Freddie's Back on the Road!

[Luva65wagon]

Oh - a torque converter is very much like a jet turbine, but as a fluid clutch. When the fins inside go they can really go. I had one fail on my Escape and it took out the transmission too. But that is its job - push fluid and as a reservoir for a lot of fluid. Most of the fluid you add goes into it. There is also a pump in the motor, but the TC, as the name implies, acts as a clutch to transfer torque from the motor into the transmission. It is designed to slip until RPM spinning it exceeds the internal design to start pushing fluid. This design element changes to adjust the stall (when it engages). Overly simple explanation, but the basic idea, anyway.

[MacDee]

Well, Freddie is back on the road… AGAIN! After some negotiation with my mechanic and his transmission guy, I ended up getting a heavy-duty, higher-stall torque converter from Hughes Performance in Phoenix, AZ. She runs great, drives very nicely, and I now believe the car is totally roadworthy. The newly rebuilt engine is completely sound, the transmission is freshly rebuilt, and it now has a torque converter that doesn’t break every time you sneeze!
That’s the good news.

However…



Before this last breakdown, I had secretly vowed to myself that if this car ever stranded me again, I was going to sell it. Indeed, when it broke down again, the only way I could avoid having a personal breakdown was to remind myself that I was going to sell it. I’ve had six years of constant, pervasive, anxiety over this car. I kept hoping, and kept telling myself, that the “fun” was about to begin. But the fun never came. The disappointment just continued….



Now that the drivetrain is sound, it probably will be fun again... for someone. But for me, it is too little, too late.


She still needs attention in other areas:
The suspension is dilapidated.
The door seals are shot.
The exhaust system is really just “temporary” and needs a well-made professional system.
I really believe it needs a brake proportioning valve; the front disc brakes don’t seem to be very effective.
Frankly, I’m burned out. I don’t have the will to put a wrench to it anymore.



It is a very unique car. It’s as cute as a can be, and has a really cool engine with a rare Classic Inlines aluminum head. It is a great STARTING POINT for someone who wants a truly remarkable Falcon! I hope someone can have some fun with her; it’s just not going to be me. I’m done with it.


Freddie is for sale.

[SmithKid]

Sad! Sad! Sad!

[Luva65wagon]

My thoughts exactly, but I fully understand burnout. Sort of where I am with the wagon.



What-if we as a club were to intervene and offer you a one-last-chance to save Freddie event? I know even that would mean spending money on, but I feel worth proposing. Not only would you be selling Freddie, but we might be loosing Gary. That is worth saving.

If you opt to move forward towards selling, you may want to take the spot at the Monroe swap meet next to our booth. Lots of traffic and potential buyers.

Again....

[Luva65wagon]

Also, refresh my memory, Gary - did we do a drum/disc master cylinder on Freddie? In other words, dissimilar bowls.

I remember your initial experience was less than stellar and never heard much afterward, probably due to the other disasters, but when I did mine I left the original drum/drum M/C and my brakes have been phenomenal.

May be that the combo of drum/disc sizing is such that any internal diffs between the two M/C types isn't ideal towards one. I know they like larger bowls for the heat discs can generate, but how much fluid leaves the calipers and floats/transfers to the bowl to suck that heat out?

I do have a new Prop-value and residual values I had donated to me from a coworker, but I think it might be easier to swap the M/C. Or leave it for the new owner, whichever occurs first.

[MacDee]

Also, refresh my memory, Gary - did we do a drum/disc master cylinder on Freddie? In other words, dissimilar bowls

Yeah, we put in Drum/Disc MC. The bowls are dissimilar.
I noticed on one long descent with a stop sign at the bottom that the brakes faded to almost nothing. Then, one of the things that Randy did recently was a brake job on the rear because the shoes were badly worn. The rear brakes were almost new when we did the disc swap, and it doesn't have all that many miles on it since. I suspect the rears have been doing ALL the work!

[MacDee]

Not only would you be selling Freddie, but we might be loosing Gary.

I would hope, and if sold to a local person, would expect, that you might lose a Gary, but Freddie would still be in the club!

[Luva65wagon]

Yeah, we put in Drum/Disc MC. The bowls are dissimilar.
I noticed on one long descent with a stop sign at the bottom that the brakes faded to almost nothing. Then, one of the things that Randy did recently was a brake job on the rear because the shoes were badly worn. The rear brakes were almost new when we did the disc swap, and it doesn't have all that many miles on it since. I suspect the rears have been doing ALL the work!

That's sort of what I recall when we tested that first day. With the drum/drum M/C I've had no issues whatsoever.

I'm not sure whether the bore sizing differs or just the bowl sizes between these two. I still have 9" rear brakes too. Though a proportioning valve might help redistribute pressures correctly, there is still the potential that the M/C is bore-sized to be used with a booster, or maybe not. I have a drum/drum M/C for no brake booster (67 Mustang) and operates the disc brakes with no OMG! feeling at all.

[Luva65wagon]

I would hope, and if sold to a local person, would expect, that you might lose a Gary, but Freddie would still be in the club!

Still wouldn't be the same. I doubt anyone here places the value of the car over the person driving the car. But we/I understand.

[MacDee]

If you opt to move forward towards selling, you may want to take the spot at the Monroe swap meet next to our booth. Lots of traffic and potential buyers.

Luck is holding true...
We are going to be in Michigan that weekend visiting our son's fiance's family.