Thining the herd.Tom

Drove my 57 wagon from Battle Creek to Coldwater mothers day car show.
What a blast.

GT

Had to run to the store to get some distilled water for my Mercurys cooling system, as I had just changed the radiator hoses.
I took the LeMans and for some reason it was a 20 mile round trip even though it’s a mile from my house.

Polished up the license plate frame and used some TR3 Resin Glaze on the front plate and added the GTO badge to the grille. Also pulled the front bumper loose and installed both front splash shields and the horns.

Installed the bumper filler piece just below the grilles so now the grilles are bolted in solid. Installed the hood scoop ornaments. Installed all the wheel opening mouldings.

Installed the trunk bottom edge trim piece that completes the tail light trim and the GTO emblem on the trunk lid. Adjusted the passenger side tailpipe to match the driver side, loosened the clamp and moved it down about a half inch.

Put 20 miles on it with no issues, backing off the brake pedal pushrod a couple turns solved the dragging brake problem.

Full throttle about 20 times running uphill on Soledad Canyon Road.

This thing is a runner !!!

Trying to make sure the piston rings are bedded in. Too much idle time on the engine run stand and in my garage getting the transmission fluid warm enough to check the level.

It's popping the dipstick up an inch or so but I was hammering the crap out of it......sounds good with all 3 carbs open…..it moves out nicely even with 2.56 gears.

Went to the Sasser cruise in this morning . we had at least 50 cars, but I think it had something to do with the cool weather and the free chicken dinner.

I got the dreaded sex fingers today, got wiper woes, and might have fitted the incorrect wiper motor,
I was tapping down the wiper arm after fitting new blades and making an adjustment and smashed the windscreen.
I publicly apologise to the neighbours for the bad language

Sent from my SM-X200 using Tapatalk

I recently scoffed when someone asked me about my gas mileage in the TA, and rightfully so. But, then I decided to see what kind of mileage I actually get. Mainly for fun/curiosity but also for range estimation, maybe tuning (?), etc.

So I did three different measurements. All were with very conservative driving. Just easy cruising. First was a windy mountain road. Second was a flat country back road with a mix of 55 mph to 35 mph, mostly 55. Third was a 4 lane State Hwy that was all 55 mph, but on the 55 mph stretches, I was cruising 65-70.

Mountain road: 8.4 mpg
Rural road: 13.8 mpg
Rural Hwy: 15.1 mpg

Mountain road was mainly going back and forth between 3rd and 4th gear constantly. Very little 5th gear. Rural road was mostly 5th gear with a fair amount of 4th and 3rd gear in the lower speed limit zones. Rural Hwy was all 5th gear, except for the several miles getting out and back through town to get to my house. That's about what I thought I'd get. Both of my modern V8-daily driver-SUVs get around 15 mpg which is mostly rural Hwy, so the TA is about the same.

Got the GTO nose in primer, bumper filler next. The weather may prevent me from getting color on this week.

Bman I adopted your grill idea.

Just drove the LeMans about 20 miles last night.
My son and I are taking the LeMans and my ‘62 Mercury on a run Saturday sponsored by a club over on the H.A.M.B. We’re leaving Friday night because it’s on the other side of the state, and staying in a hotel,driving 100+ miles on the run, then driving back home.
Last night I went to take the Mercury out for a drive, and no 2nd gear. Ugh! I checked all the usual things and I just don’t have time for it now. Got ahold of the organizers and asked if I can bring the ‘71 GTO in place of the Mercury. No problem they said, even though it’s supposed to be ‘65 and older vehicles.
Now to take the GTO on a couple shake down runs before Friday!
It was running great when I had it out in February, but so was the Mercury last weekend! :)
Bonus is I get to rebuild my first ford transmission.

It’s a different look, a little more emphasis on brightwork is a nice change.

I have a few extra sets of grilles so it’s easy to change the look later on if I want. This particular set sat in the desert for many years so there was almost no paint left on them.

It was pretty easy to remove what was left with a little lacquer thinner and some 0000 steel wool, they started out as Tempest grilles so there was less paint to remove compared to GTO grilles.

Oh that sounds like a fun run...too bad about yer merc

Took both Pontiacs on about a 40 mile run to get some burgers and deep fried cheese curds. More of a test for the GTO than anything. Runs just as good as when I parked it in February.

Started the 64 and backed it out of its garage. First time it has been started since 2019 GTOAA show in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Getting ready for Springfield, Missouri GTOAA next month. Started right up just like it should!!

"Bill"!

Giving my hood tach a little update with a digital display and two warning lights.

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that's neat...

Got the nose and bumper filler in color.

The auto shop at my son's school had their annual car show/fundraiser tonight. This year we were able to take both cars since my son has his license, but he still hasn't mastered the clutch yet so he got the keys to the GTO. It's always a pretty neat show because of the variety of stuff that shows up. Everything from muscle cars, old trucks, VWs, rock crawlers, to fire trucks this time. Really nice '69 FB 400 convert showed up as well.

He wanted to hang out with his friends while the show was wrapping up so I left him with the GTO. When he got home he told on himself...

"I did a burnout on the way home. My brain was telling me no, but my heart was telling me yes."

I had a good laugh, but it's probably going to be a little while before he gets the keys alone again. I did a lot of burnouts in that car when I was his age, but it had half the power and a peg leg 2.73!


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Well I certainly hope you presented him with his Man Card upon his return.

I definitely had an “‘atta boy” moment. He’s a pretty careful and conscientious kid, so I was kind of surprised, but he is 16.

To earn the man card he has to learn to drive the T/A.