Project BeepBeep Get’s Even Cooler – Part One

Welcome back to Average Guys Restoration.   It’s been a while since I’ve been able to get you some updates on Bill’s beautiful 1968 Road Runner and Bill’s as tackled a few projects.

Just recently he found a leak in the radiator and he documented the mini project.  Here is part one:

 


I have more coming up on the 68 Mopar and #ProjectSportsRoof!!!

Thanks for reading.
Tim
 

68 Road Runner Gets it’s Beep Beep back!!

While trying to warn a real life coyote of his ‘rapid’ approach, Bill’s 1968 Road Runner (#ProjectBeepBeep) failed to  issue the famous BeepBeep, or was that just part the car’s instinctive DNA based response to coyotes in general? Either way Bill tackles the problem. Here’s a shot of the horn.   More coming up …
Introducing #ProjectBeepBeep – Code H 1968 Road Runner

I’d like you to take a look at one of my constant readers classic muscle car. First let me say that Bill has been an a long quest to find a car to replace this car:   Back in the day. It was a long search with lots of phone calls with many …
Project BeepBeep – ’68 Road Runner – Drum or Disc – The Decision

1968 Ply Road RunnerProject BeepBeep Welcome back to #ProjectBeepBeep.  Bill is looking at the brakes and gets some professional assistance to help him make a crucial decision.  You know if you’ve got a lot of GO…you need a lot STOP. It not an easy decision to alter a car’s originality, especially …
Project BeepBeep – ’68 Road Runner -Disc Break Conversion Part 2

Thanks for checking back in on #ProjectBeepBeep. Having made the decision to convert the front brakes from shoe to disc Bill gets started with this major project for #ProjectBeepBeep. He went with a kit from Dr. Diff and here’s a brief look at some of the contents.   Nice shiny new rotors!! Spindle …
Project BeepBeep – ’68 RoadRunner – Door Panel Tips

Ready for some more #ProjectBeepBeep?  Bill takes you through a few tips for restoring your B-Body door panels. Take a look:     Great stuff!!!  Thanks Bill!!! Have a few Mopar tips – Post them up or drop me a note @ agcarestoration@cox.net and we get you video/tip posted on the site. Thanks for reading Tim                 Introducing …

 

Project SportsRoof Update

Well it has been a while since I’ve updated readers on #ProjectSportsRoof and frankly there hasn’t been a lot going on.

As the regular readers know I do all the work I can on my car, when practical.  This work happens in my driveway, which unfortunately has a rather steep slope.

You’ve seen the videos of my work pulling out the engine and the transmission and putting the engine back in and attempting to put the transmission back in.

I few weeks ago, after suffering from a huge bout of guilt for not working the Mustang, I attempted one more time to get the transmission reattached to the engine.

This endeavor, required me to put the car up a lot higher than normal on the stands, to get enough room to maneuver the trans and the transmission jack around.  this was a huge mistake.  After a few tries I decided to pull the transmission back out for under the car and wait for some help later in the week.

Everything went fine and the transmission was safely strapped to the transmission jack and rolled back into the garage.  Since the car was lifted higher for the failed attempt, I decided to lower it back on to the ground.  As I lifted the car with my floor jack, so I could remove one stand one of the remaining stands slipped from its place and the car dropped about 5″ on to the tires.  This didn’t seem to be to dramatic of a fall until I noticed that the motor mounts had separate (broke to be frank).

That was depressing, to say the least and another set back.  Of course this depression was compounded by the fact that  I had very limited free time coming up to work on the car.  I am a full-time Junior High teacher and I had just signed on to coach our boy’s basketball team which was a lot of fun (we when 10 -2 for the season) and very time-consuming.

I purchased the motor mounts and was attempting to schedule a couple of relatives to help out.  That proved difficult.

So a relative mentioned a successful automotive shop that was opening a new location here in Tucson and I contacted them to see they wanted to tackle the engine and transmission re-install, build a custom drive shaft and add headers and exhaust.  They looked it over and we agreed on the cost estimate.

So off she goes to get the complete drive training straighten out and hopefully back on the road soon.

There is still a lot of work to be done and as I get ready for my summer break from teaching, I should be able to but more time into it!!!

 

I have a lot more coming up on #ProjectBeepBeep as well.

Thanks for reading.

