Category Archives: technical

technical articles and how-to’s

Squarebird brake booster Update

OK folks, I have now installed 2 of these new booster and master assemblies with the brackets and all that I have designed and made. They install easily and work great. Very good power assist and feel to the brake pedal. The picture was taken to show the fit.

What I sell includes everything except for the lines. I even include the two fittings that go into the master as they are different from the standard small fittings. You keep the arm that goes inside the car to the brake pedal and the little plate that is between the mounting and the firewall,  everything else is included.

There is a separate set up for cars with air conditioning….. the mounting brackets are longer and move the booster farther away from the firewall so it clears the a/c box. I also include a new arm that connects to the pedal because that has to also be longer than a non a/c arm.

If you have patience you can install this complete and not have to bleed the brakes at the wheels as all the air will rise up through the master and bleed out up top.

Price for this complete set up is $425.00 for non a/c and $475.00 for cars with a/c. Shipping is extra.

email questions to me at    jdrax@tbirdranch.com

Frustrations with parts

I get frustrated when a part is not made correctly. I recently purchased a convertible top from a supplier and upon installation I find that the rear window is just not made correctly for this car. Three months ago I had the same problem with a top from the same company on the same model car. I ordered another top and find that it is exactly the same. That tells me that this company’s tops for this specific model are being made incorrectly. I contacted the manufacturer and was told that the top has to be correct because they are made from the ORIGINAL patterns. I send them photos and measurements etc  showing exactly what is wrong and what can be done to correct the problem. My supplier, in trying to help me contacts some installers in his area who politely tell him that they are not going to share any of their expertise “Tell him to take it to a professional installer”.  With 45 years of experience of working on  Thunderbirds and after installing many tops from lots of different manufacturers and finding that there is a specific problem in this one part of this top…………….. I should just take it to a professional installer! After all, WHAT DO I KNOW?

While it would be much easier for me to just order a different brand top an be done with it, I feel it isn’t fair to all the other customers out there that might purchase this top and end up with  a crappy installation because they assume the top is correct and do whatever they can just to get it on the car. So what if the zipper shows when the top is up? There is a time when someone has to do whatever it takes to make things right so that the rest of the world does not have to deal with the bad results of the wrong.

I know the frustrations you folks have when you get parts and find they do not work for what you are doing only to be told by someone that sells them, that they must be right, that is what is listed in the computer or catalog. Or you take your car to a shop and when it is not to your standards you are told that is just the way it is. And of course you should pay the bill because they SPENT THE TIME.

When you know you are right, be strong enough to do what it takes to prove it and make things right. We do not have to put people down or call names or anything else, we do have to prove that we are right though. Most of the time it is not about opinions, it is about facts. Take the time to get the right facts and then share them with those involved so that things get resolved for the better of all concerned.

I will let you all know how this turns out.

God bless

Sequential signal lights skipping

Got an email from a customer

i have some trouble whit my turn signal flash .. when i turn signal only 2 lamps flash back and no att frontfender at both sides do you now what it is best regard?

       ———————–
If you open up that package in the trunk there should be 3 items on the rubber flap
one is a large flat relay with about 10 wires on it and this is the signal light relay…… it switches the bulbs from brake light to signal lights……. usually not bad
the middle one is the brake light relay…….. if you have brake lights it is OK
the other one has a little motor with a white plastic switch box on it. This is the sequencer. if you pry off the cover for the plastic box you will find some small brass switches in there. One of them is not making good contact. Take some contact cleaner spray and hose it down good, then try it again. Many times that is all that it takes. You can also take that cam off the motor shaft and pull out the circuit board and clean each individual switch.
if you need any pieces, I have lots of them