Call me crazy - Ranchero's (again)

[redfalken]

I do have some photos that are fairly current. I'll do this in sections. First the adaptor. The 2 to 1 bbl adaptor I went with was from Stovebolt. Clearance was tight since I have a under hood light mounted right over the carb but you may not have to do some of the things I did to make it work.

I had a machine shop mill some thickness off the top and bottom of the aluminum Stovebolt adaptor. Don't remember how much but I got his advice on how much to leave. I also made another adapter out of 3/16" (I think) steel plate. Used a hole saw for the main opening and drilled holes for the bolts that hold it to the log. Then I threaded some holes and screwed in studs from underneath. These bolts hold this plate to the adaptor. I sawed off the part of the stud that was sticking out of the bottom, welded the studs and ground them flat.

This combination orients the carb in the right direction (bowl forward). If you have plenty of clearance, you can use the common Ford adaptor that has the coolant running through it but it's pretty thick.

The Stovebolt adaptor has 4 holes on both top and bottom square flanges. I cut off two of the corners on the bottom because they weren't needed and they get in the way of the log bolts.

Not a plug 'n play adaptor but I like to fiddle with things and it was cheap. I also port and polished the throat to match the opening of the log better and smooth it out.

[redfalken]

What model/part# is the Weber that you guys use. A friend gave me a new still in the box one a long time ago and I'll see if it's the same or not.... Dave

The one I'm using is a Weber 32/36 DGV. It's a manual choke. There is also a DGAV for water choke and DGEV for electric.

[pbrown]

Here is a link to the carb online.
http://www.webercarbsdirect.com/32_36_DGV_p/22680.005.htm

[redfalken]

Next was the air breather. I wanted mine to look stock so I cut the center section off a spare base and but a flat piece of sheet metal in it's place. I overlapped the base and insert by about 1/2" and put a small bead of sealant between them and then used pop rivets to join.

I used the gasket as a template to cut the part of the insert that the carb comes through. Then drilled holes for the 4 screws that mount it to the carb. Also had to rivet on a bracket that the wing nut that holds the top on could screw into.

Again, some messing around but if you don't care about looking original, they sell aftermarket filters for the Weber.

[redfalken]

As far as the linkage goes, I got a cable set-up of a 70's-80's six at the junk yard. I had to modify the bracket that goes over the valve cover to hold the cable that pulls the throttle and the cable for the kickdown on my C4. I don't have a current photo but I bought a lever for the throttle on the carb that is like a cam.

I like the feel of the cable set-up much better than the hard linkage. And the pedal mounted on the firewall is a better way to go than the floor mount IMHO. It gets rid of the possibility of rust where it originally would screw to the floor.

And one other thing you will need with the Weber is a fuel regulator. It needs to be at 2.5 - 3 lbs. and I found a Holly that had a good low range. I had moved my coil off the engine so used those mounting bosses to hold the regulator bracket. I made the bracket out of thick sheetmetal.

So that's it in a nutshell. Lots more details I brushed over. Ask questions and I will fill in the blanks as best as my pea brain can remember.

[Luva65wagon]

Awesome guys! Thanks and muchos gracias.

I pulled the carb off tonight and the float was wedged and wouldn't go up and down and may have been restricting fuel. Also, looking at the top of this Holley 1940 the power valve plunger, which has a vacuum operated lift-rod, has been off and on and peened so many times, I'd have a hard time believing it would be sealing and might not be able to suck up like it should. I have to rig up a vacuum source to see, which I started and then decided to call it quits for the day.

Now, seeing the cost of a new Weber on that site ($100 less than ebay) - I'm leaning toward just bagging it and ordering parts. Kenny, your photo's were very helpful.

Will probably still put this one on and see if it's better now, but I really think it can use an upgrade.

[pbrown]

I just noticed that there are newer options now to 2V conversions. This looks nice.

http://www.classicinlines.com/proddetail.asp?prod=FSP-200-2VC-W

It does require machining the head but I figure Roger could remove the head, do the machine work, and reinstall the thing in about an hour and a half :ROTFLMAO:.

[Luva65wagon]

Probably closer to an hour....

I saw that as well as the other one they sell, which also mounts the carb sideways. Don't know that I like that idea of that for when I want to go drift the thing - or do my 10 second quarter mile.

Actually, the stovebolt adapter is probably just fine. If Kenny hasn't had any issues with it, I can just copy him. I copy everyone else. :D

[redfalken]

One other thing I did was have a bit shaved off the surface of the log where the carb mounts. I was having other machine work done so it was cheap.

All this saving space added up and allowed me to put a phenolic spacer between the carb and the Stovebolt adaptor. It was less than $10 and theoretically keeps the carb from getting too hot.

And here's a shot of how I check my clearance. I made cones from some plumber's putty. The pieces of paper are so it doesn't stick to the underside of the hood. Just make the cones plenty tall and shut the hood. Gently lift and see what your clearance is at various points.

[Luva65wagon]

So Kenny - was this before or after all the shaving you did? And do you recall what the tightest clearance ended up being, and where was it on this setup.

Get tech tip too, by the way.

[Luva65wagon]

What model/part# is the Weber that you guys use. A friend gave me a new still in the box one a long time ago and I'll see if it's the same or not.... Dave

Dave... I'm about to order something, so if you have something you are looking to sell, let me know before I hit submit to purchase something else. Would love to help out someone needing to clear off their shelves.

[falcon cobra]

My friend has two of these on a ford 6cyl and he really likes how it runs, it's half of a Q-jet...jh[yay]

[BPVan]

All this carb talk brings up an interesting subject: the spacer. I have been tuning my 4160 and I decided to lose the 1" Phenolic spacer. I noticed my cold start up to be much better and warm running to be fine. I have also seen some forums where some are putting in a heated spacer with a valve to shut off for summer and noting improved cold starting and general performance. I know many of the original 170 L6 engines had a heated 1bbl spacer with coolant lines running through them. As Jeff always says, Ford would not have done it if it wasn't necessary or didn't save .10.

I'm not sure yet whats best for my setup and I know anyone can put any information right or wrong out there, but I am curious on the debate.

[Luva65wagon]

Brian,

This was the impetus for my question to Kenny about carb icing, which is what happens when the weather it just right - humidity and cold - to cause the rush of air into the carb to freeze the throttle plate(s). Not fun sitting out there keeping to running and it runs like crap for a very long time this way. V8's are much worse because a lot of aftermarket manifolds don't have the heat cross-over under the carb base. Cold charge is best for race day and all.

The other way it was dealt with was with a therm-o-nuclear air-cleaner snorkel with a temp-sensing flap that closed when cold to pull hot air off the exhaust manifold.

On both my wagon and Ranchero I have the stock base w/hot water circulation, but I added a heater control valve on the wagon... years ago... to allow for turning it off in the summer. Never do and have never had an issue that I noticed, like carb boiling over or anything. Doing so also shuts off the water supply to the heater core, so no heat in this mode.

I know height is an issue when you've got to stack one adapter onto another, then another, then the carb. I have no doubt I could engineer a method to control icing, but was just wondering if Kenny has had an issue. The exhaust is right there, and may just be enough due to ambient temp rise from the exhaust.

Have been also looking at these to see if I could do... something completely different:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Weber-DGV-Downdraft-Conversion-Manifold-for-TR250-TR6-Datsun-240Z-TWM-/200739299774?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ebcfea1be&vxp=mtr#ht_844wt_1161

[BPVan]

Completely different might be an understatement.:confused:

I have considered all of your points on icing and boiling. I have been chasing my cold start issue for a little while and blaming the electric choke but I am finding it to be a set up issue (amazing what you learn when you take the time to read the instructions).

I have the stock exhaust manifold in mine which has the spring activated heat riser in it, the 240 did not have a heated riser in it that I have ever seen. I have seen some guys with Broncos and pick ups with my same setup grab a 4bbl factory coolant heated riser from a 390FE (Thunderbird or Mustang usually) and claim success in resolving their issues.

From what I can conclude from what I have read, if you're after performance cold is the way to go but you get an unpleasant cold starting experience. For typical street use it seems using the heated option is best. Again, since many have custom setups I don't think any one rule applies to all.

[Luva65wagon]

I forgot about the heat-riser component. That's the thing that was supposed to FORCE the exhaust gas through the intake manifold, whether it be 6 or V8. When it opens the exhaust took the path of least resistance. These manifold ports always plugged up. It was pretty benign when it was off - same as the air cleaner snorkel heat riser. The hot water approach - not so benign. Unless you can switch it off.

So, yeah, what to do....

Move to Florida or Hawaii.

[redfalken]

So Kenny - was this before or after all the shaving you did? And do you recall what the tightest clearance ended up being, and where was it on this setup.

Get tech tip too, by the way.

The only reason I had a clearance issue was because of the underhood mercury switch light that is mounted right where the "X" bracing intersects. Before I shaved anything, the light just barely rubbed a little paint off the edge of itself and I could see a mark on top of the air cleaner. I think it was 3 or 4 inches from the center.

If it was 1/8" lower I probably would have never noticed. Also, my spacer is no where near 1" thick. Probably more like 3/8". I've never noticed any icing problems. I've always read people commenting that the heater spacer was mostly for parts of the country where the winters are much, much colder than we have around here.

[Luva65wagon]

Nothing really new to post here other than to say I did finally get the Weber on and everything has been running pretty well with it. Here's a link to the thread about that for "future reference."

http://www.rainierfalcons.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1826

Have no real plans for it now other than to drive it for a while. Thus, this sort of officially closes this crazy thing I did until what time the V8 goes in. I will say... it's a fun car to drive - even with a L6.

[Luva65wagon]

As a few of you know by now I am moving into phase 2 of my Flarechero project. When I built this car it was always my plan to do a V8 with the 65 289 I bought about 6 years ago off of Craigslist for $500. Well, that time has arrived. I finally pulled the pieces out from under the bench a few weeks ago and started cleaning them all up.

What I got for $500 was a block (bore/honed/new cam bearings), Crank ground .010/.010, new TRW pistons (.060), Rings (installed and one broken) 2 cams (1 too radical and 1 just right - Edelbrock 2122), Lifters, Crane roller rocker set (missing one ball seat and nut) 2 sets of roller cam/chain set, 1969 302 heads with 1.99/1.60 valves, hardened seats, very nice rebuilds, New-in-box 'Performer' intake, oil pump, gaskets (missing a head gasket), new flex plate with ring gear... and an FMX tranny (/boat anchor).

Had to get a lot of new things and stuff to replace what was missing. But new radiator, starter, water pump, dipstick, oil pan, valve covers, a roller rocker ball, rings, gaskets, etc, Dougs headers. Lots of little things.

After [a lot] of cleaning, it turns out, I am finally in the assembly process. The block had to have all the freeze and core plugs pulled, drilled out and tapped the drain 1/4 NPT plugs, which were frozen in place. Quite the pain. Cleaned and rehoned to clean up some surface rust that developed. It was scrubbed and readied. Polished the crank - again had surface corrosion, but nothing deep. Heads were wrapped, so they are pristine. Pistons were gunked up but had been coated with something. They cleaned up like new.

So as of today I have the crank and cam in and the timing chain and pistons installed. Next will be the pump and heads.

The plan is to do the swap over the weeks of October 17 to November 4 while my GF is out of town. :D

[Luva65wagon]

For anyone who's interested, the engine in the Flarechero is coming out and will go into my wagon, since it is 66 dual bell-housing style - as well as all the weber carb bits. Should wake up the wagon. Then I have offered the 65 200 from the wagon to Gina for a negligible amount, if she wants it, to give the Comet I sold her a little more pep. If she doesn't, it will be made available. The wagon motor runs like new, but like the potential to someday go away from the Dagenham. I may take the opportunity to do hardened seats and swap heads (I have a head I can send off now, if I wanted to).

[Luva65wagon]

Progress report on the V8 swap on the Ranchero. Plans are to do the swap this coming Saturday. The engine is built (less the peripheral bits, which get in the way of putting in the engine bay) and I'll be beginning the work on the transmission this week adding the shift kit and getting it mated to the motor. Should be able to pull the Ranchero into the garage on Friday and have it's motor ready to come out by that evening. If anyone is interested in helping or watching... let me know. It took about 5 of us to put Gene's new motor in. Or was that 2 working and 3 watching... I don't remember now.

:p

The following pics were from mocking up the new multi-v pulleys for this. I looked all over the web -- and short of buying something from March for $800-2000 -- I could not find anything or anyone else who tried to do simply this 3-pulley setup using what Ford made. I wanted to go multi-v instead of single or dual sheave pulleys. High-amp alternator squeals no matter what! Finding dual sheave parts were hard and expensive if you found them, so that ruled them out very quickly.

This is using some post 70's 302 alternator brackets with no mods and 79-80 crank and water pump pulleys. Most water pump pulleys from serpentine systems use the reverse rotation pumps, so they have no grooves (back of belt drives them). I found one on an '80's something motor that I thought might work - and it did! Everything lines up perfectly. Cost me less than $20 for everything! Love it. And thanks to Steve for powder coating it all.

