Freddie comes alive!

**Luva65wagon** · March 26th, 2017, 10:38 PM

Quick 'it's been a week' update on Freddie.

I got all the wiring reworked during the week and am awaiting some of those wire harness straps so I can route it all and snap some pics of it all wrapped up. Sadly I know I have some of those straps here, but heck if I can find 'em. So for now I wait.

In the meantime I started putting all the bits in the dash I can. I'm going to put the original radio back in the dash, so I decided to clean it up the best I can and see if it works. It works as good as a 1963 AM radio can!

radio1.jpg

Also, one of my signature "Falcon" changes is to split out the turn signals. Easy enough to do except for the high-beam indicator. Learned from doing it wrong on Steve's car to make sure to use an LED for this so the speedo pointer doesn't whack into it at 42MPH.

dash2TS1.jpg dash2TS2.jpg dash2TS3.jpg

While I wait for stuff I'm clearing out the trunk to do look-over and apply more DynaMat back there. Going to convert to a trunk-fill for the gas, but want to make sure the tank is sound as well. Gary said it was POR-15'ed, but not sure if that was external or internal. I know using a Mustang tank helps with this conversion too, so as cheap and abundant they are - that may happen.

**MacDee** · March 27th, 2017, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by Luva65wagon

Gary said it was POR-15'ed, but not sure if that was external or internal. I know using a Mustang tank helps with this conversion too, so as cheap and abundant they are - that may happen.

It was internal. I did it the first winter I had the car (2001-2002). There was a puncture from damage on the top of the tank, so it needed to be sealed.
Probably a good idea to replace the tank. No idea how long a Por-15 repair will last!

**Luva65wagon** · March 27th, 2017, 11:52 PM

Thanks Gary. I'm sure a new tank makes sense after 54 years no matter what.

Got the trunk all cleaned and what minimal rust there was has been addressed. Seems the drivers side had the most, but it was worse under than outside, so I had to patch a few larger holes on the inner left-rear wheel well. DynaMat back there is next.

**Luva65wagon** · March 29th, 2017, 10:37 PM

Man... crawling into a trunk is not fun! That's where I've been the past few days. But it is all fixed-up and ready to go. Still going to swap the filler when the original gas cap arrives to use as a mock cap. The original trunk mat sort of didn't survive being pulled out this time, so it got replaced. It's in there relaxing, but may come out one last time when I do the filler neck change. I'm torn about changing the tank right now.

Though DynaMat does wonders to deaden a car, it's not the prettiest stuff; so I made some wheel tub covers out of some sound insulation I had. Needed to make a template to get the shape right...

trunkwrap1.jpg

Also made some to go up against the rear quarters. Just cleaned it all up.

trunkwrap2.jpg

Here's the trunk mat. Summit racing of all places was the cheapest and it got here in 2 days.

trunkwrap3.jpg

I got all the stuff I need to do the engine compartment wiring install, so that is next in line after I make a new back seat bulk-head panel, which will be out of masonite and sealed off a bit better. Keep those trunk fumes in the trunk.

**pbrown** · March 30th, 2017, 08:52 PM

Working in the trunk is a lot easier without the tank... just sayin'

It's coming together nicely.

**Luva65wagon** · April 1st, 2017, 11:39 PM

Originally Posted by pbrown

Working in the trunk is a lot easier without the tank... just sayin'

Don't think I didn't contemplate that...

I'm reaching that milestone where things have mostly all been reworked now and stuff is going in at a faster pace. Gene was over at about 5PM today helping.

Last night I pulled the radiator up onto the rack to begin the process of straitening all the fins. It was a mess. I guess this happens when you have to pull the motor out a few times.

RadUgly.jpg

Nearly 3 hours to get them all straight, but looks gooder now.

RadDone.jpg

I am relocating the battery to the trunk and that left a hole in the front I thought would look good, but it dawned on me that there were slots in the core support to, I guess, cool the battery, and thought that would be a great cold-air feed source. So I changed to the long plenum and snorkel air filter. Still have a lot to do, but the lions-share of the engine bay is in-place.

enginebay3.jpg enginebay4.jpg enginebay5.jpg

Anyway, I'm trying to do it justice and make it live up to the vision Gary may have originally had for it. And Gary, I hope you'll be up for going for a ride in it when I'm done.