11/10/14 – The first Dodge is produced and on the same day 11 years later Ford built its first Tri-Motor airplane.
Not the plane:
1914 - 4 Door Dodge Touring
This is the plane:
Fords 1925 Tri-Plane
11/11/1940 – The first Jeep
1940 Jeeps
11/12/1908 – GM takes over Oldsmobile.
11/25/1844 – Mr. Benz was more in Karlsruhe, Germany (Been there, the wine is excellent, the beer is better and the food is OUTSTANDING!)
11/26/1966 -The DeTomaso Mangusta debuts
1966 DeTomaso Mangusta
11/27/1870 – Joe Mach’s birthday. Yeah…the guy that started MAC trucks. The company started when Joe and his brothers purchased a carriage and wagon company in Brooklyn, N.Y. The first vehicle they produced was a tour bus. (1900) Next up was rail cars and locomotives. At the time they used the name Manhattan. Somewhere between 1910 and 1911 the name changed to Mack at about that time the Mack brothers bought a truck company. Oh..in case you are wonder the Bulldog became their logo in 1922 and the name was changed to MACK Truck. When I was a very young, we called all tractor-trailer Mack Trucks.
1910 Mack Hook and Latter firetrucks
New Auto Factoid format.
The Ford Mustang sold 419,000 cars in the its first 12 months on the marked. That number trumped the 417,000 cars set by the 1960………………Ford Falcon!!!!
When I began the restoration of my ’70 Mustang I knew that I wanted to replace the 250 straight six, with 175k miles on it, soon. I had several option, buy a new engine, buying rebuild or buying used. I chose to buy a re-manufactured long block and add my own components.
The option of buying a used engine and rebuilding myself wasn’t an option (average guy, average space and average tools) but I would have enjoyed it.
If you are going to purchase a used engine, dragging out of a junk can save you even more. But you’ve got to check it out before getting it home.
Here are a few tips that you can follow help prevent getting something home that the only real use it can server is to fill a corner the garage.
Now you aren’t going to be able to tear the engine down right there and look over all the parts but you could do the following checks.
1. If the engine still has the spark plugs, pull them a look them over. If they appear to have oil on them you might be looking at ring or value job being necessary (you might want to do that anyway). Likewise if they have water on them you may be looking at a head gasket problems or worse.
Fouled plugs
2. Most likely you are going to be able to pull the heads but you can remove the value covers. Look at for large mounts of sludge build up. That indicates other issues as well.
Sludge Build up
3. If you can drop the oil pan, check the contents for water or coolant contamination. You can also inspect the oil pump. Issues there indicate that there may be damage to pistons and crankshaft.
Oil Pan Gunk
Currently I’m looking for a used manual 4 speed for my ’70 Mustang. Now I don’t have any tips for that yet but I’ll let you know.
This was too good to just pass up and too much to just repeat here. That’s coming up next for my ’70.
So from http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2000/09/t5swap/index.php, here is some very good information on upgrading your Mustang’s (Ford’s) transmission.
Overdrive transmissions are a great thing. They enable you to significantly improve the gearing and acceleration of your car, while maintaining gas mileage and highway cruisability. Unfortunately overdrives, manual or automatic, weren’t offered in Ford vehicles until the late 70’s. But that doesn’t mean you have to be stuck with the non-overdrive C4’s. C6’s, and manual 4 speeds of the 60’s. Swapping in a late-model overdrive transmission, namely the T5 manual and the AOD automatic, is a straighforward swap for 289, 302, 351 equipped cars. In fact on most early Fords, the swap is so easy it makes you wonder if Ford was thinking ahead. In this article we’ll go over what it takes to swap in a T5 tranmisssion into an early Ford. In future articles we’re go over an AOD swap for early Fords, and also an AOD to T5 swap for late-model Mustangs.
Slight clearancing of the shifter opening in early may be required. We had to do it on our ’67 Mustang, but in a ’65 the T5 lined up perfectly.
Swapping into early Mustangs, Falcons, Mavericks, and Pintos is easy because the hole in the transmision tunnel for the shifter is in about the same spot on all the cars. The swap is also easy for Fox body cars such as the Granada.
For other Fords, namely the full-sized cars, the swap is a bit more difficult because the engine is placed farther forward in relation to the driver. Ford
used modified shifters and/or longer tailhousings to set the shifter back for the original transmissions in these cars. Unfortunately there is no such modification we know of for T5’s.
