Sucessful brake overhaul and the subsequent crash!!
 

This happened on my 1965 Falcon yesterday.
I replaced the rear wheel cylinders with new ones, the brake shoes with best-I-could-buy Bendix, all new hardware(springs retainers etc.) turned and trued FOMOCO NOS drums. System completely flushed and fresh brake fluid installed. System bled and brakes adjusted, test drive and final tweaking completed about 10 pm last evening.
So six am this morning I am in the 300E about to leave for work. I look over in the next stall and the Falcon sitting there shiney and ready to go. O.K. I know it has good brakes now and needs to be driven so I swap cars.
Falcon is started and warming under fast idle (this is a heavily cammed motor) and garage door opened. Check the rearview and see nothing but darkness. Shift to reverse and back briskly about six feet into the front bumper of my son's pickup truck!!!!
OMG!! I DID NOT DO THAT!?!?!?!?!
Oh well, bent bumpers and pride mangled, but stuff happens, right?

Proves one thing..........don't get up before 8.00 am. ;)

We all make mistakes
 

Back in 1989, I backed my VW Golf into my 1984 F350 4 X 4 pick-up truck. I loved that awesome truck and I remember being very angry about it. It was a snowy day and I proceeded to just beat my VW to death. I was sliding and spinning that car for all it was worth. I actually was hoping I would destroy my VW. Of course it was my fault, but I was venting on my VW. I like to think that I am more sensible now. After all I have a family and a real job, so I try to act like a grown-up.

Just trying to say that we all make mistakes.

In case anyone is wondering why I posted this in the Tech Help forum, it just goes to prove that there are three things involved in any repair;
1. Knowledge of the procedure
2. Good replacement parts
3. Always make sure there is nothing parked in your way before you drive off!!! :eek: ;)

If it makes you feel any better.
Some 30 years ago, I spent 1/2 day fitting a nice fiberglass front spoiler on my Firebird.
Drove the car about 50 feet..................you guessed it, into a parking curb. :mad:

Sorry to here about the "accident"! My step-father has this '65 Futura wagon (sorry about the low-quality pic) and a matching one is in restoration for my mother!

Great looking car!! Do yall know about the Falcon Club of America???

At least you opened the garage door! Don't ask!

Andy

Carageous - They (my step-dad and mom) are members and live in Charlotte, NC. If you'd like to contact and talk shop, the e-mail is frdwrnch@aol.com . Dad's name is Russell.

I used to own a '62 Futura with a 170 6cyl and a (very rare!) factory 4-speed. It was black with tan interior and had the optional "Thunderbird" roof line (squared-off at back window). I kick myself every day for having gotten rid of it.

Klaus

Oh no.... My bike WAS on top:eek:

Another Kodak moment...

falcons are fun to work on
 

Folks,

I put myself through college in Buffalo, NY working at an autoparts store and fixing minor stuff on friends cars. The parts store gave me great prices (below what they charged most commercial customers). Each week I would leave with over $100 in parts (at 1973 prices) from my $1.85 / hour job for working on other folks cars.

One friend had a 63 falcon, "cupcake" I believe was her name. I did all the brakes, tune-up and many other things over the course of a year or so. The starter died and the friend's brother had another Falcon with a bad motor, but good starter. The 170 ci 6's were so easy to work on I swapped good for bad in 45 minutes ( 2 removals - 2 installs). Just lean over the fender and 2 bolts + 1 wire.

Another friend of mine also worked at the parts store and did mostly car painting to pay for college- in lovely Buffalo. He had the ultimate luxury of a large heated garage. We jointly were going to do a brake job on a beautiful '76 boat-tail Buick Riviera. We each did a side in about 30 minutes. Hustling to get it out of the garage for the next job I fired up the 455 and got ready to backup as the garage door was going up. Lucky the door was far enough up cause I hit reverse and had not pumped up the calipers yet. The car is rolling back toward MY CAR. Pump, no brake pedal. Pump Pump, no brake pedal. Pump Pump Pump PUMP! It finally stopped just short. Whew.

Chuck