Cars are really hard to work on anymore

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I've had my car on the dyno and it made about 372 hp at the wheels and 405 ft-lbs as best as I can recall. I've had it down the 1/8 mile, but never down the 1/4. My best 1/8 mile time was 8.90, and that was with a 60' time of something like 2.15. Yes a gear swap would make a huge difference. They make 3.92's that bolt in.

The Mustangs that were Hertz cars was the Shelby GT350H. I think most were black and gold in color. I think they were 65's, but could have been 66's.

Dave if I were your next door neighbor and you were willing to spend some money, we'd get that car in the 12's. Right now you are moving at about a high 13 clip. Your biggest problem is weight so you need a lot of torque. I'd find a gear set of at least 4.33's somebody must make for that car and with a good tire, some headers and a tune, you're there! My best is a 12.87 with only 106 mph trap speed. Most of my races are over in 1st gear as the truck pulls like a beast in that range but it has 4.56's. I did get walloped one night when a 360 Dakota ran an 11.82. Not much of anything pulls me out of the hole but he did and just kept going. There are some crazy fast street cars now a days so you gotta be careful who you choose for a go.

You are correct about the Hertz cars. (66) They also came out with some white one's with gold racing stripes and a few that were blue with gold stripes but most were black with gold. They were all automatics if I recall. Hertz continued to rent "racing Mustangs" all the way up to 1969 but they were not real Shelby's

 

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But wasn't it '68 or '69 the only year you could select between the 427, 428, and 429 in one model year(just interesting number sequence)? 427/427 FE motors were available in same model years, for a number of years.

I've heard from a number of people who had them, that the 440-6pack was a more streetable and faster stock than the Hemi...

I don't think so Robert. 67 was the last year they put a 427 in anything (Galaxy) The 429 didn't come out until 68. You could get a 428 in a Tbird in 66. The 427 was just too expensive and too touchy to cast. The 428 alleviated much of the casting problems and thus much cheaper to build.

 

[stuckmotor]

My '92 Civic came with such a hole in the wheel well, normally somewhat blocked by a plastic sphincter, giving access to the transverse engine's crankshaft pulley. To set the valve clearances, you remove the left front wheel, insert a socket on an extension through the sphincter, and turn the crankshaft until the TDC/BDC marks line up.

At least the valve lifters are at the top of the engine, leaning towards the front. The spark plugs are pretty conveniently placed, too, but then a '92 is practically an antique.

My son had an old Accord, late 80's or early 90's, I guess. For a car with front wheel drive, it was easy to work on. For example, there was a convenient plug right at the front of the engine. The plug just had to be pulled to shine the timing light on the mark. It sure beat going through the wheel well.

 

[Bird]

The cruise control on my 2001 Ford Ranger has been a bit contrary lately. At least two-thirds of the time, or more, it worked fine, but then occasionally it would refuse to engage. The little truck is only 12 years old with almost 97k miles on it. Anyway, I went to see my dealer about it this morning. He concluded, just as I had thought, that the switches were bad. That shouldn't be too bad, right? Except they have to go in and disable the airbags so the one in the steering wheel doesn't let go while they're changing the switches. So parts, labor, and taxes cost me $414.55. But since I probably use the cruise control more than anyone you've ever known, I don't want one without the cruise working properly.

 

[Alan L.]

The cruise control on my 2001 Ford Ranger has been a bit contrary lately. At least two-thirds of the time, or more, it worked fine, but then occasionally it would refuse to engage. The little truck is only 12 years old with almost 97k miles on it. Anyway, I went to see my dealer about it this morning. He concluded, just as I had thought, that the switches were bad. That shouldn't be too bad, right? Except they have to go in and disable the airbags so the one in the steering wheel doesn't let go while they're changing the switches. So parts, labor, and taxes cost me $414.55. But since I probably use the cruise control more than anyone you've ever known, I don't want one without the cruise working properly.

Whew! I can't do without cruise either.

 

[BigE_]

Me either, and I paid about that amount to get mine fixed.

 

[Grateful11]

Wait a minute. 218,000 miles, no problems and you are complaining ???

Up to the days of unleaded fuel and fuel injection. Rare was the engine that sputtered and burned oil to the 100,000 mile mark before an overhaul was required. How many set of plug wires, rotors and distributed caps along the way. How many times was the choke and heat riser valve stuck and had to be freed up? How many v belt replacements?
How many tire replacements if they were bias instead of radial?
You should be thanking the auto engineers and manufactures.

I'm with you all the way man. We have a '91 Explorer with like 235,000 miles on it and gets driven nowadays about 6-8 times a year. It sat all Winter and I went and got gas for the riding mower the other day and ole Betsy cranked right up. She still purrs like a kitten. Try that with 70's or early 80's product Detroit product.

 

[Fordman1981]

I'm with you all the way man. We have a '91 Explorer with like 235,000 miles on it and gets driven nowadays about 6-8 times a year. It sat all Winter and I went and got gas for the riding mower the other day and ole Betsy cranked right up. She still purrs like a kitten. Try that with 70's or early 80's product Detroit product.

Lets see I have a 71 f350 that is used during planting mostly and odd jobs. It hasn't been started in 2 months or so and I know I can go start it no problem right now. I also have a 75 f100 that has sit for a year just started it Friday and went to town and back. And my 69 mach 1 sitting in the garage is driven rarely too I'll go turn the key and fire it up right now if you want. Yeah 70's and 80's stuff sure is junk.