The only bummer deal was the 4-bolt balancer and the PS outlet cast water pump made it hard to see the time marks. So I added a DS pointer and made timing marks on that section of the balancer. You do what you gotta do.

[doghows]

Looks awesome Roger. Why don't you send me that alt pulley and ill coat it up. You can send it over with that nut for my steering.
Thanks for all your help and if I can manage it I might pry myself away from the delivery and help you for a change. :D

And that spacer behind the alt.

[Luva65wagon]

Yeah - that steering wheel nut has already flown the coup.

The pulley looks better now. That picture was taken late Friday and after pairing up all the bits and bolts I have already cleaned it all up and painted things, etc. It's all in boxes awaiting final install.

Also got to find a 6-groove 38"-40.5" (range) multi-v belt. Think it's a Gates K060380 I'll get first.

[Luva65wagon]

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]

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....:D jh

[Luva65wagon]

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

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]

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

:BEER:

[BPVan]

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

[Luva65wagon]

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.

[BPVan]

Maybe I will be the token Surprise guy from now on.

[falcon cobra]

Roger, where did you get the headers? do you have the number, they make a ton of them and I don't recall what gene's look like:rocker:jh

[Luva65wagon]

I got Dougs Tri-Y model D660YA. I got mine off of Amazon for $549. Places like Summit wanted almost $100 more for them. They fit so nicely on Gene's I figure I can't go wrong. Knock on wood.

[falcon cobra]

But his is a 64, so I guess we will see on sat. I really dread trying to remove mine to get the heads off or removing the motor. mine are hedman shorties and they don't fit that well...jh

[SmithKid]

Here is the link to what my headers look like (you hafta scroll down) and they fit fairly tight. Had a small issue of DS hitting the steering box. Roger added a small spacer to the the DS motor mount to tip the motor a bit and all is well. Still haven't added a spacer to PS, but the tilt is barely noticeable and (I think) only if you are aware of it.

http://www.rainierfalcons.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1661&highlight=302+for+smithkid&page=9

[Luva65wagon]

John, Gene has a '65, but not sure it matters much for headers. But have not tried.

Anyway, did anyone hear that hiccup that occurred here tonight? I was cleaning up the spacer plate that goes between the engine and transmission (the engine came with an FMX tranny) and was gonna verify the flex plate and starter engagement. So I pulled the new flex plate out (it too came with the motor) bolted it onto the torque converter and realized the spacer plate was smaller than would fit the bell housing. The new flex plate (164 tooth) is correct for the transmission I got from Steve, but I need either a different C4 bell housing and a 157 tooth flex plate to use my spacer plate or I need the larger spacer plate.

Does anyone here have spare C4 parts laying around I can buy off of them?

[falcon cobra]

Roger, I have a block plate 6 bolt holes, and two flex plates one is 164teeth and one has 160 teeth, I think all the plates are the same except 5 hole or 6.... call me this morning so we can talk about it...jh

[Luva65wagon]

There is a 157 and a 164 tooth version of the 6-bolt block plate. The 164 flex plate held up to the 157 block plate would probably not have a lot of surrounding area. I can get some measurements.

I can't track down your number to call, so feel free to call me if you have mine available. I was gonna call BelKirk Mustang if nothing was available amongst us.

[Luva65wagon]

Just called BelKirk to see and they only have the 157 style.

The measurement across between the upper starter bolt hole and the hole directly across are 16.75 for a 157 and avout 17.25 for a 164.

If you don't have the right one I may have to hit the bone yards to see if I can find one. Worse case I install the tranny later in the week. I can buy the correct one online.

[pbrown]

Which tranny do you have? Are you planning to use the case fill or pan fill style? The 164 tooth plate usually mates with the pan fill tranny. I would think you would want to use the case fill c4 with a 157 tooth flexplate.

[Luva65wagon]

Props to John Henry who had the block plate I needed. [thumb]

To answer you question Patrick this is a C4 with the 164 tooth and a case fill. The torque converter, housing, everything was for a 164 tooth. I had a 157 flex plate and the bolts didn't align to attach it to the converter. Anyway, it's all mated up now and should not be a problem going forward.

The other motor I pulled today. Sadly as I was prepping it for storage I noted water staining on the rear of the block I thought was a freeze plug, but turned out to be a cracked block. Not sure why I didn't see it before, but it's had antifreeze since I had it. So my plans [Gina] to put it into my wagon have been temporarily interrupted. Maybe I can find another late block, like it, and use all the internal parts. Can't say at the moment.

Not sure who I'll see tomorrow, but will be happy to see whoever I see. Gene, John, Bill Williams may stop by, Brian may surprise us And my brother in law.

[SmithKid]

Took a few pics while at Roger's today. The engine is in the car, and now comes all the fun (?) stuff. We already discovered a few problems, of course.

[Jeff W]

Hey! Is that my engine leveler?:ROTFLMAO:

[Luva65wagon]

Haha..

Not too many problems... yet. The starter terminal was hitting the header (probably due to the larger bell housing inching the starter outward) but picked up a starter with an end terminal and all is well. Other header interference issues dealt with by using about 1/4" shims between the mounts.

Gotta fab the tranny mount next so I don't have a jack propping it all up back there. Loads of fun, but long day...

[AGREE]

[BillP 98201]

Dang it! Missing out on the fun again! I'll have a free couple of weeks after the 7 th of Nov if any one needs it.

[falcon cobra]

Well roger is it a goer yet?

[Luva65wagon]

Still a few things left to do. Fighting a few things along the way, but no problems... only solutions.

Congitated on the tranny mount on and off yesterday - came up with a plan. Need to do it now, though I have done some of it. When it's done I'll post a picture.

Alternator was bigger than my mock-up (stock unit) was, so that took some big hammers to make it work. It's on now and doin' fine.

Need a 1/2" fan spacer and went looking for one last night and could only find a 1". Got it, will have it machined down to 1/2"

Took the driveline bits to Drivelines NW before work this morning to have it made. Once I can stuff the hole back there, I can add fluid.

I expect to have all the bits buttoned up, including the pedal swap and shifter fab, by Saturday. Then hopefully I'll be turning the key by then. Taking my time, doing it right.

[falcon cobra]

Looks good, sure like the V covers, have you installed the pypes yet? I could help on friday if you like. I think my motor needs to come out, noise is still there. lifter, piston, rod bearing or maybe the muffler bearings. but anyway there maybe another party soon:confused:...jh

[SmithKid]

Sure is purty!

[Luva65wagon]

I suspect by then I'll have the driveline and the mount made (and in) and can work on mufflers - if I haven't already started.

I'll be around on Friday, so just give me a call and if it's not clear from the forum where I stand on the progress, I'll let you know then.

Bummer on the motor. Take it to the track, that'll expose which muffler bearing is failing. I got a little 200-6 here, with a crack in it, I'll let you have.

[falcon cobra]

Roger, how is the trans mount coming? or have you thorne in the towell. also could I borrow your tilt a bar that we used last sat.. if so let me know if I can pick it up fri. or sat...thanks jh

[Luva65wagon]

I'm beginning to wonder if Falcons were supposed to have V8's or not. I know they have before, but mine seems unusually tight on all sides. Probably used hot water when I should have used cold.

Anyway, mount plan is coming about. Have most of the parts cut and just needed to weld it. Got too late last night.

Driveline would not slide in (new yoke), so had to polish the heck out of it and it finally went in.

Fuel pump, with filter canister (Rock Auto and O'rielly's both show a 65 Falcon with this pump), plowed into the sway bar when I tried to level the motor in relation to the frame (carb base, that is), so need to get one from a Mustang. Not sure why they called for one with the filter canister - there is zero clearance below it on mine. Hot water again, maybe? Anyone with a fairly stock V8 and a filter-canister on the fuel pump?

Could not find a 1/2" fan spacer locally, so I made one from a 1" version by spinning it on the drill press and used a hacksaw to cut it. You do what you gotta do, I guess. But the fan (the one I got from Steve) is tight - only 1/4 in. behind and 1/4 in. front. Don't like that. At least in from it is not 1/4 away from the core, only the mounting bracket of the radiator. I know for a fact it uses hot water, so I'm confused. Maybe the wrong fan blade?

John, you are welcome to use the leveler.

[falcon cobra]

Well its a bit late but the smaller flex plate and housing gives alot more room down there. just get a fuel pump without the filter I don't think I have seen one with filter, other than a 6 cyl. and my fan is not all that close to rad. and no heating probs....jh

[Luva65wagon]

FWIW the flex plate and bell housing size (being larger) only effects clearance between the headers and these parts, not the headers and the frame rails. The heads, which the headers mount to, are all the same.

I asked Gene yesterday about fan clearance. I have modified it all for MultiV belt drive, so that ate up back clearance, but he seemed to say he had a lot of front clearance. I think I have plenty of room, but it is close.

Yep on the fuel pump. Picking one of those up on the way home. Just confused how they were ever spec'd in the first place.

[SmithKid]

Just looked at mine. I got no filter canister attached. Used an in-line filter.

[falcon cobra]

Roger are you working from home tomorrow? I could come by for the bar:Djh

[Luva65wagon]

I'll be there. Come on by sometime after 10... just in case I work late tonight. I may not set an alarm in the morning.

The mount is done. Brought it to work to do some heavy-duty welding to it. So that'll get painted tonight. I'll post pictures of the monstrosity later.

Gene came by last night and helped me (watched me, I mean) pump oil all over the floor. Oops. I forgot to plug off the oil-pressure line fitting. Oil pump works though. He also installed my valve covers and thermostat housing.

We also drilled a new hole 1/8" NPT into the intake for the stock temp sender and I can have the mechanical temp sender finally hooked up now too.

Still finding things I need. Have to get a hose connector to intake for heater hose and something to actuate the tranny kick-down. Lokar, I guess. They want an awful lot for a bike cable with ends attached to it. May ponder something of my own?

More to come.

[falcon cobra]

Kick-down? a V8 dont need no kick-down, just put your foot in it, after all its a lite car . I never had a kick-down in mine. if that dont keep the GM behind you shift it down with by hand...

[BadBird]

I had the lokar kickdown cable on mine with the C4. Worked great and easy to install. Before I rebuilt the car it didn't have a kickdown cable. I liked it much better with it, but, that just may be me. Larry

[falcon cobra]

roger, is there fire and smoke yet?

[SmithKid]

I think Roger's still working on it. Lots of stuff had to be fabricated and took more time than planned. So I'll post a pic I took late this afternoon. It's gettin' close.

[Luva65wagon]

I'm going to have a kick-down - one way on another. Adds a lot to drivability, I think. Will likely go with Lokar, but still letting my mind wrap around a possible fabrication of my own. Maybe electronic... not.

Yep, Gene has been there through much of this - I really appreciate his assistance. Thank you Gene! Thanks again to John for the assistance dropping it in, and my brother-in-law Rich. Bill Williams and Larry also dropped by last weekend and had a look.

It's fought me almost at every step, but it's turning out really nice. Actually spun it over just to check it is doing that, but told Gene he would be around for the official firing. Seems only right. Had to fabricate a gas pedal, but used one I found out of a '67 Mustang Gene and I happened upon at Pick-n-Pull. Worked well after making an adapter for the arm in the engine bay.

My GF is back from her 2-week vacation and sadly I missed it being done by about 1 full day, which means I gotta squeeze in a few evenings to get 'er done.

I have just the shifter and exhaust to do yet, but I have the shifter about 50% re-worked. Hacking up an older Mustang shifter and putting it under the carpet and will use the 4-speed shift boot and trim to go over the shift rod. There will be no indicator of what gear you are in, but the detents are for the C4, and if you don't know what gear you are in - you shouldn't be driving it. ;)

[Jeff W]

There will be no indicator of what gear you are in, but the detents are for the C4, and if you don't know what gear you are in - you shouldn't be driving it. ;)


That can easily be solved for another $300 or so. Lokar sells an electronic kit for the C4 with a lovely little LED indicator you can mount where you please.

[Luva65wagon]

That can easily be solved for another $300 or so. Lokar sells an electronic kit for the C4 with a lovely little LED indicator you can mount where you please.

$300 LED's!

I looked at shifters online and there were lots to choose from starting at about $130, but the least expensive ones didn't even have reverse lock-outs! Can you imagine bumping that stick and having it go into PARK or REVERSE at 60MPH! FMX cast-iron tranny maybe (John H tells a story of such and event). This one cost me $15 at PnP and has full lockouts. Just getting it sliced down small enough to go into the same hole in the carpet.. that was the tricky part.

[falcon cobra]

I made one of those LED things with a hall effects sensor and a magnet on the trans, and it worked..never thought it would. Roger your car is looking sweet, nice work but you always do nice work......jh

[Luva65wagon]

...but you always do nice work...

OCD is what it's called. Ha!

[falcon cobra]

Mr. wong not know OCD ??

[Luva65wagon]

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. For the car enthusiast... there is no cure.

[BadBird]

This is really looking good. OCD? That was new to me also. Us old foggies just don't text enough I guess J.H.

