Category Archives: Auto History

Mustang II Diaries 1

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http://mustangiidiaries.blogspot.com/

In November 2004, on a whim, I purchased a 1977 Mustang II off eBay. I don’t know the first thing about restoring old cars. But I had one of these when I was a teenager and it’s always owned a piece of my heart.There have been times when I’ve thought to myself–What were you thinking! I’m a mom of twin 6-year-old boys, with no extra money, and no mechanical experience! But I just love my car. Whenever I’m stressed, I drive it around town and I feel better.

Restoring my old Mustang–just keeping it running–hasn’t been easy. For a girl who never even
changed oil before, I had a LOT to learn. Progress is slow and I’m not quite ready to rebuild an engine, but I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished so far.

A Girl Gets In Over Her Head Restoring a 1977 Mustang II

Friday, July 2, 2010

New Wheels!

Pretty soon after getting my car, I decided to switch out the spoke-y hubcaps for some cooler looking wheels. Looking through an old Mustang II brochure, I saw a white with red stripe Cobra II with white lacy wheels and liked the look. Matching wheels to paint is not a look that appeals to everyone, but I thought that white wheels would be unique and add some personality to my otherwise ho-hum coupe.
I bought a set of 4 vintage white lacy spoke wheels from another II owner, along with four chrome center caps. As you can see from the pic, above, the wheels needed a lot of work. They’d been sitting in someone’s garage for years! I had them stripped down to the metal and powdercoated white. The picture below shows the powdercoated wheels and new tires mounted on the car. They look SO weird without the pinstripe! At this point I was thinking, hm, maybe this wasn’t such a great idea.
Locating someone to paint the pinstripes was more challenging than I thought. Apparently pinstripe painting by hand is a dying art. But I did eventually find a guy who owned a sign business (Shane’s Signs) in Manassas, VA who could do it. When I saw the final product I knew I had made the right decision about the wheels.
I might change them down the road but for now, I think they add a lot to the overall look of my coupe.

Mustang Muscle in the Mid 70′s Prt 4 1977

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As it turned  out 1977 was one of the lower sales years.  The average since 1974 was around 180k or more.  For 1977 the sales number fell a bit short @ only 150K.  (Believe it or not that was more than Mustang sales for the 1971, 1972 and 1973 models!!).

There was some excitement for the 1977 Mustang.  For one thing the Cobra II could be had in white with red stripes and if that doesn’t stop your heart the options chrome luggage rack for the ’77 hard top coupe will.

You might be thinking, “Hey wait a minute!!!  Did he say ‘hard top’?  ‘Hard top’ as in there was something else?  Like a CONVERTIBLE?   THE CONVERTIBLE IS BACK?”    Well YES, if you spell it ‘T-TOP‘.

That’s not a bad-looking car!!! Agree?

The huge option for 1977 was the T-Top.  Frankly, I like T-Tops.  I had a Camaro with a T-Top and loved it.

Engine line up was the same as the previous years with the V8 302 (in the Cobra II package) producing 139 hp.

The Cobra package also include honeycomb wheels (or I think they were referred to as ‘lacy’).

Yeah..I guess they are more ‘lacy’ than ‘honeycomb’.

Thanks for reading and check out this blog.  The owner overs some of her issues when restoring a 1977 Mustang.

http://mustangiidiaries.blogspot.com/search/label/engine

Tim

Six Cylinder Super Charged

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Technology has come a long way in the car world.  Early on getting 100 hp from an eight cylinder was tough, much less from a six cylinder.   Now days you can get a V6 Mustang with a base horse power for up to 305.  Add a super charger and you can squeeze out 427 hp from the same engine.  Yes technology as come a long way.  Really?That’s what I would have thought. Super charging has been around in the hot rod, drag racing world, for some time, but in a production, oh that’s fairly new (last 10 years or so).  But reading an article from Hemmings Motor New dispelled this notion I had.

So you’re thinking how far back was super charging something for sale to the general public, 60’s maybe…70’s maybe?  How about 1937?

Yes.  A car company by the name of Graham produced a 6 cylinder coupe.

1937 Graham Coupe

Supercharger badging

That’s a nice looking coupe.  Here is a shot of the super charged straight 6 and one of the charger it’s self.

 

Straight 6 cylinder.

 

 

The supercharger. This was Graham own design of a centrifugal super charger which they manufactured themselves.

They used this first on their straight eight engines then on the straight six.  They preformed so well that they nearly equaled the power of the eight-cylinder.  The car was lighter with the smaller engine and that helped it hit 60 mph in just 14.5 seconds by producing 112 hp.  The car came into chassis lengths 116 inches which had 106hp, 199.1 cid straight six and 120 inches which had 116hp 217.8 cid straight six.  What about gas mileage? How’s 23.95 MPG grab ya.

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Selling Cars – Lincoln 1961

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This another post where we are amused by the content of the write-up and this time the pics as well.  At the bottom check out the very cool dash.

Here is an excerpt from the write-up:

“”Car stopped running due to a split in the intake. I could not find a replacement part, but have not looked in 6 years. I talked to a machine shop about fabricating the part, but just never followed through. At the time, this was the *only* thing mechanically wrong with the vehicle, although this was over 6 years ago.

