Project Grand Touring 1966 Thunderbird

[milner351]

wait - what?

EGR and smog pump? isn't this a '66?

[1970camaroRS]

wait - what?

EGR and smog pump? isn't this a '66?

Did I say EGR? I meant PCV. And yeah, there's a pump located on the passenger side above the alternator that has three hoses plugged into it. One goes to a catch can/vent on the passenger fenderwell. One goes to the driver's side valve cover. The other...not sure where. It was puking oil out of the fittings all over the front of the engine. Vaccum pump? Smog pump? Car doesn't have air injection or anything like that. Just this big oily messy pump.

[1970camaroRS]

These aren't freeze plugs.....more like square head 3/8 drive size pipe plugs.

Yeah, digging into the freeze plugs is WAY too far at this point. (Though they are likely getting rather thin.)


In this picture the drain plug is inbetween the 2nd and 3rd freeze plugs (going left to right) and just slightly below them.

That's interesting. I will have to take a look once I get the car on solid ground.

[1970camaroRS]

Little bit of work today. New ignition switch is in place and it gives me limited power to the dash and 12v switched to the coil. But no crank to the starter.



Got it to start with the key on and jumping the selenoid for the starter. So I just need to chase that circuit. However, this happens at the selenoid.



No surprise when the terminals all look like this.



Also, this fuse panel will be fun!

[Scott Liggett]

Pfft. You only need two fuses to run this bitch.

[Deaf Bob]

My bro had a 66 Fairlane, Cali car and had an air pump like you are describing...
I can't remember or maybe never knew if it was air injected or not.. Didn't seem like it..
You might have an early smogger motor (car) from Californicatia..

[1970camaroRS]

My bro had a 66 Fairlane, Cali car and had an air pump like you are describing...
I can't remember or maybe never knew if it was air injected or not.. Didn't seem like it..
You might have an early smogger motor (car) from Californicatia..

Yeah and I'm not sure if I'm going to reinstall it.

[1970camaroRS]

New solenoid and terminals. Got away with just cleaning some. Old solenoid still worked, but a new one was $9. At that price I will replace as many electrical parts as I can.



Uh-oh. Electrical toolkit is out.



Work on electrical they said. You won't get dirty they said.



I was on the fence about if I was just going to outright replace it based on looks alone and then I turned the pulley by hand. It clicks and grinds. New one is on the list now.



This is how I roll. High tech. I have an old laptop with the factory manual on it. I can surf Bangshift while I chase electrons too.

That said, I have accomplished this:
Radio works...quietly
HVAC fan runs perfectly
Brake lights came on and stayed on...then they went away
Amp meter moves with key

Things that don't work:
Headlights
Turn signals
Horn
Windows
Starter

But I did stumble across something funny. I noticed something was a bit off when I attached the negative lead to the battery. It sparked. So I set it aside and made up and ran a temporary ground to the frame. The key trips the starter solenoid now, but no starter. I started unplugging circuits trying to find which one is back-feeding 12 volts, but ran out of time.

Guess I'm getting the car up on jack stands soon and chasing the starter wiring and checking the starter itself.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I need to reconfigure my wi-fi antenna so I can use my computer in my shop

[silver_bullet]

I think someone needs to break that bottle of Lucas electrical smoke...LOL

[1970camaroRS]

I think someone needs to break that bottle of Lucas electrical smoke...LOL

Wouldn't that be Motorcraft brand smoke since this is the T-bird?

[1970camaroRS]

Tried to get the front engine accessories on and finish the waterpump install so I could run the car up to temp and really check the state of the engine. Nope. Between it being having super rare option, the Thetmactor system (introduced in 1966...), missing and broken parts and bolts and the previous owner's disregard for caring about things like the missing alternator spacer, the broken bolt for the alternator tensioner, the stripped out hole for the AC compressor support strut, I'm having fun! Not too worried about the alternator, I'm replacing it, so the bolt broken flush to the tensioner hole, don't care. I will just make a new spacer out of stuff I have sitting around. Not sure what to do about the stripped AC compressor bolt hole yet.

Gave up when I found out the power steering bracket mismatches the holes common-to the water pump.

On a more positive note: I painted brackets and pulleys and gave the reseviour tank a nice gloss black.

[milner351]

One step at a time.

That fuse panel is horrifying....

[1970camaroRS]

One step at a time.

That fuse panel is horrifying....

Yes it is. I hit it with some mild cleaners and a wire brush to knock some of the rust off it. Replaced all of the fuses, so far none of them have blown and both sides are getting 12v at all locations. And no smoke. After I get to the starter under the car and finish installing the front accessories, I might return to it next. Pull it out entirely and clean all of the corrosion and replace the bus bars.

I have a ton of relays and circuit breakers to chase down too. And lights to replace...and grounds to clean up...and...

But first, I still need to track down why I'm getting 12v from the main ground wire running to the engine. And work and family and other obligations keep getting in the way.

[1970camaroRS]

Got the front accessories 80% back together. The new alternator arrived and I made a new spacer for it that was COMPLETELY MISSING from the previous owner's "work".



Viola!



I got the power steering bracket in finally. A large piece if casting flash from the water pump was preventing the lower bolt hole from lining up. All that's left to do now is install the belts, thermostat and reseviour.

Still having a funky ground problem that's preventing me from being able to start the car.

Oh wait, I think I figured it out. Not getting any ground to the frame/body- only to the engine. I threw a jumper from the battery ground to the solenoid bracket while also attaching the heavy gage engine ground and...

http://youtu.be/IzFLM1BR7Uc

Car needs a serious tune-up if you can't tell...but runs nicely once provoked enough.

So far I have this into it:
Car - $999
Cost to get car (gas, LeMay Museum, food)- $125
Alternator, waterpump, solenoid, coil, wires, cap, rotor, lower hose, t-stat, belts, ignition switch - $160
Total- $1284

To do- get more electrical systems working. Brakes- most likely a new master cylinder and a standard brake job all around. Fingers crossed the calipers are good. They aren't cheap! The rotors aren't the most budget oriented either but they can probably just be turned. Then it should be good for some summer cruising before I decide if I'm going to fix the floor pans and stick a new carpet in it before selling it.


Or keeping it...