1972 Ford Ranchero!

[RobertB]

     Resto-modding the Ranchero has slowed to a snail's pace.  All my monies are going to replacing parts on the 1990 Ford Crown Vic as it nears the 350,000 mile mark.  If all goes well, I can begin dropping major money into the Ranchero again, starting in February.  In the meantime, I can do the little things, like crawling around to give it an oil change (Fram ToughGard filter) and changing the spark plugs (Autolite platinums).

         A-arm bushings needed on the Crown Vic,
         Robert Bernardo
         Fresno Commodore User Group
         http://videocam.net.au/fcug
         The Other Group of Amigoids
         http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
         Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
         http://www.sccaners.org

[RobertB]

     After today's TOGA meeting, Amiga hardware tech, Duncan M., and I stood outside the pizza parlor in the bright sun and talked about lots of things, including my 72 Ranchero.  He wants to see it!  I told him it's not ready for a long-distance trip to San Jose.  It needs new power steering hoses, a chrome water pump, and new seatbelts.  I estimate that parts and labor would cost $600-700, money better spent to fund a trip to the mid-April Notacon in Cleveland or the June trip to Europe.
     However, work will progress on the Ranchero.  For February, I'll either get a new spare tire for it or new chrome lugnuts or both! 

          FCUG celebrating 30 years,
          Robert Bernardo
          Fresno Commodore User Group
          http://videocam.net.au/fcug
          The Other Group of Amigoids
          http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
          Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
          http://www.sccaners.org

[RobertB]

     While I'm over here in Europe, I've been hauling around the Powerbook laptop.  Whenever anyone looks at the desktop picture I have of the Ranchero I have on the Powerbook, they are always impressed at what it is... and I have to explain about what it is.  For example, at the Saturday Lincolnshire Amiga Group meeting and at the Sunday Amiga North Thames meeting, I tell them it has a 6.6L V8 engine and takes premium gasoline, and they roll their eyes in amazement, saying that the engine is too big and that with gasoline prices being the way they are, the vehicle would be very expensive to maintain. 
     I also tell them it's a "20-footer", i.e., from 20 or more feet away, it looks great but get any nearer and then you start seeing its defects. 

          Writing from Haywards Heath, England,
          Robert Bernardo
          Fresno Commodore User Group
          http://videocam.net.au/fcug
          July 23-24 Commodore Vegas Expo v7 2011 - http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex

[RobertB]

     New Year's resolution... spend more time fixing up the Ranchero!

          Truly,
          Robert Bernardo
          Fresno Commodore User Group
          http://videocam.net.au/fcug

[RobertB]

     Last Saturday I went to visit FCUG member Alfredo M. at his house.  The primary reason was to videotape him by his SX-64 in honor of SX-64 day which was held on January 20 around the world.  After taping, he showed me the progress on the ground-up restoration of his 1967 Ford Mustang convertible.  Even though it still wasn't finished (upholstery, convertible top, rebuilt radiator, suspension parts, and miscellaneous parts still needed), it was very beautiful as it sat there with its $8,000+ bodywork and paint job.  I asked him all kinds of questions on the 289 V8 engine -- all rebuilt and repainted -- the suspension, the body trim, the instruments, and more.
     His work inspires me to do more to my Ford Ranchero.

          But he advises me not to do a ground-up resto... it's just too much work,
          Robert Bernardo
          Fresno Commodore User Group
          http://videocam.net.au/fcug

[RobertB]

New Year's resolution... spend more time fixing up the Ranchero!

With major debt being retired by September (well, that's the plan), I will have more cash flow.  Yay!  That means the long-delayed work on the Ranchero can proceed.

          Finally,
          Robert Bernardo
          Fresno Commodore User Group
          http://videocam.net.au/fcug

[RobertB]

     It took awhile, but in November-December I spent the big money in Ford Ranchero repairs.  I installed the Autolite Double Platinum spark plugs and the valve cover gaskets (that last bolt next to the heater plenum took a long time to squeeze out).  Then I charged up the battery in order to bring it over to the Mooney Shell service station for a water pump replacement.
    However, when I connected the battery cables correctly, the secondary wiring leading away from the starter switch stated smoking and frying!  I immediately removed the battery cables, but it was too late... the wiring had been damaged.  So, the car was towed to the station.
    I wanted a heavy-duty water pump, and so, the original was replaced with a new Edelbrock aluminum h.d. pump (ooo, very shiny).  The lower radiator hose was also replaced.
    Troubleshooting the electrical system was a problem; that would take hours to track the problem(s).  After a thorough investigation, it was discovered that the battery had reversed polarity; that is why it fried my wiring, even though I had thought the cabling was connected correctly.  The Sears Diehard platinum battery was brought back to Sears, prorated, and replaced with a new one.  The wiring from the starter switch to the steering column was replaced with new 10-gauge wiring and fused (so that the wiring wouldn't burn up again should a repeat disaster happen).  The 70-amp alternator was replaced and the wiring harness to the alternator was rewired (the original owner had it wired wrongly and insulation was falling off of it).  New drive belts were installed, and they rebuilt the Ford two-barrel carburetor, installed a new fuel filter, and drained the gas tank (bad gas with water contaminated in the tank... I always wondered why the engine ran rough).
    Because the turn signals and right brake light didn't work, I asked them to fix that.  They discovered that the turn signal/brakelight multiswitch in the steering column had gone bad due to old age.  They replaced that, and they also discovered that the former owner had screwed around with one of the taillights.  Instead of a socket, he had directly soldered the lightbulb to the wiring.  There was no socket!  They put in a proper socket and put a bulb in that.
    They changed the oil and installed a new oil filter (which I could have done, but they got to it first).  Anyways, I'll have to run some engine crankcase cleaner (like SeaFoam) through the engine to get rid of more of the accumulated gunk.  The previous owner had let the old oil turn into black sludge.
    Well, I picked up the Ranchero, thinking that all was repaired, but I barely drove 2 blocks when the engine stalled out and wouldn't restart.  The car was towed back, and the next day the mechanics investigated.  The fuel filter was all plugged due to rust from the gas tank!  Yes, the old gas had been replaced with new gas, but now the new gas had been contaminated.  The gas tank was dropped and drained, and this time the inside of the tank was examined.  Rust!  It covered all the inside of tank and the fuel sending unit.  The tank was sent to Visalia Radiators in order to be boiled out and resealed.  I ordered a new sending unit plus gasket and grommets from Dearborn Classics and waited for those parts to arrive.  When they arrived, I brought them over to the service station which installed them into the rebuilt tank.  The tank was then bolted back into position.
    When I picked up the car for the second time, success!  The engine ran extremely smoothly, not its rough idle self which I had lived with for 5 years.  I filled the tank with premium gasoline (the manual called for 91 octane regular, but now 91 octane means premium) and promised myself not to let the gas level get so low that moisture would build up in the tank again.
    Still, the Ranchero is not ready for a long road trip.  I need at least 2 new tires - 225/70-14 BF Goodrich TA's - but more importantly, a recored or new radiator.  There is a leak in one of the lower tubes of the crossflow radiator.  The car came with a 3-row core radiator which is just adequate to my way of thinking.  My rule-of-thumb -- 1 row per 100 cubic inches of engine displacement.  The Ranchero has a 400 cubic inch V8; therefore, it would need a 4-row radiator.  I priced new radiators.  2-row radiators at $250, 3-row radiators at $300, and 4-row radiators at $500 to $700!  The Ranchero (and Torino) always had detonation/pinging problems.  Premium gas would solve some of the problem, and keeping the engine running cool would solve the rest of the problem.  I am tending toward the $700 radiator from US Radiator in Los Angeles.
    Estimated timeline for installation of the tires and radiator - mid-February.

         Truly,
         Robert Bernardo
         Fresno Commodore User Group
         http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm

[RobertB]

I need at least 2 new tires - 225/70-14 BF Goodrich TA's...

O.K., I've ordered four, less expensive Cooper Cobra GT tires, and they should be here in a few days.

...but more importantly, a recored or new radiator.

(snip)

I am tending toward the $700 radiator from US Radiator in Los Angeles.  Estimated timeline for installation of the tires and radiator - mid-February.

Well, the timeline has been pushed back!  The 1990 Ford Crown Vic, my daily driver, now needs a new heater core, and so, the money goes to that instead of the radiator for the Ranchero.

         Truly,
         Robert Bernardo
         Fresno Commodore User Group
         http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm

[RobertB]

O.K., I've ordered four, less expensive Cooper Cobra GT tires, and they should be here in a few days.

The $450 worth of Cobra GT tires have been installed.  They look beautiful on the Ranchero's mag rims.  Now if only I can get the $40 of new lug nuts to fit (the old ones are on the truck right now).

The 1990 Ford Crown Vic, my daily driver, now needs a new heater core, and so, the money goes to that instead of the radiator for the Ranchero.

