Between 705 & 1200 SQ/FT Mick's Thunderbird Garage

[Toothaker]

We join the program already in progress.

A lot of people start threads around here when they're starting something big, like remodeling, building or cleaning up a garage (or shop). I'm starting this thread in the middle of a couple of projects, long after I started them. So I pondered how to start this thread. I decided to start posting what I was doing currently, and backfill as needed.

If you've ever seen the movie Funny Farm with Chevy Chase, then you'll understand this movie reference: there will be quite a few flashbacks, a flash forward and perhaps even a flash sideways as I post to this thread.

I have a 1970 Thunderbird, which I'm rebuilding the brake system on. I drove all over town, attempting to find someone to turn the disks. It seems the one piece disk and wheel assembly with the integral lug bolts don't fit the common brake lathes.

I had seen this already when I put the new tires on the car.

When we pushed the car into the garage, it was like someone had their foot on the brake. It was this wheel - the caliper has seized. I tried to rebuild it, but couldn't get the piston to move.

 

[Toothaker]

Now the first of many flashbacks.

My wife and I moved into this home in 2002. That is a picture of it during construction. It is a large corner city lot, with an attached 940 sq. ft. (87 square meter) garage with a 10' (3 meter) ceiling.

I didn't do much in the garage for more than 10 years, except for the occasional house project. I had a demanding job, I was active in the Amateur Radio hobby and a new baby all contributed to me not really doing anything garage related.

In 2016 we'd been in this house for nearly 14 years, and there were certain areas of the house that had a lot of clutter. I'd never lived anywhere this long; moving is when I'd sort through my possessions, determining if something needed to be kept or not. Since we'd not moved, this forced cleanup hadn't happened. So I started cleaning. I would fill up the trashcan every week with clutter and junk from my basement den, from an unfinished storage area in the basement and from the garage. About 3 months into this cleanup I discovered Garage Journal, which motivated me to get organized, not just declutter.

In December 2016 I bought this 40" Husky toolbox on clearances for $320. I heard about the deal here on GJ.

I thought that one toolbox would be perfect. Get all my tools organized, and I can move on to the next thing. Well, I filled that toolbox, and had tools left over. Hmmm. Went back to HD's clearance page a few weeks later, and they had this 27" combo on clearance for $280.

In December 2017 I bought the 46" Husky with the wood top on clearance for $150.

I know my Husky toolboxes are low end, but for a guy who had all his tools piled into Kennedy boxes and home made wooden toolboxes, they are the height of luxury. They work just fine for this weekend wrench.

 

[Toothaker]

I've titled this thread Thunderbird Garage because I'm going to talk about the work I'm doing in the garage and work I'm doing to the garage.

I installed a new sub panel, and the information I learned in GJ helped me a lot. But I bought the panel itself before I found what a poor reputation Eaton BR panels had. Ah, well. Of course, it matches the Eaton BR main panel.

I've started to insulate the garage, too. More on that in later posts.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Cool!!

 

[Toothaker]

Cool!!

Thanks for dropping by, Andy! I know this thread won't be as interesting as yours or the many other interesting, humorous and educational threads here on GJ. But, I'm taking your advice, and I hope this thread motivates me to keep moving forward on things.

 

[Toothaker]

Another flashback picture, this one from 2007.

That's my 2000 GMC daily driver; attached is the pop-up tent trailer that we'd just bought in 2007. We still own both. The camper sits in the third bay of the garage.

For a Ford guy, that sure doesn't look like an F150. In December of 1999 I decided I needed a new Ford pickup. I went to the bank and got pre-approved. I decided that I needed to test drive another brand before I went and bought my F150. I was going to be dad-gummed if I would test drive a Chevy, and everyone I knew was driving a Dodge (at the time), so I test drove a GMC. Yeah, I know, the GMC comes out of the same factory as the Chevy. And the test drive convinced me to not buy the F150. It's been a great truck.

We bought the camper while my wife was pregnant with our daughter, and she went camping while pregnant, and we took our 6 six week old daughter camping the next spring in 2008. I am blessed in many ways, not the least of which my family loves to camp. We try to camp at least 10 nights a year. This is Kaw Lake in Oklahoma.

