Unobtainium

Stef, I've gone through most of this year's warm weather trying and succeeding to find or make unobtainable parts. I'm sure lots of members have too.

I cannot take credit for the word UNOBTAINIUM, because HandyAndy coined it.

He and I are lucky that we own the modern Model T. All the drivetrain parts for Mustangs, Capris, and other Fox-based Ford and Mercury cars up to 1993 will most likely work. Even engines and transmissions back to 1960 are almost Plug and Play.

But my suggestion is to use a Sticky or new Forum here in SWF for how folks find or build their own UNOBTAINIUM.

 

OK, I'll give a couple examples.

I wanted to swap my C4 automatic to a stock 4-speed standard behind my 200 CID (3.3 L) I6.

Searched on http://car-part.com/index.htm

Found one in a yard in Alberta, Canada for a 1980 Fairmont, low miles.

No clutch or flywheel, but it came with the very hard to find bell housing and the shifter but no knob (even harder to find but I got one off a 1978 Mustang II, locally).

Here's the UNOBTAINIUM part, the Engine Cover Plate between the block and bell housing, and the locator pins on the back end of the block.

EDIT: Locator Pin solution: I measured the existing ones. I can't take them out, so I'll grind them off. I tried heating and vise grips, no go. Anyway, 3/8" diameter stainless steel bolts with a 1.25" unthreaded shank. Cut the thread and the head, and pound them in. I chose stainless steel because they won't rust in, and for the standard trans the pins are in different holes, but the Auto trans pins have to go. The performance shops sell the steel one in the US, and I didn't want to pay that much for pins.

I used the bell housing to trace out the exterior shape, and found a shop that had 0.080" aluminum and made a rough template. Looked great, except that it would fail unless it was steel. No luck finding decent steel locally unless I bought a 5 foot X 10 foot sheet. A neighbour had a galvanized kids slide with 0.040 steel, and that curve in the slide. I pop-riveted 2 pieces together and made one, that could work. But it was FUGLY.

Well, I figured I'd search again, and found an old post by an EBAY vendor where he told Ford I6 folks to email him. I did and he had one but he wasn't sure. I sent him links to sites with pictures and part numbers for the bell housings for mine and the older 1967 bell housing, and it turned out that his was correct. Got it 8 days later. I de-rusted it, sprayed cold galvanized paint on it, after treating it with OSPHO.

What made it hard to find was that they don't have a separate part number. The V8 units are also sold according to the Bell Housing. No part numbers on the plates, so junkyards can't be sure either.

UNOBTAINIUM 2{
The other UNOBTAINIUM with the tranny were the upper and lower boots, but I found a post that kept recommending Scott Drake's lower priced versions for the 4-speed shifters and found a vendor in Alberta that had them, with free shipping.

And then we come to the Rear Stabilizer Bar (sway bar). I found one also through car-part.com, from a 1978 Fairmont Sedan. Yippee!, until I learned that the mounting brackets were not available, even rusty. The yard wrote me back, saying they had no part number, but I found that from FordpartsGiant.com. Luckily, I had the factory shop manual, where the had a rough sketch, for the Fairmont/Zephyr.


UNOBTAINIUM 3:
The wagons were never given the rear stabilizer bar option, only 2 and 4-door models, and it was optional even on police cars, not wagons. And the mounting bracket changed in 1980. They made a stamped webbed channel with the opening pointing down, because the original collapsed.

Luckily, the bar had a definite curve on either end that ran the shape of the rear coil spring support. I found a picture in my Chilton's Fairmont repair manual vaguely showing how it mounts, but no dimensions. Had to make my own. Ford used 2" X 1" channel. I used 2" X 1" rectangular tube with a 1/10" thick wall. Did all the rust descaling, OSPHO treatment, primed and painted, also with the Cold Galv primer. and drilled out the mounting brackets, first to the bar's own mounting holes, then to prep for drilling out my Lower Control Arms. With the dimensions nailed down, I just had to get under the wheel wells and drill and mount, using stainless steel bolts, torqued according to factory specs.

Once I change the rear springs from Stock, constant rate, to Variable rate, that rear sway bar with really help control over and understeer, and make it a smoother ride.

The only other picture where I've seen Fairmont wagons upside down, was in the movie E.T. I have to watch it again to see if they had those rear sway bars, since they were supposed to be cop wagons. :confused:

I wonder if Spielberg kept one...

