A 67 Mustang - The Assembly Process Begins, slowly!!

[Bolted to Floor]

Well, I poured brake fluid in the master cylinder and was rewarded with more puddles!!    It ain't the same feeling as oil on the floor from priming the engine. It would have helped if I had checked to make sure all the fittings were tight too.    There were a couple of double flares that needed to be redone also. With no leaks now, the back have been bleed and I have to replace a flex hose in the front. Should be here in e few more days.

The fresh air vent on the driver side is installed along with the parking brake mechanism. I pulled the column back out to take it for painting.


I got a call from Jeff, the engine came to life. Man, what a feeling. He opened the filter after break in and said all looked good. I don't know that I could ever get across how great it was to see it sitting on the stand and running. This is the point where THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU is sent out to all of you for sharing the your knowledge. I could never have done this by myself. I got a video of the final run and a print out that shows 503 Ft.lb @ 3800 and 452 HP @ 5200.

Link to dyno page
http://fepower.net/simplemachinesforum/index.php?topic=5039.0

It's back home in the garage and I started getting the accessories and bracket bolted on prior to stuffing it into the car.

[turbohunter]

Oh man you're getting close.
Congrats.
Funny about puddles on the floor, I was at that point yesterday and chickened out. Figured I'd go over it one more time. I'm sure even after checking I'll still have a puddle or two.
Congrats again.

[Bolted to Floor]

Started getting the accessories mounted before the engine goes in the car. Figured I would have more room to work. Mounting a 3G alternator up high required me to shave off part of a bolt hole that was on the back. No big deal, done. Now I have just enough clearance. Scrounged up a V belt pulley for the swap. It needed a washer on the back side to not rub on the housing. The way the pulley is made, I could not get a full nut on the Alt shaft. So I took the pulley and washer to the machine shop and had him turn down the back outer edge of the pulley by the thickness of the washer and turn down the front shoulder by half the thickness. I would say it was no more than 1/8” on either side. Pulley doesn’t rub and there is a full nut for tightening.

The bracket for the Sanderson compressor that came with the Vintage Air kit is a work of art and fit great.

I scrounged a pick a part for a Ford with a Saginaw style PS pump and found one on a van that was partial disassembled. Twenty minutes later it’s unbolted from the van and a few more minutes with my favorite hammer to remove the cast aluminum bracket and I had a good core for mock up. The V-Belt pulley was harder to find than the pump. The right age Chevy’s were few and far between with pump gone except for the one with a double pulley. Finally hit pay dirt with a Chrysler!!

I used the steel PS bracket that Ford did with the adjusting slot to get the pump over where I wanted it. The typical cast aluminum PS pump bracket that Ford used would not line up well with the Saginaw pump mounting holes and the pulley was way off. Turns out I could use a piece of flat plate in front of the steel bracket and the pulley lined up very well. Measuring the mounting holes on the front of the Saginaw pump was a pain and I missed one by a small amount, enlarging the hole helped. Did anyone know those four bolts are on two different planes?? It’s about 3/8” difference in elevation. With the accessories bolted on where I “think” I want them, it’s about time install.

[Bolted to Floor]

Got the flywheel bolted on with the Quicktime and checked the runout, and it was within tolerance. I unboxed the transmission that’s been collecting dust for the last 3 years and went to looking it over and got the hydraulic throw out bearing set up.




It’s funny what you do sometimes to when you don’t have the proper tools. This was the closet thong I could find to the proper line up tool. Wrong spline count and wrong diameter for the pilot bushing. Layers of blue tape got the diameter close enough and twisting the clutch disk down over the splines milled them the proper size.

[Bolted to Floor]

The Brother in law brought an extra pair of hands to stuff this thing in the car. With the clutch assemble installed and the motor hanging from a chain, the transmission slide right into place on the first try. First thought was we left something out and need to pull it apart, but we didn’t. Played with the output shaft with the trans in and out of gear and was happy with the results. 

We installed the motor tranny combo with a header bolted to the driver side. Note to self for next time is have the handle for the leveler to the back so it won’t hit the hoist!! Used the floor jack under the car to get the trans in place on the mount. Set the bolt in the driver side and repositioned the hoist to lift the passenger side up of the install the header from the bottom. Used the Felpro 1442 header gaskets and ARP bolts with the 5/16” hex head and anti-seize.

[Bolted to Floor]

This is the current ride height on stock replacement spring that hasn’t seen a drivetrain in 25+ years. If it don’t settle out some more, I will be cutting a coli at some point.




The more I looked at it, the more I became my own worst enemy. The top of the PS pump was leaning out further than I really liked. So, Time to re-drill the top pivot bolt and cut the bracket down.

Before


After


I know, it doesn't look like it moved very much


Decided I didn’t like the alternator up high. So, I used the Ford bracket as a template for the mounting holes and traced it out on 3/16 plate. I added a spot for an idler pulley and asked the guy at work to weld it up. The alternator is now down low and I hope the belt has enough surface area to not squeal.

[Bolted to Floor]

The driveshaft came in about a 1/4 inch under the optimum length. Took three tries ordering parts for the emergency brake to get all of them.    For the first time since the 80’s the car is connected from the balancer to the rear end with a working E-brake. 

[machoneman]

Nice looking engine and engine bay! Great, sharp pics too.

Do not cut the front coils...yet! Let it settle in, roll the beast back and forth a lot while turning the steering wheel. Then a short ride. Once settled, then figure out if a cut is needed. Btw, it's damn hard to tell exactly how much to cut. Figure 1/2 a coil to start if need be.....then repeat the above. Less IS more here!

BTDT and it's a pain as I did 3 iterations (!) on my '70 Stang before I hit the sweet spot. But I never had to buy new coils because I cut too much off! 

[Bolted to Floor]

Bob, Thanks for the compliments and advice. I’ve bought double parts several times already, don’t need to add coil spring the the list.

I’m thinking about the doing the Shelby drop too.........Now, it’s sinking in how much work it will be to make it look right. It would be nice if it handles decent though. 

[BruceS]

Nice work John!  +1 with Bob on the coil cut; I ended up cutting a half-coil off to get the Fairlane sitting right, and it dropped the front nearly an inch.  I'd give the car a chance to settle a bit by doing those "exercises" Bob described before you decide for sure. 

[Bolted to Floor]

Thanks Bruce. Have you started on the transplant for the Galaxie?

[turbohunter]

Looks beautiful John.

[Bolted to Floor]

Thanks Marc

[BruceS]

John - haven't started my 482 Galaxie swap yet, just gathering small parts right now.  Have another project I want to finish up first (a vintage quarter midget resto) so probably won't tackle the Galaxie till the first of the year.  Bruce

[bobb428]

Great work!