Oh Boy! Another barn find.

[shady]

Only this one's mine. Local car, knew it from new, one owner. Tried to buy it for 40 years but the owner said no. Run into him a few weeks ago and he said maybe. Made him an offer he couldn't refuse and he said sold. Four door hardtop XL, 352 and always garage kept. Parked it in '79 because of the gas crunch and never ran it again. Time has been tough on the old gal, but maybe she can be saved. Motor is seized, mice crap and mold everywhere but the interior is mint including the padded dash. The bright work and rubber is mint. Some usual east coast rust, but nothing fatal. Seems he had a gauge and horn fetish, but what a cool car. Even the plug wires are original.

[turbohunter]

Is that a Sun tach? Can’t quite tell.
Anyway great car. Love the interior and it looks straight.

[shady]

nope, in my mind I always thought it was a Rotunda. I remember that tach from 40 years ago. Turns out it is a Rac. Red line was set at a blistering 3500. The other gauge to the left is a vacuum & the gauge to the right is an altimeter. Just in case he gets it up in the air.

[gdaddy01]

my goodness , that thing is cool . did not know a xl 4 door was made .

[shady]

I'm hoping to get her home next weekend. I finally got all four wheels loose today, so she rolls. I'll get some pics when I have it cleaned up. As for sitting for 40 years, even the windshield wipers are good. I always wondered why there were two lines coming from the right side exhaust manifold, this one still has them, so once I get the air cleaner off we'll see where the second one goes. The first is a heat line for the choke. I am pretty sure you could only get the four door XL in a four door hard-top. Same for '64.

[machoneman]

I'm hoping to get her home next weekend. I finally got all four wheels loose today, so she rolls. I'll get some pics when I have it cleaned up. As for sitting for 40 years, even the windshield wipers are good. I always wondered why there were two lines coming from the right side exhaust manifold, this one still has them, so once I get the air cleaner off we'll see where the second one goes. The first is a heat line for the choke. I am pretty sure you could only get the four door XL in a four door hard-top. Same for '64.

IIRC, one line is merely for fresh air in, the other for heated air out the heat stove (w/bi-metallic spring for the choke) next to the carb. It's a loop essentially.

[shady]

OK, we got her home, time for the clean up. I stuck a battery in to see what worked & didn't work. Banged the starter a few times and she started to crank, (woo-hoo). Pulled the plugs (thanks Kroil) & squirted some MM oil in the holes.  Changed the plugs & wires, points, condenser, oil  & filter with some 5w-20 I had from another job & cranked her over until I had oil pressure. Carb is majorly dicked, but gave it a shot of ether & it fired up for a second.  Didn't get a chance to continue but I'll swap carbs. & fuel pump this weekend and see if we can't make some smoke. BTW the fuel pump is original with the crimped hose clamps & red canister, which I hate to disturb. I am kind of digging the weak spring stance though.

[machoneman]

Nah! You want the tail end up. Besides, if one should break you'll be in real trouble down the road. Nice! Hope it cleans up well!

[shady]

Got her running today, runs nice an occasional lifter tick that comes & goes, but that's just letting you know it's an FE. Cleaning up nicely but smelling bad. Got to get the back seat out and get the mice nests from under that. Next on the list is change out the radiator, belts & hoses, drop the gas tank & see what that looks like.  Then it's on to the brakes & change those pesky valve seals.

[mbrunson427]

That's great how well it's cleaning up!

Couple tricks I've put to work on my '62... Adams polishes makes a charcoal bag that grabs some of the odors, I've been pretty happy with it. K&N Air filter cleaner works wonders on the interior to grab dirt out of the seat upholstery. One of my friends that owns a hot rod shop suggested that to me and I just happened to have some in my cabinet, works great.

Here's the charcoal bag:
https://adamspolishes.com/review/product/list/id/1430/category/110/

[Heo]

Whats realy work good on odors is to put in a bowl
of vinegar.My son bought a Volvo that smelled like you
have showed up cigaret buts in your nostrills a bowl
of vinegar overnight and smell was gone. And the vinegar
turned brown

[shady]

Well the '63 is going up and down the road. Unfortunately the old owner took a fall last week and is in a nursing home for rehab. I promised him a ride in it so I may have to pick him up there or at least wheel him out to look at it. I'll post some pics once the weather gets nice around here. He found the original title and I had applied to the state for a duplicate so I could keep the original one. He also said he had the window sticker, but the one he gave me was for a '59 Galaxie he traded on the '63. So if you ever wondered what the arithmetic was on a '59, here it is.

[475fetoploader]

$3,500 wont put a down payment on a car today, and the cars are no where near as cool. Makes no sense.

[475fetoploader]

Congratulations and nice work firing the old girl up.

[57 lima bean]

     Town Sedan is a four door HT...Interesting.And no charge for an oil filter.Very nice.

[6667fan]

Sure made 'em plush back then. Nice to finally get your hands on her.

JB

[shady]

Well, she's all legal and going up and down the road. Really drives nice too. I finally put some load levelers on all four corners, flipped the shackles and twisted a few spacers in the front coils to get her level. Mr. Leroy made it out of the nursing home a day before lock down. Usually when you go there at age 95, it's a one way trip, but the tough old bird made it through it. Now this cornhola-19 crap has us on hold for his ride in it. Hopefully things will work out ok for everybody.