Please excuse my dog and my thumb in the pictures. Dog and thumb not included.””

Thumb

[——————————————————]

Dog

Thumb again.

[——————————————————-]

Ok, joking aside.  I love this dash.  Love the way the gauge clusters are separated and  the AC unit in the center sitting on a shelf.
Is this a 360?  I feel an engine spec article coming on.
Thanks for reading.
Tim

Rotary Engine Part 2

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Here is a quick run through of the combustion sequence for a rotary engine.

 

 

Thanks for reading

Tim

Rotary Engine Part 1

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Rotary engines have always been a mystery to me.  Never understood them, no clue on how they worked.  Here is a great little vid on how it works.

Thanks for reading

Tim

FEATURE: 1978 VW Bus

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This from Classic Recollections (http://classicrecollections.com/2012/07/16/feature-1978-vw-bus/).

I’ve never owned but  I have a brother-in-law who has restored a few – they weren’t show quality like this one but they were in fact fully functional.    Although WV buses required “frequent” attention, the repairs aren’t difficult, but I’m not sure the fun outweighed the trouble.

This 1978 VW Bus has undergone a 10 year restoration.

The first question most people are dying to ask when they spy Jack Connelly pull up in his 1978 VW Bus is, “Do you go camping in it?”

Jack Connolly has imparted his love of VWs to his kids: Anna and Jack Jr.

Who can blame them? For decades, these uber-functional hauling machines were the vehicles of choice for motorists who desired to get up close to the picturesque outdoors.

With their squared styling, compact rear-engine design and over-the-wheels driving position, these microbuses have interior space in overabundance. Add to this the Volkswagen camper model’s pop-up roof, and occupants are able to fully stand up.

**Want to know how Jack restored this roomy rolling classic? Head over to our full feature on the Daily Herald HERE**

________________________________________________________________________________________This 1978 VW Bus has been restored over a period of 10 years.This 1978 VW Bus was restored over 10 years.

This 1978 VW Bus has been restored over a period of 10 years.

Opening the side sliding door reveals the spacious interior that can accommodate all sorts of cargo.

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Formula 1 Engine calculations

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I wanted to share something I did related to piston speeds. As you know Formula 1 is near the pinnacle of technology in engine development. Back in 2003, I read an article about how the BMW Racing team developed their engine. The article stated they were very proud that for the 2003 season, their engine was a 3 liter V10 design which had a maximum racing RPM of 19200 and the piston sustained a maximum piston speed of 40 meters per second (which equals 7872 feet per minute maximum). The article further stated their piston sustained a maximum acceleration of 10,000 times the force of gravity at maximum revolutions per minute.

I was always curious about the bore vs stroke for such a small displacement, high revving engine, but they always kept that secret. I grabbed my old Dynamics book and realized I could solve for bore and stroke by two methods, using angular velocity and again by piston acceleration.

Please note, I found a typo on Page 1. It says VA and VB are parallel, when clearly it should be written VB and VC are parallel.

Enjoy and discuss!

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From Ted Yoder on ACE   http://www.arizonacorvetteenthusiasts.net/arizonavette/forums/index.php?showtopic=21192

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Engine Line Up – 1966 AMC

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Often over looked is the first year AMC products.  AMC invested approximately 300 million dollars in  advanced engine designs, bodies and plant facilities as it prepared for the move from Nash Rambler hold over to AMC proper.

Of course the company was formed from Nash Rambler (AMC Rambler) in 1958 and eventually just American  Motors Corp.  So 1966 found a fair amount of “redesign” going on.   The available models for that year were:

Rambler American Rouge Series 01 (4dr w/V8)

Rambler Classic 770 Series 10 (2dr conv w/V8)  (4dr station wagon w/6cyl)

Rambler Rebel  Series (2dr w/V8)

Marlin Series 50 (2dr w/6 or V8) (My favorite besides the Javelin)

I love these cars. The two-tone paint is great. I love the yellow and black, blue and black and the silver and black combo.

Ambassador 990  Series 80 (4dr w/V8)

Rambler Ambassador 990  Series 80 (2d conv w/V8)

1966 Rambler Ambassador 990 Convertible

Rambler Ambassador DPL Series 80 (2dr w/V8)

Gone from the engine line up is the 196.5 6 cylinder overhead valve engine.  It was replaced with the 198.8 In Line Six. It was a cast iron block with overhead valves and a bore and stroke of 3.57 x 4.00 inches.  It displaced 198.8 cubic inches with a compression ratio of 85:1 and mustered up 128 hp. It was topped with a 1bbl Holley carb.  This was the base engine and all of the models could have been optioned with it.  But that wasn’t the only 6 banger the American 232 cid with produced 155 hp which sported a 2bbl Holley carb.

On the V8 side of things there was the 287 cid.  It was a cast iron block with overhead valves with a bore and stroke of 3.75 x 3.25 which produced a compression ratio of 8.7:1.  Topped with a 2bbl Holley (model 2209-2699) it made 198 hp.  The other option was the 327 cid that put out 270 hp and carried a 4bbl Holley on top.

