Progress Thread Fire Hazard GT build: On the road

Davedacarpainter · May 30, 2016

That's very cool that you and your dad work together.

My dad is long gone, but I hope my son will get into my build more as he gets older.

I think he'll help a little more with my build because I'm buying an '83 t-top coupe, he knows I want that more than my red car. I bet he believes he might get my red car if he helps me a bit more now. He may be right....

Good times for you man, I'm glad you're getting there on your build.

CarMichael Angelo · May 30, 2016

rdharper02 said:
So I've had some help lately and managed to pull the rearend, drop in a new set of gears and weld up the exhaust. Really happy with the gear pattern and the solid pinion spacer. I don't think I'll ever go crush sleave again.

What......in the upside down, bizarro world is going on with the rear shocks?

I see a coil over sleeve, but the nut is on top......What tha?

rdharper02 · May 31, 2016

@madmike1157 The Spring is above the nut. I sat there looking the photo over for about 10 minutes...lol.

@Davedacarpainter : No it's been great. He came out from the Midwest just to help me get it together for the move. Honestly, the only car I regret selling is my Blue 93 Gt. The only reason was that we had spent time on it together. That sentimental value has made me think about searching that car out and buying it back. Over the last few years, that kind of time is about once every two to three years. Its awesome having him around, and every time I do, I end up learning more than I could ever show him.

rdharper02 · May 31, 2016

Oh, for todays progress.. The motors in. As usual..curse at it an hour, take a 15 minute break and boom...the tranny slides together.

CarMichael Angelo · May 31, 2016

rdharper02 said:
Oh, for todays progress.. The motors in. As usual..curse at it an hour, take a 15 minute break and boom...the tranny slides together.

Uhh RD,...I don't want to be the one to say this, but..........

You got a big assed hole in your fender apron.

If you ever decide to add another turbocharger,...put it next to the other one,..................you got room.

Oh yeah. Congrats on putting the engine in,....how did you do that w/ the lift plate drilled wrong?

rdharper02 · Jun 1, 2016

@madmike1157 : Hole? That's weight reduction, tool storage and reliance on a die grinder after your air saw gives up the ghost. I've always intended to build a panel to cover it, but have been waiting for you to finish the Gila.

Davedacarpainter · Jun 1, 2016

rdharper02 said:
@madmike1157 : Hole? That's weight reduction, tool storage and reliance on a die grinder after your air saw gives up the ghost. I've always intended to build a panel to cover it, but have been waiting for you to finish the Gila.

Baahaahaahaa!

rdharper02 · Jun 4, 2016

So for the latest update. BBK fuel rails leaking (another O,'ring fixed it), I need to do vacuum line ( some dumb A@@--me, broke them) and the friggin radiator mounts suck.
So I had a previous hold down, but ordered factory brackets and still have problems with them cresping the ledge of the core support. So I stopped with the LMR stockers, but have been beating the heck out of my aluminum hold-down, Nothing has worked and I still catch the Cervinis hood.

I might stop caring if it did not rub the hood's underside, but I'm just anal like that. Oh, and it causes alignment problems with the hood.

Between that and the weird hose angles of SVE's silicone coolant hoses, I've been trying like hell to get things worked on.

I did remove all the old fuel. It's a beer-drinking idea, but the Holley NA fuel pump helped a heck of a lot.
So lets talk start-up. Fuel pressure is at 39Lbs, plugs are gapped to 30 and my timing pointer was loose as heck. A bit nervous, but can't figure out a way to go dead-nuts TDC without removing the intake and valve cover.

CarMichael Angelo · Jun 4, 2016

rdharper02 said:
So for the latest update. BBK fuel rails leaking (another O,'ring fixed it), I need to do vacuum line ( some dumb A@@--me, broke them) and the friggin radiator mounts suck.
So I had a previous hold down, but ordered factory brackets and still have problems with them cresping the ledge of the core support. So I stopped with the LMR stockers, but have been beating the heck out of my aluminum hold-down, Nothing has worked and I still catch the Cervinis hood.

I might stop caring if it did not rub the hood's underside, but I'm just anal like that. Oh, and it causes alignment problems with the hood.

Between that and the weird hose angles of SVE's silicone coolant hoses, I've been trying like hell to get things worked on.

I did remove all the old fuel. It's a beer-drinking idea, but the Holley NA fuel pump helped a heck of a lot.
So lets talk start-up. Fuel pressure is at 39Lbs, plugs are gapped to 30 and my timing pointer was loose as heck. A bit nervous, but can't figure out a way to go dead-nuts TDC without removing the intake and valve cover.

What?....True TDC is found with a marker, some masking tape, a piston stop, a piece of clothes hanger wire, and enough room to be able to manually turn the engine via the crank bolt.

Errr.......Ahem.

Fashion a "pointer" out of the piece of coat hanger wire, bolt it onto something that wont move, and bend it so that it is pointing at a fairly accessible part of the balancer.

