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THOSE 80s CARS
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Last Updated August 2, 2010
Updates in red highlight
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In General July 20, 2009 - The car collecting hobby is a full time activity requiring the devotion of precious resources: time, money, patience, research, space and labor to name a few. These requirements compound as one adds more vehicles to their collection. I opine that there is a threshold of the number of cars that separate merely collecting cars that collect dust and collecting cars that are maintained and run. I feel that I’m on that line of that threshold. With six cars (five classics and one new car), keeping them clean and washed is a chore in itself. Keeping them all running in top shape, ready for any road trip is another story all together.
It has always been said that it is better to buy a car that someone else has restored. That is true to the extent that it saves you time and money. However, one misses out on the fun (and frustration) of working on the cars. I know I would only get a fraction back of the money I have invested in these vehicles if I ever sold them. But I would have missed out on so much more: the learning, the scraped knuckles, the camaraderie and the stories.
While my cars have been on many road trips and to various car shows (and winning awards), those details are lacking on the blog right now. I'll be adding those comments going forward. For now, I've added the list of repairs, to-date, on my cars. It'll give you readers an idea of how much work it takes to keep the cars running and looking good. But I hope it doesn't discourage you. --- James |
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1980 Lincoln Versailles This is my first collector car. I purchased this car in December 1997 to learn about cars and how to work on them and how to restore them. Cars had always been a passion. I especially have a soft spot for the unloved cars that are often overlooked and forgotten. This was one of my father's favorite cars, as well as mine. I purchased the Versailles to learn more about cars and to honor the memory of my father. The car has a complete color change inside out. See pics of the restoration here.
June 12, 2010 - Fixed the 7th power window issue for the year on my collection. This time, the rear passenger window would not go up; just down. That meant a wiring problem. I removed two screws on the bezel and underneath there was a loose wire. I reconnected it. Whole process took less than 5 minutes. Dec 10, 2009 - Rebuild carb, properly re-route all vacuum lines. This resolved the cold start stalling and hesitation during acceleration. Nov 14, 2009 - Replaced a front parking lamp socket with an NOS. I had repaired the previous one multiple times, but it was on its last leg and finally stopped working. Nov 7, 2009 - Replaced the front right parking/turn signal bezel with an NOS replacement. The previous lens had too many stress cracks and hazing due to age. Looks so much better now, but probably only I would notice it. Nov 1, 2009 - I acquired three more door ajar switches and installed them in the 3 passenger doors. While I had the door panels off, I completed the change over of the faux-wood painted metal to the brushed metal trim. I may switch the wheels back to the aluminum dish installed of the painted spoke wheels... not sure... I like them both.
Oct 17, 2009
- I continued work on my one-of-a-kind Lincoln Versailles Signature Series
concept. See my unique brochure
here. (For you purists, don't worry. I've kept all the original
cosmetic parts to switch the car back to factory standards. It gives me 2
cars in one!) I connected the door ajar switch in the driver's door so
that the light in the consolette works properly. Also, using an extra set
of door trim, I stripped the faux-wood painted metal and brushed it. You
can see the
before and
after pics by clicking on the link. May 2009 - Repairs: replaced radiator and all hoses April 2009 - Repairs: Replace intake manifold gasket due to leaks of both anti-freeze and oil; replace starter; new battery cables; cooling system flush; oil change August 2007 - Repairs: fixed switch on driver's door for illuminated entry; Installed shift linkage seal, band seal, pan gasket and seal rear-end yoke (but now it leaks even more!) March 2007 - Repairs: Adjust timing (finally running right) August 2006 - Repairs: new battery, new starter, new cables July 2006 - Repairs: 4 wheel alignment and new wiper blades June 2006 - Repairs: tune-up, replace valve cover gaskets, new gas tank, replace all 4 shocks, replace steering link and hoses June 2005 - Repairs: Replace master cylinder and brake fluid April 2005 - Repairs: replace all front end bushings and re-align front-end February 2003 - Repairs: New tires March 2001 - Repairs: replaced cracked and peeling dash vinyl wood trim with real wood veneers (no NOS can be found for the original vinyl appliqués) August 