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8/30/04 A fellow named Willie called me regarding an automatic. I have only the 5-speed for sale. However, there is a beautiful automatic in Sacramento that WAS for sale two weeks ago. I'm trying to put that one together. CONDOR The Condor is languishing at Rob's while he cures a turn-on wire problem. Apparently a component in one of the amps would not respond to the turn-on pulse. He claims to have fixed it, and the car should be ready tomorrow, about 4 days later than first predicted. SC3 Nick should be coming over tonight to get two of the 4 parking lamps (two are from the 5-speed, 2 are from the Condor), to install in the SC3 bumper before putting the bumper back on the car. The silver bumper is painted and ready for install. 9/6/04 I lined up the Sacramento car for Willie, and Willie will not call back. Too bad, as Kurt's car is a major cream puff. I would buy it myself if I had the room or money.
SC3 I am taking some bolts and nuts over to Nick this Labor Day. He should have the 5-speed bumper on and ready for me to pick up later this evening or tomorrow. Roy should be coming tomorrow to pull the motor out and see what gives with the noise. CONDOR I took it back from Rob, who was unable to get the radio head and CD out, as he couldn't find the forks to do so. There were two sets in the glove box, and he just didn't see them. He was again unable to remove the units even when I brought out the forks, but I was able to do so. We looked at the mechanism and figured out why I was able, and it was because I pulled to the outside, which it turns out is THE way they are designed to function. The CD is dead and the head lights up, but passes no sound. I returned with the car and gave the head and CD to Acob, who will have some news for me later this week. I then took the car to Miranda to finish up on the upholstery. He will be looking for a used headliner core, as mine is starting to crumble (old foam). We MAY have to order a new one. I am replacing the carpet as well. I also need to get the passenger seat belt retractor mechanism IF it has come into Nick's. The Condor also leaks from the engine (which it did in the crate), and a bit from the trans. I will pressure wash the underside at Sepulveda Muffler next week sometime, take a closer look, and MAY have to pull the trans to replace a front seal. The engine oil leak appears to be on the right front, and some time back I thought it was a front seal, which I later determined it was not. So, back to basics.
9/9/04 Got it back here last night, but scheduling problems with Roy will keep us from pulling the engine until Saturday.
CONDOR I took the Regal to Joe Montalto for some touch-up work, so I have been driving the Condor as my daily driver. It is a delight, but has some details to be handled. The interior is essentially done, save the sun visors (ready to be picked up), and replacing the carpet. There are some small items like the passenger seat belt retractor, the driver's side seat belt cover, and the dome light not working off the doors to be handled. The radio and CD player are with Acob, who claims he'll be replacing old capacitors as a first step. The vibration in the driveshaft has not been addressed yet (need a hoist), but I may get over to Sepulveda Muffler on Saturday to give it a try, as well as look again at where the pesky oil and trans leaks are coming from. There is also the exhaust leak, probably between the adapter plates and the header flanges. I sure hope it is not between the head and adapter plates. It is not so much loud as annoying due to the fumes.
And, there needs to be something done about the air intake from the ram air scoops. This will be a complicated affair. I will likely wait until after the blower install to worry about it, as the intake will be handled if a carb box is used, or if we got to injection. I will have to come up with something to plug the path of water through the openings Nick made in the scoops, if I have any hope of keeping the engine looking good.
