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Vintage audio

Posted by Andrew Lydecker on

Ok, it's not automotive in nature, but I still have an interest in vintage audio and it's one thing I keep a lookout for when I'm out and about.  I found these at a local Salvation Army thrift store.  One pair of Akai SW-170a loudspeakers. They were made in 1971 by Akai of Tokyo - a company known for their high quality reel to reel tape decks. They feature 6 speakers in a 5-way design including a 15 inch woofer, a 5 1/2 inch midrange, a horn tweeter, a 2 1/2 inch super tweeter, and two 3 inch super dome...

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Understanding Ford part numbers

Posted by Andrew Lydecker on

Part numbers are the holy grail of selling these old parts.   Without it, a part usually ends up in the swap meet pile.  Many older NORS replacement parts may have the part number, but without the manufacturer catalog, there is no way to tell what it fits. That said, Ford has employed a very logical and easy to follow part number system for most of its existence.  It consists of a 2-3 digit prefix which gives the year and model, a center portion which is a basic part number, and a suffix which tells which version of a given part. ...

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One of the cool things about these old parts

Posted by Andrew Lydecker on

I've been doing archaeology in one capacity or another for 27 years.  In a lot of ways, finding these old parts is just like my job - prying open old barns, looking in garages and basements, and opening boxes that have been closed for years, and trying to piece together what was once there. Today I opened a box from the recently acquired lot.  In it were 4 tail light lenses for a 1965 Ford Falcon, wrapped in a crumbling old newspaper.  It was clear to me they had been that way for a long time, since the newspaper was...

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140 MPH police speedometer for 1973 Ford LTD

Posted by Andrew Lydecker on

American car manufacturers typically offered versions of their full-sized sedans for purchase by police departments.  Ford was no exception and the LTD was a favorite.  The 1973 police interceptor special came standard with Ford's stout 460 big block V8 and a three speed automatic.  The 1973 version of the 460 produced considerably less power than the 1960s versions, with this one putting out 269 HP and 388 lb-ft of torque.  With a curb weight of 4540 lbs, this car was able to accelerate from 0-60 in 8.3 seconds and finish a quarter mile in 16.3 seconds, all while pulling down...

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Lot of NOS Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury parts from 1950s-1080s

Posted by Andrew Lydecker on

Just acquired this large lot of obsolete parts from up north.  There are bumpers, sheet metal, window glass, radios, and boxes and boxes of smaller parts.  I have yet to look through most of it.  Right now it's piled up in the garage, which is good incentive to start getting it listed, as it is in the way and preventing me from working on my race car.    

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