The Ranchero is NOT a project!
It had better not turn into one, I don't have a good track record with those.
I worked on it some more today. Fixed a couple of things, broke another.
Installed led lights in the dash. One of the lights has a problem still, maybe it is the printed circuit board.
These lights are 15 led bulbs, but they don't seem very bright. But at least I can see the gauges now, and particularly the speedometer. maybe I need to remove the blue lens covers? Or maybe they aren't getting a full 12 volts. That is the main reason I want to do the headlight relays, along with brighter headlights.
I also changed the dash voltage regulator. I now have oil pressure and temp. Looks like the fuel gauge sending unit is bad according to the tests I did per the manual. Ammeter doesn't work, I am just going to replace it with a volt meter. Don't like ammeters to begin with.
If the oil pressure gauge is to be believed, I am getting about 60 psi. I ought to put a mechanical on it just to double check.
I broke the speedometer cable retaining clip apparently while removing it from the instrument cluster.
It never fails.
So instead of getting speakers I have ordered the cable and the sending unit, and even paid $25 extra for 2 day air. I better not break anything else, I can't afford it.
I have relays for the headlights, but given the above I am going to wait to install those until we have some money, just in case. Cutting into the harness
shouldn't be an issue, but since this is a 42 year old car and my daily driver I need to be certain I can keep it on the road.
I got the other 3 point seat belt in. I really like them. These are the same ones I plan on putting into the Pinto. Not too bad at about $60 each. But they do take an extra (total of 4) mounting bolts, so getting the hardware kit is a good idea.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/aaf-all98115I had bought a cheap ( and no good) lap belt from Pepboys, the only thing I used was the mounting kit from it. This one the ends weren't sewn, you had to loop them through a couple of plates. Not something I was comfortable putting my wife in for sure.
I did a lousy job installing the radio. Once it is totally working I need to go back and solder connections and route wires better.
This is what the Pinto (and the Lemans before that) were supposed to be. Something I could drive and fix as I felt like. I think being able to drive this is the main reason I am feeling pretty good about life right now. I am actually wanting to take it to a local car show that is held every Saturday night at a Kmart on this side of town. I haven't even wanted to go look at a car show for a long time.
Wishing I could get back to the Pinto, but I need the Ranchero to be as finished as I can afford it to be first. I hope my enthusiasm for working on cars continues when that happens. I honestly haven't even thought about suicide since I got the Ranchero, other than thinking I haven't thought about it. It being over a week is a record for me since I can't remember when. yeah, the rust, my dad, breaking things is a downer, but nothing taking me back down to where I was before. I do worry about this being temporary, but my wife and I are enjoying it now.
Thanks,
Russ