Build Thread 1978 Mercury Cyclone. The pig is in the pen.

[Boosted92LX]

I'm tired of messing w/ the engine. It runs, the trans works, the brakes work, it rolls. It's only natural to assume that it would probably be driveable.

If it wasn't missing the doors, the windshield, the front and rear lights, and a place to sit.

The seat thing is dealt with, I could bolt the driver side in in a minute. But those pesky few other items,.......those are a problem.

When I last attempted body work, I made a buck, and bought the necessary sheet metal to form 8 sections and use the buck as a guide to weld the sections together on.

The end result of that endeavor turned out miserably. I'll be like Nick, @95BlueStallion and stand it in a corner of my garage as a reminder of how NOT to do something.
It needs to be said that I am far from a bodyman, but if I had to pay one to do the stuff I want to do, that would require I take out a second mortgage.

( I'm not gonna do that)

So that leaves it to me to get it done.

Plan B was to use the stock rear bumper and come up with a way to blend it into the body. The problem w/ that is that it's aluminum, and the body is steel.

When I built the last car I ran into the same issue when it came time to blend the potmetal headlight buckets into the sheetmetal of the car. On that car I used a combination of bolts, and JB Weld to hold the dissimilar metals together.

That method lasted about a year before cracks started to show through

So this time around I ain't bonding anything on the body together w/ bolts and glue. (I have enough of that in the engine)

I decided to cut the ends off of the aluminum bumper, and I'll cap them. In essence, I'll have an effect similar to a baby LTD w/o the urethane end caps to worry about.
I came up w/ this hair-brained solution:

.

In the pic, the steel endcap isn't finished yet (I was, I was dying of thirst, and was tired of messing w/ it by the time I got this crap done)

Like the Mustang pictured above though I do one side at a time, and it seems that each side never matches the other. The driver side was first, and it was the "Beta". By the time I got over to the passenger side , I had figured out how to do it better.
(I'll probably end up cutting all of that junk back out on the driver side to better match the "new and improved" passenger side)

Just like this for instance. On the driver's side that center piece you see above was butt welded in. The quarter was already distressed as a result of me trying to fit Fox mustang tail lights in there, and by the time I started welding in patch panels to bring it to the finish level you see here, I warped the **** out of it.

( We will NOT be looking at that side)

One the passenger side, I learned my lesson, and got out a flanging tool, and flanged a 1/2 " perimeter around the patch. That flange served as a backer, and helped to keep the quarter in better shape. I still got it too hot, but the warpage is managable, unlike the driver's side. (Which now looks like the surface of the moon)

So what we're gonna do here is create a gap between the steel end caps and the alunimum bumper similar to the 1/8" gap the trunk has around the perimeter. That'll let me slide the bumper in and use the stock mounting system for that, while the end caps are permanently mounted to the body.

So then this is gonna be the approximate rear facade the tail lights will recess into. I'll just take a regular piece of sheet metal, and follow the crown of the trunk. I'll make a bottom piece that will sit approximately 1/8" off the bumper, and trace the crown onto that piece. Then I'll weld the two pieces together to hold the crown. I'll do the same thing at the top.

I'm gonna build a custom set of tail lights for the car, and recess them into the rear panel. I've been looking into sequencing led circuits, and I think that is how the tail lights will indicate a turn. The running lights/brake lights will either be more conventional socket type led lights, or a whole butt load of the individual 5mm leds like I'll use for the turn signal lights.
I just gotta buy a bunch of electronic doo dads, and start dinking around w/ that.

I really don't see the point. Why are you wasting your life, Mike? You should just go to work and pay someone that does that crap for a living to do all that dirty stuff. Real car guys don't do that... LOLZ

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

I really don't see the point. Why are you wasting your life, Mike? You should just go to work and pay someone that does that crap for a living to do all that dirty stuff. Real car guys don't do that... LOLZ

You mean there's somebody out there that I can PAY to do all this?
Pffft, to think I've been wasting all of this quality time that I coulda had w/ the wife and kid, instead of sweating and struggling in the garage.

How much ya spose somebody would charge me to:
Source an aluminum crossflow Australian head for an obsolete 6 banger, Perform the necessary deck mods to the block to accommodate that head, call Australia, and order me a solid roller cam for the thing,convert a SBF timing gear set to fit the cam, Scour the entire interwebz to find 56 tooth roller chain to make it all work, Cut open the side of the block to allow access to re-link a set of BBF roller lifters once they were in the holes, Modify the crank to allow me to use a SBF harmonic balancer, design and build the necessary brackets for the accessories, pulleys and idlers to convert the belt drive over to a serpentine system, source a set of SS valves, springs, and rockers for a head that never had an aftermarket, build a direct port F.I intake manifold, build a twin scroll exhaust manifold for the turbocharger, and convert the oil system over to an external pump, machine all that junk, assemble it, and then build a ECU to run the whole thing from a kit?