[Luva65wagon]

LOL. I'm an old fogy too. :o

OCD I think is a medical acronym rather than a texting one. It is a real disorder people have - some worse than others. I have been told I am somewhat OCD, but it is not quite to the point of what I see on TV and movies when they portray it. But I do find myself being very compulsive when it comes to some things. :NERVOUS:

[BPVan]

We all have a degree of OCD, it is human nature. A good example of clinical OCD is in the movie "As Good as it Gets". Fortunately for us our OCD as car folks is rebranded as "While I'm At It". ;)

[falcon cobra]

Roger, do you have a 157 tooth 28 ounce flex plate? jh

[Luva65wagon]

164 tooth. I think it had 28 ounces stated on the data sheet sticker. Seem to recall that anyway.

[falcon cobra]

Sorry about this but I wanted to know if you had a extra one:D, like on the shelf 157 tooth. I need one...thanks..jh

[Luva65wagon]

Only have another 157 that was from the FMX tranny - which I think you have a similar one of. I don't ever plan to install an FMX into ANYTHING.

:doh:

[falcon cobra]

This is all getting strange, the plate I gave to you is for a 164 and the flex I have is a 164 from the FMX I had.. I need a 157 flex and the converter 4 bolts measure 10.5 across...jh

[Luva65wagon]

I thought you said you counted 160 teeth on the other flex plate you had. The C4 used either 157 or 164 tooth and the larger and smaller had different spacing on bolts (bell housing and converter).

My 157 flex plate (for the FMX) was just "OK" and I'd have probably used it if I could have - just to not delay the project. But if I'd have had a few days to spare I'd have bought a new flex plate.

[Luva65wagon]

Well, Gene and I have been hassling with the shifter for the past two nights trying to get the thing to align with the detents on the factory Mustang shifter I got at P-n-P. It must have something different between what it has and the length of the shifter arm on the transmission. Or the angle was too steep. So as of last night I threw in the towel and started shopping for a new shifter. I just did not want to invest the money if I didn't have to. Looks like I have no choice.

I looked at Lokar and was a bit surprised by the fact they allowed either the neutral safety switch or back-up light, but not both at the same time. What's up with that? Nobody had anything in stock or on ebay I liked anyway. I would have wanted a 6" version I think. Actually found a thread from Patrick on a different Ford forum when he was researching this in 2007. But he didn't say then what he ended up with.

I know Lokar is popular, but I went against the grain and finally settled (at about 1 in the morning) on a B&M Z-gate shifter, which is cable operated. I had a B&M shifter on my '56 Panel and it worked flawlessly, so I bit the bullet and ordered one.

I was also trying to not have to replace carpet to cover the big hole, so I'm hoping it will cover that up. It also accommodated both neutral safety switch and back-up lights.

As I wait for that I'm now working on the exhaust. Hoping to here it roar to life this weekend... finally. The kit I got was for a Mustang, but it appears to all be falling into the right places.

I gotta stop doing these "short deadline projects." I'm not a young whipper snapper anymore. :(

[Luva65wagon]

Well... it lives again. Yay.

Wasn't without a few hiccups. Seems to have a vacuum leak, but it may just still need to be tuned better. It seems to run with the a/f screws all the way in, which is odd. Not many places to form vacuum leaks (externally), so have to run it more to figure this out. Also, one of the block plugs (1/4 pipe) was dribbling too, so that should hopefully tighten without the need to drain it all.

Not sure I'll have it all debugged by the meeting (and yes, there will be one) but if it is I'll bring it.

[doghows]

Looks like you have some of those "small things" too.
I was hoping to have mine dialed in enough to maybe come over for the meeting. Well see.

[Luva65wagon]

I merged my swap party thread into my Ranchero thread.

Tried again last night to get this thing to run right, but finally concluded the issue is with the Holley I bought at the swap and rebuilt. So as of last night I have ordered a new carburetor for it. I did get it to run "smooth" but it was running with the A/F screws all the way in and still running rich. So after reading a lot of reviews I went with the Summit carb. It wasn't far different than the old 4100 Autolite, which I'm very familiar with (but cost a fortune to buy - even as a core).

So it should be here tomorrow and then I hope to take this thing out for a drive!

:3g:

Oh wait, It has an automatic now... :rolleyes:

[doghows]

That's cool, I drove mine finally and found some more bugs but baby steps. I am happy for you and the Ranchero's. :rocker:

[falcon cobra]

Roger, I wish I knew the carb was not good because I have a 600 cfm summit carb that you could try. I told my son in law he could try it on his car but it will be a while before he gets around to it...jh

[Luva65wagon]

I appreciate that - but I'm done trying things. I knew you used to have one on your car. I liked the no-leaks-below construction of these and have been looking for almost 2 months for a cheap 289-version of the Autolite 4100. Just too expensive for the unknown condition core. Almost went again with a AFB style since I have rods and jets for these, but they too can be finicky.

I just want this car done and out of the garage. After all we did last night I am 100% sure this carb has something internally amiss. Not sure what considering I checked every passage and part to the nth degree, but as his friend said last night on the phone when we used our "call a friend" - Holleys work on and off. They are either on the car working or off the car being worked on.

I found the secondaries were not closing all the way too. This was manually addressed to test things, which did help, but not enough.

[BPVan]

If it makes you feel better, I have been trying to get my 4160 just right for a while now and can't seem to. Its probably 90% there but the last 10% has been :doh: I found my secondary float was bad at one point which caused all sorts of intermittant results, might want to check on that?

Too bad you don't have the advantage I have: a between-the-seats toaster oven, carbs like being toasty :bicker:

[Luva65wagon]

Thanks Brian - I do feel better now.

The float levels seemed fine. Prior to last night you could kill the motor by plugging either primary or secondary, which meant what? With A/F screws doing nothing, and it running on the secondaries, and maybe the primaries to the same degree - this thing was wacky.

You just need to make a huge head gasket big enough to divide the upper part of the engine compartment from the lower part. Heat stays down and cool stays up. Simple.

[falcon cobra]

Don't you just LOVE them holleys. I had one once on my van,for about a week...jh

[Luva65wagon]

Just throwing out an update - while I'm at it - to let those who are wondering... I know at least one of you has to be... what's up with the Ranchero.

Well, It's been running fine since I got it running, but of the two water temp gauges I had in it (factory and under-dash) - neither was working after the swap. Never had the under-dash on hooked up on the 6'r because it needed at least a 3/8" NPT hole in the head and I only had an 1/8" NPT hole. It was reading about 25 degrees low and I must have killed the factory sender when I swapped it from the 200 to the 289. Didn't want to do much driving without knowing the engine temp.

Got the factory one fixed easily enough and ordered a new under-dash one from the local O'Rielly's. I decided to check it when I got it, It read about 25 degrees too high (in a pan of water). So I took it back and ordered another electrical version. It now seems OK.

But as I was running the engine testing all this I see water dripping from the thermostat housing. Bummer. So I drain the system, change gasket, fill it, start it, and.... drip, drip, drip. :WHATTHE: Drain again and look at everything with a magnifying glass and notice the bypass hole in the gasket was elongated on all 3 of them I used (they must do this to accommodate variations in thermo-castings from the 221, 260, 289, 302 - so I made a new gasket. That'll take care of it. Or so I thought.

So I install it and fire it up and... drip, drip, drip. :doh::doh::doh:

Pull out the mirror and as it turns out it has a casting flaw (porosity) too! This is a new thermostat housing from a Mustang vendor (NPD) made by Scott Drake.

So hunting locally now for a NON Chromey housing. I know it will be fun to drive eventually. :o

[pbrown]

I have an OEM 90 degree housing from a 5.0 engine. Bought it on eBay and never used it. Want to give it a try?

[Luva65wagon]

I'd have to change the hose for that one. This is the old style that comes out and slightly up. I appreciate the offer though! [thumb]

[Nathan289]

O Reilly s will have an aluminum water neck for a 289

It will have a fitting in it for a temp sender or ported vacuum switch

[Luva65wagon]

Yep - Murray #84831 and they have at my close-by store for $8. Not sure what I paid for this other one, but probably too late to try and get a swap. Thanks Nathan.

[Luva65wagon]

New housing is in and drove it a good 20 miles today - in too much holiday traffic too!

:NERVOUS:

Not sure I trust the temp gauges - seemed to get very warm according to them. But it is a .060-over 289 and breaking in, so I suppose it may get a little warmer than normal. Nothing blew though, and a reading of the water pump right after shutting it off read 190 degrees with my digital thermometer.

I may rig up some extra cooling with the fan I got back from Brian.

[falcon cobra]

Try and find a mech. temp gage and stick it under the dash or hood. I just drove mine today also and it was about 180 + on the elec. gage I have. found the valve covers they say BOSS 302 on one and BOSS on the other. will get the ford racing # soon. they list for 185. pr....jh

[BPVan]

I may rig up some extra cooling with the fan I got back from Brian.

I have an 1/8 NPT thermal switch if you need it. On at 185 and off at 170 I think. I have the original packing to verify. I can drop it in the mail to you.

[Luva65wagon]

Brian,

PM sent.

[doghows]

Hey Roger test drive the flarechero over here. We have parts and tools, we can fix it if something goes south..:BEER:

[Luva65wagon]

Today I pulled the front suspension parts off the Ranchero. If you've not heard the story yet all the ball-joint boots were rotted and would not hold grease. And one of the large bushing nuts on the passenger side upper control arm started to come undone, which I only noticed due to the racket that tends to make. I tightened it as best I could on the car, but these are supposed to be torqued using some funky method. All these parts came from NW Falcons, but I bought them from a Craigslist ad. Must have sat a long time.

Anyway it's been clunking and groaning after the V8 swap. Inspecting the parts, apart for the aforementioned things, I also found a loose nut on the driver side upper control arm - to - shock tower, plus one of these studs was really sloppy. Most of the groaning was coming from the passenger side though. Lots wrong for such a low-mileage setup.

I'm still trying to decide what to do. I'm debating whether to do the Shelby drop, while I'm at it, but am not sure what this does, really - and am not sure I want to spend money on the template and drill.

Not in a huge hurry to put it together again. Want it to be the last time for a while. If anyone has front end suggestions to share, I'd appreciate it.

[Nathan289]

Roger

The shelby drop template can be found online for free.

The drop corrects some geometry issues that occur when driving really fast into corners.

Its not a mod I usually do. As extra holes have a tendency to weaken shock towers.

I do recommend the roller spring perches from open tracker.

I had a set of grab a track suspension parts fail during a three year build so I usually stay away from those.

How do three of 4 ball joints go bad sitting on a car in a garage?
They had 13 miles on them when I replaced them.

[Luva65wagon]

Thanks Nathan.

I can't understand that either. Made in China, best guess.

I picked up some elastomer perches. I debated on the bearings, but the reviews I indicated these did just as well and didn't squeak like Poly. They have grease fittings too.

I don't see taking the Ranchero fast into curves anytime soon. But I did think about it weakening the towers and it would need to benefit me more than for just that. I saw a paper template - I guess I could make a bolt-on drill gauge from that if I decide to do it. Patrick mentioned having done this. Maybe he's got a word or two to say about it as well.

[Luva65wagon]

Well, after a few weeks apart (too many things going at once) I've got the front suspension back together with all new parts. Added a Monte Carlo bar and a belly bar too... while I was at it. Also installed the larger sway bar I got from Bill Williams last summer as well. That squeaked like crazy (Poly stuff) so I had to take it loose and grease the frame bushings.

The front end, with new springs (again) with a coil cut off sits nice in the front. I think I'm going to lower the back-end a little now, and work to center the wheels better in the flares.

I drove it prior to adding the M/C bar and belly bar, and it steered way easier, so there was something not good for sure in the other old new stuff. Unfortunately the thing was squeaking so bad I couldn't tell if the other noise I was hearing has been eliminated. Hoping so.

But let me tell you I am so disappointed by the lack of QC I see in parts these days. I had to trim 1/2" off of one lower control arm pivot because it hit the lower pivot. The belly bar interfered with the sheet metal of the lower control arm pivot / lower shock tower on both sides and would not go flush. That was a pain to address. Also had to washer-up under the castle nuts on the upper and lower ball joints because there was no way the cotter key would engage it.

Anyway, it's together and this weekend I'll see how it does - sans squeak. Still needs an alignment, but it does drive straight (hands off the wheel) where before it wanted to wander left.

:banana:

[BPVan]

Will we see it at the meeting this week?

Agreed on parts. On the econo, the replacement kingpins need more than double the value of the parts worth of machining to work. The drive pin grove isn't machined right and if you use it out of the box you'll end up replacing the pins again in 10k miles...

Good work, we'll see you at Evergreen Speedway :3g:

[Nathan289]

Roger,

On the sway bar. If you take it apart again to grease it again. (trust me you will.)

When its apart take a saw blade and make notch in the bushing. Then drill and tap the bushing bracket for a grease fitting. Then in the future you just lube the bushings like u joints..

Its a trick I read from some mustang magazine, back when Jeff Ford was an editor of the good one..

[Luva65wagon]

Will we see it at the meeting this week?

Not sure. I'm going to jack up the rear tonight and see about lowering it another inch and shift the rear-end forward an inch (this is the tougher part). We'll see. Will drive the wagon at least. Have not driven it more than around the block since getting the crank swapped, timing chain, DuraSpark II, new 4 speed (from Ranchero), and the Weber. It deserves a longer test drive I think.


