Ace-Garageguy

More like the new 40 from my perspective...

Great little vehicles. Friend o' mine just bought a Samurai, clean, unmolested (no huge wheels or jacked up silliness), 45,000 miles, minor ft. end cosmetic damage...$1500. I hate him.

Fury always seemed to me like a good name for a warhorse.

Pretty much anything that requires physical problem-solving, development of eye-hand coordination, and fine motor skills will have cognitive benefits. Even regular moderate exercise has been shown to have measurably positive emotional and cognitive effects.

The 2.3 can be modified fairly easily to give better mileage...and performance. In most jurisdictions it's old enough to "violate" emissions-mandated restrictions with no limitations.

etc.

"Situation" is what fancy-dancy folks who think they sound tough or with-it or just watch too many movies say for "things are going to jell".

The required electronic engine management to run the EFI, ignition, variable valve timing, etc. could get into some serious complication and bucks...unless someone is already doing a stand-alone computer and harness like you can buy for LS and other swaps. AHA...I see Ford offers a stand-alone harness as part of the $7000 crate motor swap package, but you still need the M-6017-23T Control Pack, which is another $2300, and then you STILL need a revised return-loop fuel system, in-tank pump, etc. Entirely doable, even with junkyard parts if you're one helluva competent mechanic, but why burden a simple little car that can be as reliable as a stone ax with a collection of nightmare electronics and gizmos? And I don't know about you, but I'd run screaming if someone insisted I put all that together with junkyard bits. I mean...come on, man. And isn't that engine direct-injection too, with its well known carbon buildup problems? In the mid-80s I ran a street 2-liter EAO-powered Pinto, normally aspirated, with 2X40mm sidedraft 2-throat Webers, cam, headers and 10:1 compression that made close to 200 flywheel horsepower and would happily rev to 7000rpm all day long. Terrific fun in a first-gen lightweight Pinto. Simple, fast, reliable.

Speedway is one of many suppliers I deal with for real-car performance parts.

Cool project. Contrary to popular opinion, Pintos are really pretty decent cars with lots of potential. Good luck with it. I'd love to have another one.

Diligently we dig the holes, dig the holes, dig the holes; diligently we dig the holes so early in the morning.

Lots easier to slip that by her than the hot $100/hr physical therapist at the "gym".

Never were truer words spoken...

Rough, but just what I wanted, and cheap. AMT "Styline" version of the 1963 Thunderbird hardtop, in a decent box with both stock bumpers and most of the Styline stuff, plus a few other cool little bitz. Wrong chassis entirely, but the fairly recent '62 convertible repop chassis fits fine, naturally. Missing lots of other stuff, but it's just like dragging a decent shell out of a junkyard to build something cool. I've wanted to do something like this for a long time, but with a very mild chop, and I prefer the sculptured side detail of the '63 over the rest of the spacebirds.

PMeded

I've done that. Recently. That's why I laughed.

More and more disgusted with USPS. Two packages shipped Saturday, one that is extremely time-critical, neither tracking number has been updated since I dropped them at the PO.

Nice bit of history there, sir. Nice resto too. Really glad it survived to be restored.

Cool car, lotsa money, but what kind of "car guy" writes "And check out that cool HEMI-type blower sitting on top." I think you may not know what a blower is, little fella. Nothin' visible in the under-hood shots that looks like any kind of supercharger...or am I missing something?

They're everywhere, but they're rarely this funny.

What works for some just doesn't work for others. I'm somewhere between pretty well organized and totally out of control...most of the time.

Or you might find or make 2 clear ones and call 'em backup lights.

Another one of my heros gone...but never forgotten.