New Owner Questions

[Chase331000]

Hey everyone,

I am a 20 year old new owner of a 1961 t-bird. I am not super mechanically inclined but I am learning more each day with it. My grandfather and I have done some minor work to her but not too much. I just had some questions that you guys could hopefully help with.

1. What is the best kind of fuel to be running in her? Regular, premium, or ethanol-free?

2. Are there any things to watch out for with the old 390?

Any additional tips and tricks in owning a classic t-bird would be much appreciated. I got her to be a fun project and cruiser for the summertime so I want to keep her on the road as much as possible.

Thanks, Chase

[Ducksface]

These are very elementary questions and barely tbird related.
Post some pictures, get specific, and watch us all help.

Any gas if an emergency, premium no ethanol with additives if you can, aircraft fuel if available, but we don't know a thing about your engine so these are just generics.
There is nothing.to watch out for with a 390 except that Tbirds get horrible fuel mileage and are by todays standards one of the slowest to accelerate vehicles in the road.
They're all looks and little else.

Youtube is your best friend.


Is your grandfather still around?

[ICON 1956]

So.... you just want a cruiser. The 390 loves premium to run great, non ethanol I would suggest if you have it in your state.
Aircraft gas is very $$$$$$ being that the price of a single gallon of 87 grade is close to $5.00 for regular.
You say your NOT Mechanically inclined. I would find /buy the shop manual the the year of the car. Read up on how the car is put together.

[Chase331000]

Sweet thanks for the help.

[64ZCODE]

Safety first. With a car this old and this heavy, make sure the brakes work correctly, the shifter is positive, Park and the emergency brake work, and the car tracks straight down the road. Weird clunks and noises should be investigated and resolved. If you can, get the car up on a lift and check out the undercarriage for obvious damage and loose stuff. Make sure there are no brake fluid leaks coming from the master cylinder, brake lines and wheel cylinders, monitor the fluid level in the master cylinder for early detection of a leak somewhere in the future.

The standard '61 390 motor had 9.6:1 compression and should run fine on regular gas. I have a '64 with a 390 and that's what I use. Don't waste your money on premium gas. If the engine "pings" when accelerating it's most likely because of timing, not because you're running regular gas. Does the engine idle and run smoothly now without undue vibration and smoke out the exhaust pipe? If not, you might want to check the compression to make sure it's in spec and go from there. You can help the engine to run more smoothly with more power by replacing the points with an electronic ignition module, like a Pertronix, a hotter coil and upgraded ignition wiring. That and having the carb working correctly and properly adjusted is where I'd start to have a reliable cruiser that gets as good mileage as it can for what it is. If running well, the stock 390 has a lot of power and low end torque and can get out of it's own way, but it's a cruiser, not a muscle car.

You'll find lots of good help on this forum, so don't hesitate to ask. Also, post some pictures when you can, we'd like to see your ride:)

[Chase331000]

Hey everyone,

64ZCODE everything seems to be running fine and thanks for your reply. I'm happy I can save some money and just use regular gas. When I got her she just needed a new speedometer cable, valve cover gaskets, and some work on the belt (she was noisy). She still needs the front pas floor pan replaced. I have been reading through posts on this forum and seen that Edelbrock has good carbs that don't require a whole lot of attention after they're installed so that seems like something neat for the future. I would eventually fix up the seats but that isn't a top priority for me right now. I have also been looking in to adding front seatbelts and it seems easy enough but I figured I would just wait until I have the front floor pan done and do it all at once. Eventually I would also like to the have the colour changed to black but between University and other expenses that doesn't seem like an option for a long time.

Also, I am having trouble uploading clearer photos but these are from about 1 month ago. When I can figure out how to upload more I'll get some clearer shots of the engine and undercarriage.

[ICON 1956]

Thanks for the pic's. I would just get cheap seat covers for the front seats . I strongly suggest spend the $35.00 on the Shop Manual. read it get to know the car. Money is tight so fix what you can yourself. I strongly suggest to finish your education. Make the car drivable and safe. Don't go and spend aton of money. You will never get it back. So once your education is complete with a degree, then the good things in life will follow you. Good Luck with you project from Gramps.