 

[Toothaker]

I had been looking for an old Ford to work on, even before I started cleaning and organizing, I had been interested in a non-daily driver. That was key, as I knew just about every task would be a learning exercise. I didn't want to 'learn' on my daily driver, because I needed it to get to work with.

I found this 1970 Ford Thunderbird in August of 2017. I bought it through Copart; the transportation to get it delivered cost far more than the car did.

One of the first things I did was buy tires. The tires on it were amazingly bad; I think the auction house took the decent ones off it and put the junkiest ones they could find on it. Three were going flat on a regular basis; there were knots bulging from the interior sidewall on two of them, and cords were showing through on one.

 

[drivesitfar]

Tooth: i saw you started your thread and thought i'd subscribe to see how you like hosting one. GOOD LUCK and i'll have time to read your posts and comments later so POST AWAY!!

in case you were wondering if i'm a real person here's my bride and I sitting down to a meal in Nebraska last Spring.

Cheers

 

[Unruh]

Great start to your thread. I was in a similar place with my garage before I found Garage Journal.

By the way we need to see some rodeo photos!


(I must have read one of you previous posts wrong. I thought I read amuture rodeo, looks like it looks like you said Amateur Radio.)

 

[1/2 Cup]

Toothaker congratulations on your new thread.

 

[drivesitfar]

Tooth: as you might notice if I wake up a bit early (3am today) i get a chance to read some and GJ is one of my favorite stops.

so it sounds like your daughter is maybe 10 years old now? did you and your bride have any more kids and are you still camping out 10 days a year? sounds like great bonding time even though my wife and my form of camping is a new hotel without room service or a restaurant in the hotel or close by.

one thing is for certain if you keep posting on other member's threads you are bound to gain more lookers and maybe get some of your questions answered, but don't feel like the lone ranger if you don't get responses to all or most of them cause your research and postings might help the next guy just like you've probably found a few solutions since you've been a member here from other member's threads.

i'll let you continue your story in any format you like and best of luck on the car, garage and continuing to have a great family life while doing so.

cheers

 

[Grumblebum]

Hi Mick, great start to your thread. I'm an avid camping fan as well when we can get away. Thunderbird looks like a cool project.

cheers GB.

 

[Toothaker]

Tooth: i saw you started your thread and thought i'd subscribe to see how you like hosting one. GOOD LUCK and i'll have time to read your posts and comments later so POST AWAY!!

in case you were wondering if i'm a real person here's my bride and I sitting down to a meal in Nebraska last Spring.

snip

so it sounds like your daughter is maybe 10 years old now? did you and your bride have any more kids and are you still camping out 10 days a year? sounds like great bonding time even though my wife and my form of camping is a new hotel without room service or a restaurant in the hotel or close by.

Cheers

Drives, I knew you were a real person; I also know you appreciate your privacy online. So I'm honored that you posted your face, and your lovely bride's image as well. You will see our faces in this thread eventually too.

Yes, our little one is now 10. My wife and I have an older daughter who lived one day, Maggie. So to have our daughter is a real blessing after that painful episode in our life.

I realize camping isn't for everyone, and that's ok. That's what makes life interesting, with so many different interests and personalities. Yes, we still go camping quite a bit. In fact, we are going camping next weekend in Missouri, specifically Table Rock Lake. I have few criteria for my camping destinations: lousy cell phone reception, lots of trees, and fun things for the family to do. "I'm sorry, boss. That darn camp site has terrible coverage. If I'd received your call of course I would have dropped everything and assisted with that systems outage."

Great start to your thread. I was in a similar place with my garage before I found Garage Journal.

By the way we need to see some rodeo photos!

Thanks, Unruh. I hesitated starting my own thread. First, I wondered if I had anything to add, then I wondered if my thread would be boring from its slow pace and my general lack of imagination. For example, your avatar. It is comedy gold. Every time I see it I wish I was that clever. Tommy Boy is one of my favorite movies.

But "rodeo photos"? I have a lot of cousins, some of which are very active in the rodeo, but not me. It's been quite a while since I've attended one.

