Wow, that is beautiful work!
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Wow, that is beautiful work!
Thanks!!
I got the 15x8 wheels and 285/70-15 tires installed on the rear of the shop truck. Sure changes the attitude...
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Almost looks like a "Before" picture of Randy Ross' F100 that's now sporting IRS, IFS and Coyote Power!! But your cab & bed colors match! ;)
Great truck!!
wow just fantastic craftsmanship !!
[QUOTE=MP&C;599089]Thanks!!
I got the 15x8 wheels and 285/70-15 tires installed on the rear of the shop truck. Sure changes the attitude...
Yeah it does! looking great!
More progress on the wagon...
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We've been working on the wiring, starting with the gauge cluster. A loop was added between the gauge's mounting screws to provide a bit of strain relief for its harness.
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Some of the bundles coming off the fusebox were excessively long, so we made use of fresh connector contacts to shorten the length so we won't have a rat's nest to hide under the dash. We did find the wires to the dimmer switch were too short by a couple inches, so the wires were re-routed too the side of the fuse box for a more direct approach.
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The addition of the FI Tech and HyFire 6A ignition components gave us some challenges for power feed wires, so some circuits were changed to "keyed" in order to provide the additional battery circuits required. The original text is easily removed with a few scrapes of a utility blade. My lettering skills are nothing to write home about, and given the size, I used a double stack of lens for these old eyes in the form of reading glasses and a cheater lens inside the welding helmet. First time I've used a welding helmet to paint something.
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We needed a mounting location for the Ignition module, and I still can't bring myself to drill holes in this firewall and hang such a wart on it.
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Since we had shaved the radio location to clean up the dash, this provided a bit of real estate directly behind the dash.
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Our stainless trim insert we made for the dash provided us some hardware for a mounting plate, but the thread length was a bit short.
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Some 8-32 rivnuts were selected to match the dash hardware, and 10-32 hex nuts were drilled to accept these (press fit). The rivnuts were trimmed to length, pressed in the hex nuts, and fusion welded using the TIG around the joint.
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The plate is .09 thick 6061, and press nuts were used on the back side for bolting the Hyfire to the plate.
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Installed....
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Robert, it goes without saying that your attention to detail is extraordinary. I just looked, you're 12 years into this build. Some folks who've never gone to these kinds of lengths might think that as crazy (and being crazy doesn't hurt when building hot rods), but I say "welcome to reality". It took me close to 18 years to get my old '36 roadster done (admittedly a good chunk of that was idle time while I focused on other things, but still....) but the results made demands on time and effort. The young lady who hired you to build this for her made a good choice in my mind, and she'll be rewarded for it in having a very special vehicle.
I have a question, are you going to put the headlights on relays to relieve the power drain at the dimmer switch?
The wiring looks great, especially the disconnects at the gauge clusters.
Headlight relay location is not 100% mapped out but will likely be on the back side of the core support.
Beautiful work, that is one nice and well built car!
incredible!
Quote:
Originally Posted by MP&C
On my 76 Corvette I placed them on the left inner fenderwell, made for a short access to the alternator.
Man that's sweet than CANDY !!!!!!!
Shop truck update, I had some exhaust parts left under the tree. A 2-1/2" mandrel bend kit and a pair of Black Widow Venom 250's.
[IMG] https://hosting.photobucket.com/b776...490b51e846.jpg [/IMG]
We had a spot going through a crossmember that was a bit snug, so we made a set of dies to flatten the pipe, as well as a plug for the end of the pipe to keep it round for welding to the next piece. Some quick geometry gave us the size and offset needed. Yeah, one of those classes from high school they say you'll never use again.
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https://youtube.com/shorts/3m3mNGYTF...iG10O1OFryXYib
Plenty of clearance...
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My favorite exhaust... heard and not seen.
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test fire (inside the paint booth)
https://youtube.com/shorts/cUAwM1RGm...sK9UDwr_1oLtP_
And a couple drive bys..
https://youtu.be/bx0tNjLgP1Y?si=pjk84lpaog_lAHuF
https://youtu.be/urcF2-tLet8?si=6H8sXZ0B6VvOuOmD
I also "ran across" an engine suitable for rebuild to eventually replace the original 352 one day.
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Yup, a 410 Mercury.
