New Members - Introduce Yourselves Here!

[jayb]

Welcome, Mike.  You don't see many of those cars around, should be a very unique project.

[Gas57man]

Hi .I am new here ,so I thought I would introduce myself. I own a 64"Fairlane altered wheelbase blown ,427,4-speed, car.I own 1 of Raymond Beadles 74" Mustang II funny cars. Own a 51' Henry J gasser with a stroked 390.I own a 57' Nash Metropolitan tube chassis 427 blown Altered. I biuld race cars for guys.I am building a 64' Falcon tube frame ,500 cu.in.  Ford with a glide car for a fellow right now. I machine my own rocker arm shafts that will NOT break without end supports, end stands, build and design my own chassis for each car I build. I'm self taught and kind of proud of that cause I never could afford college. I have built Funny cars ,Pro Mods ,to braket cars. Love beating up on guys with my FE's. Glad to be on the site. Thanks

[BruceS]

Gasman,
Your intro sounds interesting, and you'll be welcome here. I've learned a tremendous amount since being in the forum for just a few months. Would enjoy seeing some photos posted of your projects!  I just acquired a '63 Galaxie that I've posted about recently...

Bruce

[jayb]

+1 on the pictures!  Let's see that altered wheelbase '64 Fairlane!

[69Cobra]

Ops! Sorry Jay I missed this.

 Hello All,
 My name is Kris Rachford and I'm an addict lol. I'm from Northern Ky just south of Cincinnati, Oh by about 30 minutes. I'm getting ready to turn the ripe old age of 36 on March 1st. I married my high school sweetheart in 1999 and we have two boys. Gage is 8 and Nash just turn 1. I've been deployed in Afghanistan for the last two years working as a DOD Civilian Electrician doing inspections and repairs on the U.S. Military bases over here. I started in the electrical field the summer of '95 when I graduated high school. My Dad's friend got me into the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 212 out of Cincinnati where I went through a 5 year apprenticeship program to receive my Journeyman's License. After that I went on and took classes to become a certified structural welder and also went on to get my Masters License as well. Most of my background is in PLC / Motor controls / plant automation / HVAC Temperature Control System and UL Listed Panel building. After spending the previous 5 years doing estimating and project managing for the company I was with. I've always wanted to be self employed and have my own Electrical business. I also spend quit a bit of time doing work for Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Oh. Working there I learned about the electrical issues that our men and women in uniform were facing over here and it was not good. Most people don't know this but we've lost over 270 Soldiers between Iraq and Afghanistan due to electrocution. Mainly in wet locations/facilities such as showers, kitchens and laundry. So when the opportunity came up for me to come over here and do my part to help out thats what I did. Other than being away from my family I have no regrets. Most of these guys over here are fresh out of basic and really don't have many skills especially electrical so its a good feeling to be able to give these guys a safe place to live when they come back from a mission.

Anyways, this is about FE's. I was born in '77 and at that time my Dad had been working for Ford for about 15 years I guess and he had also been into drag racing for about the same amount of time. For the most part they were all FE's. Dad had some very healthy small block Chevies and a few 409's but once he bought the '64 Galaxie in 1965 which was a 427 8v 4 speed car that did it in for brand X. I'll post a pic below of his '64 but I believe that started it all. Dad raced this car in Super Stock and Modified Production for a few years where the car ran some 11:70's back in the 60's so that was a pretty healthy low riser for its time and it was his daily driver to and from work as well as some street racing. In 1971 Dad bought the '69 Cobra off of a friend of his and in '72 Dad took it to Indy they bent an exhaust valve in one of the first rounds of Class Eliminations and eventually runnered up to the Nation Record holder at that time which was another FE in the Long Brothers 428 Cyclone. Not a bad finish on 7 cylinders. With this car Dad and friends went on to set a couple National Records and they also won Class at Indy and the Sports Nationals about 5 times from '78 through '85. A couple guys drove the car over the years, Jerry Greenham and John Ulrey took turns rowing the gears. Some of you will probably recognize the names John and Mike Ulrey who were backed by Ford through the years. John and Mike raced many Fords one was a '69 Mach 1 that they did very well with. Dad ended up with this car for a little while. It had less than 100 original miles on it. I believe John won the Div 3 championship with it but I don't remember what year that was. High Performance FE's is all I've been around and that's all I know. Growing up I've help my Dad build dozens of engines for his costumers and ourselves. Dad left Ford in the early 80's and started his own automotive repair and body shop and ran that for about 22 years before he retired. With Dad starting his own business the Cobra got parked in '87 until I started racing it in '93 when I turned 16. I've been bracket racing it ever since and I've always wanted to put the car back in Stock Eliminator where it belongs. So I'm in the process of doing just that. I've got a new Stocker motor coming from Blair Patrick and I look forward to enjoy racing with my family and teaching my boys about FE's. Sorry for the winded Introduction but like the first sentence said. I'm an addict lol.

Below is a pic of the '64 Galaxie. We've also got a '64 Comet that I want to make into a mean little street cruiser but I don't have a pic of that on my computer.

