Progress Thread 1963 Falcor GT?

Wires Wires Wires .. All those unsightly wires hanging under the dash...gone. Finished the dash wiring, mostly. I need to do some work on the gauges but for the most part that rat nest is under control. Hanging under the dash IS NOT a sport for those with bad backs! I have to pillow and pad the floor so I can just lay under the dash and work, sure seemed easier when I was a younger man!

I have been keeping and working around the previous owners wiring mess so not to make MORE problems I don't need as the P.O. said that it did run and operate properly at one time. So I worked around his mess keeping it till all the other issues were gone. So that's where we're at, UN doing all those wires and my workarounds. I have to go in again though to replace fried bulbs in the gauges, wire in blinker indicators and a horn. Re wiring this mess I found many issues and fixed many. Now I have a working gas gauge, once it was wired to the resistor which was previously wired to ALL the gauges except the gas. Now the volts read properly but the water temp is still wonky. Before when I had a 190 degree thermostat in the car the gauge read 140 at full heat. Thinking it was a 140 thermostat I replaced it with a 180 degree stat. That brought the gauge to 120! So thought must be because it was wired to the resistor, so I removed it. No change just gets there faster. The resister makes the ford gauges move slower not to slam to position.

So just not sure where to go now with getting the temp to properly show its setting. I have a mechanical gauge but won't go into the manifold because of no lip to keep the sensor from falling in. Would rather make the one in the cluster work proper anyway. I am pretty sure the temp is right where it needs to be as there are no heating issues with the car. Fans all come on good, all is well there, just reads wrong.

Anybody with any ideas on that please say so b'cuz am not sure where to go with that issue atm.

Thanks Mike
 
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Look Ma! No Wires!
 
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BAD BAD BAD . . .
So when I got the car, actually when I was looking at it to purchase, I pulled the dipstik. The oil was new. I said, welp not gonna learn anything from that, and put it back.
So it had fresh oil. He just took good care of it I guess.
So recently after all the work to it it was time to put new oil in it.
I drained the oil.
It was full of metal, and not just a few flakes either. Silver, metal grit.
Guess this explains why I thought the oil pressure was dropping.
I haven't looked at it in 3 days it makes me sick to my stomach...

:(x5
 
Man that truly does suck bad. I would have been throwing wrenches and cussing up a storm. I don't think I could look at it for a while either. Somebody out there needs to drop a fresh long block on your door step. All I can offer besides condolences is a pair of used E7 heads.
 
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Thanks Mr. Kelley. I think my wife could tell ya I may have been a bit pissy the last few days, today is a little better, but...

I don't know what I'm gonna do yet. Avoiding the thought. The money isn't there for this expense either. I may have to start selling off some stuff to buy parts.

Burns my butt. When I was warming the car to do the oil I got 2 thumbs up within a mile, just on a test drive! I liked that.
 
On you tube and elsewhere it seems there is a rash of engine failures all accross the board. Mostly aligned with cheap quality and inferior parts. So a while back I said to myself, self, your lucky, you have a good running engine and don't have to buy parts because the parts market seems a bit shakey right now. Ok..so guess I brought this on myself.

OK so here we are on the other side of things. Didn't know right where to begin on this project so I just drained fluids. Then they were done so I started takin stuff off. One thing after another. Thats where I am at now is taking stuff off. This whole endeaver will take longer than usual due to so many breaks. I worry about taking on a rebuild as its a big deal, for me mainly physically. I question if I will be able to follow through and finish it? I decided as long as I treat every part as an individual job with its own steps I can move towards the final goal of engine removal a little at a time. Just gonna take a bit longer. So if you dont see no posts it must mean I'm slackin! Better gimmie some ...crap to lite a fire under my ass for me!

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First is the inspection phase Break it all down to decide the main over all plan. Don't cost to find out where I sit. Maybe it's not so bad after all. I did get to remove the intake and under there and in the rocker areas, there are no sign of foreign baddies looking to reek havoc in my engine!


Everything seems good so far. One thing about having recently redone the top end is not only is it easy to take apart but you can check your sealing techniques and how well they held!

