July 2005
7/07/2005--Got some new front springs in the mail today. Ordered new/unused coil springs from Barry McDaniel off the Maverick forum. These are made for a Mav with 351W, so they are stiffer and heavier. Should hold my front end level, but high. I will put on new rubber on the front, the size I want in the end, drive it a while to let the springs relax to where they will eventually ride, and then cut the springs to put the tires where they need to be in the wheelwell. Currently, the entire car leans 1.5 inches to the left on the front, and 1 inch on the rear. This should fix most of that, and then I will buy some rear 4-leaf springs to replace the 35 year old 3-leafs in the rear. Also, since this will raise the car a bit, and I have larger tires on the back, I will lose the air shocks and put stock shocks back on. Rumor has it that the air shocks, if overly stiff, will punch through the floorboard and into the back seat, and stock shocks have a much less chance of doing this. The 4-leaf springs will raise the car about 1/2 inch or so, and stiffen the ride, so less shock is needed, and less pressure will be applied to the shock.
Currently, it is too damned hot to work outside. June had less than 1" rain all month, closer to .4", when we average 6.5 inches. The current temps are around 95-100F. The front shock replacement may be a slow job done only later in the afternoons.
sub plus shipping = 48.50
7/10/2005--Got my old springs out today. Major hassle! Ended up renting 3 different spring compressors before I found one that worked, if I put it in upside down and jimmied it out of the hole when done.
The new springs were one coil shorter than the old ones, approx 2". But they were a little thicker, and had less "spring" to them. Much harder to compress than the old ones. Once installed, the actually were taller than the stock springs. I am told that they will settle a little overnight, and with time. I have heard 1" drop overnight as the springs relax under the weight of the motor.
I may drive on this for a month or so, then take them back of and cut them down as needed to get the correct ride height.
7/14/2005--A couple of days back, on the way home from catching a good swell from Hurricane Dennis, I stopped at the local parts yard to inquire into a roller cam 5.0 motor to rebuild into a 347 stroker. (He has one that runs for $250, not running for $150.) Also asked about an electric fan. He said find what I want, he will pull it off for $25 ($26.69 with tax). Found one sitting outside a car, leaning against the bumper. I think it came off a late 80s or early 90s Taurus. Not sure. Anyway, took it to the front and asked the mechanic to hook it up to a hot wire, and it ran fine.
Just a week before, I bought a hot tub and had a friend come out to run a 220 for it. He looked at my engine and said "I had a buddy get killed by that metal fan letting loose, and hitting him in the neck." Then, the guy that hooked the hotwire up to test the electric said THE SAME THING! I am really glad to get rid of it. Also, no more nicked knuckles when working around the fan.
Anyway, after slicing off the tip of my thumb, going to my nurse and getting it glued back on, trying to wire it up with various switched hot wires, I finally ended up with this...
I had to wire it with a relay (small plastic black box with the blue wire coming out of the screw) so that it would pull a signal off the coil (smaller yellow wire running to the coil from the relay) and run power from the battery cable (large red coil-covered wire). There is a lot of extra wire under here, so when I put in the 1-wire alternator, I will cut these all down to fit. Left a bit extra for working with later on.
sub plus tax = 26.69
7/16/2005--Never mind, that fan quit working. Took it off and attempted to mess with it to make it narrower, so I could mount it inside the radiator, and next time I hooked it up, no go. Will have to get another one.
total = 5022.13