willis

Good evening all,

Well, I finally got it. Here I am, only 27, and found a nice '63
Galaxie Fastback at Cars @ Carlisle a few weeks ago. This is the exact
make/model/year I wanted, and sure enough I lucked out and found a nice
one. My father had a '63 boxtop when he was younger, and after he
passed away a few years ago I vowed to get a muscle car of my own. I
picked it up two weeks ago and have been out of town since!!! I just
got home so now I can finally play with my baby...haha

I have a few questions though:

Insurance - can anyone recommend a decent insurance company that won't
**** me??? State Farm wants me to pay something like $400 every 6
months!!! I mainly want to use the car for shows and the occasional
evening or weekend drive. It's not a daily driver, etc. I checked
Grundy ($200 a year), but their paperwork that they sent me seems
pretty clear that they only cover cars going to shows, etc. Is there
any flex to their policies? How difficult are companies like Grundy to
work with in case of problems (vandalism, accident, etc)?

Engine Temperature - the previous owner mentioned that a new thermostat
(or possibly even radiator) might be needed for the car. Sitting
idling or with very little airflow, the temperature reads up near (and
eventually over 200) - the engine is a mid-60s side-oiler 427, holley 4
barrel, mild comp cam, 406 headers, 2 1/2" pipes/exhaust.. The car was
originally a 289, and I think the radiator in there now is new or
rebuilt. All I know is that it looks pretty dinky sitting next to that
HUGE block haha. What are safe/normal ranges for an engine like this,
and do I definitely have to start making changes?

Window Gap - the driver side window (when rolled all the way up) sticks
out and away from the back window rubber trim. If you're looking at
the door from the outside, the glass/trim is aligned correctly
left-to-right, but the gap occurs because the top of the window 'leans'
out away from the car. Although it's not a HUGE gap, it's definitely
something that needs to be fixed, as weather/rain could easily get in.
Also, the door does not lock (there's no movement in the key tumbler).
Should getting the door panel off (and if you can give any advice on
how to do it, tools, etc) be tricky, and can the window gap and lock
issues be fixed fairly easily?

Trunk Floor - this is the one I'm nervous about. Weatherstripping had
some wear and tear near the front right corner of the trunk (new stuff
is on the way from dearborn), and I think over the last year or two
it's created some leaks and surface rust inside the trunk floor. It
doesn't look horrible (I can get pics if necessary), but what are my
options? I realize that if it's bad I'll have to get the trunk floor
replaced, but can I fix this myself if the rust is just superficial
(perhaps angle grinder with wire brush & a repaint)? If so, can
someone please give me some detailed advice on this? OR, if I have to
take it to a shop, how much can I expect to spend? This is not a
showcar - just a street runner. I just want leaks and rust to go
away...

That's all (for now) - I'm sure I'll have some more for you in future.
I'll work on getting pictures up too.

Thanks,

Jason

tom

#1 insurance: most classic car insurance companies have very good rates,
but you are limited to what you can do, as in to and from shows, or weekend
cruise. this means no daily driving,or use as a backup car. also you are
limited on mileage, and the car must be garage kept.
I use Condon & Skelly out of south jersey, costs $195 per year for $25
thousand coverage on my 66 7 litre convertible.
#2 engine temp: you should have a 4 row radiator with a F E big block. you
most likely have a 2 or 3 row. my 7 litre would run hot with the 3 row, I
put in a 4 row and now it only gets hot (over 190) when sitting on 90
degree+ summer days
#3 window gap: the window needs to be adjusted. this is done inside the
door, but it is best to have a pro do it, if you do not know what you are
doing, it is real easy to screw it up even worse than it is.
as for the key tumbler, it may not be the one for that key. a door and
ignition set can be bought from autokrafters for $ 29.95 their part # LCK1,
and is easy to install if you have common sense and mechanical abilities
#4 trunk floor rust: if it is only rust, clean it and paint. if there is a
small hole, por 15 works real good, the trunk floor kit is around $100 and
comes with everything to do a standard size trunk.

no body

Ask in these forums http://hemmings.com/

Use a forward mounted Mercedes Rad Fan connected to a rad temp
switched at the temp you need it to work at. (trouble free cooling

trim tool, prob cost a couple bucks window rail likely adjusts from inside the door

hemmings prob best bet for NOS trunk seal. wire brush & "splatter
paint" likely avail from any auto parts shop

Congrats & good luck

spike

Here is a short getting started jump start..... Then it's time for you
to grab the ball and run with it..... : )

For parts, from weather stripping to ????? It's time to buy some
magazines, read through the ads, and send for, call for, go on line
and request catalogs, literature, etc.
Mustang and Fords (http://www.mustangandfords.com) and
Hemmings Muscle Machines would be a couple to begin with.
You can also Google for areas of interest
(ie automotive, Ford transmissions or something similar).

There are several classic car insurance companies which have been
around for decades, so not apt to disappear in the middle of the
night. Here are just a few:
*Hagerty http://www.hagerty.com
Condon & Skelly http://www.condonskelly.com
Aon Collector Car Ins ( http://www.aoncollectorcar.com)
American Collectors Insurance http://www.americancollectors.com
J. C. Taylor Antique Auto Ins http://www.jctaylor.com
* one of the oldest
Go to http://www.hemmings.com and scan their home page, and I believe you
will find links to more.

Several offer (read the fine print of course)-
1. Agreed Value. You can put $20K into a restoration and somebody
like Allstate will only pay you blue book. With agreed value, that's
what they will pay if you car is totaled or stolen.

2. Unlimited miles. No restrictions about having to be going to/from a
car show, etc. There will be specifications like your car must be
secured in a garage when not on the road kind of thing.

3. $0 deductible on already low rates.

4. Inflation guard. the price of parts, etc, goes up, so it costs
more to repair, or the value of the car increased with time due to
such things as collector interest, you are covered. Your car gets
stolen, it's gonna cost more to get a replacement, the replacement
cost is what they pay.

5. Parts coverage up to $X (ie $500). Somebody steals the original
emblems off the car, and if you can find originals, they will pay up
to x dollars. Beyond that you have to pay the difference.


First, clean as best you can all rust. Then immediately cover the area
with one of several excellent commercial products you can find in most
auto parts supply places. One good example is POR-15. Have to read and
follow the instructions closely. Essentially, it will put a halt to
further rust advance. Of course, if it's really bad, you know where
that is headed. Either new floor panel if available, or cutting out
the rot and welding in new metal, or finding a donor car from which
you cut what you need and weld in.


Hey! Spikey Likes IT!
1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok
Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior
Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8"
w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16