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I don't know what parts I can re use. I need to find tolerances somewhere. And other rebuild related facts as well. I would like a 347 stroker, I believe is the size. Or maybe just a 351 I don't know yet. I like the little 302 and wanna stay with it but there are alot more cheap short blocks for a 351 and its more power. I really like the idea of the high winding stroker. The price of a stroker crank kit is about the same and maybe even less than stock rebuild! I seen a kit for $900. Does not include machining though. A little at a time. We ain't got it ..but we're gettin there!



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Number 1 down there to your right. I tell ya they look great! At first run they were all black n sooty now after gettin it sorted they got a nice tan goin on!
 
Remember what you just said when your shopping for that stroker kit.


On you tube and elsewhere it seems there is a rash of engine failures all accross the board. Mostly aligned with cheap quality and inferior parts. So a while back I said to myself, self, your lucky, you have a good running engine and don't have to buy parts because the parts market seems a bit shakey right now. Ok..so guess I brought this on myself.
 
Yes Mr Kelley for sure!
I dont have allot to spend on it but not gonna go for low quality engine kit. Some things you can get by with but at the core of your engine is not the place to skimp!
The Jegs stroker kits seem to have pretty good success. Many machine shops use the Eagle kits and seem to have good results.
Any thoughts of different induction will have to wait as monies will be focused on making a quality short block any other changes will have to come down the road, like opening up the airflow and injectors.
Now I dont really need more power it ran and preformed great stock. Its just that the stroker kits dont cost more than standard parts and some are cheaper! (better priced). So if I gotta do the work anyway and costs work out I be crazee not to do it!
We'll see in time which way I go. Still gathering infos and knowledge. Maybe things arent as bad as I think anyway! Im ok with that too.
I have the engine mostly ready to go out. Deciding whether to pull tranny with it or not. I have had some time to think about this in between fevers and cold shakes I have had for the last week plus....yay.
 
Another week passed and no progression.
I managed to get out to the garage today, first day in weeks.
I drug my cold half dead ass out and managed to take a couple items off the list. Drive shaft, o2 sensors and side pipes. And thats it. Now its not allot, but compared to yesterday it's a significant step forward!
Hopefully I have round the corner on this most recent health issue and can get back on the path. Since I started this progress thread I have had one health issue after another! It's becoming more of a health blog than a hot rod story. I don't necessarily think this is where I want to post about my health problems or whatnot, matter of fact I'm kinda private about my personal things, but it seems appropriate where it effects the forward momentum of my build.
I debated whether or not to post about my surgeries or other malady's but thought maybe it inspire someone else with issues to take on a big project or finish one if they see someone else with such obstacles in their way.
Perhaps those with no issues, just a pocketful of excuses as to why they can't, may find encouragement. Can't is a bad word. Once you let the word touch your lips your done. Raising my kids "can't" was taught to be a bad word. It's a funny thing can't. It's easier to make reasons why you can't than why you "can". Instead of compiling lists of why one can't you need to change your mindset to ONLY see the reasons why you "CAN".
So to those who manage to plug along chasing their dreams no matter the obstacles, I salute you. Your not alone.
 
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My wife and got up early this morning got morning things wrapped up pretty quick, as far as the cofee drinkin and stuff. Put on our warm clothes, here it is 41degrees, went to open the garage, set the car up AND had the engine out in 2 anda half hours! Went smooth. So much easier with a cherry picker and stand than as a kid using a swing set with rebar shoved through it to stop it from totally bending in half! My last engine was a 69 283 small block chevy. I popped up the compression and a 3/4 cam put the engine in a 82 camaro. That car was done in 86. The back seat was ALL speaker box! ALL the best music in those days!

Thank You wife, for your help, She gets credit for being the muscle, the strong arm!

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Soon I'll get it cracked open and see whats goin on. Now it can get power washed before the freeze sets in. Then I'll be back on schedule minus engine. Back to getting the floors done was the plan for winter. The engine has a deadline of spring, that should be fine. Time to get funds and tools and stuff.

