Another year over, so another begins.
Happy New Year!
I hope you have a great year and everything works out well. Don’t give up on those New Years Resolutions.
Author: One man and his Mustang
I'm just a man with a Classic 1966 Ford Mustang Coupe and an ever increasing collection of car detailing products to keep it clean.
I bought the car as a non rolling project in 2011 which had been neglected, set fire to, rusted and abused. As a result of all that the car needed a bare metal strip down, a nut and bolt restoration.
Four and a half years later the car was completed, on the road and shown at the UK's premier Classic Car Show, everything that was done to my car is documented here.
I now have the privilege to drive one of America's most recognised cars and a true Icon, the Ford Mustang.
Dodging the rain
Dodging the rain again today.
The sun was out for about 3 hours. Ok, I exaggerated a bit, I should have said it stopped raining for a couple of hours. The break in the rain allowed me the hour or so of quality time on the car. I decided to fit the Scott Drake fan shroud on the radiator. It was a nice hassle free project for a change. I have written a review of the parts and a step by step of the fitting. The fitting start to finish took no more than an hour all in. The next part for me to do is the Bumper stone guard paint or top side.
The New Year seems to be charging towards us rather than creeping up on us.
Day in the man cave!
The weather is not good 🙁
Well, I am starting to get the hump big time with this weather now. I was beginning to think I should build an Ark to get the animals in two by two instead of my Mustang! The rain was so bad that I couldn’t get out onto the car today, let’s just say it was very persistent in trying to get me soaked through and prevent me from going out there. The next best option? Man cave! (My shed in other words,) shed it was to be. When did it stop raining? Just as the sun was going down. Marvelous! It was not a wasted day in the end though, I worked out where to finally put my vice (vise for the USA readers). I have made a few adaptions to it for a quick release version. The review for the vice is here or in the main menu at the top, it’s good bit of kit.
I will try to get out on the Mustang radiator to fit the new shroud or at least start work on the Bumper Stone Guard tomorrow.
Looking forward to a New Year with better things in store for us, with any luck.
Have a good evening everybody and I wish you all a very Happy New Year.
(Just in case you don’t come back before then).
What Have I learned?
What have I learned about Christmas 2012?
Just what did I learn? Bearing in mind that I have already been given my Chrome Bumpers for Xmas, I wasn’t expecting anything else for christmas. I had accidentally gave a few presents a prod under the tree, just as I happened to be turning the tree lights off. It was all a big coincidence really 😉 Anyway, Xmas morning we sat down to open our presents, I opened a few items, like new pliers, club hammer and a spirit level (make a mental note 1. at this point). Then I got a Fuel cut of clamp, Interior trim screw set, Headlight Trim kit, Headlight mounting kit all from Scott Drake. I also got a full Brake hardware kit, Radiator shroud with mounting bolts and a Monte Carlo bar. All awesome stuff. (Make mental note 2. at this point). How did she know? Well I have a spread sheet on my PC of everything I have spent so far, what I intend to spend in the way of parts going forward and a wish list. I know it’s sad, but the blog is a visual and a written record of what I am doing and then the spread sheet is for the finance manager, my wife.
Ok, so it goes like this, (mental note 2. to be recalled here), while I was at work and working on the car (parts) in the shed, it appears that the missus, my better half, has been studying my spread sheet. I have been so particular about it all, I have a hierarchy of projects I need to do and what I need to do them. I have noted down who has the parts and from where. Mostly from one place, but I will get to that in a moment. So, as I was saying, she has contacted my good mate Adam at Mustang Maniac, who she has been in contact with and arranging things with for a while. Adam was kind enough to open up especially for her to pick the parts up from him so I had them in time for Xmas. Now me, being daft as a brush, I hadn’t twigged any of this until I got to the second or third present, thinking to myself – this is all just what I wanted. It was after I realised what had been going that she told me the full story of what had been going on. So, if you’re reading this Adam – Thank you for looking after her and sorting out my most excellent Xmas presents.
The not so good bit, (mental note 1. required now), as I was in a moment of weakness admiring the new parts for my beloved classic, she slipped in the immortal words, “for the rest of my Xmas present you can paint the bathroom for me.” Before I knew it – I had agreed. As Homer Simpson would say, and I had just said – Dohh! To be fair it does need it. So there you have it. I have given up valuable Mustang time, while still full of mince pies to paint a bathroom. Considering what I got and the effort she had gone too – it’s more than a fair deal. 🙂 The silver lining of this darkest of clouds that looms heavy above me, it’s not a to big a room to paint so it shouldn’t take to long.
So did I answer the question? I don’t think so. To re-emphasize the point, the wife is a lot smarter than me at playing these secret games than I am, or ever will be! To top that she knows how to play me. Women, who would have ’em? as long as they were all like my wife – ME!
The car:
My car now has a new radiator shroud to go in, new headlight hardware, mounting kits for the headlights, full set of brake hardware to go on, a set of interior screws to go in and a front end strengthening Monte Carlo Bar. I cant wait to get out there and put it all on. I can feel a review of shroud coming on! The car has had a good Xmas, as have I.
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas Everybody
I don’t know about you guys but unless there is snow it just don’t feel like Christmas.
But, there’s presents under the tree and all of a sudden I feel like a big kid again. The turkey is in the oven and the is a beer in the fridge with my name all over it. I think we are gonna open the pressies after dinner. Saying that I know what two of them are: Front and Rear chrome bumpers for my car. Good ol’ Santa, how did he guess? Perhaps it was something to do with me arranging it and going to get them. 🙂
Merry Christmas.
Guess who’s ill?
It’s Christmas time and I’m ill – AGAIN.
I’m not happy, in fact I have got the hump. – Some dirty herbert has decided that they would cough and splutter in front of me on the train to work, what happens? Lo and behold I get the filthy herberts germs. Thanks for that then! All year I have got away without a cold, today a couple of days before the holidays start – I get a cold.
Note: I have not mentioned “man flu”, that is because I get bloke pneumonia, which is obviously much worse than flu.
So, to the person that gave me the cold – I hope Santa parks his sleigh on the roof of your car, he sticks a BIG carrot up your exhaust and Rudolf visits your front door mat. Oh, one more thing, I hope that Santa’s little helpers sneak into your fridge and they stuff your turkey with quick set cement.
I’m not normally like this by the way, I’m and just mad that he showed no consideration for those around him. So as far as I am concerned – he deserves it.
I don’t really believe in Santa and his sleigh by the way, that’s because he has a Mustang!
That Mustang is powered by horses and lots of ’em 😛
Gonna go for the sympathy vote now, see if I am bestowed lots of T.L.C. Actually make that T.L.M.P. (Tender Loving Mustang Parts!) 🙂 I dare say I will shake the cold off soon, I hope so as I want to at least taste my Christmas dinner.
Rant over!
Took my crimping tools away with me!
Why did you take the tools with you? Did I hear you ask, OK perhaps you didn’t then!
Anyway, I had been working away for a couple of days and stayed in a great hotel. As I was on my own (Billy no mates), It gave me time to work on blog in the hotel room, I know I should be drinking beer etc. Moving on, as a result of the time on my own I could work on the latest review of the American Autowire (AAW) Crimps that compliment the American Autowire Upgrade kit I install and reviewed. The crimping tools review is found under the “Tool Reviews” button and the Wiring Loom is found under the “Part Reviews” button now located on the home bar at the top.
Or click the hyper links for the reviews of the AAW wiring loom here, for the AAW Crimp tools here.
I took the tools with me as I find it a lot easier to write about them when they are to hand, plus the fact they are only small and didn’t take up to much room. See, there was a logical explanation 🙂
Not long now for Christmas Day, I will be looking forward to a nice break over the holidays and get a few hours in on the car. Maybe Boxing Day would be ideal. I have no intention of going to the sales, unless there are some Mustang bits in it for me!
Redesign of website!
Blog improvements?
Before you panic and say “he’s broke it” I haven’t.
On the right hand side there were menus that were getting longer and they looked a little messy. I still had people ask me where the photo’s were!
So, I decided to split things up a little for the better, at the top under the header there are now, 7 buttons; Home, Forums and Discussions, Best Mustang Ever, Photos, Tool Reviews, Part Review & Consumable Reviews. If you click on them they take you to the places or the will drop down into menus and subsections. This means everything of importance is at the top now, so no excuse to not find anything. The book reviews I have still left on the right, there are now menus that tell you what is coming soon for each section.
I hope it now works better for you and more natural to look at. The site has got bigger than I expected a lot faster too. I have added a Tags section, click on the words and should show the posts that mention it, or just do a plain ol’ search.
Please let me know what you think, leave it or change it back – I hope not anyway 🙁
Cars
At the weekend I hope to do a little work with Bumper Stone Guard and see how it goes. I intended to take some photos for the review of the Dinitrol filler as well, two birds with one stone and all that! Still not decided on the final colour of the car and the interior colours, I have added forum here or go to all the forum sections and let me know what you think on a number of subjects. .
I need a little help!
It’s been a busy weekend and a productive weekend at the same time, I don’t get to many of those to be fair. I have made space back in the man cave as the fenders have gone back on the car., Ok, so they are not aligned up yet properly though as I want some nice new bolts to go in the top and the hood rubbers I also need. I have managed to treat the Bumper Stone Guard on the inside (part 1), and completed a nice power tool review. But first,
I need some help:
Yesterday when I put the fenders back on I noticed a little bit of surface rust creeping back onto the top of my rocker covers, I intend to replace these with chrome ones anyway but for now I wanted to keep the natural buffed steel look. Does anybody have any ideas on how to seal them from the elements and keep the natural look? If so can you give me some ideas on the forum pages or click here for the hyper link to go straight there.
My manager has been saying that I have needed help for well over a year now, *shakes head* LoL.
Thanks for that Alli. 😀
Secondly
Anybody got any hangover cures? If so go to the Forums and Discussions page to leave me some tips or others who may need them this Christmas! Or click on the link here for hyper link straight there.
Thirdly
I have published a tool review of the Dewalt Orbital Sander D26453 which is a really great piece of kit. Check out the review here or go to the tools review section.
Last but not least
I have tweaked a few little bits on the blog too,I have put the Forum and discussions link at the top next to the “home” button. Hopefully that will make it easier to get to the sister site.
Bumper Stone Guard
I have been out all day, OK, I was out till it started to get dark.
I was working on the Bumper Stone Guard from the front of the car, This bit of work need to be in two very distinct parts; the inside rust protection and then the outside cosmetics. For Part 1 I had rubbed it down, treated it and put the first coat of POR15 on it. All seems to have gone well and I am please with the results today. The metal was in great condition when I got down to it under all the dirt and grime. I will apply the second coat tomorrow ready for me to do a bit of work on it next weekend on the outside. I have called it (yep you guessed it) Stone Bumper Guard (part 1) the photo’s and process for what I did is under photos, or click here.
I have added an RSS feed if you dont want to keep visisting the site, that way you never miss a post and can visit when you can. I have been asked to put quick links at the top in the “home” bar. consider it done!
Hope your having a good weekend and got everything in place ready for the holidays!