As forum name suggests... here's my project car update

[falconizer_62]

My wife and I didn't like any of the offerings in the $10-$15,000 range. Used Camrys and other assorted unexciting stuff. We decided to spend the 15 K buying a car, one part at a time. It's a lot more fun that way. We're building the hopefully, ultimate commuter/road trip and Home Depot hauler/tow vehicle. It's a 1962, 4-door falcon wagon. It's powered by an Australian OHC alloy head cross flow I6 with a homemade four barrel intake manifold. Plenty of torque and decent mileage, and rocksolid with seven main bearings! We'll be running an automatic overdrive transmission, with a Ranger rear end. It will have power Windows, power door locks, A/C, power rack and pinion steering and will ride on airbags. We will also be restoring a 1959 15 foot "canned ham" travel trailer, matching the car, for the ultimate travel affordability. It will also be a great way to haul the 2300 pound race car around


...making the trailing arms


and the finished arm and mount.


this project has a long way to go...but isn't that the fun??

[BDAZSVT]

Re: As forum name suggests... here's my project car update

Nice project. You cant go wrong with a Falcon. Like you I have one in a million pieces also. Mine is a 65 hardtop but its on the back burner till I get a new garage and some other toys finished first. Post progress pics!

[falconizer_62]

Re: As forum name suggests... here's my project car update

more... the back of the roof was all rusted out, so I scored another lid in Montana and had it shipped out here.
This is the before pic after removing the glass...

I measured and notched the new roof and the old roof in the same locations

removing the cancer...

and the long-awaited 'after' shot...

so for all the doors and glass fits ;D

[milner351]

Re: As forum name suggests... here's my project car update

Please explain this to me....

how do you guys get your wives on board for projects like this???? ???

[falconizer_62]

Re: As forum name suggests... here's my project car update

Please explain this to me....

how do you guys get your wives on board for projects like this???? ???

this one is acually her project. she's out there every saturday working on it with me. ;D
build your wife a car (for her: the 1000 hp drag car doesn't count) and she will be into them. it helps as well if you make an effort to become interested in something that she likes as well, even if your initial reaction is ugh. what ever you take time to learn about, you will eventually find interesting, or so it is with me at least.
i actually know a bit about womens shoes now...
and she know about EFI

[milner351]

Re: As forum name suggests... here's my project car update

Thanks Falcon
My wife (I'm on V2 - ending V1 cost me a '70 boss302 among other things)

spent hours seated in her Dad's garage watching him work and talking to him....

now she prefers me to fix her car when it needs it, and bring it back ready for her to take on her next business trip - she doesn't even like cleaning cars.

I used to spend entire days detailing cars.... she would never do that. (I don't have time for it anymore)

I suppose the fact that my shop is 8 miles from our home and has no indoor plumbing probably is a large reason she doesn't come to help often -- but I am hoping the Ranger drag truck will be something she'll at least try a couple times - she loves to drive fast - and this one is an automatic - so she can just leave it in Drive, drop the hammer - and go!

we'll see.

I admire your determination and fabrication skills - I can't say I'd be real comfortable with chopping and swapping tops - nicely done!

[falconizer_62]

Re: As forum name suggests... here's my project car update

That roof rust actually worked out pretty cool. When we pulled the back glass out and she saw how bad it was, she was really bummed and worried about it. She thought the whole car may be trash. She was really nervous when we cut the roof off as well, which made her very interested in every detail about it ;). When I found one for 350 bucks, welded it on, and all the glass and doors fit, I became a hero. How can you go wrong with that? This is my v2 as well. v1 got everything but the car! (porsche) I happened to have the keys in my pocket when I went to work and she couldn't take it stripped the rest of the house bare though

[milner351]

Re: As forum name suggests... here's my project car update

Bummer

Sounds like we both did pretty well on V2!

My Rhonda is crazy about real estate the way we are about cars
at the moment, we have more rental houses than we have cars... I need to do something about that!

[falconizer_62]

Re: As forum name suggests... here's my project car update

at least rental properties bring in money instead of consume it ;D

[milner351]

Re: As forum name suggests... here's my project car update

SOMETIMES!!! :o

sometimes they consume money like nothing you've ever seen - like when they are vacant, so you're floating more than one mortgage - plus when they need work - then you have no time for hotrods and no money for hotrods - cause you're working your tail off and pouring money into a house you don't even live in....

certainly has its ups and downs -- I remind her quite often that if these properties don't allow us both early retirement - it will NOT have been worth it!

that is the goal however - pay them off slow and steady (we paid off our first just recently) until we have several that are paid off and the rent becomes a nice "passive" income stream -- that's where the pay off is.... just have to be patient - especially in a down market! >