Continuing on to my other projects thread

[7991LXnSHO]

Corvair project update and web question -
I have videos of the new engine running and how the interior is going. It’s off to glass, so I cannot easily take more

pics.

What are current ways to make a FB reel length accessible here? I have not started a YouTube account or channel. Is that the best way and let the whole world stumble across it?
The interior is blue. More blue than I wanted. But no more light gray velour seat inserts!
The gray, silver and blue grays I wanted to use were out and availability undetermined, so I went with a combo that was close to what was available on the blue cars. If it had been ordered when I started, it would have been close to stock. The factory red was way too much, and the green would have been Christmas all year.
The headliner turned out great and the engine runs great. With oversized, stock style exhaust, cruising will be pleasant. The sound of the engine will have to wait for a vid clip post.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

The first pic is of the driver’s door before. The original headliner was a gray weave that was falling apart and I replaced with a white vinyl headliner in the 80’s. The seats were a silver gray like the armrest cover, with the white top band, and the first owner had replaced the cloth pattern seat inserts with velour. The bottom cushion looked fine, but was not supportive after this long.

Here are other options since the black rubber carpet and grays were not available.
I could have gone with the Monza level trim and got vinyl on the bench and blander door cards. (Not pictured) with the 700 trim and emblems, I did not like that.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

I road tripped to visit my Corvair and get some loose ends wrapped up. I’ll post more pics when I get it bailed out, and it’s close to coming home.
It’s details I can deal with now and little things for them to wrap up.

The add on AC works great, but does not have the look I want. The small, center vent below the radio pod needs replaced with a factory AC thing like the white part in this pic of another car in the lot.

Then I can put the gauges under it. (I have a powerglide with a lever on the dash instead of a stick through the floor.)

The big bore, stock style duals sound so much better than cheap turbo mufflers on a flat six.

When I get it back, I will still need to install the Custom Autosound Radio, dual speaker in the dash, and either the 6x9 boxes I have ready, or make a sub and 6x9 box for the deck. But it could be driven home now.

The electronic ignition I wanted to use, (Stinger Ignition), was ordered before I needed AC, and does not fit as is. It’s too tall, and the vac advance is at least very close to the AC belt.
I can either live with points, use a Pertronix conversion in the stock distributor, or spend another $200 on high lift AC brackets that might work with the Stinger HEI. I have pics now and can consult with the ignition system’s designer.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

Today, the 2005 Grand Marquis got a new Motorcraft headlight switch. The dimmer (rheostat) and dome light click had not been working quite right for some time. So when Junior told me the dash back lights were not working, we had the part on hand.
We checked fuses, then figured out how to get the dash apart. There was nothing very helpful for the model year on YouTube. The videos showed the dash already pulled apart, or one guy was pulling the switch with letter openers where there was not enough room to do so without damaging the trim. So I went in blind on how to pull it apart, and went a little too far.
(The pics are Not our car, but the colors are right and it’s a good picture.)

The wood grain trim is held on with metal spring clips. My mini pry bar (for baseboard and window woodwork) with tape on it worked slick to pull the green circled areas

Then bottom screws for the piece that goes from the headlight switch to the AC vent right of the radio are exposed, (circled in Orange in pic 2). There are at least 4, 8mm head screws in the bottom, and two pointing up, above the speedometer.
The plastic and metal pieces under the steering wheel do not need to come off. It made running the microphone for the Bluetooth speakerphone radio a lot easier.

The 2006/7 Sony stereo is being replaced with a newer model of almost the same thing. The multi color display is easier to read and the Bluetooth is much easier to use. I think the old one might end up in the garage with a 12v power supply. It’s still working like new. The new one is the same model that is in Maria Andretti’s Vibe and is also going in my Mustang. The Mustang install is waiting for when I get my Corvair back so I do not have to hurry the interior and rear suspension projects lined up there.

The dome lights and headlights work. We’ll see this evening if the backlights work.
It was a beautiful day. I’m not ready for winter, but 76, partly cloudy and a decent breeze made for a nice change.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

Has anyone painted 59 year old plastic interior parts and can recommend a primer, tip cost or all in one product ? I am assuming Eastwood can provide something for this small job.
@Davedacarpainter @horse sence or any first gen restorers?