Sweet! Exhaust sounds great, and looks great too!
Nice work on the exhaust system. does sound nice.
A 66 410? HMmmm I'd have to look that one up.
That had me scratching my head too, Mike! Looks like only '66/67 for the Merc Marauder - https://bangshift.com/bangshift1320/...gotten-oldies/Quote:
Originally Posted by 34_40
Yes, it popped into my head after I hit Post, the 428 FE crank bolts into the 390 FE to make a 410. The conn rods should've tipped me off.Quote:
Originally Posted by rspears
A rarity to be sure! But... I hope it doesn't take him 12 years to put it together!!! HAHAHAHA.. Kramer and I are waiting wink, wink.
Correct, the 410 was a two year production, essentially a 390 with 428 crank. Not that the shop truck needs a new engine, but want to have one ready to drop in when I get to that point. And it’s going to our local engine shop, so it should be a few weeks, not years. :LOL:
I am still collecting parts, this was a short block only.
Weeks, not Years... hahahaha Thanks for the update!
Collecting more parts for the shop truck... These are reproduction cast shorty headers by Kugel Komponents, based off the OEM Ford 406 headers. They were media blasted and have been dropped off for a Cerakote finish. Still looking for some C6AE-R cylinder heads, rockers, and an intake for the 410 block.
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We also got the underdash AC bezel back from Chrome plating, still waiting on the round vents*[IMG][/IMG]
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vhiNxtUtxE
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Still plugging along with the wiring on the 55. Fuse box is installed, still have some fine tuning (shortening) on some of the wire bundles.. but someone installed a steering wheel in the way. And since our Snap On puller doesn't fit the Billet Specialties hole pattern, it's time to make a new one..
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Strike two, we didn't have a 1/2-20 tap to fabricate the new part, so we opted for a 1/2-20 hex nut. A shoulder was machined to center it up in the clearance hole, and welded onto our bar stock
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All removed, ready for some wiring...
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Shortening up another bundle and crimping on new Pak-Con pins
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We went to install the reproduction ignition switch, which came with a grooved retaining nut. We didn't have the needed "socket", and the one found online had fingers that were too short, for a guaranteed slip and scratch of the chrome finish. So yeah, let's raid the scrap pile of some 1-1/4" tubing..
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https://youtube.com/shorts/6BCdxgtIQ...3lPnJ6-O-g4KVx
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Works like a charm...
Necessity is the mother of invention! Nice work, as usual!
I like the idea of the "handle" section on the puller, should make it nice for pulling an aftermarket adapter when you don't have a steering wheel to hang on to.
I didn't know the shorty headers were in reproduction, they look nice. I ran a pair of originals on an FE in a 64 Custom. As I recall they were a little tight next to the battery cable on the starter but worked.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...7a0fc83d_z.jpg64 Custom by M Patterson, on Flickr
Are the heads you’re looking for the ones with the machined combustion chambers from a 406? I pulled the headers from a pair of 406 heads with those chambers. I don’t recall if they had the rockers with them or if the guy I got them from even still has them (been a lot of yeays ago) I can check if there what you’re hunting for.
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Many of the long tube cast headers I've run across had a relief ground on the back side for starter bolt clearance. I just trimmed the bolt on mine. On these new shorty's, they eliminated the heat riser bosses, so they are cleaner on the outside and flow better on the inside.
The C6AE-R's are what is on the existing 352 in the truck. They were used on about all the engine flavors of the FE family, and are known as 428 poor boys because they are similar to the 428 heads but more plentiful and not as pricey. I do have a couple of local sources to check, but the opportunity hasn't presented yet...
Very nice! Appreciate the pictures and detail for the fabrication of parts and tools as that's what hot rods are all about. I know that I've spent hours on certain parts that are "no-longer-available" yet needed to make something work. It's always rewarding to look at the finished product and know that I've been able to keep something going that would have otherwise been cast aside because our generation learned to adapt. I've got a whole list of folks in my past, i.e., shop teachers, uncles, friends fathers and most certainly my own father who took the time to teach and show me how to renovate and restore or build from scratch.
I've tried to instill similar values in my own children and grandchildren, but they seem to be inclined to discard and buy new. We're perhaps the last generation that truly knows how to work with our hands.
Thanks to all here who keep those skills alive!
Glenn