in case anyone was wondering... I've fixed the instrument panel lights, it was the head light switch, and the first time I pulled it a part I didnt notice a bare wire. Got a new distributor, and since I never replaced one before it took me a couple hours but still couldn;t get the points timed right, so I finally took her up to a shop to get that done. She then needed new brakes as I found out when I pulled them apart, I think they were all 4 original to the car (scarey thought), all of the whell cylinders were leaking minorly, so was the master cylinder. I took it to a shop for that b/c it's the one thing Im scared to touch on her. Now the problem is she has an oil leak I can't find, I've put her on stands and I can't even see it there. and I think shes burning oil. but she's still driveable(thank god). I think I should start rebuilding the engine b/c I know its 33yrs old and no one has done it yet and I figure gaskets must be starting to fail. So on Craigslist I found a 200ci I6 for $20 up in Puallyup, WA and for $20 for an engine that was pulled from a 68 Ranchero I can always scrap it for more if its beyond repair. I have a friend that's going to help me build it, and has given me suggestions about adding a dual exhaust, larger intake, little bigger carb, and bore the cylinder head and the pistons. Seems like an interesting idea. OH, funny story... Today I was pulling up to work and I turn her off and she starts blowing steam out of the grill. I start freaking out... like OMG I killed my car somehow, and I dont even know how. I thought at first my radiator cracked and that's why... but no, only the fan belt. The alternator light inside the car should have tipped me off, but the little light bulb in my head didnt turn on... Oh well, should be a fun time... hit this post up guys...
the fan belt was smoking? better find out why... that means it was spinning over a non moving pulley.
oh no... the pulley was moving, the fan belt had snapped, and I was headed into work and was already a litle late so I couldn't look... at it right then
a few more minutes and you would have been a lot later for work. trying to push the car off of the road. those idiot lights go of for a reason. glad it didn't turn out a lot worse.
Got a quick question about panel lights... I'm assuming that they're similar to a Comets... how did you get in there to fix them? All the lights are shot in my panel, played with the fuses and it's just the bulbs that need fixing. Can't figure out for the life of me how to do it I know it seems kind of silly, I just couldn't figure it out...
Remove the two screws (that point up) by the speed & gas gauge. Tilt the cluster forward from the top. You'll have to reach behind the cluster and remove the electrical connector & speed cable (best done by reaching up under the dash). Then just slide it away from the dash. The lights are on the back of the cluster. They each have their own little socket that just twists out with a 1/4 turn.
exactly like Rocco said... still haven't found the oil leak, but it's not leaking much oil so I'm not concerned... last sunday I got in the old girl and looked over the hood and just got tired of seeing rust... so I went up to my hardware store and I bought some sandpaper, tack cloth and automotive primer in a rattle can... (I already know your thoughts)... I don't have an orbital sander, you know being 20 years old and living on your own it's difficult to amass tools quickly. So I did the entire hood by hand, it took a good while to get through the old paint, primer and rust but eventually she was down to bare steel. I even took off the crome strip on the front of the hood I washed her a couple times to get everything off, then took a hair dyer and paper towels and dried it. I let the hood sit for awhile to cool down from the hair dyer and went back outside with the tack cloth and went over the hood completely. I then pulled out a roll of blue painters tape and thin plastic drop cloth. spread it over the engine block and fenders under the hood then set the hood over it and taped it down then I taped over the vent, windshield and part on the roof and doors. I then proceeded to spray away, let it dry completely, sand lightly and repeat. I must say that it looks alot better than blue and rust.
