Show us them cars!

[JA331]

62 Buick Special station wagon. Wife wants me to sell it since I just bought a motorcycle and have 2 other old project beaters, but I really like this one. Trying to change her mind...
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Man I love old station wagons, my dad had a number of Aussie ones from the early 60’s all the way through to the late 90’s before he passed.

 

[JA331]

if i was aussie, i'd be a ford guy. i didn't know what the heck that bad ... thing Max was driving was, but i knew it was about the coolest thing i'd ever seen with those huge gas tanks where the trunk lid was supposed to be. i still want an aussie falcon.

I wanted an aussie ford coupe since i was a kid but now they’re drug money. Here’s a photo of my Kos in the Melbourne University underground car park where Max was introduced to his new blown interceptor.

 

[JA331]

Love the story of the 1 of 1 1967 Ford 428 4 speed country squire wagon Tom Cotter the barn find hunter bought a few years back. The original owner wanted a big block cobra but needed a family car. The 428 was an option but the 4 speed transmission which wasn’t available with a wagon, had to be approved by Lee Iaccoca who ran Ford. He agreed to the build and the bloke got what he wanted. Tom kept it for a while but unloaded it for a tidy profit later. I heard it sold for over 40k. Watch the episode featuring the car on youtube if you haven’t seen it already.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

1 of 1 should be worth a LOT more than 40k!

 

[JA331]

1 of 1 should be worth a LOT more than 40k!

Agreed, probably limited number of buyers for a wagon at that price.

 

[AlVegas]

 

[Duchess]

For fellow Focus ST (or anything else with a 2.0 or smaller Ecoboost) owners, I just found out the hard way that there's a class action suit going on about the Ecoboost 4s. All I've ever read is they have no head gasket issues and, being a closed-deck block, I figured that, too. Well, I've got about 180k miles on mine, running perfect, start it one morning and it smokes like James Bond's DB5 evading SPECTRE. It had been very slowly losing coolant for a few months, but I figured it was just a small leak somewhere. When it warms up, the burning coolant mostly goes away. Coolant and oil temps always dead steady, no evidence of mixing fluids, no combustion gases in the coolant, otherwise runs perfect. OK, figure it's the turbo coolant seal as I've read people typically get 120-150k out of the turbos. Mechanic does a hydrocarbon test and finds none, so he figures the same thing and replaces the turbo, which was not easy to get quickly with all the shipping delays. Same problem (though, the new turbo spins up quicker), so it goes back to the mechanic. Mechanic scratches head and does some research, finally finding a TSB stating that, if this very problem is observed, to replace the long block—not a head gasket—the whole engine. No mention of cause and I needed to know what that is, so I Googled the TSB number and found a car news article listing two law firms involved in a class action suit about it over Ford concealing this problem (which jives with my lack of finding anything about it and I will be putting my name in for this suit, though the high miles might earn me little sympathy). Go to the firms' pages and they state that the problem is related to some kind of manufacturing issue where grooves in the block or head surface fill with coolant, eventually eating their way to the cylinders. How Ford can't understand how to properly machine a mating surface after well over 100 years (if that's what it is, but that's what it sounds like) beats me. This is about the worst time in car sales history to probably have this problem as even junkers aren't cheap and I can't get away with a junker, anyway. Coolant doesn't seem to be mixing with oil, so I'm going to try the highest rated head gasket sealer to hopefully get another inspection sticker and buy me some time to trade it in (I might get a "beater" in between while waiting for the next car—likely not a Ford and I was seriously looking into replacing this with a Maverick when the time came—to be built and delivered). It's too bad as I loved this car as a daily driver and it had nearly perfect reliability until this. So, if you have something with one of these engines and notice the coolant starting to drop with or without obvious burning, be prepared.

 

[2088bob]

 

[2088bob]

these are my 2 bronco wa converted to 2wd with a coyote motor and the sand rail runs a inlne 4 cyl vw watercooled motor 2088 cc

 

[Gearhead Kevin]

My daily driver is an old Mazda minitruck. It's actually way nicer than the pictures show. I've got a well done drivetrain in it and everything underneath it is freshly rebuilt and powdercoated.



