1970 Mustang – Replacing my Pillar Post Moldings Part I

If you searched and found or followed my posts on restoring the dash-board of my ’70 Mustang, then you might recall my planning/scheduling issues.    

As I was taking the old dash pad off, I realized that I hadn’t order the plastic pillar molding.  When I finally called a few Mustang parts supplies places I found them all to be out of stock and they had to put them on back order.  They did finally come in and it’s taken me a bit to actually find the time to replace them.  Well, this long 4th of July week, I’m at least going to get started.  (I have also do the valve cover gaskets as well.)   

So here again is what I’m replacing:   

Yeah..had to get creative to keep them on.

 

Pretty?

 

Now the new molding comes in any color you want as long as that’s black.   You’ll need to paint the proper color.  If you have the specs for you car you’ll easily find the interior color and places like National Parts Depot or Mustang’s Unlimited have the paint for the job.  I had to do this with a replacement armrest.  Which was horrible – replicas all came square and my Mustang’s armrests are rounded and have the overstuffed look like a leather sofa or overstuffed chair.  (I ended up pick up a use one in good shape and painted that..I think it was tan originally.)   

Oh..sorry…I wandered!!!   

The first think you have to do is prepare the plastic for holding paint.  The guys at National Parts Depot recommend SEM 38353 Plastic/Leather Prep. I’ve used it and it seems to do the trick.  Pretty simple….Spray surface, pay attention to recessed areas, wipe with clean cloth.  Use some gloves if you have office worker hands and put out the cigar while you using this stuff.   

SEM 38353 Plastic/Leather Prep

 

Sticking with the SEM brand I purchased a can of Universal Color Coat.  I used this paint on the aforementioned armrest and it lives up to the “Flexible Coating” label.  My Mustang’s interior is VP-15945 Vermillion.   

SEM Universal Color Coat

 

So next up I’ll do the prep and the paint.   

Molding

 

Thanks for reading.   

Tim

Auto Factoids for Week of 6/27/2010

HUGE this week…I mean HUGE…for me at least. 

6/30/1953  – Corvette debuts at NYC Motorama.  That’s a big deal.  6/30 is also my birthday.  Yup…5 years later to the very day the Corvette debuted my parents had another mouth to feed!!! 

1953 Motorama Corvette..And so it began!!!

 What?  You thought my baby pic…No Way!!! 

And 11 years later to the day the last Rambler was produced that was 6/30/1969. 

1969 - Rambler made a few fine cars...um...this wasn't one of them.

 

7/1/1908 United Motors was formed.  They build car components, at one point include Hyatt Roller Bearing Company (anti-friction roller bearings), New Departure Manufacturing Company (ball bearings), Remy Electric Company (electrical starting, lighting, and ignition equipment), Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company, later known as Delco Electronics Corporation (electrical equipment), and the Perlman Rim Corporation. It was later purchased by General Motors. 

Also on 7/1 the Graham auto plant in Canada produced its first Prosperity Six in 1931. 

1931 Graham

 

Again on the same day Pontiac selected Bunkie Knudson general Manager in 1956.  Bunkie Knudson – race car driver and innovator. 

Another biggie….7/2/1992 the 1 millionth Corvette was built.  It was a C4 Convertible.  Grabbed a picture of it at the National Corvette Museum while I was there a couple weeks back. 

1,000,000th Corvette at the NCM. Photo from my trip.

 

Thanks for reading. 

Tim

Abandon Car Pics Contest Win a DVD

Hey..I’m still looking for abandon car pics. Email them to me timsweet@cox.net  or drop by Average Guy’s Car Restoration, Mods and Racing facebook group.  Pls include a general location.

I still have two DVD’s to give way!!!  Here’s my latest.

1939 Packard.  Originally from Texas, it got left here in AZ and now sits outside Boot Hill in Tombstone, Az.

1939 Packard.

 

1939 Packard Originally from TX.

 

Still got the flat head tucked under the hood.

Just needs a little TLC on the interior...yikes!!!

STevie Award – Fisker Karma 403 hp!!!!

Since its inception in 2007, Fisker Automotive, a privately owned, premium American car company based in Irvine, California has proven itself as a force in the automotive industry by leading the premium green car segment with the 403 horsepower, 100 mpg Fisker Karma. The Karma could be world’s first premium plug-in hybrid electric vehicle when it arrives in showrooms early next year.

The company was based on the design capabilities of Fisker Coachbuild, LLC, founded by auto design veterans Henrik Fisker and Bernhard Koehler, and the PHEV powertrain capabilities of Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc, a major supplier of clean vehicle technologies to the automotive industry.

Fisker Karma

Wrenchin’ Tip – Priming a Holley 6/16/2010

YEAH!!!!  I know!! Where have these been…right?  Sorry, but I think I’m back on track. 

