The Ford Barn

700rpm · 11-09-2011, 08:52 PM

We've all experienced The Mushroom Factor, I'm sure. Where you start out on a simple job, like tightening your lug nuts, and it mushrooms until you end up practically restoring the car before you're done?

Two weeks ago (!) I decided I had to figure out my malfunctioning tail light/brake light situation. With some elementary probing I discovered the lights were wired just opposite of what they should be. Changed that, and the tail light worked. But the brake light didn't. Took the brake switch apart, wiggled it, put it back together. Voila! Tail light and brake light!

But the parking lights didn't work.

It was then I determined I had a home-made wiring harness for a one-light system wired into my Twolight headlights.

And so on. Today, two weeks (and about $200) after starting on a relatively easy tail light problem, I have: torn out the old wiring, put in a new harness, replaced the bogus repro light switch with an original, replaced the chrome reflectors with originals, installed an original dash light, replaced my radiator hoses, and rebuilt my entire steering column with all new gears and bearings (more money). How did I get there? Well, that is an even longer story!

That, my friends, is The Mushroom Factor.

Gary WA · 11-09-2011, 10:04 PM

And I bet it was fun! Thanks for "The Mushroom Factor" Great!

JBR · 11-09-2011, 10:25 PM

Gee, I always thought it was when "they kept you in the dark and fed you manure."

700rpm · 11-09-2011, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBR

Gee, I always thought it was when "they kept you in the dark and fed you manure."

That's good!

Mike V. Florida · 11-10-2011, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBR

Gee, I always thought it was when "they kept you in the dark and fed you manure."

Night shift at the Post Office

JoeWay · 11-10-2011, 11:37 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Patrick McManus, who wrote columns for Outdoor Life, referred to this phemonon as "sequences". I get caught up in them all the time, to the point that it's a running joke between my wife and me. Here's a link to a description of Patrick's story on sequences:

sequences

Brentwood Bob · 11-10-2011, 02:48 PM

Murphy gone amuck. Happens all the time. Bob

MALAK · 11-10-2011, 04:49 PM

Yep I've got a pretty big mushroom growing right now. What started as (I hoped) a simple engine fix has grown into something much larger.

Bill Goddard · 11-10-2011, 06:36 PM

My mushroom started as an inspection of the crank bearing shims . Babbit was found to be falling out. The picturs explain the result.

JBR · 11-10-2011, 07:58 PM

I realize that a bad bearing can cause vibrations, but I've never seen one bad enough to cause the back of the car to fall off.....

Looks like you're doing a nice job of putting her back together though.
Jon

11-09-2011, 08:52 PM	#1
700rpm Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 6,039	Model A wiring and The Mushroom Factor We've all experienced The Mushroom Factor, I'm sure. Where you start out on a simple job, like tightening your lug nuts, and it mushrooms until you end up practically restoring the car before you're done? Two weeks ago (!) I decided I had to figure out my malfunctioning tail light/brake light situation. With some elementary probing I discovered the lights were wired just opposite of what they should be. Changed that, and the tail light worked. But the brake light didn't. Took the brake switch apart, wiggled it, put it back together. Voila! Tail light and brake light! But the parking lights didn't work. It was then I determined I had a home-made wiring harness for a one-light system wired into my Twolight headlights. And so on. Today, two weeks (and about $200) after starting on a relatively easy tail light problem, I have: torn out the old wiring, put in a new harness, replaced the bogus repro light switch with an original, replaced the chrome reflectors with originals, installed an original dash light, replaced my radiator hoses, and rebuilt my entire steering column with all new gears and bearings (more money). How did I get there? Well, that is an even longer story! That, my friends, is The Mushroom Factor. Last edited by 700rpm; 11-10-2011 at 11:00 AM.

11-09-2011, 10:04 PM	#2
Gary WA Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Clinton,WA/Whidbey Island Posts: 4,457	Re: Model A wiring and The Mushroom Factor And I bet it was fun! Thanks for "The Mushroom Factor" Great! __________________ www.whidbeymodelaclub.com

11-09-2011, 10:25 PM	#3
JBR Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Iowa Posts: 346	Re: Model A wiring and The Mushroom Factor Gee, I always thought it was when "they kept you in the dark and fed you manure."

11-10-2011, 11:37 AM	#6
JoeWay Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Quincy CA Posts: 752	Re: Model A wiring and The Mushroom Factor Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Patrick McManus, who wrote columns for Outdoor Life, referred to this phemonon as "sequences". I get caught up in them all the time, to the point that it's a running joke between my wife and me. Here's a link to a description of Patrick's story on sequences: sequences __________________ 1929 Tudor since 1962 Feather River A's

11-10-2011, 02:48 PM	#7
Brentwood Bob Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: brentwood, ca Posts: 4,420	Re: Model A wiring and The Mushroom Factor Murphy gone amuck. Happens all the time. Bob

11-10-2011, 04:49 PM	#8
MALAK Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Highland, CA Posts: 207	Re: Model A wiring and The Mushroom Factor Yep I've got a pretty big mushroom growing right now. What started as (I hoped) a simple engine fix has grown into something much larger.

11-10-2011, 07:58 PM	#10
JBR Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Iowa Posts: 346	Re: Model A wiring and The Mushroom Factor I realize that a bad bearing can cause vibrations, but I've never seen one bad enough to cause the back of the car to fall off..... Looks like you're doing a nice job of putting her back together though. Jon