Morning coffee

[mustang6984]

Fred...car looks great!

G & Rich...somewhere in the deep recesses of my worn out memory I remember an old mechanic telling me to fill my car with 1/2 the required anti-freeze/water solution, start it and then slowly add the rest. Then to cap it...let it run until thermostat opened, carefully open and add what ever I needed, thus avoiding the air bubble issue.

[Ecode70D]

Fred
     I take my hat off to you.   You did a great job putting your beautiful car back together again.
     The most important part of the story is that you have managed to keep it all these years. 
Jay

[mustang6984]

                ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
                                                       

[CobraJoe]

X 3   

[gasman826]

Has anyone else noticed the shipping rates!  I'm about done shipping.  For several years, my go-to shipper has been USPS Priority with satisfaction.  Recently, USPS dropped Regional A and B...the best deal for lighter items that fit in their box.  For more than a month, USPS Priority (your box) has dramatically went up.  An eighteen pound Priority (my box) to California is more than eighty bucks while a similar Flat Rate (their box) would ship for $22.00.  My item disassembled would fit in a Flat Rate box but most car parts won't fit in the 'If it fits, it ships' boxes.  I just can't justify selling a $10 part and asking the buyer to pay $80 extra to ship it.  The same box shipped USPS Ground was $65 and UPS Ground was about the same.  I don't like using the Ground option...the longer they have it the more likely they will lose it.  COVID has really screwed the shipping costs.

[mustang6984]

gasman...I have noticed that cost inflation too. But not just in shipping. Seems like it is true in the "fast food" word as well. And grocery stores seem to have less on their shelves, and they charge more for what they have.
Shall we also speak to the lack of efficiency that has always been the U.S. Postal Service, having gotten worse during the last year. I mailed a check to my wife's account in a credit union in Olympia WA back on December 17th, from Shell Knob MO. I then left the next day, (Friday) and drove to Bisbee AZ, and then to Port Angeles WA. arriving on the 23rd of December 6 days after said mailing. I then spent 3 weeks in hospital with COVID, got out in early January and was in the Port Angeles house 2-3 days BEFORE said check finally made it to the credit union.
Same day I mailed her check off I mailed one off to forum member Jerry Henry for a pair of radiators which I had purchased from him for my Couriers. He lives in VA. He got HIS check around the 8th of December! For this "service" we pay more than 10x's the $0.03 to $0.05 we paid for standard or "Air Mail" service of the early 60's...when the "standard" service meant the letter took 4-5 days to get across the country,and the air mail was 3 days.
All the excuses are the same now..."well...the issue is the COVID virus." Baloney. The issue is lack of interest in service, and more interest is taking copious amounts of our money!

Okay...off my soap box now...got a stove to hook up for the wife...we have been making all meals for the last 6  months with microwave, electric skillet and my electric grill due to no 220 in the house for the kitchen stove. The electrician installed that yesterday...now I will install a cord on the stove and we will be "normal"! LOL!!!

[djfordmanjack]

it's insane, but I have to say it has started a lot earlier than before the bug hit. maybe it just crept up your domestic shipping lately but I have felt the international shipping increase for 2 to 3 year now. since last summer we're at the point where I can hardly order stuff anymore. the shipping, shipping time and custom fees will kill it.
I have to say the best way nowadays to order stuff is from companies who have their  'own' shipping prices because of the large quantities they ship. unfortunately this favors only the big players and leaves out the little business or private person.

[hiball3985]

Big companies like MACS are charging $14 to ship a $2 gasket  so they have become a last resort for me. A friend and I did an experiment shipping to each other, I him sent two identical packages, one regular USPS and the other priority USPS at the same time, both arrived at his house at the same time, so priority shipping seems to be a waste..

[djfordmanjack]

Yes Jim !
I had simple smaller things sent regular USPS in an envelope and they arrived within 6 days, half around the globe that is!

I was talking about the international shipping service from ebay or DHL/FEDEX aso Service from Rockauto. they are somewhat cheaper because they seem to have their own business rates.

shipping service by the M*** company is just terrible. their using of large boxes for just a few smaller things or just a single backordered item has cost me hundreds of $ in the past. Trying to avoid them as best as I can, sorry to say that.

[hiball3985]

Shipping from the east to here has been faster USPS compared to UPS or FEDEX. Not that I'm ever in a hurry  UPS is on my sh*t list after loosing two packages in the last 6 months and one was a $350 AC compressor the other was for the wife $27. Fighting with them is hopeless I found out.

[CobraJoe]

Well, starting to wrap up the work on the T-Bird. Got the new fuel tank in today:





The new steering control valve came in also. The one in the car was from a Falcon I think, but finally got the correct one and hoses:



I got it installed, but the car pulled slightly to the left on the road. At first I thought it was alignment but further investigation found that it was the valve. After several adjustments with the wheels off the ground I found I was chasing my tail. It seems the cap was putting pressure on the spring/washer. I moved it onto the four post and  milled up this spacer and VOILA! problem gone!





The new carb came in too. I don't think the owner quite understands why I had to order a carb as he had a new one installed on the car in Florida two years ago. I showed him all the $hit in the tank and he asked if i could rebuild it. I said sure, but a 312 Y-block does not need a 650 cfm, dual-feed. I ordered a 500 cfm Edelbrock and I think once I install it and he drives it, he'll be much happier.

[mustang6984]

If he doesn't like it I'll take it!   

[CobraJoe]

I'm sure you would!

Anyways, off with the old dual feed.... (how's that for scary plumbing!)



...and on with the new:





It's amazing how much better the car runs with the smaller carb, it actually feels  like it's making more power.

[mustang6984]

Nothing worse than feeding an engine too much fuel. I have had that argument since I can remember, that stuffing more fuel into an engine than what is needed does NOT make more power. I won a pink slip from some idiot with a Camaro when I was 18 with my white Courier...he thought he was going to tromp my butt with his dual 4bbl set up on a mildly warmed over 327. We had argued that issue off and on for several days or so. I had the '58 352 with I believe at that time a 700 Holley. It was embarrassingly not close. Course I also had 9 leafs on each rear tire...which made it rather nice to just launch...and he had that light rear-end Camaro that he burned rubber with. I didn't keep his pink slip...didn't want the car...but I sure made my point. The rest of the year was a bit rough for him to live through. LOL!!! I never did tell him the car had been a dedicated 1/4 mile racer before I got it...sorta left that part out...OOPs!   

[hiball3985]

Anyone heard from Rich? Not like him to not be posting in days...