Captain Obvious

Yeah, I'm just tossing out ideas. Not necessarily GOOD ideas... I can't really come up with anything definitive that would cause overadjusting of the rear brake. So what happens if the cylinder doesn't slide properly on the backing plate or if it's not centered properly between the two when you put the drum on? I know the whole thing is supposed to center properly the first time you hit the brakes, but what if... What if it doesn't? Is it possible that the piston extends and pushes the one shoe out too far against the drum. And is it also possible that the shoe itself pushes against the parking brake lever causing the ratchet arm to give the wheel a notch or two? Hit your brakes fifty times and you've got fifty teeth? I don't like that floating cylinder design and I'm just glad that my 77 doesn't have that style. I had enough of the early style with my 74. Maybe just keep an eye on it and hopefully it just won't happen again?

Neo Classic? How about chandeliers and a disco ball?

Haha!! I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

There are just so many places where things can shift over time. Combined with the open loop nature of the whole system? It's inevitable that it will go out of spec. I mean, c'mon!! It's forty years!! Springs to caps to silicon to solenoid valves to RTD's? Connectors all over the place? Who knows... Maybe the ECU is unchanged, but the dropping resistors changed over time? Inevitable I tell ya! I recently tweaked my AFM one tooth leaner. I don't have a wide-band, but my nose and my eyes were clearly telling me that I was running rich. I moved my AFM one tooth and it got a lot better. I'm actually surprised how dramatic of an effect I got with just one tooth. Fastwoman, Love the Magic Eye tubes. Haven't seen one of those in quite some time!

Mike, Too bad you can't make it. I'm sure there would have been some sort of honorary get together for you. As for the pics, I'm planning to take some, but I don't think I'll be technologically savvy enough to get them uploaded until after I get home from the show.

Haha! Great thinking!

How loud is one of those Bouncing Betty's? Can you work in the garage while it's on without going insane?

You know... I was gonna ask. It's my job after all! I should have asked. I should have asked. Glad you got the initial issue worked out, and I hope it stays worked out. I'm really unsure though how such a thing could have happened in the first place. The adjuster mechanism is pretty simple and it should be impossible for it to over tighten. I've never tried, so I don't know if it's even possible, but what are the chances that you got parts mixed up from one side to the other and the brakes are auto-adjusting when they shouldn't be? You've got the older floating cylinder design, right?

Yeah, I can go pretty far with the beauty is in the eye of the beholder philosophy, but sheesh... I would go one step further and suggest that they even crush the cars they were based on simply to assure that no more than those original 60 are ever ever ever built.

And now that you've googled it, can you guess what the answer was?

All those Z's and you can't find one to drive?

That's certainly a great option for some shade. Since I'm already over budget for the event, I'll ask SWMBO if I can free up some additional funds for that.

There are no electrolytic caps in any of the ECU's I've ever seen open. They are already film. While I wouldn't be surprised to find that the values have drifted some over the past 40 years, I don't think the caps are a big problem.

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it. You're going to have your car in the show(s), right?

Unfortunately I don't know how much voodoo is built into the AFM, Captain.

Excellent. I was just recently at a car show where it rained all day. And I mean ALL day. It's a lot more enjoyable when it's sunny... I do think though, that by the end of the day on Saturday on the tarmac at the airport, I'm going to be craving some shade. I'm thinking I might bring an umbrella to Saturday just to provide some mobile shade if necessary.

Well I think either of them look fine. However, that won't stop me from poking fun at your goofy looking wrong color engine at ZCON anyway.

Haha! So in other words, pretty much exactly the same kind of stuff that always happens. Good luck with the rest and hope you get done in time for Memphis!!

Gotcha! I'm not hung up on an exact match color wise, but how do you think that Dupli-Color Ford blue compares to the original blue?

Honestly, I don't even know what to say... http://newyork.craigslist.org/stn/cto/5112085516.html

You are clearly certifiable. BTW - Superlen had characterized a couple AFM's on his flow bench...

So your color target was Bud Light Blue?

Little bastard shot me right in the arse.

Gotcha on the check valve. So the brakes worked fine for some time before they started to tighten up? That's odd... Makes me think there might be something wrong with the check valve in the master cylinder. Are you sure it's both front corners and not just one side? I'm no expert, but I wouldn't expect it to be a mechanical issue with the pad pins. Problems with those could cause a little drag, but I don't think they would cause enough of a problem that you would notice it in the car being dragged down. I would also consider it unlikely that both rubber hoses collapsed inside at the same time. They do go bad, but both sides at the exact same time? Master cylinder check valve? Rebuilt caliper(s) that sat on the shelf so long that the pistons corroded up again? Good luck with the investigation.

Whaaaaaaaaat??