New 66-Bird Owner

[GregHowe]

My girlfriend bought me a 66 Towne Landau about a month ago. It is maroon with a black vinyl top and is just starting to show a little dry rot. The body is in good condition with the original paint. You can tell where it has been buffed out over the years and has some nicks and dings. There is a little rust coming through the rear quarter panels. The engine runs great except I think the secondaries diaphram is old and dried and can't get it to kick in when I floor the accelerator. It does if I give it a helping on the secondary linkage. There is no power windows but has power locks and no A/C. The donut gasket on the exhaust manifold on the passenger side leaks. I had a new one put in and it sounded great for day, the next day I started it and the leak was back. The tranmission is flawless. The steering column is a little loose and the right turn signal return does not work, the left is fine. The interior looks great except for the carpeting need to be replaced from dry rot and the two front seats need to be recovered and the kick panels need to be replaced because someone installed 6" round speakers in them and cracked them. The uncarriage is solid. Need to replace the upper and lower ball joints, they are on order. The brakes are in great shape and I replaced the all the tires already. The rear bumper needs to be straightened a little since it looks like someone might have backed into something. The weather stripping around the inside of the trunk opening, door windows and wings need to be replaced. The guy who sold it to her wanted $5500 and she got him down to $4800. I got an estimate from a real stickler on paint jobs of a range from 5K to 10K.

Here are a couple of questions to the forum:

1. Is my analysis of the secondaries correct?
2. How can I tell the difference between the Ford and Holley carb?
3. Do you think she paid too much?

I know I have a little work ahead of myself but I think it is all worth it when I am done.

 

[tbird5866]

It's hard to comment on the secondaries not knowing if you have a Holley or an Autolite carburetor. The Holley carburetor has removable fuel bowles on the front and rear of the carburetor. The Autolite (Ford) has the fuel bowls cast as part of the carburetor body. That info should help you decide on carburetor make. If you have an Autolite, I hope you are not trying to open the secondaries with the car standing still. I have never dared to try that. On the Autolite, secondaries are opened when the flow of air in the rear barrels is sufficient to cause vacuum to the secondary diaphram to work the links. I think Holleys are mechanical. The problem with the non-cancelling RH turn signal is a gone south sleeve around the steering shaft bearing under the steering wheel. Harley, Fordman

 

[GregHowe]

Thanks for your reply. I did to that with the car standing still. It was not a big deal. I believe it is an Autolite carburator since there are no external fuel bowls, just one line going in from the fuel pump. I have tried to get the secondaries to open at variuos speeds to no avail. I think that the car sat around for a while since it only has 77K miles and the diaphram may have stiffened up. Would it be worth replacing the Autolite carburator with a Holley or to rebuild the Autolite? Would I gain anything with a Holley?

 

[Joe Vandatta]

I have rebuilt the autolite on my 66 with good results. If you get a kit, be sure to get one with the secondary diaphragm included in the kit and follow the insructions that come with the kit.
Joe

 

[tbird5866]

Can you open the secondaries without the engine running? They should not open without the primaries being off idle. There is a lock-out. Usually, the reason the secondaries fail to open is a vacuum leak. Rebuilding a Autolite carburetor is not difficult. Follow the instructions and be sure you don't have any vacuum leak at the secondary diaphram cover. Good luck.

 

[GregHowe]

I can open the secondaries with a helping hand with the engine off. If I just push the throttle wide open with the car off, they do not open. Is there a vacuum hose that is supposed to go to the carburator? I don't see any on it. I am thinking of getting a rebuild kit from Thunderbird Headquarters plus the secondary diaphram.

Thanks tbird and Joe for your input.

 

[Joe Vandatta]

The vacuum line to the secondary is internal and as the Fordman says you cant have any leaks. I think you should get a rebuilt as it will come with all the essential parts replaced.
Joe

 

[GregHowe]

I bought another 66 with the carborator and swapped them out. The secondaries on the second still won't open. How do you check for a vacuum leak? There are no hoses going to the carb. Also, after swapping out carbs, the engine seems to run nice and smooth with good power. After the engine heats up and you stop the car, the speed of the engine is very high. I adjusted it to be slower but if you sit for a few minutes, it seems to be loading up until you press on the gas to unload it. Thenit is alright for a couple more minutes. Any suggestions? Was thinking about replacing the Autolite car with a Holley but not sure what part number.