Toothaker congratulations on your new thread.

1/2 Cup, thanks for stopping by. I find the global reach of this message board a big part of its attraction and value. I like seeing the ways things are different and the ways things are the same from the various regions of the globe.

Hi Mick, great start to your thread. I'm an avid camping fan as well when we can get away. Thunderbird looks like a cool project.

cheers GB.

Greetings, GB! I wish we could call ourselves avid campers. How about eager? We go as often as we have time to do so, but it seems that it's never enough. There will be a few more posts coming on the Thunderbird, as I get this thread caught up.

 

[Toothaker]

Still getting caught up on the TBird.

So as I start talking about what I've done so far, and what I will continue to do, I think I need to define the scope. Yes, I'm a trained and certified Project Manager, so scope is a big deal to me. I'm making the car better than it was. I'm not restoring it; it's definitely not going to be a show car, much less comply with concours standards. It's a rusty 48 year old auction car I got for $500, and it's had a hard life so far. I jokingly call it my 100 foot car. It looks great from 100 feet away. Maybe someday it will be a good 20 foot car.

One of the first things I did was get a battery in it. I wanted to find out what was right and what was wrong, so I wanted to see if the starter worked, if the lights worked and if the engine would turn over. The battery mount was gone; in its place was a hole and tatters of rusty metal. So I made a battery platform, and mounted a battery tray and hold down.

Installed the battery, and cranked it. Yay! It turns over. It didn't start, but the engine isn't seized.

I changed the oil, mainly to get that gunk out of the engine. What little I knew about the car I figured it was bad; it was. I used the starter to circulate the oil a bit.

Then I rebuilt the Edelbrock 1407 carburetor. I cleaned it up and installed a rebuild kit. At the same time I added the Edelbrock electric choke kit and the Ford kickdown kit. I had to fashion a good throttle cable mount, as what was there was Mickey Mouse. I also added a fuel filter and new fuel line near the carb.

One day I was walking past the car, and I got the idea to circulate the oil a bit. I reached into the car and turned the key. It started! I was so startled that I immediately turned it off. The warm garage had caused pressure in the gas tank to prime the fuel system. The bowls were full of gas, and it was ready to go.

Well, it was running! So take it for a drive. I drove to the end of the block, and the brakes were an issue. If I let up the throttle, it immediately slowed, and moving felt like the car was overcoming the brakes. So I turned around, backed into the driveway, and flushed the cooling system. I replaced the radiator cap and thermostat at that time. Then I drove it back into the garage.

Ok, so now it's running. Time to make it look like it runs. Paint the air cleaner and get the valve covers power coated. I have to keep my priorities straight, you know.

Notice the snazzy reproduction label on the air cleaner. Yup, it now looks like it runs.

More to come.

 

[bj383ss]

Great to see you thread Mick. Looking forward to the adventures in your oversized garage and the Bird.


Bret

 

[Toothaker]

Great to see you thread Mick. Looking forward to the adventures in your oversized garage and the Bird.


Bret

Thanks Bret. Your thread is one that is at the top of my list to read; I've not had time to read every post, but it clearly is interesting. Thanks for stopping by!

 

[Stas26]

I had been looking for an old Ford to work on, even before I started cleaning and organizing, I had been interested in a non-daily driver. That was key, as I knew just about every task would be a learning exercise. I didn't want to 'learn' on my daily driver, because I needed it to get to work with.

I found this 1970 Ford Thunderbird in August of 2017. I bought it through Copart; the transportation to get it delivered cost far more than the car did.

One of the first things I did was buy tires. The tires on it were amazingly bad; I think the auction house took the decent ones off it and put the junkiest ones they could find on it. Three were going flat on a regular basis; there were knots bulging from the interior sidewall on two of them, and cords were showing through on one.

Wow!
What is a car name? And may be a another pictures of this car?

 

[Toothaker]

Wow!
What is a car name? And may be a another pictures of this car?

Greetings, Stanislav! I am honored to have you visit. I very much enjoy your thread here on GJ.

The car is a Thunderbird, a car made by the Ford Motor Company. They call it a "personal luxury car", and the 1970 model is the fifth generation of that car. My car is a two door. Ford sold a lot more of four door version so my car is less common, more rare.

