The Purchase

5/19/2011
My dad, who is just finishing up his own 19641/2 Mustang convertible restoration project, made the 11 hr trip from Clearwater, FL, rested for a couple of hours, and then joined me on the 22 hr round trip to bring the Belair back home.  He not only split the driving with me but had the knowledge to get the rear brakes unlocked so we could get the car out of the previous owner's garage.
Jason's Belair

5/20/2011
I quickly began making a list of items to work on, beginning with safety and infrastructure and ending with convenience and luxury.   An oil leak had to be addressed immediately and it appeared that it was leaking around the oil filter so I figured that an oil change should be first on the list.  I quickly learned my current oil filter wrench would not fit and the position of the filter would not allow me to use the friction strap wrench.  My neighbor, Aaron, contributed an old screwdriver and we broke out the hammer to drive it through the filter and loosen it up.  The over-tightened oil filter made me think that perhaps the leak was simply a matter of a damaged oil filter seal and the new filter appeared to do the trick.  We spent the next half hour or so joy-riding around the neighborhood and giving the neighbors rides.  As soon as the engine heated up the oil leak reappeared and it seemed to be coming from around the filter again.  We did not have easy access to a lift and it was getting late so I figured I would take it to a local mechanic for a head to toe  inspection and oil leak diagnosis.

5/22/2012
I stopped by the local auto parts store to pick up a drip pan, oil filter wrench and look for door lock knobs and got to talking with the owner about my oil leak problem.  He happened to specialize in late model Chevy engines and explained to me that the original oil filter was a canister that fit inside the engine and that a special adapter had been placed on the engine to allow a modern external screw type oil filter to be used.  Between this adapter and the engine is a square shouldered gasket.  The only way to buy one of these gaskets is as part of the original canister filter so I spent about seven bucks just to get the gasket.  My next task is to clean out the garage so I can fit the car inside and then I will tackle removing (and saving) the good oil, removing the oil filter adapter and replacing the gasket.  In the mean time, I have been rubbing the steering wheel with denatured alcohol on a rag and revealing the original steering wheel color (Larkspur Blue).  Pictures to follow.