1957 Ford Country Sedan mocha silver V8 4dr wagon

[hiball3985]

I have had ground straps that look fine but were actually corroded inside the terminal ends. I got one for my Mustang last month but the quality was so much better then the repop one on my 57 I put it on the 57. Not an exact replacement but for the quality difference it was worth it to me.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mustang-Engine-Ground-Strap-1964-1965-1966-1967-Alloy-Metal-Products/181576587363?_trksid=p2481888.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3D741c481143344d06baae62dedf59f55e%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D181576587363&_trkparms=pageci%253A2bff64c1-38a0-11e7-a8ec-74dbd180fa0e%257Cparentrq%253A06ea190415c0a86676b3f3aafffdcc33%257Ciid%253A1

I think the rubber insulation is only to protect it from moisture and corrosion. not to insulate it.

[hiball3985]

Jay and Jim, is that what you want to see on my car?

I am sorry that this is not a factory correct part. It's obviously for a 1958 Mercury...

Are you sure G? I thought 55-56 was last time they used that style strap?

[djfordmanjack]

maybe I am totally wrong but I was going by the 8M number.
The one you go from the Mustang supplies really does look nice. you got your point about the insulation having anti corrosion purpose.
the one in the CS still looks decent and I will replace the insulation. A good time to check how good it really is when removing the screws.

[hiball3985]

maybe I am totally wrong but I was going by the 8M number.
The one you go from the Mustang supplies really does look nice. you got your point about the insulation having anti corrosion purpose.
the one in the CS still looks decent and I will replace the insulation. A good time to check how good it really is when removing the screws.

It maybe 1948  After 54 or 55 they used letter prefix like B= 50's, C=60's D=70's. I think they only went from the old bare/braided type to the cover insulated because they were cheaper.
Electrons are carried on the outside of the wire strands not the inside, thats why corroded wires don't carry juice very well..

[djfordmanjack]

Jim, do Merc parts also carry the B, C, D... lettering?
and can you please stop practicing your electrical hoodoo voodoo on the wagon ?
today 7am I wanted to take my son to school, and voila...the Gen idiot light stayed on....so we had to take the 34 Ford...quite an unconvenient ride as well...
But it wasn't the ground strap. seems a sticky Gen brush, a little wiggleing and cleaning later the light came off and is since working again.

[djfordmanjack]

Friday night car cruise. Either you know how to park your car or you know how to park your car.....
(my friends Mustang and both bumpers are already used enough, just in case. Still managed to park the 57 with not even a thumb between the bumperettes, without ever touching the Stang)

[mustang6984]

When you got it...you got it! Flaunt it man!!!

[hiball3985]

Jim, do Merc parts also carry the B, C, D... lettering?
and can you please stop practicing your electrical hoodoo voodoo on the wagon ?
today 7am I wanted to take my son to school, and voila...the Gen idiot light stayed on....so we had to take the 34 Ford...quite an unconvenient ride as well...
But it wasn't the ground strap. seems a sticky Gen brush, a little wiggleing and cleaning later the light came off and is since working again.

OK I'll stop, but thats almost comical  . I'm glad it was only a minor problem and an easy fix for you. I'm really not sure about Merc numbers but I assume they followed the same type of sequence as the Ford, Thunderbird and trucks.
Nice parking. On Saturday we took a little trip of 270 miles and when we stopped in a town to eat I had to parallel park the Ranchero, I think that was the first time I've done that in 10 years in any car.

[djfordmanjack]

Took the Wagon on a 600 mile round trip to Bavaria in Germany last weekend. Friends of mine are having an invitational only car meet and BBQ. Everybody had a great time, but this year saw most all participants wrenching on their cars, mostly because they were all recently finished projects still getting the bugs worked out. Same goes for my 57 CS as it started overheating at sustained highway speeds. Obviously old sludge and scale got washed out and clogged the radiator. Lots of efforts have been put into cleaning the cooling system since but let's talk about that later. Frankly speaking I was quite fed up with the car at some point and I had to park it and never look back one evening. I guess most of you would understand that feeling. Anyways, the wagon got back and forth without any major damage done to the engine and now needs further detailing, troubleshooting and debugging

In the Austrian Alps (mountains)





At my friends place in Bavaria




Well...... it's your choice...


Somebody caught me draining coolant again

[mustang6984]

Ah...nice shot of the CS and the Nomad. Probably 2 of my favorites right there! Understand the cooling issues and that feeling...been down that road a time or two (or 10) myself!

[djfordmanjack]

have been working on the cooling issues and made some improvements. Lots of cleaning, flushing aso.
Great results with simple citric acid ( which I left in the block for 2 days).
The crusty thermostat got removed, submerged in vinegar acid for 2 days and then boiled in citric acid in the tea water boiler. Who needs a cheap modern replacement when your old one is as good as new ? 







In between shot shows radiator core partly clogged with little chunks of scale and rust. has been removed since.


intake is pretty clean and all metal now.

[hiball3985]

Going through the same issue now with my 66 mustang  , new radiator is on the way.

Just a suggestion but even on my new rebuilds chunks of stuff will break loose, seems you can never get them completely flushed. I take a piece of cheese cloth and stuff it into the top radiator inlet opening so it makes like a filter and let it rap around the outside then slip the hose over it. Then after running the engine several times and checking it until it doesn't catch anymore pieces. You can never get 100% but it seem to help. Please no comments about me being a shade tree mechanic 

[Ecode70D]

Jim
That's a good idea and there is nothing shade tree about it.
Günter
  I hope that you see this.

[djfordmanjack]

Jim, just another great idea! what about using a mosquito net?
Those simple tricks are the best solutions. and I understand about the shade tree, because you wouldn't want to work out in the open under the hot California summer sun...
From when I took the pic with the debris in the radiator core I cleaned everything out again and the core is now bare metal inside. I can't stress enough what natural products like citric or vinegar acid can do for us with old crusty parts. They actually dissolve rust and lime and the 3 bags of citric acid used for this treatment cost about $4.50
I have the 160F thermostat back in the car and it works nicely. Now I have to adress the leaking water pump.

[hiball3985]

I'm sure mosquito net would work fine, I've never seen it personally only on TV or movies. I just used the cheese cloth because it was easy to steal from the wifes cooking supplies 

I've used vinegar before but not citric acid, not being a chemist I don't know what some reactions are on solder..