On the sway bar.... grease fitting...

Good idea! I suspect I'll be greasing it again and when I do this is what I'll do!

[Luva65wagon]

I know, just when you think a thread is dead and can be put to rest...

Spent Friday starting some work I need to do to this car:

1) Getting a 8" 3.45 trac-lok pumpkin to replace the 2.79 open diff. It's been howling back there and it already has new axle bearings, so I suspected this potential when I built the car. Just wasn't ready to do it then.

5097

As I mentioned in the Mini-regional thread I'm now chasing a "clunk" in the car. I've crawled around and searched front-to rear for the cause. Seems to be "twist" or "flex" related, but it's hard to tell with me inside and it being outside. I see no clearance issues - even as tight as a V8 with headers is in a Falcon. In an attempt to stiffen things up I'm going to do these next two things:

2) Add a new C4 tranny mount (replacing my home-built unit). Ordered the one from Melvin's as opposed to the more typical unit you see on FalconParts.com. Seems significantly better built. Maybe even a bit over-kill.

5099

3) Adding sub-frame connectors and ordered the GlobalWest units. They arrived in 2 days from Summit! They seem very easy to install with a bit of welding. Considering how much of the uni-body was replaced in this truck, and being a 6-cyl. car with no torque boxes, this should stiffen up the underside a lot. Because the clunk seems structural, this may help if flex is the cause.

5098

Cosmetics-

When I did the rear flares in this Ranchero centering the wheels and tires in the opening was tough to do. So I am going to rework this and move the rear axle forward 1.25" forward. Of course, as you all know, there is a leaf-spring alignment pin to center the axle. If you use the stock location the wheel is way forward in the opening. This is OK when using the stock tear-drop flare. Not so good with a rounded flare. The wheel/tire needs to be in the center of it. That will mean:

4) Maybe changing the leaf springs or coming up with a billet mount to relocate the pin, top and bottom. Gotta stare at it some.

5) ~ 1.25 shorter driveline, which I will verify after the new transmission mount is in. I will need to verify the driveline angles at this time too. NEver paid attention to that as I should have.

6) Maybe some traction-bars... while I'm at it. :doh: Only 10% committed to doing that at this time.

Fingers crossed I get all of this done in time to go to a car show in this before Fall!

Pictures to come as I do the work.

[Luva65wagon]

Quick update:

Got the new trac-loc rear-end installed and moved forward. It's all secure now.

I discovered the rear lift block (got them from Steve) didn't interface correctly with the alignment hole in the rear end leaf flanges. So they were moving around back there as evidenced by some obvious wear patterns. No fault on Steve, but NOT good! I should have caught this. :doh: I suspect this is the noise I was hearing!

I used the new adjustable lift blocks, but even they would not "key" into the rear end flanges or leaf spring bolts without flopping around, so I had to re-engineer them. I made some extenders for them out of hex-key Allen-head bolts. This required drilling and tapping these parts (the parts that move fore-aft). I also drilled exact-size holes in the new lift block to align everything to the leaf spring.

I used the two rear shackle bolts to line-up the traction bars and have those installed too.

5110

I'm now in the process of installing the sub-frame connectors and awaiting my 1" shorter driveline from Drivelines NW. It's done and I will get it tomorrow morning along with a new bottle of weld gas.

Test-drive should come tomorrow - FINGERS CROSSED! :3g:

[BadBird]

Great addition to the car and can't wait to hear about the test drive. Larry

[Luva65wagon]

Test drive came yesterday - too late for the Ford show. The heavy rains here on Friday continued into Saturday and I ended up doing chores around the house instead - but...

The clunk is gone! Was for sure the lift block alignment bits not keying in. Also, with the 3.25 gears over the 2.79 gears, way more peppy! Character change you can feel. Body stiffness is also noticeable after the sub-frame connectors.

The rear-end is good for up to 550 HP! So what should I do now!

:3g:

[Luva65wagon]

Have been chatting a bit with Gene about this, but thought I would post here too. I did more test driving over the past couple weeks and slowly began to realize: "Houston, we have a problem."

As I was bringing the thing back on-line after the rear-end swap I decided I really ought to change the oil. It still had the break-in oil in it and I should have done so last summer. But I hadn't driven it since the last mini regional either (technically, Lila drove it to/from the 2014 mini). I still had some yucky tranny oil in the pan when I pulled the plug to drain the motor. Then the filter. I decided to go with Mobil-1 synthetic since it was new and all. But as I pulled the drain pan out from under the car to empty it into the recycle jug I noticed a rather shiny metallic hue to the oil. Didn't know if it was because it was a mix of engine and transmission oil, or what. No big chucks, just a fine grey metal-flake. Never saw that from any of the many engine break-ins I've done.

So I drove it. What the heck. It runs so nice cold. No obvious noises. But as it warmed up it grew louder and louder and the oil-pressure dipped at idle to around 20 PSI. Cut that long drive short.

After Googling "noise after switch to synthetic" I ordered some good Lucas Hi-Zinc oil for it and changed the oil again. More flakes in the synthetic drain oil with only 5 miles of driving - or more just washed out.

I drove it again and sure enough there is something not right in the bowels of this motor. Pressure was higher with the Lucas oil, but there is a noise I am not certain about. Lifter-ish, but not. Maybe I wiped a cam lobe? Not there cold, but very evident when hot. I would think a cam lobe failure would be all the time.

Currently weighing my options. My problem is having no way of taking anything apart on the driveway. If I do, I can't play musical cars. And I'm not supposed to park the wagon out of the garage for its insurance policy.

One of my options is that I have a '71 302 core I am debating whether to build and just swap it out - and learn the cause of the issue at the same time. The current motor is a '65 289 bored 60-over and runs border-line hot all the time anyway. Never liked that. This would eliminate that. Just a shame considering how well it can run when cold.

Anyway, not a happy camper and just posting my lamentations.

[Nathan289]

My bet is on wiped cam lobe..

What your insurance company doesn't know wont hurt them.

You parked it outside to wash it... and a tree or whatever damaged it. If anything does happen..

[Luva65wagon]

Can't quite understand why it isn't missing at all. Just noise. Have not put a vacuum gauge on it yet. That would show it. Will probably pull the valve covers at the very least - on the driveway.

But yeah, I get that with the insurance thing. I've had to do it before and may again.

[Luva65wagon]

Pulled the valve covers tonight and found what is making the shiny stuff and noises. The push rod guide plates are wearing the push rods like a lathe. Now I need to figure out why. I think I know why. I think the rockers are supposed to be floating style with these plates and my rollers capture the end of the valve, which probably didn't require the plates. So as the motor warms and things expand, these got tighter. Not sure why it's more noticeable now, but it is.

I think it's going to be new rockers and push rods.

[Luva65wagon]

A little further research and here's the page:

http://www.compcams.com/information/Products/RockerArms/MagnumRoller.asp

I have part #1431-16 and the sub note say not for use with guide plates. I need the non-rail type #1442-16 instead. :doh:

That's what I get for using what I was given when I bought this motor (in parts) on Craigslist. This is the second thing supplied that was wrong. The first was the flex plate that was the wrong balance. Good thing I plasti-gauged it all.

[Luva65wagon]

Well, even us smart-alex's learn something new. 1st lesson is not to trust other people's research and purchases. If you buy a pile of stuff, make sure it is all the right stuff. Turns out the rockers I got in my pile are correct for a motor without guide plates. Also if you use guide plates you need hardened push-rods. If you don't - this is what happens:

5121

So I have new rockers coming (less rails so the guide plates do the guiding) and new pushrods. Theoretically this should get me up and going again. Going to try and wipe out as much of the fine shavings I can see and add a filter magnet to collect as much of the filings I can. And then see what happens.

If I mess it up worse, I'll build-up the 302.

:doh:

[Luva65wagon]

I suspect some of you are interested in this so I took some more pics of the difference in these parts. This is the new rocker arms next to the type I had. You'll see better the rails on either side of the roller, whereas the new one has no rail. The rails [normally] keep the rocker centered on the valve stem without a guide plate down at the head.

5122

The guide plate and use of rail rockers forced the pushrods to one side against the edge of the guide plate wearing many of them significantly. This one was .030 smaller. Not sure the wall thickness, but at some point I'd guess it would break, bend, or wear completely through.

5123

With the new rockers and hardened pushrods the guide plates will let the rockers float on the valve stem and the hardened parts will not wear away. Should have everything swapped this weekend. Just in time for rain!

:rocker:

[ew1usnr]

I suspect some of you are interested in this so I took some more pics of the difference in these parts. :rocker:

Hello, Roger.

You are correct. Some of us have been reading your posts but have not commented.

Thanks for clarifying things with the additional pictures. Your discussion of "guide plates" and "rails" had me confused but now I see what you are talking about.

Do you have roller lifters as well?

[Luva65wagon]

Dennis,

Not a roller motor, no.

Rail rockers use the valve stem as the locator to establish the geometry between the rocker and lifter for the pushrod to follow. Nothing else is needed to maintain this path. Add now the guide plate midway between the two and these guides would need to be spot-on in the center of the path, and clearly that isn't the case.

You use one or the other: guide plates with hardened pushrods - or rail rockers. But not both.

All-in-all a very silly mistake. Something I should have caught. I guess I'm posting all of this to show the world I'm not perfect after all!

:ROTFLMAO:

[Luva65wagon]

Oh, and basically the goal is to have the rocker stay in the center of the valve stem. Rail rockers accomplish this. And guide plates without rail rockers accomplish this as well. Using both is a fatal redundancy.

[SmithKid]

Very glad you have a "handle" on it and the engine doesn't have to be completely torn down. Flush, flush that motor (I know you already did). :D

[Luva65wagon]

Gene,

I've removed as much as a I think I can by flushing it, but I also have a filter magnet coming, which sticks to the end of the filter. Hopefully it will hold anything that remains in the filter. Sadly, any damage that was gonna happen has now happened - so I'll just see how it goes.

I did order yet another 5 quarts of the hi-zinc Lucas oil and will probably waste what I just put in there (that'll make about $75 worth of expensive oil flushed away in the past two weeks). I do have a very good Amsoil filter (filters out any particles above 1 micron) and I might push it through that and get it clean enough to use again.

I'm still tempted to take that 71 302 block over to 'that' local machine shop and have it cleaned up, bored, and new cam plugs installed. It's worth more to me done than as a core. Maybe slowly build it into a short-block a piece at a time - just in case. Besides, I worked so hard at digging it out from under the bench! Who knows, maybe build a 331 stroker!

:banana:

OK, maybe not.

[ew1usnr]

I also have a filter magnet coming, which sticks to the end of the filter.

What type of magnet did you get?

I googled "Oil filter magnet" and saw this:

5124

See: http://www.pro-magna.com/

It is just a magnet that is inserted inside the oil filter.

With my luck it would fall out of the filter somehow and jam the oil pump.

[Luva65wagon]

It's an external one. On Amazon for about $15. It goes right on the end of the filter.

[Luva65wagon]

Managed to get it back together and running today before the wind came and the power went out for 3 hours. It's running well, but it did before as well. Didn't get it out on the road because the weather, but I expect all will be fine.

;:)

Hope all of you weathered the storm and have power again if you lost it. And Dennis I see something maybe heading your way too, so batten down the hatches and let us know how you fair.

:rain:

[ew1usnr]

Managed to get it back together and running today before the wind came and the power went out for 3 hours. ... And Dennis I see something maybe heading your way too, so batten down the hatches and let us know how you fare.:rain:

Hello, Roger.

Thanks for asking.

I read this in the news this morning:
"SEATTLE – Powerful winds toppled trees and power lines across the Pacific Northwest on Saturday, causing two deaths in the Seattle area and knocking out electricity to nearly 500,000 customers."

Dang! That must have been a surprise.


Down here, it rained almost every day in July and August. Tampa flooded a few weeks ago and there is still standing water everywhere. That has made the mosquito population explode. We are supposed to get two more inches of rain over the next few days and it will be interesting to see what happens. There is nowhere for the water to drain. Every ditch and retention pond is already full and the water table almost right at ground surface, meaning the ground is mud.

5125

On a Falcon level, this has been frustrating. I have been going through Falcon withdrawal for two months now. I want to drive my little "Sunbeam Tiger-ish sports car in my mind" , but not when the streets are covered with water. We have an 80% chance of rain today with an expected one inch of rain. And a 60% chance of rain everyday for the next ten days.

Maybe I should get a snorkel kit.
5126

[SmithKid]

Dennis, we've always thought we have almost continual wet conditions here in the NW. Enough so that we always joke about our toes and fingers becoming webbed like a frog. Maybe you guys should be working toward that on the evolutionary side too.

[Luva65wagon]

After driving the Ranchero post-fix more and more the loudness of it began to grate on me. It was simply loud to be loud. I had already installed a pair of resonators to muffle it some, but it wasn't enough. So I installed today, with the help of Gene, a pair of Borla mufllers. Wow. What a difference. Now it's throaty without being loud.

If anyone wants a pair of louder stainless mufflers, let me know. You're welcome to them. 2.5" offset in/out. Less than 1000 miles on them.

