The Unofficial "Ask a Stupid Question" Thread

[White Lincoln]

I have a soft spot for those 66-67s, nobody could make boxy cars sexy like Elwood Engel(fun fact, same guy who designed the suicide door continentals and Bulletbirds at Ford a few years earlier)

Oh btw it’s CorOnet

I knew that... I just can't spell....

 

[White Lincoln]

I took a selfie today....

 

[Irv]

I can't wave at neighbors driving past my house when they have tint on the windows. I have no clue it they saw me or not or were even looking. But I have tint on my Cougar (not the TC) and my wife loves it. She says no one can see her.

I have tint on my house windows as well. I originally did it for privacy because the big glass is on the front and back doors and bathroom window, but stopping or mitigating UV damage and unwanted solar heat gain is everything. I remember my builder claiming that the windows on my house were Low-E, but I claim that was bullshit. A good architectural tint reflects heat on both sides, and I much prefer letting that do the work to keep heat inside in the winter instead of relying on the sun to heat a room during certain hours of the day and letting it all escape when the sun is out of sight.

In the summer, the last thing I want in my office with a westerly window is the afternoon sun contributing anything to the room's elevated temperatures. Had I not gotten my new HVAC this year zoned, it would still be a comfort issue, but it still has to work harder in the office than any other room in the house, so I still intend to have the rest of the windows tinted next year.

After I had the Thunderbird tinted, I was mad for not having it done sooner. The A/C didn't have to work as hard during the summer and I no longer had to deal with the reflection/glare from the dashboard or the excessive interior brightness that necessitated sunglasses lest I squint for the entire drive because these cars are fishbowls. Also, while I have no intentions on keeping any of the stock upholstery, I could probably get even more years out of it if not for what UV damage it took over the first 20 years whenever it wasn't garaged.

Tint isn't all about darkening windows. There's a lot of technology in that film, especially the newer nano-ceramic types which can do a lot more at significantly lighter and even almost transparent VLT levels than the darkest of classic dyed tints.

 

[Kidd-7]

Irv, what tint did you go with for your house? Was it applied to the inside and outside? I’ve looked into it for the sander reasons you state, but read something about it trapping heat in between the panes and causing damage to the seal.

 

[Irv]

Irv, what tint did you go with for your house? Was it applied to the inside and outside? I’ve looked into it for the sander reasons you state, but read something about it trapping heat in between the panes and causing damage to the seal.

Currently, I have SunTek InfinityDS 20 Bronze. I'm considering switching over to Llumar Low-E Ambiance VE35 for the three large glass features plus two attic panes that the builder covered with tar paper. I would like to let some light through in the attic despite it being unfinished because it is a semi-usable space and I spend way more than an average homeowner's fair share of time up there with upstairs projects.

For all other windows in the house, I may go with a film above 50% VLT in all rooms but the office to allow as much light in as possible, and go with 50% or lower for the office window because it needs the most heat management.

The tint is applied inside, although there are certain types that are applied outside. I haven't had any issues with my window seals for 15 years, although I have seen them badly warped before in untinted, double-pane windows at my previous residence, so I don't think tint alone can do much to the seals any more than improper application or a glass manufacturing defect would.

Ultimately, the brand of tint depends on what your installer uses, but SunTek, Llumar, and Madico should all have similar offerings for architectural tint.

 

[CDsDontBurn]

I originally did it for privacy

Does transparency reverse at night with lights on in the house? Meanie, during the day, you can't see in but can see outside, but at night you can see in but not outside.

I ask because my grandparents had tinted their windows for the heat related reasons you stated as their main window was southern facing. During the day, you could not see into their home and they could see everything that was happening outside. However, at night, with lights on inside, anyone could see inside but they couldn't see outside.

 

[Irv]

Does transparency reverse at night with lights on in the house? Meanie, during the day, you can't see in but can see outside, but at night you can see in but not outside.

I ask because my grandparents had tinted their windows for the heat related reasons you stated as their main window was southern facing. During the day, you could not see into their home and they could see everything that was happening outside. However, at night, with lights on inside, anyone could see inside but they couldn't see outside.

Yes. Generally, the side with brighter ambient lighting is the side that's harder to see through.

With my front door, I have quite a bit of landscape lighting to illuminate the outside, and I can turn on the bright porch light as well if I need it. However, the main living spaces on the first floor are at the back of the house and a long foyer away, so I don't really have issues with seeing out the front door at night. I also have zebra blinds on the front door for extra privacy, but most of the time, I keep them in the half-open position. Same goes for the bathroom window, but those zebra blinds are usually closed, so the tint is mainly serving as a heat and UV rejection mechanism there.

The tinted glass on the back door is what most strongly reflects the inside at night when I'm looking out, but that isn't really an issue for me.

 

[theterminator93]

Sounds like we're in a similar boat. I have Gila Heat Control window films on all the 2nd floor windows - I was looking to help control heat loss during the winter, heat gain in the summer, and help with UV aging. There's a mirror finish to them from the outside during the day.