Here are some pictures of other two door Thunderbirds from the same era.

And this blue one is my real inspiration. I hope my car looks this good some day.

And yes, I walk out to my garage and say wow to myself. I am glad that I own it, even if it needs a lot of work.

 

[Toothaker]

Stas, and here is another picture of my car, from a few weeks ago.

Here's one I took for the Garages at Night thread but never got around to posting.

Here's a closeup of what it looks like today, with the front wheels off. I'm working on the brakes now.

I don't have very many good pictures of it, since I can't drive it presently.

 

[Stas26]

Two door version is more **** in my humble opinion, than foor door.
I will read your thread!
What is your real name?

P.S. I like beer too

 

[WordMan]

Nice! I think the Bunkie Birds are my all time favorite Thunderbird. How's the underside look? Interior?

Looking forward to seeing more on your garage and project.

 

[Toothaker]

Two door version is more **** in my humble opinion, than foor door.
I will read your thread!
What is your real name?

P.S. I like beer too

Stas, I agree! The two door is much better.

My real name is Michael, and my screen name is my last name. My mom nicknamed me Mickey before I was born, and some years later I gave up trying to ditch the nickname, so I shortened it. The last name is uncommon in this country, but it's been around for a very long time. My family descends from a man named Roger Toothaker, who was tried and convicted in an infamous trial in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692.

I find that I'm more polite online if I use my real name.

Since I limit myself to approximately one alcoholic beverage a month, I have to be choosey. Right now it's a Gin and Tonic that I favor. But yes, I like beer, too.

Nice! I think the Bunkie Birds are my all time favorite Thunderbird. How's the underside look? Interior?

Looking forward to seeing more on your garage and project.

Thanks, WordMan. Yes, this generation is my favorite, and I like the 1970 the best of all, so when I found it online I was determined to get it. The underside is rough, but not completely rotted through. The cabin floor pan is solid. There's a spot on the frame that needs fixed, and the trunk floor needs work; there's several holes. I will be posting pictures as I tell the story. Bunkie Birds. I hadn't heard them called that, but that's great. Named after the President of Ford at the time, and the man who lead the styling changes to the Thunderbird.

Interior is all there, but it needs work too. I have updates coming in that regard, too. I can say confidently that it's better than the average $500 car.

 

[Stas26]

Stas, I agree! The two door is much better.

My real name is Michael, and my screen name is my last name. My mom nicknamed me Mickey before I was born, and some years later I gave up trying to ditch the nickname, so I shortened it. The last name is uncommon in this country, but it's been around for a very long time. My family descends from a man named Roger Toothaker, who was tried and convicted in an infamous trial in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692.

I find that I'm more polite online if I use my real name.

Since I limit myself to approximately one alcoholic beverage a month, I have to be choosey. Right now it's a Gin and Tonic that I favor. But yes, I like beer, too.

Very interesting story about "My family descends from a man named Roger Toothaker, who was tried and convicted in an infamous trial in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. " I don't know about it nothing.

I'm agree about use real name on forum and I don't undrestand spy theory about name in internet.
Nice to meet you Mick!

 

[oldironfarmer]

Great start to your thread!!

But I see what you mean about embarrassing yourself. When was it you started insulating your garage? Is it done yet?

We may need a schedule and a GANTT chart.

One of the interesting things about Garage Journal is that there are lots of people looking and dreaming. Many times I post some pretty rudimentary stuff because if there is someone who doesn't know how to do something you think everyone should know it gives them the chance to learn. I'm interested in knowing exactly what you are doing to your brakes. And I'll bet there's someone watching and not posting who would like to see as well.

The Thunderbird is very cool, we all want to see more of it.

If you can plan a camping trip down this way (there are campgrounds at Lake Keystone) I'd love to have you stop by. We even offer free camping in the yard, and it comes with a hot breakfast.

Keep up the good work Mick!

 

[oldironfarmer]

I'm agree about use real name on forum and I don't understand spy theory about name in internet.
Nice to meet you Mick!

Umm, we're all afraid the Russians will find us.

