Newbie questions

[snowcone]

Hi Guys
My 64 Hardtop has finally arrived in Aus from the USA and, while the car is everything I expected, the shipping company did some damge to a few items.

One of the issues is that they removed the rear wheel skirts probably to strap the car into the container and then carefully packed the skirts in cardboard. Then at some time after that an object weighing approx 1 ton must have been dropped on them as they are now toast.

I will be putting in an insurance claim but I will have to source a new pair including seals and retaining rods so my first question is where is the best place to get these that will ship to Aus?

Another item I will need to source is the window seal rubbers that fit on the outside of the doors and seal against the windows when they are wound up and down. I also will need the same for the rear quarter windows so where is the best place for these?

And a mechnical question - I noticed a small weep of oil at the dif pinion nut and there is some movement in the pinion flange - will tightening the nut fix this or is the nut attached to one of the crushable sleeves that affects the pinion bearing pre-load if I tighten it?

More questions - When the steering column is moved to the left and locked in the normal driving position there is still about an inch of side movement in the column so it is easy to get to whatever locks the coloumn inplace and repair the catch?

One more question (today) - someone has disconnected the park brake cable at the pedal. My assumption is that this has been done becasue the vacuum operered release is not working but i don't know this for sure. is the vacuum release mechanism easy to repair if it is at fault?

Thanks in advance

[David Langhorne]

Since no-one has come in here I will try to answer some of your queries.
Don't think you will get new fender skirts although seals are available from all the usual suppliers. There are half a dozen on ebay right now though not all will ship overseas.

Why do you need new window seals - obviously if they are rotted and torn but they are NOT meant to contact the glass. Again all the vendors stock them as a set and the price is much the same everywhere.

The steering column is easy enough to adjust if you take the lower sheet metal off first.

There is a manual release to the parking brake so don't see why someone would take the cable off just because the vacuum release didn't work.

Replacement vacuum cans are available and I found that by removing the lower duct extension piece I could get the brake mechanism out by removing the three screws holding it and wrigging it out from behind the duct.

Don't know much about diffs but if it's quiet I would leave well alone.

[snowcone]

Thanks Dave
Very helpful
Cheers
Gary

[Tbird100636]

Check ebay... you may find a good restorable set of used skirts. JC Whitney used to sell Fiberglass reproductions made by a company in California, which we have on our 64. JC Whitney doesn't offer them anymore, and the company that made them doesn't make T-Bird ones anymore.

[snowcone]

Found a place that makes aftermarket skirts for all models bigjims.net
He hasn't got back to me yet on shipping to Aus
All the eBay ones are rusty or dented so they will be last resorts.
Window seals look like coming from Dennis Carpenter

[Ozzy351]

The Carpenter seals choice is a good one snowcone. I originally purchased seals from Macs and they are way too hard. I got some from Carpenter and they are worlds apart from Macs. They might cost more but they are definately worth it.

Ozzy

[snowcone]

The shipping company have finally acknowledged that they damaged the side skirts which is a start but I am still having trouble convincing them that the scuffed paint on the R/H sill was done by them also, even though they admitted that the sills were in good condition before shipping.
The joys of transporting a car across the world!
Maybe the T/bird jsut didn't want a strange new home where she would be on the other side of the road

[paulr]

The Carpenter seals choice is a good one snowcone. I originally purchased seals from Macs and they are way too hard. I got some from Carpenter and they are worlds apart from Macs. They might cost more but they are definately worth it.

Ditto. Do NOT by anything but Dennis Carpenter rubber seals for any window or door on the car that you repair. The cheap imitations will not fit, not conform, not seal and make you poorer. Enjoy,

Paul

[rrbnut]

welcome to the forum;I joined when I got my car some months back and all are very helpful here;like to return the favor when i can.
Cheers

[redbird1]

I can help you fix the sliding column.
This is an easy, permanent fix.

When you are looking at the assembly , you will notice there is an adjustable screw on the left side of the assembly.
It acts as a stop, and if adjusted correctly, keeps the column from moving, once in the locked position.
Adjusting only last for a short time, and soon you will be on your back looking up, trying to adjust the bolt once more.
My 66 did loosened up shortly after a few times using it after an adjustment, but it is simple to fix it so you never have to adjust it again.

Remove the adjusting bolt from the swing away assembly, place a threaded nut on the bolt, and tighten it right up to the head of the bolt. before re-installing it.
Now, put the bolt back in the assembly where it belongs, then thread the original nut and washer on the end as you would do if you were adjusting it .
Adjust it to a tight position,and problem with it coming loose will be a thing of the past.

My column use to come loose at least once a week, and I would find myself always having to adjust it .
This extra nut (which actually acts to lock the bolt from coming loose) fix the loose problem.
I did this a year ago,and the column has never come loose, or needed any kind of adjustment since.
A real easy fix for all swing away wheels regardless of year.

Bob.

[snowcone]

Thank you Redbird.
I discovered this bolt was loose and I tightened it up but it didn't feel like it was locked in place so your tip about a fitting a lock nut makes sense and I will go back in a do it today (thanks) I mihgt even add some locktite as well
I can answer the diff pinion one now myself as I removed the uni joint and found that I could tighten the pinion nut about a half a turn so hopefully this will fix it.
I have removed the parking brake assembly (I have no idea how I am going to get the vent bolts back in though)

I have anothert question now that this is out. Should there be some sort of spring to bring the pedal back up when it is released. There is a small spring on the vacuum release unit but I can't see what makes the pedal return once the brake is released.

Found a couple of loose vacuum hoses floating around once I got inside the dash and have managed to sort them out into their respective homes.