My Mustang has an old school 4 barrel Holley and although it starts pretty quick after a few pumps of pedal to get the mechanical fuel pump to push gas where it needs to be.  But if your old school muscle car or race rod sits for a while or you swap carbs often, you can spend some considerable time cranking on the engine.  This might seem like no biggie, but it can cause lobe failure on a flat-tappet cam. 

For my Holley there’s a better way.  

You need to locate your float-level sight plugs.  

Holley - image not from my mustang

 

A different configuration

 

Take a plastic squeeze bottle….  (Do you really need a pic of a squeeze bottle?)  Well just in case… 

Bottle Pic you don't need!!!

 

this type works the best…. and fill the float bowls with fuel until it trickles…(very little trickle…no fires…please.)  

Float Bowls

 

 This should be enough fuel to allow the fuel line to fill from the tank.  According to the specs a Holley can run 45- 60 seconds on full bowls. 

Keep your cam safe!!! 

Thanks for Reading 

Tim

Auto Factoids for the Week of 6/21/2010

Happy belated Father Day!! 

6/22/1954  Packard and Studebaker agreed to merge. 

6/22/1934  Hitler contracts Ferdinand Porsche to build cars with let to..you know  the VW and later the Porsche!!!!  

1934 VW

 

In 1958 on 6/26…just four days before I was born the first Datsuns was exported to the U.S. 

1958 Datsun.

 

We use to laugh at them.  My father and I once cut a wrecked B210 in half and replaced the entire rear and 1/2 of the roof from a donor car. 
That was kool!!!

The Art of Racing In the Rain

Ok.  I’m no Oprah but I just finished a book that race car people will love.  If  you love dogs, auto racing and a good story you are going to love reading  “The Art of Racing in the Rain”  By Garth Stein.

Go get it.  (no I don’t get paid for this…I just like it.)

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Auto Factoids for the Week of 6/13/2010

Oh..yes I’m behind. 

There was a huge one last week.. 

6/14/1832 – Nicolaus Otto was born in Germany…”Who?”   He invented the gas motor engine. An engineer and experimenter, Nicolaus Otto invented the first practical alternative to the steam engine in 1876 — the first four-stroke internal combustion engine. He called it the “Otto Cycle Engine,” and as soon as he had completed his engine, he built it into a motorcycle. 

The Otto Motor powered Cycle

6/16/1903 – The BIGGIE….Ford Motor Company was established. On the same day in 1953 Ford introduced the power steering.  (Two for the price of one) 

Also on 6/16/1896 Jean Peugeot was born in Paris.  Founder of Peugeot the auto maker.  The family began with coffee mills and bicycles and then cars. 

6/18/1943  Tom Gale was born in Michigan, Flint to be more exact.  His Dad was a designer for Buick and his grandfather worked the assembly for Buick.  Guess where he went to work when he finished school….nope….Chrysler.. Gale became head of design in 1985.  He previously worked on the some of the iconic cars such as the E-bodies-Barracuda and Challenger and was a major contributor to the  Chrysler Portofino concept car. 

1987-Chrysler-Portofinow Concept Car

 

6/19/1947 the Tucker shows up in Chicago. 

The Tucker-Torpedo - I love these cars!!!!

And on the same day, 1969 GM produced the 4 millionth Cadillac.   

This isn't actually "THE" 4 Millionth Caddy..but you get the idea.

Thanks for reading 

Tim

Hanging in Chi-town

Coming to you live from The Witt in downtown Chicago, it’s me typing on my laptop.   Three more days to enjoy relaxing and seeing the sights.

Speaking of sights..what I don’t see is a lot of muscle cars now or old…errrk… let me explain “lot” in this context it means…. “almost none”.  I’ve actual only seen one newish corvette (C6 – convertible) and a 1968 Mustang.  The Vette was on the street and the Mustang was parked in an alley.  That’s it!!!.

Muscle Car Drought..the only Vette I've seen!!

Ok…hang on,  if you think I just sit and type uninterrupted..nope…not much chance of that.

 My better half is here in the Windy City, at an international interior design event, where she’ll be giving a talk on….um…some interior design subject….um….yeah…I pretty sure that’s right and I tagged along. Nice little vacation where I can tool around a big city, which I enjoy doing from time to time.  What’s my point…umm…oh yeah….so I just ran out to get pick her up a couple of items while she is practicing her presentation.   On my return trip back to our hotel I spied  a beautiful custom 2010 Mustang..so..that makes three!!!

 Would you drive  your vintage or newish muscle car around a large city?  Let me say that I’ve been walking and taking cabs and even ridding on top of the double-decker tour bus and I’ve seen how these Windy City dwellers drive….I’d have to day…..I don’t think I would.  These folks drive 50 miles an hour between stop lights…but..still I might consider it early on a Sunday morning!!!

Oh…bTW…I know these guys!!!

My Parts Guy.

Oh and in the category of hanging 1930 Chevy’s….here ya go…a 4 door sedan at Portillo’s.

1930 Chevy..hanging in an eating establishment.

And up close:

1930 4 Door Sedan.

Engine and all are there for you to see.

Thanks reading.

Tim