...for 10 years!!

Hi all. I'm new to the board and a new T-bird owner. I just picked up a 1966 Town Hardtop and am looking to get it in shape. First question of many, I'm sure: The car has been sitting in a garage for 10 years. I realize much prep work needs to be done before a start is attempted. First, I removed the carb and opened it up to find lots of gas sludge, I've cleaned it all out and am going to buy new diaphrams and such. If the carb was so gunked up with gas sludge, then the entire fuel system must be also. I will remove/clean the fuel pump and fuel lines but what about the gas tank. I was going to slosh some kerosene in there and see what comes out.

Any other suggestions? Advice? Thanks in advance.

Scott

1966 Town Hardtop

My '66 had a drain plug in the gas tank. I'd drain the tank. Radiator shops will refurb the gas tank and then you have a clean one. I would buy several fuel filters as you will likely have lots of rust.
(By the way, I used the gas from the tank mixed 50/50 with high octane gas and burned it in the lawn mower. Mine was too rusty to put in the running '65 I had. Mower didn't mind and a little more ecologically sound.)

Drain the crankcase and see what you have. Probably use a lighter weight oil for a very short time. You are going to have to change the oil anyway and something a little lighter will get into the channels more quickly. Change the filter too and fill it with oil before you screw it back on.

I have also read to use Marvel or some very light oil squirted in through the spark plug holes to provide some early lubrication. Crank the engine without spark for a 30 seconds or so to get all the systems pumped up.

Now, machine shop guys tell me, you will shortly be in for a rebuild anyway. The reason is, over this length of time, all the bearings have flattened and wear will be accelerated. But run the thing as long as it goes.

Good Luck.

great thread.


Tim

1964 - Conv Tbird
1994 - Caprice 9c1 (cop car)
1998 - Mitsubishi Eclipse conv

Vince covered good points, wish to add.Remove dist.and buy oil pump primer.Hook up drill motor to primer rod this will pressurize your oil system before start up and avoid a dry startup.CAUTION>>>>>>> I do believe drill must run counter clockwise same as dist. DANIEL

Great info. I was planning on some of that stuff like the oil in the cylinders and the drill/distributor trick. Someone also mentioned using a squirt of transmission fluid in the cylinders. I didn't think about a radiator shop re-furbing the gas tank, though. Hoping to get the fuel system finished this weekend if weather permits. Also, sad to say, the previous owner had the engine rebuilt right before he let it sit. Don't know much more details about that though. Thanks again. I'll keep posting on my progression! Can't wait to turn it over.

1966 Town Hardtop - project car
1986 Mustang GT - original owner - daily driver

Scott, noticed your addition to signature line. IMO the '86 GT was one of the best looking Mustang GT's made. Newest ones are nice the next generation is very nice. Sorry to the rest for the Mustang thread.

Vince
'66 Convertible (WIP)
'65 Mustang Coupe

And I noticed you added a signature Yeah, I like the 86 alot. I'm not that fond of 87 and up body styles but I do love the late 60s Mustangs.

Bought a carb tune up kit today so I'll finish the carb and clean the fuel pump this weekend. I need a battery so once that's installed, I'll squirt some oil in the plug holes and start cranking it with the plugs out.

What do you think the odds are the heater core is still good after all this idle time?

1966 Town Hardtop - project car
1986 Mustang GT - original owner - daily driver

SHEMP--MY 61 T-BIRD WAS SETTING IN COLO. FOR 9 YRS. LIKE YOURS .WE HAD GAS TANK CLEANED & REPAIRED,SHIPPED TO w-b.pa.tHE CARB KEPT CLOGGING UP AS SMALL RUST PARTICLES WERE BYPASSING THE IN LINE FILTER. fINALLY GOT NEW GAS TANK,FUEL LINES, & HOLLEY CARB.RUNS LIKE A BEAR.THE LINE WHICH RUNS THRU FRONT WHEEL WELL UP ALONG FRAME TO FUEL PUMP I CLEANED IT OUT BY RUNNING AN OLD SPEEDOMETER CABLE INSIDE ATTACHED TO 1/4 DRILL MOTOR. IT DID A GREAT JOB GOOD LUCK!