9/11/04 Roy came by today, and we went over to Sepulveda Muffler, pressure washed the Condor, pressure washed the shop bay (much longer job than the Condor), and Roy found some loose pan bolts, which he feels accounted for the engine oil leak. We ran it after he tightened them up with no drips. I'll check the garage in the morning. Kenny found some exhaust leaks, and welded them closed. The flanges are leaking, so there may be only some tightening required, or a new set of flanges welded to the old headers may be in order, the very thing I endeavored to avoid by using adapter plates. Time will tell. I also had Roy rotate the driveshaft 90 degrees, and about 90% of the vibration has been handled. There still is some, very much like years ago. I don't know whether I'll try rotating twice more before I take the driveshaft out and have the u-joints checked and the balance verified. It is a MAJOR pain in the rear to drop the exhaust, and drop the gas tank to remove the driveshaft. The car drives wonderfully, is remarkably tight and nearly rattle-free, considering the taillights are just hanging in there. There is a trim piece under the steering column which needs some padding and/or a screw to secure it. This is not a new thing, I remember it from years ago. I cleaned up the upper portions of the door panels with lacquer thinner, and have almost gotten the glue off the windows from the upholsterer. I tried twice getting the sun visors, the first was thwarted with a tow truck blocking the aisle, the second when Miranda was not there. Come Monday I'll get those. The windshield leaked in the freak rain the other day, and no luck as yet getting Carlos out to correct his caulking work. I just spoke with Nick who will call back shortly to discuss it. We can't put the mouldings on until the window is sealed. Acob will have the radio head and CD back later in the week, and we can cross all digits and hope the system performs properly, particularly since the headliner is now in place. There are a few details left to perfect the ride, like some loose panels in the doors, setting the remaining mouldings and trim, verifying the fan circuit, etc. The car has run admirably cool considering the weather has been above a 100 ever day, and with air. Tonight it ran hotter than usual, and I turned the AC off for 5 minutes and it was back in range. I still don't know what the real temp is, as the sensor kicks the fans on at 180, so it can't run less than that. I have 3 temp gauges and a panel set for the underhood area: water, oil, and trans. I need to get on those and get them in. I had planned (6 years ago), to have a whole host of gauges in the car as well, and I need to look at some way to do that as well. I went to a restaurant tonight and left the fans on manual for about 35 minutes. I came out and the car started perfectly, Perhaps the fans ARE wired to the rear battery after all. I'll check that tomorrow as well (didn't happen, see later), and if they are not, get hunting. The car is a dream to drive, is quite fast, handles like a dream, rides just wonderfully, far more comfortably than the Regal. I need to get Todd from Vortech to look at the Condor and give a real assessment of the blower install and carb/injection needs. The alarm remote has a dead battery, so the alarm is not being triggered on or off, thankfully. However, the remote does offer the ability to pop the trunk, and since the key access has been eliminated, I could use that feature. I'll change the remote battery tomorrow. 9/25/04 Been driving ALL over the place. The Condor is wonderful. Nick, per usual, has stalled me off for over two weeks on finishing the trim. As you may recall, from the first weeks over 7 months ago when I gave him the car, I had been hounding him to order ALL new rubber, etc. He never did, and only when the car was painted did he start getting on it. So now, months later, he has finally gotten the last of the new pieces. Meanwhile, the windshield leaks, so Carlos has also been stalling to come over and fix it. When he finally did come, he squirted a little butyl in the center of the window gap, left, and it still leaks. This may require a new windshield, not my problem. We can not install the windshield mouldings, nor the roof rails, until the windshield is properly sealed.
In Ford's infinite economic wisdom, the side window weatherstripping is NOT just molded rubber and felt. No, it comes WITH the color-matching interior plastic trims, all one piece. BRILLIANT, and unobtainable. The driver's window leaks a little air, as it did years ago, and I'd like to correct that. In more wisdom, Nick had left out some window track bolts and both driver and passenger windows popped out of the tracks, requiring a $70 fix by Dirk at Economy Glass. All better now. Acob fixed the radio and CD, and the only problem now is the CD does not push all the way into the dash, probably due to some cords behind hanging up. That fix was $135, a bargain. I was going to just replace both units with a new Eclipse CD/FM one piece unit, but having the factory stuff is good, too. I had the Regal antenna replaced ($283), with a new GM unit, and Rich at Valley Radio also can get the hidden Condor style antenna I need. I'll just do that and not wait for Nick to remember. The antenna is due in Tuesday 9/28/04. The hifi rocks, but I