(And I'm still leaving out a bunch of stuff)
Hmmmmmmmmm

I make about 1000 a week. Ya think it would be more than that?

You think it would cost more than what I'd make in 4 weeks?

You think it'd cost more than what I'd make in 6 months?

If I recall correctly, the last big turbo 363 full build I paid for was over 4k, and I provided all of the hardware (minus pistons) All my machinist had to do was machine the block, balance the recip assy, fit everything, assemble it, and then run it in. There wasn't one out of the ordinary obstacle that he had to deal with in between that.
I'd bet if I had to pay somebody to do all of stuff done to the Monster engine alone, it'd be so freakin' expensive, it would be insane.

 

[Noobz347]

Someone said that there would be refreshments?

 

[Boosted92LX]

I don't know, Mike.. some of the geniuses here have said, "Just because you do it yourself doesn't mean it's right." ... And, You could do something useful with your time while a professional does it 75% faster...

Maybe you should rethink your game.. You may not be as smart as you think you are. ..

Just sayin.

 

[95BlueStallion]

Pretty sure if you took that 6 banger to any shop and asked them to attach a chunk a metal so its the same width as the head, they would tell you to get bent.

 

[jrichker]

You mean there's somebody out there that I can PAY to do all this?
Pffft, to think I've been wasting all of this quality time that I coulda had w/ the wife and kid, instead of sweating and struggling in the garage.

I'd bet if I had to pay somebody to do all of stuff done to the Monster engine alone, it'd be so freakin' expensive, it would be insane.

You could always tell Prez Obama to quit taking 11 million dollar golf vacations in Hawaii and send you the money instead...

 

[hoopty5.0]

I don't know, Mike.. some of the geniuses here have said, "Just because you do it yourself doesn't mean it's right." ... And, You could do something useful with your time while a professional does it 75% faster...
.

I feel like this would be the title of the biography on me that someone would halfass throw together after Im gone.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

I feel like this would be the title of the biography on me that someone would halfass throw together after Im gone.

Naahh, at least you do the stuff yourself, and I got nothing but respect for those that do.

At least when you do for yourself, if, and when you make a mistake you'll know better next time. That bold face quoted statement is stupid really, how many threads have you seen on here where somebody paid somebody else to do something for them and either got shoddy work, slow progress, broke ass junk, or nothing at all?

 

[hoopty5.0]

It was more self-depreciating humor than anything else. How many times have I mentioned that I wanted to do something a certain way and you or Nick or Allen, etc. said, "Uhhmmm might want to rethink your methods there..." But again, that's why I have a thread, because I use it as a learning tool.

I'm aware of the context of yours and @Boosted92LX 's comments though.

 

[Boosted92LX]

It was more self-depreciating humor than anything else. How many times have I mentioned that I wanted to do something a certain way and you or Nick or Allen, etc. said, "Uhhmmm might want to rethink your methods there..." But again, that's why I have a thread, because I use it as a learning tool.

I'm aware of the context of yours and @Boosted92LX 's comments though.

And this is why I have so much respect for Collin, Mike, and the rest of the guys like them. They aren't scared to tackle something and learn from it.. That's what makes a real gearhead.. Anyone can buy something. It takes a badass to build it.

 

[RacEoHolic330]

Most of the fun is in the 'chase' too. I know many guys that have more fun during the build phase than they do driving their finished product.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Most of the fun is in the 'chase' too. I know many guys that have more fun during the build phase than they do driving their finished product.

Uhhh....that would be me.

 

[02 281 GT]

If it wasn't missing the doors, the windshield, the front and rear lights, and a place to sit.

You should just put on one of those head condoms and some goggles like race car drivers in the olden days...

D/P (drunken post)

Real men don't delete their drunk posts...

 

[Boosted92LX]

You should just put on one of those head condoms and some goggles like race car drivers in the olden days...


Real men don't delete their drunk posts...

Nah.. it was a triple post same thing.. I was intoxicated and the site kept saying error every time I hit post reply... so I got on my pc and found three identical posts I made not knowing I did so...

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Nah.. it was a triple post same thing.. I was intoxicated and the site kept saying error every time I hit post reply... so I got on my pc and found three identical posts I made not knowing I did so...

It did it to me during the same time. You'd hit post reply, and it's give you a server error msg, all the while actually posting the reply. It took me three times of hitting post reply (which in turn added triplicate versions of the same blather) before I realized that something was screwed up.


Probably somebody paid to have work done on the forum instead of doing it themselves.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

You should just put on one of those head condoms and some goggles like race car drivers wore in the olden days.

