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...