Hey Everyone, I need help with my car. Issues I have at the moment are: The Dash Lights Don't Work The Steering is a bit loose The Fuel Guage Doesn't Work The Gas Tank Appears to Have a Leak The Radiator Needs Replacement The Vinyl Top Needs Replacement It needs a paint job It needs a stereo The suspension needs help (shocks I think) Something is wonky with the Transmission I'd prefer to have this as true to restoration as possible but at the same time I'm also interested in some of the newer ceature comforts of modern cars. The Dash Lights are likely a fuse. There's an empty space on my fuse panel that I can't find the right size fuse for. I can't imagine why they put the fuse box that far under the dash. What a pain. I honestly can't tell if there are any fuses out under there or not. I've even been in there with a flash light. For the more serious work, like the gas tank and send, I'm interested in finding someone that will either help me (as in coach and supply space and tools) or do it for me for a nominal fee. Being a broke artist I don't have a ton of cash to expend on the "Major" automotive service stations. Plus I really prefer that someone that knows what they are doing touch my car. For the cosmetic stuff, a good shop that will help me out without raping or robbing me is good. I prefer to deal only with cash so if I can't afford it, we'll just have to wait (for those of you interested in doing work for me). If you ARE interested in doing work for me, please be sure that you have some references. I know it doesn't do a hell of a lot to actually HAVE references because it's likely they're all going to be people that like you but it helps me feel just a touch safer. I'm asking for this kind of help, not because I can't do it myself, but because I don't have any interest in investing in the tools required to get there. I spend enough money on the tools for my music and my computers. Another expensive hobby isn't going to help me at all. My aim is for a sturdy, dependable, relatively nice looking, daily driver. Thanks much! Paul
well as far as the stereo goes, here is the plan for my mav. factory am/fm stereo from the 70's. i am going to use my (apple) ipod to store music. for not a lot (more the ipod runs 350-400 bucks) money, i have a little broadcaster which plugs into my ipod. it broadcasts in 4 different channels so i can keep the original radio thing going but still play all my favorite tunes! the ipod hold 10 gigs of music, or something like 2000 songs! play the music right through the radio!
the fuse for the dashlights is going to be a smaller size, off hand i cant think of what amp it is, or slim chance its your headlight switch...
Hello, welcome to the board. WHat part of cal are u from?? By any chance near riverside or orange county?? Sounds like you need a lot of work. A lot of that stuff is simple though. I live in Corona and work in ANaheim
the dash light fuse is a 2 amp..real tiny little thing. as for a adio, go to a junkyard, pull a radio out of a 89-96 taurus, and ake all the wires that go with it..under your dash somewhere there should be 2 wires connected together..the black one is the power, and the blue one w/red stripe is for the radio lights. hook the speakers up to like so, the neg. wires go to a chasssis ground, and then experiment with the wires on the drivers side pigtail of that taurus radio with the pos. it works great for me.. need to wire a 12 volt constant for the memory though..but theres already a hole in the firewall for that..
oh..and i live in the antelope valley, california(north east LA county). so if your near here, maybe i can help ya.
Hey Everyone, Thank you for the fuse info. Where can I find one? I've been to Pep Boys a few times and I can't find anything that even comes close to being that small. I'll check around at Kragen and some others though. I'm not quite that mechanically inclined to actually pull another stereo and put one in mine. I don't have the bezel(?) that goes around the face of the stereo either. I've seen pretty damn inexpensive deals through the audio places in the Penny Saver. Are they going to mess up my electrical system or should I pass? At the moment ALL the lights but the dash work (including my map lights and dome light). The iPod is a great idea and, when I have 500 bucks to spare I'll be getting the 20GB version. I have LOTS of music and having that much access to it would be wonderful. Just in case any of you are curious I currently have three computers, PowerBook G4 Ti 500 with 1GB ram, and a Blue and White Tower with 1GB ram and SCSI, and finally my BSD box PII 400 with 764MB ram (well more than I need for a simple server but hey, it's cheap stuff). Computers I know pretty darn well. Worked on them and with them as a carreer for 12 years. I recommend Apple gear in general but if I have to (and I don't) I'll tolerate a Win customer. Depends largely