Time for a little update
Since we sold the Firebird, I’ve been spending a little on the Lincoln. Finally ordered my glass kit, it comes with everything but the curved rear glass. Not going to install it until probably spring when the days are warmer. Bought the first of the AC stuff, a Vintage Air Compact unit. It has AC, heat, and defrost. Did a trial fit, have got to take out the factory heater box to make room for it like I figured I would. No big deal, but I’m running out of warm days, so that might have to wait until spring, too. Have to get the line kit anyway, plus a condenser and compressor.
I did do a major repair this week. I say major repair, it was cost wise anyway. My front brakes started grabbing real bad, so I pulled the drums to check, sure enough the shoes were almost down to the metal in spots. Then the fun started, finding brake shoes. None of the parts store list them, I had a few on different forums tell me this or that would fit, when I checked, none were correct. Finally found a set on eBay, $100! Dang, I remember brake shoes being about $25-30, guess when you play with out of the mainstream stuff it costs more. Got them in, started putting one set on, apparently I didn’t get the keeper clocked and locked, and one shot off. After looking for 30 minutes and not finding it, I went to the local parts store in hopes of finding some new keepers. You’d think such a generic part would be in stock, nope. We looked through every hardware kit they had, none would work. eBay again. Found a complete hardware set for 4 wheels, $50. Dang. Wait another week for that to get here. Put them on yesterday, kit worked, but the top two springs were 1” too short and a thicker gauge wire, no way to stretch them enough, so I had to use the old upper springs. They looked good, so they should be ok. Can’t believe it cost me over $150 just to do the front brakes. I could have spent $150 more and changed it to disc. Oh well, it stops good again