[Nathan289]

If its too loud you're too old:rocker:
Just kidding..

[BadBird]

No he isn't. Kidding that is. LOL. Larry

[Luva65wagon]

No he wasn't. I think that statement came up a few times today... how old I'm getting, that is.

:(

[Nathan289]

I grew up with a poster on my wall of a guy sitting in a recliner in front of a stack of speakers.. actually they looked like marshal amp stacks.
He's wearing goggles and his face and hair looks like its getting blown back..

It says if its too loud you're too old..


My comment is a joke.
I have the same problem on my wagon and its just a boring 6 cylinder. The universal muffler i installed that looks like the old one i removed is loud and sounds like a tractor.

[SmithKid]

Or maybe the statement about age yesterday concerned the person assisting you. :eek:

[Nathan289]

Well if my comment offended Roger or anyone else i apologize.

I keep my comments to myself.

I'll let myself out now.

[BadBird]

If we are really talking about Roger getting old, then that makes me really really feel old right now. Larry

[Luva65wagon]

No offence taken here at all...

I am getting old and cranky - even if I make the rest of you look even older and crankier!

:D

[Luva65wagon]

I know... long dead post.

[AGREE]

After quite a while of "hating" the changes I made to the Ranchero when I added the 3.25 trac-loc rear (previously was 2.79 open diff) I have opted to go to a the Modern Driveline T5 instead of the C4 automagic. It's on order and should arrive sometime this week.

I ordered the rear-shift version as opposed to the S10 forward-shift version. I already have a largish hole towards the rear where the B&M Gate shifter went through the floor. I saw a couple pictures of a T5 in this location and think I'll like it better, but it does require some tunnel modififications. I'll be fabricating my own hydraulic clutch setup for it as well as I couldn't swallow the $500 dollar setup. The S10 version was also about a $750 upcharge, so I widdled it down quite a bit. You can get a lot of hydraulic kits on RockAuto for about $25 (for both M/C and slave!) if fabrication doesn't scare you, which it doesn't me.

It's a planned deep-winter project, but keep an eye out for my progress. I expect it to make this car something I enjoy driving more - as opposed to the not so enjoyable experience I'm having with it now.

Not my parts, but I'm getting all of this:

5916

[BadBird]

Very cool. Let me know if you need a hand installing. Larry

[SmithKid]

Count me IN for helpin' any way I can.

[Luva65wagon]

Wondering how many people you can fit under a Falcon...

I'll try to arrange this for when someone can assist. Of course I know I won't be able to keep Gene away - and why would I - but it's always great to share the joy with as many wanting to receive it.

Tracking says it is coming (shipping it to work) tomorrow, but I don't plan to dig into it (much) for a a couple more weeks. Initially it will be getting the car up high, and pulling the C4. Gene already helped me once doing that when it was determined I had the 50 oz flywheel. So he's the expert there. Then I'll be doing all the measurements for what tunnel modifications are needed. I know the cross-member brace needs to be cut where the shifter goes through the floor, so I'll do that before trying to lift it up.

Going to be a fun winter.

[Gitanesteel]

Count me IN for helpin' any way I can.

I don't have much for mechanical expertise - but, heck if I can swing it I'd love to be there to watch and learn and do grunt work

[doghows]

Cut, did I here someone say cut??:sawzall:

I think I can make room for three to four under the car with my special skills!

[Luva65wagon]

Everything arrived, but have not cracked it open. Will do so when I get it all home.

5921

Found it interesting to see on the end of the big box "Made in Mexico." Maybe we do need a wall.

5922

:ROTFLMAO:

[Luva65wagon]

Q: Where are TREMEC Transmissions made?

A: TREMEC Transmissions are proudly built in the place where TREMEC was founded: Queretaro, Mexico. Engineering, sales, marketing, human resources, and customer support are located just outside the world's motor capital in Plymouth, Michigan.

[doghows]

I'm glad they are made there. If we tried to do it in the states we'd have unions involved, then union dues, union wages, five workers to assemble one part and thus our costs double which in turn triples the cost to us common folk.

Looks like a fun job Roger. Keep us posted and if I can I'll buzz over with my sawzall just in case. But at least for moral support! :sawzall::sawzall:

:BEER:

[Luva65wagon]

I hope to keep the sawzall away... More delicate cuts.


I'm glad they are made there. If we tried to do it in the states we'd have unions involved, then union dues, union wages, five workers to assemble one part and thus our costs double which in turn triples the cost to us common folk.

That's the catch-22 I hear nobody ever talk about. You can't bring [manufacturing] jobs back to America if American's expect to buy a microwave for $79. If you sell the $279 version, good luck. You can't have it both ways, sadly. We've been seeing this occur more and more at my job where everyone expects pricing to keep going down because competitors, who make most everything in China (pronounced Jhii-na), are way cheaper than us - which has nearly everything made in the USA. We are loosing that fight slowly, but surely.

Anyway, Tremec's reputation is good, so I'm sure their QA is going to follow suit.

5941

I have been needing to get another project done, which I started way back in May and have been too swamped to return to, but finished this up last night. Plan is to sell it off to help pay for the transmission costs. I'm thinking to start it off at $1212.12

5942
5943
5944

[Luva65wagon]

Gene came over last night and look at we accomplished:

5956

So now I can begin setting this car up for the 5-speed. My biggest debates at this time are:

1) Clutch setup. Should I go with my own hydraulic setup similar to the one you can see on the Internet by Dick Harrington? Or prove MDL wrong and see if I can do a cable setup.

http://www.cometeastcarclub.org/PDFs/hydraulic_clutch_conversion.pdf

2) While I'm At It™ should I work on converting the car to electric power steering.

Hmm... decisions, decisions.

[Bill Pierce]

Roger,

If it was me, I'd use a hydraulic throw out bearing and master cylinder.

I used that setup on a 240z I built with a small block and 5 speed. It worked out real well and the clutch pedal was real light even with a heavy duty pressure plate.

Just my 2 cents

[Luva65wagon]

I would if it wasn't $500 and my last experience with one wasn't a leaker, which though it hasn't happened will be causing the removal of the transmission. I like the idea of external stuff, but I agree the feel was nice.

[Luva65wagon]

Slowly plugging along with this update. Gene and I mounted the flywheel and bell-housing last Wednesday and mounted a dial indicator in the hole to measure run-out. Tremec has a pretty strict .010 total run-out for these transmissions and I was pretty bummed to see the dial swing .085! The solution to this is to use off-set block pins clocked just-so to shift the bell-housing over to better center it. They don't make offset pins to fix and error that large, so being I had rain coming into the garage and now this issue... I went into the house.

Friday morning I was expecting the roofing contractor to come give me an estimate on my roof so I got under the car to put the bell and stare at things a little while I waited. When I did I noticed it didn't look like the bell housing was actually pulled up tight to the block due to the cable-clutch boss hitting the headers (left lower corner of the picture). So I pulled it off and filed the back-side of this section until it no longer touched the headers - and re-ran the run-out test. This time it was .007!

WhoHoo! :banana:

5969

I also thought that was a pretty appropriate number as well!

So now comes figuring out where to punch the hole in the floor for the shifter and then I can install the transmission and work on the mount. MDL sent the S10 cross-member, but I'm doing the Ford housing, so that ain't gonna work like they said it would. So will probably use the C4 mount I had with only minor hole elongating.

[doghows]

Well is this bad boy running again or what?? Update update!!

[Luva65wagon]

Fine, fine...

It's been slowly coming together. Only having a couple days a week to work on it. Gene came out on Friday and wanted to be entertained, so I thought I'd entertain him with a couple rolls of blue tape.

5976

After I mocked the transmission into the tunnel (no clutch or anything) I made the hole for the shifter to go through. This cut right through the cross-member brace, so I had to do some welding to solidify that to the floor sheetmetal. And I didn't want the gaping holes down into that cross-member piece on each side, so I cut me some patch panels and closed those off, seam-sealed them, and then undercoated the underside again. Kind of a black hole now, should have taken a picture before gooping it in black.

5977

Gene is going to be mad at me, but the show must go on... I put the clutch and everything back in on Saturday and put in the transmission. Way easy - especially after pulling the shifter handle out. Had it in within a couple minutes.

5978 5980

Then I started working on a hole patch cover to reduce the hole size around the shifter. Will probably wrap that in a rubber gasket too.

5979

Then I can start my work on fitting a clutch master and slave to this, which is where the real fun begins. I'm using the clutch slave and master from a Mazda MPV because I liked how the reservoir was remote. It's gotta fit just below the brake master cylinder... somehow.

5981

[doghows]

Is that the grill I powered for you like two years ago?? Dang dude.
As far as the black stuff, "you gotta goop what you gotta goop!" [yay]
Nice work, how do you think she's gonna skoot when it's back together?

[BadBird]

He is going to go to the drag strip with me next year!!!!!!!! The installation looks very good. Bet you can't wait to bang some gears. :shift:Larry

[doghows]

Roger on the drag strip? I'm not buying that, he's too obsessed with keeping his cars clean. I don't see him wanting to clean rubber off his rear quarter panels!! [yay]

[Luva65wagon]

I think it would be great to take it down the track, but would never compete with you Larry. As for cleaning it up afterward - heck I'd leave the rubber. Same color as the rest of it.

:3g:

I've felt the car lost some character when I went to the V8. It was fun to drive, though somewhat gutless, with the 200/4-speed. It was for sure quicker with the 289/C4, but not much fun. So I think the 5-speed will bring back some of that joy. The main thing, though, is that it won't be screaming at me all the time on the freeway since swapping the rear-end out. Having the OD will get the RPM's into normal range.

And yes, Steve, Gene is working on painting the grill you had on the SD before you were gifted with the coo-de-gra (however that's spelled) of gifts. While I have that grill out I'm seriously considering doing what Larry did:
http://www.rainierfalcons.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9384&postcount=107
He pushed the radiator forward quite a bit. I have a mere 2.25" between my radiator and the end of the water pump. Getting a fan to fit in this space and not hit anything has been very hard. Fan that was in there had to be bent in many places to fit. May go electric if I gain enough room somehow.

Here's the finished filler plate over the shifter. Not seen is the rubber gasket I draped into the hole. Because I've done 3 transmissions and the carpet is looking pretty ratty with holes - I'm debating replacing the carpet. Unless I can think of an alternative. That's not priority, but the removing the old shifter hump could happen if I changed the carpet. Not needed with a T5.

5982

[doghows]

Well crap I'd better get my rear end swap done! Maybe we can do a track day with the club somewhere! I'd drive over for that.
Chero is looking good, how soon is the first test drive?:shift:

[Luva65wagon]

...how soon is the first test drive?

IDK. I'm doing the T5, but also looking at improving the cooling, WIAI™, which is turning into a real bear. After eyeing what Larry did cutting into the core support I'm not so sure I can do that. I don't have the better front-end with sub-frame like he has. I pulled the full front grille and hood latch bits off last night to see if I can get a pusher fan in front of the radioator, which I think I can, and then maybe go back to a more stock fan on the engine (too) if needed. I literally have 1.75" between the nose of the water pump and the radiator.

I'm also looking seriously into the electric power steering on this. I have (most of) all the parts, but want to stare at it a lot-a-bit before committing to cutting into anything. I was under the dash last night just trying to get the brake/clutch/steering support out to install roller bearing into it and will have to pull the steering column out anyway. So that might seal the deal. There's a lot of fabrication to do if I go that route.

[doghows]

OMG The WIAI strikes again. Im sure I'll hit a few of those if I ever get started on mine. It was too nice today so I drove her to work!!
Good luck Roger!

[Luva65wagon]

OMG The WIAI strikes again.

When doesn't it? :doh:

[Luva65wagon]

With a lot of head scratching and staring I managed to squeeze a cooling fan into this thing. Had to cut the back side of the hood support and then re-work it a bit, but it's in there. Had to cut a bit in the upper part of the core support to clear the fan, and a few pits of the plastic on the fan too. But it pushes a lot of air and should help keep this cool. Still plan to have the engine fan, but can make it a smaller one than it was.

6000 6001

Then I worked to put in the roller bearing for the clutch and brake pedal support. That allowed me to determine where to drill for the clutch master cylinder. I've drilled the holes, but ran out of time to do anything more there.

6003

I then went to determine whether this electric power steering unit might fit into a Falcon.

6002

What I concluded was no, not unless I don't want emergency brakes, clutch or brake pedals, or windshield wipers. All these seem pretty important to me, so I bagged this idea. I'll sell it all off. Of course I needed to pull the header, and steering column, steering box to determine all of this - though the steering column had to come out to get the pedal support out. I'm going to haul my steering box and the 4 steering box cores I have to RedHeads next week and have them rebuild mine, WIAI™. They buy cores so I'll put that money towards this.

6004

[doghows]

I hate to say it but all those WIAI are paying off. It's looking very clean as always nice work.
Can you add swapping in a rear axle into a delivery to your list of WIAI? I can't seem to get the time to get out there and get after it. Maybe over turkey day weekend!

M:rocker::3g:

[Luva65wagon]

Can you add swapping in a rear axle into a delivery to your list of WIAI?

