Working on the red Cougar...

Grog6

Grog6

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Sep 22, 2023
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Location
Harriman, TN
Vehicle Details
2x 1996 Cougars, 1997 Tbird 4.6's all.
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I'm working the hit list for the red Cougar; task for today is the gas tank being emptied. There's a hazmat cleanup saturday, so I'm getting rid of 10 gallons of 14 yo gas. :) The 3yo gas in Lazarus is fine; I ran a couple of gallons out the other day. It rattles BAD over about 3k rpm, lol. I've decided I have to move the red Cougar before I pull the motor on the black one. So, to finish all the bs is top priority.
Current hit list:
**************** Add new battery reloc wires to firewall, with weather seal.
Add Wideband wires to firewall. With weather seal this time.
Replace Stereo RCA cables with new monster cables.
Add ferrules to speaker wires at amp.
New Amp turnon line from switch panel.
Fan turnon wire from panel.

Parts needed: Nutsert set. 8mm for battery holddown.
Din panel for wideband. Racecougar panels box stolen (switches and panels. Replace wideband panel . add tuner power connections to red Cougar.
 
I use nut-serts and PEM nuts all over the place, but I'd advise against using them to retain a battery. They could rip out of the sheetmetal in an accident, and they won't pass tech (if you take the car to a track).

The panels I made for you were stolen? Didn't I do a couple of engine turned panels for you waaaay back?
 
I was worried about the LSCs gas when I got it, for all I know it was a 1/4 at 3-4 years old. No way to know, the previous owner was rehomed and not the one selling it. Filled it up with premium before i left across state, it ran great. [Averaged 29 mpg on the interstate!] I took it to emissions station the next day because I had taken that day off too. It was nerve racking, because they make you sit and idle your car in a huge line for like an hour. After about 30 minutes, every once and a while the engine would shake the car really bad for 2-3 minutes and stop. You think that was the bad gas? I was thinking PLEASE don't do this shit when its getting smogged.

It's worse than the DMV, and required a follow up visit to the DMV. What a day that wasn't. The chick checking the evap system was geeking out over it though, she liked it a lot
 
racecougar said:
I use nut-serts and PEM nuts all over the place, but I'd advise against using them to retain a battery. They could rip out of the sheetmetal in an accident, and they won't pass tech (if you take the car to a track).

The panels I made for you were stolen? Didn't I do a couple of engine turned panels for you waaaay back?
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Yes, they were really nice, too. I use the silver one with one hole in Lazaus; its been in for years. The other two, a silver with two holes and a black one with one, were in a box with some switches and other stuff, and that box was one more thing that was stolen by an ex friend, while I was in the hospital recovering from a stroke. Any chance you would sell me another? I'll find a better way to anchor the battery. I'll use something that can't pull out.
I've got some steel plates that I can put under the trunk metal, that I can drill and tap, and I ordered a strap to go across the top. I slung a gopro off the car in a curve, on one of my favorite drives. I'm not driving to that level, but I have hope and faith that I'll be able to.
I ran a da sander two days ago, and today I can't get my arms over my head, lol.
I'd love to buy another plate for a wideband. You do good work. And I'm really jealous of your shop!
 
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Well, I'm going to have to go another way getting the fuel out. I tried to get the stock one back, but I finally decided that if I kept going I was going to set it on fire. :) The pump locks up in either direction, after a few seconds. It lasted 28 years, and 223 k miles. If its replacement lasts that long, it'll never fail, as far as I'm concerned. :)
 
If you were to hook up a pump/siphon at the fuel filter, could you draw fuel out that way (assuming no air in the lines)?
 
It's possible. I'll try that before I try adding another fuel pump to the line, and seeing if I can pump thru it. IDK; I waited too long today to give up on the original pump; I need to get under it and look at the filler neck connection. I've had to replace the one on Lazarus, but that was 20 years ago now. If I can get access, I'll siphon it out in an hour.
 
I think I had to do that on the '96 when its pump died. The tank was too full for me to be able to drop it or take the pump hat out of the tank without massive spillage. IIRC I got a cheap hand-pump siphon kit from a parts store and was able to get a few gallons out the filler neck that way.
 
