News

February '10: Class is no longer at Eckel's but at a high school auto body shop, and is way less equipped. I have purchased my own welding helmet, as the automatic helmet did not go to the high school with the rest of the equipment. It has been raining every weekend, and as class is cancelled if it's raining, I have no new news to report. I fixed a dent on the Daily Driver (DD) the first day, and that has been about it.

 

November '09: I am getting anxious... we have 6 class sessions left and I have not completed my welding. True, next semester's class is at Eckel's Auto Body, and the welder will be available - that is, IF the class does not get cancelled, and IF my funds improve a little to afford it again. The auto program, well ALL the programs at the college are suffering - classes were cut by 40% and funding is always a problem for the auto program. The dean prefers the engine-related course versus the collision repair courses.

October '09: All I have left to do on the falcon's many holes... are the rocker panel on the driver's side - you can see pics in the gallery of my limited welding abilities. I may be able to get more done on this car soon... I am moving into a house (I hvae been renting a room, and while the car is at 'home' instead of school, it is not at MY home. It is stored at my boyfriend's house.

September '09: Falcon was approved to STAY at the class, as someone in the evening class was going to be working on it there as well as I was in the mornings. So it has been welded on for days... weeks... and now the holes from the moulding are gone! August '09: Reading through this makes me laugh. SO yes, I am in the auto body class. The falcon has only made it to 2 classes so far, out of 15 total. I may have to re-enroll for Fall. I learned what to do... however they have all the tools available. I just cannot get this car to stop overheating. It got up to 235° on the freeway! On the streets it's fine, but I had an airflow problem. I hope that has been fixed. New aluminum radiator and a whole system flush later.... it is time for a test drive. Got the hood a little more back in line - after new hinges it was WAY off. Put the grill back on, as we removed the electric fan that was blocking the air flow to the radiator. Added some missing fender screws. Re-primered the quarter panel I haven't been able to weld back on yet (cut it off the first of the 2 days it went to class with me).

 

Jun '09: Falcon oh falcon why must you overheat so? So it has new thermostat, new water pump, new hoses, newly rebuilt heads and motor, new gaskets. Running at 215° uniformly on the streets. I tried Water Wetter. It has a 16" electric Derale fan. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Email me.

 

May 30-31st '09: Pep Boys had a Grand Opening of a new Speed Shop in Los Angeles. I got race seats for it for $50 apiece! I met George Barris, Pork Chop & Diablo, and won some neat stuff! It was fun! We only went there to buy a trans cooler kit for the falcon - I can't seem to get it to run below 205°. I have decided to get Crow Enterprizes seat restraints in purple, to match the Dark Metallic purple paint I may paint it . Either that or Aqua Blur . (click the colors to see the whole cars they're on)

 

April '09: No new news! Okay my work on the falcon has been lagging. So far, the only thing I have changed is the engine. Not a lot has been done this year. I suck.                     Poor car. Wait! I can now say I did something to it! I painted the trunk and it's surrounds and have started priming the interior and sanding the exterior. Yay, I have worked on it some more!

 

Mar '09: The last three weeks have been car weeks. I have enrolled in an auto body class for the summer, which means that the falcon has to be almost a daily driver for 5 weeks. The first weekend I touched it - my boyfriend finished cleaning up the gauge's wiring and installed msd ignition, I installed a stereo in it. We bought new seats at the junkyard to be able to drive it comfortably. I rust protected and primered the interior and exterior. Thankfully, oh yes I am thankful, I am not restoring this falcon to original. In opening the glove compartment at one point, the dash plastic just completely snapped in two. If I had been keeping it original - I would have cried.     So..... I am also one of those folks, I ask a lot of questions about certain things, but not EVERY thing for my car. Sometimes, this means I may miss certain items that MAY be available for sale, and instead adapt something for my use. I will explain.....

 

LED Taillights.... My man has a '67 mustang, which sat for quite awhile cuz his ex wouldn't let him touch it... then he met me. One of the first presents I bought him as a birthday present was about a $1000+ worth of parts for it cuz it desperately needed some TLC. (Actually it still does three years later - he never installed them!) So sad.....

Okay not really so sad I stole half of them back because they'll fit the falcon! Back then, his car was closer to completion - now mine is! or at least mine is in progress.

I bought him some new taillight lenses, buckets, and the LED kit from California Mustang (in Industry, 15 minutes from us) and then I wanted one for the falcon from their falcon division. No dice. I searched a bit on the Internet, still nuthin'. (These MAY be available elsewhere, like I said, I will do a cursory search, ask some folks, but then I adapt instead if I cannot accommodate the whole instant-gratification thing....)

So I bought the mustang kit for my falcon, and here is what you have to do.... if you want easily available/easily adaptable LED taillights for your falcon..... Click HERE for instructions and images.

Or.... if you've got the money (I hate you Mustang Project) this company has finally come out with very cool sunburst LEDs for the falcon. Buy them here.