage of the Week?

I like this idea soooo much I’m going to offer up a $25.00 gift card for the winner of each to Home Depot or Checkers Auto.

Send me your pics and at the end of Feb. 2010 I’ll select the winner.  Send the email to me timsweet@cox.net and I’ll post the weekly winners right here.

This should be fun.

Dream Car, What’s yours?

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Yeah…I know it’s tough to pick…but what if you could pick two cars and the criteria was..1 old and 1 new (last two years)?

What you choose?  Drop a comment and to this post and let me know.

Mustang Front End – Why I missed the Car Show

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Well the news was pretty good.  Since I had the control arms already, I was only missing the spring seats (sometimes called perches) and a new set of shocks and I’m good to go – Labor $300.00 I was thinking much worse.

Tim Sisk asked when I was going to sell the car to him.  I laughed..he laughed and I said..HOW MUCH???  He laughed some more.

Need to pick up the parts Monday and get some new tires.  Good to go.

Missing Car Show “The rest of the story”

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The joys of owning a classic muscle car are numberous.  Restoring one takes some planning and forethought. errkkk……….having said that..it doesn’t take a genus to know that a 40-year-old car with nearly 200k miles on the body/frame and suspension might need stuff.

Well the tire problem I discovered was the direct cause of defective tire and serious wear (they aren’t that old).  The wear is a bit disturbing because of the limited miles I’ve driven it.

About 10 months ago I started feeling the typical sloppiness that a front gives you when it needs some attention. So I ordered upper and lower control arms, which wasn’t a budget buster, mainly because I’d planned on install them myself (labor is will kill the budget).  I stuck them away until I had time.  Well doing a little research I realized that for this Mustang I didn’t have the tools get the job done so I delayed it a bit longer.

I drive the Mustang to work a couple times a week (maybe) and on the weekend run errands.  So the front had to be much worse to do that much wear in those miles. I took it over a fellow Mustang owners shop (actually we recently sold it Mustang so he’s Stangless right now).

eeeeerrrrrrrrrrrkkk…………ok I have to say that this guy is partner/manager for a “chain” auto repair company.  I won’t say which one because, I normally won’t take my cars to such establishments. But I met Tim Sisk 3 years ago when I needed a quick oil change on the Mustang and I stopped in. We talked about Mustangs and I found him to be extremely knowledgable. So I had them to a few things for me.  It worked out great and now when I can’t do something on my own with Mustang and even a few on the Corvette I’ll take it there. Another benefit is that the place is two miles up the road.

I tossed the upper and lower control arms in the trunk and took the Mustang there this morning.  We put it up on the lift and sure enough the control arms needed to be replaced.  I’m sure there will be a few more things I’ll need and most likely they’ll have to be ordered and if I can swing a good deal on the labor I’ll have some shocks put on as well. 

So standby for the $$$$.  I’ll post it when I get the news.

Oh..there are lots places to get Mustang parts.  I happened to pick up the control arms from WSD. Worldwide Suspension Distribution LLC.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Restore or Mod it all cost money

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Money, cash, coin, bucks, what ever you call it’s the 900 lbs monkey sitting in the passenger seat right next to you!!!!

This can be tough.  Us average guys, have to “pinch pennies until Lincoln calls the cops”. Even then there is a lot of …free time..between mod or new parts.  Am I right?  You betcha.

You’ve heard the stories, that start out…”Yeah..and to sell her.” or “Got a family started.” or “Had to move and no place for the car.”

I wonder about the guys that say…”I have too many projects.” I’m thinking 40% of them ran out of money and then ‘honey’ said that it has got to go.

I don’t have a direct solution for your money problems and I won’t tell you anything you don’t know or haven’t already read about. What I will say is take your time. Work on it as often as possible, even if you are just wiping it down or cleaning a part. That way you don’t “loose” touch so to speak.

What is important is to keep track of what you spend, keep receipts, and spreadsheets are good for that. Why is it important?  For a couple reason:

1.  Most of us average guys are on a budget.  Keep one for your car.  Get prices ahead of time and match that up with your “real world budget” the one you keep to eat/pay the mortgage/utilities.

2. Investment purposes. It’s good to know how much you’ve spent.  That’s a big deal if you were to…go head winch now…you know what’s coming resell.

