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Thread: 3811 begins her new life

  1. #11
    John Herrell Guest

    Default Bringing the car home, Day 1, St. Louis to St. Joe

    Didn't take delivery until noon. Then wanting to get in some miles today. It snowed in St. Louis this morning, but all moved out just before noon. Took wonderful (dry) back roads from St. Louis to Jeff City (highways 100 and 94), thence 63 to Columbia to lose some time (most deliberately) visiting with my daughter's family for a couple of hours. Wish it could have been longer. Then just trucked down the Interstate to get in those miles. 350 miles after noon with a notable interlude. Works for me.

    She just purrs at 70. Does fine above that but with considerably more noise. 70 works for now. She and I settled in together very quickly and easily.

    I have 2 questions: I have radials inflated (I think) to 30 psi and the car slightly oversteers. No problem for me (I prefer over to under) but just wonder if this is the norm.

    Also, it only starts in neutral. (Good thing I was the one to try to start the car as I left the dealer. If I had just ridden out, later shut it off, and tried to start in park I might have had the car towed to a shop!) Again, is this the norm?

    Oh yeah, it got dark and as I rolled along I wondered, "where is the switch for the brights?" Hmmmm. "Oh, here it is!" Most splendid. How entirely civilized!

    I don't know how big the tank is. 18 gal? I got 14+ mpg on the first tank (half on 2-lane highways and half on interstate). Seems pretty damn good to me, and if gas mileage is an indicator of engine health, seems just FINE, indeed. So what is the typical range for highway cruising? Seems like 230-240 miles should leave some margin. Comments, please.

  2. #12
    Bob Barger Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by John Herrell View Post
    Bob: This trip is going to be around 3,000 before I'm done. *Lots* of faith involved, but it has had a good going over. Was up in Edmonton myself last year, but that was on my Harley. Will see about some pix (but you all know what it looks like <seg>).
    I'm guessing it was not in January. With regard to the tach, there is a place here in Santee (The Speedo shop) that repaired both my speedo and tach. If the problem returns they will do a good job at a reasonable price. The radio off/on switch is the first push button, the knob is volume only.

  3. #13
    John Herrell Guest

    Default

    Oh, that button reading "off." Is *that* what that means. (Ah ha! A secret button. <g>) Heh, everyone at the dealership thought the radio was broken. Ain't forums great! THANKS!!!

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Hermosa Beach, CA
    Posts
    457

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by John Herrell View Post
    Also, it only starts in neutral. (Good thing I was the one to try to start the car as I left the dealer. If I had just ridden out, later shut it off, and tried to start in park I might have had the car towed to a shop!) Again, is this the norm!
    Yes; designed to only start in neutral. I suspect we all have stories about that--when it was in for repairs and unknowing mechanic panicked when it wouldn't start, etc.
    There is a conversion available to change it to Park. Personally never felt the need, but we don't have to start on hill frequently.
    Pete Hoffman
    C5691209

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Washington Crossing, PA
    Posts
    340

    Default

    John,

    Welcome to the Forum and congratulations on the purchase of your Mark II. It looks very nice in the pictures.

    I made a 3000 plus mile one way trip to purchase my Mark II ( suburban Philadelphia PA to suburban Seattle WA) but I never seriously entertained thoughts on driving it cross country. I bought mine in early December and would have been concerned about weather challenges n addition to potential breakdowns or $500 a pop hubcaps flying off onto the side of the highway.
    Brian Mc Evilly
    Former Mark II Owner

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Port Arthur, Texas
    Posts
    467

    Default

    FYI, the fuel tank capacity is 25 gallons.
    Howard Hanchett
    1956 Continental Mark II C5691376

  7. #17
    Spike Johnson Guest

    Default

    why in the world did they design to only start in neutral ??? Also good to know about gas tank capacity eh john ?

  8. #18
    John Herrell Guest

    Default

    350 mile range? Seriously? Wow.

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Ardmore, OK
    Posts
    28

    Default

    All 1955 and 1956 Ford products with an automatic transmission would start only in neutral. I am not sure about the years prior to 1955 but would suspect they were the same. I know starts in park could be done by 1962 but not sure about 1957-1961. Probably changed when the fordomatic transmission was replaced with the cruiseamatic, which I think was first available in 1958.

    Why the fordomatic was designed to start only in neutral is something I have never thought about until now.
    Rick Bone

  10. #20
    Spike Johnson Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by rickswrecks View Post
    All 1955 and 1956 Ford products with an automatic transmission would start only in neutral. I am not sure about the years prior to 1955 but would suspect they were the same.
    .
    ok 2cents coming here
    My dad bought a new 56 ford station wagon and we had it for 10 years.100,000 miles.
    It started in Park
    In later life the neutral safety switch was worn and it usually had to be started by wiggling the shifter upwards to engage the neutral safety switch-loose / worn I dont know. BUT my dad was a full blown mechanic and never worried about fixing it. I suppose it became a feature after a while.

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