1969 Ford Falcon Futura wagon

Ran a large 3 core radiator in my 1963 Ford pickup with what I was told was a 257 engine built for a van. The engine had no fan on the water pump and required a stand off fan which i didn't have. I drove that truck in to Seattle to work in a shipyard. No fan, rush hour traffic, some times stopped in the middle of the freeway due to traffic, Never had a problem with heat. With a good 3 core radiator the fan may seldom come on unless you are using air conditioning. Don

Thx, Don.

The car does have A/C, and when I do install the electric fan, it has the option to wire it so that it will turn on any time the compressor clutch is engaged. I'll try that setup first. Also would have the option to not wire it that way and just rely on the adjustable thermostat to turn the fan off and on. I can also wire in a switch to place inside the driver's compartment to be able to turn on the fan any time I want.
 
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That will keep her cool.
I will still run a seprate trans cooler too.

:D Al

Thx, Al.

Yes, a separate transmission cooler is planned, also. I have a Tru-Cool 45K BTU cooler on our 1995 F250 7.3L PowerStroke that has an E4OD transmission in it. When I installed that, I removed the stock cooler that was about 12" square...... eventually added that to our 1981 Bronco that has a 302 and C6 transmission. I'll start shopping for a the transmission cooler for the Falcon..... maybe stick with Tru-Cool, or will also check out Holly/Frostbite or OSC.
 
Spent some time today replacing the ignition switch and the oil pressure switch.

The ignition switch was causing it to totally shut off at the most inopportune times.
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The oil pressure switch was leaking like a sieve from the body of the switch.
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At the moment, I think all known issues are fixed!
 
Time to get in that old long-roof and drive the heck out of it! Social distancing in your cool ride is a great way to pass time while the country is shut-down! Maybe you have been driving it a lot, but now you can have more confidence at least.

DAC
 
Wanna hear the story that led to the ignition switch?

Due to the current virus problems, we have decided to help keep some of our favorite local businesses afloat. One is The Piggy Shack, a food-trailer home of the best Texas-style ribs I have ever had. They were saying that they were only going to sell ribs until things get back to normal (that might get modified a bit).....preorder one day, pick up next day at noon. So, last Friday we ordered a full rack. Saturday, wife and I hopped in the Falcon to go get them, with plans of stopping at local parts store to pick up an oil pressure switch. Got the ribs, went to the parts store, shut off the engine, went to the door.... locked... closed at noon.... well, crap....back in the car, turn the key, turns over but won’t keep running. At this point, my better half begins her normal consulting........ Suspecting the starter relay, I cleaned battery connections while I was under the hood, made sure things were tight on the relay, got in, it started. Backed out, went forward a few feet, died. (Early in it’s life with us, I fixed a similar issue that was being caused by the barrel connections on the back of the ignition switch). Reached behind the switch and made sure the connector was tight. Wouldn’t start, wouldn’t start..... finally started. We only had a couple of miles to get home, but we had to nurse it along like that all the way. Luckily we could take side streets. It died just as we got in the driveway, died at least twice getting into the garage, but we finally made it.. without any bloodshed.
I went to O’Reilly and got a new relay and a nice thick cable for the positive battery connection (just because I wanted a nice, new, pretty cable.... still need to put it on.) Got home, put the new relay in..... still didn’t want to start or even spin the starter reliably.... what the???? Fiddled with it for a bit, and in the fiddling process I learned that with pressure in a particular direction on the key, it would do just fine. Once started, I could move the key just right and make it die. AHA!!!!!!

So, after Sunday’s streamed church service, went to Autozone to pick up the oil pressure switch, the to O’Reilly for an ignition switch. Got home, put both in, now it’s all good again!
Since then, any running around has been done in the Bronco, and wife has been with me. Maybe tomorrow, she can stay home and I will take the Falcon for a run around the block (just in case she needs to come get me.....). I am sure it will be ok. (Famous last words) Maybe after I get home I will get the pressure washer out and clean the spot on the drive where that stinkin’ oil pressure switch was leaking.

But yes...... that car is sooooooo fun to drive, and it gets a lot of attention. Got flipped off the other day...... must have something to do with the Trump stickers in the front window on the dash, ya think????
 
I would not have wanted to be there to listen to you wife. Have been there done that have a couple t shirts and a hat.
Recently got a wife order the sisters Park wouldn't start it is a relay that went bad before I was told.
Stick the key in and get the clicking low battery makes get my meter and testthe battery voltage 10.6 volts. Clean the battry terminals they were pretty bad any way still same. hooked the jumper cables up car starts quick. hook meter up and getting 14volts from the Alt. Go in a teller her it is running and will allow the battery a bit to charge. given the new relay so I say OK i will put it in but doesn't need it. Just shut the electric stuff off for a bit before shutting the car down like the, radio.

:D Al
 
Actually, we drove it to my in-law’s for the weekend.... 125 miles one-way...... did just fine!

Except.......

Looks like I need to have my fix-it shop put some pressure on the A/C system. Had it charged last summer when we bought the car. It appears to have lost that charge since it was last used..... so..... hopefully we can see where it is leaking.

I am super-happy to have the oil leak and the ignition switch problems fixed. I can really tell a difference with the new starter solenoid relay. Lots of power getting to the starter now. And, of course, the ignition switch cured the dying problem.

I will open up the old relay and look at it.... I bet the contacts are burned.
 
I just had my Ford Ranger's AC fixed. He reclaimed the old stuff, put dye in it, ran it for a few hours, used a UV light and was able to find the leaking fitting. Just needed an o-ring. 80 dollars later I have ice cold air again!

It's strange. I wouldn't drive the truck with the AC broken. But going back to when I was a kid we never had AC in a vehicle until I was in my late teens. My dad would never pay for the AC option. Said it was a waste. I don't remember being that hot in a vehicle. Now I feel like I'm on fire!
 
My first car/truck with AC was my 91 ram Cummins, before that the car/truck had the vent window you could open to get out side air across the car/truck and also set the heat control to cool and turn the heater fan on.

The CJ we just took the top off LOL.

Al
 
A month or so ago when it was warm out, I turned on the A/C in the Falcon.... no cooling at all. It worked good all last summer. So... really slow leak.... somewhere.

Took it in today, no charge left in the system. Put pressure on the system and checked fittings and hoses for leaks. Both hoses to and from the condenser had very slow leaks where the fittings are crimped to the hose.

So..... I removed the hoses, dropped them off at my local Bumper-To-Bumper parts store..... same place that made me a hose for the 1981 Bronco last year......

I hope to get the new ones Friday and get the system recharged.

(Side note: Currently drooling over this one.... 1968 Chrysler 300 with a 440 Magnum!!! What a HOOT that would be!!!! )00q0q_8cdi8TtVlHr_1200x900.jpg
 
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