Jackpot!

Topic: Jackpot! (Read 1580 times) previous topic - next topic

Jackpot!

December 12, 2010, 11:15:22 PM

So after the passing of my Grandfather earlier this year (March 1st) alot of his car stuff has been passed on to me. going to school for Automotive Service Technician helps too. my family dug up all of the old books from back in the day when my Grandpa bought a Fox body. After doing some digging through the books, i came up with his original Buyers Agreement from Metro Ford here in town For a 1988 Ford Thunderbird Sold by one Cecil Drover. (I barely remember this car, it was the one before his green '94 Bonneville.) I also found various other receipts for stuff like a new Ignition Module, and the like.

Included in the set Is:
1980 Car Shop Manual (Powertrain - Engine, Transmission, Driveshaft, Axle, Fuel, Cooling, Starting, Exhaust) For All Models
1980 Car Shop Manual (Body - Chassis - Electrical) For Fairmont, Zephyr, Thunderbird, Cougar (XR-7)
1980 Car Shop Manual ( Pre-Delivery - Maintenance - Lubrication - Emissions) For All Models
1980 Car Shop Manual (Engine Diagnosis - Emissions) For All Models
1980 "Do-It-Yourself Service Guide" for Thunderbird and Cougar
1983 thru 1988 Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar Haynes Automotive Repair Manual

These things have been so useful, Ive already used them to figure out that my Ford issue 2 barrel carb is MISSING yes MISSING the idle speed adjustment screw, all the hardware is there, but the backing plate and the screw are gone.

Jackpot!

Reply #1 – December 17, 2010, 10:30:40 PM

The factory manuals are great to have. I am sure you will get a ton of use out of them.

Jackpot!

Reply #2 – December 18, 2010, 01:17:35 AM

I have that same exact haynes manual. exact one just like it but you cant find it in gray today.

Jackpot!

Reply #3 – December 18, 2010, 03:54:34 AM

My grandfather worked for ford. Every car he ever bought he would go down to the line and get the full service manual set and 1 quart of paint. When he passed, we sold about 40 of those service manuals and threw out about as much paint. Made a killing on ebay.

He always tried to get deals on them. He would buy surplus police cruisers and whatnot. There was a story about some early 70s car he bought because the factory screwed up the paint. The dealers couldn't sell them because the paint was just pealing off the cars in the lot. He made my father sand it down, tape it up, and take it to earl shiebe (sp). Well, old earl didn't tell my pop that they wont mask anything......including the wheels. Gramps made him flip the tires inside out to hide the paint when he got it home.

Everything from a galaxy 500 fastback w/ police option to a 89 Sable. Not sure if he ever owned a fox. I'll have to ask my grandma.

Jackpot!

Reply #4 – December 23, 2010, 05:01:04 PM

wow, ^that would have been a gold mine. i would love to have a collection like that some day. i a bit of a fan of old literature.

Jackpot!

Reply #5 – December 24, 2010, 12:10:12 PM

Check out estate sales. I find all sorts of cool old stuff (street signs, old licence plates, how to books) for a couple bucks. Once I found a series of pictures from the 30s.

The first was of a bright shiny new Cadillac, A young man just out of the service and his wife.
The next three were of the Cadillac with the front end smashed in and the front window broken out. Apparently he was in good spirits though since one of the pictures was with him sitting in the driver seat holding up a glass of whiskey and chomping on a big cigar wearing a huge cowboy hat. Big grin on his face. Insurance must have been better back then.

I bought those and gave them to my uncle who sells antique photos. I wonder if he knows hes gracing rumpus rooms across the country in 3 picture series?