The Bronze

Weather heads up: Sunday Morning http://www.metvuw.com/forecast/forecast1.php?type=rain&region=nzni&tim=72 Sunday Lunch http://www.metvuw.com/forecast/forecast1.php?type=rain&region=nzni&tim=78 Sunday Morning, Coming Down

The Riverhead or Hallertau?

is a 202 certy already? I mean for crying out loud, you're hardly going to kill anyone with it.

I recognise that fuel pump; same as on my xb falcon strangely. Have a spare and gasket should the need arise. Love the whiteout look and the room to do shit; I want something like yours for summer trips. Gonna rent it out?

After big upsing my carb rebuild I've probably pulled it apart three or nine more times. I had a repeated flooding problem that at first I thought was the float levels being shit. Turns out that the rear seat had actually split, possibly from over-torquing, possibly from shit quality. So after finally figuring that out and replacing first with the old seat/new needle, then old seat/old needle1, then old seat/old needle2 I was still having mares. Then by sheer luck pulling it apart for the whatevereth time, a piece of old thread that had been blocking it from seating properly emerged on the end of the needle. tiniest thing f.ed everything up. Another test this weekend, then hopefully mobile.

So, after extensive shitting round with the thermostat and associated gaskets over the past few weeks she has been running like a dream. A slightly warmer than kosher dream, because the thermostat is not the right temp range, but a dream, of sorts, with a twist. So the twist today was hootling along to pick up the kids from school and suddenly finding a fog bank emerging from the bonnet. Automatic shit-yourself response is self-loathing for not changing the thermostat; so pulled over and opened the bonnet to see the expected damage to find all the fog blowing from around the LPG unit. Further shitting of daks in fear of LPG explosion before realisation that it is not LPG but steam from a hole in the m-fing heater hose. Drive back to nearby garage, and two geezers replace the hose in ten minutes for f-all dollars. Hooyah! Took them some beers too because Friday is Friday and I can drive another day. In other news two newer guards are in the tray thanks to the OS GC Freight Department. Awesome, thanks guys.

Wish more falcon owners would do stuff like this (ie the period style colours these hulden owners have used and cruiser styles) instead of bloody GT reps (and fugly faux muscle cars). These (HR/HD Holdens) are mint. Clearer?

Wish more falcon owners would do stuff like this instead of bloody GT reps. These are mint.

Just finished work /Gay

probably the city, I'll be sweet, my mum just warned me about meeting up with weirdoes off the internet.. that said that's how she met her current man. /hypocriticalslut

Nametags?

what sorta numbers turn up at these things? Do people prefer BF or OCB?

Hey, yeah, I read through your build somewhere, you're on the HAMB too eh? Might've been there I read it. Love your car; my grand parents had one the same colour, they traded it in on a 323 wagon because it was too old. Fools. I'd love an XP or XM ute, avocado green and slammed.

I think it was about 3500 in freight. I kinda try to forget the money side of it all. Is the 64 a sedan or wagon - can't be many around? did they still have stuff like the breezeway window? I love that mad shit. The 62 mercs are probably my favourite of that period. I was basically running a 2 barrel - just unblocked the jammed secondaries, hopefully should be more fun when I get it back on. I've got a 62/63 pdf manual if you need, might have some shared bits.

Cheers; No real pics under the hood or inside as it's a bit shit at the moment: it needs a big cleanup under the bonnet, so when I've done that and it's not a dirty pit of shame I'll add some. Interiors pretty plain and semi-assembled as I'm waiting on a new screen rubber so until the screen is out, then back in half the trim is missing and the hoodlining is hanging down. The trim has surface grime i'm autosolling off slowly in the shed while I wait for the rubber boat and funds for the next screen pull. However long you're planning on going for, add a week, and spend it on the road with the freedom to just see shit. What time of year and what parts are you planning on going to see? Basically, take a bunch of GC's, no GF's and cash. Don't take a credit card to Vegas. Don't go to the strippers drunk and alone. Definitely don't take a credit card to the strippers. Bonneville is awesome, but 3 days and you've seen it all and you're burnt to shit. All the lakes you plan to camp by on the drive from LV to LA will be dried out in August and everyone will curse your shit camping knowledge. 40degree heat and no aircon will cause madness. 6 guys in one camper will cause madness. And sharing. Of all sorts. Not me mind. Gas is cheaper in the middle of nowhere. Pomona has an awesome drag museum. Pretty sure I need to go again next year; wanna hit San Diego for the dry cars; I need a 62 ranchero with a mercury comet nose, and then to Mexico for mexican. Compliancing is a matter of doing your homework and asking the right old geezers who they reckon you should use; they'll steer you along. Bring in parts with the car if you can, the dumb/boring shit like brake lines, gaskets and hoses all add up and they're so cheap there but rape you if you need to freight them here fast. Local suppliers can help, and are good sorts but also expect walletrape.