The other news today is I have a vintage AC surround for my Corvair that should clean up well. Out of a group of 16k other Corvair nuts in a FB group, I got ONE response from someone who had a extra for me. I should have looked closer at the pics, as the little Chevy emblems are missing. But otherwise, it is complete and looks great for a 59? year old part. The plastic is now tan, (lighter where the emblems were), so I will spray it a color that will coordinate, or probably a coat of white. (77 Ford Granada silver metallic is what the radio pod was painted. That matches the the rest of the silver on the dash and on my Olds dash.)
White would look like an add on, and might be what this was. I’ll pick the color when I get the car back. But I can clean it a little,, remove the wiring, replace the felt in the ball sockets so it’s ready to adapt to the new AC system.

 

[horse sence]

Yes there is a spray primer for plastic ,i cant remember ,its been a while since i have used it ,but i am pretty sure it is Sems . You can get it at most auto paint suppliers

 

[horse sence]

I had a 63 turbo spider ,had a 411 positrack and 4 speed from the factory

 

[7991LXnSHO]

I got to do a shakedown run and inspection today. I was planning on taking it home.

The heads, cam, high stall torque convertor, thermal coating on the pistons, valves and combustion chamber, and Rhodes lifters combination is great. It’s not a 5.0 and T-5 fast, but it will get out of traffic’s way now like a modern car. And the engine Builder (edited) told me to drive it like I stole it to break it in properly. That will be fun.

By the time I got to the first little town, the cylinder head temp and oil temp were still cooler than I expected on a hot day with the AC blasting, and oil pressure was at least 60 psi.

Then the AC made a horrible SCREECH. I shut off the AC to check for other accessory noise, (none). The AC screeched when I turned back on, and the compressor and both lines were hot enough to burn with a quick touch.
I suspect the new compressor was a victim of poor QC from China.

So it is still not home for me to install the stereo, put together the drum pedal and accelerator pedal, and drive like I stole it.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

 

[7991LXnSHO]

AC techs - how long would you expect a new Sanden compressor to last if was installed without adding the oil? Not through charging? Through several 12 mile trips?
@MustangIIMatt @Mustang5L5 etc.

 

[MustangIIMatt]

AC techs - how long would you expect a new Sanden compressor to last if was installed without adding the oil? Not through charging? Through several 12 mile trips?
@MustangIIMatt @Mustang5L5 etc.

About five minutes.

Real talk? I've never seen a compressor that didn't show up with at least SOME oil in it, and while SOP is to drain the new compressor, measure what you got out of it, flush the rest of the system, and replace the accumulator/receiver-drier fill it to the correct level... Every single manufacturer I've worked for refused to do anything more than the compressor unless there was visible debris in the system for warranty work, as has every aftermarket warranty company and used car sales department. A/C compressors in general are okay as long as they don't have too MUCH lubrication. Slightly more or less than spec is never going to hurt it in all reality because, unlike an engine, it can't run out unless something's already gone wrong. Hell, my shop foreman at Hyundai just slapped them in right out of the box, didn't check a damned thing, and had zero comebacks.

As long as you get ALL of the moisture out during the vacuuming process, you're going to be fine. The oil level is close enough as long as it's blowing cold, not knocking, and not hydrolocking.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Usually there is some oil in the compressors, and if you charged the system, the oil elsewhere will travel through the system, so the compressor should have gotten some lubricant

 

[7991LXnSHO]

Thanks guys. The system was evacuated and held the vacuum for at least months while other projects were worked on at the Corvair place.
:-(
The tech that installed the system and evacuated it moved to be near family, and another tech eventually charged it. But the first tech did not seem like the type to not do it right. I’m still brainstorming if there was another reason besides a defective unit.
The AC was COLD on their trips and cold even after it started to squeal and I shut it off (and burned my finger on the compressor body.)
The Frigidaire unit that would have been factory would have been reverse rotation and heavier, but on my Olds, the first Frigidaire compressor went about 40 years without needing topped off, and the 4 Seasons rebuilt replacement has been easier to run.
I hope the next Sanden is a good unit.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

I ran across a vehicle that might be a nightmare or a great deal. The Expedition has a 5.4 with an AC problem, needs an inner tie rod and tires. $1350, and supposedly no rust besides the step bar surface.
What issues are likely with a 5.4? Timing tensioners?
Junior is now playing Sousa, and I suspect the directors really want him on tuba full time, even though he sounds great on his smaller primary instrument. And the only way a Sousaphone fits in the Grand Marquis is with a bungie holding the trunk lid. The monster horn fits in a Fox hatchback with the seats folded, but he’s not getting my Mustang yet.