The big day!

[65er]

Maybe Jay, but I never wanted a scoop on this car.  I might have some options though.  I have a fair amount of clearance between the oil pan and crossmember, I might be able to drop the engine another 1/2" but that would be a project.  Or I might be able to notch out some hood bracing, that would be a bit easier.  Or easiest of all, but last choice would be to trim or remove the carb spacers. That would be a last resort though, and would have to consult with Blair before fooling with the carb setup.

Last night I stayed up here pretty late, like 3:30.  I'm back not at 10:00 and man am I tired!  I did get a bunch of important stuff done though, including putting in my whole fuel line system. Starts with a nice filter back by the tank...


Probably could have left my tank to filter loop a little longer but it doesn't appear to want to kink.  Will keep an eye on it.
I used Aeroquip PTFE hose and steel hose ends to fit.  From all the stuff I'd read online I was expecting some hard and frustrating work doing the hose ends, but this stuff is great.  Takes a little effort to seat the fitting into the tube, but it all went together fairly easy.
I ran the new line right beside the old one.


Up under the hood, I ran it right through the original clamps where the old line went.


I ended up getting everything done under the car and let it back down off the jackstands.  It's all under the hood stuff from here on out.  Once I have the AC and power steering pumps back in place I'll finish that last hose end at the fuel pump. Last project will be to devise some sort of throttle cable bracket, then we'll see what's up with the hood. =)

[65er]

I shoulda called it the big WEEKEND, it's not over yet...

I got all the stuff assembled onto the front of the engine.  Almost cross threaded a bolt going into the aluminum water pump so I backed up and made studs for all the bolt holes going into the waterpump.  That worked out pretty nice, made the assembly of those parts a little easier than running bolts through while trying to hold stuff in the right place.   Got the radiator back on place and hooked up, then filled it up real slow and careful.  Don't know how many of you guys might know or remember but I toasted my first FE rebuild while doing the cam break in.  I had filled the radiator and left the cap off a while and did some other stuff.  When I came back, the water level hadn't gone down so I figured we were good.  Wrong!  The block never burped and it was apparently bone dry.  Ever since than, I leave the top heater hose disconnected and pop it on when water runs out of the fitting on top of the manifold.   I don't have a heater hose on this one right now, but I took out my water temp sensor to accomplish the same thing.  I still have that original cam and and lifters still in excellent condition by the way

Made my final fuel line running from the pump to the fuel block.  Had a great idea, why not use the vacuum brake bleeder to prime the fuel line?



Worked pretty good!  Took about 30 seconds and only spilled a couple drops of gas in the process.  Now I know she'll have gas within seconds when I hit the key.

 Where to mount the coil?  It'll probably end up on the fender, but there are open bolt holes on top of the AC compressor so I stuck it there for now...


Only thing left now is to work out the throttle linkage.  I'll have to extend the end of the cable by about 6" and make a bracket to mount the cable sheath
Here you can see my grubby paw on the right side holding the cable about where it needs to end up.  The linkage it needs to hit is there at the left edge of the pic.  Needs to go to the hole on the bottom of that arm.


One more thing, the hood! Well crap, it hits.  But not by much, I can actually close the hood.  It just raises up the back by about 3/8".  I already tried taking the coil out but that's not what's hitting.


Pretty sure I"ll just cut some bracing out to clear and it'll be done.  That'll be a project for next weekend! Besides, I used up my cutoff wheels cutting braided hoses and trimming brackets.  The Edelbrock waterpump isn't exactly the same as the stock cast iron one.  The bolts are in the right place but one of the brackets wouldn't fit over the casting.  No pic of that one, sorry.  I know you were dying to see my chopped up bracket too!  Just kidding, I cut it neatly, it looks pretty much stock.

[65er]

Well there's one end of the cable, gonna have to think about the other end for a minute...


Next post should be the video =)

[country63sedan]

Great job Wade. I'm always impressed by what some people can get done on a long weekend. I truly admire the effort on a daily driver. When I was younger and had even less money than I do now, I used to stay up all night fixing my driver so I could go to work in the morning. Then I bought an extra junker for when the first junker broke down. Now I own a herd of junkers, but they USUALLY don't break down at the same time   Anyway, back to your Gal. Where's the video of the smokey burnout and the greasy black marks on the pavement? Later, Travis

[JamesonRacing]

How much mismatch did you end up with on the header ports?  Did you grind the header openings to remove some blockage?  The exhaust ports on the heads look wicked.

[65er]

How much mismatch did you end up with on the header ports?  Did you grind the header openings to remove some blockage?  The exhaust ports on the heads look wicked.

Quite a mismatch, about 1/8-3/16"  I worked on them to the limits of what I felt I could safely grind away.  Probably got carried away on one tube.

