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Project: Cruise, a 1960 T-bird.


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Well...carb was 95% assembled right, not bad for my first carb rebuild. The 5% that wasnt built right was the float and needles werent together as they shouldve been to stop the flow of fuel into the bowls. So now I could be looking at vac, timing or something else. Ill probably need to get my vac stuff sorted out first before rooting with timing and electrical.

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Carbs are a PITA. If you decide to keep the car and still can't get it running right, there are lots of companies that make fuel injection systems that look like 4 barrel carbs and will bolt right on (of course, they are not cheap)

Here are some options, but not all:

https://www.holley.com/products/fuel_systems/fuel_injection/

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2 hours ago, 89 MJ said:

Carbs are a PITA. If you decide to keep the car and still can't get it running right, there are lots of companies that make fuel injection systems that look like 4 barrel carbs and will bolt right on (of course, they are not cheap)


I'm not too worried about getting the carb system just yet. This car has sat since 1998 so it’s a challenge for sure but I have to learn about how cars work prior to fuel injection and so far it’s getting more simple the more I work on it. 

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It also doesn't hurt to go back once a year and readjust things.  Sometimes they work their way out of tune and you need to go back and adjust them.

 

Also, I have something like this from back when I ran carburetors.  It's great at getting to the idle screws.    https://www.amazon.com/Performance-Tool-W1187-Carburetor-Adjuster/dp/B0002KNZL4

 

 

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13 hours ago, derf said:

Also, I have something like this from back when I ran carburetors.  It's great at getting to the idle screws.    https://www.amazon.com/Performance-Tool-W1187-Carburetor-Adjuster/dp/B0002KNZL4

 

That has been added to my shopping cart! Good find.

 

Problem is is the car has sat since 98 which was the last time it was on the street. Something tells me the PO's father was messing with it at one point for a moment to see why it was running hot. Its missing a fan shroud which probably at the time was no longer made until now. 

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Major major progress. I still need to clean contacts and what not. But fuel is PUMPING!!! It’s a slow process but it’s gonna take a few battery charges to get it primed and ready to fire on its own. Once it does, gonna move forward, reinstall everything and do the brakes and hope she drives. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Ok so it’s starting to warm up in a bad way so I may or may not be able to move more forward as I’d like with the T-bird. But I went over today and I cranked it a little bit till the battery died. Took out the battery and let it charge for the moment I was there. Replaced the starter solenoid with the one I thought was shorted. It wasn’t I was just dumb and put the ground cable on it the first time and that’s what caused it to short like it did. Whoops! Part of me knew this at the time but not well enough. Anyways new one installed, cranked it and she fired right up which is fantastic! 

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  • 4 months later...
  • 3 months later...

Finally got to this thing. With the inevitable rush of my grandparents moving, I am having to get this thing done, possibly quick and dirty too sad to say but its all in the name of time. Anyways:

 

IMG_9293.jpg.3a2997e62e27ede10bc21a18fde7d099.jpg

 

So I got the water pump back on, PS kinda bolted in place as I await to be entirely sure I am ready for the belts to be put on. It starts, runs and revs really high. I think about 1500-2000 RPM. I am damn sure I have a vac leak and it also looks like I have to disassemble the carb again as I can now see open gaps in the throttle plates letting air in. I don't think thats entirely right or normal but I know the mating surface of the intake and the spacer are in meh shape so I am going to replace those to help do away with vac leaks.

 

I am open to any suggestions or tips that will help bring down the idle. I tried the adjustment screws and they seem to have helped but the vac leaks appears to be too great at the moment for a difference. 

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39 minutes ago, 89 MJ said:

Nice……Mopar battery in a Ford :roflmao:

I have been literally running this car off of free magnetti and Mopar batteries that Chrysler says we can toss out lol. They may not have the cranking power they should, except the big boy diesel one I had did before I killed it but it is so much better than buying a battery to get this car going. 

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12 hours ago, eaglescout526 said:

I have been literally running this car off of free magnetti and Mopar batteries that Chrysler says we can toss out lol. They may not have the cranking power they should, except the big boy diesel one I had did before I killed it but it is so much better than buying a battery to get this car going. 

Gotta love the scrap list from Mopar. 

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1 hour ago, eaglescout526 said:

Oh that list and what they scrap baffles me sometimes. Never makes any sense. 

Agreed. GM does the same thing. Being a dual line has definitely stocked my garage with some weird and useful items.

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  • 1 month later...

This thing has been annoying lately. But I think I might have figured out my high idle issue. Thanks to a lot of digging and help from some of you guys, I was able to get the engine to calm down. Turns out the gasket between the carb and the top cover was on wrong some how but upon inspection, it looks like the gasket was made wrong. So a piece of the carb for some reason wasn’t being covered and was allowing more airflow than it should’ve I also found the throttle return spring and mounting plate and got that back on and everything seems to be working like it should. I got the radiator in. Soon it’ll be time to see if I can get it to move under its own power. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am announcing the death of this project. As of recently I have no place to store it in any way and it has to be removed from my grandparents property ASAP. It will be going back to the family I purchased it from whom will probably in turn sell it again to an enthusiast who has time and space. I can’t say I’m happy about the choice but I know I’ve learned a lot from this short project and the decision is better than it being in the scrap yard. If anything happens to it, I’ll update the thread like if it sells to someone else. The car runs and it’ll drive but won’t brake. I’m more or less proud of what I’ve done to this car. 
 

Thanks y’all for any help and input along the way for this car. Keep an eye out for the next one or watch Chunks build for his changes and fun. 

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2 hours ago, Pete M said:

:( 

Pete the way I look at this, I am glad it will be out of my possession much like how I was when my accord was totaled. I think the engine on this car needs a full rebuild. But I’ll drop a hint as to what the next car could be. It’s a model year newer than what was in Smokey and the bandit. 

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