So, i noticed a week or so ago that fuel mileage had gone from silly-ridiculous to absolute fucking joke, and combining that with the powers of my nose I deduced something was not quite right. The accelerator pump diaphram was pumping gas out into the intake valley, making a lovely fuel reservoir. Also a bit bad. So I got a kit and hit this the past couple of nights. Bolt on tomorrow and see how she runs. It's a quicky job and I should ht some other things while the carbs off, like lift the manifold and replace the leaky gasket, but it weighs 40 odd kgs apparently and short longterm plan is replace it, so it'll hold a month or two, especially coz i wont be driving it too much till the weather is better. befores... Inside... After...

What we have here is a 1963 Galaxie 500 2 door hardtop. Its got a 390ci V8 and lush column shift auto. Right about now it’s got about 115k miles on the clock; about 3000 of those were racked up after I picked it up in San Fran last August. I’d spent a few years thinking about it then a few more months sussing out the which/why and what to buy; I knew it was a 60-64 Ford of some sort, with two doors and max cool; no Mustangs, I’m not that much douche, then this popped up at good money. I had planned to go halves with a mate over there and sell it when I got it back to make cash, but got a divorce payout so.. sweet justice. So I bit the bullet and got someone over there to check this out after finding it on Craigslist, chucked down a deposit and told the guy I’d see him in August. Headed to NY for a week then flew to SF, caught a train out to the woops and met the guy. Went back to his shack, admired his guns, 4x4s and animal heads then made tracks the fuck out of there. Straight onto a freeway at max summer heat where she ran mega-lush (sorta) thru to about 50 miles from Reno, where the generator light came on and I shat my pants. Found a local Mexican Donk shop with an old fella who changed out the generator for an alternator for $100, then I cruised round and soaked up the pre-Hot August Nights hype. Then, hit the freeways for another massive haul to Wendover, which is the support town next to the Bonneville flats where I caught up with some mates, one of whom had brought down his Rat Rod he’d had built up at Washington, and we hung out there for a few days watching people go fast and drinking PBR. Then Vegas. Then LA. Then shipping container. Then MAF and flagged for rust. Then tears. Then some repairs to the roof, a new zorst and I replaced brakes, hoses, shocks, seat belts, headlights, all sorts a fiddly little stuff, and then complied the day before beach hop with a new green roof, colour keyed wheels and some shittily installed flappers. Didn’t even have it cleaned. But, she’s legal, and she’s mine, and she got there under her own steam. Right now the carb is off and I 94 percent rebuilt it last night, just need to put the top plate back on, but the gasket was kinked so I’ve got it under a book to straighten it out a bit. Umm, that’s about it. Long term plan is to go Mild Custom – shave the spears off the side and the big badges, scallops in a colour to match the roof (white ones on the c-pillars). Retrim the ripped interior in a matching kinda way, install some of the stereo gear I’ve amassed, relays on the headlights, dual plane manifold would be nice, paint match the valve covers and aircleaner with some pinstriping, generally clean up under there, replace some old rubbers here and there. But mainly I want to drive the arse off it. Tumblrsss: http://monkeygrease.tumblr.com/post/55669796757 Degustation: //oldschool.co.nz/index.php?/topic/39341-1963-ford-galaxie-hardtop-of-glory-the-bronze/

Wurds. Edit for thread in wrong placeinesss.

just coz.