need to adjust the bass amp DOWN for balance, and reset the equalizer trims. There is a slight alternator whine on the radio mode, and Rob Anderson will address that soon. I've had some compliments on the car, even dirty and not quite finished, from the guys at Flames (cruise night). Next week should see it really finished with sill plates, window and roof mouldings, and maybe even side mouldings if I decide to go back to that look. We need to pirate the rear center trunk taillight lens system from the 91 SC3 in the garage, as we did its bumper cover. What I'll do to replace it on the SC3 is anyone's guess. The car handles and drives like a dream. It valiantly maintains temp, even in the 100 degree days, but I feel it is marginally adequate. I'm looking to install an original 17” SC fan on the FRONT of the AC condenser, to enhance airflow. The fan will work pusher or puller, but appears way more powerful in the pulling mode, so I'll have to create a shroud, and put the fan on a relay to come on with the AC. In the original car, that's how it works anyway. Not a hard thing to do. Making room for it behind the grille and such is another matter altogether. I've ordered misc ebay parts for the SC's and Condor such as door and window switches, spare wheel, instrument clusters, etc. for what I've put out, any one of those things will be a bargain if and when needed. As I intend to keep the car a LONG time, it's good insurance. I also found a local electronics outfit called Valley Instruments for a cruise control. The car originally had it, but the switches won't work with newer electronic systems, so an additional wand will need to be installed in the steering column for about $450. I'm sure if I were persistent enough, I could find a way to use the existing controls and interface them with a newer unit, but I'm not up for that. I've got enough of that to be done on the Dually/Duramax project. On the alternator front, I may opt to install a SECIND 100-amp alternator for the rear battery, to make replacements easy. This may not be an easy thing, given the space constraints up front. However, in discussion with Capt Laur, I could replace the distributor (on the front on Ford engines) with a VERY low profile unit and run a computer ignition, possibly providing some room for another alternator right in the middle of the intake area. The present alternator location at the upper right (passenger side) will likely move to lower right to make room for the Vortech. I understand some trucks use twin alternators. The huge 210-amp AIS unit I had died (as it did 6 previous times), and I had to replace it on the weekend with a 100-amp unit (I was afraid to try another plug configuration to get the 140-amp unit), which seems to be working just fine. In an odd co-incidence, the Regal alternator appears to have died last night as well. I guess it's alternator week for Dick. 10/2/04 Got the antenna from Rich. I had to take the Regal back to the paint shop to be redone, as the door was a little wavy. So I've been unable to leave the Condor with Nick for the final touches. I picked up all the mouldings, seat belts, etc. and have them with me, just so they don't get lost at his place. The Condor drives well, but without a puke tank on the radiator, eventually loses enough water to heat up. I put about a half gallon in it yesterday, and it dropped the temp right down. As Randy and I are going to the Hot Rod Reunion at Bakersfield today, I should have ample opportunity to find a tank. The difference between a recovery tank and an overflow tank is the tube is at the bottom, so when the radiator cools down, it creates a vacuum, sucking the water back in. We still call it a puke tank. The radio is all done, and Acob modified another stock Ford radio head to display CD function, and repaired my original CD. I have my original head for parts down the road. As noted above, I have been collecting little stuff on ebay every week. So far I have the following: radiator fan, door and window switches, ride control switch, instrument cluster, VMM module (idiot light pack), wheel and cap, two interior trim pieces, ABS brake controller, right side cowl trim, 2 belt tensioners, master cylinder, accumulator ball. I also have some spare mouldings around the windows from my car. So I am in good shape for certain things for the long haul. I still need to search for the center tail light assembly as we are pirating the one off the SC3, and they are not made as replacements. 10/5/04 Looks like I'm buying a parts car from back east for the landed price of $1200. On the Condor, I installed a puke tank in front of the radiator to prevent coolant loss. I was losing a bit everyday as the engine would heat and belch on shutdown. I got the largest tank I could fit, and we'll see how it goes. In the process, I removed the battery for access, and decided to relocate it to the trunk along with the fan battery already there. This was a full day of getting 22' of 1-0 welding cable (Randy thankfully talked me out of the larger 2-0), chasing down connectors, soldering up the made-to-work fork lift plug contact bars as spade ends, and routing the cable with many cable ties to follow the brake line to the back. All done, works fine. I still have to get a battery hold-down, but it is safe in the spare tire well for now. Both projects required over two days to finish. Years ago I had run the fan battery using EXTREMELY stiff cable (like running rebar), and pulled that out eventually in favor or more flexible material. This time it went much more nicely. Tonight I am purportedly taking the Condor to Nick for the final assembly. On the SC3 front, I have purchased a set of brand new rods. I have a fellow in Idaho interested in the car. I hope this all works out. 10/5/04 As the Buick now will not be ready until tomorrow, I keep the Condor for another day. The rear batteries work fine, and the front end is now less prone to bottoming out on dips and bumps. Nice improvement. I'd like to find a way to pull another 50 pounds out of the front end and get the balance even better. In stock form, these cars have great balance. I'm going to hunt up some 4-wheel scales and see just what's what with the Condor. 10/18/04 The Condor is back at Nick's for about a week now. We pilfered the center lens (full width of the trunk lid) from the SC#, and Nick has purportedly gotten a replacement lens. He will choose on for the Condor, the other goes back on the SC3. Nick has supposedly repainted the windshield wipers, has installed the cowl pieces, roof mouldings, interior door mouldings, and is having to reuse my existing door sills, as they are unobtainable. He suggests having some milled out of aluminum. That will be fine, but later. So now 9 weeks after my entry in August about it just about being done with all the new mouldings, it is just about done. I will have Nick order some wide belt mouldings per original (even though he doesn't like them), to protect the doors. I also do not like the big plain doors, notwithstanding how nice they are. The windshield has been properly sealed according to Nick. So all that was left as of yesterday was to pull the passenger seat and reinstall new belts on the right side, put the belt covers on, and the sills. I am still up in the air about how to put the lettering on. I may try chrome-like over clear Mylar. I may also have the graphics guy who did Jim's awesome Nova take a look at it. At 9:53 PM Nick is not answering his shop phone, which is unusual. Oh well, tomorrow perhaps. The hifi is essentially done, save for a small noise from the alternator. The alternator, at 100 amps, appears to be doing the job so far. I have yet to take the monster 210-amp blown alternator back to AIS, perhaps tomorrow. I don't think Nick has installed the windshield antenna. I also can not find the spare tire cover for the trunk, and I KNOW it is around here. I finally got some Velcro from Miranda and did a nice job tightening up the dash cover, which looks VERY manicured and nice-fitting. I need to get on the trans sender unit, once I get the car. Ford supplied the wrong one, and I have to go hunting. SC2 Perhaps I'll look at the SC2 unit once I get it back here and pull the trans sender to see just what it should look like. John has decided to off the car, notwithstanding it has performed perfectly from day one for him. I think his wife wants a smaller car. Sadly, I have blown off two calls from people who wanted the car. I'll relist it for him in the Recycler and Auto Trader and see what I can do. I've already put it back on my website. Interestingly, I have been getting calls for the automatic. Perhaps that ad is still running. I did NOT get the East coast parts car (whew!!!). Derek, who owns my Clone Car (the copy of my original red SC), could benefit greatly from either of the newer SC2 or SC3, as his needs some serious work (master cylinder, passenger door lock, and a few other minor things). His Clone Car has a completely fresh engine, and I pilfered the master cylinder system from the Condor for the Clone Car while the Condor was still apart. The ABS system on the Condor is not quite right, and as explained earlier, either the booster bottle or ABS controller may cure it. I have one of each, and will try that (once I get the car back here). I have an entire master cylinder system, but I'll try the easy fix first. I will mount the rear batteries up in the trunk, and not in the well, as I don't want to risk running without the spare. I also need to connect the heater core. I pray it is in good shape. 11/6/04 Put the Condor to its first real road test. Went to Vegas for the SEMA show, and Randy and I booked out there and back in one day. The car ran perfectly, got an underwhelming 13 mpg averaging about 80 mph (down from the 18 mpg I got with the previous 419” motor). The car weighs in about 4150# with a gallon of spare coolant in the trunk (10#), and spare tire (38#), and an aluminum race jack (50#). So still, at 4050# without those, it is a heavyweight. The SEMA show was dramatically instructive. Getting in person with so much knowledge, able to ask questions and probe for the answers, get referrals, inside info, etc. all proved very helpful. The bottom line regarding the Bird is that I have gotten in touch with John Meaney, the designer of the 1100 HP Corvette featured on Rides TV Show, and inventor of many DFI systems. His DFI controller is $3K, and it will take another thou or so to get my fuel rails, injectors, pump, filter, manifold bungs welded, etc. So for about $3K I can be digitally fuel injected and have a state of the art control system to make the car manageable. For ultimate