I am looking at attending the FE Race at Muncie dragstrip in April, just wondering what the hotel/motel situation in the area is. Is there an "official" hotel, like  the Quality Inn in Selinsgrove PA is for the Beaver Springs event. Any recommendations, or places to avoid? How far are the hotels from the track? I have been to Beaver Springs 3 times, looking to give the Muncie event a look.

I recently bought a bunch of parts left over from a local guys collection after he sold his 66 7 Litre Galaxie. Among a bunch of other stuff, is a NOS set of Ford fender skirts, in a a box with the part number C5AZ-6227964-B. Since that is a 1965 part number, just wondering if they also fit a 66 Galaxie. I just want to be able to make up a correct ad when I put them up for sale. Thanks.

Just wondering how many are planning to go to the annual FE Race & Reunion at Beaver Springs PA next weekend? It`s about a 20 hour drive each way for me, so will be leaving Tuesday morning. After flying in twice as a spectator, will be nice to finally be racing something at this great event. Even the weather forecast looks better than it usually is for this race.

The FE manual transmission bellhousing that I am currently using on my 59, is the early, long starter version, with only the narrow transmission pattern. What has me confused, is the casting number, as it does not have either the 3 letter "Exx" style prefix that was used in 58 and earlier, the "575" "boxcar" numbering that most of my original 59 engine parts had, or the later, and still in us "B9" C0" "D1" code. The casting number is CAK 6394 C, which doesn`t match any Ford casting system that I am familiar with, and a casting date of 0K4, which is October 4th 1960, for for a 1961 model year vehicle. Anybody familiar with that CAK designation? Thanks.

I have been running factory Duraspark ignitions for decades, both factory installed, and as a conversion from points. On my FE powered Fairmont drag car, I ran a recurved junkyard Duraspark for over 30 years, with a MSD 6T ignition box, and on my 74 F350, I added another junkyard Duraspark with a factory blue Duraspark ignition module, and in over 25 years, never had an issue with either. Currently, I have a 428 CJ in my 59 2 door sedan, with yet another (recurved) junkyard Duraspark distributor, along with a factory Duraspark blue module. I have been driving the car for about 5000 miles over the past 3 years, and all seemed fine. However, last weekend, a racing buddy from 4000 miles away, came for a visit, so I let him run my 59 at our local dragstrip, while I ran my Fairmont. This was the first time racing the 59, with the fresh 428, and it seemed kinda weak, and he said that above 4500 RPM, it seemed kinda lazy. (on the dyno, pear HP was at 5400). It wasn`t misfiring, just didn`t pull as well as I thought it should. Anyhow, as an experiment, I bypassed the 59s factory firewall mounted external ballast resistor (no idea of the amount of resistance), and ran full 12 volts to the ignition. Next pass, the car picked up 4 tenths of a second, and he said it ran much stronger, so we left the resistor bypassed, and made several more 1/4 mile passes, and then drove it home, and I have been driving it some since seems fine.  However, after doing some googling, I am seeing conflicting information. I have seen some opinions where they say to run 12 volts, other say it needs a resistance of 1.10 ohms, some say 0.7 ohms. Just wondering if anybody actually knows for certain. I have heard that there was "Duraspark 1", and "Duraspark 2" versions, supposedly the small cap models were the 1, and the large 2 piece cap were the 2. Since the only FEs with factory Durasparks, were used on 75 and 76 trucks, and all those that I have seen had the small cap, I ASSume the truck FEs were all Duraspark 1. So... to make a long story a bit shorter, I am wondering if running 12 volts will be detrimental to a long life of my ignition, or if I need to run a certain amount of resistance. The engine runs stronger at 12 volts, but don`t want to fry anything, as 2 hour drives to various car meets is not uncommon. I have heard that later (60s-70s Fords) used a pink resistance wire, at least on a points application, but no idea what factory Duraspark vehicles used.

I currently have the 428 from my 59 all apart, and since the Toploader 4 speed is also out, considering something better on the freeway. My normal rear is a 31 spline Detroit Locker, which I want to retain. Since many of the events around here require at least an hour or more of freeway speeds, I want to have something with overdrive. I am mostly considering either a new Tremec TKX 5 speed, or adding a Gear Vendors overdrive unit to my existing toploader , which is a small spline wide ratio unit. Both the TKX and GV are pretty close in price, although the TKX will require an adapter spacer to use my factory bellhousing, plus a new clutch disc, and possibly a different shifter to avoid cutting a different hole in the tunnel, and a new carpet set, as well as modifying the trans crossmember and mount, and possibly the floor/tunnel to make it fit. I also want to keep my factory mechanical clutch linkage. Has anybody actually install a TKX in their FE powered vehicle, and have some real life driving impressions, and advice on what needed to be modified to fit in an older car.
Also interested in hearing any similar impressions about a Gear Vendors unit, for fitment and function. The car is mainly a street car, but will see dragstrip duty, with slicks, at least twice a year.
Perceived pluses for the TKX is a brand new transmission, likely a bit lighter, plus the Toploader could be sold to help offset the cost of the TKX, or used in another car, but having heard how other Tremecs don`t like full throttle power shifting at the track is a concern, as is concern over shifter position, possible floor cutting, trans mount fitment, and the need for a new clutch, or at least, a new disc.
I love the way my Toploader shifts, how the Hurst Super Shifter looks , plus I already have it, and it works well. But I have to wonder if the Gear Vendor will require tunnel/floor surgery, if the extra length behind the trans crossmember will cause issues with driveshaft /pinion angle issues, and require modifying my existing exhaust system to make it fit. Anybody have any thoughts on either, or both scenarios?

I have the 428 from my 59 torn down, it is standard bore, cylinders are still standard bore, measure straight, but have shadows at the top from ring ridge. Anyhow, figure that it`s time to bore it, and a buddy that did my machine work back when I lived in BC, has been using pistons from DSS, and he likes them. This is mainly a street cruiser, that sees the dragstrip once or twice a year, on pump gas, (91 is the highest octane available here), so I want to drop the compression a little, hopefully 9 1/2- 10.0-1, and DSS shows a .018" dish, plus valve notches, their chart shows 10.20-1 with a 65cc chamber, and 9.54 with a 72 cc chamber, so they should be pretty close with my TFS heads.  They have a 1/16"/1/16"/3/16" ring set, just wondering if anybody has any experience with DSS ? Also, they offer these pistons in 2 alloys, 4032 or 5023, not sure which would be preferable for my application, which has a mild solid flat tappet cam, and will likely never see 6000 RPM. Thanks.

Just wondering how many of you guys are using air fuel ratio gauges for checking and tuning your engines. I am considering buying one, as with modern gasoline and ignition systems, not having much luck getting the spark plugs to show much color. Is anybody aware of a gauge that doesn`t require cutting and welding the headers, similar to how emission testing equipment has a long probe that slides into the tailpipes, with a temporary gauge install, as I would like to use such a gauge to get the jetting good, but don`t really want to permanently mount  a gauge inside the car, plus it would be portable, to go from one car to the other. The headers on my 347 SB Ford, already have a welded O2 sensor bung welded onto 1 header tube on each side, for use on a 5.0 EFI car, but not really wanting to modify my coated FPA headers on the 59. As for the gauge kit, any recommendations, for or against any particular brands or style (digital vs a needle or lights.) Since the Fairmont runs leaded gas, I understand that will cause problems with the O2 sensors life, so ideally, I would like to get the 59s 428 dialed in first. Thanks.