Great job Wade. I'm always impressed by what some people can get done on a long weekend. I truly admire the effort on a daily driver. When I was younger and had even less money than I do now, I used to stay up all night fixing my driver so I could go to work in the morning. Then I bought an extra junker for when the first junker broke down. Now I own a herd of junkers, but they USUALLY don't break down at the same time   Anyway, back to your Gal. Where's the video of the smokey burnout and the greasy black marks on the pavement? Later, Travis

No burnouts for a week or so! Gotta be nice to my new clutch for a while.  By the way, that new clutch is a dream compared to the old one.  I had something wrong in there before.  I'm not sure if it was my pilot bearing or what, it was real chattery and I could also feel something shaking whenever I'd rest my foot on the clutch pedal (to feel it! I don't drive like that, lol).  It's slick as snot now.

So yep, she is running! Got a serious exhaust leak that's going to have to wait a week or two until I'm ready to tackle another project.    Also it hadn't warmed up yet so no gunning it on this video, I've just got the idle for now.  No idea what's going on with the sound in the video while I was in front but at least it comes through ok from the rear of the car.



Even idling, I can already feel the power.  Those lumps in the idle actually shake the car a bit!  It's got some serious pop for sure.   I'm gonna have to be pretty careful while I learn to drive this beast, it's a serious step up from where I've been.

Off to clean up the shop.  This should be good for another couple hours, hah

 
Edit... I'll try to get a better video tomorrow in the daylight!

[CaptCobrajet]

Glad you got it going!  Looks like you pretty well got 'er whooped.  I am waiting to hear how it drives out, compared to the milder 390.  If you need me, give me a holler. 

[KMcCullah]

Well done Wade! Your attention to detail shows all over the ol' Gal. And a big hell yea to Blair and his team also. Sounds good!

[JohnN-1BADFE]

Way to go Wade! 

[cjshaker]

Did I read that gauge right? Was that over 14" of vacuum? And at about 850rpm idle? Those are great numbers for the power output. A very well thought out package.

You guys with your access to half million dollar machines who can whip out awesome custom parts in a matter of minutes make me jealous. It would have taken me a whole day just to make that cable bracket....whittling with my pocket knife

I think I'd raise the back of that hood up till you get it sorted out. No sense in rubbing/gouging that nice air cleaner lid (or possibly denting the topside of your hood). I like your ingenuity in fabrication also. That's tough for a lot of people but you whip out good ideas like it's nothing. You really busted your butt this weekend. An engine change is not exactly easy with one person. Been there and done that many times, but never under the gun of a 3 day schedule. Now you'll need a vacation from your vacation...lol

Can't wait to hear how it runs and behaves. Thanks for the great posts, Wade.

edit: And the "clearancing" needed on the webbing of the Edelbrock water pumps for the alternator brackets is a common thing. I've had to do it on every one I've used.

[65er]

Did I read that gauge right? Was that over 14" of vacuum? And at about 850rpm idle? Those are great numbers for the power output. A very well thought out package.

Almost right Doug, actually that's the O2 sensor gauge, not vacuum. Reading right at 13.0 in the video.  I was really shooting for the tach which was 850 or so like you said.   

Probably have some tuning issues and will get with Blair to get it all sorted out. Of course we were aware all along that tuning for a car and for a dyno are two different things and since Blair didn't happen to have my car at the time I guess they dyno was next best choice

I'm definitely going to have to do something about the header leaks though. Maybe I can make some adapter plates out of that scrap 1/8" stainless sheet we have laying around.


I'll be hollering at you in the AM Blair, we'll get her sorted out.  Thanks much for your support through the whole process.

[ScotiaFE]

Careful with that exhaust leak Wade. You don't want to over heat a valve and wound your new bullet.
Great job.
 

[lovehamr]

Wade, don't know if this'll help but here goes.  My FE is in a Cobra and as such has a lot of weight on the headers supporting the side pipes and such.  When I first built it I had header leaks on about a weekly basis and have tried all manner of header gaskets including the "none with RTV" trick.  So far what's held best for me are the asbestose/perforated steel shim type that come with rebuild gasket kits and are meant for manifolds.  I tried these initially because I'd blown another set of header gaskets and didn't want to wait around for Summit to send more.  And whataya know?  They worked like gangbusters and have ever since.  I also slot all the bolt holes (tin snips) so that they can be slid into place after all of the header bolts are threaded.

[My427stang]

Wade, great engine

Any thought about cutting down your carb spacers by 1/2 inch?  May steal some plenum volume, but an engine that fits is always nice.

[65er]

I've thought about it but didn't want to mess with what Blair had put together for me.  I'll see if the master approves before I go chopping anything up.  I agree, fitting is a good thing =)