New for that year was the 290 V8 (4.8L) it had a bore and stroke of 3.75 x 3.28  and with an iron block and overhead valves which produced 200 hp with a 2bbl plopped on top for 225 with a 4bbl carb.  Snap up the car with an original 290, only 623 of these engine were place in the 1966 models (all may the “American” models vs the “Classic” (those should have 287 instead).

The 290 used sparingly in the 1966 models.

The 327 was available in 1966. It was 5.4 liters with cast iron block.  The bore was increased over the 287 (they were similar set up) and it had hydraulic lifters.

The AMC 327 was similar to the 287, but displaced 327 cu in (5.4 L) due to the bore increase to 4.0 inches (102 mm). Unlike the 250, the 327 was available with hydraulic valve lifters.  The bore and stroke was 4.0 x 3.25  and topped with 2bbl carb it produced 250 hp.  Put the 4bbl option and you push it up to 270 hp.

I really these early AMC.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

CRUISE NIGHT: Downtown Barrington, Illinois

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Downtown Barrington, Illinois's classic car cruise has been taking place for 9 years.Tucked away in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago is the quaint town of Barrington and every summer Thursday night, the classic cars come rolling in for the village’s weekly cruise. With its tranquil, tree-lined setting, easily accessible boutique shops and casual dining, this event is one draws automotive enthusiasts from all over.

Anne Garrett helps to oversee the downtown Barrington, Illinois classic car cruise night.

Anne Garrett

Anne Garrett serves as the Manager for Special Events and Marketing for the Village of Barrington and described to us how the cruise came to be.

“This year is our 9th year for the cruise, which got started in 2003. At the time, the village had been looking for ways to draw traffic and attention to the downtown area and knew a classic car cruise would be just perfect. Other neighboring suburbs had something similar so we did some research and determined we had what it would take to run a successful event. We settled on the South Cook street area and in all the years its been running, haven’t changed a thing.”

Anne informed us two village staff members and several members of the The Barrington Police will typically bring out a few vehicles to the classic car cruise.public works, as well as local law enforcement, are required to run the event.

“The Barrington Police will attend but it’s more of a public safety presence and a chance to interact with the local community.”

In addition, they also typically bring out vehicles from their fleet and allow spectators to get up close and personal with their high-tech cruisers. Volunteers from the Barrington Lions Club also help with the event.

Classic cars parked in downtown Barrington, Illinois for the classic car cruise. 2012“Four years ago we were approached by the group who offered their assistance. Every year since we’ve had 4 or 5 faithful volunteers help man the barricades and allow the cars to come in and out.”

Judging by the jammed lots, full of classic and custom cars, and the multitudes of owners and spectators milling about, it’s safe to assume the cruise has been a huge hit with the community.

“So far, the response has been tremendous. It seems every week people genuinely look forward to the event. They’re able to come early and go to the Farmer’s Market and then wander around the lots, checking out the cool classic cars. We rotate the onsite food venders and always have different entertainment so no two weeks are exactly the same.”

Classic cars parked in downton Barrington at the cruise. 2012

Expect the lot to be filled during the warm, cruising months.

The local businesses have taken notice of the increased foot traffic. Classic cars parked in downtown Barrington, Illinois for the classic car cruise. 2012

“We’re having more and more of our downtown merchants stay open late, which gives spectators many options for additional shopping and dining activities when they’re done seeing the cars. It really adds to the overall community feeling of the event and makes it a wonderful place to spend the evening.”

If you plan on attending the Barrington cruise and want to bring a four-wheeled relic, you’d better get there early.

“Our official start time is 6:30pm but the car owners will arrive and start cuing up around 4:30pm. Many of them want to make sure they get their ‘special spot’. Generally our end time is right at dusk, as the car owners don’t like driving home in the dark with their headlights on. We’ve been told they don’t like to run the risk of attracting bugs and having to put in the extra time cleaning them off.”

Classic cars parked at the 2012 downtown Barrington, Illinois classic car cruise.Each night throughout the summer has a theme, highlighting a certain brand, style or type of classic machine. While all are welcome, the themed vehicles are given special attention. Here is the schedule for the rest of the season:

July 19: 70’s Night
July 26: “Orphan” Cars
August 2: Mopar
August 9: Convertible
August 16: Sports & British Cars
August 23: Corvette
August 30: Trucks/ 4×4

** Want to know what events are taking place near you? Check out our Cruise Calender **

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At the downtown Barrington cruise, you’ll see everything from an ultra-modern Fisker Karma to all your favorite vintage Detroit muscle machines.

Classic cars parked at the 2012 downtown Barrington, Illinois classic car cruise.

**All photos and content by Classic Recollections and may not be used without permission. 2012 © **

Classic cars parked at the 2012 downtown Barrington, Illinois classic car cruise.

Classic cars parked at the 2012 downtown Barrington, Illinois classic car cruise.

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Classic cars parked at the 2012 downtown Barrington, Illinois classic car cruise.

Classic cars parked in downton Barrington at the cruise. 2012__________________________________________________________________________________

**All photos and content by Classic Recollections and may not be used without permission. 2012 © **