Im a new owner of a beautiful 67 XR-7. I have collected, in a small way, classic 50s and 60s cars for several years, and brought this turquoise coupe from Southern California for my son. Two questions: How do I get to the courtesy light bulbs in the doors? Also, when we got the car, the headlight doors did not operate, other than manually, for opening or closing. My son and I found a split hose and, after replacing it and another nearby vacuum hose that appeared to be clogged, the headlight doors opened. Is it that simple to get them to close? That is, should I just replace all the hoses or should I try some other fix?

Congratulations on your Cougar acquisition! The bezels over the door courtesy lights are secured with a set screw along the bottom edgenot easily seen unless youre on the ground looking up at the bezel. Loosen it, then gently pry the light cover away from the door panel at bottom and unhook from the fixture at the top by lifting up.

Your second question, about the headlights, is common. If the lights open with vacuum (engine running), they should close when the light switch is turned off, which de-energizes the vacuum switch on the manual override. If they do not, check for a leak in the vacuum tank under the left front fender. Changing all the vacuum hoses is a good idea. They will be hard and, possibly, cracked. And, as you discovered, they might be plugged with crud sucked in by the vacuum. The 67 lights work independentlyone can open or close without the other working. If the lights open, then you probably do not have a defective vacuum motor, but just leaks in the line somewhere. Remember: The manual override switch, mounted on the drivers side engine compartment wall, keeps the lights open, so be sure the white lever is out for normal operation. Pushing it in opens the lights, and keeps them open.

My 67 Cougar, with power steering, has an all-over-the-road feel. Ive replaced all the front end suspension components and linkages, but the steering is not much better. What can I do to improve or modify my cars steering?

I get this question a lot. Given that youve overhauled the suspension and links, I suspect you have a worn steering boxespecially if the car has passed 100,000 miles. You can tighten it by loosening the locknut on top of the unit, seating the screw insert and tightening the locknut. Even if this works, you will still likely need rebuilt unit (check any vendor, Cougar or Mustang) sooner or later. Also, get a rebuilt power steering valve or a rebuild kit for the one on the car. These get a nasty dead spot when worn, and the steering wheel seems to have a dead spot in the middle, then abruptly jerks a bit to right or left as the wheel passes through the dead spot. Another thing: Ive been driving Cougars since 1967, on Albemarle County, Va., crowned roads, and experienced terrible wander when I changed over to radials from the Wide Ovals that came on the car new. Front end alignment to zero camber and caster mostly fixes thatlet the tire do the work! My dealer mechanic was always throwing in a bit to compensate for the roads, and I was into rallying then, and did not appreciate it. Be sure tire inflation and balance are right on, and your cat should track like it did when new!

What is the proper shade of Ford engine blue for my 68 302-4Vthe lighter or darker? Also, would the clock in my XR-7 Sport Console have been quartz movement? I was thinking of sending it in for conversion, if it isnt.

Dark Blue! The light blue is for older Ford engines. The clock is not a quartz movement, but, like many automotive clocks, should be converted if you want a reliable unit. But be prepared to lose points in serious concours judging, as the ticking action of the quartz second hand is a dead giveaway that the clock isnt original (correct clocks have sweep second hands).

How do I align the windows on my 1970 Cougar XR-7 convertible? The passenger window fell out of its track recently, so I tried to glue it back in and use the bottom adjustment on the door to get the window more vertical as it contacts the upper window molding in the convertible top. The windows bump stop hits first and the window is still canted too far inboard and needs to be pushed out as I roll the window up.

Only some early 70 cats and, it seems, most of the convertibles had glued-in windows. Mercury fixed the problem by changing to pinned windows early in the 1970 model run. You can check for sure if the rubber edge is on the door window, they are glued-in. If its on the quarter window, you have the pinned windows.

Now, the easiest thing to do is to find a set of 70 windows (and the door regulators). Note the quarter windows for convertibles are uniqueand not easy to find. Put these in per the shop manual, adjust them and your problems are gone. . .until you go for judging, that is. But if you are sticking with the glued-in windows (no pun intended), you must follow the shop manual procedure to adjust them. Note: Step 7 below is about the messiest job you will ever attempt on a Cougar! Let planning and infinite patience rule.

1. First, you have to be sure the top is correctly fastened so the top weatherstrips are even. Then, you have to clean out the two channels, and get new channel lining. This is available from Cougar parts vendors or, even, your local glass shop. Push the glass into the new lining, in approximate position; be sure you have the front and rear channels correct. Final position will be set later.

2. It is far easier to install the window if you first remove the front and rear guides from the channels. Remove the front and back beltline weatherstrips at the door top. Now is a good time to replace those weatherstrips, as the window will get in the way after installation.

3. Install the two guides on the regulator wheels. Wedge them with a toothpick to keep them in position.

4. Slide the window glass with channels through the rear opening, and attach to the guides using the small, beveled, Phillips-head machines crews. You can crank the regulator up to the point where you can access these through the door cutouts. Dont drop these screws! They are special, and this is a frustrating thing to attach. The job is easier if someone holds the window at about halfway while you position the regulator and slide the guides to align the screw holes. Make sure the screws are tight!