My diagnosis of the problem was wrong.  It's not the heater core but rather the intake manifold gasket that was leaking.  It would leak onto the hot block, evaporate, and then send the fumes into the HVAC system.  The whole upper part of the engine has been disassembled in order to replace that gasket, and while everything is apart, the upper and lower radiator hoses have been replaced, a water pump bypass hose has been replaced, the two small hoses leading out of the throttle body are being investigated for replacement, and the PCV valve and its hoses are being checked.

         That gasket and PCV valve/hoses being 25 years old,
         Robert Bernardo
         Fresno Commodore User Group
         http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm

[RobertB]

     Oh, car shows are coming up in my area -- one in April and another in May.  Will my Ranchero be ready to enter one of those show?  Well, I still consider it a "20-footer", i.e., from 20 feet away, it looks fine.  Any nearer than that, then you start seeing the flaws? 
     In the latter half of March, I'm considering the spending of more money on it.  It needs new power steering hoses (plus a drain of all the old p.s. fluid), new bushings on the front sway bar links, a new heater valve, a new heater fan switch/resistor pack (right now it is stuck at high speed with no lower speeds), a repaired dome light system, the speedometer cable repaired/replaced, and transmission and differential fluid changes.  For the fluid changes, I'd like to put in synthetic fluid, but that could prove costly for the C6 transmission at $10 a quart.

          That doesn't include a new, costly, heavy-duty radiator,
          Robert Bernardo
          Fresno Commodore User Group
          http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
          July 18-19 Commodore Vegas Expo v11 2015 --
          http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex

[RobertB]

In the latter half of March, I'm considering the spending of more money on it.

The next round of repairs has been delayed, because of house property taxes needing to be paid and the final payment for the William Shatner Weekend coming near.
     
          The best-laid plans...
          Robert Bernardo
          Fresno Commodore User Group
          http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
          July 18-19 Commodore Vegas Expo v11 2015 --
          http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex

[Paul]

Cooper Cobra GT's are great tires for the price!

I feel you on the tax thing. I just got hit with a double whammy of property tax and income tax! Yikes!

[RobertB]

I just got hit with a double whammy of property tax and income tax!

Ouch!  Fortunately, I'm expecting a tax refund.

          FCUG celebrating 33 years,
          Robert Bernardo
          Fresno Commodore User Group
          http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
          July 18-19 Commodore Vegas Expo v11 -
          http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex

[RobertB]

I filled the tank with premium gasoline (the manual called for 91 octane regular, but now 91 octane means premium) and promised myself not to let the gas level get so low that moisture would build up in the tank again.

I had not used the Ranchero in a few months, and so, when I came back from my New Zealand-Australia trip, I decided it was time to fire it again.  Gas was down to 1/4 tank, and after warming up the car for awhile, I drove it over to the Chevron station a mile away.  When it got to the gas station's driveway, it stalled out.  Hmm.  I restarted the car and drove it the few feet to the gas pump.  I filled the tank and tried to start the car.  It cranked, but the car wouldn't stop.  Oh-oh.
    I had the car towed to Mooney Shell.  They diagnosed the problem -- clogged fuel filter... clogged with rusty particles from the gas tank.  Not again!  Moisture had gotten into the tank and was wreaking havoc with the metal.  (This doesn't happen with the closed fuel system of the 1988 Mercury Colony Park station wagon, which I let sit for months, too.)  A new filter was installed, and I was advised to use the Ranchero regularly and burn off any contaminated gas.  (I myself will replace the fuel filter after that tank of gas is used up.  The job to replace it isn't too hard.)
    To try and alleviate any moisture in the gas right now, I bought a can of Berryman's B-12 Chemtool.  I'll pour it into the tank tomorrow.  After this tank of gas is used up, I'll buy a bottle of STA-BIL fuel stabilizer and add it when I refuel the tank.  Though expensive, it's supposed to emit fumes that coat the inner metal of the tank, and that coating is supposed to protect the metal from rust.

There is a leak in one of the lower tubes of the crossflow radiator.

I have temporarily sealed the leak by pouring in a tube of Alumaseal powder into the cooling system.

         Truly,
         Robert Bernardo
         Fresno Commodore User Group
         http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm

[RobertB]

...I was advised to use the Ranchero regularly...

When I'm in town, I've been using the car every day, running it 5 to 6 miles.  However, what it needs is a long-distance, highway trip to get the engine oil to clean out the engine and for the engine to get hot enough to burn off the carbon.  A trip like that  requires that new radiator and some front suspension work.  I can hardly wait for the day to do that.
     In the meantime, as I drive the Ranchero around town, I notice that knowledgeable men are eyeing the car, even in its dusty condition.  They must know its a semi-classic!

         Truly,
         Robert Bernardo
         Fresno Commodore User Group
         http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm