First Time Videos

During some routine maintenance on my PC where I back up my files, then move them to relevant folders etc. I came across an old video that I thought I had lost. So I decided that I would share that video and a couple of others with you. The day was a Saturday 14th April 2012, I had a good mechanic mate of mine; Will from Park Garage Services came round to the house and help me with the start-up. This was a long time before I started to get involved with Mustang Maniac for my parts and the proper restoration process. After a long winter of re-wiring the car to get to the point I could turn the key properly, this was a very important day in the restoration process. I had no idea that this restoration project was ever going to be a blog that it is now, so there wasn’t that many pictures from the very beginning. I already had the old wiring out, well what was left of it that is. IThe old wiring sits in a big box and I’m still not sure what to do with it. It’s old, it’s brittle, it’s burnt and melted, it’s total rubbish, but I just can’t bring myself to dump it. Any ideas what to do with an old wiring loom? Please let me know.

The new wiring had been installed and nothing was neat at this point, or even in the right places come to that. The wiring was just connected up and roughly in place. That very early stage was just to prove the process to myself that it was going to work. Later on the new wiring would be taken back out for the full restoration and paint job, then reinstalled properly and neatly, just how I wanted it to be.

Fuse box location

The engine was not cleaned or prepped in any way prior to this video. It just had the new blue spark plug leads, Pertronix Ignitor II ignition upgrade, new replica battery, one wire alternator, new spark plugs and new cables for earth and battery etc. The starter solenoid was an unknown entity so we weren’t sure if we were gonna have issues at that point.

Being as I had rewired the car myself over a few months each weekend, the wiring was also an unknown piece of work too, I just hoped I had read the book of words (instructions) correctly. In fact the good lady wife had the instructions colour copied and laminated for me. That would mean my dirty hands wouldn’t ruin the paper or tear it. I could keep the originals in a safe place just in case I did lose one section or managed to damage them.

Back to the start-up day; I put two gallons of fuel in the petrol tank and made sure there was no leaks. I had previously turned the engine over by hand with no spark plugs in place, that would make it much easier not having to deal with the compression, the engine wasn’t seized up. I had previously filled up the engine with water and some temporary light oil as the engine wasn’t going to run under stress for any length of time either. Oil lubrication is a critical factor to consider when the engine hadn’t run for twelve years or so for any cold start and engine wear. The turning over of the engine on crank would pump the oil around the engine at those low cranking revs. The car was cranked over for a bout thirty seconds and then left the car to settle for a minute or so. We then primed the carburetor up with fuel via pumping the gas (via the carb linkages) to help fire up and this was video was the result. The headers were straight out as there was no exhaust connected at all, the volume and resonance distorted the microphone on the phone.

My good lady wife was in charge of the camera at the time, this is the first time this video has been on the internet on any of my media platforms.

With the car restored I was arriving home from a car show and the car was filmed being driven into the garage. This is a nostalgic look at the before and after comparisons.

This time the Flowmaster 40 Series mufflers were fitted to the 3″ headers which gives that unmistakable Mustang v8 rumble.

This is also a first time showing of this video on the internet.

This video of the car backing out of the garage was another mate who wanted a ride out in the car when he first saw it back completed from the restoration. The final first time video on the internet video.

Then of course there is the mandatory drive by;

Apologies if you have seen the “Driveby” on my YouTube channel, but I think it’s worth a proper posting on the blog and not just a link.

I have started to review a few more Car Detailing products now and hopefully you will find them useful as well. I have found a couple of real nice products all of which can be found under the “Car Detailing Reviews” heading, the latest being from the Chemical Guys.

I’m looking forward to this coming car show season I must say, seeing these videos has made me realise how much I miss driving her. 🙁

Share my Content

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!

Share my Content

Revised Site

Can you tell I have been sitting here trying to make the site look a little better? I have been asked if the site would look better in a darker theme. I looked into it and agreed. I have changed the header, the title a little and added rating stars. Let me know if it should stay or go back. The public is to decide this one. The other advantage of a darker theme is that on a mobile not having to show the lighter colours wont take up as much battery juice. Thinking of my followers all the time!

I have also added some more pictures to the “Day the Coupe arrived” set of photos. Go to the button or click here. The extra photos are of the trunk where stuff was just thrown in there. You can see the original wiring how it was found by me. Go to the button or click here.

Share my Content

More pics added and another book review

Another update to the blog, I have added the wiring photos of the car when I got it. When you see the photos you will understand why it was not running. Go to the button for the pics or click here. I knew how it was when I bought the car, but when you look at the other parts under the dash I didn’t quite realise what an epic journey I was about to undertake. American Autowire was the way to go over the Painless wire kit. I will review the American Autowire kit soon and explain why them. I have added a personal favourite of mine in the book review section and find out why I like it so much.

Please keep coming back and let me know what you like or don’t like, leave a comment. Leave your email address and be sure never to miss an update.

Share my Content

Picture requests

Due to popular demand (OK, it was only a couple), I have uploaded a few more pictures of the day the Coupe arrived. Go to the button for the pics or click here.

It was on the back of a low loader and by the time I got my camera ready it was unceremoniously dropped onto the drive. The car was locked and the driver presented me with the docs for the car but no keys! It turned out that he had dropped them in the gutter outside, about a foot away from a drain. At the time there was one set of keys; needless to say I was not a happy chap at that point. We found them shortly after, so all was well in the end. As the car was dead; no brakes, no wiring in it and no steering wheel fitted, it was an interesting hour or so to move her about- out of the way. The car was stuffed with parts in boxes so I had to find the steering wheel in order to move her. Ever tried to push a car when the steering wheel comes off in your hand? I wouldn’t recommend it.

So I missed the big moment of the delivery on the truck I’m sad to say. But, I do have plenty more where these came from and I will upload them as soon as I get the chance.