In the spirit of shady's 62 Galaxie post, here's another report from the 'looks good but none too fast' club.

Performance Summary:
      1/4 mile ET: 15.741   1/4 mile MPH: 88.69
      1/8 mile ET: 10.229   1/8 mile MPH: 73.46
      60 foot time: 2.58
      Track: Virginia Motorsports Park Test & Tune, Dinwiddie VA (well prepped and sticky)
      Weather Conditions: excellent, sunny, 78F, low humidity (6.29 PM)

Vehicle Use: Street
Model Year: 1967
Model: Cyclone
Style: 2-door hardtop
Engine Details: +.030 390 (396 cid?); stock C7 heads, FPA headers, PI intake, Comp XE 256 cam, Holley 650 vacuum sec
Transmission: C6 (with a massive half-track 2-3 shift flare, as I discovered to my great surprise on track at WOT)
Torque converter details (if automatic): stock 1967 Ford
Driveshaft: stock
U-joints: stock
Rear end type: 9-in
Differential type: Track Lok
Gear Ratio: 3.00: 1
Axles: stock
Front tires: 225/70-15 BFG TAs
Front wheels: 15x7 Rocket Fuel Greys
Rear tires: 235/70-15 BFG TAs
Rear wheels: 15x7 Rocket Fuel Greys
Front suspension information: stock
Rear suspension information: stock
Ready-to-race vehicle weight, including driver: 3640 lbs

I was initially quite disappointed; had deluded myself into thinking a low-15ish ET was possible with trap speed in the mid-90s. But with the 2-3 shift issue (which I think prob cost at least .5 sec) and non-optimal (for the drag strip) 3:1 rear gearing I've since got over my hurt feelings. And I'm quite certain there were spectators who were able to get a hamburger and soft drink from the snack bar in the same time it took me to get to 60 feet. On the plus side, on the 190 mile round trip to-from Dinwiddie, the old girl returned a new best of 15 mpg!

Hello everyone.  With good weather finally appearing I'm looking forward to getting the Cyclone out of winter hibernation and back on the road. 

Not an FE engine matter, but I'd like to take some steps to reduce body roll and improve handling.  Nothing drastic, not interested in autocross or anything like that, but seeking to reduce noticeable body roll when driving tight-radius on- and off-ramps. Even with a fiberglass hood and aluminum PI intake the weight of the big block asserts itself with authority in those situations.

Presently the car has parts store stock-for-application 1-year old Munroe shocks front and rear, as well as the orig factory front sway bar (appears to be 11/16 inch diameter or a hair less).  When I reconditioned the car I replaced the rear leaf springs, front coil spring perches and all suspension rubber, but retained the original front coil springs.

The PST catalogue came in the mail a few weeks ago: for the 67 Fairlane/Comet application PST has a 1-in diameter Polygraphite performance front sway bar kit ($189) and a set of 4 Bilstein high performance non-adjustable shocks for $379.  The shocks are said to feature Bilstein's "patented digressive valving!" (be still my beating heart). I also notice PST advertises a 7/8-in diameter rear sway bar for these cars, which I was unaware existed from the factory (and have no idea how it might install).  It's $189 as well.

When it comes to street applications I'm somewhat of a skeptic when it comes to the claims of the shock companies but feel confident the sway bar(s) would make an appreciable difference.

Before making any final decision on these items, seeking input from forum members.  Thanks.

Michael

This general topic has been previously extensively discussed in several other threads but, rather than come to erroneous conclusions based on other set-ups/experiences, I'm seeking feedback based on my specific application.

Vehicle: 1967 Cyclone

Engine: rebuilt 390 cid (+30, standard stroke) with reconditioned C7AEA heads (standard valve sizing, 3-angle valve seats, hardened exhaust seats, oil restrictors, POP end-stands), 10:1 compression, COMP XE 256 cam (212/219 intake/exhaust duration @ 50, 487/493 intake/exhaust lift), alum C6AZ-9424-H intake, 650 cfm vacuum sec Holley, 7-quart Milodon oil pan, WIX 51773 filter (the big one), Joe Gibb's 'Driven' HR-2 10W-30 oil, rebuilt OEM water pump, original clutch fan and radiator (flushed and pressure tested) w/ 185 degree thermostat (confirmed with the 'boil-in-a-pot-test'); Pertronix 'Igniter II' ignition with Autolite AP45 plugs gapped at .035, total ignition timing 36 degrees all in at 3500 rpm; FPA tri-Ys with 2.5-in H-pipe fitted full-length dual exhaust. 