[BruceS]

Kris, not too wordy at all especially when the subject is FEs     the Galaxie looks awesome in Vintage Burgundy, and the Cobra not too shabby also!  I've just acquired a '63 Fastback, 2 tone Peacock Blue and Corinthian White. I'm coming off an overseas assignment as well, but working for an oil company.  Looking forward to more of your interesting posts.

Bruce Selby

[69Cobra]

Thanks Bruce. I just checked out that Galaxie in your thread and I like that a lot. Our 64 comet is about that color and its a neat little ride too. Where are you working at if you don't mind me asking? Working over here has opened my eyes to a lot of things especially all the oversea contract work that goes on. Its always interesting to hear.

[BruceS]

Kris,
I'm working in Kazakhstan as an engineering mgr. for a major oil co. joint venture. It's my 3rd Intl. posting and my wife and I will return home next month.  Yes, there are lots of expats, employees and contractors, working in these places and not without challenges... But that's why we're here after all!  We've made lots of good friends and good memories too.

Looking forward to getting back and making that Galaxie safe - and legal.  New brakes and seat belts are high on the list!  Then to think about what to do with that old 352...

Bruce

[lovehamr]

Bruce, the world does get small man.  My son was at Manas AFB in Kyrgyzstan when they had the coup in 2010.  While was there he also wound up in Kazakhstan on occasion.  It seems to me that the thing he found most odd about that area was seeing all these people who looked for all in the world to be Chinese, then hearing them all speak Russian.    LOL

Steve

[cjshaker]

Hello all,
My name is Doug Smith. I've been lurking on here since Jay started the sight, but just now coming out of the closet...so to speak 
You could say I'm a refugee from another sight where people aren't so polite. It got old and I got out after being a member since its beginning.

Never said much about my background, but my Dad worked at the Lima engine plant for 30 years and was a die-hard Ford man. I grew up with 10 acres, over 100 Fords, in my back yard. No, it wasn't a junk yard, he just bought every old Ford he came across. Had almost every year from 1935 to 1970 (with a couple of Model As in the mix)....obviously with several of certain years and styles. Mercs, Comets, Falcons, trucks, Galaxies, COEs....you name it, it was there. I can't possibly think of a better way to grow up. I was really blessed with a great Dad.

I started helping my Dad rebuilding engines and working on cars when I was old enough to walk out into the garage. He started me out by cleaning parts etc. and eventually I got to the point as a teenager where he would let me do most of the work. It was always flatheads then, and my love for flatheads has never wavered. In fact I'll be starting on a super clean '53 F100 here this year. Going to do a fifties style mild custom with a Merc stroker engine, finned heads and dual Strombergs. Next to the FE, nothing looks as cool as a dressed flathead!

But as I grew up, my passion for performance led me to the FE, and that is where my heart lies. I've currently got 3 FE powered vehicles that I drive, a '68 F250 4wd Highboy with a mild 390 out of a '64 Merc, a stock (for now) 390 in a '65 Galaxie, and my dream car that I bought when I was 15.....a 1969 R-code Mach 1 with a complete 427 SO Medium Riser with dual 4 intake. It's factory iron with unported MR heads, and a std. bore block and steel crank. Built just the way Ford built it back in the day. The car is my version of what a factory 427 Mustang should have been if Ford had actually built one. And a 4-spd of COURSE! 
My Dad let me buy it when I was 15 by wiping out my bank account (all $250 of it..haha) and I paid cash. Yes, I paid $250 for a rust free R-code...minus engine. Things were much cheaper then! My first car purchase, and one I will pass on to my son. My Dad is an awesome man and I owe him more than I could ever say!

Currently I am the only mechanic on grounds at a private university. I have over 50 vehicles and over 50 pieces of large equipment that I work on and take care of. Anything from weed eaters to big JD tractors. And yes, it's too much for one person, but it is what it is and I like the varied work I do. Boring is NOT a word to describe it...lol

Anyway, I am very happy to be a member of this forum and I hope that I can occasionally contribute and help people in at least a small way. I do love all Fords (and all cool cars in general) and the FE in particular.
Good health to all.

[My427stang]

Good to see you here Doug

[cjshaker]

Thank you, Ross. It is so much friendlier here.
I am glad to be a member of this forum, even if Jay has labeled me as a "newbie" 

[jayb]

I'm all about labels, Doug LOL!  Great to see you here, and your engine compartment still looks fabulous - Jay

[BruceS]

Doug, awesome Mach!  And it has just the right power plant    bet it will get up and go too... Thanks for posting all the info. Bruce

[cjshaker]

Thanks, Jay and Bruce.
I admit, Jay, I do like a clean engine compartment and keep up on any leaks and repainting occasionally. To me, it's the focal point of the car.
Bruce, it's pretty peppy to say the least, but really can't compare to some of the engines on here. I keep fighting the urge to put a stroker in it, but I like the fact that it's all Ford iron. Still, I'm not real good at fighting temptation