 

[Zep5.0]

Holy crap, I just pay to have 20% put on all my cars. I didn't ask all of these questions. Now I feel as tho my tint may feel insecure... Me too!

 

[Irv]

I know way more about tint than I have any business knowing for someone who doesn't install it.

Unfortunately, despite all precautionary measures, I can't even align a glass screen protector for a phone correctly on the first try without introducing some bullshit dust speck that wasn't there before. The sight of me messing with a roll of tint and the Thunderbird's rear window would look like Kramer from Seinfeld flailing and falling.

 

[Zep5.0]

While we're asking dumb questions.... What is too much money for a gain of, say 50-60hp? I say it depends on a few things. Now, if you're talking a small 2 stroke and you're adding possibly double or more power in this range, I think that's going to be expensive. If your talking an old anemic 302 from the 70's you're spending time finding parts from a newer car, easily sourced and spending a few hundred bucks to a thousand.

Bit what if you're planning a 500hp build, but one part ruins your plan. This one part causes about $2000 more out of pocket expense. Do you become good with 450hp, or spend the money????

 

[KevinVarnes]

So I get really annoyed driving on the interstate at night with lights blinding me through the driver side rear view mirror.

Questions:

• Did MN12 ever come with driver side auto-dimming? I'm guessing no.
• Did pre-97 Marks come with driver side auto-dimming?
• If so, do pre-97 Marks use the same shape mirror glass as MN12?

I just re-aim the mirror so it is pointing back at them. In my dreams they are blinded by the reflection lose control of their car and slide off the road and into the ditch. In reality they probably don't notice. It's easier to do in the Thunderbird with its electric mirrors. More annoying to do in my Saturn with manual remote mirrors where the manual adjustment mechanisms don't work all that great.

 

[Irv]

I just re-aim the mirror so it is pointing back at them. In my dreams they are blinded by the reflection lose control of their car and slide off the road and into the ditch. In reality they probably don't notice. It's easier to do in the Thunderbird with its electric mirrors. More annoying to do in my Saturn with manual remote mirrors where the manual adjustment mechanisms don't work all that great.

I did that once in my car before I got the kitchen sink windshield rear view mirror that I have now. I was surprised that it was actually effective and got the truck behind me to back off.

 

[XR7-4.6]

While we're asking dumb questions.... What is too much money for a gain of, say 50-60hp? I say it depends on a few things. Now, if you're talking a small 2 stroke and you're adding possibly double or more power in this range, I think that's going to be expensive. If your talking an old anemic 302 from the 70's you're spending time finding parts from a newer car, easily sourced and spending a few hundred bucks to a thousand.

Bit what if you're planning a 500hp build, but one part ruins your plan. This one part causes about $2000 more out of pocket expense. Do you become good with 450hp, or spend the money???

Let me guess… engine block?


I’d say it’s less the money than it is whether you’re negatively impacting the durability and drivability to squeeze that extra 50 horsepower out. On the money front, eh, this is an inherently absurd hobby, I spent $2700 recently for my DOHC to make maybe 350-360whp tops? Yet I’m not particularly bothered by it because I like this engine and want to get the best out of it, yet absurdly I’m annoyed I bought a $30 set of centercaps for my wheels I don’t like and missed the return window on lol. This really isn’t a dumb or smart question but a philosophical one.

 

[KevinVarnes]

While we're asking dumb questions.... What is too much money for a gain of, say 50-60hp? I say it depends on a few things. Now, if you're talking a small 2 stroke and you're adding possibly double or more power in this range, I think that's going to be expensive. If your talking an old anemic 302 from the 70's you're spending time finding parts from a newer car, easily sourced and spending a few hundred bucks to a thousand.

Bit what if you're planning a 500hp build, but one part ruins your plan. This one part causes about $2000 more out of pocket expense. Do you become good with 450hp, or spend the money????

I'd probably be good with 450hp. I guess it all depends on how big a drop in the bucket $2k is to you. I have to do a lot of brake jobs, wheel bearings, and suspension part replacements to save that up. Then again if this is part of a long planned build then maybe it is worth it to you. All that said, I'd be willing to drop over $1k on a Bullitt or SVO intake which probably won't make much more power over my PI intake under the guise of engine longevity/durability.

 

[Grog6]

I just re-aim the mirror so it is pointing back at them. In my dreams they are blinded by the reflection lose control of their car and slide off the road and into the ditch. In reality they probably don't notice. It's easier to do in the Thunderbird with its electric mirrors. More annoying to do in my Saturn with manual remote mirrors where the manual adjustment mechanisms don't work all that great.

I did this to a car that was hanging in my blind spot, blinding me with their high beams; when I hit them in the eyes with their hubeams, they almost ran out of the road, Then they hit the blues,lol. I went the fuck off, reading him the riot act for blinding me. he was so flustered, he forgot to write me for going 80.

 

[Zep5.0]

Let me guess… engine block?


