Call me crazy - Ranchero's (again)

**Jeff W** · February 12th, 2012, 11:06 AM

looks good. I especially like the mailboxes mounted on the rear deck.

I recall you picked up an extra hood. Since you apparently never have idle hands, why don't you start working on some kind of unique bump or scoop contraption. Not the teardrop - that is so overdone. Take your time and make it a showpiece.

I'm talking about something along the lines of the one in the movie "Corvette Summer".

**Luva65wagon** · February 12th, 2012, 10:03 PM

Sorry Jeff, not sure what a bump or scoop contraption is...

but after a little discussion with Gene this afternoon, I think this is the direction I'll go with it.

**Luva65wagon** · October 24th, 2013, 10:11 AM

OK, not so much a party, but all are welcome to help or watch this coming Saturday the 26th of October.

The motor is ready, all the parts are there, should have everything set and ready to go by about 10AM. Should be a very easy swap - everything in the Ranchero is still so clean. No getting greasy, so wear your white clothes if you want to... although the floor isn't as clean as the car, so maybe wearing black is a better idea.

My address is 126 1243rd St. SE up in Lynnwood. One house away from the cross-street of Cascadian. All are welcome to come. Will order some Pizza or something around noon if enough people show up - or will take Gene to lunch.

**falcon cobra** · October 24th, 2013, 10:21 AM

Roger, count me in. I just replaced my timing chain and front cover gaskets, and now I have the intake off, I have a strange noise coming from somewhere maybe the lifters. it only does it when warmed up. I'am sick of working on this thing. so I will help you....

jh

**Luva65wagon** · October 24th, 2013, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by falcon cobra

Roger, count me in.... I will help you....

jh

Cool - the more the merrier.

Of course I know you all think I can swap a motor blind-folded and with one arm tied behind my back (not sure how those nasty rumors start), but sometimes I really do like to have help too.

**BPVan** · October 24th, 2013, 11:49 AM

Count me as a maybe. I'll probably need to leave by 1, enough to get the heavy lifting done.

**Luva65wagon** · October 24th, 2013, 12:04 PM

Aw... you could have just surprised me by showing up like you did last week at Steve's. Hope you can make it if even for that long. I suspect by then we'd have the new motor sitting in the bay.

**Luva65wagon** · October 24th, 2013, 10:22 AM

...This is the motor I'm putting in.

The transmission is the C4 I received from Steve when I bought the Rancheros and I have put a B&M shift kit into it. I have the same Dougs headers like Gene has (except for automatic and not 4-speed) and a set of Pypes stainless dual exhaust.

**Luva65wagon** · June 6th, 2019, 11:13 AM

Hey all - In the next not-too-distant future I'll be receiving the 347 I ordered from Creb Engineering (in Rhode Island) who has started sending me pictures of the assembly work being done. He's shooting to finish it up in the next couple days.

The tech day is being held at Gene Smith's (Smithkid) place in Puyallup at a date to be announced as soon as the motor arrives to Kenny (Redfalken) and Jeff (Jeff W) at their workplace (Starbucks, Seattle). If I were to set a tentative date, it would be Saturday the 22nd or 29th.

Hopefully, due to parking limitations at Gene's, we can meet and I'll drive a lot of us there in my 7-passenger van, or we can meet outside his "gated community" (

) and we'll all drive in in one vehicle. This will allow some to leave when they have to if I end up spending the night in his garage.

If interested in helping, or even just watching to learn something you might not know, feel free to reply.

**Luva65wagon** · June 6th, 2019, 11:21 AM

For any newbies here not aware the back story, this motor is going into my '63 Ranchero, which currently has a 289/T5 in it. So it should be a pretty straight-forward swap.

I've been collecting almost all the ancillary bits to make the best of our time; minimizing as much "pulling stuff off old motor to put on new motor" as possible. So I have a new intake, water pump, distributor, water outlet/thermostat here waiting already.

**dhbfaster** · June 7th, 2019, 09:22 AM

Dang...this is going to be a good one. I’m trying to get a vision for what Gene’s gated community is going to look like...

Unfortunately, I just booked a work trip to China leaving on the 21st and returning on the 28th. The 29th I’ll be a bumbling zombie, but I’ll stop by if i can. Just don’t let me touch anything if I do. Maybe I can do the pictures...

**Luva65wagon** · June 9th, 2019, 10:28 PM

Speaking of pictures, here are a few more sent my way.

**Luva65wagon** · June 14th, 2019, 10:03 PM

on Monday to be received by Kenny and Jeff at their local coffee shop. I'm told, after a couple cups of their coffee, they'll be able to offload it by hand.

It's not likely to make it for the weekend of the 22nd, so it's probably going to be the weekend of the 29th.