1973 Mustang Project SportsRoof – Exterior Walk-Around

Welcome back to #ProjectSportsRoof.  I run my car projects much like I run my IT projects.  You always have to know where to start and know the end game.   As with any project that isn’t being built from scratch, in other word, you have to work with what you’ve got, …
1973 Mustang – Engine Bay Work

If you look back at #ProjectSportsRoof post you’ll see the condition engine bay.  During those videos I mentioned that I was going to clean it up and hit it with a rattle can.  Again this isn’t going to be a concours restoration, it’s going to look nice and it’s going …
1973 Mustang – Project Sports Roof

As I posted before, after a vigorous (not read ‘desperate’) I finally found my next personal project.  The 1973 Mustang Sports Roof  Fastback is what I settled on.  Now we start the project that has been dubbed #ProjectSportsRoof (yes I find it necessary to use the ‘hash’). 1973 Mustang Color …
1973 Mustang – Project Sports Roof – Fender Fitment Part I

Ok so these were suppose to kick off while I’m over here in Italy, but they failed to post up, so I’m taking a few minutes to fix that. Oh well as long as I’m typing, here is my favorite Italian road sign: Welcome back to Project Sports Roof (#ProjectSportsRoof).  We stripped …
1973 Mustang – Project Sports Roof – Fender Fitment Part II

In these next two videos, you’ll see just how ‘off’ these fenders are in some areas and surprisingly how well they fit in other areas. If you have an experience or a hit for anyone taking on this part of a restoration – drop a comment here and we’ll share them. https://youtu.be/Ga9EHbDpSfg     https://youtu.be/FBKs7EG4kK0   Thanks …
1973 Mustang – Project Sports Roof – Pertronix Ignitor Update

Well win some and you lose some.  If you’ve seen my other posts related the replacement of the points and condenser for the 351C you’ll notice that I gave conversion high marks.  This was all based on the years of use I got out of the conversion I did on …
1973 Mustang – Project Sports Roof – Vacuum System Part II

Thanks for checking on #ProjectSportsRoof.   So here is the last set of initial questions. Here is an image of the current set up: Any diagram I find has the hose vacuum from the Distr going to the Valve assy. The Valve assy has nothing attached which is located on the front …

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof

#ProjectBeepBeep

68 Road Runner Gets it’s Beep Beep back!!

While trying to warn a real life coyote of his ‘rapid’ approach, Bill’s 1968 Road Runner (#ProjectBeepBeep) failed to  issue the famous BeepBeep, or was that just part the car’s instinctive DNA based response to coyotes in general?

Either way Bill tackles the problem.


Here’s a shot of the horn.

 

More coming up on #ProjectBeepBeep and #ProjectSportsRoof.

Thanks for following our projects and find us on FaceBook @ www.facebook.com/AGCarRestoration/

Tim

Introducing #ProjectBeepBeep – Code H 1968 Road Runner

I’d like you to take a look at one of my constant readers classic muscle car. First let me say that Bill has been an a long quest to find a car to replace this car:   Back in the day. It was a long search with lots of phone calls with many …

Project BeepBeep – ’68 Road Runner – Drum or Disc – The Decision

1968 Ply Road RunnerProject BeepBeep Welcome back to #ProjectBeepBeep.  Bill is looking at the brakes and gets some professional assistance to help him make a crucial decision.  You know if you’ve got a lot of GO…you need a lot STOP. It not an easy decision to alter a car’s originality, especially …

Project BeepBeep – ’68 Road Runner -Disc Break Conversion Part 2

Thanks for checking back in on #ProjectBeepBeep. Having made the decision to convert the front brakes from shoe to disc Bill gets started with this major project for #ProjectBeepBeep. He went with a kit from Dr. Diff and here’s a brief look at some of the contents.   Nice shiny new rotors!! Spindle …

Auto Factoids for 12/17/2017 Datsun 510, Lexus, Ford Probe

#AutoFactoids are back!!!  I will be changing them up a bit but they’ll still be fun.

Factoid – The Datsun 510 in the late 1960s it competed with the likes of BMW on the front lines of the then-new sports sedan category. Paul Newman use to race one.

Factoid – Lexus SC300 shared a lot of important parts with the now-legendary Toyota Supra, including the same straight six engine.

 

Factoid – Ford Probe was basically a Mazda 626, and was originally intended to become the new Mustang. Thankfully, those plans were scrapped because Ford was concerned of the back-lash.

Thanks for following #AutoFactoids.

Tim

Auto Factoid 9/8/2013 – 9/14/2013

Auto Factoids are back!!!!   Lets just get started. Happy Birthday (Sept. 8, 1903) Preston  Tucker – nice cars!!!   On Sept 9th 1935 Studebaker put the first car on a Pennsylvania RR rail car headed to NYC  but the final destination was London.  (Actually there were 163 cars in that shipment.) These are …
Auto Factoids – Chevy’s LS9

Here some interesting facts for the new in 2008 LS9 engine. – It was a combination of upgraded LS3 and LS7 components  and took 3 years to develop – All 2000 units were hand-assembled in GM’s Performance Build Center in Wixom, Michigan -It displaced 6.2 liters – Bore and stroke 4.06×3.62 with a compression ratio of 9.1:1 – …

Project BeepBeep 68 Road Runner – Fender Brace Repair

Welcome back to #ProjectBeepBeep, Bill’s 1968 Road Runner.  Bill has been moving long with small projects on BeepBeep and I’m try to play catch up with will all my blogging.