I’d say it’s less the money than it is whether you’re negatively impacting the durability and drivability to squeeze that extra 50 horsepower out. On the money front, eh, this is an inherently absurd hobby, I spent $2700 recently for my DOHC to make maybe 350-360whp tops? Yet I’m not particularly bothered by it because I like this engine and want to get the best out of it, yet absurdly I’m annoyed I bought a $30 set of centercaps for my wheels I don’t like and missed the return window on lol. This really isn’t a dumb or smart question but a philosophical one.

No, not the block, yet... Intake choice is slim and the intake I want requires a distributor that does not work with the Ford EFI. Which means Holley Terminator$$$$$.

 

[Zep5.0]

I'd probably be good with 450hp. I guess it all depends on how big a drop in the bucket $2k is to you. I have to do a lot of brake jobs, wheel bearings, and suspension part replacements to save that up. Then again if this is part of a long planned build then maybe it is worth it to you. All that said, I'd be willing to drop over $1k on a Bullitt or SVO intake which probably won't make much more power over my PI intake under the guise of engine longevity/durability.

It's the fact that everything has snowballed on this build. I've saved where I could refurbishing old parts, but I'm past any of that now.

 

[XR7-4.6]

what intake out of curiosity? It seems fairly absurd to me that an efi intake won’t work with a EEC IV distributor, I mean Fox and SN95 Mustangs would be in the same boat and that’s the primary audience for aftermarket EFI 5.0 intakes

What’s the physical limitation? Can it be modified?

 

[Zep5.0]

what intake out of curiosity? It seems fairly absurd to me that an efi intake won’t work with a EEC IV distributor, I mean Fox and SN95 Mustangs would be in the same boat and that’s the primary audience for aftermarket EFI 5.0 intakes

What’s the physical limitation? Can it be modified?

I wanted to run the Holley Hi-ram. It is actually big enough for a stout 347. The vast majority of others are better suited to 302. The next best is Trick Flow R series, which are currently or of stock, and not sure if they'll be built again. The difference in those is 25-50 HP. Next it's Edelbrock or systemax, which only allow a 75mm TB.

The Hi-ram is designed to be forward or side mount TB. Because of this, it requires a short fat distributor that only they make. The only good thing is I wouldn't need to buy a mass air meter. I could also sell my QH that I bought to run this.

 

[XR7-4.6]

I wanted to run the Holley Hi-ram. It is actually big enough for a stout 347. The vast majority of others are better suited to 302. The next best is Trick Flow R series, which are currently or of stock, and not sure if they'll be built again. The difference in those is 25-50 HP. Next it's Edelbrock or systemax, which only allow a 75mm TB.

The Hi-ram is designed to be forward or side mount TB. Because of this, it requires a short fat distributor that only they make. The only good thing is I wouldn't need to buy a mass air meter. I could also sell my QH that I bought to run this.

So Holley designed an intake to force customers into buying their proprietary EECs? Dicks lol

Just on principal I’d retrofit coil packs, cam sensor and a different Ford EEC to run it.

 

[Zep5.0]

So Holley designed an intake to force customers into buying their proprietary EECs? Dicks lol

Just on principal I’d retrofit coil packs, cam sensor and a different Ford EEC to run it.

But the cost of that since I didn't have all of that becomes prohibitive. I plan to scratch out the costs of both setups to figure out actual cost versus benefit.

 

[XR7-4.6]

But the cost of that since I didn't have all of that becomes prohibitive. I plan to scratch out the costs of both setups to figure out actual cost versus benefit.

See for me this prospect plays into my durability montra. I simply do not trust these Holley(or most any aftermarket EFI) systems to last the way a EEC IV or V Ford computer would.

But I just don’t like Holley in general, if I had a carbed car I’d run a Edelbrock or a quadrajet or a thermoquad over their one trick pony junk.

 

[MadMikeyL]

I would never run one of those aftermarket distributors. I have seen more than a few cars towed in with aftermarket distributors and no spark, and if that happens in this case, you are dead in the water while you wait for another one, and that’s if Holley doesn’t decide to stop making them. If you really want to run that manifold, I would run the Explorer ECM, which gives you DIS with a cam sensor so no distributor clearance to worry about.

 

[XR7-4.6]

I would never run one of those aftermarket distributors. I have seen more than a few cars towed in with aftermarket distributors and no spark, and if that happens in this case, you are dead in the water while you wait for another one, and that’s if Holley doesn’t decide to stop making them. If you really want to run that manifold, I would run the Explorer ECM, which gives you DIS with a cam sensor so no distributor clearance to worry about.

Exactly. Explorer EEC is a $50 junkyard part, coil packs are dime a dozen, same as any 91-98 4.6 and they last forever. I’m not sure the quarter horse you have will work on the EEC(being a glutton for punishment with SCT) but one way or another the Explorer EEC is readily flashable for far less than $2,000

 

[MadMikeyL]

I should also mention that I’m pretty sure Ethan managed to run the Explorer 5.0 off a T-bird 4.6 ECM, so if you go that route, you can definitely still tune it with the quarterhorse.