Call me crazy - Ranchero's (again)

[Jeff W]

I am not an expert, but I think the area that you are having trouble "letting go" is not supposed to be glued. I think the glue line should stop where the rubber seal does. I read this somewhere when researching in preparation to install mine.

I can't think of an easy way to repair this. Look on the bright side, how many people look up at the ceiling?

[Luva65wagon]

Really? I didn't pay that close attention when I pulled it (DOH), but it would be hard to have glued it to the area where the seal edge is. I would have thunk this surface area would have held better. I may have to go look at Gene's someday.

There is plenty of area to screw something up there to hold it taut, so I guess that's what I'll be doing. A saggy headliner is not a good headliner. Just got to find that right something.

[Jeff W]

Just got to find that right something.

Gun rack?

If you look at Gene's he probably has a fishin' pole rack.

[Luva65wagon]

Thanks Jeff. Needed a good laugh. But if you look above the rack - there is a piece of trim in the corner.

It's curved at the roof, but flat on the glass panel, I have room in both directions to screw something of almost an inch. So, maybe a piece of flat metal painted red.

[Jeff W]

Maybe Larry (Badbird) can help make a nice fiberglass strip with some lights and speakers. His trunk work is Top Drawer

[Luva65wagon]

After taking a trip over to Steve's to do some parts-stripping off the 65 Futura Sedan with the telephone-pole redesign, I looked at the headliner in his Ratchero, which still looks to have the factory headliner - and sure enough they must have pulled it in a straight-line from the last bow right to the window flange. Maybe a little loose. Then when the glass went in, the rubber seal would have pulled it more taut. Anyway - not about to pull that glass out to change it - so it's going to get some trim piece installed up there. Just got to decide exactly what now... as long as it doesn't involve rifles or fishing poles.

Otherwise, got an alternator bracket, all the wiring (what was left of it - some got mangled by the aforementioned telephone-pole), and a few hard-to-find 3/8" cage nuts I need to bolt the steering column brace back on. And the carb for Jeff to play with.

[pbrown]

- so it's going to get some trim piece installed up there. Just got to decide exactly what now... as long as it doesn't involve rifles or fishing poles.

I have an idea. How about a 1/4" stainless solid round bar? Flatten the ends with a file maybe and drill a hole in each end to secure it. Bend it to the shape of the roof. Polish it up and it would look good.

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant...id=7&top_cat=1

You can get a five foot length for about $5. This store is here is Seattle so you can just drop in and pick it up.

[Luva65wagon]

That is an excellent idea Patrick. Polished stainless would be a nice finish and would actually follow the curve if I make it just the right length. Thanks!

[doghows]

Come on now... You're heading into show car territory again... Keep thinking driver, driver....

Just kidding I like the way it is looking so far. Can't wait to see it running.

[Luva65wagon]

Come on now... You're heading into show car territory again... Keep thinking driver, driver....

No, I'm just thinking of no headliner dangling in front of my eyes territory. I can use a wooden dowel too, it wouldn't rust either (a good reason to use stainless or aluminum).

The world is fighting against me to get out there and do much work. I had hoped at least 3 full days of my 4-day weekend, but I had maybe only one. But I did make it out to the Pick and Pull on Sunday morning when I was notified of a couple Ranchero's being out there - and then proceeded to Sequim to Steve's place to pick and pull from the pole-dancing Futura sedan he got. So, that's good. I will be bolting stuff on now. That's for sure.

[Luva65wagon]

After promising Karsten (63Sedan) the brake light switch I got out of the Pick and Pull because I am converting to the 65 style switch assembly, I found I couldn't make that work with the infamous cam-bolt used on the 60-64 cars.

So I made a mad-dash to the Pick and Pull to look and see if the 65 Ranchero sitting there still had brake pedal assy (it didn't) and then started looking at other Ford cars that might have used the same switch style. It turned out there is 2 Mavericks out there.

Jeff, with the help of Kenny and Brian, pulled the 4-lug 8" out of one of them, but the other one I found has an 8" 5-lug rear sitting under it... but I pulled the brake pedal out so I could study how those funky Ford switches work. After spending the next 2-hours fighting making the thing work - even with the Maverick brake pedal (and saying to myself, "This is the wackiest brake switch in the world!), I finally grabbed the new switch I had in my bins and replaced it. It instantly started working fine. So 2 hours wasted. I still needed to rig a new bolt assembly for that style switch, but I think I have a solution. I'll post some pictures when I have it finalized.

So brake pedal assembly and brake lines and the long gas line go in next. Then the rear-end and front suspension.

[doghows]

Hmmmm 4 lug eight"?? Maybe I should talk nice to them. That would fit nicely under the Ratchero??? I am think along your lines now Roger. A nice little 289, and c-4 combo?? OK dream is over I need to finish the delivery first...
Will all that wiring work that you got or have you found anything missing. If so let me know and I will pull it...
Post some pics when she is back on her tires, that will be a huge mile stone!!!

[Luva65wagon]

Yeah - I think the Maverick and maybe Comet around 1970 - give or take - got a 4-lug 8." That is the rear-end I picked up one of the first trips I made to come visit your place. I have one under my wagon, as does Kenny under his car - and soon so will Jeff. The 8" in that Maverick I saw yesterday is a great swap for a V8 Falcon conversion. I don't know what they charge for them (Jeff does), but it is probably far less than I paid for mine.

I think I got all the wiring out of the pole-kissed sedan. Bits of it were hacked, as I indicated when pulling it out, but I will be splicing in a bunch of other wires from a 67 Comet, for left and right turn signal indicators, larger fuse block, and the 2-speed wiper and switch with intermittent action. So I'm Franken-wiring it.

I will, indeed, post more pictures soon.

[Jeff W]

The rear-end from Pick N Pull was around $80.00 plus two large sodas for the boys.

From my understanding, Maverick/Comet six cylinders from middle of 1970 to 1972 had the 4 lug. In '73 they all went to five lug regardless of engine size. 3.00:1 and 2.79:1 were ratios offered.

I also understand that the bolt pattern for the 4 lug 8" backing plates are the same as the little guys (7-1/4") so I can swap the large 2-1/4" wide shoes/drums from my wagon to replace the 1-1/2" that came on the Maverick.

I'm happy to have it.

[Luva65wagon]

As for today's progress on my craziness, I got the brake and clutch pedals dangling under there now. Then I put the wiper assembly in complete with the F100 2 speed wiper motor and intermittent wiper switch. Getting the switch in was no small feat. It's a lot fatter than the original and it was up against the dash support that sits vertically behind the cluster. I went though a door hinge bolt hole with a long rod and pounded - eh, I mean "massaged" - the metal over to make room for it. I also got the 65 headlight switch mounted. Both of these need to have special knob work in the way of shortening the shaft on the wiper switch and file a flat in it, and shorten the 65 headlight switch rod and add the knurling to grab the new knob.

Tomorrow I think I'll tackle the brake lines and fuel line. I keep putting these off.