If your car is currently equipped with a non-overdrive manual transmission (Ford 3spd, 4spd, or Toploader) the swap is as simple as a clutch job, you can use your existing clutch and flywheel, but you’ll need a crossmember and possibly a slip yoke and driveshaft as mentioned below. For cars with automatics you’ll need to first install a clutch pedal and round up the clutch activation parts (either manual clutch linkage or a cable operated clutch.)
We’ve seen the T5 in several Falcons and Comets originally equipped with column shifters. The owner had to punch a hole in the transmission tunnel and fabricate a longer shifter and/or replace the bench seats with bucket seats. Most Ford cars sold with automatic transmissions have factory stamped holes in the firewall for the clutch pushrod or cable. Usually a hard tap from a mallet will knock the stamp out.
For Bronco and Ranger owners, jamesduff.com sells adapters to bolt the T5 to 2.9L and 4.0L engines.
Toploader and T5 dimensions
Transmission
A
B
C
D
F
Ford Toploader (small block)
6.375
13.25
25.375
n/a
5.5
Ford T5
6.9
14.5
24.7
15.4
5.5
Overal length (A+C)
Toploader: 31.75 in.
T5: 31.6 in.
Where to find a T5? The T5 transmission is a manual five-speed transmission manufactured for Ford, by Borg Warner (now Tremec.) The T5 was offered in Mustangs, Thunderbirds, Capris, and possibly other Ford vehicls from 1983 all the way up to 1996, but you have to be careful -there are different specifications for 4-cylinder, 6-cylinder, and V8 cars. What you want is a T5 from a V8 car, ideally a Mustang. The 1983-1989 V8 T5’s are rated at 265 lb.ft. of torque, while the 90-93 T5’s are rated good to 300lb.ft of torque (93 Mustang Cobra T5 is rated for 310 lb.ft.) The difference is in the internal components and also the gearing. See the chart below for gearing differences. The 1994-1995 T5’s are not desirable because the input shaft length and thus bellhousing depth were changed to accomodate the new SN95 Mustang body style. If you do come across one of these dirt cheap the input shaft can be replaced with one from an earlier T5, but it’d have to be a really good deal (read free) to go through the trouble. Finally, we should mention that the T5 is also called the “World Class T5”, but many people incorrectly believe the term World Class refers to a stronger type of T5. All Borg Warner T5’s are considered “World Class”, so don’t rely on that term to indicate the type of T5 you have. The best bet is to find the T5 attached to the car, or with reliable evidence of the car it came out of. If that fails, look for the stamped aluminum tag hanging of one of the tail shaft bolts and use the ID chart to identify the model. Copy the numbers down and call D&D or Hanlon and beg them to tell you what year it’s out of.
While it is best to shoot for the 90-93 T5 due to its increase torque capacity, you shouldn’t pass up a good 83-89 T5, espeically if you’re engine is not heavily modified. We’ve found that T5 strength and longevity is more a factor of its condition and mileage rather than it’s torque rating. A used, high mileage, Cobra T5 will probably shift poorly and give out much sooner than a earlier T5 that came out of grandma’s car. The T5 in Project 11.99 was bought from a wrecked 1990 Mustang 5.0 with 50,000 miles. We’ve had it in the car for nearly five years now, over 400 passes at the strip, and it shifts as crisp as it did on day one.
By the way, always take the bellhousing and block plate if they are available. The T5 swap can be done two ways, using a T5 bellhousing or using an early Ford manual bellhousing. It is much easier and cheaper to use the T5 bell, we’ll explain why below.
What to pay?
Used T5’s can be bought for as cheap as $100 out of a wrecking yard, however we rarely ever see Mustang 5.0’s in public wrecking yards, most of the cars go to specialty dismantelers. You’re better off searching the classifieds and online Ford bulletin boards for guys parting out their Mustang, or perhaps upgrading to stronger transmission wanting to sell the T5 cheap. A fair price for a used, but not abused, less than 80K T5, is between $300 and $500. Any more than that and you should consider buying a rebuilt/refurbished T5 for around $700 from places like D&D or Hanlon. If you want to be extra safe you can buy the T5 new. Both the above sources, as well as Ford Racing Parts and Summit Racing, sell brand new T5 “Z” spec transmissions. The Z spec. transmisison is rated for 330 lb.ft. and sells for around $1300.
A few big ones this week.
11/15/1977 – Ford sell its 100 millionth CAR. What was the car? A Mustang? One of the legendary F150s? Nope it was a 1978 Ford Fairmont Futura (the triple F).
Ford Fairmont Futura (The Triple F) Although some owners had an additional F to add.
The guy that started Honda Soichiro Honda was born 11/17/1906 in Japan.