As our cars get older and rarer in junkyards, we'll be faced with more UNOBTAINIUM issues, especially for body parts. So showing how we dealt with the parts solutions might help tweak some bright ideas.

I plan on getting another Mexican Fox wagon, because they have features that US/CDN built Fox-based Fords don't. DANA 44 rear end, thicker rear 10" drums, hooped headliners that don't sag, and that unplanned bonus - no frame and body rust.

 

I just posted my work-arounds above your post. I know most of us have to deal with patch panels and stuff, but maybe it should focus on dealing with parts that just don't exist anymore or would be useless if they were off another rusty vehicle. How do we build them, how do we find examples, pictures or any clues to how they were before they were lost to old age.

 

Another source for part numbers is the Crash Sheets that body and repair shops used. Once you get the part number, you can search all kinds of sites, even European and Australian, Latin American sites.

 

That term has been around for many, many years, actually.

 

UNOBTAINIUM.............................???????????
To many of us money seems to be unobtainium. Can we make our own?:confused:
The government does.

 

Moi? I thought you made that one up Norm?

 

I wonder who sells chrome letters to make up an "Unobtainium" car nameplate. I was sure it was you Andy. Patrick says its part of the culture. A common plight it seems.

 

OK, back to how this thread could be useful, Stef.

I got a 1978 Zephyr complete with all the body and mechanical parts (200 CID with a C4 Auto). Very hard to find any around here. As I was stripping it, I was looking at every removable part, with the word "UNOBTAINIUM" firmly directing my efforts. The fuel tank was toast, but I pulled the fuel sending unit. It was FUGLY, but I soaked it for almost 2 months in Molasses and water, and the crusty rust fell off. The float and filter of course are hopeless, but replaceable, thanks to Mustang owners. It might work, and I'll keep it as a repaired spare. I'll be calling my local NAPA dealer, since he's found a lot of bits and components for me.

But he's been successful when I brought in more details, so I spent some time over the weekend looking for the intel. This might help others, so I'm logging what I found.

First, about Part Number Searches. Luckily Ford groups their parts by assembly. Fuel related usually falls in the 9000 group, The design/engineering year and model are in the first section of the number, so any parts guide back to at least the 1950s and up, can help identify the parts group. In my case D=1970, 8= 1978, the model (Fairmont or Zephyr) is B, and the Z is sort of a catchall for minor components, like this sending unit. The part is 9275, and depending on the fuel system options and emissions regs, they get an extra letter: A is what mine is for Canada and 49s, The California sending unit is different - it gets an A, but it was upgraded in 1980, so the P/N is different. The Turbo-charged 2.3L was also upgraded, but it also had a different last letter: B or C. Have a look here:

http://www.fordpartsgiant.com/Page_P...85618,19285619

But it gets more interesting and gets us, FZ guys a broader list at the junkyard. It seems that the original FZ sending unit "D8BZ-9275-A", was also used on 1984 to 1986 LTD and Mercury Marquis models:

http://parts.autonationfordwhitebear...ford/d8bz9275a

And just to add to the realm of possibilities. I took a look at Mustang II units:

http://www.gastanks.com/1977-78-Must...info/SUFG179A/

Sure looks similar to me, but I didn't stop there.

I went to this site and found:
http://www.rearcounter.com/D8BZ-9275-A-parts359949.html

Clicked on the other "B" suffixed unit (D8BZ-9275-B - turbo charged 2.3L) and that took me here:
http://www.nospartsltd.com/category-s/1910.htm

Clicked on their last selection - All Other Fords 1980, etc:
http://www.nospartsltd.com/category-s/1876.htm

Typed in "9275" in their "Quick Parts Search and got:
http://www.nospartsltd.com/SearchRes...sp?Search=9275

and scrolled through their lists, looking for D8BZ-9275-A - no luck, but, I saw that those LTD and Marquis models (1984 to 1986) had variations. Went back to FordPartsGiant.com, and punched in the optional sending unit models, as well as mine, and none of them came up. Went back to my BING.com Search engine, and got this:

http://www.fordpartsgiant.com/parts-...fuel-tank.html

If you scroll down to Sender Asy, you'll see not only our F/Z D8BZ-9275-A (Same for the 200 CID and 302 V8, but other upgraded Fuel Sending Units, and they were used in Fords that are 8 years younger. And all the details on cars with or without CFI, EFI or Turbos!