While going over his car with magnifying glass Bill found a crack in one of the inner fender well brace.  Over time this can cause issues.  Here’s how the fix went.



Ok, so often when you are working on a project it, recording it has to take a back seat so it doesn’t slow progress and in this case doesn’t take up extra time when a friend is lending a hand.

After the welding there was a little bit of heat damage that needed to be tended too.  Check out the wrap up of this project:

 


 

Thanks for following along.  There will be more coming up.

 

Tim

 

 

Kart Graveyard – Death of an Industry

While wandering around a small town in Southern Arizona my wife and I came across this kart display which I dubbed “Kart Graveyard”

Some of these cars in the pictures above had complete brake systems and somewhat refined steering.

Finding this graveyard got me thinking about the manufacturers of these cool play things and I ran across this website and shared it here.

http://www.e-kmi.com/ArchivesPost2005/ft/THE SLOW DEATH OF AN INDUSTRY Opinion by Darrell Sitarz.htm

THE SLOW DEATH OF AN INDUSTRY Opinion by Darrell Sitarz

In the 1990s, the American fun kart industry was churning out nearly 200,000 units annually by nearly 3 dozen manufacturers. Today, there are only a handful of fun kart makers still remaining.

So, what has caused the downfall of what was one of the largest portions of the go-kart industry? Some cite the high cost of liability insurance, some say it’s the imported karts or the ATVs while others think it’s because of cost of mandated safety features which added to the overall cost. It may be one or two, or it may be all of the above; so let’s look at it item by item.

COSTS
In the mid-1990s, the US Consumer Products Safety Commission targeted the fun kart industry and asked it to look into setting manufacturing guidelines and to increase and standardize safety features. With those as goals, the American Fun Kart Association (AFKA) was formed by the manufacturers and suppliers and standards were subsequently set. The AFKA was commended by the CPSC on their ability to take on the problem and do what was necessary to help insure public safety. The solution to the safety problem however led to another, that of increasing the cost of manufacturing a kart, the cost of which was, of course, passed onto the consumer. At that time, a few manufacturers decided to cease production feeling they could not compete in the marketplace due to the increased manufacturing costs.

IMPORTED KARTS
With costs rising, some manufacturers went overseas with an eye to reduce costs by importing karts.

“The problem was that the overseas manufacturer would make three vehicles. One was for their customer in the states and two for them to bring over here and sell under a different brand name,” an industry source said. “This would give them a foot hold in the US with a proven design that had historically sold. They could sell it cheaper because it came with their own engine that looks very much like a proven US motor and they don’t pay product liability insurance.”

So in essence, the manufacturers that went overseas were now competing with themselves. The results: more manufacturers went down the tubes.

ATVs
And here’s a strange twist of fate. Back in the late 1980s three-wheel ATVs were banned because of safety concerns in the US. Suddenly wham!, the fun kart industry began it’s upsurge in sales again topping out at nearly 200,000 units annually. So now what’s happened? The resurgence of the “new” ATV, a four wheeled version with more features and major off-road capabilities has also had a hand in the downfall of the fun kart industry. In 2004 for example, 817,000 ATVs were sold which is 4 times the amount of go karts in the industry’s best year.

PRODUCT LIABILITY INSURANCE
The slow death in the industry was caused by several factors, the main one may have been the tremendous cost of product liability insurance. It got to the point that most of the kart makers could not afford it.

“The manufacturers were not supported by the insurance companies that would accept premiums and not fight the cases but would make settlements and in turn would raise the rates for all kart manufacturers,” a reliable industry source told e-KMI. “Lawyers would represent the karts owners because they knew there would be a settlement and they would get paid. Getting hurt today is like winning the lotto but even better because it is tax free! People don’t have to accept responsibility for their actions because there are lawyers that will represent you know matter how stupid your action was because “we will get you something”.”

One or a combination of all of the above have taken their toll with the fun kart industry. But whatever the case may be, the industry appears to be in serious difficulty and is looking for answers, if there are any?

The following is a partial list of US fun kart manufacturers which have gone out of business or have ceased fun kart production since 1990.

