Author Topic: 1977 Pinto- project in the works (Read 42435 times)

dga57 · « **Reply #300 on:** January 09, 2011, 11:20:35 PM »

Couldn't help but smile at that comment, Matt. It's a generational thing! I remember the first car I had with electronic fuel injection (a new 1981 Lincoln Town Car which was my 10th car overall)... I had the hardest time with getting into the car and just turning the ignition switch to start it! I had to train my foot to stay OFF the accelerator pedal (actually it was my slow brain I had to train, I guess). It was SO hard! The exact reverse of the problem you're having now!

Dwayne :smile:

r4pinto · « **Reply #301 on:** January 10, 2011, 12:00:46 AM »

Funny you say that Dwayne... When I was growing up all the cars my parent's had were carbureted, including the 1985 Chevy Celebrity they had. For granted it was a computer controlled carb, but none the less, still a carb & had to be treated the same as any other carb.. My first car, a 1986 Ford Tempo with 2.3 CFI... Fuel injection, but was so primitive for 1986 you had to treat it like a carb. It wasn't until my 86 Olds Calais I enjoyed real fuel injection. Heck, the way my Dad's 1993 Taurus ran you had to treat it like a carbed car until I fixed the bad fuel pump lol. Until recent he still pumped the gas on his 2004 Impala.

dave1987 · « **Reply #302 on:** January 10, 2011, 01:11:07 AM »

I'm not entirely sure why, but my 78's 2.3l with the stock Holley 5200 has never needed the gas pedal pumped unless it's sat for more than 3 or 4 days. I just step on the pedal once to engage the choke and turn the key. After it turns over once or twice it starts right up.

My 73 station wagon with the "same" type carb on the other hand, has to be pumped so many times it's not even funny. However, I haven't completely disassembled and cleaned it's carb like I have my 78s, yet.

r4pinto · « **Reply #303 on:** January 10, 2011, 10:40:03 PM »

She is my daily driver at the moment! The Malibu Maxx does not like the snow, so I have parked her in favor of driving the Pinto.

The heat works alright, the radio sucks & she has no power but she is paid for & wanting to go.

As for the brakes, turns out it was rust from sitting, as they no longer lock up. The drums were used when I installed them so I may want to get new ones eventually but for now they are fine.

r4pinto · « **Reply #304 on:** January 11, 2011, 07:00:12 PM »

The carb died...

It started leaking pretty well from a brass plug I previously repaired. I am throwing in the towel on that carb & getting a rebuild kit for the old one. I will then retune it get her running right. I miss my car

r4pinto · « **Reply #305 on:** January 14, 2011, 10:53:02 AM »

Got the old carb off the car & tore it apart & found nothing but problems....

The float was bad, it was leaking from every seal possible, the accelerator pump was leaking, the needle that goes under the float was MIA completely, with some odd piece in there, with no clip to keep the float in place for the float drop.

No wonder I was having issues with pickup, maintaining speed & everything else.

I am rebuilding the original carb & am going to have a spare that I am buying from Fred.

More soon.

r4pinto · « **Reply #306 on:** March 10, 2011, 09:41:14 PM »

I am getting ready to hang the new doors on Harold II. I just got all the gaskets I will need from ebay... Window sweeps, door seals, & new window guides. Once they come in I can install the doors & have a dry interior on the car.

r4pinto · « **Reply #307 on:** April 17, 2011, 10:02:01 PM »

I was working on the car quite a bit today. I went ahead & pulled the interior panels & seats from the car so I could paint them blue. I also went ahead & installed a brand new RCA 8 track FM radio I bought off ebay. It had the plugs for a GM, so rather cut the GM plugs off & have a problem finding Ford connectors I went ahead & got some GM radio plugs from the junkyard. So far so good.

Without further delay here are a couple pics of some of the work I have done to the car.

dholvrsn · « **Reply #308 on:** April 18, 2011, 08:13:17 PM »

Cool authentic retro kitsch radio! :afro:

r4pinto · « **Reply #309 on:** April 24, 2011, 10:11:24 PM »

Thanks! It would sound better with better speakers but for now it will do. :lol:

r4pinto · « **Reply #310 on:** April 24, 2011, 10:19:33 PM »

I finally did it!! I have been wanting to replace the front seats with some from a Tempo/Topaz & I finally got a pair for the car. While I wanted blue they were hard to come by so I settled on grey. On the Tempo/Topaz the common color is either red or grey, with Blue or tan being hard to come by. Oh well, better grey seats than the worn out seats in the car with crappy seat covers on them. The driver side bolster needs sewn up but that's not too bad, as I have done that before lol. I have to fab up a bracket to make the passenger side fit but the driver side fits with almost no issues.

Here are some pics of them as of yet.

r4pinto · « **Reply #311 on:** April 24, 2011, 10:24:07 PM »

I am also thinking of modding the rear seat back of the Tempo/Topaz & using the seat bottom from a set of front buckets from a Tempo/Topaz to go in the back, so I have a uniform look. We will see if my idea will work, but I think it will. It's amazing what you will think of when you have a few 16 oz beers in your system lmao.

dga57 · « **Reply #312 on:** April 24, 2011, 11:21:37 PM »

Those should make for a nice upgrade, and the gray will look just fine in a blue car, once Harold II is painted!