2000 - Repairs: new battery June 2000 - Repairs: re-chromed dash bezels, new leather wrap for steering wheel, new hood pad March 2000 - Repairs: replace inside driver door handle February 2000 - Repairs: sew new leather dash pad and door panel armrests December 1999 - Repairs: new turn signal stalk September 1999 - Repairs: radio rebuilt again under warranty, new seat belt webbings, July 1999 - Repairs: Install new vinyl top and rear deck vinyl, replace plugs, carb pump, distributor June 1999 - Repairs: Recharge A/C (still old freon in it), new carb, new fuel pump January - June 1999 - Repairs: Interior and exterior restoration. Complete color change, new paint, leather interior, new carpet, radio rebuild, 4 speakers replacement, new windshield, May 1998 - Repairs: new battery, new parking brake cable, March 1998 - Repairs: track vacuum leaks, adjust idle, repair 3 power window motors February 1998 - Repairs: new belts, resonator, weatherstripping January 1998 - Repairs: tune-up, car rebuild, new muffler, air pump, |
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1968½ Continental Mark III I purchased this car in April 2005. It was a gift to myself celebrating 18 months as a cancer survivor. (I had just turned 41 years old when diagnosed.) This would be the car which I would have fun and be creative, while honoring the Lincoln heritage. My goal was to make this Mark III look like a Mark V Bill Blass and keep it all Ford parts. I believe I have succeeded with that task. I get more compliments on this car than any other. It was a complete transformation. See the pics here.
May 30, 2010 - Replaced the headlight switch in an effort to eliminate leaks in the headlight door system. It helped to double the amount of time the doors stay closed after turning the engine off from 2 to 4 minutes. But, they should stay closed for days. So, now I have to keep checking for other leak sources. May 15, 2010 - I just finished working on the Mark's rear driver power window again. The last repair failed after a couple of weeks. The magnet in the motor casing came off the case and stuck to the motor again. So, my mechanic and I cleaned and rebuilt the previous motor. It works strong. It's insane, all the things I had to remove to get to the motor:
May 9, 2010 - Tested the vacuum lines and motors associated with the headlight doors to determine the cause of the doors opening within 2 minutes after the engine was shut off. Problem was isolated to the headlight switch. By bypassing the switch, the headlight doors stayed down. Because the Mark has the auto-dim headlight feature, there are no NOS or new switches available. I'll have to send the switch away to be rebuilt. May 8, 2010 - Replaced the driver's door master power window switches with new units. So, now all power window switches in the car are new. Also replaced the vacuum power door lock actuator. It would lock, but didn't have the strength to unlock the door. Apr 22-25, 2010 - Drove the Mark III to Ocala, FL for the 2010 LCOC ENM. Visited the Don Garlits Museum and the NPD HQ & Car Collection. The latter was extremely impressive. I drove 1,041 miles roundtrip and averaged 14.77MPG. Not bad for such a big car with a big engine! Plus, I drove the car about 60% of the time with the A/C on. I won 1st in my class, "modified" because of my color scheme. Fixed the power trunk lid. The rod in the vacuum actuator needed lubrication. One power window motor that was repaired, needs to be replaced now. Found out why the car sounds throaty to me. The mufflers are small. They should be about 5-6 times larger. Finally, I need to replace the shocks with something Ford branded or at least looking original. Apr 16, 2010 - The devil is in the details. I've made 2 changes: 1) I replaced the lock cover backing with a red reflective tape, instead of being the background color. This metal plate kept falling out and I was out of the navy metallic paint. Plus, the red reflective plate represents the look used on all future Marks and makes the car a bit more visible and safer at night. 2) I added labels for the master switch panel on the driver's armrest. The brochure shows labels for the power door locks and window locks. I think over the years, these easily are wiped when cleaning. Apr 14, 2010 - Over the past 6 months, 3 of the power windows have failed on the car. Marks are known for non-working rear quarter windows. I had this fixed once. At that time it was not the motors, but the switches. Previously, the switches were removed, cleaned and re-installed. This time, the switches are being replaced with new switches. After the switches were replaced, the motors were acting irregularly or sporadically. So, I replaced both motors. Also, the right rear quarter window was binding against a lose piece of the weatherstripping and getting stuck. That channel and weatherstripping had to be repaired. It's a lot of trouble to remove the back seat and armrests to get to the side panels and the switches. So, while everything was