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

CarMichael Angelo · Sep 2, 2013

View attachment 125129I got home and removed the old tail light base. The bumper hangs so far back there it's ridiculous. Like w/ all of my previous 'Monts, I will modify the brackets and shorten that stand off by about 6". It will tuck the bumper nicely against the body. This is what you start with:

I'll drill a hole in the shock absorber, it'll let me collapse it to the flange. I should get about 3-3.5" of reduction in the standoff. I'll also cut that honkin' block of steel down and pick up another 1.5-2"

I've stared at it enough to get my plan together,....I'll buy the GT 350/500 tails tomorrow.
Another 500.00 down the drain.

madspeed · Sep 2, 2013

cant wait to see the end result :madprops

CarMichael Angelo · Sep 9, 2013

More parts,.. still no progress.

So far I have managed to amass the following:

The car
Brand new 17 x 9's & 17 x 10.5 Bullitt wannabes w/ 255/315 Sumitomo rubber
Brand new Cobra F/R rotors w/ pads.
Brand new Timken hub bearings
Brand new reman'd F Cobra calipers w/brackets.
Salvage SN 95 spindles (Very dirty)
Salvage SN 95 disc brake 8.8 complete w/ 3.73 T-loc, calipers and good rotors.
Brand new KYB gas a just front struts.
Brand new UPR billet alum caster camber plates.
Brand new UPR coil over kit w/14" 175 lb. Springs.
Brand new UPR bump steer kit.
Salvage running 250 c.i. I-6
Salvage 1967 Cougar tail lights.
Brand new Innovate LC-1 wide band w/red gauge.
Used Mallory boost referencing 3 port F.I. return regulator (my stuff)
Brand new JVC AM/FM/Sirius/FD head unit (my stuff)
Used Power Bass L10d Subwoofer (my stuff)
Brand new Power Bass sub amp. (my stuff)

All this stuff,... and still miles away.

I started stripping the 250, and got it down to basic long block. Afterwards I laid a sawzall blade against the cast-on intake manifold to see how hard it was gonna be to cut away the old junk ........Let's just say that that is gonna take a minute.

The Cougar tail lights are also going to be tough, primarily because they are not rectangular,.. they taper. I did not know that.

I'm still up in the air about them,.. it will be an irreversible "leap of faith" once I start tacking sheet metal together,...(I wish I could draw good enough to make a concept drawing to work off of)
The Fox tail lights look like they will actually work better,.. with less fabrication,... but in the end they'll still be Mustang tail lights

hoopty5.0 · Sep 9, 2013

There's nothing more daunting than staring at a pile of boxes full of crap to install.

I got my wideband too on Saturday. Wish I had something to put it on

CarMichael Angelo · Sep 9, 2013

That's what you think. Try staring at a rear tail light panel that just won't come around, and no matter what you do to make it work,.. shades of the fabrication work involved in the other car keeps popping up to haunt me. THAT is daunting.

CarMichael Angelo · Sep 10, 2013

Had a half day off today,...planned on getting the 250 mounted on the engine stand,..and cutting the top off of the weak assed "log" intake manifold, to see what was underneath.

So I did.

I guess I expected what I found,....poorly transitioned, inconsistent, anemic intake ports,....with all kinds of bumps and whoopdees for the intake charge to run into.

I tried last night to start that process w/ a sawzall,..but the blade quickly gave out. I went to home depot this afternoon,..and bought (5) 1/16" thick cutoff wheels for my grinder.

Once back home, I installed my new blade in one of my 4.5" electric, right eye blowing out grinders, and fired that dude up.

The intake was "topless" 10 minutes later.

Now the end result is too hideous for public consideration,..so there'll be no pics just yet. Lets just say that when I took it down to the machine shop to have it disassembled, cleaned, and inspected for cracks,....there was more than one guy from their shop looking at "the crazy s hit that this guy had in the back of his truck."

What I wasn't expecting was what I found after I pulled the head from my 300.00 "running" engine.

Firstly, after removing the valve cover,...the amount of sludge almost obscured the head bolts,....but I pushed forward. Once the head was removed,..I was rewarded by a really deep gouge in #1 cylinder wall, typical of a broken ring. There was at least two other cylinders also w/ broken ring scoring,..but not as bad as #1. I decided to call my junkyard dude and let him know what I found,..since it was supposed to be guaranteed to run.

( Yeah,..It woulda ran alright,..........for one minute)

He told me to take it to the machine shop, and have them estimate the damage, or they'd get me another engine.
He assured me that we would work it out.
Suits me,...I need a 4R70 trans,..and a complete dash/console out of a 89-90 T bird.....one way or the other, I'll find some way to make up for the over payment.

The machine shop mic'd the crank.......it will clean up w/ a .010 under cut.
The head still was up in the air,..they'll have to break it down in order to pressure test and magnaflux it.
The block,..........well that is a different story.

