What are you working on today??

I'd fix that one myself... The tire shops are going to want to sell you a tire. Buy a tire patch kit and there's probably videos on YouTube if you need to know how.

And yes, it does come in threes.
The tire shop I go to did it for free with a patch, not a roadside plug.
 
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Something is amiss on the Mazda.
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The drives side pads are gone, they passenger side are practically new. Seem the drivers caliber is hung up, or the slide pins are not sliding anymore. Going to try and free it up and grease the pins. If that doesn't work calipers are cheap.
 
Something is amiss on the Mazda.View attachment 736885
The drives side pads are gone, they passenger side are practically new. Seem the drivers caliber is hung up, or the slide pins are not sliding anymore. Going to try and free it up and grease the pins. If that doesn't work calipers are cheap.
Throw hoses on it too, they are cheap and you have to remove one end anyway
 
getting on to the fuel system in the 81 concord that sat since 1989.
drain, pull the tank & inspect it and clean the fuel line. seems like its good but we shall see.
the stuck motor is unstuck now, gotta start rebuilding the carb.
and gotta deal with the oil drain plug that just turns.............

the 81 imperial wheels might not work, they come really close to the wheel opening when turning the wheel,
thats something to deal with later

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High ground clearance on that Concord. It's got an upright appearance overall....
 
I got to participate in this years Hot Rod drag week. Two weeks ago, there was a guy with an Eagle wagon full car with a turbo 4.0 jeep engine in it. Wheelies all week long. The car looked new too!

Check it out. The guy narrating is wrong on the engine.
 
Finally reassembling the '66 500's front suspension.
After misplacing the lower control arm nut and panicking, I found it today.
The T bars are in place and tomorrow the rest goes together.
The disk brake lower ball joints are in OK shape, good enough for the 400 miles it gets driven per year.
This is the first time I had a press to do the LCA bushings myself.
That was a huge learning experience. luckily my son is a really good welder.
Really looking forward to driving it again.
 
Not working on it at the moment, but went to look at a new toy/project. 1953 Desoto Powermaster. Pick it up Monday or Tuesday.
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all interior stripped save for the blower box, heater core (which is what started this dive down the rabbit hole), A/C, and flow through mechanism. That all happens today along with a much needed interior vacuum.

Beyond that, fenders, doors, hood, core support, drip rails, and lower moldings come off, engine/trans out and into a warm workshop for the winter for tear down and assessment.

That should cover me for late fall/early winter regarding ‘daily work’!
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I started uncovering the iron oxide in the F350 that I am replacing the exhaust manifolds on. The spot weld cutter is working well.
Unfortunately, I think that I am going to have to remove the front fender on the passenger side and unbolt the bed to get to the rot to treat it properly.

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Ah fixing the cobbling of a previous owner continues. In pulling the passenger side fender, I found an allen wrench that plugged the vacuum that is supposed to be the source for the front hub locking solenoid. That was broken and the previous owner implemented this fix.

Replacement on order…

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Got the Desoto home Monday night, but it was too late to do anything with it. Tuesday it rained (car was outside), so I didn't touch it. Yesterday I was finally able to get at it. The car was a great deal because it didn't run, it wasn't getting fuel to the pump. The previous owner had replaced pump and added a manual pump not unlike you would find in a boat. After all that, still nothing, so he gave up on it.
I figured the tank or line from the tank was plugged so I was going to start there after I confirmed that it would fire.

I started by pouring some fuel in the carb and cranked the car, it worked. The car fired, then died cause it wasn't getting more fuel. While I was looking at the fuel lines and pump I noticed the lines were wet and the filter now had fuel in it. I grabbed the line where the bellows pump was and it twisted and moved freely. I pulled the rubber hose off the copper line and fuel was there.

It turns out the mechanic that the PO had do the work didn't flare the copper line so it wouldn't prime. When I dump some fuel in the carb and got it running it was able to suck fuel. But still wouldn't run. I flared the line tightened the clamp and voila the car roared to life. Easy fix.
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That bottom connection was the culprit.

I got the brakes freed up, but still need to look into the transmission. It has High range, but I can't seem to find Low range.

This has the Tip Toe transmission (Desotos version or name for the Fluid drive) Low is 1st and 2nd, High is 3rd and 4th. It has a clutch to get it into gear, but it can come to a stop and start with out the use of the clutch.
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Working on a retaining wall + fence with steel posts cast in place. To replace old crappy fence that was in the wrong spot. Month # 3 of this project...

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Continuing to disassemble my truck. I had to cut all 8 bed bolts off and in dropping the fuel tank, discovered that one of the fuel tank straps had rusted through completely and that the rock guard was holding the tank in place.

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removing the trim on the 60 Desoto in preparation for the repaint...........

it will be painted a darker shade of red with a white roof. the existing paint has adhesion issues and is waaaaaaay too bright.
it will be getting a toilet seat trunk lid with white painted insert.
not sure about the cragars.......

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I cut out the passenger side front cab rocker and cut up the replacement. It fits well. I now have to make a panel that goes behind the corner rocker. As well as treat the rust that I am leaving in there.

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I dragged home another 273 for the Barracuda engine project yesterday. I needed another block and this was the right price and 20 minutes from home.

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Gotta love the rusty chrome valve covers with the wing head screws!

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Stripped the heads off yesterday to check bore size and it's a standard bore. Looks like it's never been apart.

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And I got a little more serious this afternoon and it's down to the bare block. The engine looks like it's got a ton of miles on it, but not a crazy amount of sludge. Rod bearings are down to the copper. No tension left in the rings as the pistons almost slid out. Lots of ring ridge, but it's going to be .030 over, so whatever. Crank looks decent etc. This is gonna be a good one!

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With the bad weather fast approaching, I started putting the cars up for the winter. The 300L got cleaned up and covered and sent to the rafters to rest for the winter.

One down and two to go.

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After having some scheduling conflicts and trying to coordinate being on location in Tennessee for the pole barn build, we have finally had a week where all the stars aligned, and the weather was cooperating.

Today the builder was able to break ground on the 40x60x14 pole barn, removing the top layer of soil, leveling the area for the slab, and prepped the slightly curved 90’ driveway that will come from the street.

Tomorrow they will bring in several loads of clay topsoil and then the rock will be dropped off, leveled and then packed down to prepare for the framed out for the slab. The addition of the rough in bathroom and drains will be routed for a later date hook-up. Then re-bar reinforcement will go in before the 6” concrete slab is poured.

Unfortunately, the concrete will not be poured until the first week in November because of the inclement weather that is expected in middle Tennessee next week.

I am looking forward to being there for the construction, as this project was just a dream a few years ago, and now the vision is taking the form of reality.

Hopefully, my wife and I will be 100% out of Illinoisy by the end of the year.

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Excellent Tim, All the hard work you put in is finally paying off. You may want to expand on the driveway at the entry overhead door. entry and exiting cars at the overhead door beats down the grass. That becomes dirt= mud when it rains. I saw that many times looking at MS listings while house hunting. A little extra concrete around the garage door opening comes in handy. Just some thoughts.
 
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