out, I replaced the rear quarter courtesy lamps with new units. The existing units were pitted. The new ones look great! Finally, the passenger power window motor just died. That has been replaced with a new motor and also a new switch. One day, I'll need to replace the master control switches on the driver's door armrest. They can be a bit sticky. Mar 29, 2010 - Reconnected the vacuum line that open/closes the rear vent in the package shelf. Mar 6-7, 2010 - Clean and detail engine bay (first pass), touched up paint on engine and some underhood components, applied all missing underhood decals, replaced windshield washer pump and replaced front marker/turn signal lenses with reproductions. Feb 27, 2010 - Fixed leak in windshield washer bottle; realigned wiper arms so they lay flat and low on the windshield/cowl line; stripped pealing paint off metal trim above glove box door and polished it... looks bright like chrome Dec 15, 2009 - Resolved two problems on the car: 1) strong gas odor caused by a leaking fuel line and a disconnected vapor canister and 2) functioning of the ATC system which was put in disrepair by two unrelated other repairs. When the interior carpet was replaced, the shop accidentally tugged on the wire that led to the ambient temp sensor in the kick panel. This caused the wire to break at its weakest point which was inside the sensor itself. With the sensor not working, the system defaulted to putting out heat all the time. The other problem occurred when the transmission was rebuilt. When it was reinstalled, they pinched the vacuum hose that provided the source of vacuum to the ATC's brain box. This kept the temp setting and motors to the different blend doors from working properly. With the sensor replaced and the vacuum source restored, the ATC system works as it should. Yeah! Nov 18, 2009 - Replace front crank shaft seal; rebuild power steering pump; replace freeze plug; replace timing chain; oil change Aug 1 2009 - Took the Mark III to the NC Transportation Museum in Spencer for their annual All-Ford show which is held on the 1st Saturday of August. 102 Ford cars and trucks were in attendance. This year, the feature make was Lincoln and there were eight Lincolns there. I almost didn't make the show because during the previous week, the Mark was running rough; very sluggish under any load and on hills. It appeared to be two causes of the symptoms: 1) a frayed wire on an electrical connection between the distributor and coil and a clogged nipple on the vacuum line leading to the transmission. After correcting these two items, the car ran great and smooth. June 2009 - Repairs: replaced gas sending unit, new starter, re-align car after bolt popped (no charge) April 2009 - Repairs: replaced turn signal stalk January 2009 - Parts: replaced door sills with NOS (very hard to find) September 2008 - Repairs: 4 wheel alignment August 2008 - Repairs: Rebuild radiator, exhaust leak at choke heater, place driver window back on track, rebuild transmission June 2008 - Repairs: Tighten loose connections on voltage regulator, replace distributor, adjust timing, replace fan clutch, adjust carb float, replace front strut rod bushings May 2008 - Repairs: replace all 5 stereo speakers March 2008 - Repairs: Water heater control valve, valve cover gaskets, new plug wires, PCV valve, February 2008 - Repairs: Traced, corrected and verified all vacuum lines January 2008 - Repairs: Power passenger seat switch, ignition switch wires, rear reading lamp switches, trunk lamp and harness, trunk vacuum actuator December 2007 - Repairs: New tires, new horns. Interior restoration: reupholstered seats, door panels, headliner and replaced carpet June 2006-December 2007 - Paint and body shop: complete, strip to metal restoration. Parts: ordered interior leather, vinyl, headliner and carpet May 2006 - Repairs: Replaced overhead warning light bezels. Parts: NOS Bill Blass stripe kit, custom Bill Blass decals April 2006 - Repairs: carb replacement. new plugs, new brake proportioning valve, new brake master cylinder, March 2006 - Repairs: Brakes overhauled at each wheel, new battery, carb rebuild (didn't work), January 2006 - Repairs: replace fusible link, clock restoration, December 2005 - Repairs: re-chrome dash bezels and trim, new cruise control switch November 2005 - Repairs: High speed blower relay, re-chrome grille shell, instrument panel voltage regulator. Parts: weatherstripping, hood pad, belts October 2005 - Parts: Collect parts for exterior paint and trim restoration: tail light bezels, turn signal bezels, engine decals, door handles, grille shell and slats, bumper caps August 2005 - Repairs: Replace exhaust system, new temperature sending unit, replace all dash and exterior light bulbs |
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1982 Mercury Cougar XR-7 I purchased this car in May 2008 on a whim. Since then I have detailed the car, repainted the underside of the hood, added a new hood pad, and purchased appropriate shop and owners manuals.