5. Be sure the window stops are not stripped! The bolts thread into tapped holes in the soft metal, and are often stripped. You will have to drill and retap these, using slightly larger bolts, or get some good ones. These are the same as a hardtop.

6. Get the window in position, front to back (slide in the channel), and up high enough to just enter the top weatherstrip evenly. Open and close the door very gently as you tilt the glass in the channel to arc into the top weatherstrip just right.

7. When you have the window properly positioned and the door closed, climb into the car from the other side and put some epoxy (the very best, quick setting) along the channels to overlap the glass. Let it set up completely. Then, very gently lower the window so the channel is fully accessible, and put more epoxy all around the channel. Roll the window gently back up to the top and let this set. Careful: If you crank the regulator too hard, it will push the glass out of the channel, and youll have to start over.

8. Reinstall the molded weathestrips, and make very minor, fine adjustments to the front and rear up position with the stops, then tighten these bolts; seal with epoxy if desired.

9. For as long as you will own the car after this job, remind yourself not to slam the doors with the windows up! If you crack the epoxy seal, then the top weatherstrip can push the window outward. Next time it goes down, then up, it comes out of the channel, and you are right back where you started!

Editors Note: Former CCOA Technical Adviser Bill Quay notes that Eastwoods steering wheel epoxy works well for window channel repairs. Contact the Eastwood Co. at (800) 345-1178 or at www.eastwoodcompany.com.

I have a 68, 302-2V standard coupe with standard (not power) front and rear drum brakes. They have always pulled a little to the passenger side and, about three years ago, the dash brake light came on (which I solved by disconnecting the plug in the proportioning valve). Recently, I redid the brakes, as three had severe wheel cylinder leaks. I installed new shoes and wheel cylinders all around, and flushed out all the old brake fluid. I did not change the springs or turn the drums.

When I bled the brakes, I was able to pull fluid through both rear wheel bleeder screws (3/8-inch fittings) with my vacuum pump at -30. But I couldnt pull fluid through either front brake bleeder (1/4-inch fittings) even with -70 to -80 of vacuum. But I could pump brake fluid through both front wheel cylinders by pushing on the brake pedal.

I tried to balance the proportioning valve, but the light did not go out. Although the front right brake no longer locks, the car still pulls heavily to the front passenger side. What can I do to stop my brakes from pulling? Do I need a new proportioning valve or can I free this one up? Do I need new brake lines or front hoses? Do I need to replace the springs or cut down the drums?

William, your problem is indeed familiar. I am sorry to advise you that you did some of what you need to do, but not all.

There is no shortcut to a full job. You definitely should have turned down the drums to ensure theyre equal. If one drum had been turned some years before, that could be the problem. You cannot pull fluid to the front brakes, because the spool in the master cylinder closes the port when brakes are relaxed and opens when you push the pedal. You are getting fluid, so no problem there. The proportioning valve can be removed, cleaned, and re-installedif you can get to it. Its tough to get the brake warning light switch re-centered, but you can try. Remove the switch from the top of the proportioning valve and, using a dental pick or similar size wood dowel, try to prod the spool (at the bottom of the switch hole) back to center. After reinstalling the switch, use an ohmeter or continuity tester across its contacts to determine whether the switch is open (spool properly centered) or closed.

Most Cougars eventually require a complete brake job, and that means hoses (fatigue cracks), lines (rust), master cylinder, all wheel cylinders, new hardware kits (the shoe retaining pins rust badly), new shoes and turned drums. I repeat: Make sure the drums are turned to the same thickness on all four wheels! And make sure you have not turned the drums by more than 0.060 inches total! This is safety issue (and a legal requirement in states that inspect cars). Also, of course, turning one drum more than its mate will cause the pulling you experience. A common cause of mismatched drums is the replacement of only one drum after a wreck. Another tip: Put a small amount of never seize on the backing plate, where the shoe edge rests.

I recently noticed my drivers side low beam headlight went dim while the other low beam and high beams remain bright. I thought the bulb burned out, so I bought a replacement, but have the same problem. Someone suggested a loose ground. Wheres the headlamp ground wire? Also, can you recommend a contact cleaner? Does anyone sell complete wiring harnesses for a 1970 XR-7 convertible?

You almost certainly have a bad ground, particularly given that the other light is OK. Ground is carried back through the harness and grounded somewhere along the way, although Im not exactly sure where. Verify the grounding problem by pulling the lamp plug and connecting the lamp directly to the battery. It should glow brightly. You should be able to get a new wiring harness through a Cougar parts vendors. Check the CCOA Web site (www.cougarclub.org) for links to vendors. Most likely, you just need to clean the ground in yours. Most electrical supply houses and Radio Shack sell spray contact cleaner. The cleaner works especially well if its used in conjunction with a Scotch Brite scrubbing pad.