Captain Obvious

Looks good! So I'm assuming after you filed off the burrs of extruded metal in the lug holes, the lug nut search got a lot easier? Everything made sense?

Arrrrrr!!!

Well let me back up just a little bit and clarify something... You said in your list of symptoms the following: So the statement that I want to clarify is about the voltage gauge.... So what you're saying is that when the problem is occurring, the needle on the voltage gauge is swung all the way to the left at like 4 volts? Like the battery is not connected at all. Is that correct? If so, then there is most likely a problem with an intermittent connection with the black (largest) fusible link. As for checking the ignition relay... There are two sections to it. One section sends power to a bunch of fuses when the key is turned to the ACC position, and the other section sends power to a bunch of fuses when the key is turned to the next click in the ON position. The click you're hearing when you turn the key to ACC is the first side of the ignition relay, and based on the fact that your heater fan, defroster, and antenna work, that side is working correctly. The other side of the ignition relay (the side that is engaged with the key in the ON position) powers (among other things), the turn signals. So with the key in the ON position, the turn signals should work. Check for that next time the problem occurs and let us know what you find? The above is a non-meter required way to check the function of the ignition relay. If, however you have a meter and want to test the relay a little more directly... Measure the voltages on the fuses, You should see the bottom three on the forward column (closest to the firewall) go hot when the key is turned to ACC. Those three, I believe are labeled AIR CON, WIPER, and RADIO. Then on the next click to ON, you should see the two above that go hot. I believe they are labeled FLASHER and FUEL GAUGE.

No kidding. I think I tore a rotator cuff just looking at that pic.

Sounds like a fusible link issue to me. Pop the hood now and remove the plastic covers off the fusible links. Don't wait until the problem occurs. Remove the covers now. Then the next time the problem does happen, pop the hood again and wiggle the fusible links around and see what happens? Start with the thickest one (probably black in color). The reason for removing the covers now is because sometimes they are a little difficult to get off and you don't want to knock the fusible links by accident. You want to be able to isolate what wiggling (if any) has an effect. And if you bump a fusible link while removing a cover, you won't be able to isolate the issue. Of course, if you pop the covers and everything under there is loose or green or bubbly and burned smelling... Then you might just assume that's where the issue is and start working on it without definitive identification.

My shoulders would so love something like that. Looks great!

I took a quick look at Lincoln's website and the docs say the battery in the 1840 is replicable. I'm guessing that's only for the new ones and yours is old enough that's not the case?

We aren't expected to get a lot out of this coming storm in my neck of the woods. I'm at the warmer end of the state and last time I checked, most of it is supposed to be rain. North central portions of PA though up through New England.... Look out! The more uncomfortable part (for me anyway) is coming end of NEXT week. It's gonna be very cold for an extended portion of time. Check your antifreeze and put another log on the heat pump.

Exactly. I'm fully confident in your confidence!

From what I've seen, the 260 is plastic and is the same as the 280. I have no idea about the history of the 240 blower I have. That plastic impeller on it may or may not be the original one as I have no insight into the history of the blower. But the motor itself (which still has a 240 part number on it) is definitely from a 240. Sounds like I have the valuable rare late model 240 blower assy with the lighter plastic impeller? An alternative to changing over to the Honda blower to get away from the heavy air robbing metal impeller? LOL. Open to offers!

Yeah, the chemistry isn't anywhere near my field of expertise either. But I do know that hydrofluoric acid is really nasty stuff due to it's affinity for calcium of which you have a bunch inside your bag of water. Here's two garage rules... Don't burn any of the fluorocarbons due to the risk of creating hydrofluoric acid. Don't electric weld anywhere around chlorinated carb cleaners due to the risk of creating phosgene. You, being in CA, probably can't get your hands on any chlorinated cleaners anymore. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paH97dYR6Lg

I wonder when they changed over to plastic impellers. I wouldn't consider a 72 to be an "early" 240. Makes me wonder what year the plastic blower assy I have came from. I know it's a 240 style assembly, so it has to be 73 or earlier. Maybe they changed over in 73? Or maybe someone in the past years had replaced the (original metal?) impeller with a newer (plastic?) one. In any event, it's just a curiosity. The 240 blower assy I have is just sitting on the parts stack.