June 20, 2010 - OMG! 2 more power window failures for the year and both on this car. That makes it the 8th and 9th failures for the year on my 5 classic cars. For those that know me, you know the grocery store is one block away. So, the other night, I felt like eating some ice cream and would pick up some other things. Because the store is so close, it's not worth turning the car's A/C on. It wouldn't cool off. So, I lowered the windows for the drive and raised them when I went into the store. On the very short drive back, I lowered the windows. When I got to the driveway, the driver window would not raise. The passenger window did. I went into the house and put the groceries away. Then I went back to the car and removed the driver door panel. I lowered the passenger window to let the breeze flow through the car while I was working on it. I studied the driver's power window motor. It looked fine and the wiring looked fine. So, I thought I would take a break and have a bowl of ice cream while I read the manuals. Before going in to do so, I tried to raise the passenger window. It would not work. I can hear a click when I press the switch for both windows. I was thinking it was the relay. But, while it's possible the relay could fail letting one window work temporarily and not the other window, it didn't seem probable. After reading a few blogs, and covering the car with a cover, I called it a night. This morning, I tried to find the relay under the dash. It's not where the manual says it should be. I could never find it. Remembering the blogs I read, a suggestion was the motors could become stuck. I opened and closed the passenger door firmly. That did the trick. The passenger window now works fine. That trick didn't work for the driver door. So I tapped the motor with a hammer. And that worked for the driver's window. I hope that's the end of power window problems on my cars for a long, long while. Apr 3, 2010 - Since replacing the thermostat did not resolve the lack of heat issue in the car, I back-flushed the heater core. When removing the hoses from the heater core, the problem became obvious. The copper inlet pipe on the heater core was crimped and almost closed completely. So, very little water flow was circulating. I restored the round, open shape and still flushed the core to remove any gunk. I now have strong heat! Mar 26, 2010 - Replaced air filter, gas filter, crankcase filter and thermostat. Thermostat housing was difficult to access. The A/C hoses, gas line and distributor obstruct the lower bolt. What has taken me less than an hour to do on other cars took more than 4 hours to perform on this car. Heat did not improve. Nov 1, 2009 - I re-dyed the vinyl roof as it was looking stained and dirty. The vinyl itself was still in excellent shape. So, I just stripped it clean of detergents and protectants so the new color would take. I've also touch-up some scratches and nicks (especially on the front end from rock chips). Still have a long way to go to cover all the chips. This car did not come with clear coat and the enamel was weak. It easily chips and in the engine bay, the existing paint just wipes off with water and a rag. October 19, 2009 - Installed sockets for the under dash courtesy lamps (which were removed by the previous owner). You can see in the pic at left the coach lamp, illuminated entry key ring , door panel and foot well lamps illuminated as well as dome light (not pictured). October 1, 2009 - Replaced the rear defroster switch/relay. Just in time for fall and winter. July 9, 2009 - Drive: Drove the car from Charlotte to Atlanta for 2 days. Averaged 26.4 MPG. Not bad for a 4.2L V8 with AOD. Car was smooth, comfy and quiet. Love the vent windows. The car seems to drive and handle as if it was a cross between my Mark III and my LeBaron. The power steering pump is noisy, making a whirring sound. It needs to be flushed and refilled including an additive. June 2009 - Repairs: Replace front and rear u-joints (3) and centering ball November 2008 - Repairs: new battery, replaced grille with NOS grille September 2008 - Repairs: Replaced fusible link August 2008 - Repairs: New headliner July 2008 - Repairs: Replaced all headlamps, plug wires and wiper blades, cooling system flush, replace rear main seal, install exhaust hose at catalytic converter, replace crankshaft bearings, alignment, intake manifold gasket, replace front crankshaft seal, replace oil pan gasket, replace rack and pinion bushings, replace oil pump screen, replace power steering pressure hose, new oil pan drain plug, replace thermostat & housing, replace distributor o-ring, replace belts |
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1982 Chrysler LeBaron Mark Cross Convertible After spending a fun summer day with my friends, driving a '61 Continental convertible through the mountains and lakes of NC, I decided I had to have a convertible too. I purchased this car in August 2007 and flew to Indianapolis to pick it up. The 10 hour drive back home flew by.