Grog6 said:
Any chance you would sell me another?
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I just don't get time to make parts anymore.

Grog6 said:
Well, I'm going to have to go another way getting the fuel out. I tried to get the stock one back, but I finally decided that if I kept going I was going to set it on fire. :) The pump locks up in either direction, after a few seconds. It lasted 28 years, and 223 k miles. If its replacement lasts that long, it'll never fail, as far as I'm concerned. :)
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Did you open up an access panel?
 
Not yet. Depends on how tomorrow goes. Crap; I'm glad you asked. I'm going to have to, since the pump died. I can't drop the tank where it is. Any chance you'd publish a traced outline of your gas pump hatch? You seem like the kind of guy that makes drawings first. :)
If nothing else, you were kind enough to post a pic. I'll use the nutserts for that; if they get ripped out there, that is the least of my problems.
I found a piece of steel, 1.5x6x.25" to put under the battery relocation. I tapped 4 8mm holes for the battery hold down, and 2 to hold the plate there, under the trunk metal.
Funny story: I went thru my raw materials bin looking for metal, and found a perfect piece of 'steel'. It was so hard, the drill didn't touch it, lol. It was a piece of tungsten, lol.
 
I spent yesterday working on the car, and today I Really can't move. I was sore yesterday; This morning, it took me 10 minutes to get out of bed, and to the bathroom across the hall. It's raining outside, cold, and generally crappy. I fed the cat, let him out, and I'm going back to bed.
 
Getting old is not for the faint of heart. I'm finally out of bed.
By the time I get the hood ready for paint, I should be in good shape, lol.
 
Just read this thread. You are right Grog, getting old is no fun. I had an injury back in 2015 that caused me to stop working in 2019. Almost anything I do that requires bending or twisting will hurt me for several days.

When I was taking out the tank of my Bird on Tuesday I was really proud of myself, using the newly acquired transmission jack. That is until after it was down all the way (still 3' off the ground) I bumped the tank and it fell off the jack, spilling about 4-5 gallons of gasoline all over my concrete floor (and my leg). I live in the country where nobody can see me so I quickly stripped to keep from getting gasoline burns on my leg. I hurt so bad on Wednesday that I didn't do a thing but watch TV.

I feel your pain!

So I suppose you have to be extremely careful not to puncture the tank when cutting the access hatch through the floor? I hate it you can't drop the tank where you are. It would make me cry to cut a hole in the floor.
 
I haven't been able to do it yet. :) I have an aversion. The tank is considerably softer, so you have to be careful cutting. I'm going to use a air nibbler; no risk of cutting the tank.
The car has been on stands since 2009; In that time, I put a new engine in it twice; it was actually easier to do by myself, the second time. If yu have the engine out, make sure the tc is in correctly, before you bolt the engine to the trans. If it's not, it won't turn.
 
When I lived in the city here, when we rode dirt bikes my mom made us strip out back, and hose off before we could go inside, lol. One of my neighbors called the cops because we were out back in the winter, and mom was spraying us off with a hose, lol. After a few years, there was a rise in my yard, where we cleaned us, and the bikes. :) Red clay mud stains permanently; I wore jeans until they fell apart in those days, and the blue would go away, but the iron-rust red outlasted the material, lol.
My front yard was mildly radioactive, from when we rode where we were not supposed to be, lol. I have seen a unshielded nuclear reactor on a tower, running. Thankfully, from 50 yards away, but that's still a heck of a dose. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/303930
 
GRWeldon said:
So I suppose you have to be extremely careful not to puncture the tank when cutting the access hatch through the floor? I hate it you can't drop the tank where you are. It would make me cry to cut a hole in the floor.
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The floor is easy to cut with a pair of tin snips. The tank is very difficult to cut using said tin snips. ;)
 
I definitely don't want to do it the easy way, a 4"cutoff wheel. :) I had some decent snips, If I still have them You don't know whats gone until you look for it. smh.
 
I got the air nibbler I ordered. :) First thing I've got to send back, lol. It will not cut metal. Not even aluminum. :)
 
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