3.  Insurance – especially if it’s collector car insurance. Most will let set a value.  I have this for my Mustang.

errk…..story time!!!!!  When I first got the Mustang, I called my regular insurance company, told them I purchased a collectable car and I wanted to insure it.  They asked me how much it cost when it was new. I said $2,984.20. The gal on the other end of the line said “Then that’s how much we’ll insure it for.” as if it were a done deal.  So be careful.  I use Hagerty..they are great.  Remember my story about the kid that hit my Mustang….the paid for it all and kept sending checks when ever the amount went up.

Ok..more tomorrow.

Don’t forget about the Clean and Disaster Garage contest.  $25.00 gift card…..hey..it’s extra money!!!!

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Car Shows Judging

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There are basically two categories professional and average guy judging.

Now I must confess here I don’t understand the professional, there is just too much to know.  I frankly don’t know how some the of the larger shows can finish the judging – especially the contours judging.   Whether there are the proper pre-assembly marks and  is there the proper over-spray in the right places.  I suppose thats great in some respects and I guess is can see the necessity.

But I’m the average guy muscle car owner.  I like what I like and being judged by average peeps is ok by me.  I’d like them to have some car knowledge but it’s still not that necessary.

I found it interesting that at one of the medium size shows one guy called the Mustang a Restro-mod.  I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.  It’s period – meaning it could have been ordered that way at the time. Only real change is the larger tires and Center Line wheels.

The latest Hemming’s Classic Car issue has interesting reading on the subject of “original/survivor cars” vs “everything else”  I’ll do another post on that topic later on.

Couple of admin notes:

1.  If I mention a product or a publication it’s because I have an opinion or an “experience” with it.  This is a non-commercial blog. As of write now I don’t have plans to have ads embedded, click throughs or sell “stuff” .

2.  Send me comments. Post them up here or email them to me timsweet@cox.net.

3.  I don’t sell contact info either or send spam email.  If you email me that’s as far as your info goes.  I’ll even ask you if you mind having me post email contents before I do.

DON’T FOR GET THE CLEAN GARAGE/DISASTER GARAGE CONTEST.  $25.00 GIFT CARD IN THE BALANCE. GET ME THE PICS.

Car Shows (and some more)

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Having fun at car shows is easy.  Here’s some tips on enjoying even more.

1.  Talk to the other owners. You’ll learn a lot and make some lasting friends.  Last year I went to a large show with both cars and I spend more time wandering around then I did sitting by my car.  I met a lot of people. Here is Tucson, AZ we get a lot of “snow birds” – people escaping the really cold weather and hanging out down here.  I met a guy from up north w/ a beautiful 1972 Vette.  The following month we accidently met at an all Corvette show in another town. 

2.  Take someone with you.  Since I have two cars, I often get a work mate (someone I can stand for more then 2 hours) or one of my brother-in-laws (yeah from the group of  mechanically talented brother-in-laws) and I even had my neighbor – nice guy, great family drive one to a show. 

3.  Let the kids sit in the car.  This is so cool.  Not to many owners allow this.  But I tell them..it got here with me sitting in it.  !!!Flashback!!!! Remember my story about my uncle letting me sit in his Corvette.  Maybe it’ll spark some interest for another kid. Even better if safety permits I’ll even start the Vette for them.  Big deal you say….yeah..it is the sound is great and the 84 C4 is a graphical/digital display – no gauges.  It’s dark and black before you turn the key and then it lights up and the graphs run up to the max and back. Kids love it. You’d be surprized how many adult will sit in them..and take someone take their photo!!!

4. Participate in the events. Vote if it’s set up for entries to vote.  Have an event at your car.  I once had a company do a waxing demo on my Mustang during a show.  Lots of folks came up to watch.  I actually liked that wax and that’s all I use on  my cars “JAX” is the name they sell under. 

5.  Have a display, I always have magazine about the cars and original advertising brochures.  I have given away some of my son’s Car Art he created. I’ve seen some great ones that fill their car with period correct items like Coke coolers and Drive-Inn food trays or even the old Drive_In movie speakers.  CAUTION SOAPBOX WARNING:  I hate the displays with the dolls leaning up against the cars.  I don’t get it.  You know what I’m talking about they have these dolls face first into the grill or the tire or the trunk lid…ok sorry… END OF SOAPBOX.

Drop me a comment if you have an idea or two, maybe with something you do.

Thanks for reading.  Don’t for get about the Clean/Disaster Garage contest.