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Post Info TOPIC: A Ford guy


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A Ford guy
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I had found the car collector chronicles about a year or so ago.  They are a great read and now forums.  This is great.  It's been my experience that forums take a while to get going but once they are discovered they tend to take off and expand rapidly.

Anyway, I've been a Ford guy for about 35 years.  My first Ford was a 1973 Pinto Squire station wagon.  Now I have a 1992 Tbird that is undergoing a "refresh".  I've had it for 18 and 1/2 years and it's too good to replace and it's not a Mustang.wink  I've always gone against the flow and chosen cars that haven't always been too popular.  Thus the Tbird vice the Mustang.  Plus I'm getting old enough to enjoy the comforts of life and the Tbird is big enough to satisfy those needs.

Up until recently I had a 1982 Mercury Cougar GS Station Wagon.  It left on a truck to McKinney, Tx to live with three other Cougars and four Capris.  I found it a home where it would be cared for and that was my goal.  It and the ethenol fuel in California didn't get along too well.  Carb boilover problems were hard to solve (but I did) and getting the emissions tests done everyother year in Ca. was getting hard.

I've had a slew of cars over the years and one of my problems with older cars is that I want to drive them all the time.   Thus the reason for the 92 Tbird staying with me.  I do appreciate the EFI controlled engine, power accesories and the great temperature controlled a/c and heat.

I still have to work and do enjoy it but I do look forward to the day I can stay at home and care for my cars and truck.

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I agree our cars are meant to be driven not towed or stored.   For those of us living in colder climates where winter is a factor it's OK to take your classic car out on a nice dry sunny day.    Just make sure your car is well rust-proofed inside the panels and the under-carriage.     I used POR15 on mine,   Great stuff, but be sure your car body is well covered before you start to spray.   Once it's on, it doesn't come off.  Would be a shame to wreck a nice paint job.  

My '62 Olds Starfire has two coats of primer, one coat of base coat and 3 coats of clear coat......plus about 5 good coats of wax to seal out wintertime salt.   It's washed after every outing and stored indoors (with a car cover) when not in use.     A little prevention is worth a pound of cure.    Happy Motoring.

David

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RE: A Ford guy
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One day I'll have a collectable that gets driven on nice days.   We average 350 nice days a year here...biggrin  No salt, just sand.

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350 nice days... Fabulous!! It's easy to own a classic car.... Just go out and buy one and enjoy putting your own brand on it. Seems everyone in Windsor has a classic, or a hot rod. We have car shows & cruise nights in the summer 5 - 6 times a week. Nothin' beats cruisin' on a nice day.

When you have plenty of sand......build sand castles. It's like that with cars too.

David

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Welcome to the forum!  Really great to see someone here!  Thanks for the kind words on CCC.  It is a labor of love.  Glad you enjoy it.

As for Fords, I can say that I was the proud owner of a 1976 Pinto.  It was racing orange in color.  I purchased it brand spanking new, and managed to put 185,000 on the odometer.  Vividly recall driving it one day after a rain storm.  The water coming up from the street put a hole in the floor pan and I had a geyser inside the car!

I can also relate to the having to work detracting from real interests.  I too put in 8 hrs/day Mon-Fri.  Too many cars and not enough hours!

Again, welcome to the forum!


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Dave Yaros
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1955 Cadillac Coupé de Ville
1962 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 Conv
1992 Cadillac Allanté



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My Tbird may just end up being my "classic".  9 years ago we replaced the engine at 72,000 miles when the head gaskets went south and two of the cylinders were damaged badly.

Since then it's only got 20,000 miles.  In the last month I've had the transmission serviced, replaced the complete front suspension and done several repairs to inoperative switches.  Luckily Ford switches are easily disassembled, cleaned and repaired. 

So, now it's going on 19 and everything works including the automatic temperature controlled R12 a/c.

It's one of those inbetweener cars.  Many trim parts along with interior bits are not available but all the drivetrain parts are.

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Back in late '62 my dad bought a new 1963 bottom of the line Ford 300, which I borrowed one night for a big date.   To make a long story short I thought the stop light had changed and went right through it, only to be struck in the rear quarter by another brand new T-bird.   The impact spun the light weight Ford around like a top.   I can still see the detatched gas tank (filled with gas) shooting down the street as I spun.

No one was hurt.....but I sure felt dumb when I realized the accident was my fault....and even more concerned when I realized I'd just smashed up my dad's new car.   I placed a call and explained to him what had happened.    As we followed the tow truck home with the wrecked Ford in tow and teeth gritted for the onslaught which I was sure would follow, his only question to me was "are you alright son?"

Had he lambasted me across the back of the head with a good whack I would have felt much better.   I haven't fogotten that kind reaction to this very day.

The car was sent in for repair and my dad was handed an equally new top of the line shiny red Ford Galaxie XL convertible with a 427ci engine as a loaner.    It sat in the driveway all the time the 300 was being repaired and didn't move an inch.  (Similar to photo, except for fender skirts.)



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Hey, in 6 more years it will be a quarter of a century old.  At least then one may rightfully refer to it as a collector car!



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Dave Yaros
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1955 Cadillac Coupé de Ville
1962 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 Conv
1992 Cadillac Allanté

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