And I also have an LS swapped Chevy C1500 that sits in the garage a lot. It's the one I've spent my main time and money on. The drivetrain swap is very sanitary.



I've built a real long list of neat stuff over the last 30 years but I'm getting old and have curtailed it a whole lot. The C1500 has received a whole lot of nice work and it's a bit a a theft magnet so I'm pretty guarded as to when and where I drive it. The Mazda is just a cockroach. It cannot be killed. So I drive it everywhere with impunity. I work in a shady area and my fire station has a pretty sketch parking lot so the Mazda fits the bill for being a work commuter.

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

ooo, that Mazda truck brings back memories. I had one in the late 80s, lowered. Such a good truck.

 

[Gearhead Kevin]

ooo, that Mazda truck brings back memories. I had one in the late 80s, lowered. Such a good truck.

In the picture I posted it's lowered 4 inches front and rear.

But, it's been all different configurations in the time I've owned it.



I'm not kidding when I say that it's a work truck.



I put the camper on it last weekend. It's getting winter time so the camper is handy.

 

[Wildcat]

I was a Ford guy, my 65 Fairlane was my favorite. Basic, one speed wipers, no washer, no backup lights. 200 six with a 3 on the tree. I gave my brother my 83 F100 before I left Florida in 2014. My first car was a 62 Comet. Also had a 60 F100 with a 292 and granny gear.

But I wouldn't have a new Ford today. Over here in the Philippines reliability is the number one priority. AC a close second. Last week we picked up our new car, haven't had a car in 18 months when we left Hawaii. Suzuki Celerio. This thing gets 65mpg! 3 cylinders with a CVT trans. CVT is perfect for a small engine, keeps it at peak rpm all the time. We climb the hills here easily with 67 hp. And it gets through the congested city traffic well.

 

[freddy]

79 MALIBU

 

[Phranq]

For fellow Focus ST (or anything else with a 2.0 or smaller Ecoboost) owners, I just found out the hard way that there's a class action suit going on about the Ecoboost 4s. All I've ever read is they have no head gasket issues and, being a closed-deck block, I figured that, too. Well, I've got about 180k miles on mine, running perfect, start it one morning and it smokes like James Bond's DB5 evading SPECTRE. It had been very slowly losing coolant for a few months, but I figured it was just a small leak somewhere. When it warms up, the burning coolant mostly goes away. Coolant and oil temps always dead steady, no evidence of mixing fluids, no combustion gases in the coolant, otherwise runs perfect. OK, figure it's the turbo coolant seal as I've read people typically get 120-150k out of the turbos. Mechanic does a hydrocarbon test and finds none, so he figures the same thing and replaces the turbo, which was not easy to get quickly with all the shipping delays. Same problem (though, the new turbo spins up quicker), so it goes back to the mechanic. Mechanic scratches head and does some research, finally finding a TSB stating that, if this very problem is observed, to replace the long block—not a head gasket—the whole engine. No mention of cause and I needed to know what that is, so I Googled the TSB number and found a car news article listing two law firms involved in a class action suit about it over Ford concealing this problem (which jives with my lack of finding anything about it and I will be putting my name in for this suit, though the high miles might earn me little sympathy). Go to the firms' pages and they state that the problem is related to some kind of manufacturing issue where grooves in the block or head surface fill with coolant, eventually eating their way to the cylinders. How Ford can't understand how to properly machine a mating surface after well over 100 years (if that's what it is, but that's what it sounds like) beats me. This is about the worst time in car sales history to probably have this problem as even junkers aren't cheap and I can't get away with a junker, anyway. Coolant doesn't seem to be mixing with oil, so I'm going to try the highest rated head gasket sealer to hopefully get another inspection sticker and buy me some time to trade it in (I might get a "beater" in between while waiting for the next car—likely not a Ford and I was seriously looking into replacing this with a Maverick when the time came—to be built and delivered). It's too bad as I loved this car as a daily driver and it had nearly perfect reliability until this. So, if you have something with one of these engines and notice the coolant starting to drop with or without obvious burning, be prepared.

That’s good to know! Mine is still pretty low miles, but I got the 2018 focus st. What other cars had the 2.0? There’s a Mazda and a Volvo isn’t there?