 

[Toothaker]

Great start to your thread!!

But I see what you mean about embarrassing yourself. When was it you started insulating your garage? Is it done yet?

See? I told you I was in the middle of two projects. For the garage I have one more 20 A circuit to run, and some camera wires to pull before I can seal the penetrations. Then I can complete the wall insulation work. Then the OSB goes up on the walls. Then I will have the ceiling insulation blown in. Somewhere in there I will insulate the overhead doors. After that I want to plumb in the compressed air lines.

The priority at the moment is that I want to get the TBird mobile, so I can drive it out of the garage to make room for the garage work. So now it's brakes, followed by the leaky transmission cooling line. Put it in drive and it leaks Type F like a stuck pig.

We may need a schedule and a GANTT chart.

I am seriously thinking about creating a WBS (work breakdown structure) to organize the process. Just don't make me use Microsoft Project.

One of the interesting things about Garage Journal is that there are lots of people looking and dreaming. Many times I post some pretty rudimentary stuff because if there is someone who doesn't know how to do something you think everyone should know it gives them the chance to learn. I'm interested in knowing exactly what you are doing to your brakes. And I'll bet there's someone watching and not posting who would like to see as well.

The Thunderbird is very cool, we all want to see more of it.

You will, you will!

If you can plan a camping trip down this way (there are campgrounds at Lake Keystone) I'd love to have you stop by. We even offer free camping in the yard, and it comes with a hot breakfast.

Keep up the good work Mick!

We should shop around for more Oklahoma camp sites. We like Kaw, as it is 90 minutes from our driveway at home to the camp site. I've googled your nearby town, and it is a 45 minute drive from Kaw to your town.

We've driven by the other side of Keystone many times, taking 412 en route to Beaver Lake in Arkansas. It looks like a nice place to camp. My in-laws have camped at Keystone and they said it was really nice.

Let me pencil in a Keystone or Andy's Yard camp for 2019. The trip this coming weekend will be the last one of the year.

Thanks, Andy!

 

[jblnut]

One of the interesting things about Garage Journal is that there are lots of people looking and dreaming. Many times I post some pretty rudimentary stuff because if there is someone who doesn't know how to do something you think everyone should know it gives them the chance to learn. I'm interested in knowing exactly what you are doing to your brakes. And I'll bet there's someone watching and not posting who would like to see as well.

If you can plan a camping trip down this way (there are campgrounds at Lake Keystone) I'd love to have you stop by. We even offer free camping in the yard, and it comes with a hot breakfast.

Details details details .... I love details. I don't much care about the specific application of this car and that truck and blah blah blah but seeing a brake job done on an older car is always a treat. You will do things differently than I do and I'm sure I'll learn something by seeing how you ended up doing it.

I'll extend that camping opportunity to the North iff'in you get lost trying to find Andy out there in bush country. Every Sunday morning there is always bacon, eggs and fried potatoes for breakfast (unless you're my 3yr old, then you have Lucky Charms). I have a nice shed you can pop that camper up in so you don't have to worry about getting wet. Don't worry though, there are large doors you can still see the outdoors though so it'll "Feel" just like camping

 

[oldironfarmer]

Details details details .... I love details. I don't much care about the specific application of this car and that truck and blah blah blah but seeing a brake job done on an older car is always a treat. You will do things differently than I do and I'm sure I'll learn something by seeing how you ended up doing it.

I'll extend that camping opportunity to the North iff'in you get lost trying to find Andy out there in bush country. Every Sunday morning there is always bacon, eggs and fried potatoes for breakfast (unless you're my 3yr old, then you have Lucky Charms). I have a nice shed you can pop that camper up in so you don't have to worry about getting wet. Don't worry though, there are large doors you can still see the outdoors though so it'll "Feel" just like camping

Careful, Mick. Don't let him set you up in the **** Shack! Great view, though...

 

[jblnut]

Careful, Mick. Don't let him set you up in the **** Shack! Great view, though...

Ya know when I typed that I was thinking of the hay shed but if you really want a nice wide open space with a view ,and some interior "clutter", the Poo Palace is the right place for you !!