Old Mary Palmie is great for buying old Falcon’s; it’s like the Invercargill of the North Island. That’s where I got this about 5 years ago I think. A standard as spoons, rubber mat, column shift 4.1 cross flow XE Falcon utility vehicle. It has had ply covering the tray for most of its life, so it was mostly mint under there until i took it out to remove some debris and my Mum borrowed it. Bitch. Ripped seats. 2 cent pieces under the mats. Paperwork in the glovebox. So far it’s had two BW35 gearboxes – both shat the reverse gear so I swapped in a BW40. It’s on a newer motor, the first only lasted 250 odd kms. It’s had untold rust repairs and is due for another lot, but by and large she’s pretty sweet. Alternator, waterpump, thermostat, all that usual junk has been done. Gone through about 4 door handles. 2 sets of gauges (odometers crap out on these routinely). Redid the hinge pins. Rebuild the carb last week, first carb rebuild. Probably other stuff. Been crashed into a couple of times and I think i nudged a fence once, so some dings here and there, otherwise straight. I have a few sets of wheels, i've tried a few but run factory steel, one day I'd like some gold ESP style ones. Probably need a visor one day, and some lowering but I put all the lowering kit I had into my XB. And It's practical having some ground clearance. No major plans to mess with it; it works well as a daily hack, especially on LPG and I refuse to put a 302/351 in it; I prefer the plain oldman steez to blatant bogan. If I did do motor stuff I have the old motor that’d be nice for a rebuild and hotting up. Or a 1uz, but unlikely; it’s low on the list behind the other cars. I have a Fairmont front end in the shed I sometimes think about putting on. Might do that when I replace the guards but might just swap the bumper for a colour keyed one – lots a bit tidier. Tumblr Set: http://monkeygrease.tumblr.com/post/55665682292 Disgoose: //oldschool.co.nz/index.php?/topic/39340-the-bronzes-xe-falcon-vehicle-of-utility-purpose/

Way back before I neglected her... Bronze is the colour of my XB – well Walnut glow, but it’s bronzey, it’s also the dopest QOTSA track. And, The Bronze is the name for the police in Mad Max for the bronze police badges they carry and they all drive XBs, or thereabouts, so this is The Bronze. Makes gratuitous sense to me. She’s only got 114ish km’s on the clock and I’ve had her on hold for about 4 years now I think. She runs a factory pre-crossflow 250 motor with the Borg Warner behind it, it’s cruisey as, with the ability to drive fast enough to realize the suspension is wallowy and not designed to go fast. I picked this car up off a lovely old geezer named Neville Kane who met me at the Palmerston North airport when I flew in after buying it on tardem. I remember his name because I am a scholar, and a gentleman, as all OSers are. And because he wrote it in wobbly old man handwriting behind each of the four original hubcaps which she wore up until recently. I think that was about 2006/7. I blazed home to Auckland, Piha at the time, only stopping to call an insurance company and for the occasional tank of gas. The Bronze lived there with me for a while, only making the odd Sunday drive, revealing all kinds of weird quirks I wasn’t smart enough to figure out at the time. Because I was busy babymaking and housebuying she didn’t really get the love she deserved. I rebuilt the fuel pump, redid some brake lines, enjoyed people looking at it, fitted a loud stereo, but generally just looked at it and wished I could do more. So, after buying a house, she got parked up and sometimes rubbed and tugged on weekends, but seldom going anywhere, save the odd unregoed and unwarranted run along Scenic Drive to check things weren’t seizing up. Basically it turned into my own barnfind. Guilt finally got the better of me, plus I found all the surface rust building up underneath her and I pulled it out of the shed and got my shit together a bit over summer. I spent a few weekends underneath with a wire brush and chassis paint, cleaning it up. I replaced the shocks; it had airshocks for towing running off a single air line, making for awesome cornering effects. I got it lowered and a new exhaust – I hacked off the other one a few years back after putting headers on and finding it all yuck rusty. Replaced the coil. Drained and resealed the fuel tank. Redid some more brake lines. Some other little bits. It’s not very far off roadable now, it needs an alignment, the LPG system recerted, the carb rebuilt and that should be about that, it won’t be mint, but it will be legal. Hopefully it'll be the feelgood hit this summer... Tumblr Photoset: http://monkeygrease.tumblr.com/post/55595994657 Disgust: //oldschool.co.nz/index.php?/topic/39329-the-bronzes-xb-falcon/

Segedins is getting me in a carb kit that I pick up tomorrow; I may bring a car sans fuel leak.

i may attend this. with a fuel leak. someone should always have a fuel leak. can i bring my kids?

the thing i'd be wary of with that one is I think her 10 car count is based on jamming them in there and I think we'd want some wriggle/work room. Would anyone be keen on external storeage at a cheaper rate? fill up a bit of that unused space and bring down costs. If you want to tee up a time to look through them I'm free next week.

This is what I wish to do as a business but everyone has pooh-poohed it from an OSH/insurance POV. vaguely OT but relevant; Back to topic; insurance in a shared shed situation? My insurer holds guy with welder liable if burns down?