1972 Fury III 360 101498 miles

[1970FuryConv]

Some diff pics, 8 1/4, open, ratio unknown. topped gear oil with 80W-90

Still checking electrical issues.
Pulled the rear seat and left side quarter window panel, so I could check for a short in the intermediate wiring harness between the dash and the rear lighting wiring harness. Didn’t find anything wrong there, which is bad news because the shorts are upstream, under dash. Good news is that the floor under the real rear seat looks nice. Removing seat bottom is just push back to clear the 2 hooks and pull up.

Removing LS armrest and window crank helps give room to remove the top seat cushion

The top seat cushion has 2 mounting screws at the bottom and 3 hooks at the top. Once the mounting screws are removed, it’s lift up and take it out the door of the car

The Quarter window panel has a screw at the top front corner and a screw at the top rear corner and 2 clips at the front. Remove the 2 screws, pull the panel away from the support infrastructure so that the clips release, and you can remove the quarter window panel.

This rear door frame trim also has to come out

Superstructure

One last obstacle to removing the harness from behind its shield.
Remove the 2 screws holding the carpet to the superstructure, and then the wiring harness can be pulled out from behind its shield for examination. I was really hoping to find the shorts there, but no luck

 

[1970FuryConv]

Worked today, so didn't have much time. Spent an hour and a half carefully inspecting and then shielding the intermediate wiring harness for the rear lights in wire loom, also retesting for shorts, still none. Took 14 feet of wire loom. Lowes has 1/2" loom. 14' cost $5.22. Reinstalled the wiring harness from kick panel area back to rear of car.
Started with this after I took off all the old tape and cloth covering

Ended up with this

Connectors, 6 pin front conn in rear of pic

Looks good installed, not stock, but good

Rear connector, 4 pin/spade

Hope to put the rear seat back in tomorrow and start retesting rear light wiring harness, but very cold here

 

[1970FuryConv]

Was 12°F this morning. Warmed up over 30°F in the afternoon. Time to get going again. Cleaned rear seat cushions and quarter window panel on my work table. Used Marine Clean and then a Meguiar’s Vinyl Cleaner for removing residue & moisturizing. My wife helped me to reinstall everything, which is basically the reverse of the procedure above. The seat cushions are not very heavy, but they are awkward. It was awfully nice to have someone to help guide the other end into the car and into position. If you’re a bachelor doing this job, it doesn’t take very long and if you offered to buy the first 12 pack, I’m sure a friend would help.

A couple pictures, cleaned and reinstalled. Took the opportunity to replace a rusty window crank on the left side with a nice clean one from my stash.

Spent the rest of the afternoon looking for a short between the taillight wire and the right rear turn signal/brake light wire. Unfortunately, I have isolated it as somewhere up in the dash. Some disassembly required. I’ll report again tomorrow.

 

[1970FuryConv]

Sometimes I get lucky. My right side grill is cracked and warped at the crack. I saw this grill on eBay. I thought about it too much. The listing ended, and I thought it was sold. Other sellers are asking $125 used for this one piece. Ridiculous. This listing came back and was 33% off original price. I got this grill insert for $45.67 including shipped FedEx. Score!

I don’t understand it. The eBay listing correctly called this a right side 1972 fury grill insert, but after all the time it took to list this part, the seller didn’t even remove the incorrect taped-on year mark.

 

[1970FuryConv]

I kneel beside the open drivers door to perform electrical tests under the dash and at the kick panel connectors. If the key is in the ignition, there is always an annoying buzzing sound coming from somewhere under the dash. The obnoxious sound had to be found and eliminated. I realized that it was nothing more than a buzzer box that plugged into the top of the fuse box. I pulled the box out and all was calm and peaceful. The buzzer box will not be reinstalled. Wonder why someone put up with it for 46 years.

On to the main problem before driving, no right side brake lights:
The car has right rear turn signal lights, so I was assuming that there was some kind of short such that the wire which carries the turn signal light electricity could not handle the electricity for the brake lights. Under the steering column, I back probed the connector for the brown wire for the right rear turn signals and brakes, depressing the brake pedal with my hand and then starting the car and operating the turn signal, but got 0.0 V. I then cut the same wire on the output side of the connector, thinking that my back probing wasn’t effective. I got the same result: 0.0 V. It turns out that I had right rear turn signal because somebody spliced in the tan front right turn signal wire to the rear right turn signal wire circuit. Basically I need a new turn signal switch to be street legal.