11/18/1940 Buick produced it 4 millionth car.
http://ucapusa.com/heritage_buick.htm
1940 Buick Super Coupe
One day and 19 years later (11/19/1959) Ford stopped the production of the ugliest cars you’d love to own the “Edsel”.
I love going to car shows. I recently attended one of Tucson, AZ largest car shows called “Cops and Rodders” (for my 3rd year). It is huge by our standards, over 500 cars, trucks, military vehicles, emergency response vehicles and a lot more. Entering my cars is a lot of fun and getting to talk about them we complete strangers, often having nothing in common with you except that love of cars, is a great way to spend a day.
Besides having conversations with anyone that stops by, I enjoy wandering around the shows. There aren’t too many cars that don’t interest me. Oh I don’t really care for the tricked out PT Cruiser with the giant stereo or limo-Hummers (or any other SUV in that configuration), but there’s something about most cars I can find to like.
One of my favorite, all time favorite thing are the painted dash boards of the 60’s and earlier cars. The lines are clean, the surface is smooth and rather than dull down the interior it makes bright and colorful and the contract between the paint, the chrome that normally accompanies them and the gauges just stand out that much more.
Take this 1960’s Impala. It’s bright and clean. Not the dull, padded dashes of today’s cars. Yes..I get the safety aspects and that’s a good thing, but come on, look at this and say you don’t like it…I bet you can’t.
1960 Impala
It's a thing of beauty!!!!
Got a painted dash? Send me a pic and I’ll post it up.
I’m going to ruin the ending, but I did end up with a quality install on my wife’s Lexus with quality glass.
Thanks reading.
Tim…………………Ok…just kidding.
The ordeal continued when I told the shoddy installer that I didn’t want them to return and remove the fun house mirror from the font of the Lexus. This prompted several calls back to my insurance company. For about two hours I telephonically (that might not be a word!!!) climbed the corporate ladder until I got to the “Head of Corporate Glass” (that was the exact title…).
The individual I spoke to, listened to my story, including the intentional installation of faulty mirror support, and assured me the concern would be taken seriously. That part went well and the next part was even better, but first have to set it up a bit.
It seems that when the previous windshield was installed I was authorized the original glass because the car was under 3 years old. That was their policy. However, since the car was over 3 years old this time, they would not authorize the original glass, unless…I paid a difference of $800.00. (More on the price of glass in a bit later.)
So I was surprise when the ‘Head of Corporate Glass’ (I hear this in a booming God-like voice, like when God spoke to Charlton Heston in the famous movie “Mose and the 10 Commandments”) say, “We’ll wave the $800.00 and authorize you original glass.” I won…I won…I beat the evil insurance company!!!…Oh hold the proverbial horses…the round-up wasn’t exactly over.
She next told me I had to have the same installer put in this ‘quality glass’. Oh…the horses have stopped. I did not agree and she insisted, stating that because of the warranty they (the insurance company) had with Mr. Shoddy Glass Inc. it was required to have them re-install the new piece. I said that I should have the right to have anyone put it in and that whatever agreement they (the insurance company) had with them (Mr. Shoddy Glass Inc.) wasn’t my problem. I also mentioned again their total disregard for the safety and quality which should concern them (the insurance company….ok…do I have to keep lawyer-ing up here?….actually I just want to see how annoying I could be!!!…I sure someone will let me know.) and they would have paid a lot more if the swinging mirror resulted in an accident. She still insisted and I asked to be moved up a rung in the corporate ladder and she said there wasn’t a next rung. I said no again and she said ok. Ok…let the horses go because this was a complete victory!!!! Score a point for the down trodden masses!!!!
Almost…..it took nearly 3 weeks to get the new glass. The first company I selected said they couldn’t order the windshield. I said, sure you can. A few day later, they said we can’t find the glass to order. I called the dealership and got the part number and even how long it would take to get in (two days). I gave the installer the information. One week later still no windshield. I called the installer back and found that they called the insurance company and someone a bit lower than ‘Head of Corporate Glass’ unauthorized original glass.
So another call to ‘Head of Corporate Glass’ . I wasn’t able to talk to HER (get it..all caps???) but the lady I did talk to found the note from HER and said sure, no problem. I said “Hold your horses, missy”. And with that we telephonically (it’ll be a real word when I done with this article!!!) found the guy that “de-authorized” my original glass and while we are all conference together, had him talk to a 3rd installer and tell them I was authorized… with everybody on the line as witnesses. Ok…party hat time and no can’t you get back time it took you to read this!!!!