A 250's stock bore is 3.68. The cylinders really should stay at maximum overbore of .020.

The #1 cylinder was .027 over just from wear,...and that gouge had to be another .030 deep at least.
#1 cylinder will need a sleeve.
The rest of the cylinders "might" clean up at .030,..maybe .040

So here I am,....getting ready to open another case of waaay too much money in something I'll never get back out of.
The junkyard had exactly one inline six sitting in a ford,..and had no idea it was any different from the one I have in my Mont. The likely hood that they'll find another, is a needle in a haystack,..and even if they do,..I'll still have to spend another several hours getting it,.... getting it tore apart,..and getting it back down to the machine shop for the same micing process to see how worn out that one will be.

The screw it, just do it side of my brain rationalizes that by spending more money now,..I'll have no worries about future block integrity, or overheating issues. I guess I'll sleeve all six holes and run standard forged pistons in the thing.

mikestang63 · Sep 10, 2013

madmike1157 said:
Had a half day off today,...planned on getting the 250 mounted on the engine stand,..and cutting the top off of the weak assed "log" intake manifold, to see what was underneath.

So I did.

I guess I expected what I found,....poorly transitioned, inconsistent, anemic intake ports,....with all kinds of bumps and whoopdees for the intake charge to run into.

I tried last night to start that process w/ a sawzall,..but the blade quickly gave out. I went to home depot this afternoon,..and bought (5) 1/16" thick cutoff wheels for my grinder.

Once back home, I installed my new blade in one of my 4.5" electric, right eye blowing out grinders, and fired that dude up.

The intake was "topless" 10 minutes later.

Now the end result is too hideous for public consideration,..so there'll be no pics just yet. Lets just say that when I took it down to the machine shop to have it disassembled, cleaned, and inspected for cracks,....there was more than one guy from their shop looking at "the crazy s hit that this guy had in the back of his truck."

What I wasn't expecting was what I found after I pulled the head from my 300.00 "running" engine.

Firstly, after removing the valve cover,...the amount of sludge almost obscured the head bolts,....but I pushed forward. Once the head was removed,..I was rewarded by a really deep gouge in #1 cylinder wall, typical of a broken ring. There was at least two other cylinders also w/ broken ring scoring,..but not as bad as #1. I decided to call my junkyard dude and let him know what I found,..since it was supposed to be guaranteed to run.

( Yeah,..It woulda ran alright,..........for one minute)

He told me to take it to the machine shop, and have them estimate the damage, or they'd get me another engine.
He assured me that we would work it out.
Suits me,...I need a 4R70 trans,..and a complete dash/console out of a 89-90 T bird.....one way or the other, I'll find some way to make up for the over payment.

The machine shop mic'd the crank.......it will clean up w/ a .010 under cut.
The head still was up in the air,..they'll have to break it down in order to pressure test and magnaflux it.
The block,..........well that is a different story.

A 250's stock bore is 3.68. The cylinders really should stay at maximum overbore of .020.

The #1 cylinder was .027 over just from wear,...and that gouge had to be another .030 deep at least.
#1 cylinder will need a sleeve.
The rest of the cylinders "might" clean up at .030,..maybe .040

So here I am,....getting ready to open another case of waaay too much money in something I'll never get back out of.
The junkyard had exactly one inline six sitting in a ford,..and had no idea it was any different from the one I have in my Mont. The likely hood that they'll find another, is a needle in a haystack,..and even if they do,..I'll still have to spend another several hours getting it,.... getting it tore apart,..and getting it back down to the machine shop for the same micing process to see how worn out that one will be.

The screw it, just do it side of my brain rationalizes that by spending more money now,..I'll have no worries about future block integrity, or overheating issues. I guess I'll sleeve all six holes and run standard forged pistons in the thing.

I see a JY explorer motor in your future................

smokin joe · Sep 10, 2013

Mike, I am someone that likes Futura's. I remember a White one with cobra wheels that ran in Car Crafts "Real Street Eliminator" back when it was about home built cars.

I for one am very exited to see where this build goes! Sorry to hear about your bad luck with the engine. Do the 1980's ford trucks share the same block?

Joe

hoopty5.0 · Sep 10, 2013

Mike....

I understand your desire to think outside the box (Hah! see what I did there?). But lets face it, for your goals, your best bet is to buy exploder motor or dare I say LS swap. I mean engine, trans, computer... all of it. Stuff it in and get it driving and reliable. Focus on the suspension, looks, and interior that you want to really stand out.

CarMichael Angelo · Sep 10, 2013

mikestang63 said:
I see a JY explorer motor in your future................

No,...no you don't.

smokin joe said:
Mike, I am someone that likes Futura's. I remember a White one with cobra wheels that ran in Car Crafts "Real Street Eliminator" back when it was about home built cars.

I for one am very exited to see where this build goes! Sorry to hear about your bad luck with the engine. Do the 1980's ford trucks share the same block?

