It was the points.

Okay, the date of my postings are actually different than the actual date when the events occurred. So far its been a couple of days in arrears but that is always subject to change :) Sometimes it takes me a while to update the blog. I do actually have a life outside of this truck! So when the date is significant or worth mentioning, I will post it in the text of the blog and you will know to ignore the automatic date that is shown. In fact, ignore that anyway.

The date is Valentine's Day 2009. There are many things to do on Valentine's Day; the least of which is working on the old truck. After doing all the things that I want (and need) to do, I finally make my way to the garage. I replace the points and condenser. My wife actually helps me bump the engine over in order to gap the points. I tighten everything down and test for a spark to the plugs. To my utter disbelief, there is spark to the plugs. Finally. Let me repeat that, I said "there is spark to the plugs".



In the depths of my heart, I know that the fuel pump and the carburetor will need to be rebuilt before she will ever run. Sitting for 20 years will guarantee that much. ... but I am an optimist. Did I tell you that? So encouraged by a spark to the plugs, I decided that I should try to see if it would at least sputter. So I poured a little gas into the carburetor, being careful to pour equal amounts precisely into the two barrels. I positioned the fire extinguisher close to the truck and then pumped the accelerator a few times. I turned the ignition key and... it rumbled a little, grumbled a little and then... she actually came to life. The engine actually started and ran!!! OMG. It was running!!! The Truck was running!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Valentine's Day 2009; what a gift!! I had envisioned that when it first started running again, I would have it outside so that the accumulated oil in the cylinders would smoke a little and dissipate. But noooooooo, I had it fully inside the garage and one of the garage doors was closed. I never expected it to actually run. But now that it was running, I was afraid to take my foot off the accelerator for fear that it might die. So I started blowing the a-ooo-gah horn trying to get my wife or one of my children to come help me. Again, noooooOOO. Does anybody else have teenagers in their house? Then you know what I mean. I could have been drowning or worse, and if they were in the middle of texting someone or i-m-ing, then I was surely going to die. So I sat there gunning the engine and building up deadly fumes. When I couldn't stand it anymore, I took my foot off the accelerator and ran for fresh air. To my utter disbelief, she kept on running. I stood out in the driveway looking back into the garage and looking with amazement as it billowed smoke ...and I got a little pensive. It was running... OMG, the truck was running. This was a full 3 months(or more) ahead of my timeline. All that I wanted to do was call Dad and tell him the truck was running.


My senior year in college, I remember my dad calling to let me know that the truck had stopped running and that he had tried everything to get it running again. The points and condenser were new so those were the last things that he thought could have been wrong. His health had really begun to fail and it was probably a call for help as much as it was a call to relay information. Sadly, I had no bandwidth. I was 'heads-down' trying to wrap up and graduate. We never got around to trouble shooting. Shortly thereafter in 1990, we almost lost Dad. He lost consciousness for a few days and at that point his health dropped off precipitously. One thing led to another... marriage, babies, work, grad school and suddenly 20 years had slipped away. Dad passed in 1998 and the truck still wasn't running. Somewhere along the way, I decided that I would bring this dream to a conclusion; both as a gift to my dad and journey of discovery for myself.
So here I am, right in the thick of things. I was so elated when it rumbled to life; so elated! I was giddy for hours. I remember looking at my wife and saying ' I want to call Dad and tell him the truck is running'. She said, 'He knows'. And so just in case... Dad, if you don't know... it was the points. Who would have thought?

Step Two - ...still and yet.

Have you ever experienced one of those events that went beyond mere chance? I have had so many that I should probably be the subject of a documentary. A chance encounter happened to me today when I went to the Advance Auto Parts store on Canton Rd. (where they
had every single part I needed in both standard and improved variation. An arguable miracle considering no one else had even the
standard version). Is that normal? I am twenty years removed from this sport of auto rehab. I was at the counter in the middle of the day, on a weekday, in a down economy... ( i.e., think, nobody else on
the planet should be there at this time...) . I told the guy at the counter that I needed a set of points and condenser for a 260,
V-8, 1964 Falcon Sprint motor. The only other person in the store, and indeed the only person within 2 miles looked over at me said
"So you're a Falcon Sprint guy too?"

All I could think of was that I was in the twilight zone, or on 'Candid Camera'. Amazingly, I had had a chance encounter with someone that was mid-way through
their second Falcon Sprint restoration. His name was Pat Tate. And by luck, fate, or divine intervention, I was standing face-to-
face with a man that could shave years off my journey. And while I am enjoying the 'ride', I am also plenty happy, and I mean
PLENTY! happy to take a few short-cuts :). We instantly bonded and started talking cars. He had a plethora of
pictures of his current project and it was easy to see that he was doing it the right way. It was also easy to surmise that he knew a great
deal about cars in general, but especially the Falcon Sprint. As it turns out, he runs the Firestone in Woodstock, so stop to see him if you get a chance. He was a true master craftsman and was clearly well-versed in the art of
restoration. Anyway, we exchanged numbers and went our ways.

Got home and changed out the plug and coil wires. STILL NO SPARK TO PLUGS! (Pictured: My son, William, helping me check for spark.) Family duties were calling so I had to postpone further
work until the next day.

Step Two - ...still

Sunday, I started to work on the front brakes. They have essentially locked up. Keep in mind that there is no brake fluid in the
brake lines and the front wheels will NOT roll. I had to beat the right front drum off with a 'one-by' piece of oak and was ready
to start the re-honing process when 'Dan O' (pictured) walked up (thank god). I quickly abondoned the brake job and began to focus on
something that I needed help with... STARTING THE ENGINE.



We whittled down that we were getting spark to the coil but not getting anything else beyond the coil. Comical note: We were
looking for an electrical tester but couldn't find mine. Its a fancy-schmancy model that has a lot options. I truly only know how to operate the continuity function. The rest is a mystery to me. Dan had an electrical tester (much like the one I had but couldn't find).
But neither of us had the expertise to take advantage of its superior technology. So when we couldn't figure it out, we devised a
tester by wrapping a wire around a 12V light bulb (probably an 1157) and tapping the base to a common ground. In our case a
negative post on the battery. It worked like a charm and was a good match for my intelligence.

Our assumption was that the coil was the problem. Good assumption considering that the coil was 30
years old. So we ran up to the local parts store and purchased a new coil. Brought it back and tested it. SORRY! Still no fire to
the spark plug. If anyone reads this and has a suggestion for testing a coil. I would love to hear it.



So on a whim, we decided to test the coil wire. These were plug (and coil) wires which I personally custom fit to the engine 20
years ago. To my surprise (and Dan's) the coil wire would not transmit current. A closer look revealed that these plug wires were
'Mallory Silicon Core' wires. They would not pass any type of electrical activity. I did a little research and discovered that
these type of wires are infamous for crapping out. We were sorely disappointed but happy to determine that we were closer to
actually getting the engine to run.



So, I'll make a run to the parts store and pick up new plug wires. While I am at it, I will also pick up a condenser and points. Hopefully replacing those will finally
get us fire to the sparkplugs. Stay tuned...

Step Two - Continued

Truck still not running, but I have made progress. I replaced the gas tank, reconnected the fuel line, replaced the fuel filter,
added a gallon or so of gas and... no leaks!!! That is really amazing since I had to fabricate a couple of the gaskets myself. I
bought a new battery and attempted to crank the engine. To my surprise it turned over, but not much else. What did I expect? It's
as if it has awakened from a 20 year coma. It's a little groggy. It effectively hit the snooze button and rolled back over to
continue its slumber. I can't wait to see the shock on its face when it finally hits the road for the first time and sees all the
salacious new models. LOL! I will bring jumper cables and a cell phone in case it has the equivalent of a heart attack.
Anyhow, it doesn't appear to be getting a spark to the plugs. So, I need to do a little research to see how I test to see where the
disconnect is. Other than touching the wires with my finger.

In the meantime, I tested the old horn to see if it would work. Ignition on, pressed the button and... nothing. 'It lay there like
a slug'. So, I pulled it, took it apart and cleaned it up. Like everything else I have removed so far, it too had to be sanded and
painted. The horn is a simple contraption and I was amazed to see that something so simple could make such an interesting sound. So
I got it all put back together... ignition on, pressed the button and... A-OOOO-GAHHH!!! It made me laugh to hear it and all the
neighbors peered out their windows in bewilderment.
I also have learned a few more things about the engine and will list the specifications here for posterity sake.

FORD 260 V-8 Engine

Year: 1964

Engine type: 8 Cylinder, 90 degree, Overhead Valves(OHV)

Displacement: 260 cu. inches (CID)

Maximum Torque: 258 lbs/ft @ 2200 RPM

Maximum Horsepower: 164 BHP @ 4400 RPM

Firing Order: 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8 (number one cylinder on right-hand bank nearest radiator)

Bore & Stroke: 3.80" X 2.87" (96.5mm X 72.8mm)

Compression Ratio: 8.8:1

Compression Pressure: 130-170 psi

Oil Pressure (hot): 35 to 60 psi

I also found out that a 260 was used in some of the early Cobras! The specs for the Cobras were different than those previously
listed.

I have also been able to positively identify the carburetor. Honestly, what did we do before the internet? I'll tell you what we
did; we lived in IGNORANCE! Case in point: Since I was a youth, I had always thought that this carburetor was a Holley of some sort
or another. Wishful thinking (or so it seems) of a kid who used to thumb through his father's Hot Rod magazines and see all the
performance engines that had the Holley carb upgrades. There is no marking whatsoever that would make a rational person think that
it is a Holley but then again, I was (am) not rational. Anyway, as it turns out, it's better than a Holley; if you believe the
article I read on the internet. And BTW, if it's on the internet, it must be true, right? So the article says that this carb is the
original Autolite/Motorcraft 2100. It has a 1.01 imprinted on the side which identifies the venturi diameter in inches. So now I
know which rebuild kit to order, b/c I assume that it too will not be functioning properly :) The article goes on to say that the
2100 was likely the most reliable carburetor ever made!!! I am beginning to love this engine! I just need to get it running.
Until next time...

Step Two - Prep to get her running

Where do you start on something like this? Everything needs to be repaired to one degree or another. To use one of my wife's nursing expressions, this thing is a 'train wreck'. We need a triage session to put things in order.Okay, let's forego triage. There are too many things that are broken to do a triage. Let's just try to get the engine running, no? It was running the last time I drove it (20 years ago), so this should be pretty simple. If you can't see me, I am smiling with that wry smile that wreaks of sarcasm.

My dad said that he pulled the engine from a 1964 Falcon Sprint. The Falcon I had always imagined was like the 1961 Falcon that my grandmother used to drive to church. It was a powder blue 'grocery-getter' that couldn't get out of its own shadow(bless its heart); and to my tastes was none too attractive. Think Barney Fife's patrol car, with nice, rounded, soft corners and a tall , protruding frontal lobe of a forehead. Her car was painfully slow and she drove it even
slower. I can remember going on trips to Grant City and Kmart and being passed by people on bicycles:). Really! So I did a quick google search to see what a '64 Falcon Sprint looked like. I took cover and expected the worst. I was
pleasantly surprised to find the 1964 Falcon had been redesigned to attract the racing crowd and was actually raced at Monte Carlo! See article... http://www.hemmings.com/hmn/stories/2006/11/01/hmn_feature10.html If it weren't for the introduction of the Mustang, it might have become 'THE' muscle car for Ford. Who knows, but I am happy to find out that it has the heart of a racer. Racing has always been close to my heart and definitely created a further bond with me. And if I was tempted to pull the engine and replace it with something different (and I was), then I am happy to do all I can to prop it up and
keep it running for as long as possible. Funny that my dad never explained to me the legend of the Falcon Sprint. Perhaps he was
being protective of me (as I have been with my children); protecting me from fool-hearty youthful fantasies that are likely to put
youthful ambition ahead of youthful capabilities. I have a lot of experiences to relate here but will refrain for obvious reasons.

Regardless, to attempt to start the engine, here is the basic checklist:

*Check fuel system- Removed fuel tank which is located under the seat. Took it to Marietta Radiator where they boiled it out and
removed any old fuel deposits. They forgot to give me the gas cap which I luckily remembered. What I didn't remember was the drain valve. They removed it and neglected to give it back to me. So I had to run to a few places looking for a 1/4" plug. Marietta Radiator was a little off their game this time but I forgive them because they had given my dad many years of great service.

*Blew compressed air through the fuel line and purchased a new fuel filter. Every item that I pull off, I sand, prime and paint flat black. The idea is to stop the progression of rust. I hope to find a full budget for professional paint later. Right now, I am just trying to preserve the orginal Henry Ford iron.

*Replace oil- The oil looked good but it was, after all, 20 years old. Also replaced the filter. It was easily available at NAPA and Walmart.

*Replace plugs- Check/Add water - will flush the cooling system if and when it runs.

*Rebuild carburetor?? Maybe, let's see if it will pump
fuel first.

I have enlisted my good friend, Dan Osborne, to help me bring the old truck back to life. I feel a bit like Dr. Frankenstein and believe in my heart that we will need a lightning strike in order to get her running. Dan is a great resource though. He knows a lot about a lot. And if he doesn't know about it, he can quickly find out.

I will let you know how we fare. Stay tuned...