There was one more interesting revelation when I compared the prices of the glass provided by Mr. Shoddy installer, my insurance company preferred vendor, paid for the glass and what Mr. Speedy (yup that’s what Mr. We Know What We Are Doing installer is officially known as) paid for original. I know why Mr. Shoddy was preferred. See below:
Mr. Speedy – $1350 for original Glass
Mr. Shoddy – $252 for OME glass (There was no extra charge the fun house entertainment.)
One of my favorite things is to have a reader drop by virtually and tell me about their rides. I’ve known Bill for 2 or 3 years now. We use to work in the same building and his car is nearly mint. What makes this even better is that Bill wrote up his own narrative. So I just have to copy and paste.
Take it away Bill.
Hi Tim:
Here are some LeBaron pics. (Pic are below) There are some from back in 2004, and the most recent from Jan 1, 2009 when the car turned over 100K miles. We actually celebrated that day the car’s odometer adding that most significant 1 to 5 zeros.
I bought this car Oct 2nd, 1991 from Celebrity Chrysler Dodge in San Jose, CA. The sales price was a whopping $15,344.15 out the door and no, I did not get any paint protection package, or extended warranty.
I know you won’t believe this, but this has been the very best car I have ever owned. It currently has 110K miles, and has the original water pump, alternator, AC compressor and Freon, fuel pump, master cylinder, and I could go on and on. The transmission was rebuilt a few years back, but otherwise only wear and maintenance items have been replaced. It has been very dependable from day one. I still get 23MPG around town, and lots of ‘thumbs ups’ at red lights.
The top has been replaced in 2004, but the paint is all original. This car has never been in a car wash, nor in an accident-not even a fender bender.
I get asked quite frequently who painted the car, and there is disbelief when I tell them it is original paint. I guess that is testament to the DriWash products and good ol’elbow grease.
This car has lots of memories and by accident has become a member of the family. I enjoyed cruising from San Jose to Santa Barbara along the Pacific Coast Highway 1, a few beautiful evening drives to Lake Tahoe and Reno with the top down, summer trips to Monterey and cruising Pebble Beach and the 17 Mile Drive. One thing going for this car, it is the most fun you will ever have at 35MPH.
The LeBaron convertible was the longest run for the K CAR based derivatives, lasting from 1982 to early model year 1996 when the Sebring came on-line. The original 1982 model was a conversion by ASC, and Chrysler sold out of the entire production run in just three weeks. Lee Iacocca ordered that the 1983 model be built-in house, and Chrysler had tool and dies made to factory build the convertible. It was the ONLY factory built convertible until the late 1980s when the Corvette switched to in-house convertible production. Up until the Miata was introduced, the LeBaron was the number one selling convertible, not only in the USA, but globally.
It is hard to believe that a car so popular died off so quickly. Chalk it up to poor resale value and low-cost (read cheap) Chrysler manufacturing. I still credit the smallest of the Big Three with the return of the convertible, and feel the LeBaron has an ignored legacy.
Bill's LeBaron
The LeBaron at 100k miles
This car has the same motor that powered the Mitsubishi 3000 and Dodge Stealth, a 3.0l V6. In K CAR duty, this is a SOHC, 12V motor with a frumpy 147bhp. The transmission is the (infamous) A604 ‘UltraDrive’, which was in its 2nd year in 1991. This was the world’s first electronic valvebody controlled auto trans, and some were so problematic mechanics nicknamed it the ‘a-sick-oh-four’. Mine lasted to 94K miles without an issue other than a flash memory recall. I had it overhauled due to the overdrive clutch worn out.
10/12/50 – Kaiser-Fraizer built their 500,000th car – 4 years later they opened up car manufacturing in South America.
1950 Kaiser-Frazers
10/13/1902 – Packard Motor Car Co was formed out of the old Ohio Automobile.
1902 Packard Run-About
10/15/24 – The original Mr. Government Auto Company Bailout. Mr.Lee Iacocca was born this date. If that’s all you remember him for, turn your car lover card…this guy rocked it in the car world!!!! This might change your mind…yea…the Mustang was his baby too.
How ya like him now???!!!!!
And now for the new arrivals!!!
10/14/65 – the Oldsmobile Toronado – a friend of my had one of these when I was in college back in the late 1970’s. It was my first awareness of a front wheel drive car.
1966 Toronado - Kool factor of 8.5 out of 10.
And one of my favorites
10/16/58 the Chevy El Camino arrives. Now I’m big fan of those fins!!! These also spawned the GMC Sprint and a few other variations.