Or you could always sleep with the chickens in their temp controlled housing. You gotta be careful though, you'll find yourself doing the math on how many gallons of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce it will take to eat all 46,000 of them on their 44th birthdays

 

[Toothaker]

Nice to meet you Mick!

Nice to meet you too, Stas!

Details details details .... I love details. I don't much care about the specific application of this car and that truck and blah blah blah but seeing a brake job done on an older car is always a treat. You will do things differently than I do and I'm sure I'll learn something by seeing how you ended up doing it.

I'll extend that camping opportunity to the North iff'in you get lost trying to find Andy out there in bush country. Every Sunday morning there is always bacon, eggs and fried potatoes for breakfast (unless you're my 3yr old, then you have Lucky Charms). I have a nice shed you can pop that camper up in so you don't have to worry about getting wet. Don't worry though, there are large doors you can still see the outdoors though so it'll "Feel" just like camping

snip

You gotta be careful though, you'll find yourself doing the math on how many gallons of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce it will take to eat all 46,000 of them on their 44th birthdays.

Mike, welcome to my humble thread. Your thread is in my short list of threads I read every time I get to GJ. Thank you for your stories and photos. I too am an IT guy. I work with Cisco IP voice solutions. My time in the garage and garden are my break from my day job.

We just might take you up on the camping visit! Careful what you offer. We've driven through MN on our way to camp in WI.

My wife and I use food to remember trips. We will start reminiscing about trips by saying things like "Remember the lobster bisque in Maine?" Mmm. Sweet Baby Rays... it's our favorite. We are all about food. Plus, my wife and I both grew up in small towns, and my daughter loves visiting friends of ours who have a small amount of land with chickens, ducks, horses and pigs.

And yes, I will get into details on the brake job. I started it several days ago, and didn't take pictures of the disassembly or cleanup process. I didn't think I was actually going to start this thread, so I don't have the GJ level of photo documentation on that. But as I start to put it together, I will try to get a step-by-step progress report to this thread. I have the three flex brake lines, new hard line material, brake line armor and a new double flare tool from Eastwood and the ATD set from Amazon. The calipers are on order from Rockauto, and I need to get ceramic pads. Since I couldn't get the disks turned on a brake lathe, I need harder pads to deal with the unsmooth brake surface. I also have new inner and outer Timken bearings, and new inner seals.

I also have a new master cylinder and I installed a new adjustable proportioning valve already. Since I will replace all the brake lines, I wanted an adjustable proportioning valve just in case I want to convert the rear drums to disk at a later time. Since I'm re-plumbing the entire brake system, and all the lines go to the proportioning valve, it made sense to me to install it now.

Wow. That flash really highlights the dirt and grime. I swear, it doesn't look that bad in person.

Oh, and I have the wheel cylinders and brake shoes for the rear wheels, too. Plus Gabriel shocks all around. All will be documented.

 

[Toothaker]

I cleaned off the rust and scale from the rotor/hubs. I have a parts washer, and then I used vinegar to remove the rust.

Here is what it looks like at this instant.

I will have a flashback to the story of the oil stain in a day or so. Now it's funny, but at the time I was very frustrated.

And here are the new rubber flex brake lines.

I pulled the disk brake dust shields. I looked for replacements, but couldn't find any. The ones from the car are heavily rusted. So I took them to be media blasted, and then to protect them from future rust, they are being powdercoated in a satin black. So I'm waiting on them too. Pictures to come, of course.

 

[bj383ss]

Mick enjoying so far. I think spending the time and care on the brakes will pay off in the end. One of the most important things on the older cars is they can stop well and hang with all the new disposable city cars that can stop on a dime.

Are the disks not available to order on Rockauto? Those guys have everything.

I see you found the power of Vinegar as well.

Bret

 

[oldironfarmer]

Looking great! Looks like you're going all out.

Rotors looks good. One alternative is to install conventional brake pads and let them slick up the rotors. Oh, that's the farm solution.

Is there not place nearby to turn the rotors?

Thanks for taking us along for the ride! Glad we're going to have good brakes.