on the person and what they're offering me. I've been toying with another idea in that I could take an older PowerBook, gut it, replace the screen with one of those tiny touch screen pads, add a huge HD, add a DVD player, and wire the audio output into a decent stereo system and I'd have access to GPS, all my music, DVDs, and note taking. Trouble is, I can't justify spending that much time or money on something like this. It'll be hard enough to get any kind of decent insurance on it anyway. I'm living in Riverside but consider it an extension of Los Angeles. If you ask people in LA (that's where I consider home) they'll likely try to convince you that LA spans from San Jose to San Diego. I pretty much agree with this idea as I'm all over the state, more south than north but still... I get around. My car however is usually in Riverside. I PASSED SMOG TODAY! Of course, I've had all the fluids flushed (transmission, oil, gear thingies, etc.), had a tune up including proper gapping, timing and carb settings, and some other work that I can't remember right now. The thing has new tires, new brakes, new fluids and seems pretty damn happy. Now if I can get the steering more stable and the dash lights to work and the radior and gas tank taken care of, I'll be good to go nearly anywhere. I'd also like to have the transmission looked at. Would it serve me any purpose to change the gear ratio? Is there such thing as a "performance" tranny? When I got the car it shuddered really bad. I had the transmission service done, including changing out all the fluid, and it seems better but you can still hear it and feel it do only what I can describe as "slip." It'd be nice to have a overdrive since I do long trips frequently. Is there anything I do to magically stop rust until I can afford to have the car painted? Does it matter in the Riverside climate? Thanks again for all the help. Please remember, I'm a computer jockey and a musician, changing my own oil is pretty much beyond me. Lates, Paul
Hello Paul. You are right in my neighborhood. I live in Corona right off of serfas club, just bought a house there. I too am into computers, and am a network tech for a living. I LOVE music and have quite a collection. I have over 700 albums, mostly metal and rock, and have converted all of them into mp3's and categorized them into a spread sheet-quite a hobby. As far as a stereo goes-I put a kenwood mp3 player in my transportation car. It is wonderful, one cd can hold up to 12 albums!! That would be my suggestion. If you are willing to get your hands dirty, and willing to learn, I might have a kind of tech day at my place on sat. or so. MY friend has been bugging me to do a tune up on his Bronco, my mav needs the tank and sender dropped, and I have a whole performance rear going into my 5.0 mustang, and finally have the place to work on cars. But like I said, if you are open minded, and kinda want to hang out and learn about your car, maybe we can get together on a weekend. Let me know, Jeremy (ps, most of my friends are musicians, I am the only one with no musical talend ) Jeremy v8only@aol.com
. Paul, To tell you the truth, this car isn't for you. Old cars need lots of work and patience, and money. They are old, parts wear down, and they eventually need to be replaced. If you are willing to learn how to do the work that is necessary, and willing to spend the money to do so, that is one thing. But if you're unwilling to learn, and unwilling to spend, this isn't the car for you. If I was you I would go buy an older Civic or something, it would be much more reliable, cheaper, and would even get better gas mileage. But don't expect everyone to bend over backwards and do all the work on your car for you basically for free, it's not gonna happen. Learn how to do it, be willing to do it, and have all the resourcecs necessary to do these things, and it's ok. Otherwise, you need to get another car. By the way, the best way to learn is by doing, try doing some stuff, buying some books, it's easy and shouldn't be a problem to learn. Just like computers, calculus, Economics, or anything else, it's all easy. People make it much harder than it really is.
I had the same problem with my dash lights the fuse i needed was a 4 amp SFE fuse you can find those at any auto parts store, but your best bet for that is Napa. As for the gas tank try buying some Gas tank stop leak solution (unless of course it's a serioius leak then you need the Gas tank professionally repaired or a new tank alltogether). Mavman427 does have a point though old cars do require alot of work and patience lord knows mine does. Frustration comes with the territory i'm affraid and it's something we've all had to deal with at one point. Like I always say Mavericks and Comets are two of the easiest cars out there to work on but even they have their moments. Best of luck to you though hope you get it going.
