'62 Galaxie Progress Report

[mbrunson427]

It's been a while since I've posted anything about this car, I've been gaining some traction on it lately, so here's an update.

As a reminder, here's how the car looked when I got it out of the storage barn last spring. Car has been owned by my family since either '93 or '94 and parked in this barn about a week after my uncle bought it. I was 5 at the time, but everyone says the car smoked like a freight train. I didn't even try to start it, just yanked the engine out. Car has original paint and original interior, 100% bone stock with the exception of an 8-track player, some speakers hanging under the dash, and a couple gauges.


I've done quite a bit of cleaning on it, but this weekend is the first time that the car has been out in the sun since I got the paint all buffed out and cleaned up.


Gear Vendor Toploader showed up about a month ago. This install isn't as straightforward as I wished it was. I have a picture below of the mounting ears with the mount bracket held up to it, the ears are the wrong width. I'll be playing with the mount to get that right. The shifter also wasn't in the right position, David Kee already fixed that though. I found a push/pull switch from an MG that I modified to fit a Ford cable pull overdrive handle to, when pulled it should turn the OD unit on.


The middle gauge here was my Grandpa's. He had it installed in his '63 Galaxie, and then later installed in his '67 Mustang. The gauge was laying in a random box of old parts, I decided to incorporate it into the car. Found matching oil pressure, water temp, and tach (the tach is being re-worked by Williamson's Instruments to allow use of the new Pertonix Ignitor III ignition). The gauge panel I'm going to try to engine turn to match the dash, found some cratex engine turning sticks for the mill so we'll see how that goes.


Parts have started to accumulate in the basement, here's a couple of the more fun things. I think I've decided on installing the 390 badges on the side of the car over the 428 ones (it will be a stroked 428). I don't completely like how the red clashes with the paint, but that is what it came with...

[Heo]

Looking good

[RustyCrankshaft]

That care really cleaned up nicely! Cool gauges too.

There are a couple options for converting old tachs now as well besides sending them out (although Williamson's does a fine job). You can get a a pre-built driver board from Tom at Anthony's (tom@anthony-labs.com). I've used about a dozen boards from him at this point I think. They are small enough to mount inside a dash cup mount or you can put them inside an old Sun or SW tach drive module.

There's a guy in Washington that can repair the meter movements for very reasonable as well, Jerry catclock@msn.com.

You aren't restoring the 8 track are you?

[mbrunson427]

Looking good

Thank you!

[mbrunson427]

That care really cleaned up nicely! Cool gauges too.

There are a couple options for converting old tachs now as well besides sending them out (although Williamson's does a fine job). You can get a a pre-built driver board from Tom at Anthony's (tom@anthony-labs.com). I've used about a dozen boards from him at this point I think. They are small enough to mount inside a dash cup mount or you can put them inside an old Sun or SW tach drive module.

There's a guy in Washington that can repair the meter movements for very reasonable as well, Jerry catclock@msn.com.

You aren't restoring the 8 track are you?

Thank you!

I did a bit of poking around online to try and figure the tach out. After searching I decided to call Williamson’s, he talked to me for about 5 minutes and I ended up saying OK how about you do it.

Funny you ask about the 8 track. My dad has a fascination with them. He has collected some Philco units and we’ve kicked around maybe installing one. We’ll see

[drdano]

Dang thats a great looking '62, that color is just great.  Did you end up repainting the engine compartment, or is that just how nice it came out cleaning it?  The underside of my hood is quite awful, haven't figured out how to approach even trying to clean it yet.

[mbrunson427]

Dang thats a great looking '62, that color is just great.  Did you end up repainting the engine compartment, or is that just how nice it came out cleaning it?  The underside of my hood is quite awful, haven't figured out how to approach even trying to clean it yet.

Thank you! I haven't done much other than spray some simple green on the engine compartment so far. I'm going to give it my best shot just cleaning it, I'll see how it comes out and decide whether or not I need to paint it all up. Trying my best to keep the car original and untouched. Sometimes I think the "survivor" look is cooler than the show car built-like-a-model look.

[RustyCrankshaft]

Dang thats a great looking '62, that color is just great.  Did you end up repainting the engine compartment, or is that just how nice it came out cleaning it?  The underside of my hood is quite awful, haven't figured out how to approach even trying to clean it yet.

Thank you! I haven't done much other than spray some simple green on the engine compartment so far. I'm going to give it my best shot just cleaning it, I'll see how it comes out and decide whether or not I need to paint it all up. Trying my best to keep the car original and untouched. Sometimes I think the "survivor" look is cooler than the show car built-like-a-model look.

I agree. Your car from the pictures looks like it is in very good shape and there is something very cool about something that's 30-40-50-60+ years old that hasn't been restored and still looks and drives nice.

Nothing against show cars, and sometimes stuff needs to be restored - but some stuff I think should be left as is and just driven!

[e philpott]

Beautiful and 62 is my favorite year Galaxy! A set Cragar’s and call it done.

[mbrunson427]

I was pretty excited to receive this in the mail Monday. Williamson's Instruments did the whole thing. I picked the style and rpm range of gauge I wanted and they made it happen. The transmitter will sit on the fender apron, it wasn't necessary but it sort of fills a blank space on the drivers side apron.

[RustyCrankshaft]

They do nice work and your gauges are no exception, they turned out great!

I have a couple of those SW Tach's as well. Also have a similar unit from Autometer but can't find a part number on it.

[machoneman]

The body looks great! After rubbing on the engine compartment, I'd add a spray job in semi-gloss black before long.

[BruceS]

What specifically did the instrument Co. do for your SW tach?  And how does the transmitter connect to the engine and tach?

[mbrunson427]

What specifically did the instrument Co. do for your SW tach?  And how does the transmitter connect to the engine and tach?

They are able to screen print the lenses, so they can take a gauge body and update the face to look brand new. I believe this one started life as a 6000 rpm SW tach and he turned it into an 8000rpm tach for me and put the green line graphic on it.

As far as the internals go....here is my understanding, although RustyCrankshaft (sorry I don't know your name) will have a much better idea. An original SW or Sun tach don't like the new style ignition systems very much. Originally they were set up to get a signal from a set of points which create a square wave signal. The new stuff creates a peak wave. He installs a modern driver board that can accept the signal.

In my case, the modern driver board is now housed inside the red transmitter module. The tach is a dummy and just runs the needle. He could have installed the board inside the tach body as well, but I liked the idea of having the old school transmitter module. As far as wiring goes, I haven't got that far yet. The coil signal should just go to the red transmitter module on the fender apron. The positive and negative on the transmitter and gauge I haven't figured yet. Need to power it and ground it somewhere??

[BruceS]

I think for the the tach you're going to need a power, ground, and a signal wire from the transmitter. Also a power and ground for the light if you decide to light it.  Transmitter will need a wire from the coil, power, and ground.  Sound about right?