SJ’s Galaxie (was: Car Guess Game)

[Sundayjumper]

I don't know what's luckier, finding a 1 of 6 car or finding it fits on your trailer
Probably finding it fits in your garage...

Boom:

A76336B5-35DC-4424-BEDF-73E26F66BFC3.jpeg (133.43 KiB) Viewed 1278 times

[Sundayjumper]

(although I can’t open the doors, so I have to climb out the window)

[Beany]

(although I can’t open the doors, so I have to climb out the window)

Nowt but class

[Sundayjumper]

A fantastic bit of pub quiz trivia about that:

Owing to a distribution dispute, the Troggs' single was available on two competing labels: Atco Records and Fontana Records. Because both pressings were taken from the same master recording, Billboard combined the sales for both releases, making it the only single to simultaneously reach number one for two companies.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Thin ... oggs_song)

[Sundayjumper]

(although I can’t open the doors, so I have to climb out the window)

Nowt but class

I had to take my high heels off.

The mini skirt was not a problem though.

[Beany]

And you didn't send me pictures?

Such disappoint

[nuttinnew]

(although I can’t open the doors, so I have to climb out the window)

Convertible ftw, or fit a tilting floor with a winch.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Access hatches in the ceiling above?

[Carlos]

Sex swing from the garage rafters ?

[Sundayjumper]

The sixties was peak space race era (hence Galaxie), I really love the way the tail lights are styled like rocket exhausts.

F755CC5A-D253-4376-B61D-95AFD6A0E654.jpeg (135.08 KiB) Viewed 1198 times

[Sundayjumper]

Quite a few small useful jobs done today.

We started off with being reluctant to start and then running like crap, and the alternator light staying on. Caused by a) a vacuum hose falling off the inlet manifold and b) a cable falling off the alternator. Vacuum hose zip-tied until I get some new hose, and cable re-crimped. All good. I think I'm going to have to rewire pretty much everything with properly crimped & soldered connections. Belt & braces.

I'd noticed the rear lights were quite dim. I was expecting tired old bulbs and flaky wiring but the lamps were simply filthy inside. The bulbs were actually quite new and after cleaning all the connectors the wiring seems OK too. Cleaned the lamps and again, all good.

While messing with the rear lights I also realised the brake lights weren't working. Now, it's pretty unlikely I'd catch anyone out by stopping suddenly (!), but IIRC brake lights are kinda a legal requirement ? So they needed fixing. The brake light switch is quite a bizarre design on these (and I assume on most of the Ford range at the time), and relies on having a certain amount of play in the pin joining brake pedal to master cylinder. It appears that someone had fixed this play and thus disabled the brake lights !

IMG_6151.GIF (43.67 KiB) Viewed 1192 times

Fitted UK-spec numberplates. The - to be fair entirely legal - fudge of using the motorbike font to squeeze a UK reg onto a US-sized 12x6 plate on two lines irks me slightly.

Affixed a fairly subtle "CDN" badge on the boot. I'm going to become obsessively non-American about all this.

Removed the headlight bezels as they're meant to be chrome and someone has painted them matt silver. "They don't build 'em like they used to". The bezels despite being purely cosmetic and serving no other purpose are made of a quite hefty metal casting and weigh over a kilogram each. I'll repaint them nice and shiny.

There's something weird going on with the grille too. Somehow it's wider than it should be and doesn't line up with the headlight bezels. I've not figured that out yet. As with everything on this car, replacements are easily available in the US, but the shipping is a killer. I'll see if I can batter it into shape.

Took it for a quick drive to buy beer. This car gets A LOT of attention.

[KevH18]

Removed the headlight bezels as they're meant to be chrome and someone has painted them matt silver. "They don't build 'em like they used to". The bezels despite being purely cosmetic and serving no other purpose are made of a quite hefty metal casting and weigh over a kilogram each. I'll repaint them nice and shiny.

There's something weird going on with the grille too. Somehow it's wider than it should be and doesn't line up with the headlight bezels. I've not figured that out yet. As with everything on this car, replacements are easily available in the US, but the shipping is a killer. I'll see if I can batter it into shape.

Took it for a quick drive to buy beer. This car gets A LOT of attention.

Looks great! Wheeler Dealers took some old chrome bits to somewhere you can get the chrome sprayed on. It was on the Mini episode, the first one of this series I think, if you're interested. Quite strong money though, so it'll be a bit more than spraying them yourself!

[Jimmy Choo]

This car gets A LOT of attention.

And not just when you're climbing over the boot to get out of the garage.

Didn't Steveo (formerly of this parish) do something similar to get out of his 928 when it was in the garage?

[Sundayjumper]

I’ve found the cause of one of the grating noises. The exhaust has been catching on a bolt on the rear axle. It’s been doing it for so long, it’s cut a large slot in the exhaust. How could you drive a car for that long, making that much noise, without doing something about it ?? People

8725B424-ED62-404F-B958-B3E835C714CA.jpeg (71.14 KiB) Viewed 1067 times

[Sundayjumper]

I’ve also found that the brake master cylinder is leaking, and the engine is leaking oil all the way around the sump, which has silicone all around it.

[duncs500]

This car is going to keep you occupied for hours! Perhaps not much of that driving it, but a fun hobby nonetheless.

[Beany]

I’ve also found that the brake master cylinder is leaking, and the engine is leaking oil all the way around the sump, which has silicone all around it.

What does it think it is, a BMW?

[Gavster]

I’ve found the cause of one of the grating noises. The exhaust has been catching on a bolt on the rear axle. It’s been doing it for so long, it’s cut a large slot in the exhaust. How could you drive a car for that long, making that much noise, without doing something about it ?? People


8725B424-ED62-404F-B958-B3E835C714CA.jpeg

If you leave it long enough it'll wear down so much that it will stop making a noise

[Sundayjumper]

Did some rewiring today, the heavy cables for the starter, and the main earths.

Old solenoid wiring:

BDE0C279-9492-490C-8D90-6FAA6EDA3698.jpeg (132.55 KiB) Viewed 984 times

New:

5D4BF672-BD35-4C7D-979C-821B07CC45FF.jpeg (97.1 KiB) Viewed 984 times

I also took another look at the exhaust and realised I was over thinking again. I applied some traditional cold setting techniques* and now the exhaust is comfortably clear of the exhaust.


* brute force

[Sundayjumper]

Headlight bezel update. I’m not proud of the result, but it’s all down to my shoddy prep work. I *am* impressed with the product. It’s called Hydroflame Chrome. There’s not a lot of info on it. I stumbled across it on eBay. It’s some kind of silver nitrate compound that is activated by heat. Here’s what appears to be the official video:




I’m lazy & impatient so I rushed everything. Quick rub-down and coat of lacquer over the old paint:

A1705603-2C8E-4069-A881-90DC50141421.jpeg (133.55 KiB) Viewed 950 times

Two coats of the new stuff. It goes on clear so quite hard to see where you’ve been, and still looks exactly the same:

FBB7BD7B-1C72-4620-860C-C1D5F2F8F093.jpeg (134.14 KiB) Viewed 950 times

Then the magic with the blow torch This rapidly highlighted the dodgy prep. Some of it came out patchy, some of it bubbled up, I assume because of the dodgy old paint underneath. But some of it looks really good.

7A037497-A485-49C4-9FD6-4D435417720B.jpeg (103.16 KiB) Viewed 950 times

It’s not a true chrome so it needs another layer of lacquer to protect it. This also opens up other possibilities - coloured lacquer will give you any colour “chrome” finish you desire.