Can't afford a second car so I'm gonna build on!

Cool write-up!! I'm most definitely keeping track of this thread!!

 

I've been out here hooking everything up to try to get it running. I made a parts run and it's crazy how hard stuff is to get for these cars. I think I hit every parts store in town to get an air filter, trans filter and a pcv valve. I'm gonna try to remember to get some pics today even though there's really no visable progress.

 

Sucks for me but my house has a gravel driveway and my garage is full. So the only place I have to work on the car is a concrete pad out behind my house.





Here I'm getting the new radiator ready to go in.



Got it in. A couple to the c-nuts stripped when I took out the old one...lucky I remembered the Lowes carries them and body bolts. This 250 had A/C and power steering. I took all of that off but I desided to leave the A/C bracket on and keep the alternator mounted below it. Someone had already installed shorter belts bypassing the compressor so I sticking with that since it is a 2 belt set up.



It don't look like much but I pretty well have everything hooked up except for the Duraspark and I need to clean out the fuel tank and replace a few fuel hoses. A far cry from that cob-webby engine compatment from a month ago. The plan for now is to just get it running. I'll go back and detail the engine compartment later. The fenders will be coming off when I start the bodywork plus I'm redoing the frt end....that will be the time to do some painting under the hood.

 

Up until I built my garage, your concrete pad would have been heaven to me.

For years alll I had was a gravel driveway and that is why my Maverick sat so long without anything being done to it - I had had enough of laying in that gravel :16suspect

 

I hoped to get the car fired up but it didn't happen. Here's where I stand after this weekend.

The GOOD

Engine and trans properly bolted in
Radiator installed-fit perfect and all hoses installed
Got all of the bent up trans cooler lines straightened and hooked up (remember this is a CL pullout purchase)
Changed the oil and serviced the transmission
New air filter, breather and pcv valve
New voltage reg and starter cable (already replaced the batt and cables)
Got the exhaust hooked back up
Driveshaft back in
Alternator back on and hooked up

The BAD

Found the little nylon dipstick tube plug in the trans pan which means the trans has never been serviced before...that could be a very bad thing on a 100,000+ mile trans

I can't hook up the shift linkage. I guess I put linkage for the old 200 on out of a parts car and trashed the original 250 linkage so I either need the right linkage or I have to start thinking about a floor shifter (which would be a last resort...I want column shift)

Throttle linkage hooks to the carb but I'll have to fab something to fasten the cable into

I didn't get a chance to get the tank out but it looks really rusty. I hope it just looks worse the what it is. Being a 70 model, a gas tank can be a major set back

Other than that the only other issue is that I have to redo the engine harness to mate the 77 model engine to my 70 model car. I printed the wiring diagrams today. I still also have to get the Duraspark wired up.

This is going to take longer than what I thought!

 

its looking really good though, i know i would have killed for that concrete slab but luckily my cars parked in my uncles garage

i recently bought a parts car and pulled the pan from the c4 transmission and found a plug too, what does that mean? what is it for? it had me concerned because i was going to use that tranny on my car, there was also a transmission filter kit in the trunk so now i dont know if i wanna use it, just curious to see what that plug is all about

 

Those nylon plugs sealed the dipstick hole but during assembly and installation of the tube they just fall into the pan. If you find one it means your pan has most likely never been off.

 

Since the shifter is probably the biggest hold up at the moment, I've been doing a ton searches here and on the internet regarding my options are. If I can't find the linkage (the part that bolts to the frame, column and bellhousing) pretty soon an aftermarket shift might be the only option. Maybe a B&M of some sort...a cheaper one.

I do have a factory 60s Mustang floor shifter but it is pretty rough. I did convert one of my old Mavericks to a floor shift by using that shifter and welding a bracket onto the shift arm but I didn't really trust it and it looked redneck as crap.

 

Contact Craig Selvey. He might just have what you need.

 

Yes....email me directly (see below) and I will see what I have.

 

Thanks Craig....$$$ on the way. Thought I'd pull the gas tank out tonight and slosh it out...no such luck. I poured about 1 gallon of the smellyist fuel ever out and it sounded like gravel was in the tank. It looks like Corn Flakes and rust. I did alot more reading here today and since mine is a 70, my options are few. I'm gonna see if I can have a shop check the tank to see if it is salvagable....if not looks my truck floor is gonna get cut out for a Mustang tank. Personally I'd sort of rather get it over with and know I'm starting off with a new tank. We'll see.

Here's something I found in the trunk....besides spiders.

 

That tank can be repaired.

 

I would agree on the tank. I know we took a 50 Mercury tank to the radiator shop and they boiled it out and lined it with the sealant. I think it cost us around $100 for the effort and it had a couple of pin holes in it as well. - Matt

 

My dad always pours acid in gas tanks and makes them like brand new inside. He had a gas tank lined a few years ago said it chipped out and didnt work well, so now he just pours acid in them to clean them out and they are like brand new.

 

That might be something I'll try. I think I remember reading that if you use acid...it has to be neutralized with acetone. I'll have to read some more about it.

The shop just called and said they probably wouldn't be able to do anything with my tank, but they will try. Not that the tank is too bad....just because of EPA stuff nobody chemically clean gas tanks here. There is only one place here that does the boiling out but he said he don't think they'll do a gas tank.