Action Fun Karts
Avenger
Bird
BKS
Brister’s Design and Manufacturing*
Brister’s Thunder Karts
Clark Karts
Chief Karts
FKL
Fun Karts LA
Hamilton Brothers
Hang 10
Hoffco
Karts International
K-C Manufacturing C., Inc.
Klipper (not producing fun karts but still making promotional go-karts)
Midwestern Industries (acquired by T & D and now producing promo karts)
Minati (Brave Industries)
Murray*
Moto Machine
Performance Industries
Polaris (never made karts but had Brister make karts to test the market)
Robron
Simplex
Scat Fun
Tiger Industries
Trampolking
USA Industries
Yerf-Dog*

* Ceased fun kart production in 2005

Current US Fun Kart Manufacturers:

Carter Brothers
KartCo
Ken-Bar
Manco

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

antique kartsantique karts

 

Plymouth Duster – 1972 Graphics

If you read the title you might have thought that I’d be giving you some information on the graphics that were available on the Plymouth Duster, but it’s just the opposite.

I’m looking for some information on the graphics for the car pictured below to restore a similar car.   What were the factory graphics options on Plymouth Dusters?  In the picture below, is this an option or custom work?

 

Thanks in advance.

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof

#ProjectBeepBeep

#ProjectBeepBeep – Gets Re-Hinged Part 2 – Curse of the Coyote!

Bill continues on with the swapping out the hinges on the 68 Road Runner. Excellent tips in this one!!

You gotta love ACME – if only the coyote could have gotten replacement devices for ‘do-overs’ that might have changed his fate.

Thanks Bill!!!

Thanks for reading!!

Tim
#ProjectBeepBeep
#ProjectSportsRoof

Average Guy’s Car Restorations, Mods, and Racing

Bill tries out a custom set of spark plug wires for #ProjectBeepBeep. Bill has more coming up on his 68 Road Runner and I might just have something to post of …

Project BeepBeep – ’68 RoadRunner – Door Panel Tips

Feb 12, 2017 Ready for some more #ProjectBeepBeep? Bill takes you through a few tips for restoring your B-Body door panels. Take a look: Great stuff!!!

Project BeepBeep – A look at the Brakes

Mar 10, 2017 Introducing #ProjectBeepBeep – Code H 1968 Road Runner. I’d like you to take a look at one of my constant readers classic muscle car.

#Project BeepBeep Gets Hinges – Prt 1

Welcome back to Average Guy’s  Car Restoration.

Bill’s 68 Road Runner get a new lower door hinge. Some great tips here!

 

A close up of the hinges.

The upper hinge.

Door gap.

Part 2 is coming up and check in on the other article on AVG Car Restoration.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof
#ProjectBeepBeep

 

Introducing #ProjectBeepBeep – Code H 1968 Road Runner

Feb 2, 2017 I’d like you to take a look at one of my constant readers classic muscle car. First let me say that Bill has been an a long quest to find a car to …

Average Guy’s Car Restorations, Mods, and Racing

Bill tries out a custom set of spark plug wires for #ProjectBeepBeep. Bill has more coming up on his 68 Road Runner and I might just have something to post of …

Project BeepBeep – ’68 RoadRunner – Door Panel Tips

Feb 12, 2017 Ready for some more #ProjectBeepBeep? Bill takes you through a few tips for restoring your B-Body door panels. Take a look: Great stuff!!!

Project BeepBeep – A look at the Brakes

Mar 10, 2017 Introducing #ProjectBeepBeep – Code H 1968 Road Runner. I’d like you to take a look at one of my constant readers classic muscle car.

 

Update on Transmission for Project SportsRoof – ’73 Stang

Spend a few hours on this 2017 Labor Day, laboring over #ProjectSportsRoof and I wish that labor paid a bit more dividends.

The goal was to mate the transmission back to the engine but unfortunately that just wasn’t going to happen today.  The engine is set back a bit too far and tilted (on purpose).  Problem is if I bolted them up the engine hoist would be able to lift the engine and trans due to the height I needed the car to work on the transmission.

So I pulled the transmission out from under car and placed its wheels back on the concrete.

 

It was a major effort to get the car up high enough to get the transmission out.  I pushed the boundaries of safety with a floor jack and a couple of jack-stand.

As I stated in the video I may just take it down the street and have them get that straightened out for me.

More to come on #ProjectSportsRoof.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

 

1973 Mustang Project SportsRoof – Exterior Walk-Around

Welcome back to #ProjectSportsRoof.  I run my car projects much like I run my IT projects.  You always have to know where to start and know the end game.   As with any project that isn’t being built from scratch, in other word, you have to work with what you’ve got, …
1973 Mustang – Engine Bay Work

If you look back at #ProjectSportsRoof post you’ll see the condition engine bay.  During those videos I mentioned that I was going to clean it up and hit it with a rattle can.  Again this isn’t going to be a concours restoration, it’s going to look nice and it’s going …
1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – Compression Test Part II

This is the wrap up on the compression testing for the 1973 Mustang w/ a 1972 351 Cleveland power plant. You’ll might have notices that I referred to the remote tester, which is my code for remote starter…yeah…that’s it!!! All of these tests were dry test and I should have done a …