 

[Toothaker]

Mick enjoying so far. I think spending the time and care on the brakes will pay off in the end. One of the most important things on the older cars is they can stop well and hang with all the new disposable city cars that can stop on a dime.

Are the disks not available to order on Rockauto? Those guys have everything.

I see you found the power of Vinegar as well.

Bret

Agreed, Rockauto has everything, including these disks. But they are $47 each plus freight, but turning the rotor locally is $13 each. I'm trying to keep costs down at the same time do the best I can to improve the car. If the rotors I have are toast, I will get new ones later. But I'm going to try to use these. One is original, and the other was manufactured in 1978.

I learned about vinegar here on GJ. Specifically, from bdbecker. I know he probably didn't invent it, but his discussion thread highlighted the merits. It was really awesome to watch the oxygen get released from the iron oxide and watch the vinegar turn red then dark brown. They were in the vinegar bath for about 6 days.

Looking great! Looks like you're going all out.

Rotors looks good. One alternative is to install conventional brake pads and let them slick up the rotors. Oh, that's the farm solution.

Is there not place nearby to turn the rotors?

Thanks for taking us along for the ride! Glad we're going to have good brakes.

I have organic brake pads, but the assistant manager at O'Reilly's said the unturned rotors were going to eat them, and for me to get ceramic pads. And if I can't trust an assistant manager at O'Reilly's to know what he's talking about, who can I trust? Then he told me none of the stores locally have ceramic pads in stock.

At that point I went home and spent some quality time on Google, because if you can't trust the Internet, who can you trust, learning about organic, semi-metallic and ceramic brake pads. I decided that I need to get ceramic pads initially, and later I will decide to either leave the ceramics on, or switch to the organics I already got from Rockauto.

The local shop wanted to press out the lug bolts from the integral rotor and hub that the 1970 Ford Thunderbird has. Later generations of cars had these two as separate components. The lug bolts are in the way of the brake lathe, so they can't be turned. I'm attempting the KISS system, so pressing out the lug bolts wasn't an option in my mind at this point.

 

[oldironfarmer]

The O'Reilly's manager was partially right. (Aren't we all)

I have run pads metal to metal several times, "ruining" the rotor. I buy a set of pads and put them only on the bad side. After a few thousand miles the pads are well worn but the rotor is slick as a baby's ****. I put the other set on that side and it's good to go. Grooves in a rotor just add to the braking area and the pads assume the grooved shape quickly, then all is well. I can say I have never (not once) had rotors turned on any of my cars, I'm too cheap to cut away good material. I have had rotors turned for others which had hard blue spots on them, I think from braking too lightly. My pedals only have two positions.

But I don't know a thing about ceramic pads. They may be the cat's meow.

 

[Toothaker]

My black truck was two toned this morning as I got in to go to work. This is the earliest snow in Wichita since 1888.

It's melting quickly. But it does indicate the death knell of my vegetable garden. This year has been good, 54 pints and 4 quarts of stewed tomatoes, 13 pints of salsa, and several pounds of fresh jalapeño and sweet Bell peppers.

 

[Bob Heine]

OK Mick, I have to post before this thread gets going any faster. Made it through the first few posts and saw you have a real 3-car garage. Mine has 3 doors and is a little deeper than usual but I really like the height in yours. I'm going to go back and read all the posts but this will be my bookmark so I don't get lost.

 

[Toothaker]

OK Mick, I have to post before this thread gets going any faster. Made it through the first few posts and saw you have a real 3-car garage. Mine has 3 doors and is a little deeper than usual but I really like the height in yours. I'm going to go back and read all the posts but this will be my bookmark so I don't get lost.

The garage is what got my vote when my wife and I were shopping for a new home. 28 feet (8.5 meters) deep, 35 feet (10.6 meters) wide, 10 foot (3 meters) tall. The third bay is "only" 24 feet (7.3 meters) deep. That, and the street address is all ones and zeros. I am such a geek.

Thanks for stopping by Bob.

 

[Growlertdi]

Ill be following along from the shadows as well. found you from Andys thread

 

[Toothaker]

Ill be following along from the shadows as well. found you from Andys thread

It's all who you know, you know? Thanks for stopping by, Aaron.