Joe

Thanks Joe,...The Fairmont has been an obsession w/me every 6 yeras or so it seems one always ends up in my driveway.
No,..the engine in a truck is a 300.

hoopty5.0 said:
Mike....

I understand your desire to think outside the box (Hah! see what I did there?). But lets face it, for your goals, your best bet is to buy exploder motor or dare I say LS swap. I mean engine, trans, computer... all of it. Stuff it in and get it driving and reliable. Focus on the suspension, looks, and interior that you want to really stand out.

It's like this Collin:

^^I think these things look cool as hell^^

Yes,..it would be "easier" (and probably cheaper) to just throw a JY explorer/ 2v SOHC/LS-? into the car but then again,...I'll have just another SBF in a fox,...AND while not as common, I already did the SOHC in a fox.
Despite the obvious "reasons to do it", tolerance for an LS swap in a non- Chevrolet envelope is marginal at best. By my math,....it woulda been 2500.00 or so to have one sitting in the car, running......but I think I am past the LS swap as an option.

stangboy · Sep 11, 2013

I admire your determination, Mike. Keep on push through. I can't wait to see how it turns out. Everything you do might not be popular but its always nice and we all learn a lil something from your builds.

elarm1 · Sep 11, 2013

Do it outside the box Mike. Anybody plus my grandmother can just throw a sbf or an LS in there. No one knows what originality is anymore???

hoopty5.0 · Sep 11, 2013

CarMichael Angelo · Sep 11, 2013

hoopty5.0 said:

Originality,.... lost on us......I know what that means.
Do you,........ Collin?

Or should I say "Grandma Collin"?

HotFox · Sep 11, 2013

elarm1 said:
Do it outside the box Mike. Anybody plus my grandmother can just throw a sbf or an LS in there. No one knows what originality is anymore???

ha-ha I thought of you when I read that Collin!

Keep up the work Mike! You going to put one of them aluminum heads and intake on your little six? I would o-ring the block to keep a head gasket in it, it will give a little extra bit into the fire ring. Most sixes lack the head bolt pattern.

Scott

CarMichael Angelo · Sep 11, 2013

stangboy said:
I admire your determination, Mike. Keep on push through. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

Everything you do might not be popular

Click to expand...

but its always nice and we all learn a lil something from your builds.

Oreo's are popular too.
Doesn't change the fact that its still just another chocolate cookie.

hoopty5.0 · Sep 11, 2013

All I'll say is if it were easy, I'd be done already.

95BlueStallion · Sep 11, 2013

Why dont all you guys shut your yaps (or keep your hands off the keyboard) so Mike can get back to work on this thing. Ready Mike? Go.

NIKwoaC · Sep 11, 2013

I forget, why don't you want to do a 300? Super common (in trucks), more CID...

I'm sold on you doing a straight 6. TO hell with these naysayers!

CarMichael Angelo · Sep 11, 2013

HotFox said:
ha-ha I thought of you when I read that Collin!

Keep up the work Mike! You going to put one of them aluminum heads and intake on your little six? I would o-ring the block to keep a head gasket in it, it will give a little extra bit into the fire ring. Most sixes lack the head bolt pattern.

Scott

No,.. no aluminum head for me,.. That head pictured above costs 2 grand.
The Aussies did big stuff w/that engine,.. even had a canted valve alum head w/ intake ports on one side and exhaust ports on the other.
The head is on Australian eBay,..for 250-300.00 given the current exchange rate..but from what I understand most of the "mates" over there won't ship one to the states.

I plan on using a copper gasket, and an o ringed block. Now that I just sleeved the thing down to standard,.. it will supposedly be good for 20lbs of boost. The cast iron head will be the limiting factor,.. stopping me at 450hp.

If I could just get one of those Aussie Cross Flow heads........

NIKwoaC said:
I forget, why don't you want to do a 300? Super common (in trucks), more CID...

I'm sold on you doing a straight 6. TO hell with these naysayers!

Won't fit w/o hanging way in front of the front wheels,.. and sitting real high(oil pump right in middle of engine).

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

CarMichael Angelo

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

madspeed

Colonel Mustard

CarMichael Angelo

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

hoopty5.0

mechanicus terribilis

CarMichael Angelo

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

CarMichael Angelo

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

mikestang63

smokin joe

hoopty5.0

mechanicus terribilis

CarMichael Angelo

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

stangboy

elarm1

hoopty5.0

mechanicus terribilis

CarMichael Angelo

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

HotFox

CarMichael Angelo

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

hoopty5.0

mechanicus terribilis

95BlueStallion

My assy trans to myself

NIKwoaC

中國製造

CarMichael Angelo

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

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

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

Colonel Mustard

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

mechanicus terribilis

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

mechanicus terribilis

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

mechanicus terribilis

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

mechanicus terribilis

My assy trans to myself

中國製造

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency