[Woodchuck]

I was just kickin' back with my Dr. Pepper and contemplating taking a nice, long hot bath, since it's been below freezing for the last week or so and my bones are stiff... Tomorrow morning I get to run SWMBO to work and then buy an expensive battery for our '05 Magnum. I guess I shouldn't complain as it's the ORIGINAL battery so 15 years of use I guess I can't complain.

However, I was just reading a post about somebody buying more $#!% they don't really need, as well as watching all sorts of people trying to spend some poor guy's money for him on the VMF FaceBook page and just had to vent....

This Christmas Season has got me sort of "biblical" so here goes.... consider yourself ADAM and you get to cruise around the Garden of Eden in your Mustang, aka "EVE". Now, lurking out there is SATAN and he's not disguised as a SERPENT but, rather, SHINY NEW PARTS WITH FLASHY LABELS, and promises of VEHICULAR RAPTURE... okay, maybe that's layin' it on a little thick...... so, here I go, shootin' from the hip....

Basic Facts 101.

1. Typical gasoline fuel mixtures, unless abnormally lean, in street engines, without EGR or ridiculously silly cylinder pressures ignite VERY easily... just ask any dude missing his eyebrows, eyelashes and nosehairs... God forbid if he had a moustache. Super-high-energy-capacitive-discharge-multi-sparky-thingies aren't necessary and are a waste of money. Your OEM points system is quite adequate but if you lack the desire to perform annual maintenance on it then a solid-state transistorized system can be installed cheaply. I like a separate pick-up module in the distributor and the ignition module mounted elsewhere, out of the heat and vibration. Ford's Duraspark distributor and a Mopar module do this well and provide a good, solid spark to 8,000 rpm.

2. If it's labeled "Racing" (other than motor oil), "High Performance", "Extreme Duty" or the like it's primary design feature is to enrich the company's bottom line by lightening your wallet. Over the years we have seen the comings and goings... Triple-edge Wipers, Split-Fire Spark Plugs, 10mm Premium Silicone Aramid Steel Belted Radial Spark Plug Wires.... I'll know STP, too, except it makes a damn fine motorcycle chain lube if you heat it to about 150* and soak the chain like you're basting a roast... (Don't let SWMBO catch you using one of her sauce pans in the kitchen)...

NOTE: I give motor oil a "pass" on the "Racing" label 'cause when they label it as such, or "Off Road/ATV", "Motorcycle/Marine", etc., it relieves them from the EPA's oppressive thumb on ZDDP content....

3. Companies (you all know who they are) make their stuff "flashy looking" for a reason... YOU might think it's to approve the appearance of your ride. It's NOT. It's to impress everyone when you open their hood so that THEY'LL go out and by their junk. Heck, MSD should give everybody a 25% discount for advertising their stuff. Yeah, you even get some jazzy stickers to put on your tool box! Bonus.

4. If money were no object, beer would be sold in COPPER cans...you don't see it being brewed in aluminum vats, do ya'? I rest my case on that subject.

5. Non-greasable universal joints are not only cheaper but they're stronger than greasable ones. The same applies to most any piece of metal that you drill holes in....like brake rotors.

Okay, I've had my rant. Now all of you who are driving their Mustangs this winter make sure you go out and exchange that summer air in your tires for the winter stuff, so they don't freeze.

 

[GypsyR]

I'm guess folks that stay hip-deep in Facebook are getting a lot more out of all this than I. Copper beer cans?

 

[4ocious]

How much longer will it be before some VMF member starts a Build Forum thread on converting to all electric?

 

[289vert]

I don't feel like I'm missin' anything by abstaining from FB

 

[vegasloki]

How much longer will it be before some VMF member starts a Build Forum thread on converting to all electric?

Soon as I clear another project out and find the right donor... ⚡

 

[289vert]

Soon as I clear another project out and find the right donor... ⚡

Who are you gunna ask for advice? the FB crowd??

 

[66_72stanger]

Damn Bart,

Here I am already to get out of Dodge, So. Cal, for some saner , greener pastures only to have you remind me why I live here. While the land of fruits and nuts, high taxes and a government that can find their butt cheeks with both hands, it’s hard to argue with a week or two each year of snotty weather.

Merry Christmas to you!

 

[vegasloki]

Who are you gunna ask for advice? the FB crowd??

I reckon I could get plenty help here if I converted it into an SUV and called it a Mach III. Think of it as Fastback meets Escape. What’s not to like? ? ?

Seriously if I could find a cheap donor that wasn’t too far gone and at least had most of the mechanical bits I’d take a stab at it with used ebay EV parts. There is a whole subculture out there for DIY electrics. The rub is even with a good donor it would probably cost just as much to bring it back as an EV than a six cylinder. Maybe more depending on how nutty you got with motors and batteries. I looked at it for the Ranger but it added so much weight in the wrong places it wasn’t worth it. The Mustang isn’t practical or cost effective but it would be a fun project and maybe keep a hammered old six from being crushed or rotting in a field.

 

[gordonr]

Bart 1st of all what kind of magic beans are you dropping in your battery? I see 10 year battieries occasionally but 15.
By far the Chrysler's achellies heal for electronic failures is due to battery issues for sure. Anytime a 2004/05 and later Chrysler starter sounds as though its turning over slowly address it immediately.

As far as the the rest of the noise you are addressing I say "you cant save them all" but IMO you do a damn good job trying. Dont let the idoits ruin your good nature. A bath does sound like a good idea. Merry Christmas

 

[PB65stang]

I joined the FB group a few months ago more for another classic Mustang resource than anything. Very rarely post a reply on there, but when I do it’s because there is someone who earlier posted something totally wrong and the most dangerous thing would be to leave it for someone else to believe it’s right. I’m far from the most knowledgeable guy on this stuff, but some of the misinformation on there is basic stuff that just can’t be ignored. And you’re right - they love to spend each other’s money.

Honestly, my biggest gripe with the FB group is that 75% of the posts seem to be the same people humble (or not so humble) bragging about their cars by posting essentially the same photos over and over again. ”Side Shot Saturday” or “Taillight Thursday” are just excuses for them to show off. There’s very little actual work being done on those cars - it gets real boring real quick.

 

[eddies'66]

If you need duck tape, you're watching to much "Red Green"!

What's a Face Book? LOL

 

[Nailbender]

I haven’t joined FB yet but fear it’s only a matter of time before I’ll have to. I only recently started texting because I had to for work.

 

[BlakeTX]

I don’t really like FB for the conversation, but it is invaluable for the Marketplace.

 

[65fstbpieces]

The Forum is on Facebook?

 

[bsolo66]

So....was that your weekly or monthly bath....?

 

[Redneckgearhead]

I ran out of duck tape from those FB pages. I had to unfollow them.

 

[Crank_It_Up]

When you old farts finally join facebook, you'll be presently surprised at the strong presence of car community, and lots of communication on cruises, meets, shows, etc., etc.

 

[myfirstcar66]

Merry Christmas to you!

My home's in Alabama. After going around the world and through half the States, I settled here with small government and taxes, great work, big trees and tall mountains with gorgeous wide open spaces between. And @Woodchuck , we can be as Biblical as we want. I have a FB page but it is for professional reasons. I have enough drama of my own without subscribing to anyone else's. Merry Christmas, y'all.

 

[sandybob]

And when you young farts give up your privacy and the risk of data breaches ( YOUR DATA) for the sake of "community"... (Yes, it is tempting) and are tired of being tracked by Farcebook all across the internet even after you leave a farcebook page, yes even if you logged in here via farcebook you will be tracked and have your very own dossier..........

No thanks....not a fair trade!

End of rant, period.

sandybob

 

[InOverMyHead]

I was just kickin' back with my Dr. Pepper and contemplating taking a nice, long hot bath, since it's been below freezing for the last week or so and my bones are stiff... Tomorrow morning I get to run SWMBO to work and then buy an expensive battery for our '05 Magnum. I guess I shouldn't complain as it's the ORIGINAL battery so 15 years of use I guess I can't complain.

However, I was just reading a post about somebody buying more $#!% they don't really need, as well as watching all sorts of people trying to spend some poor guy's money for him on the VMF FaceBook page and just had to vent....

This Christmas Season has got me sort of "biblical" so here goes.... consider yourself ADAM and you get to cruise around the Garden of Eden in your Mustang, aka "EVE". Now, lurking out there is SATAN and he's not disguised as a SERPENT but, rather, SHINY NEW PARTS WITH FLASHY LABELS, and promises of VEHICULAR RAPTURE... okay, maybe that's layin' it on a little thick...... so, here I go, shootin' from the hip....

Basic Facts 101.

1. Typical gasoline fuel mixtures, unless abnormally lean, in street engines, without EGR or ridiculously silly cylinder pressures ignite VERY easily... just ask any dude missing his eyebrows, eyelashes and nosehairs... God forbid if he had a moustache. Super-high-energy-capacitive-discharge-multi-sparky-thingies aren't necessary and are a waste of money. Your OEM points system is quite adequate but if you lack the desire to perform annual maintenance on it then a solid-state transistorized system can be installed cheaply. I like a separate pick-up module in the distributor and the ignition module mounted elsewhere, out of the heat and vibration. Ford's Duraspark distributor and a Mopar module do this well and provide a good, solid spark to 8,000 rpm.

2. If it's labeled "Racing" (other than motor oil), "High Performance", "Extreme Duty" or the like it's primary design feature is to enrich the company's bottom line by lightening your wallet. Over the years we have seen the comings and goings... Triple-edge Wipers, Split-Fire Spark Plugs, 10mm Premium Silicone Aramid Steel Belted Radial Spark Plug Wires.... I'll know STP, too, except it makes a damn fine motorcycle chain lube if you heat it to about 150* and soak the chain like you're basting a roast... (Don't let SWMBO catch you using one of her sauce pans in the kitchen)...

NOTE: I give motor oil a "pass" on the "Racing" label 'cause when they label it as such, or "Off Road/ATV", "Motorcycle/Marine", etc., it relieves them from the EPA's oppressive thumb on ZDDP content....

3. Companies (you all know who they are) make their stuff "flashy looking" for a reason... YOU might think it's to approve the appearance of your ride. It's NOT. It's to impress everyone when you open their hood so that THEY'LL go out and by their junk. Heck, MSD should give everybody a 25% discount for advertising their stuff. Yeah, you even get some jazzy stickers to put on your tool box! Bonus.

4. If money were no object, beer would be sold in COPPER cans...you don't see it being brewed in aluminum vats, do ya'? I rest my case on that subject.

5. Non-greasable universal joints are not only cheaper but they're stronger than greasable ones. The same applies to most any piece of metal that you drill holes in....like brake rotors.

Okay, I've had my rant. Now all of you who are driving their Mustangs this winter make sure you go out and exchange that summer air in your tires for the winter stuff, so they don't freeze.

I had a 2007 Magnum. Same deal. Battery lasted forever (IE: never replaced it...someone totaled it last year). I always chocked that up to the battery being in the trunk. Keeps it away from the drastic heat cycles a typical car battery sees? Could be wrong...but that's what I'm sticking with.

Copper beer cans are no bueno as an idea. If the copper corrodes (very likely), it leaches a poison into the beer (see: the green stuff on the Statue of Liberty). That's actually a real concern on Worth chillers and such that home-brewers use. So I would hold off on that investment if a venture capitalists approaches you... .

The VMF FB page is a far cry from the actual forum. Generally don't even surf there.