Engine was broken in last year 'in the car' (20 mins at 3000 rpm no-load) and since then has had about 50 miles of driving on the backstreets of our neighborhood.  The only driven accessory is the alternator.

Drive Train: transmission: C6; rear end: 9-in Traction Lock 3:1 ratio; rear tires: 235/70-15

This morning I took the car out for its first highway run, from our residence to the Norfolk naval base and back on I-64/564.  Total distance is 20 miles driven at between a speedometer-indicated 55mph - 80mph (I haven't yet had a front end alignment done and at about 75mph it shows).  Including a stop in the mall parking lot at the turn-around point to do a chassis and underhood visual check, the trip duration was about 40 mins.  With the out-of-the box carb tune performance is crisp, acceleration is excellent, and it pulls strongly with a nice seat-of-the-pants feel.  (a performance tune on a local chassis dyno is planned later this fall).  Fuel in the 20 gal tank is a 50/50 mix of SUNOCO 100 octane and the local gas station 91 octane premium of undetermined pedigree. There was no pinging/rattling whatsoever. 

Here is what the instruments (both mechanical Auto Meters) indicate:

Water temp (outside temp 88 degrees F, sender located on top front of intake): 205 degrees at highway speed; when stopped at an intersection (in drive, brake on, 800 rpm idle) the temp slowly climbs over 3-4 mins to 220 and then stabiliizes

Oil pressure: on initial start 80 psi for approx 1 min then slowly drops to 30-35 psi at 800 rpm idle; at 55mph (2100 rpm) 45 psi, at 80 mph (3000 rpm) 60 psi.
 
My question: are these numbers typical for a package of the specifications indicated above (should I be happy with them)?

Thanks in advance

Michael

PS: I know, a stroker build was a no-brainer, but this was a 'built-to-budget' project meant as a reliable trouble-free weekend cruiser.  And I already have a street/strip tom-foolery car that my family refuse to ride in (and, therefore, it sits in a barn).

I'm cleaning up the tracks and rollers in advance of re-installing the windows in the Cyclone.  Once 47-years worth of dirt-encrusted gunk is cleaned off, what's recommended for re-lubricating these assemblies?

Thanks in advance,

Michael

After the disappointment of the water pump, I decided to do something easy today.  Tired of the gaping hole in the dash where the radio goes, and unable (at the momet) to afford a sound system to fill it, I  used some heavy black card stock and a silver paint pen to make a 'radio delete' plate.  Have no idea if this is even remotely close to the original, but it works!

Pic shows (what I believe to be) the original throttle linkage assembly on the Cyclone, but when bought by me being used with a Carter Thunder-series carb mounted on a 1966 PI aluminum intake.  I'm now going with a 4150-series Holley on the same intake and I'm wondering what options (OEM, Holley, Lokar, etc) are available in the way of a more modern/tidier linkage set-up.

Any advice/recommendations greatly appreciated.

Michael

Getting to grips with pre-paint panel alignment and final fitment.  Have installed the doors and aligned the trailing edge with the leading edge of the quarter panel and the door bottom with the upper edge of the rocker panel, using the old paint stick alignment gauge.   So far so good.

But beggared if I can get a nice alignment along the trailing edge of the front fenders and the leading edge of the doors.  It's at the point where I'm really stumped.

It has dawned on me, maybe I shouldn't be attempting this on a uni-body car with the drivetrain out and perhaps this is part of the current issue.  Is it possible the combined weight of the 390 and C6 would impart a sag to the front of the car that would correct the front fender alignment issue.  Or that if I do get the fender alignment sorted without the power train in, that when the engine/trans are installed it's going to throw things out of wack again?

Any thoughts would be very much appreciated.

   

Hi everyone.  I'm new here -- Mike Craven from Norfolk VA.  I'm actually a Canuck submariner in the Royal Canadian Navy, orig from NS Canada, serving here with the USN submarine force since 2010.

Outside of work and family I'm restoring a 67 Mercury Cyclone with a 390 FE and C6.  You can see the whole project over at the Bangshift.com site...the thread under project cars is "Back to the Blue Oval".

I had the engine refreshed a month ago, a very conservative/mild build with a few upgrades to bring things up to snuff -- my aim was to produce the 390 that Ford should have been building in 66-67.  That is to say, one that's capable of holding its own against similar displacement 325-335 horse RBs and GM big blocks.

My question is this: what's out there in the way of FE compatible pre-lube tools that can be stuck on the end of an electric drill?  Or is there some way this can be easily fabbed up from junkyard bits?

Appreciate any assistance.  Great site, very civil tone and lots of useful info.  Been following JayBs previous year Drag Week exploits with interest...sorry things didn't work out this year.

Thanks again.