3 replies to this topic

[Delores]

Delores is a 95 Contour GL (Metallic Blue) with >180K miles...

She was given to me by my son. We needed a beater w/ a heater to keep the mileage off the 350Z (Sylvia) and he didn't need it anymore...

So for free- this is a great car!

I am quite pleased with the handling and the power is 'adequate' from the 4-gerbil and 5MT... ;)

She has the sunroof and a/c but no cruise and has manual window cranks... huh?

Me? I am a 20+ yr fighter jet mechanic and 30+ yr shade tree mechanic with a MS in engineering. So yeah, i hope to listen and learn from y'all and eventually contribute too...

The Fords I have owned are:
1981 Escort Wagon (w/ bad head & elmer's glue in the oil pan)
1986 Mustang (V6 with custom wheels and super-spiffy remote alarm system that would start and open the doors too. WAYCOOL),
1996 Mazda B3000 (=Ford Ranger. Took it over a .25M miles - with no problems.)

and (my favorite) a 1977 Ford Taunus (google it).


Current challenges on Delores are:
-find/fix a drain on the battery (i already found a 1 mA draw for the 'air pump')...
-disconnect the ABS light
-fix a remote mirror switch that will only translate the mirrors left or right (but not up or down...)
-replace the fan switch (i cut the connector and wired it to 'high' for my son so he could have heat... Now it is my problem. sigh.)
-broken gas cap door release means releasing it from inside the trunk. Must be a feature.
We'll see what else after MD inspection. Any guesses?

I already have done:
-Put a coffee cup holder on her (required by LAW to operate a vehicle! (or should be ;) )
-Pulled two broken wheel covers (one was missing and only one was good - probably will sell it soon...)
-Seafoam[tm] ed the engine and gas tank and a flush at the oil change... Good Stuff.
-Clear the haze off the headlight lens.
-Lubed the doors/hinges.

So.
Any help or guidance is appreciated!

-karl

[Comano]

Hello, welcome to the ORG

About the Taunus, I've seen it a lot in Argentina, I wasn't aware that it was sold in the US, how is that you got it?

[Delores]

I was stationed in Netherlands and bought one for around $300. Sold it for $100 two years later..

Ran great and fun to drive.

[Comano]

Interesting, my argentinean friends have the same impression of that car; nice and fun to drive.