I found some reputable rebuilders too:

http://tristarrradiator.com/

And Dorman has repair kits too:
http://www.dormanproducts.com/dispst...ing_Units.html

But they don't sell them to consumers, so you're left with parts dealers (NAPA, etc) or rebuilders, unless you find a good unit in a junkyard, only now you can look at models up to 1986.

Hope that helps.

EDIT: Not newer Mustang/Capri Fuel Sending Units

Mustangs from 1979 to 1993 have lower profile fuel tanks, so the arms on the sending units are longer, after 1983, most of the Fords had 2 tubes in the sending unit. I suppose you could seal the unused tube (steel return line, for the models with electric fuel pumps), but it adds more complexity to wiring it up for the gauge, the trip-meter/fuel warning systems, etc. Can be done, but you'll need the wiring diagram for the vehicle you got it from. You could use the 1979 to 1982 Granada unit, but you might have to bend the float rod and tube for the Fairmont or Zephyr tanks. The Turbo-charged 4 cyclinder engines (optional from 1979 to 1983 on Fairmont, Zephyr, Granada, Cougar models, and the CFI, EFI units are different, electrically, not mechanically - they could work too, but the dual tube and gauge connection is a brain twister.

 

Chrome look tape sort of like vinyl trim is sold in most auto parts stores. I bought the words SPORT in chrome silver at a vendor at a fair. Many swap meets have vendors who will make about anything you want of different vinyl sheets using many types of text.
Years ago I used a prizm chrome look vinyl for the script word FORD on the tailgate of a truck. The lights made it appear different colors.

 

Yeah, that prismatic stuff was used on a lot of 1950s convertibles on door panels and seats too!

Just found this:
http://www.miladisplays.com/plasticletterslogo.htm

This one makes them in Stainless, brass, etc,, and they're in Canada, as well as the USA!

http://steelletterdepot.com/

 

Now here's a truly Unobtainum part, especially for US/CDN Fox body cars built in Mexico!

Mine has a DANA 44 rear end, as do Mexican built light trucks, including models we never see north of either of the Mexican borders. Like this Ford F-1000 pickup!
http://gomotors.net/Ford/Ford-F_1000.html

And DANA's site doesn't even have BOMs for them, but... Spicer does!

Their lightaxle.pdf file lists them:
http://spicerparts.com/literature/library

The page title is:
GEARSETS AND REAR AXLE PARTS FOR LIGHT TRUCKS AND COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

AND, its in only Spanish or Portuguese!

So you open your differential, get the number off the ring gear, and pinion, as well as the BOM off the axle, and the Ratio numbers off the tag or the ring gear. Mine is T43-14 which means 43 teeth on the ring gear, and 14 on the pinion = 3.07:1 My pinion is 30060. The pinion doesn't show in that axle list. But it does show here in DANA's XGI.PDF list!

http://www2.dana.com/pdf/XGI.PDF

Now go back to the Spicer list and check out the axles and differentials listed.

While you have the differential open, count the splines on the axle shaft (chalk mark one and spin the wheel to count them off.

THEN, you have a few options. Order from Spicer, not DANA, because the Trac-Loc unit doesn't show for these older DANA 44s, OR try to find a local DANA dealer that will order one for you.

OR find a member here (SWF) in Germany (those F-1000's were sold in Germany too), who can get one for you, or someone in the business in Mexico to buy a used one, and a new rebuild kit for it. I'm working on that last option. One of my brother-in-laws has a trailer-queen 1968 Mustang coupe, and knows a few guys, although a Mexican buddy is more into cruising junkyards out in Guadalajara, MX. Once I get all the "I's" dotted and "T's" crossed, I'll post my findings and contacts.

Nothing like a trac-loc in snow and ice, and we have too much of both.

 

Nothing like a trac-loc in snow and ice, and we have too much of both.
Now I am curious.................. Since there is rarely snow or ice in Mexico why then did they use those rear ends?

 

They like peeling rubber on both wheels, AND, especially in Central Mexico's rain storms, they can add paddlewheels and keep rolling down the road...

I took a cab, once from our house in Guadalajara to the airport, and we hit a rain storm so bad, that the VW beetle I was in started to float. The driver climbed out and pushed me up to a drier part of the street. I steered and stopped it. He found another route, and we finished the drive to the airport. The rain stopped by then, of course. But he had a posi transaxle in that beetle, just in case he had to push alone. Not kidding.

Some parts of southern Mexico, and the Northeast do get up to 4" of snow, and the roads do ice up, right on the oily pavement.