 

[DeltaV]

Do your emergency flashers still work with that "buzzer box" unplugged?

 

[1970FuryConv]

Good question: I checked everything but the hazzard lights. I'll let you know.

 

[1970FuryConv]

Main problem with legal driving is no right side rear turn signal or brake lights. Isolated problem to Turn signal switch. I removed it today.

Flat blade SD to remove horn center

3 screws & 2 wires to remove horn button assembly

Loosen nut and pull steering wheel

Turn signal switch looks good. Removed turn signal lever by removing that black bolt on left. Removed retaining ring by removing 3 screws.

Removed this wire guard, 2 screws at top

Remove turn signal switch with wiring. Turned blue connector sideways and removed turn signal wiring thru the long slot at the bottom of the lock housing opening

Dark Brown wire is culprit. .3 ohms continuity from contact to blue connector pin.

Need a full right side turn signal continuity test and then maybe do some cleaning. $180 new TS switch is expensive.

 

[1970FuryConv]

Turn signal switch: RR turn signal works after cleaning the rivet for the wire and soaking it in Electric Cleaner. Reinstalled in car. RR brake lights are still not working.
Decided to work on removing headlight switch. Need to see the under dash wiring too. Someone just slapped this dash back together after they got sick of it or angry at it. They broke up everything and left stuff loose. You will see as you look at these pictures. Same MO with rear bumper, taillights, kickdown linkage, accelerator cable, carb choke, coolant, charging system, spark plug wires.
Instrument Cluster Panel Cracked at faux wood surround and by HL switch

Radio Heat trim panel

Bent top heater control knob against bottom

Spanner Nut for HL, MIA

Trans Dial Pointer bent when someone haphazardly shoved column back in place

If someone's mad at a car, he should look in the mirror. 99% of the time it's the mechanic's fault. Get a shop manual before working on a car. Read the manual. This Fury is 46 tears old. It's bound have electrical stuff break. Don't break more stuff because of anger. If you lose it, Go have a beer, or a vodka like I do. Simmer down, then come back and work through the problems one at a time.
This is a nice car. There was no reason to mistreat it.

 

[Wollfen]

Some people don't get mad...they get even.

 

[1970FuryConv]

Some people don't get mad...they get even.

LOL. I have the previous owner's address. I tried writing him for info about the car. No response. I was thinking of fixing all the problems then writing him to says what a joy it is to drive the car. How would you get even?

Also, do you have the HL spanner nut, Radio/Heat Trim Panel, or Trans Dial Pointer? Just thought I'd ask. The guy in CA you pointed me to probably has all 3. I may go to him for a package deal. I have his phone #.

I'm probably going to get the instrument cluster bezel panel repaired. Interesting oddball, no AC with rear defrost. Would like to send a radio trim panel with it.

 

[1970FuryConv]

Head lights blink off and on. Checked entire engine compartment wiring harness, dimmer circuit, all good. Despite all the exposed wiring under dash, I believe it's a cheap new switch. Since the main cluster bezel is busted up at the top and since the wires need some organization, I thought it was a good time to take the dash apart. Pics Below

Look my speedo cable has a tongue. It was stuck in the speedo. Pulled out when I pulled instrument cluster forward

Tape marks with big letters

Tongue pushed back in. Wonder if cable will still work?

On a work table

Spanner nut on HL switch. I only thought it was missing because the cheap aftermarket switch didn't allow the knob to close flush to the instrument cluster bezel panel.

Headlight Switch Terminals

The one by my pencil is the only one not used. Also, I guess the brass contact is a ground. No wires connected to it.

Ug, Top of My Dash. I'm going to see if it can be repaired. Good luck, right.

Instrument cluster before remove

 

[1970FuryConv]

Part number help request. Is it 3592052, 3592053, 3592054, 3592055. I think we can eliminate the latter 2 #s, because they are with AC. I'm guessing that 3592052 would be standard without rear window defog. Since mine has that option and is an upgrade, I'm guessing 3592053. Does anyone know?