I don't think WIAI™ works that way, but nice try.

[Luva65wagon]

So how bummed am I to have taken a long lunch to drive over to RedHead Steering Gear on 130th and Aurora today only to discover they have moved... all the way to Auburn!

:doh:

Getting these steering boxes over to them (don't wanna ship them, would rather scrap them) is not going to be an easy deal.

So sigh...

:rain:

[Bill Pierce]

Just leave at midnight and you will be back in time for work ;)

[Luva65wagon]

Came into work early today so I can leave early and drive there before they close. Fortunately it's more like south Kent, so should make it there by 5 if I get ahead of the traffic. With the holiday I probably won't get it back right away, but oh-well - it could use the work. As big a pain as it was to get out I don't want to go through that again anytime soon.

[Luva65wagon]

Took me 2.5 hrs to drive to RedHead Steering last night. OMG. But dropped off 5 steering boxes and needed only one back. He thinks I may come out of this even-Steven. So that might make the drive worthwhile. May have him ship it back to me though...

Also found my water pump drive pulley was warped and tried to straighten it using our big (work) lathe as a guide. Man, these things don't move. So in the hunt for a new pulley now. Or just live with it a while.

[Luva65wagon]

A little here, a little there. Progress is not always fast when you have to fabricate everything - and WIAI™ things keep coming up.

Got the new steering box delivered to my work yesterday. Pays to save cores. I didn't have to pay a penny for my new box and they delivered it. I passed the driver off a $20 and said buy a case of something at your next company BBQ (they have two BBQ grills outside their new offices, so I suspected they do that a lot).

6036

Have been working to fabricate the clutch master mount and push-rod for a couple evenings. The first picture is my "mock up" to determine how far out from the pedal arm the push rod needed to be, and then I machined a bolt and threaded it, made the bushing, and took a brake M/C plunger and shortened it and ground it down to size. It should be fine. Need to make a flat washer firewall support piece to transfer some of the stress of pressing against the firewall all the time, but that'll be the easy part of this. Then I can put in the steering box, brake master, and hang the pedals again.

6033
6034
6035

Of course, as I mentioned, WIAI™ is alive and well. While digging in the loft for M/C push rods I ran across the Comet dash I bought last year, but never did anything with. Figured while the steering column wasn't in the way - I ought to work that into the plan WIAI™. I couldn't leave well enough alone - so I took it all apart to clean it up, polish the chrome and plastic. I also had to deal with the fact I had previously split-out the left/right turn signals. Instead of using a bulb and cardboard tube (like how I did my last dash and Steve's) I added a red LED for high-beam. I remembered what I did wrong on Steve's dash and didn't want a speedo only capable of 42 MPH. Using the LED was way easier than my previous method and didn't stop the needle. This is, by far, the nicest Comet cluster I've seen since the one in Gina's Comet. Most are pitted to heck.

6037

Gene came last night and got most of the tape removed from the '63 grille (post black painting) and so soon that will go back on; this weekend maybe.

Next-up I'll be underneath again working on the clutch slave, steering box, header & exhaust reinstall. Then, fingers crossed and no more WIAI™ I'll be done with Phase #496 of this car.

[doghows]

That dash is spectacular. Very nice. It's getting there, you'll be driving her in no time!

[SmithKid]

How about a little more WIAI.... you could redo the black on the back and make it so the R side doesn't say TURN SIGNAL. Or add TURN SIGNAL to the L side. Much more pleasing to the eye. [AGREE]

[doghows]

Don't add to the list Gene I think his WIAI list is long enough!!

[Luva65wagon]

And here I thought Gene was my friend... Gene, you're supposed to be helping those of us who suffer from WIAI™ disease. And instead I see you are as bad an enabler as I am.

;)

:BEER:

But don't think at 10:15 last night when I was staring at that I wasn't thinking to myself "how can I make that say left/right." Or how can I change that to Turn Signal instead of High Beam (they stamped those words in, not just silk screened it). And should I roll back the odomoter. And should I... and should I, and should I.

[SmithKid]

But Roger. That's just FUN stuff..... right? :ROTFLMAO:

[Luva65wagon]

Yep, frozen. That's how I felt last night out there. Didn't help that I 1) dropped a washer into the bell-housing that doesn't have an access plate, and 2) broke a tap tapping the angle-iron bracket for my clutch slave.

:doh:

But Gene came by and put in my spark plugs and we shared what heat my little heater put out to battle the 23 degrees just outside. It was hovering at 45 degrees in the garage.
Crazy car people.

Expecting snow tonight, but isn't sounding as bad as they were making it to be just yesterday.

So here's where I'm at.

Gene put on the grille last week...

6047

The clutch master is installed, but I still have to make a bracket to hold the reservoir just in front of the brake master.

6044

This is the pedal assembly bits installed. I may try to shorten the bolt so the plastic bushing doesn't have anywhere to go. Either that or just put a spacer on the left side of the push rod.

6046

Made the bracket to put the clutch slave on, but still need to drill two holes to bolt it to the bell. Shouldn't be too hard to complete that now... if I can keep from dropping stuff into the hole.

6045

Getting close! Hopefully in time for it to warm up again.

[Luva65wagon]

Long cold weekend, but got it all back together and Gene, as he is so oft to do, came by and helped me bleed all of the fluids and did some engine-off testing. So far, so good. Will probably get to start it on the ramps tonight and run it through some gears before playing musical cars and truck to get it out onto the road.

Here's the finished clutch master bowl...

6050

Here's the clutch slave mounted...

6051

Here's the clutch slave cover. The T5 is usually a cable clutch setup, so this cover isn't open on the big end, but since I have a hydraulic slave, I opened it up so it would sip over the top.

6053

Here's the cover installed. I still have to find a plug for the hole where the clutch cable would have gone through the front of the bell, but worse case I'll use metal duct tape.

6052

Here's the interior showing the location of the shifter relative to the seat. Normally they push the S10 T5 tail extension to move the shifter forward. Probably if it's a bench seat that might be needed, but I really like this short shifter ($5 at the swap meet) and the rearward shift location. I would have needed a longer swept shifter (like the stock shift lever) to have moved the shift point forward. All in all, I think it's going to be perfect!

6054

Can't wait to get it outside! Weather - cooperate!

[Jeff W]

That is a very cool looking shifter:3g:

nice work as always.

[SmithKid]

Yup! Lookin' great! Forecast shows SUNNY Thursday through Saturday. :3g: :banana::3g:

[BadBird]

Everything looks beautiful, didn't expect any less. Anxious to hear about the first drive. Larry

[Luva65wagon]

Sadly, I went out last night to start it and "ramp test it" and couldn't get it to go into any gears. Seems the clutch doesn't disengage enough to go into gear. And these things will not even let you grind gears - though I could somewhat trying reverse. There must be some lock-out in these to prevent you from doing that.

I may need to adjust the clutch some, but I'm not all up on these new-fangled clutch systems where I read the throw-out bearing is supposed to be engaged and pre-loaded all the time. And if so, how much? Anybody out there been down this road already?

I may still have some air in the system too. The bleeder is at the bottom of my setup, which was my bad. Something I should have known better for. Looking at Rock-Auto and then ordering isn't always a perfect science. Anyway, going to make a tool to block-off the plunger (it can't move at all while bleeding the clutch slave) and do another round of bleeding... and study this clutch pre-load thing. I just hope the setup I built from Rock Auto parts has enough throw - period. That would be a bummer.

[Luva65wagon]

Had to make a longer clutch slave push-rod to give me more adjustment, which also allowed me to file a flat on the end of it to slip a wrench over to hold the rod in place while adjusting the two nuts. Was able to adjust it to go into gear, shift, stall, reverse. All good there now.

So, now I get to play musical cars, probably Friday. As any of you know who've been at my place - gotta do as much testing in the garage as I can. Once I'm down the hill, there's no easy getting it back up the hill.

:NERVOUS:

[BadBird]

Yeah, your driveway is not a place to test it. Your information about the preload on the throw out bearing is interesting. I am not sure I have mine set up correctly. It doesn't want to shift into gears without a little grinding. I will investigate to see if I need to adjust that preload into it. Let me know if there is some way I can help. Larry

[Luva65wagon]

Larry,

This adjustment and the required travel is very elusive. Factory cars with cable clutches are all self adjusting from what I can see - probably some foot poundage needs to be seen or something to adjust these. So any discussion I found was on how these work. But I have searched and searched and as much speculation as there is questions if you have an external slave. Lots of people do it with a variety of OEM style parts and expensive aftermarket parts - but even MDL seems to simply go as far as advertise what they offer, but then don't elaborate on any of the actual adjustment - at least on their site. I'm sure I could email Paul at MDL and get some answers, which I may do.

After spending more time last night searching on-line I began to doubt what I've done, even. Travel of the cable or mc/slave (or lack thereof) can contribute adjustment issues too. A few places say you have to have 1.25-1.5" of travel. Not sure what I have, so am going to measure it.

You have the cable designed for this application (as opposed to my "try to do it on the cheap with OEM parts"), so as much as I did find would suggest you have to have a preload on these bearings if you have the pressure plate with lots of fingers. Apparently the bearings are designed for and can handle this constant rotation. The 3-finger pressure plates of old required a gap between the TOB and the fingers.

But yeah, not being on "much" level surface to test this out - or anything I've ever done while living here - has always caused me to constantly second-guess just about ever thing I do.

[Luva65wagon]

No test driving yet. :(

I needed to do a lot more clean-up of my pathway out of my garage (amazing how much can collect in 4 months), which also caused me to start second-guessing myself. I've been reading where folks say I need between 1.25 and 1.5" of clutch-arm travel to fully disengage the clutch. So when I measured I have about a half-inch. I know I should have a lot more even with the parts I used, but makes me think I have still some air trapped in there. I simply adjusted it to the point I could get the clutch to release, but it may not be fully engaging - even though I was able to stall the motor.

So... I went back to Rock Auto and noticed I can get the same slave I got for a Mazda MPV, but with the bleeder on the top (4WD version). So I've got that coming as well as another of the same M/C. At only $20 for the pair I want to do some more specific measuring with all this new information I have and see what the actual strokes are on these parts.

Looking more like a spring test drive to me all the time.

:rain:

[Luva65wagon]

Happy New Year! It's been cold here so far, and I did a lot of traveling during the holiday, but I did get out there are fabricate a lever to make my too-short-stroke clutch slave into one that will do the job just fine. Works great. I opted to make a video of it and upload it if anyone cares to look at what I did. And yes, I cut-up a wrench to do it.

https://youtu.be/q_ymbmNuGqY

After staring at things some more last night and pondering why some of my header clearances are tighter now, and things seem to be be more forward now, I think it's because of my transmission mount, which I modified from the C4 to use on the T5. I think I need to remove it and elongate the holes another 1/2" and move everything back that much. I have room on the drive-shaft to do so and will need to modify a little of the floor opening, but it's too cold to drive it. Might as well.

[Jeff W]

That's not the special Drop Forged 19mm combination wrench I lent you is it?

[BadBird]

Beautiful work as usual Roger. Jeff will forgive you if it works. Happy New Year and can't wait to get rid of this cold weather. I have a heated new garage and still don't want to go out there. Larry

[Ferari]

Know the feeling as our highs this week are supposed to be in the mid-teens. Been turning on the heaters (two of them) when I get home lately so I can start on my winter projects. I've put it off too long already and spring is around the corner.

[Luva65wagon]

That's not the special Drop Forged 19mm combination wrench I lent you is it?

Naw - it was the 19mm and 17mm double open-end wrench you loaned me. I can give you the 17mm part back if you want it. It has a hole drilled in it though. Drilling the wrench was fun. Thankfully my tool-shop coworker had a special bit to cut that.

Temp in the garage is kept just between 45 and 55 this time of the year using just a small portable radiant oil filled heater. Garage walls are insulated, but never got it up to the roof like I wanted to someday. It's cold for sure, but as I see it this makes me work faster.

[Luva65wagon]

Know the feeling as our highs this week are supposed to be in the mid-teens.

Not the same area, I know, but was in the Tri-Cities on Sat/Sun for New year's and we left for Seattle just after the Seahawks game. Had been snowing all day, but was near white-out by the time we reached Yakima. Lots of cold in the Cascades and over. Lucky we left when we did as they closed the freeway not long after.

Stay warm!

[Luva65wagon]

Never able to leave well enough alone (although that makes no sense; because if it was 'well enough' I WOULD leave it alone) I proceeded last week to move my whole engine and transmission rearward 3/4" to improve some clearance issues I was having. I started by pulling the transmission mount and elongating the mount slots only to find the motor mount bolts were all the way back in their holes. DOH! I come to find out that the motor mount angle-plates (between the rubber and the frame supports) can go on either side, and when you reverse them they offset almost an inch where the motor lands. They've been backwards all along. So out come the mounts (that's fun to do with headers on the engine) and swap them around. Headers and everything fits so much better now.

Of course, what you do down-yonder has to be adjusted up-top as well, so I had to make the back part of the hole in the floor longer and clearance some more of my already hacked carpet.

