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[jayb]

Mark, those are really cool old Mercs!  I like the '58 a lot; my dad has a '58 Monterrey 2 door. What's the story behind the movie car?

[FirstEliminator]

    Hey Jay,

     The 68 Monterey I found online back when lived in Melbourne, Florida. The car was listed for a while, I would look at it from time to time. I've never seen a 68 Monterey before that and it looked awesome----plus it was green.  Eventually, even though I had no money, I called the seller. I told him I was in the process of selling my house and moving north. But, it was going to be a few months. He said he'd wait. When I knew I was selling the house I also bid on the e-bay auction for the green and white 58 Monterey.
  A month after moving to Massachusetts, I attended the 2005 Cougar Nationals in Virginia. I trailered my 69 Sport Special down there and won the mangy cat class with it. In the early morning I pulled the empty trailer down to Sandy Hook, Virginia to pick up the Monterey.  I towed it all the way to Massachusetts then took Amtrak back to Virginia to drive home the SS.
   The Monterey was my daily driver for a few years---except winters. I saw a small ad in the local Wheeler Dealer asking cars from 59-70, trucks, buses, farm equipment and a telephone company truck. Well, I had a bucket truck that would fit right in for that. I sent them an e-mail telling them about the truck and how also have some other trucks and cars. They called me the next day, then sent someone out to look at the vehicles. They rented 2 Mack trucks, the bucket truck and the 68 Monterey. I was actually in the movie as the guy in the bucket in about a 2 second scene. I didn't know they were going to use the Monterey as much as they did. In one scene there were hippies laying all over it.

When I got the car back the passenger door panel had a big rip in it. They told me to send the panel to SMS auto fabrics in Oregon and they did a really nice job restoring it. So I was back to driving the car daily. Coming back from seeing the band Chicago in concert in Connecticut, I hit a deer. It put one dent in the header panel but broke the grill. Some pieces of the grill punctured the radiator so I had to get towed 60 miles back home. Gosh, that was a while ago.
    The car has sat for almost 3 years with the front clip off. It is next on restore list. I will probably not put a 445 stroker in this 390. As soon as my friend gets this ugly Porsche out of his body shop I will get the Monterey in there onto the rotisserie. Probably the only addition I'd make to the car is A/C. The paint will be staying the original green. I loved this car, it drove so nice. The exhaust was strait duals with no cross over. Had that blub-blub-blub sound even at high rpms. I would love to have this car going again. I just need a garage to keep it in.
    Here is a video I took of the car:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4_oN4zQ0X0

     Driving the Monterey to Carlisle All Ford show following some Cougar frends.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YUDUOPokuU&feature=related

Does your dad's Monterey have an MEL? My Monterey has a 383, the Parklane has a 430.

[jayb]

I got to thinking about this after looking at your post and double checked, and was wrong about my Dad's car; it is a '57, not a '58, and it has the 368 in it.  He had a similar one when I was a kid and we lived in Florida, and one of my earliest childhood memories was running my hand along the concave upper part of the rear fender as I walked by the car.  He sold it in '64 to buy a four door '64 Galaxie 'cause us kids were getting bigger, but always regretted it, so he bought another on a few years ago at an auction in Phoenix.  He paid too much, but you know how it is; sometimes when an old car sparks your interest, it doesn't matter how much it costs 

[FirstEliminator]

Golly, you lived in Florida?  I grew up in South Florida--in Hollywood, Plantation and Sunrise, then moved to Melbourne for 3 years before moving to Massachusetts.

   I like the 57's. Just rebuilt the trans in a 57 a few months ago. It had a 312. Those cable shift Merc-O-matics are hard to find.

   Gosh, when I look at this site I have the urge to head back to the shop and work on one of the engines I have laying around. It is after 10pm. Was aready at the shop for 11 hours today.

 

[Ash]

Hi all,

Just signed up after having a read around. WOW! Blew my mind to some of the technical data you guys are discussing, well over my head a lot of it but still love reading it!

I'm in Australia, I purchased a 69 Mach 1 R-code Mustang last year from Louisiana, it was mostly all rebuilt. Got it back to Aus in May 2011, found it had a few engine issues and have only just recently pulled it down to further inspect. Time has not been my friend but hopefully this year that will change. Anyway, I found a dead lifter, stuffed cam, metal everywhere and some oil holes on the crank journals with alignment issues which are questionable so am now heading down the track of stroking it and going all new. I don't want to put anything back in that may again cause an issue, so will simply avoid that completely.

This is my first FE so I'm learning a stack along the way. I've built engines before but am still just a backyard bloke who likes to attempt anything by myself. How else do you learn right!

So that's me, look forward to learning more off you all.

Cheers,

Ash

[machoneman]

Are you aware of Jay's FE book as well as Barry Robotnik's FE book? You should get both and settle in for a long read. 

[jayb]

Ash bought a copy of my book earlier.  Thanks Ash!

[Ash]

Thanks Jay, look forward to getting the book!

I brought Barry's book just before I brought my car. I've read it front to back a couple of times. Great read and very helpful! 

[ScotiaFE]

Hey Mark
I flipping through the tube and the movie is on.
I guess I have to watch it now. LOL

   Hi All,

   My name is Mark. I live in North Adams, Massachusetts, which is in the northwest corner of the state.  I have a few FE powered Mercs.

   A 68 Monterey fastback that was used in the movie Taking Woodstock. I then hit a deer with it and the car is now apart and is next on the list for restoration.

   Here is a pic of my Monterey from  scene in the movie:



I also have another 68 Monterey that is a convertible the 390 in it is seized. I've been storing it for about 6 years and hope to start on that project soon. Also there is a 69 S code Cougar XR-7 that awaits restoration.
 
     Here is a picture of the 4th and 5th bay of my transmision shop where I keep some stuff.
   (The 3 bays that we mainly work out of are not this sloppy.)
 The 69 390 Cougar is underneath the black and white 58 Parklane. A 70 Cougar XR-7 351c 4v conv is under the 68 Monterey conv. The body of the blue car on the left is a 69 Cougar Sport Special 351w AOD, which is 99% done.

   




The latest purchase is a 64 Montclair Marauder with 390. The Marauder is now automatic, but the plan is to someday put a 445 stroker in it with a Tremec.





   There are a bunch of other projects on my list. More Cougars and both of the 58 Mercs. In the mix there are some trucks. 78 and 79 Ford pick-ups and Broncos. Also a 57 Mack B-42 and a couple Brockways.  Oh, I almost forgot I have a 330FT powered Ford C-700 bucket truck.   

Here is my summer driver 58 Monterey:



    I would probably get more projects done if I didn't have so many projects. Housework and transmission shop take a lot of time. Always working.


 I love the format of this forum compared to the Network54.


   

[FirstEliminator]

   The movie kinda sucks. Luckily, it atleast has some cool cars.

[machoneman]

Cool '58 Monterey. Hey, even the dog in that back seat has a smile on his face!

Funny, I just attended the 2012 Auto Show with an old friend here at Chicago's McCormick Place and commented to my buddy when I saw a two-toned paint job on a brand new production car. Many of those  old cars with two-tone paint looked mighty cool although some color combos I remember were awful  Still, even some of today's cars IMHO would look very cool with a two-tone paint job to break up some pretty boring panel lines or accent other sections of a car. 

[FirstEliminator]

   Yeah, I love tu-tone. My 78-9 Ford pick-ups are always brown and tan tu-tone.

[Ash]

Ash bought a copy of my book earlier.  Thanks Ash!

Your book turned up today, Jay. Got to Aus in pretty good timing I think. Thanks once again!!

[JohnN-1BADFE]

Been browsing the board off and on and just registered.  I'm in Littleton, CO and I have a 67 Fairlane GT that hopefully will be on the street here in the next few months.  It's been a LONG build.  It's a street/strip car and here are specs on the engine and a youtube link of the engine being dynoed, which I had posted the FE Forum.
I have much to learn, so thanks to everyone who contributes!!

Dyno: SF-901
All runs were made on straight PUMP GAS - 91 OCTANE.
654 HP @ 6700 (TRQ was 512) (VE% 104.9)
552 TRQ @ 5300 (HP was 557) (VE% 102.2)
Barry @ Survival provided the Stroker kit, BT MR heads Stage X and Cam

HERE ARE THE SPECS:
Ford FE 390 / 451 stroker
D4TE/ 105 mirror block (stroke 4.25, 4.11 bore - 451 C.I.)(sonic checked very good)
Compression: 11.5
Blue Thunder MR heads-Stage X, T&D roller rockers
Solid Roller Cam, Intake .697, Exhaust .695, Duration @ .050: Intake 264, Exhaust 272
Victor manifold port matched, Pro Systems 1000HP carb
MSD distributor
Electric water pump
R.E.F. Unlimited headers: 2 1/8, 3.5 collector

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8ZI16J-jHE

[jayb]

Welcome aboard John, and that is a very impressive engine.  I was wondering if you did anything to the bottom end to beef it up, like a crossbolt kit or a girdle or anything?  That's a lot of power for the stock 2 bolt main setup.