Workin on the Wagon and One thing leads to another!

This weekend I finally started working on the wagon. I pulled out the dash in order to remove the HVAC due to a leaky heater core and it allowed me to check the evaporator too. The evaporator core is fine no leaks. It took some ingenuity but I pressure checked it and found no leaks however, the heater core does have a small leak that I cannot fix. I"ll order a new one sometime this week. It only took a little over an hour to get it all apart, and since the A/C was leaking there was no pressure and no discharge to the atmosphere.

There is always the "while I'm in there" catagory I also removed all the interior plastics for repainting which allows for replacement of the door weather stripping as well. I've discovered that the Ford Explorer uses the same weatherstrip as the Fox body Cougar wagon that I have (will have to adjust for lenght). Which allows also for removal and cleaning of the carpet and removal of the headliner that I replaced two years ago and has come unglued. I bought some 3M 80 which should cure that problem.

Under the hood is looking a little crappy so with the a/c out of the way I cleaned up on the right inner fender and firewall. That old paint cleans up real nice. I was going to repaint but found that a bit of cleaner/polish makes it look very presentable. There's just a lot of bits to unbolt and move out of the way. I have to be especially careful of the plastic bits as they are getting pretty brittle. Since it's (was) pretty much a daily driver I don't want a show car anyway but I do want it looking good so I can show it.

Of course the lower body trim is in need of attention as there's some loose rubber strips that need to be retaped and access to those bolts are through the doors with the door panels removed and the rear fender well interior plastics as well. I will attempt to "restore" the wheel arch mouldings myself as there are some flattening by someone...not me. Of course if I decide to paint then the interior has to stay apart in order to reassemble the exterior....One thing leads to another.

Like Stormins' wagon I have found that the interior metal is like new. No rust anywhere. In fact I have found interesting the the two tone paint is carried through all the way around the door posts and through out the interior body. I never knew that the interior got that kind of attention during the factory spray process.

So, one thing leads to another so I think this is going to take a while. I will take pics and post as I go.

 

Update #1

I did buy the new lifetime warrentee heater core for $30 and the new A/C seal kit for $8. The HVAC unit is remounted and the dash is reinstalled. That's as far as I've got to this point. I also managed to not break the PRNDL indicator string too!

I removed all the seats and took the carpet out for a good shampoo. First I cleaned it the old fashioned way....beat on it with a broom handle and got about a pound of dirt out. A good shampoo with the wife's hoover shampoo machine did the trick. Nice I have to admit.

I did take pictures of the floor boards but haven't downloaded the camera yet. I was shocked that a 25 year old wagon has floorboards and wiring that look like the car was built yesterday. What a pleasure not having anything to do there. Ford was somewhat forward thinking when they put a rubber backing on the carpet so all the spilled cokes etc. couldn't get at the floor. They must have one hell of a staple gun though as the outer edges of the carpet was stapled to the inside rocker panels!

I still haven't found the build sheet.

More to come next week.

 

good lord Tbird...you are on a roll !!!
i cant convince myself to go vacuum one of the cars

my lil 63 Fairlane sprung a leak in the heater core!!
know how i fixed it???
its 4 sale !!

 

The same way mine was fixed. Loop the hose around and go without. But, I'm sure the Falcon is a good 30 minute job if you stop and have a beer half way through.

 

ote=tbirdsps;2128]The same way mine was fixed. Loop the hose around and go without. But, I'm sure the Falcon is a good 30 minute job if you stop and have a beer half way through.[/quote]

yeehaw now thats my kinda fixin beer in one hand and a hammer errrrr wrench in the other

 

Update #2

I didn't do much this week. I took the A/C compressor out and the high and low pressure hoses out. I think I may spring for a rebuilt compressor and accumulator dryer just to be on the safe side for the full conversion to 134a. I also reinstalled the front seats and inboard seat belts along with the front half of the headliner after reglueing.

In general a pretty lazy weekend.

Father's day turned out good. My daughter got me a 1982 Mercury Cougar sales brochure and found out that the vinyl seats were optional along with the clock. I would have thought that the cloth seats would have been optional. My son got me a set of air tools which could speed some things up.

Like the original title I started says "one thing leads to another" I think I'll pull all the brackets off and paint them just to clean things up a bit in the engine compartment. I still need to get the plastic paint for the interior too and I need new weather seals, at least for the four doors before I reinstall the plastic parts.

 

these guys have alisting for your seals...but i hate the site:confused: it never works for me


http://166.82.96.3/homeframes.html

 

It doesn't work for me either. I've had their paper catalog too and it doesn't work either. When you enter 1982 and Ford/Mercury all you get it the Fox Mustangs and darn few parts for that!

If I buy new it will be through LMC Truck for Ranger/Explorer. All the rubber I need new for less than $120. If I could figure out what I need through Steele it would be $400+.

