After a long stretch of continuous flushing and heat cycles, we have finally reached a major milestone: the investigation into the 351 Windsor’s cooling system appears to be closed.

The Thermal Victory

Following a final round of chemical flushing, the fluid is no longer resembling chocolate milk or apple juice – it’s mostly clear and clean. With the twelve years of calcified scale and internal engine block rust successfully dissolved and purged, we will replace the temporary thermostat with a new, name-brand OEM-temperature unit and fill the system with fresh antifreeze. Just to be safe, we’re holding off on doing that right now – a few more weeks of flushing and rinsing everything out will be done first.

Community Alliance

Reviving a vehicle that has been dormant for over a decade relies heavily on local support to solve problems, and while we can’t begin to thank all out friends, family, and vendors individually, we want to give a brief shout-out to a couple of operations that helped keep this project moving forward.

We greatly appreciate the team at Pugh’s Tire and Service, as well as All City Locksmith for their assistance and support in this endeavor.

We’d also like to thank Retired Detective Graham with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office for filling in some gaps that have helped us get The Vice Van going again.

The Verdict

The baseline mechanical foundation of the Vice Van is officially locked down. With the engine no longer trying to boil itself alive, we can finally shift our primary focus away from basic survival mechanics.