Progress Thread Dobber's 78 coupe build

Wow, that is spendy. Is there a more cost effective way to do this swap, I here of people shimming the engine between the engine and motor mounts to lift the engine a bit, or notching the cross member?

So I am starting to order parts, so I will keep asking more questions. Are these the right spacers I will need to run the wheels I have on my car currently, to keep them from rubbing when turning in the front end. Or are they a waist of time and I should get different wheels?

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5335821607&icep_item=381312145561


Thanks

Ok, So me and my Son got out and pulled the mock up block and trans out of the car today. I found that the previous owner has already done some hammering on the firewall to fit a larger Bell housing. So I will get some pictures of both my transmissions to compare them against one another to go over my options with you guys on here. Here are a few pics of the engine bay. sorry the close up did not turn out very good. Also before I took out the engine I found out I have 4 inches of space between the steering rack and the bottom or the block. So I will be looking at that as the max thickness for a oil pan. I also need to see if there is physically a size difference in the new manual rack that I am going to install.

ttbit said:

You've got that engine apart enough. You could always get a plastigauge kit and check clearance on the rod and crank bearings too. Check end-play on the crank also. Looks clean though.

If you get II headers (which are available new) you might have clearance issues due to the bigger bell housing you are going to use. You might as well plan for that as no sense in going with stock manifolds and some custom exhaust if you are looking for any kind of flow.

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I think you are correct on checking the clearance since I am already there. the guy I got the engine from said it was all rebuilt then only ran about 100 miles, but the cylinder cross hatch honing should be more defined I think. so I will pull some caps and look at the bearings. Also as soon as I get the two trans side by side that should help give me direction as far as the bell housing issue. these Mustang II's seem a lot more complicated then most engine swaps I have done in the past, just so little of room.

Thanks again for replying to my post, I will update soon.

Have not been able to work on the car much this last week. My Sons 2003 Tahoe cost me some cash and a whole lot of work. Spent 6 hours working on it. He told me a couple weeks ago that his wheel bearing started making some noise. So, from experience I tell him you got some time before we have to change it. Well then his ABS light came on and stayed on, and he told me hi truck was bouncing around a radically. So I jack it up to look at it and the only thing holding the front wheel on was the CV Axle. bad deal, must have been grinding for a real long time, just was able to hear it now over his load music. So 2 hours was spent grinding and sledgehammering to get the back half of the hub off the spindle. All fixed now, New CV Axle, Hub, Sway Bar Links, and Lug Nuts to the tune of about 200 dollars. But I guess you have to have a safe car for them. So this weekend I have the College World Series of Baseball to go to, and the week after Good Guys Car Show in Des Moines Iowa. That means no new parts to work on the car for at least 2 weeks, maybe I can get the manual steering rack in at least.

OK, so I got the Manual Rack sitting in place and found out I need to remove the Rag Joint and put a u-Joint with 26 spline on it. I think I can get what I need from Speedway, but I was wanting to know if anybody has any good picks of how theirs turned out. Also I was wanting to know if Bump Steer ti rod ends are worth buying. I really need to get this car sat back on the ground before the snow fly's.

here is what I was going to get.

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Swee...ine-to-3-4-Round-Mustang-II-Manual,31385.html