And I thought since I had to pull the console again, which I had shortened to accommodate the T5 shifter location in the first place, I'd improve it a little. I didn't like how I left it. Of course, when I went to reinstall the improved version... that 3/4" made it too close to the shifter and it now needs to get moved back too. Sigh.

And the carpet has now gone through a 4-speed factory shifter (hump in the floor), C4 B&M shifter (hump still in the floor, but not needed, 4-speed hole patched), and now a T5 (hump in the floor, but not needed, lots of holes from C4 install)... with all the patching I've done in the carpet along the way... I may as well pull the hump, patch the floor, and put in new carpet; of the hump-less version. So new carpet is ordered. No miscellaneous patched places in the carpet - and I can probably sell the hump for the same cost as the carpet.

Maybe then I can leave this alone for a while...

...yeah, right.

[BadBird]

Yeah, right. You will do what you always do. Make it better and more beautiful. It is amazing watching your knowledge and ability to improve this car. Larry

[Luva65wagon]

Took out all the carpet and pulled the shift-hump out. That'll go to swap meet or eBay unless anyone needs one here. Then hammered out a new tunnel hole cover and then a better (taller) tail-shaft/shifter boot cover. Then I covered all the exposed floor with Dynamat. Didn't realize how much of the floor I had left bare before. Should be a lot quieter in there now.

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Just waiting now for the replacement carpet, which should be here any day. That will go in pretty fast and then I can finally put this car on the ground!

Unless I find something else to do to it. :rolleyes:

All I can say is it felt good to pound on something as I watched the Seahawks lose on Saturday. :(

[Luva65wagon]

... for now.

I spent last night and today getting my new carpet in. So much better without the "hump" (with all the extra holes). Gosh, I might really drive it again...

:shift: :3g:

So now comes the car swapping (and a bunch o stuff to remove from off the cars) to get the wagon into the garage for some "undoing" of some of what I've done to it so I can get it listed.

[doghows]

Beauty, one down two to go? Can't wait to see it at the next show/get together.
I'm digging the shifter arm with the dimples on it, very cool!
Side note please do start a new thread when you start in on Freddy, I wanted to buy that car but alas funds were just not there at this time. I'm glad he's staying in the family and I look forward to seeing his progress as well.

:shift: :3g: :rocker:

[Luva65wagon]

The wagon will be a week at most (with the amount of time I have in a week to work on it). It's way faster to remove stuff than to put it in. Plans are to bring it back closer to full stock, within reason, and then the next owner can personalize it to their liking. And that'll also get the price down to where it will be very affordable.

After a couple admonishments to create a new thread for Freddy, though I may maintain the name as tribute to its past, I'll start a new one when I get into it.

[Luva65wagon]

I knew going to a 5-speed would make a difference, but this was over-the-top different. Still has a few kinks to work out, which I'll do eventually, but for now I'm onto the wagon as of today.

Here it is outside Gene's place today sporting a real '63 grille instead of the '62 grille it had. I went over and helped him for a bit today on his and went for a spin.

:shift:

[doghows]

That's awesome Roger! It's nice to see it back on the road again.
That was quite a change going from an auto to the 5 speed so I'll bet it's quite the experiance to drive it again, plus the bonus of it being a huge improvement.
Congrats! Can't wait to see it in person. [thumb]

[SmithKid]

Roger told me I was the first passenger with the 5-speed. [yay]
I can verify.... it's a BIG improvement over the C-4.
But I admit that I'm a big fan of manual trannys. :3g:

[Luva65wagon]

Just bringing this thread up to the top for the sake of Terence (who recently introduced us to his Ranchero).

As some of you know my Ranchero has developed an engine knock that may be related to the metal pollution the engine suffered when the pushrod disaster occurred a while back. Not sure if it is related or not, but not gonna put too many miles on it until I can get to the place where I can devote time to it. I'm trying to get ready to move to my southern estate so I can sell the northern one, and that's being hampered by how long it is taking to get a big garage built in South King County. At this rate I may be moving stuff into storage and hiring an estate sale outfit just to allow the house selling part of it all. Anyway, until this mess of being spread out over 30 miles gets fixed... the Ranchero will be "resting."

[Luva65wagon]

I pulled the trigger today and ordered a new motor for my Ranchero to replace my 289. Have a 347 stroker being built. [yay]

I've searched around for almost 3 months (seriously) and kept coming back to an eBay seller who builds nothing but SB Ford and Windsor motors. So I gave him a call yesterday and we chatted quite a while about his history, and mine, and we agreed if I didn't need it "tomorrow" he'd meet my budget, which I though might just get me a decent 302. He was very fair. I also told him I post on a lot of Facebook groups, and the club forum, about my experiences, so that too was an incentive.

The business is Creb Engineering in Rhode Island and has been in business over 50 years. The main contact there, Jerrame, is 2nd generation in this shop (his pop is still there too, I guess) and knows his stuff. Focusing on just SBF allows him to do almost production-line work, it seems. He ships for free to businesses who can forklift it off for you.

Thank you to Kenny Likins and Jeff Watson for providing such a place to ship it and to Gene Smith for the space to work (since my garage isn't built yet!😠). Expect a tech day announcement when the motor arrives for anyone in the Seattle area who wants to help or watch.

Specs:
347ci Ford Competition Small Block

Cylinder Heads are 175cc Pro Comp Aluminum
 62cc Chamber
 2.020 In valves (severe duty)
 1.600 Ex valves (severe duty)
 7/16 rocker studs
 10 degree machine keepers
 Chrome moly retainers
 1.460 dia valve springs

347 Ford Engine Block
 A .030 over Ford Roller Block
 Block was square decked
 Block was line honed
 Block was square bored and honed with honing plates
 Engine was trial assembled twice
 Lifter bores are honed

Competition 347ci Ford Parts List Break Down
 Wiseco Forged .030 pistons
 .030 File-Fit Moly Rings
 A 5140 Steel 28oz 3.400 stroke
 Engine is 28oz balanced
 A Set of Scat SIR floated rods 5.400 length
 Front sump oil pan
 Canton Windage tray
 Large radius Main and rod bearings
 Seal Power cam bearings
 Brass Freeze Plugs
 Set of Trickflow Hyd. Roller Lifters
 Cam plate and bolts
 Lifter tray and hold downs
 Melling HV oil pump and drive
 Melling pickup
 New ARP head bolts
 A complete gasket set
 Oil and Filter
 Double Roller timing set
 A new TFS roller Stage 1 cam shaft .499/510 lift
 A 4 bolt Harmonic balancer
 A set of Chrome moly Push rods
 A New Aluminum Timing Cover
 1.6 Roller Rockers

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[Vikingblu]

Roger, your gonna need a new tach!! 5400 redline wont be accurate .).)

[Luva65wagon]

Roger, your gonna need a new tach!! 5400 redline wont be accurate .).)

I may have to finally hook it perhaps. I really have no idea what to expect. But should be fun.

[Luva65wagon]

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" ( :ROTFLMAO: ) 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]

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]

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...:D
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]

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

[Luva65wagon]

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.

[Jeff W]

We are ready. Send us tracking number and carrier when you get it. We will try not to drop this one.

[SmithKid]

Thanks Roger. I'm firming up my plans for it to take place the 29th & 30th. Would it be helpful for the pallet to come directly to my house from the coffee shop? Also, we could use my little truck if that would be a help.

[Luva65wagon]

Gene,

Lets see what it is Kenny and Jeff receives, and when, and you and I can talk about it then.

I got out there and got it out of the ghetto garage and cleaned it up, but of course the crappy ethanol carburetor disease had hit and I'm going to have to pull the carb and rebuild it so it's able to go to your place and run well on the new engine. I've been starting it every month, but ethanol is not friendly to carburetors at all.

Font bowl:
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Rear bowl:
6767

[dhbfaster]

Roger, wow that looks like a lot of engine. Are you going to have to do anything to get the rear tires to stick to the ground?

[Gitanesteel]

Gene,

Lets see what it is Kenny and Jeff receives, and when, and you and I can talk about it then.

I got out there and got it out of the ghetto garage and cleaned it up, but of course the crappy ethanol carburetor disease had hit and I'm going to have to pull the carb and rebuild it so it's able to go to your place and run well on the new engine. I've been starting it every month, but ethanol is not friendly to carburetors at all.

Font bowl:
6766

Rear bowl:
6767


Are there places over there that sell ethanol free gas? We have one in town. It's worth the extra cost in my mind.

[dhbfaster]

According to this website there are 314 places in Washington that sell ethanol free gas. I think I’ll try it next time.

https://www.pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=WA

[Jeff W]

Kenny managed not to drop it!

[Luva65wagon]

dhbfaster: According to this website there are 314 places in Washington that sell ethanol free gas. I think I’ll try it next time.


I don't see one place close by. I'm going to be trying this stuff to see if it works well. Reviews are really good and it might be about the same cost (ethanol free is more costly) in the long run.

6773


Jeff W: Kenny managed not to drop it!

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Gene and I are heading over to see Jeff and Kenny at Starbucks Headquarters tomorrow to get it, and I'll follow Gene back to his place with the Ranchero and will begin the process of doing the swap. Haven't seen anyone here raising their hands to come out and participate (which looks to be this weekend, the 29th), so should be interesting if it's just Gene and I. But it's a direct swap for the most part, so should go pretty smoothly.

[Jeff W]

Whaaaaaaaaaaa?

[beerbelly]

Hilarious! must be an inside joke for the rebuilder.

[SmithKid]

Or possibly the "RECEIVER" of the shipment with a weird sense of humor. That little "defilement" made the entire pallet almost fall out of the transport vehicle.
;)

[Luva65wagon]

Hilarious! must be an inside joke for the rebuilder.

Or something left in Jeff's hands too long.
[AGREE]

Suffice it to say, the day didn't go well after this meet-up with Jeff (and his fine Starbucks history tour). As much as we shot for getting down south before traffic got too heavy - silly me to think there is ever a time anymore when traffic isn't too heavy. Maybe 2 AM. But not 2 PM. Made it to Pacific on SR-167 and I could no longer get the car to shift correctly. Like the clutch pedal throw was no longer correct. Scramble ensued to get off the freeway, trying another route, failed, ended up at Dairy Queen calling AAA and towed it to Gene's place. The bright side? The tow truck driver had to deal with the traffic.

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By the time we go everything to Gene's, off-loaded and uncrated the motor, staged the car in the garage... we were both done. So the day begins tomorrow again at 9. Should be a better day of progress.

[SmithKid]

It's in my garage.

[Luva65wagon]

Gene and I, and a few invisible members, got the old motor pulled on Saturday in pretty quick order, but as Gene was sitting there looking at the new motor against the old asked about the header gaskets. The new head has some much larger ports. As I looked at that I also grabbed the intake gaskets the builder sent - only to find they were not correct for the heads he provided. First thought was... WHY SEND THEM THEN? I was very proactive getting all the stuff I thought I needed and thought he was sending gaskets to fit his head.

After a frantic attempt to contact the builder, late on a Saturday, for details on this as well as other questions (I didn't get a reply until the next day), I had to do a Summit Racing overnight to get intake gaskets to fit it. They are due in on Tuesday (tomorrow), so yesterday, on Sunday, Gene and I managed to get the new motor in and all the underside stuff installed. Today I reinstalled everything that was left shy of the intake, so on Wednesday I have maybe 2 hrs of work so I can get it running.

After some internal debate I decided not to try and sell off this 289 motor whole. Gene wants the heads (1.99 1.60 valves) and I'll probably have a look at the bearings to see what happened and offer the rest on Craigslist, and here, to make a buck or two.

[Jeff W]

Were you able to sort out the clutch troubles?

[SmithKid]

We got the new motor installed and Roger drove it a quick test drive around a few blocks. Then after a bit of clean-up he drove it home. :banana: I think I was at least as nervous ans he was about the maiden drive in our terrible traffic. However he called and reported the trip "incident free" with maybe a minor lingering problem with the clutch.

I was disappointed in our "tech day" (that turned out to be several days). He and I doing the job was not near the club event as the old ones that took place with my car and others a few years back.

[Luva65wagon]

Aw come-on Gene, "you are the club I know." But yeah, to say the least, I too was a bit saddened by the lack of response for this tech day(s). But oh well, what ya gonna do. I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think the two of us, or even me by myself, couldn't have accomplished the task. I'm in your debt, Gene, for the use of your garage and elbow grease.

Here it is.

6787

Found out (after it started and ran like crapola) the builder used a 351W cam, which required a quick re-route of the spark plug wires (different firing order), so will have to scrutinize the plug wires again to get them routed the way I like. But it ran so much better afterward. It was getting late in the day and, as Gene indicated, I only did a quick "round the block" test drive before hitting the road.

Should have maybe looked around the motor more before I left. I found this sitting on the headers and steering box. I'll get it back to you, Gene, when I come back to get the 289 left-overs.

6788

There is still an issue with the clutch (slave?) or I still have some air in the system. Cool/cold, the pedal disengages the clutch nicely. When I got home the wife wanted to go for a ride and I found the clutch to be only partially disengaging the clutch. Of course, no way to look at it without a flat spot on concrete where I can jack it up.

[pbrown]

That looks great guys. Nice work. I wish I could have joined you.

[Gitanesteel]

Would loved to have been there - to watch and maybe hand you wrenches. My daughter's softball tourney got in the way. The engine looks fantastic, Roger!

[BadBird]

Very sorry the tech day didn't have more attendance. Carol and I have been spending most of our time in McMinnville Oregon. Carols mother is in assisted living care and not doing well. Hospice is keeping her comfortable but all our time is with her. Hope to see your pickup at the next meeting. I am still looking for a round body Falcon to make a gasser. Either the cars are too good, (very expensive) or very bad. Rust buckets. Good luck Roger. Larry

[Luva65wagon]

Well, it's been a few weeks since I drove the car home from Gene's, but with summer travels and other summer commitments, I've found almost zero time to futz with it to get it dialed in. I did discover the builder had added some balance to the harmonic balancer, so I did swap that out. Also got new plug wires and swapped the coil, since I sliced a plug wire or two on the separators (edges were so sharp, so I filed them all before putting on the new ones).

I also can't get it to run correctly on this Summit carburetor on the idle circuit. I can turn in both idle air screws and it will run. I ordered some air bleed screws and new jets for it from Summit, but there is not a lot of information out there on what bits to swap. It was running really rich before - to the point of making my eyes melt out of their sockets - and the last change I made seems to have improved that, but it didn't change the idle circuit issue.

Soooo.... I dug out all my 4100 Autolite carbs and just finished building one of those to see if it will work better. Just ordered an electric choke part (not gonna use a stove pipe version) and a new fitting to convert inverted flare to an-6 to get it installed. Fingers crossed it will improve enough to drive it, as I'm not sure what I'll do failing that. Fuel Injection or another brand carburetor - again. I've sold off 2 Edelbrocks and 3 Holleys because they're so finicky (in my previous uses of them). The 4100 is a very basic and highly respected carburetor - for as old it is - but that is the crux. They are hard to find in usable shape. Of the 4 I had (2 @ 1.08 and 2 @ 1.12 - 480 and 600 CFM, respectively), I only had one 1.12 I could build. Lots of parts though. Stay tuned.

[Jeff W]

Your shop has a nice window above your bench. Stop your bellyaching :)

I'm sure you will get your gas issue figured out. You are a smart dude.

[Luva65wagon]

After two different Autolite 4100's and neither doing justice to this motor I decided, after reading oodles of reviews on the thing, to get a Demon brand Street Demon carburetor and tuning kit for this motor. While I'm At It™ I also decided it was time to improve the ignition system of it too, so picked up a MSD 6AL for it. I figure I can sell off the 2 rebuilt Autolite 4100's (and parts from 2 others) and the Summit Carb and tuning kit, which works, but I just can't figure out how to tune it, to pay for all this. There is still a slim chance I might see a car show this year. :(

Progress on the garage is still the same. Trusses are ordered and the delivery of these determines when they start all the other work. I'm having a lot of tree work done this week to get the space prep'd further.

[Luva65wagon]

After another week of waiting for the "correct" little red inlet fitting on the Demon carburetor, the Ranchero, with its new motor, finally runs like I hoped this combination would. Added the MSD box as well, but not sure I can tell if it added anything perceptible. We'll see.

I am baffled a bit by the current interference fit of the headers and the engine compartment. Seems like the new heads are wider than the stock heads, or something, so the headers are zero clearance on the passenger side against the frame (near the idler arm bracket) and only 1/8" on the driver side. Seems I had far more clearance before. Lacking a floor and a working jack (mine started leaking like a sieve, so I got rid of it) - it's gonna wait. It's drivable.

So now I have to focus on getting the area for the (upcoming) garage ready for a construction crew - and find a place to stash the Ranchero and pickup out of the way while construction is underway.

So... on another note... where is everyone?

[Gitanesteel]

Looking good Roger. I really like the valve covers with the black and red.

Been really busy here but got the transmission smoking issue figured out. The shop overfilled it - by over a quart. Looks to be fine now.

[Luva65wagon]

Thanks Scott. I think the red/black thing matched the rest of the car. I'm just a little bummed no that it's all done... all the car shows are pretty much past. Missed the mini down south by just a week or so. And driving it in Seattle traffic - just to drive it - is not what I call fun. Have been trying to see if there are any cruise-in spots in the vicinity, but can only find them way south or way north. Oh well. Next year.

Glad you found out your transmission issue. :banana:Just goes to show how critical fluid levels in a transmission can be. Didn't see a resolution posted on FB, but may have missed it.

[Luva65wagon]

Well, it's been a while since I've had a chance to get back to the Ranchero and resolve some issues post - 347 swap. Not sure what all changed going from a 289 with cast-iron heads to a 347 (5.0 roller block) with aluminum heads (of unknown origin; builder buys castings and machines and builds to his spec), but since doing so there are interference issues all around. Header issues mostly. They were always tight, but not 'hard up against things' tight.

So... it's coming back out! And of course, While I'm At It™ I'm going to be doing a few things:

- New Dougs headers for 4-speed car (have the automatic version now. Provides better clearancing for steering box)

- Electric Power Steering (using Nissan Versa EPS unit and a fresh Mustang box and unobtanium pitman arm, that I obtained)

- Adjustable Motor Mounts (from TCP)

- Shelby Drop (I know there is one around the club, but ordered a template anyway)

- Front Disc Brakes (thinking on this still, but will probably do the Scarebird option that fits the stock 14" front wheels. Don't have money for wheels and tires)

I've been collecting bits and pieces as I sell stuff to fund it. Not far away from starting this phase, but thought I'd update the thread to get your watching juices flowing.

Stay tuned

[Luva65wagon]

Well, I pulled the car apart starting on Monday to get my list of things moving forward. Had planned to get it all done in time for the mini-regional, but alas it is cancelled. Probably won't make me slow down on the project since I don't like leaving things be. It's a long list.

As of today the motor is on the stand and I pulled the intake having had issues with finding the correct intake manifold gaskets when I was in a crunch at Gene's to get the motor swapped. They were leaking. I have a set coming I hope will fit correctly, but what a pain it is to find the correct ones using pictures and sparse specs. Fingers crossed. Same sort of goes with the header gaskets. These heads I have are oddballs let me tell you. It's all prepped awaiting a Summit Racing package to arrive.

Yesterday I pulled all Steering bits off and today mocked up the electric power steering motor up under the dash. I found just the right place for it to fit, and made a temporary column to hold it all in so I can make all the measurements for the real thing. I plan to use it like this for the test-run. Meaning after I connect up the box and hook up the draglink again - I'll power it up and see if it works before hacking up the painted column. Won't be driving it this way for a bit, but I've already heard enough good about this setup to trust it will work on the road if it works on a static test.

[SmithKid]

Wow! That's looking great, Roger (don't envy all the standing on yer head yer having to do, tho')

[Luva65wagon]

I have since completed my static test and it works great. I now have to conjure up how best to do the upper part of the column. The EPS unit has an upper collapsible function as well, which doesn't really apply to the Falcon column tube. And since the shaft is held in place on the Falcon with a taper collar anything that allows me to pull on the shaft will just pull this taper collar out of the upper bearing. Nissan used a high friction male/female sleeve for the column (all buried under the plastic bits) that would collapse on impact, but was not movable by hand. I may have to bury these pieces in my Falcon tube since they are smaller. More on that when I get there. I'm jumping around from the various projects and have yet to return to this part.

[BPVan]

Looks good Roger, where will the AutoPilot switch go?

[Luva65wagon]

Don't go givin' me ideas...
But really, this thing with a V8 is hard to steer, so doing the power steering - without all the fluid mess - should be really nice.

As of today, due to other home projects, I've only managed to get the front brakes and M/C removed for the Wilwood upgrade and pulled the coil springs and drilled for the Shelby drop. Once I drilled the holes I noticed there wasn't a solid 3 layers of metal in the holes (it's 3 layers of metal and the middle layer was missing in a couple spots where I drilled), so I made custom 3/16" x 2" x 1.25" washers, with holes strategically drilled in them, to add some support for the nuts holding the upper control arm. They are long enough to cover up the upper (original) holes on the engine side. I'll pack these 4 original holes from the tire side with seam sealer to keep water from splashing into the hole and promoting rust. I know there is some special alignment for this Shelby drop, but for now I used by phone level and took measurements before and will set it up to where it was for now. When it's all done it'll go in for an alignment once I know who can do it.

As Gene says... chip, chip, chip.

[SmithKid]

Sure seems like your chips are a LOT bigger than mine.[thumb]

[Luva65wagon]

All relative I suppose. I have good days and bad, or at least less productive. I guess it depends on what the TV is showing taking my attention away.

Today I managed to cut-to-size the intake manifold gaskets I received (after a nearly blind search for something that fits) and installed the manifold again. I suspect it will survive better than the last set (~100 miles). I also reinstalled the upper control arms post-Shelby drop using the special washers I made. Whether needed or not - who knows. Found a site indicating the removal of ~1/8" of shims fore/aft after doing so to get me to the alignment shop without much issue.

Then it was back under the dash to do some more work toward the electric power steering. This little bracket (shown) needs to be drilled/twisted/bent and will support the EPS unit to the brake pedal support. I'll try to get a picture of this when done. Will likely focus 100% on that from here on out to get that resolved fully. Once the unit is fully supported I can remove the mock column and work-out whether to make the upper column collapsible in some way, or solid.

Stay tuned. I can tell most of you are on the edge of your seats with anticipation.

:ROTFLMAO:

[Luva65wagon]

I know not everyone is over on Facebook - or maybe they are - but I already posted over there (in multiple places) I have finished the electric power steering install and it turned out pretty nice. I then moved onto getting the Wilwood disc brake upgrade installed. It's pretty nice for a relatively low-cost upgrade. Also did the Shelby drop and added these heavy washers on the upper control arm studs to cover the old holes. Hopefully the pictures tell the story.

[dhbfaster]

Wow, looking great...you chipping away at anything this week?

[Luva65wagon]

Unfortunately, other than reworking a master cylinder push-rod for this new M/C, I've been derailed a bit with other things for a few days. My mom was sent the hospital last week and have been dealing with the potential of dealing with long-term care in the middle of a pandemic. I was hoping to avoid this considering I knew this was creeping closer by the year. And of course, it's 2020, so why not this year! It's still an uncertainty as to what will happen, but may have to move her.

I've also been painting the exterior of the garage because that was on the long-list of summertime to-do's. Another day or so on that.

I've also been facing for a couple years the inevitability of having to deal with what to do with my mom's car; a one-owner red 1980 Mercury Capri RS. She's not driven it for a couple years (I ran it last fall), but I've not been in the position to sell it there (she can't show it) and until I got my ducks in a row here (garage, etc.) - I didn't want to bring it here. I think that's the plan now - go get it, get it cleaned up and fresh gas in it, then sell it. It's a 2.3 litre 4-cyl, but it's been garaged for most of its life and looks near new. Too nice to donate.

Anyway, long answer, sorry. When everything settles down the motor can go into the Ranchero again and I can check all the clearances with all the new bits.

[Jeff W]

I like what your mom did for the rims on the Capri! We recently convinced my 91 year old mother to stop driving, it is a dicey subject to be sure. She has a 2005 Malibu Maxx with 36K miles we need to figure out what to do with.

Good luck with the sale.

[Luva65wagon]

Close, but no cigar there Jeff. I'm actually here dealing with the car as we speak. Mom passed a couple days ago so forced my hand. Not sure yet what I'm going to do.

[Jeff W]

My condolences Roger. Never easy.

[Luva65wagon]

Well, the car came home with me and I'll be addressing a few minor issues over the winter and then passing it on to a new owner, hopefully. What we had to drive through to get back from southern Oregon though... man.

[Luva65wagon]

It's been a while since I have posted where the Ranchero is at in it's re-fitment of the motor. As you've probably read I've had to deal with some family things and couldn't think Falcon for a bit. Yesterday, with the assistance of Gene, I reinstalled the motor with the new "$$$ mounts" and "$$$$ headers" and all the previous clearance issues are history. It's almost as though it's not the same motor sitting in there.

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The mounts were a little bit of a pain to use. They're great when the motor is in, but getting the motor in isn't as easy. You have to loosen the frame plates a lot to get the opening wide enough to accept the motor mount, and the holes in the plates assume the motor is going to be exactly the same angle as the holes were drilled. I had to increase the opening on the back plate to get the bolt to pass through. It's very solid now and the adjustment allowed for everything else to line up nicely.

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Now on to buttoning the rest of it up, which should go pretty fast since it's just hooking up stuff that was already figured out before.

:banana:

[dhbfaster]

Wow, looking good Roger. [thumb]
sorry to hear about your Mom though. Just saw that.

[Luva65wagon]

Thanks Don on both comments. I can't wait until 2020 is over. All this "seeing clearly" is starting to hurt.

[BadBird]

Everything is looking great. So very sorry to hear of your mother's passing. Take care my friend. Larry

[Ric]

Thank you. Mom left me a little cash when se passed it was nice. I am spending it wisley on a new paint job for my ranchero. Its been in the body shop for 6 weeks now and it should be hame on the 6th of november. I am sure she would be plwased. I know I am lol