Ever find you can't keep up?

[RedBird64]

So I haven't driven the bird much this summer - OK, not at all. I have exhausted myself and the local tuning parlor trying to figure out why it doesn't run great so I just took the season off and went camping instead.
Fast forward to yesterday. We're invite to a nice company picnic so I figure it's a perfect opportunity to drive the bird.
On the way over she seem to being running her usual mediocre but predictable self when suddenly it (not a she anymore but forum rule keep me from calling her what I want to) starts losing "its" spunkiness. The brakes are dragging. The Booster that was rebuilt last year is mis-adjusted and applying the brakes ever so slightly all the time. Nothing got too hot but I spent this AM adjusting the push rod and all the brakes, not to mention (ok too late) bleeding the system just for good measure.
Took a test drive and they're fine now. But now the speedo is dead - cable is broken. Now I've spent the whole day working on "it".
You ever get the feeling your just not ever going to be able to keep up with the repairs?

Scott

BTW, the broken cable is jammed in the speedo housing. Anybody got a cute idea of how to fish it out? Tempted to turn the car on it's side (and beat it) but then I'd have to buff that out and...

[paulr]

Easy, champ. Just a couple screws and take out your drum and wiggle out the broken stud with magnet or something ya got, right? ;)
Oh and didn't you get that card with your Bird that said "Must love mission creep"?

Paul

[RedBird64]

Arg.. Just had the danged thing out a while back. It's not fun anymore!
Think I'll try threading a tiny drill bit into it to see if I can hook anything.

Going to spend the winter working on a new gas tank and suspension all around.
Your the expert on that stuff now aren't you Paul?

BTW, that's the prettiest speedo I've ever seen

[scumdog]

Been there - done that.

The only cure is not to driver the suckers!

But that's no fun - so we persevere huh!

[RedBird64]

Got the broken piece out of the speedo today. Used a small safety pin with the tip bent into a hook.

The sheath and even the internal cabel look good, no worn area's. I'm even surprised by how much lube is in the old cable.
Has any just slipped the inside part of the new cable assembly into the old sheath? Seems like as long as the sheath is the same length it would work.. and be a heck of a lot less work and of course look totally concourse!

Scott

[John R. Thomas]

You forgot the best way ever to get into the backside of the dash. Leave the seats, steering wheel and console in place.
Remove the engine and cut a hole through the firewall. Nothing to it.

[RedBird64]

You forgot the best way ever to get into the backside of the dash. Leave the seats, steering wheel and console in place.
Remove the engine and cut a hole through the firewall. Nothing to it.

Not a bad idea. My tool of choice would be an axe

[60fore]

You forgot the best way ever to get into the backside of the dash. Leave the seats, steering wheel and console in place.
Remove the engine and cut a hole through the firewall. Nothing to it.

Haha that joke just never gets old!

[sseebart]

Got the broken piece out of the speedo today. Used a small safety pin with the tip bent into a hook.

The sheath and even the internal cabel look good, no worn area's. I'm even surprised by how much lube is in the old cable.
Has any just slipped the inside part of the new cable assembly into the old sheath? Seems like as long as the sheath is the same length it would work.. and be a heck of a lot less work and of course look totally concourse!

Scott

I don't see why this isn't worth a try. Were there any warning signs--jumpiness in the speedo, maybe--before it broke? Based on the area where it broke, sounds like maybe the bind is in the speedometer itself. Does it spin freely?

Welcome back!

~Steve

P.S. I'm in the process of pulling the motor from my truck for the second time this month, so I feel your pain. With me and my bird, it's brakes, brakes, brakes. They've never failed on the road, but they just don't inspire confidence, no matter what I do. I've considered disk brake kits, but that just opens up another can of worms--one full of wheel clearance issues. Hang in there.

[RedBird64]

Thanks Steve, No, the speedo was working perfectly. I had just worked on my brakes (adj push rod and bleed) and was performing several back-ups to auto adj. the brakes. I looked down and it was dead. The cable broke off right at the speedo. The rest of it looks very good although some knuckle head seems to have stripped the cable hold-down bolt on the trans. I'm hoping it's just too short. Either that or it's heli-coil time.

I know exactly what your saying about the brakes. They just don't inspire confidence. And why is all the braking action at or near the bottom of the pedals travel??

[RedBird64]

Just to let everyone know, I was not able to run the new cable through the old sheath because the new assembly was 2.5" longer. But it's not a bad job to replace anyway.
So I did the cable and a new CVR and the only problem I found during that was the washer switch is broken.
So hey, I one ahead at this rate!

Scott

[sseebart]

IAnd why is all the braking action at or near the bottom of the pedals travel??

Yeah! Is is a design feature? It has to be in the booster or linkage somewhere, methinks. I've got the identical master cylinder in my 62 F100, but no booster--it engages at the top of the travel and has a substantially better feel. (Though, like the 'bird, stopping distance is still supertanker slow.)

~Steve