Gettysburg is an excellent destination for a Boy Scout trip. Looks like you had great weather for it. I live about an hour from Gettysburg and need to go through the battlefield tour again as it has been a number of years since I have done so. It is sobering what took place there.
Are you talking about the wire spring clips which hold the arm rest to the door panel? You should be able to buy them from any body shop supply house. They usually sell all the body and interior clips, hardware and such.
I"m sorry to hear of this rough turn in your life. I have been through a divorce. My son was only 5 ( he is now 29) and it was a rough time. Believe it or not I am a better person for all I have been through. It helped me to understand people and their actions much better. Time WILL heal the pain. As others have said keep your head up and move forward everyday. One day a door will open without warning (as this has happened) and a new happier chapter will begin in your life. By all means ask for help when you need it.
From what I have read they won't be manufacturing cars in Australia soon as they have for so many years so it stands to reason that FPV wouldn't continue also. I like the unique touch the decal adds.
Passing an emissions test would depend on whether it is just an idle test or if the car was run on a dyno and samples taken at various rpm points. I believe it would probably pass if it was just an idle test. All this does vary state to state and even within the state. Here in PA there are three different emission tests. It depends on where you live. If the tube down to the cat isn't hooked up, as he said, and it is open that may be causing the noise he is hearing.
That is the diverter valve for the air pump system. It directs the air from the air pump to either the catalytic converter or the tube connected to the back of the cylinder heads. It can be removed without any consequence to the way the car runs but the air pump should be removed along with it. You will have to install a shorter belt if the vehicle is new enough to have a serpentine belt which runs all of the accessories. If it is an earlier model with the thin belt which just runs the smog pump then just remove it. Removing the air pump will definitely prevent the cats from doing their job properly and will prevent you from passing an emissions test. I would check and make sure the check valves at the opposite ends of the hoses from the diverter valves are good. If they are leaking and allowing exhaust gases to be pushed up to the diverter valve it may cause it to make some strange noises. These check valves should still be available and are pretty cheap. These check valves are there to allow air from the pump to go through them but keep the exhaust gases from going up to the diverter valve as the heat would damage the valve and pump.
I am game for a get-together at a park. The cruise-in is cool but my T-Bird isn't a show car by any stretch of the imagination. I have never been to Codorus park but it looks to offer plenty of areas to picnic. I can be to Hanover in a little under an hour. Add another 20 minutes or so and I would be there.
I would be willing venture into northern Maryland for a get-together. I will say I have a pretty busy summer schedule so the date will probably be the tough part for me. A cookout at a park would be great. I would prefer a daytime get-together though.