 

yano what?....you may still be able to get them from the dealer?!?!
i'll check 2moro at work for ya

 

Seal vendors:

Metro seems to be truer to stock shapes and they've got a good list of retailers, even in Canada!

http://www.metrommp.com/

Precision works through PPG Glass and their catalog is available here. Their own site isn't for consumers:

http://corporateportal.ppg.com/NA/Glass/AutoGlass/300_Sundries/320_Catalog/cat_prp.htm

And this might help to get replacement glass:
http://corporateportal.ppg.com/NA/Glass/AutoGlass/300_Sundries/

These guys are well-promoted:
http://stanpro.com/

And are owned by this company who make other weatherstrips:
http://www.cooperstandard.com/us/en/Door_Mounted_Index.asp

Hey Rev, are you in the Lower Mainland? My dad (passed away) was General Manager for A-United - Ford Division. Just off the Pattulo Bridge in New Westminster. They're HUGE! and they've got affiliates all over North America, Latin America and Australia. Their hotline service can find parts anywhere, within minutes, and most BC junkyards are hooked into them.

What about that BlueOval site? They use another producer called CHARP to make some of their repros?

http://blueovaltruckparts.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=242_244

 

Update #3

Worked all day Thursday and Friday last week. Everything's back together. Interior painting all done and reassembled. I still have to deal with the dash top. I've got it covered in the same fabric I did the headliner with so it'll stay that way for a while. I still have the cargo area to deal with along with the rear half of the headliner. It needs to be reglued.

The heater works great. I'm hoping the same for the A/C. I still have to vacuum down the A/C to see if I've got all the leaks fixed. It is nice having a fresh look in the car. I think I'm done for the time being. It's been in the low 100's for a week so it takes a toll.

I also through in a retiming of the VW during all this and managed to give myself a pretty good shocking while I was at it. Don't ever forget to let go of the clip on the coil when doing static timing with a test light! :banghead3:

Next: Look in to all of Stormin's web sites to redo the window tracks and rubbers.

 

Update #4

I haven't done a thing in the last couple of weeks. It's been a little too hot. I did manage to sell the VW. The absolutely most uncomfortable car I've ever been in. I'll keep the wagon thank you very much. So, what to do next? I haven't got the a/c evacuated yet to see if I've fixed the leak but I've been thinking to replace the compressor and receiver/dryer just as a matter of course. unless I get those two parts I very well could be wasting my time as both were manufactured in January 1982. Also on my list is to replace the valve stem seals. Pretty simple job that does need to be done and inexpensive too. As I've always claimed I'm not doing a restoration. I'm refreshing so I'm going to skip the pain of painting under the hood as I have no reason to remove the engine. Clean is good. I think survivor status is good for me as I like to us it and it looks very presentable as is. It's a nice 15 footer. I've actually seen people pull in to the parking lot at work to take a look.

I found this place for custom seat covers and they have patterns for the Ford Fox station wagons including the odd front seat set up. They seem very reasonable in price. $305-$350 depending on options for both front and rear. I like my seats to match even tho the rear seat is like new. It's just the front seat bottoms that are torn at the seams. I do want to sit on fabric vice vinyl in this heat. I won't need arm rest covers or head rest covers as mine are like new. Has anyone used these folks? http://www.automotiveinteriors.com/

 

Too hot here, too. The humidity is a bear!

I found this on Interiors too, mostly carpets and headliners, but all stock materials and colors for all makes.
http://www.stockinteriors.com/

I took all the doors and tailgate door off. I'm going to POR-15 each of them and then do the undercoating on them and the rest of the body, in case the stuff sprays on the painted surface, then I'll do the body prep and primer. I'm using Rustoleum products including their Rust Reformer, then their primer, then regular body fill and and skin coats, then the Rustoleum/Tremclad paint.

I've got some deep, but not 'paper-thin' rust in the areas that never get air-dried after a drive like the inside of the fenders beyond the inside wheel-wells (PVC), where the Vacuum reserve tank is kept, etc.

I'm using Dominion Sure Seal's undercoat after the Rust Reformer. Here's my strategy:

I'm either grinding off the old rust and dust, or sanding or wire-wheeling it off, then I'll use POR-15's Metal Ready phosphate, wipe it down after 15 minutes with mineral spirits, then apply the Rust Reformer, then the undercoat. Paintable where it should be, unpaintable elsewhere (underbody mostly).

I'm trying to get the body's sheet metal in shape for another 10-15 years of dignified operation. So doing the best I can is what counts.

 

Update #5

I think I'm done for now. Too hot. I've got the car pretty much parked for the summer. Early morning errands on the weekends. The A/C is still ready for a vacuum test and a charge but the 'ole Ford Ranger needs some attention. It's time for a slave cylinder/throw out bearing and clutch and it will be pricey since I don't do that kind of work. Too lazy and too hot and tool rental is not cheap here.

I'll eventually get the Cougar photos out of the camera and posted.