Thanks for the, uh... advice(?) guys. At the moment this is what I can afford. This is what I have to work with and, I am willing to learn and fork over cash. It's just limited. I didn't, for one minute, think that I would just drive my car over to someone's house and go to a movie and come back to find my car in nearly new condition. First and formost, I don't trust anyone that much. Not even the mechs in the shops with all their paper guarantees. I've been pricing the repairs I need and the essential stuff, gas tank and radiator (that and the tranny are all that are left mechanically) and though I can't do it in one shot I can most certainly do it over the next few months. I'm guessing the car is going to be unavailable during the time the tank is being taken care of but I'm even ready and able to deal with that. I managed to change my spark plugs, alone, with no coach. Granted that's not nearly as involved as a gas tank change (or maybe it is) but I did it and my car still worked. [shrug] I know it's like computers or anything else. What I'm not interested in is becoming mechnical guru. I don't personally care for the way the auto fluids feel on my hands (gloves or not it still manages to get you). Now before you start accusing me of being a sissy, I have to keep my hands in good shape because one of the other things I do is massage therapy (the real kind, not the escort kind). If I have cuts on my hands they cost me money becuase I won't work on someone if my skin is broken. Simple, possibly paranoid, rule I have. I have skills that I can trade in addition to the nominal cash I have available. If that's not an option, [shrug] I'll just have to bust my ass and put together enough cash to pay a con artist to take me for a ride. I've been eating ramen noodles for a long time. Another few months isn't going to make a bit of difference. Hope everyone has a better idea that I'm not after someone doing it for me. Helping me, coaching me, instructing me on the use of tools and shortcuts, allowing me use of their tools and a place to work, these are the things I need. I don't have any interest in buying tools for something I'm not interested in doing a lot. I'd use my dad's tools and place but he's three thousand miles away and it snows where he is. Regards, Paul
. Paul. Let´s think this through. You don´t like getting dirty, and you don´t like working on cars. You don´t own any tools, and you don´t ever want to buy any. You have nowhere to work on a car. You don´t have much money to spend on a car, and you don´t know how to do very much to a car. Add all of these things up and it´s clear you want a reliable, maintenance free car that is cheap to operate, period. So why in God´s name do you insist on having a Maverick or Comet that you´re going to have to work on time and time again (trust me you will, it won´t be a one time thing like you think). Why waste your time, you could be out doing things you enjoy. I´m sorry if this sounds overly harsh but I´m trying to help you out here. You need to make intelligent decisions, and this isn´t an intelligent decision for you. Your situation with this Maverick is like me buying a 1-ton dually truck, for me to drive a few times a week back and from school. It just doesn´t make sense! A few other things to consider. If you don´t trust anyone to work on your car, what makes you think people are going to trust you with their tools or their garage or house to work on your car!! If I was you I would sell this car for the most you could get, you would be surprised at what it will sell for. Then you can buy a cheap, economical car to do what you want to do, and you won´t have to work on it. When i say cheap, i mean you can pick one up for less than 2000, possibly even less than 1000 (I´ve been driving a $750 Toyota Supra for 2 years now). One last thing. The reason many people don´t like working on cars is that most people think that mechanics aren´t as refined as other people or aren´t intelligent. That´s just a load of crap, as some of the most talented and intelligent people I´ve ever met love working on cars. I´m an engineer, go to one of the best schools in the country, and I still love working on cars. Working on cars is certainly not something to look down on just because of its reputation.
Maybe you're not understanding me. I didn't say I don't want to get dirty, nor did I say I didn't want to do the work. What I did say is that it's not my first love. But see, I'm smart enough to know that this information and these skills will serve me well as time goes on. I'm here asking for your help. Not your discouragement. I sincerely appreciate your, uh... idea of help but it's not what I'm after. As far as my hands are concerned, I was merely letting you know that when I'm doing this it's actually more expensive for me than it would be for you "Oh Master Mechanic Man That Hath Given Me Only Greif." My hands make me money. Plain and simple. Just like yours probably do, only mine need to feel good when I touch people. I'd also like to make this a little project for myeslf. If I can get this thing in better shape than it's in, I'll have far more satisfaction and pride than if I bow out (at your advice) and get a honda. I'm 6'3", I don't fit in most Hondas anyway. I'm really not sure why you're trying to "save" me from this idea. I have a cool car, in pretty damn good shape, with something to actually do. I've asked for help and advice. I've never once said that I think mechs are any less intelligent than anyone else. I know what some of them make, trust me, they're just as smart as anyone else. I think maybe you have value and class issues you may need to work through. I'm really hoping your bashing someone new to all of this (so new that I don't really KNOW that it's not my thing) isn't going to deter others from giving advice and helping me out. As for Trust, it's always a risk. I have skills of my own that aren't related to yours, why would I trust anyone else enough to share them? Because I want to. Simple as that. I'm not asking anyone to do anything they don't want to do. Again, I'll reiterate, I'm NEW to this. This is the first car I've ever changed spark plugs on. And the car still ran when I was done. It was interesting and I was very satisfied that I did it. Hopefully you can understand that other people aren't monoskilled either. Just because I'm a tech doesn't mean I can't mech too. We're not all snotty, rude, spoiled, overpaid, a$$holes. Regards, Paul
Lets face it folks, He is as addicted to mavericks as the rest of us. He just does not know how to deal with these new feelings he has! He has the fever! Here's a shot of me after a little work on my 71...This was a white shirt!