 

[us56456712]

Back in high school here. $200 with a blown engine for a 1959 MGA. Total cost to get it running including the initial purchase price was $500 (or about $5000 now). Here I am removing the engine in my parents driveway. I got it running but because it had Lucas electronics, it wouldn’t start when it got to 40 F and would become electron free in the rain or if you went through a puddle. Useful only in the summer when it was dry. I ended out flipping it that winter for $600, so I made $100 and got some fun, but more frustration. There wasn’t a good wrench angle in the entire car. It took an hour to get the two air filters off because you could only make micro turns. Of course the fixtures were all Wentworthless.

 

[Duchess]

That’s good to know! Mine is still pretty low miles, but I got the 2018 focus st. What other cars had the 2.0? There’s a Mazda and a Volvo isn’t there?

Anything Ecoboost 1.6-2.0, though some people tried to argue with me on the ST forum that this doesn't apply because the TSB covers twin scroll turbo cars (Fusion, Escape, Edge, the respective Lincoln versions, maybe some others) and the ST is single scroll. While I understand it's a headifold design, so the heads would be different in that regard, this appears to be an issue between the head and block mating surfaces, which shouldn't be different. Either way, I wasn't arguing respective best guesses with someone who thinks his guess is truth as the car quite clearly had a massive internal coolant burning issue that matched what is described by the TSB and some other people on the forum have had the same problem, as well. I don't think it's inevitable failure, just something to be aware of. Nobody but a dealer who would charge more than the car is worth would take on the job of changing the engine with shops backed up as they are with people holding onto beaters longer due to the market and I got rid of my engine cranes and stuff when I moved as I discovered that I hate working on cars now that I can afford not to have to. My old Subarus and such were also a lot quicker jobs I could do in a few hours. Book on the ST engine swap is 17, which probably translates to at least the best part of two weekends for me. I'm not young and poor anymore.

I did try the head gasket sealer and followed the instructions exactly. Worked for maybe a week on the engine, but did a great job clogging up the heater core. Cleared the core out, but still no heat. Anyway, it was sold and gone in 3 days once I posted it with two people in waiting (guess I could have asked for more, but I didn't want to risk being stuck with it for the winter). The guy who bought it drove it 2 hours back to Maine and I made sure he knew exactly what was wrong with it—no heat and all. Now I'm in an '08 Camry with barely more miles on it than the Focus, but it feels like it's got 100k more on it with all the rattles and slop. The Ford, OTOH, felt like it had 100k less than it did. Camry is a manual, though, which I didn't even know they still offered at that point. It's still not fun to drive, but it runs, has heat, and passed inspection. I have an order in on a GR86, which they're saying is about 3-4 months. I really need something more practical, but I feel like this might be the last generation of simple RWD sports car available before we're forced into anonymous eunuchmobiles full of nagging "safety" nonsense, so I'll figure out a way to live with it.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Been a while since I've been on here so a bit of an update. I've been working on multiple cars and a few bikes occasionally but limited space and time have taken away a lot of build time and energy. I got a new car that is very much not my style but I have fallen in love with it over the 6 months I've owned it. It's a 2002 Saab 9-5 turbo I'm normally an old car guy and normally not an import or Euro guy but this car rocks! It's quick, fun to drive, handles great, gets excellent mpg, has the most comfortable seats ever, as well as having every option you could ever want... heated seats front and rear, heated and cooled glove box, killer sound system by Harmon Kardon, massive trunk, leather seats, sunroof, power everything, and it's turbo!

 

[Oak Tree]

I’m happy for you, Mr customs. I remember the sticker bomb from a few years ago. Happy new year

 

[outskirtscustoms]

I’m happy for you, Mr customs. I remember the sticker bomb from a few years ago. Happy new year

That's been quite a while ago. Since then I've had a Buick lesabre, 2 Ford rangers, a Caprice wagon, an Oldsmobile wagon, a square body Chevy truck, 2 jeep Cherokees, a Mercedes 190e, a Plymouth Sundance, a pontiac sunfire, a dodge Durango, a dodge ram, a Chevy S10 Blazer, and my Saab.