 

[1970FuryConv]

Sent off pics of my Instrument Cluster Bezel/Trim Panel to Vacuum Orna-Metal in Romulus Michigan to see if it can be repaired. Holding onto my wallet and expecting a high price=wallet evac. Top of the panel is busted up.

 

[Wollfen]

Try a wanted ad here on FCBO, someone might have a spare one that hasn't seen this thread.

 

[1970FuryConv]

Try a wanted ad here on FCBO, someone might have a spare one that hasn't seen this thread.

Good idea! Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
BTW, I contacted Troy, the guy in California that you referred me to. He has the wrong panel (AC, no rear defrost), but he's got the radio/heat panel. May buy his instrument cluster for spare parts, also his left taillight housing. He's supposed to strip the car next week and send all the big stuff to the crusher. Wish I was closer by, I'd consider buying the whole car. He's going to send pics and prices

 

[1970FuryConv]

Update for last 3 days
· Speedometer cable checked out okay. Turn the cable end a quarter turn clockwise and it snapped back into position once I released it from my needle nose pliers.
· Headlight wiring: okay, no shorts with the headlight switch removed
· Instrument cluster – trim panel: still working on repair or replace
· Engine ID: I have a small block, so I sanded under the front of the left side head. Unfortunately the stamped lettering is very faint or sanded away. I thought I could make out W 360 845. 360 makes sense, but the rest does not. After I get done with the electrical stuff, I need to get under the car and check and see if the VIN number matches the number on the engine and the trans. Hard to see the cast displacement on the left side of the engine with the starter and exhaust manifold in place.
· Turn signal switch: I found a spare turn signal switch assembly from a 1970 Sport Fury that I disassembled for parts. The great news is that all the resistances were okay, so I don’t have to spend $180 for a new turn signal switch assembly.

· Taillight housing: most of my taillight housing to bumper bolts were missing. I believe I need 5/8 thread length, 10 – 24 thread pitch, so I’m headed to the hardware store to buy 6 of those tomorrow. Tested both taillight housings, no socket shorted to ground, no cross circuit shorts, so the housings are probably okay. 3 sockets have been repaired. One annoying thing is that the socket repair wires are black both sides for the TL/TS/BL sockets.

 

[commando1]

I believe I need 5/8 thread length, 10 – 24 thread pitch, so I’m headed to the hardware store to buy 6 of those tomorrow.

All you will find is 1/2 and 3/4.

 

[1970FuryConv]

All you will find is 1/2 and 3/4.

Hi Stan, they had them in 5/8 thread length with 10-24 pitch. I spent a whopping $1.90. This store has a great selection of fasteners. I've been using them for years.

Today, I was working on my bumper jack. I cleaned the galvanized metal with a wire wheel. Brad's NOS was advertising a hook for the car on ebay, so I went out to take a look. Bumper slots, no hook required.
Front Slot

Rear Slot

Probably, the jack s/b gray, not green

Jack up close

I think the mounting stud goes through that hole below DOWN. If anyone has a diagram for spare tire mount, please let me see it. I may be missing a clamp for the tire iron.

 

[1970FuryConv]

Posted a separate thread on spare tire mount
1972 Fury Spare Tire Mount
2-14-18 I drove to NC, to see Gary. I took the door panels and quarter window panels from a 1970 Sport Fury. I also took the 1972 Fury dash panels that were all broken up. Essentially, I traded the door panels and quarter window panels, plus delivery, for restoration of my instrument cluster dash panel.
2-15-18 I drove my 1990 W150 to work today. The water pump bearing gave out on the way home. Oil and antifreeze sprayed out sideways in both directions. If it had just been a loose fan or fan clutch, this oil wouldn’t of sprayed out from the front of the water pump. Towed home at a cost of $75. The pulley mount of the water pump could be shifted forward and backward. It was screeching terribly. I was lucky that it didn’t damage the new radiator. Fortunately the fan couldn’t rock that far forward, but it looked like it was about to break off from the WP
Anyway, put a new battery clamp that I got from AMS on ebay for $19.45 on the 1972 Fury. Didn't get to do much else.
Old & New