August 2, 2010 - Replaced the battery under warranty. Previous battery kept losing charge even with a quick disconnect installed. May 22, 2010 - I spent 3 hours today working on the driver's door power window. The motor is strong and the window goes down easily. But, half way up, the window refused to go any further up without a helping hand pulling up on the glass. The problem was the motor needed to be removed and reinstalled and securely refastened to the door frame making a strong contact to the window regulator. The motor's attaching screws to the door had too much play and the motor housing's nuts were stripped. I had to plus size the screws for a secure fit. September 20, 2009 - I replaced the cruise servo. Now the cruise works again. I need to adjust the stop light / cruise switch though because the brake pedal rests too close to it and the cruise cuts off without tapping the brakes. August 22, 2009 - I took the convertible to an AACA show in Asheboro NC. The day was full of rain and we spent half the show ducking it. The A/C, replaced 13 months & 800 miles earlier did not work. With the cloud cover and rain storms, though, the day was cool and the vent was all that was needed. The following Monday I took it back to my mechanic. Turns out that the evaporator was leaking. With the previous work, we replaced just about everything, but not the evaporator. Because we are heading out of summer, for now, I just recharged it to see how long the charge will hold. I won 2nd in my class. I probably would have earned a first if I would have left the windows down, trunk open and hood up. But, with the rain and my absence when the judge appeared, 2nd was the best I could do. December 2008 - Repairs: replaced thermostat and gasket, replaced headlight bezels, replaced cowl weatherstripping July 2008 - Repairs: Replace transmission pan; A/C replacement; new parts (dryer, expansion valve, compressor, belts, fittings, condenser), flush, evacuate, re-charge June 2008 - Repairs: replaced convertible top and rear curtain, Brake job: new booster, master cylinder, wheel cylinders, shoes, turn drums; March 2008 - Repairs: new battery, new tires, September 2007 - Repairs: tune-up, new plugs, wires, filters, PCV valve and wiper blades. Replaced inside rear view mirror, added gold-plated, engraved dash plaque, |
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1985 Chrysler LeBaron Mark Cross Turbo Coupe I purchased this car in September 2006. Very low miles (41,882) and original. I love the seats in this car. Of the 6 cars I own, these seats are the most comfortable. Darn peppy little car with that turbo engine, but not as economical as one might think a car weighing only 2,533 pounds with a 2.2 liter 4-cylinder would be.
May 23, 2010 - Like yesterday's work on the convertible's power window, I had to do the similar thing today. It only took 75 minutes this time due to yesterday's study and practice. I had to remove the power window motor and re-seat it ensuring good & proper contact with the regulator. As of now, all power windows work on all 6 cars. This was the year of power windows. Mar 26, 2010 - Replaced wiper blades September 2009 - Repairs: 4-wheel alignment. Feels like a new car! January 2009 - Repairs: replaced thermostat and gasket October 2008 - Repairs: replace headliner, replace headlight adjusting screws, align headlights; replace timing belt, accessory belt, water pump, coolant, adjust timing June 2007 - Repairs: replaced spark plugs March 2007 - Repairs: Added an auto-dim rearview mirror with compass and temperature reading October 2006 - Repairs: converted A/C to new refrigerant (works great!), new tires, September 2006 - Repairs: Purchased, repainted, re-keyed and installed a center stack console from a '87 New Yorker giving me more storage space and cup holders. Looks totally factory original. Replaced rear shocks, flushed brake fluid, new battery and new wheel covers (from a '94 LeBaron). |