If I drive the thing, it'll be around the block. That'll be just what I need, to have HPD pull me over in this thing during a "joy ride" w/ no safety equipment, headlights, tail lights, or windshield.
They'll impound that dude so fast I won't even be able to say wha-wha-wait a damn minute!

 

[Boosted92LX]

Probably somebody payed to have work done on the forum instead of doing it themselves.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

I worked on my real job for most of the week in the sub-chamber of hell that is Alabama. I tell ya after spending two weeks in Spain where the temps were in the mid 70's to low 80's, w/ ZERO humidity has ruined my tolerance for the oppressive humidity of the Heart of Dixie. By the time I got home each day going down into the garage, and back into the heat was the last thing on my mind.

But I'm like a dog.

Give me a day and I forget all the stuff that happened yesterday. Today I went back into the fire.

On Friday when I finished work,I did manage to get my 18ga. stuff that would let me finish the rear facade.

So,....this:


Taken from my "admire my work, chair cam", clearly, the thing is no where near done. Although I have all of the steel to finish it, the leaking valve on my welding bottle managed to change my plans for me. That was a newly refilled bottle that lost almost all of it's gas via a faulty bottle valve as opposed to me actually using it up. When I got it home I noticed that it looked low and called the refill guy to make him aware of that, so it should be NBD getting a refill at no cost.

Hobbled by a empty gas bottle on my favorite welding option, I was forced to use the TIG instead. I guess I'm competent w/ the stupid thing, It's just too slow, and unwieldy for me to use it as my "go to" when I need to weld something.

But nonetheless, I managed to tack the top piece in place.

(actually, I know all of the reasons TO use it, and I should, I'm just lazy that way I guess)

So anyway, The two lights and the license plate will be recessed into that angled facade. The tails measure 5 x 20", and the plate opening is something like 16 x 7.25. I just drew that outlines on there to be sure that those were the sizes I actually wanted them to be. (They better be, that's the actual sizes I had the steel that makes up the inside recessed perimeter cut to).

The plate box is easy, and I can completely finish that. The tail lights are still up for discussion. If I change anything about them, it'll be to make them more narrow, but for now, I'll say that this is the cut size for the openings.

There is gonna be a problem getting the trunk open by the time I get all of the gaps evened up to include the one at the tail lights. Since I left no trunk lip over hang, there is no way to get your fingers in between to actually lift the trunk. I'll probably remedy that w/ a spring similar to what is up front w/ the hood latch, only not as big. I've also considered maybe installing actuators on both the trunk, and the hood,..but I'm sure I'll come to my senses before I do that for real.

( What a pea-brained idea is it where somebody would install electric actuators that stand in the way of getting to the battery should it die.)

We'll see on that one.

I also ordered a replacement tank this morning because this bugs the holy hell outta me:

You've obviously heard of Junk in the trunk?,.......well I have junk under my trunk.

I always thought that I was gonna hide that w/ some sort of extension beneath the rear bumper, but that would be so damn low, it would also look dumb as hell. So, The plan is to revamp the fuel delivery starting w/ a clean fresh tank. I wont install that dropped sump this time, and I'm gonna add a tube-type fuel sender like what a plastic fuel cell uses. The old 70/10 ohm stocker isn't working properly, and my new digital gas ga. never acknowledged that I had any gas in the tank. By using the tube type sender, I'll be able to drop it in from the tall portion of the tank where the filler neck comes into, and the old factory piece w/ just serve to seal up the hole in front. As for getting gas to the pump, and how best to do that w/o adding the sump, I haven't decided how I'll do that just yet.

All I know is that the existing menagerie is so low that when the car is sitting on it's tires I could actually see it dragging when turning into a steep uphill driveway.

Yeahhh that's the ticket,.........Force a fuel line against the pavement, and then drag it against that pavement w/ about 1500 lbs of force....

 

[jrichker]

I don't know what options you plan for taillights, but the OEM taillights and headlights on production cars bear the SAE markings cast into the plastic. That may be a point of contention if you need to pass vehicle inspection .

See What is SAE/DOT for some useful information on the subject.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

I don't know what options you plan for taillights, but the OEM taillights and headlights on production cars bear the SAE markings cast into the plastic. That may be a point of contention if you need to pass vehicle inspection .

See What is SAE/DOT for some useful information on the subject.

Again it needs to be said.

This is Alabama. For whatever reason the state's lawmakers have consistently passed on the need to require that the registered vehicles in this state don't collectively emit more pollutants than the entire country of China by enforcing a mandatory inspection law.

So as long as I live here, and as long as I can count on the law makers to keep their heads up their asses, then the fact that I won't have that stamp on the custom lenses should be no problem.