Cole's build thread.... am I missing something here

[Cole]

I hear you about parts all over the place. I picked up a third motorcycle that needs the carbs rebuilt and am looking at a 1970 F100 that needs brakes all around and a bunch of rust scraped off. I need to just hire a full time mechanic for a 2-3 week trial and when everything is done, send him to work for you.

That works!! He still will be on your payroll right? :goodone:

Cheers Bro! I see a grease covered cold Bud in my tonights plan.

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

Absolutely, But I might nered you to front his pay til I can send a check to Alabama

 

[Cole]

Want to pull the fenders off this weekend. I found this for bolt locations. http://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-front-fender-removal

Im thinking the front bolts up around the light are easier to get with the bumper off? Anyone ever do it without taking it off? One less thing leaning against the wall if it stays on. LOL

 

[auron73mach1]

Mine is a 73 and I had my fenders off with the bumper on

 

[Cole]

Thanks Jordan. That's where I'm headed too.

 

[auron73mach1]

Any progress

 

[Cole]

Slow and wish I could say steady Jordan but its grab an hour here and there.

Got my cam, lifters, oil pump, gasket set.... the only things missing are push rods and a new valley gasket set. Brushed a bunch of the rust with brass bristles on the cooling section of the engine. Need to wheel it outside and blast it with compressed air. The block painted up pretty.

Took the fenders off and checked the rust. Pretty wide spread but I would like to get the inner fender aprons that arrived replaced before the motor goes back in. Been shopping pawn shops for a deal on a welder. Also ordered a 5 gallon bucket of that evapo rust. Might as well soak brackets, bolts, headlight housings etc. and get them where they need to be.

Messed with that axel/brake locking up issue. You wouldn't have a original rear brake drum on that parts car of yours would you? I think my chinese ones don't have thick enough metal. I stuck the digital ruler on it and it said .18" and that seems thin. I measured around where the lug nut goes.

 

[auron73mach1]

You kneed the drums themselves? Yeah I see what I can do

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

send me your mailing address and I'll send you some pushrods

 

[Cole]

Im confused. What else is new. Trying to remove the springs so I can get new upper and lower control arms on and clean this whole thing up. So far I have the lower tie rod off the spindal but it looks like this spring needs to come out before I start working on upper and lower control arms.

Basically take the tension of the spring with the spring compressor, unbolt the spring perch on the bottom from the upper control arm then cinch the spring UP? That dazed guy that I got the compression tool instructions from has the top cap at 3 inches with 3 holes drilled in from the best I can tell. That aint gonna bolt to the top cap bolts. Like I said confused.

She's off the ground wheel off.

 

[jbojo]

I have the same tool. Once you have the tool connected to the spring perch compress the spring slightly and unbolt the perch from the lower arm. Then compress the spring to move it away from the lower arm. Remove the lower arm and then release the tension on the spring. Remove the tool and the spring will fall out. Also I think at the top of the shock mount I used the cover and bolted it back on and had the rod through the center hole to keep everything centered. Didn't like the idea of the big hole and the possibility of the tool slipping.

-jbojo

 

[Cole]

I have the same tool. Once you have the tool connected to the spring perch compress the spring slightly and unbolt the perch from the lower arm. Then compress the spring to move it away from the lower arm. Remove the lower arm and then release the tension on the spring. Remove the tool and the spring will fall out. Also I think at the top of the shock mount I used the cover and bolted it back on and had the rod through the center hole to keep everything centered. Didn't like the idea of the big hole and the possibility of the tool slipping.

-jbojo

Thanks Bro. What I was needing to know for sure.

 

[Don65Stang]

Looks like you're making good progress!

 

[Cole]

Looks like you're making good progress!

A little here and there Don. Just re-thought what I needed to do. Got all the parts to throw the engine back together 4V but right now get the suspension up front done so she will roll in and out. Then I can work on dusty stuff out of the garage.

 

[Cole]

Well I got all the water ports blown out with compressed air after taking the wire brush to them pretty good. Massive cloud of rust. Had wheel the block outside for sure.

I've seen pics out there with the valley painted. Think I'll pass on that one. But slipped a new lifter in there just to make sure I got the right part. Fit just fine.

Drivers side spring is out and I'm still alive. Special shout out to Marks73 on help getting me strait on the tool. And the great pics when I was welding it up. My first weld I might add.

I've got some questions on how I should measure when cutting out the inner aprons around the shock towers but on the plus side this shock tower looks in decent shape.

And another shout out to whoever posted the thread about evaporust.

I took one of these, and soaked it for about 36 hours.

And it came out looking like this. 5 gallon bucket from sears was 69 bucks 20 shipping

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

Cole, I am going to recommend you go ahead and do bearings and rings. As much cleaning as you have done, I fear, that you can't get all the crud out before you put it back together and rings and bearings are (Parts costs anyway) only a 100-150.00. From where you are it isn't ahuge job, though you will need to hone the cylinders to get the rings to seat properly.

 

[Cole]

Cole, I am going to recommend you go ahead and do bearings and rings. As much cleaning as you have done, I fear, that you can't get all the crud out before you put it back together and rings and bearings are (Parts costs anyway) only a 100-150.00. From where you are it isn't ahuge job, though you will need to hone the cylinders to get the rings to seat properly.

Sounds doable Jeff. Thanks. Main bearings and cam bearings right?

Kinda shifted off the engine ( i bounce around life too LMAO) and tearing the front suspension apart since I got a kit. Use to think I need to driver her in out of the garage but with all the potential problems I'll need to weld rolling her in and out makes more sense.

We're cost cutting at work and closing down the office. Which is good news. I'll be virtual with a lot more time during the day. My boss rocks. As long as the work gets done he's happy. I'll have more time when MA isn't here I can work on her.

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

I would probably not bother with cam bearings-they are a pain in the arse. If you want to do them, have a shop install them.

While changing out the main and rod bearings, you will need to keep all parts in their respective locations. I found that a 2 liter bottle tray is as good a way to keep pistons and rods in place. A sharpie on the top of the pistons works too.

It will also give you a chance to replace the rod bolts and nuts with ARP components if you want to bullet proof the bottom end.

You would need to remove the wear ring at the top of the cylinders and run a hone through them to get the surface properly prepared for new rings, and if it were me I'd have a shop mike the bores and see how much wear there is. If you need a rebuild, now is the time.

BTW your new pushrods should arrive tomorrow

 

[73vertproject]

I would probably not bother with cam bearings-they are a pain in the arse. If you want to do them, have a shop install them.

+100! I went through 2 sets of cam bearing trying to install them with a cam bearing tool before I took it to a shop and had them do the whole short block. I strongly recommend following Jeff's advice.

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

Cleveland cam bearings bores often need some light honing as they are generally undersized (according to my relatively small research sampling and other less reliable source material)

Cam bearings are easy to damage and I would avoid spraying them with anything potentially caustic if you intend to reuse them.