I'll put this here before I post to the respective forum, . I need to know if doing a stroker, say 347. Can it still run on the original computer? Anybody know that? If not i'll post to the upper dwellers!

So whattya know, here ya go!
 
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A 347 will run fine on your current computer. Glad to see your feeling better.
Thanks for the thoughts Mr. Kelley.

I find it crazy that the computer, even after changing stroke, compression and adding cam n headers STILL runs the thing! I gave up hot rodding my cars years ago when everything changed to efi. I thought it was over.
I even worked at a Ford stealership ( porter/lot manager) during those years! I drove every kind of foxbody and never thought it a option. I liked the cars but you see'em every day no big deal. At the time I was more interested in SHO's and those Lincoln 2 doors I think it was an Mark 8. Those cars impressed me. The new style Probes with v6 were pretty cool too. I think what it really was that I lost any interest in mustangs after the 70's ones, the little gas saver versions. Like ghia's and whatnot. Now don't get me wrong I would drool ALL over a black on black cobra with all those cool graphics (bet those didn't last long!)! I don't think it was just me that thought that way either. Of course outside of work everybody I knew were chevy people.
My thoughts on Falcons back in the day were not too favorable either! But here I am YEARS down the road with a falcon anda GT motor! Weird ways it goes I guess. But I love my little car and it WILL run again.

Point of interest, My first car, road car that is, not my backyard bomber, (72 Datsun) was a Maverick with a 302. Not a grabber, a yellow with brown vinyl top 2 dr 302. SHOULD NOT have been a kids first car! That car wasn't around too long, my last drive in it ended with me upside down, holding myself into the seat by force of grip! I let myself down, onto the roof and turned off the stereo, I had JUST got me the new Motley Crue, Shout at the Devil. Guess my foot wasn't used to such ruckus! That and I had diy spring shackles...it sat way up there! One of those 20/20 things.
So I babel on...

Next will be pics I promise.
 
Dirty Pictures Here!

The rocker cover gaskets don't seem to have ever been changed! They are hard as a rock and VERY brittle. Not much sealing action going on there.

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Rear main is probably hard as a rock too!
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Wet n Ready.

I have taken advantage of the warmer weather and decided to powerwash the engine bay. At this point I consider to be ahead of schedule! Now while engine work is being done I can get engine bay cleaned and painted.
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Anybody know anything about those mounts? Square hole? Is there supposed to be a square slug with a hole there? How it was is 2 grade 8 washers were slotted to slide in after installed. To provide room for the oil pan I'm guessing. Mostly due to the fancy relief job on the cross member I deduce this. When it was in the car I noticed the oil pan clearance issue. I was concerned the engine was sitting on the member and was able to slide a piece of paper between the two! Close tolerance here! Notice the lack of grime!

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The Afterbath!
All washed and drying. Dried with a reef blower and towels. I do plan on attacking those wires. Would like to move the brains inside and wires. Debating whether to do it now or leave as is cuz I know it works, to minimize any issues later... Need to do a little grinding and welding before I paint. I hope to get to that before the weather takes a turn which WILL be soon. Then the rest are inside jobs. For that area that is. I do hope to have the floor cut and ready to weld for when Indian summer gets here (knock on simulated wood). I don't like to weld inside. I was in a house fire at 25, I have this thing about stuff burning after that. Or more so after the grafts and whatnot. So to sleep at night I only do that stuff outside.

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Next - Did you notice...the blob?
 

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If I remember right there were three bolt on mount stands for that unit body dog house, SB V8, BB V8 and a I6. The BB V8 stand was 67 up (I think). There may have been a different motor mount (engine to stand) for the convertible V8, too long ago to remember for sure.
@horse sence may chime in for clarification.
 
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I have found the mounts. There ACP Cast Iron. Going around $150.00!.I have found them singular and in kit with the engine mount too. They ALL have the square hole and no slug or whatever that makes it round and fit the bolt better. So I don't think its an issue.

Classic Industries - Amazon - I went to ACP Website but I think I broke it....