Dwayne :smile:

r4pinto · « **Reply #313 on:** April 25, 2011, 12:06:54 PM »

Thanks Dwayne! I actually made the appointment for 5/16. I will be taking her to Maaco on 5/15 & deciding on the color then. In the mean time I am doing all the body & interior work I can do. Gotta work on them doors some tonight, & get the new shocks I got off ebay on the front. Then go over the rear brakes & while I have the rear in the air I am going to fix the rear leaf & replace the rear shocks as well. She should drive a lot better then.

r4pinto · « **Reply #314 on:** May 03, 2011, 12:56:06 PM »

I did the mod to the Tempo passenger seat & it is going according to plan. The problem I was running in to was the hump for the convertor was in the way. Rather than take a hammer to the car & make it fit as is I took a sheet of 22 gauge sheet metal & fabricated a bracket to move the passenger left bracket over about three inches on the seat. I bolted it up & it works great! I still need to trim the metal & mod the spring cover for the seat but no problem with that. Those are minor issues, as the seat will bolt right up & look great. The driver seat just needs to have one hole drilled for the floor, as the seat brackets moved over about an inch on that side.

Pics to come soon!

r4pinto · « **Reply #315 on:** May 14, 2011, 10:18:35 AM »

Got an appointment to get the car painted a week from now & got 4 tires ordered from tire discounters for $300.00! The car is going to be ready one way or another... Even if it means late nights. Currently I have half the car sanded back down to the original colors. I say colors, as I replaced the hood & RF fender at one point, so the original car color is medium saddle metallic, the RF fender is a mint green, & the hood is dark blue. Not too much sanding & filling, then the car will be ready for paint.

dga57 · « **Reply #316 on:** May 14, 2011, 07:46:26 PM »

Sounds like you're going to have Harold II all spiffed up just in time for Carlisle. Looking forward to seeing you there!
Dwayne :smile:

r4pinto · « **Reply #317 on:** May 14, 2011, 08:02:48 PM »

Literally just in time Dwayne... I am even thinking of installing speakers in the doors. I just can't stand not being able to listen to the music while driving with the window's open. I did get the passenger seat in the car today& am going to work on modding a bracket for the driver seat tomorrow.

r4pinto · « **Reply #318 on:** May 15, 2011, 08:07:27 PM »

The front seats are all bolted in!! I made a bracket for the driver side as well, since if I moved the bolt holes on the left I woulda drilled right through a brake line & gas line. Not good. The install went alright though, & the bolster even sewed up nicely.

dga57 · « **Reply #319 on:** May 15, 2011, 11:28:59 PM »

Hey Matt,
They look pretty good in there!
Dwayne :smile:

r4pinto · « **Reply #320 on:** May 23, 2011, 07:52:25 AM »

The car went to Maaco last night. I had her all sanded down to the original colors & removed everything I could from the car. The only things that were on there were the headlights, wipers, & driver door handle. She looks very ugly right now but the end result will be worth it. I will post before & after pics, but only after I get the car back together. The mystery continues lol.

dga57 · « **Reply #321 on:** May 23, 2011, 09:23:51 AM »

Quote from: r4pinto on May 23, 2011, 07:52:25 AM

The car went to Maaco last night. I had her all sanded down to the original colors & removed everything I could from the car. The only things that were on there were the headlights, wipers, & driver door handle. She looks very ugly right now but the end result will be worth it. I will post before & after pics, but only after I get the car back together. The mystery continues lol.

You're right, Matt... there are few things less attractive than a car that has been sanded, stripped of its trimwork, and prepped for painting! I had my '79 Collector's Series Lincoln taken down to bare metal when we painted it and it was NOT a pretty sight. As you predicted however, the end result was well worth it! Can't wait to see Harold II!

Dwayne :smile:

r4pinto · « **Reply #322 on:** May 26, 2011, 08:28:20 PM »

Exciting news!!!!!

My Dad was working across the street from Maaco, so he stopped in there to see how things are coming with the car. He told me the driver door that was all dented up bigtime looks like it was never damaged at all! He told me they were sanding the car, getting ready for the color... I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!

Cookieboystoys · « **Reply #323 on:** May 26, 2011, 09:28:11 PM »

I can't wait to see it Matt

dga57 · « **Reply #324 on:** May 27, 2011, 12:00:52 AM »

Quote from: r4pinto on May 26, 2011, 08:28:20 PM

Exciting news!!!!!

My Dad was working across the street from Maaco, so he stopped in there to see how things are coming with the car. He told me the driver door that was all dented up bigtime looks like it was never damaged at all! He told me they were sanding the car, getting ready for the color... I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!

Sounds great! When is it supposed to be ready?

Dwayne :smile:

r4pinto · « **Reply #325 on:** May 27, 2011, 06:12:40 AM »

Saturday

dga57 · « **Reply #326 on:** May 27, 2011, 11:34:57 AM »

Quote from: r4pinto on May 27, 2011, 06:12:40 AM

Saturday

Fantastic! Are you going to post photos, or keep us in suspense until Carlisle?

Dwayne :smile:

r4pinto · « **Reply #327 on:** May 27, 2011, 12:09:36 PM »

Suspense until the official unveiling at Carlisle. Then I will be posting the pics on the site after Friday. I am gonna print off pics & put them on a poster in a frame, to show the pics of when I bought the car, when I got her ready for paint, & after paint. It's all in my head, so I just gotta do it.

dga57 · « **Reply #328 on:** May 28, 2011, 11:54:05 AM »

Quote from: r4pinto on May 27, 2011, 12:09:36 PM

Suspense until the official unveiling at Carlisle. Then I will be posting the pics on the site after Friday. I am gonna print off pics & put them on a poster in a frame, to show the pics of when I bought the car, when I got her ready for paint, & after paint. It's all in my head, so I just gotta do it.

I'll just hold my breath until we get to Carlisle, then! :reek:

Dwayne :lol:

r4pinto · « **Reply #329 on:** May 28, 2011, 04:35:17 PM »

Oh it will be worth it! The car is oh, so shiney!! lol

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Author Topic: 1977 Pinto- project in the works (Read 42435 times)