Haha!!! Exactly! That's the one! I was just leaving the (subjective) "ugly" portion out of it and was letting that part up to the interpreter.

I've got a 240 blower (of unknown year) and a 77 280 blower here, and both of them have a plastic squirrel cage. I'm guessing the early 240's used a metal cage?

Well there's your problem... Maybe try loosening them instead of unloosening them? Seriously though, good luck with the endeavor. My only word of advice is of potential personal safety... The active ingredient in that freeze spray stuff (R152) is difluoroethane, and I'm no expert on the topic, but one of the components of flame decomposition of many of the fluorocarbons is hydrogen fluoride gas. Problem with hydrogen fluoride gas is that it turns into hydrofluoric acid when it comes into contact with water. And as a fictional silicon life form once pointed out, you're a bag of mostly water. Short story? I'm certainly no expert in the field, but I don't think it would be a good idea to work with a torch in one hand and the freeze spray can in the other and don't light the freeze spray on fire. Speaking of such things, I did exactly that with a can of R134 (tetrafluoroethane) a coupe months ago. And 24 hours later, based on the corrosion spray pattern behind what I was working on, I think I created some hydrofluoric. I had all the ingredients there at the same time. Very very nasty stuff.

Or Death Stars?

Is it just me, or does anyone else see disco balls when they see this pic?

Cool. I know you know this, but just be careful with the file. Fine tooth file and do a little bit at a time and don't remove any more material than necessary. Remember that they are lugcentric wheels and the registration position of the wheel on the car depends on the accuracy of the lug holes. Don't go crazy with some aggressive rat tile file down in those lug holes and potentially change the center position of any of the holes. I've heard anecdotal stories about machinists "from the Old Country" that spend their first two years of apprenticeship doing nothing but filing. Then once they mastered how to use a hand file, they were allowed to use some of the other tools in the shop. While I can't attest to the accuracy of those stories, I do know that as simple as it sounds, it's just as easy to screw things up with a file as it is to fix them. I've done it!

Hmmmm.... That car is a great example of one that I would need to see in person before I bought it.

Ooops. I said 1/16 above! Yup, that's a lot of extruded material. I wish I had written my results down somewhere. All I remember is that the sizes didn't make sense until I figured out what was going on.

Sorry, just a couple more and I'm done... The wheels are from a ZX, not some rare factory mag wheel option. And either the guy taking the pics got real real lucky and it IS actually 12:00, or the clock doesn't work. Haha!! OK, I'm done.

Haha! Yup. Metal smeared into the hole. I don't remember how much difference I found between front and back on mine, but a sixteenth sure sounds like a lot. And there's no way there is supposed to be taper in those holes. They were drilled after the casting was done and sized for different applications. Those holes should be the same diameter thru (plus/minus drill wander, etc). Anyway, hopefully that's what Matthew is dealing with as well.

Yes, that swivel one is one of the deburring tools I have. A couple different cutting blades for different applications. I just wonder if all these years I've been missing out on external deburring or something. And by the way... Not sure if you've ever been bit by one of those, but as innocent as they look at first glance, they can be nasty if you slip.

Uhhh.... About the A/C. That car left the factory without A/C. It's got the non-A/C climate control head unit. And there's a suspicious looking knob near the driver's right knee? I suspect that's the control for the (clearly aftermarket installed) A/C system: And something else that caught my eye... The tach says 1K, but the temp, oil pressure, and fuel are off scale to the left like the engine isn't running? Either the engine is stone cold, running on vapors from an empty tank and the mains are shot and can't generate any oil pressure, or... The tach is stuck: It may be a nice car, but I think the description is a little over the top. And all those pics and not one of the underside. I wouldn't ever ever ever buy a Z without seeing the underside first. Ever.

I've got a lot of tools (including some specific deburring tools), but I don't think I've ever had the need for that one pictured. Am I missing something? Are everyone's lug nuts boogered up at the tip or something?