Well, I've got more good news. New front brakes are installed, got new rotors and bearings, some PowerStop extreme pads, and new hoses and misc hardware. And a new master cylinder. I also have all the parts on hand to do the drums, I just haven't been in the mood for that headache, and the weather hasn't been the most fun to wrench in.
Power steering is working flawlessly, although there is a tiny leak, gotta determine if its a seal in the box or if one of the fittings is loose.
It runs and drives now. Like a champ too. Tried it yesterday when I needed to move it, had to get the Mustang out of the garage. Let the glow plugs cook and she fired up on first crank. There was a problematic hole on the passenger side exhaust manifold flange, but I ran a tap through it (7/16-14) and then cinched it down with a new grade 8 from the hardware store. No more exhaust leak! This of course makes that piston slap noise a little louder when she's cold, but it cleans up a little once she's gotten some heat into her.
Took it for a spin around the neighborhood after getting the brakes done. And it drives like a good old farm truck. Really short gearing with those 4.10s. Has the old 6.9 in the bed, plus some other junk, so about 1000lbs of bed weight and it doesn't even feel like it. Love me some diesel torque. I want to go on and say that it rides nice and smooth, but it really doesn't. It feels like a tractor. But that's probably due from having the original shocks that it left the factory with at the end of 1984, and a broken leaf spring. But I'll get that fixed up eventually.
I'm getting the other 3 tires here soon too.
I replaced the front turn signal sockets this morning, they were so messed up. Both bulbs came apart when I tried to change them, after pulling out pieces I finally got the driver side clear, but there was a bit of corrosion and what appeared to be really chalky white lithium grease or something, and the new bulb never got that bright. New sockets off Amazon for about $8 each, and the new LED bulbs shine bright (I have a new flasher unit for LEDs installed already).
My next 2 projects involve getting the steering column cleaned up, need to get a new turn signal switch installed, and I'm going to replace the lock cylinder so I can have 2 keys for this thing. I'll replace the door locks a little later when I start to tackle those. And I figured I'd get rid of the old wheel for a Grant Challenger wheel. Not going to need the old cruise control, if it even still works. Or I'll rig up some dash switches in the future.
And I need to address the taillights as well. I'm going to get some new sockets for them, and rewire them back in, after getting rid of the birds nest of trailer wiring in the back. I've been studying up on the wiring diagram thanks to the manual I have, but I think it's going to be a lot done by getting in there and figuring out what's going on, because I still have no lights in the rear at all.