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So I took the Cougar out for a test drive today, first time in 13 years. Was strange staring out over that long hood again on the road. Brake system is done and will need some small tweeks otherwise it works better than it ever has. Of course the drive highlighted the need to tweek the carb. Think it is running lean and will get the Edelbrock kit to adjust accordingly.

At least I can now drive it and over time take care of the other things as money permits

Not braggin or anything but did get on it in the straight away and got going so fast even the Vinyl top couldn't hold on

I will be power washing the engine compartment. Most of what's seen on top is dust. It's really oily underneath but that will be washed also. Fixed my power steering leak (had to remove to get to the fuel pump). Have a new oil pan gasket and trans pan gasket. Both of those will be replaced when I get the brakes and rear axles done.

Here's some pics of the distribution block & proportioning valve. The pistons on both were completely stuck and had to be hammered out with a punch. Used steel wool to polish the pistons up and installed new gasket from a rebuild kit. You'll note the 2 cut brake lines on the bottom of the distribution block.

- JG300-fr8ycat

- JG300-Ascout

As you're goin' in that deep, have you considered just stripping out what you can and having everything blasted that you have access to?

Blasted? You talking about the engine compartment?

Yep. at least at a minmum.

- JG300-Ascout

As you're goin' in that deep, have you considered just stripping out what you can and having everything blasted that you have access to?

Blasted? You talking about the engine compartment?

As you're goin' in that deep, have you considered just stripping out what you can and having everything blasted that you have access to?

Ok, New fuel tank, fuel pump, sending unit & fuel line are in. Fires right up again.

Now the brakes. Since I've changed a power booster and master cylinder before (20 years ago) I knew it wasn't gonna be pretty but forgot how truly awful it is, especially the under the dash part but both are out. Being contorted into all kinds of un-natural positions on the floorboard of a classic was no big deal when I was 25, now that i'm 44...it hurts.



While trying to remove the distribution block & proportioning valve I stripped the nuts for the 2 lines I had to remove to get it out. Got tired of messing with it and cut the lines with a hacksaw. These things have obviously never been removed because they wouldn't budge. This now means all new steel brake lines in the front and front to rear line. There goes the budget.

Removed all the rear drum hardware, axles & seals today. Will get the new bearings pressed on the axles tomorrow and should have in the new seals and all new rear drum brakes.

- JG300-fr8ycat

I imagine when it comes to tank placement, the '66 Stang and my Cougar are very similiar.

Was able to get the Power booster and master cylinder today after a lot of checking around and get them both for about $100 less than I was expecting which helps the bottom line. $300 left in the budget which should be more than enough for the remaining parts. Might even have enough left over to get that Repro parking brake handle and window washer resevoir.

Yep, to say nothing of the mid-'60's Falcon, from which the Moostang and Coogar both directly evolved. Tank placement pre-dated the Pinto, and rear-end collisions are similarly inadvisable.

Original restoration is the way to go, but if I were building a period 'Stang or Cougar to flog, a fuel cell would be the way to go.

- JG300-Stoopy

Helluva nice job your doing there, Richard....especially keeping on budget, that's tough.

Many years ago I had to pull the gas tank out of my '66 Mustang to get some rust repair done (tracing a smell of gas, I found I had some holes in the top from corrosion), and this was like a trip down memory lane.

Just the thought of handling a large metal container with gas in it, and the possibility of setting it own too roughly and making a spark, had me on edge.

I imagine when it comes to tank placement, the '66 Stang and my Cougar are very similiar.

Was able to get the Power booster and master cylinder today after a lot of checking around and get them both for about $100 less than I was expecting which helps the bottom line. $300 left in the budget which should be more than enough for the remaining parts. Might even have enough left over to get that Repro parking brake handle and window washer resevoir.

Helluva nice job your doing there, Richard....especially keeping on budget, that's tough.

Many years ago I had to pull the gas tank out of my '66 Mustang to get some rust repair done (tracing a smell of gas, I found I had some holes in the top from corrosion), and this was like a trip down memory lane.

Just the thought of handling a large metal container with gas in it, and the possibility of setting it own too roughly and making a spark, had me on edge.

The starting and running was done for approx 20 minutes always extended past reaching operating temp. Would also get it up to about 2500rpm and leave for a couple minutes. Know it's better to drive it, but if you can't drive it figure it's better to do as I've been doing instead of letting it sit and not run it at all.

I've given myself a $1k limit (with my current limited income). Luckily I had the motor and trans rebuilt before it's extended resting period so those aren't an issue and the carb I recentley rebuilt. To get it back on the road it's the fuel system and brakes which most of the parts are ordered and will hopefully arrive next week. Still need to get the power brake booster and master cylinder which appears to be the most expensive part of the project. Also need to replace the rear seals and while I have the rear axle shafts out to do that I might as well replace the bearings. As for the front disc brakes, I know at some point I had the rotors, calipers and hoses changed. Wont know their condition until I get the rest of the system together and flushed out.

Currently I'm about $490 in with the current parts on order.

Fuel tank sending unit
Fuel tank
Fuel tank filler neck gasket
Fuel filler neck to tank hose
Brake pedal bushings
Brake proportioning valve & distribution block rebuild kit
Brake drums x 2
Brake drum cylinders x 2
Brake shoes
Fuel pump
brake shoe hardware kit

Besides these parts I need a power brake booster, master cylinder, oil pan gasket, transmission pan gasket & filter, rear seals & bearings. Think I might just come in on budget.

Old and bad gas is not your friend. Good move to just replace those components that can't be safely cleaned. Probably been quite a bit of water there for quite some time.

Speaking of water...periodically starting a car and letting it run for a few minutes without driving is one of the worst things you can do. Water is a natural byproduct of hydrocarbon combustion and unless the engine is getting to actual operating temp and held there as you'd get in about 15 miles of driving, you're just dumping water into the combustion chamber and oil system (think oily sludge being encouraged in the crankcase). It has to be driven to boil off the water accumulating in the oil and chambers. Better to not start the car while it can't be driven, and I don't just mean surreptitiously around the block, either. Until you can really drive it, don't start it other than as a system check (and do that as little as possible). Does more harm than good.

It seems that you've purged the entire fuel system by now. If that's the case, I'd not add gas until you've got it where you can drive it (brakes fixed). Just before you actually get to that point, add as few gallons of gas as possible, and dump in maybe a cup of Methanol, if you can find good lab grade stuff, then run all of that out (MeOH binds water, but can be hard on flex components of fuel system, so run or drain that combination completely out). If you can drain the entire fuel line with the tank out, I'd skip the MeOH step and replace any flexible components in the line while it's dry. Probably just a couple of feet of neoprene line anyway. Do you have air? Tank out is a good time to blow the fuel line out (from top to bottom).

So I've been good at starting the Cougar daily and letting it run. Currently the brake system is shot so haven't actually taken it out on the road. Lately it's been a struggle to get it started. Once it fires up it runs great, just doesn't seem to want to start. Checked the choke, timing and all was good.

Yesterday I pulled it out of the garage to work on the truck and when I went to put it back in the garage I couldn't get it started no matter what I did so I pulled the fuel line off at the carb and it was completely dry. Pulled the fuel line off before the fuel pump and there was just a little dirty looking gas that come out. Since I drained the tank and put fresh gas in it my worst fears are starting to hit me since I hadn't gotten around to checking the tank. Drained the gas from the tank again and it looked clean.
Pulled the sending unit out and almost fainted



The inside of the tank pretty much looks the same. So I now have a new tank, fuel pump, fuel line and some other parts for the tank to nozzle connection and once installed will have a completely new fuel system. Was planning on going that route eventually but now don't have a choice. Once that is done I can go back to the brakes.

- JG300-fr8ycat

- JG300-Ascout

I was tracking this one, a 289, 2V car that was near identical to my mom's old car. Clean and plain and very low miles. I suspect it had wreck damage at one time for the $17,000 price that was being asked at this claimed mileage. Was a beaut and just begged for a crate motor.

www.streetsideclassics...ury-Cougar

If that green 67' didn't do it, this one obviously does.

Same Color even. That Gold is perty when fresh and if and when I get mine painted I'm doing away with the vinyl top.

By all means. The lines of a Cougar do not wear a vinyl top very well and it detracts from the whole car, especially one with a good paint job in an interesting color. I had a dark green vinyl top on my '71 Camaro SS, but it worked better with the roof line and it added some needed contrast to an otherwise white car*, and was more of a wrap to the trunk line and was trimmed in chrome. Seen late '60's Mustangs with vinyl tops?....Yucch...Pooey!

*After '75, the Camaro/Firebird lines had a much larger rear window and smaller B pillar in anticipation of federal regulations. The vinyl top probably wouldn't have worked very well after that change.

- JG300-Ascout

I was tracking this one, a 289, 2V car that was near identical to my mom's old car. Clean and plain and very low miles. I suspect it had wreck damage at one time for the $17,000 price that was being asked at this claimed mileage. Was a beaut and just begged for a crate motor.

www.streetsideclassics...ury-Cougar

If that green 67' didn't do it, this one obviously does.

Same Color even. That Gold is perty when fresh and if and when I get mine painted I'm doing away with the vinyl top.

Since the old odometers turned over after 99999 I sometimes question the 15k or 20k original miles some claim but anything is possible. They definitely didn't drive the miles we do today.