Saving Granddad's Falcon

[dhbfaster]

Mannnnnn.....I felt like I was trying to solve a Rubik's cube trying to get that ignition switch and lock mechanism in....then just about the time I said to myself "am I gonna need help from Roger on this too?" Like magic, a power from above sent something through my arm, into my fingers, and click...it went in.
"Thank you Falcon Gods!"
So, everything left of the steering wheel under the dash is in.

[Luva65wagon]

Hay hey. I'm not the only one here. But I appreciate you drawing on my powers in your time of need.

I say...

[dhbfaster]

Now now....I did say "Gods" (plural).

[dhbfaster]

Advisors...a couple quick questions please:
- For the radio- there are two black wires that come out of it (that are not the speaker wires). Obviously one is power and goes to the switch, the other goes further back inside and to a copper plate on the inside of the case. Are both of these to be hooked to power? The wiring diagram doesn't seem to be clear on this and this part of the wiring was kind of messed up previously.

- For the new defroster hoses in the pic, am I supposed to put hose clamps on these? or should I just use some of the 3M door gasket glue?

Got all the dash cables on the right side of the instrument panel installed....which is pretty good because by this time of day I think the knobs have a higher IQ than I do!

thanks in advance for any advice...

[ew1usnr]

Hello, Don.

One of the wires is for the radio is for power and the other is for the radio light bulb. The light bulb wire ties in with your instrument panel lights so that your radio light will adjust bright and dim along with your instrument panel.

For your air ducts, maybe hose clamps.

Mine are just stuck up there. But, .... I noticed that there is not any defroster air coming up from the left vent so my duct must have fallen off. Dang it.

[Luva65wagon]

Don,

Agree on the wiring as Dennis indicated. You should have extra blue/red trace wires for instrument lights available for this. One might also have had a cigar lighter light accessory using this same wire.

Ducts to the horns were usually stapled and permanent, the other end was only friction since they were facing downward. They fit snugly enough that no clamp was used.

[dhbfaster]

Roger, blue w white wire...schematic says that is for the cigar lighter.
Only one wire left...blue w red, and that's the triple female. So, I have to assume both radio wires go into that. The schematic is not clear to me on the radio itself, but it is clear that the radio light goes to blue w red. So...ill try it.

Now a question on the radio itself. I started to play with it a bit on the bench and it seems like the tuning knob works when turning to get the indicator to the right (clockwise), but when I turn it left, it seems to slip and the indicator won't go left. I have to use a preset button to get the needle left. Why???

[Luva65wagon]

Blue w/red are instrument lights. My comment re cigar lighter is about adding a clip-on light for it - not to power it. This so you could see the hole at night and not fumble around burning holes in your dash paint. We know how you like to light them cigars. You have the 3-female connection to allow adding this light, the light connection to the radio, and maybe a light to shine on the floor. That too was an accessory back then.


Powering the radio you can run a fused wire from the center lug of the key switch. That's the ACC lug. Make up that wire yourself. I doubt it was a part of the harness if you can't find it.


Radios use a cord wrapped around the tuning knob stud about 3-times to grip and move the tuning capacitor. That requires a lot of friction as that cord has to travel from the tuning capacitor to the knob and up to the needle telling you the station and then back to the tuning capacitor. Over time all of these moving parts dry out needing lube and the friction from the cord isn't enough to overcome it. It always slips going left because the cord is tied on one end with a spring to keep the cord taught - ands when going left it lessens the spring tension ever so slightly. Pop the cover and apply some light oil on all the rotating parts that cord is trying to move. Do not get lube on the cord though. The cord isn't supposed to stretch or the spring get weaker over normal lifespan. We also may have exceeded that, but lubing things may be enough. Fingers crossed.


Good luck.*




Roger Moore -

RacerMate Inc.

[dhbfaster]

Roger... (with apologies to Steve) you are the Falcon God.
I read that and I was like "how does he know this stuff..."
Yep, everything makes sense now. So per the wiring diagram, I think I have the cigar lighter right, and the radio (which by the way was previously (very poorly) tapped into the wire to the cigar lighter) should go straight to the ACC post with it's own fuse. Makes sense. Now I just need to confirm whether it's the front black wire that powers the radio or the back wire- which should be easy enough.
What you say about the tuner makes sense too. I used to have an old Grundig set in my bedroom when I was a kid and the tuner worked like that. As soon as I read what your post I was like "of course..."
So, the radio itself seems like a mini project. I bought the in-line fuse housing and fuse today so I think I'll get the wire all set in the dash, make sure the brackets are in correctly...and leave the radio out to play with later.
Priority now is to get everything set so I can get the engine running. I should be able to finish the rest of the dash and glove box tomorrow, and maybe get the front seats in...then get back to to finish off the engine compartment throughout the evenings next week. Getting closer!!! It's driving me crazy, I wish I had a week off to finish this thing.

[dhbfaster]

Falcon Gods...does the choke cable (please see the red arrows in the pic) normally go OVER the cross member as in my attached before pic with the red arrows pointing to the cross member? or does the choke cable go UNDER it?

It seems to more naturally flow OVER it as it was before, but I prefer not to have it skuff up my new paint job....and when I looked in google images I couldn't find any choke cables going over as in this picture.

Also, anyone know if it's ok to use the orange five year coolant such as Penzoil Dex cool in these old radiators? It is ethylene glycol based like the green stuff.

As always, big thanks in advance!

[dhbfaster]

Ok, God's have been silent so far today ....but I think I've answered my own questions on this one. I found a few articles on antifreeze, but I think I'm going with the advice from the guy in the article below and use the stuff originally used for the car...the standard green stuff which is probably fine for a few years anyway.
http://blog.chiltondiy.com/2013/06/w...-your-vehicle/

Meanwhile, I poked around a little more with the manual choke cable...it almost seems like it has to go over not under. Let me know if I'm wrong! I think I'm going to get a small sheet of that paint protective plastic to put over the paint where the cable rubs.

[BadBird]

I looked at quite a few stock falcon engine bays on the internet and it looks like most have the cable going over the support. There is a good pic of this Falcon on ebay that shows it going over the top.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Falcon-...m=172101604927

I am definitely not a Falcon God, but of the articles I perused about the orange Dex Cool, it was mentioned as being affective for the newer GM cars but was talked down for older cars. For safety of the engine, I would go like you mention and stick with the brand suggested for the Ford. Larry

[dhbfaster]

Larry...you're definitely a Falcon God in my book...
Looking at original falcons on ebay....that's genius. I think that clears it up. It has to go over. Thanks for the note on the Dex...glad to have a little confirmation on my thoughts there.

[ew1usnr]

I found a few articles on antifreeze, but I think I'm going with the advice from the guy in the article below and use the stuff originally used for the car...the standard green stuff which is probably fine for a few years anyway.

Hello, Don.

Use the old fashioned green anti-freeze (not universal yellow) and change it every two years. This is from my notes:

"The original green coolant is called Group 1 and contains quick-acting silicate and phosphate corrosion inhibitors for both iron and aluminum surfaces. It has a short life and must be change every other year but is less expensive and works better with brass/copper radiators and heater cores. Group 2 (yellow) is recommended for aluminum engines and radiators. It does not contain silicates or phosphates and can be changed at 150,000 if it is not mixed Group 1 coolant."

Dennis.

[Jeff W]

Page 1-12 of the Ford Falcon manual shows the cable below the cross member.

Also, I want that battery!