power dropping the compression two points would help, but for now we'll just shoot for 8# of Vortech boost, including their air-to-water cooler. In another aspect of performance, Randy and I discussed at length the advantage of going to yet lower gears. The car came with 3.27 rears and about 32% in the overdrive, for an effective rear end ratio of about 2.22. With the 3.73's now in it, it is effectively 2.54, still very easy on the highway. But with the very large weight of the car, it just doesn't want to get moving quickly from a stop, and dropping the gears to about 4.56 would perk it up hugely. With the existing overdrive that would translate to a 3.10, not horrible, but wasteful on the highway. Adding a 5 th gear using an outboard overdrive at 20% would cut that rear end back to 2.48, and using a 30% overdrive would knock it back to a little better than stock 2.17. This is the preferred scenario at this moment. Both gear vendors and another outfit are unsure if they still have parts for the Ford AOD. If not, then something could be made. Gear Vendors offers only a 22% overdrive, which would yield a 2.42. Going a little deeper into low gearing, if I were to go 4.88's, then the resulting # would be 2.32 at 30%. This is what I'm looking to do. Worst case would be 2.52. So the plan right now is: DFI fuel injection, which should not only make the whole package eminently manageable, but should offer a significant increase in mileage, lower gears to WAY help the low end, an overdrive to get me back to cruisin', and the Vortech to kick the whole thing in the butt. That will pretty much max out the combo. Rob Anderson says 8# of boost will increase the engine to about 645 HP. Now that works! The cost for all this looks to be: Vortech-about $2500, injection around $3000, rear end gears about a thousand, and the overdrive a little under $2000. So for another $8000 or so the car can be ultimized. Ah, addictions! SC3 I still need to complete the assembly of the 5-speed SC3 and get it down the road, which will put about $4K back in the kitty. Roy has the long block assembled. I will paint the motor, and clean out the scuzzy engine compartment which was sort of undercoated by the previous owner. Roy is due back Tuesday 11/9/04, so Monday will be busy. With the new plan on the Duramax, he will be free to continue on the SC3 to completion. 11/13/04 SC3 The SC3 engine bay is cleaner, but I still want to power wash the frame rails and suspension before setting the motor back in. Roy has completed the long block, and it is ready for engine paint. A fellow called again, and I asked him to go look at the automatic, now residing in Simi. I don't think he has yet. I also invited him here, cautioning him the car would look rough. No show here, either. Ah, tires kickers. CONDOR Came to some decisions, and took some actions, thanks to some timely input and thoughts from Randy. I ordered a Gear Vendors unit. I could get a US Gear overdrive for under half the price, and with a larger (30%) overdrive ratio, but they do not make an adapter for the Ford AOD trans, nor do they offer electric shift. I certainly could make up both those things, but I am just NOT into more projects!! I'm all about FINISHING them. So I'm going with the GV. I have worked a deal through Vortech to save a little money. The final drive ratio will end up being 2.66, not at all bad.
The next step will be installing it and then going with the 4.88 gears. With that accomplished, and seeing how it drives around, I'll then go with the Edelbrock injection system. I've done a fair amount of research, and it is both the cheapest and least complex, and will do what I need. I have arranged a purchase again through Vortech, and that will be step 4, the final step. We'll be doing dyno tests to document everything, and who knows, maybe we'll get an article in Hot Rod or something. I'm going to put out some feelers ASAP through my Rodfathers connections and see if I can get to anyone in Car Craft, Street Rodding, or Hot Rod. I paid Nick off the final $1000 on the paint and mouldings, for a total of about $5500 on the paint and bodywork. Ford no longer offers the belt mouldings, so we'll go with Pro Stripe pieces, available locally. SC4/Clone Car WHAT?? Well, this is actually the Clone Car, the one I bought (from Dick Landy's brother) and drove during the middle of the Condor rebuild, and which I sold to friend Derek, who does this web site. I had put a totally fresh motor in it (the one from the original Condor, rebuilt), new heater core, and had put my Condor master on it when its master failed. I then bought a used one for the Condor, and am running that now, with a problem as it turns out. He has run the Clone Car down a bit, and is looking for a more economical, smaller car. I may just take it as a parts car, and throw it away. Given the lengths to which I have gone to restore East coast cars, etc., this might seem incongruous, Well…..yeah, it is. I'm looking to cut and run, and will be pondering this one. It needs a master cylinder assembly (I have one), a right door lock, and a right rocker/ground effects panel. Otherwise, it is in fine condition. So anyway, I will buy it from him, and may see if I can turn a little profit either fixing or parting it out. Still out on that one.
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