* it may be a good idea to remove all the plugs.

#1. Remove #1 plug.
#2. Using "finger on hole" method, bring piston to TDC.
#3. Turn engine backwards from there 1/4 turn by hand.
#4. Screw in piston stop. (this can be something you buy, or something you make. I made one out of an old anti fouling plug extension. Tapped the center of that dude, screwed in a long piece of all thread through the center, put a jamb nut on it, and done. All that junk found at either Autozones "Help" section, or Home depot.
#5. Turn engine forward slowly by hand, until the piston hits that stop.
#6. Now,.......clean off the balancer,...and put a 4" long piece of tape on the balancer in the area that you have your pointer pointing at. Place the tape so that the pointer is pointing in the middle of your tape.
#7. Mark the tape where the pointer is pointing to.
#8. Now spin the engine backwards, away from the stop until it contacts the stop again.
#9. Mark the tape.

Now all you gotta do is measure the distance between the markie-dudes, and divide that in half. Make a mark between the two marks on the tape, Zackly in the middle.

#10. Remove piston stop.
#11. Rotate engine until your pointer is pointing at the center mark. That is true TDC. Make adjustments to your timing marks to accommodate this, and you're good to go.

rdharper02 · Jun 4, 2016

@madmike1157 : Frigging genious I say! I've got it aligned by the finger method, but had never thout about the piston stop being used as a constant. I've got one, so its on.

rdharper02 · Jun 4, 2016

It hit 109 today, so I've picked up a whole lot of vacuum lines and plan to repair the old broken lines. I've bought some nylon line, but debated about what will seal it against the rubber line used to repair it. I bought Gorilla Glue, Shoe Goo and another product sold at Autozone. I think I'm going to test each and see what holds better. The factory lines (nylon) suck, but I have not been able to find proper replacements, so I'll seal them and zip tie them. I set the FP to 39 lbs, but have no idea where it was set on the pervious stock motor. I think it would be a best case to start there.

@Boosted92LX : any chance you remember where your fuel pressure was set initially?

Boosted92LX · Jun 4, 2016

rdharper02 said:
It hit 109 today, so I've picked up a whole lot of vacuum lines and plan to repair the old broken lines. I've bought some nylon line, but debated about what will seal it against the rubber line used to repair it. I bought Gorilla Glue, Shoe Goo and another product sold at Autozone. I think I'm going to test each and see what holds better. The factory lines (nylon) suck, but I have not been able to find proper replacements, so I'll seal them and zip tie them. I set the FP to 39 lbs, but have no idea where it was set on the pervious stock motor. I think it would be a best case to start there.

@Boosted92LX : any chance you remember where your fuel pressure was set initially?

I never checked what it was running on the stock fuel system, but I set it at 40 psi.

rdharper02 · Jun 4, 2016

@Boosted92LX : Thanks, I think that is where I'll start. By the way, Congrats on the new horse, she's a beaut.

Boosted92LX · Jun 4, 2016

rdharper02 said:
@Boosted92LX : Thanks, I think that is where I'll start. By the way, Congrats on the new horse, she's a beaut.

You're quite welcome.

And thanks! I'm loving it!

Davedacarpainter · Jun 4, 2016

rdharper02 said:
The factory lines (nylon) suck

Wait.....the vacuum lines "suck"? Seems like that's what they're there for.... Just sayin'........

rdharper02 · Jun 6, 2016

@Davedacarpainter : Well done Sir, well done. This is where I was about to make a comment about blowing until boost, but it just sounded way too fruity for my taste.

TOOLOW91 · Jun 7, 2016

rdharper02 said:
@Boosted92LX : Thanks, I think that is where I'll start. By the way, Congrats on the new horse, she's a beaut.

usually set them to 42 base on power adder cars.

rdharper02 · Jun 27, 2016

Well, shallow on the updates. The moving process has been a bear. The packers and shippers where two distinctly different companies. Our house (including my tools) where packed over a week ago. Somehow, the packers canceled and no one was notified, so about two days ago, the shipping company picked up all the boxes. The misses flew out to Florida and was supposed to receive the Mustang and our Kia, to only have the car shipping company not show to pick them up. No delivery equals a mighty pi$$ed lady. After all that, they picked up and finally delivered yesterday. So that leaves me, the son and the beagle to clean the house, drop off my go to work car and load the truck in the next week. Got to admit, I was a bit nervous watching them load my (non-running) Mustang onto the trailer. I wasn't able to finish all the vacuum lines and couplers, but should have time at the next house. It's good to spend time with the boy, so no complaints.

rdharper02 · Jun 27, 2016

Speaking of the boy, don't know if any of you follow MMA, but I took him to a local fight. He met Randy Couture last year, this year he met Forrest Griffin.

It was a passion of mine until having my knee rebuilt ( and one of the reasons), so it was damn good to see one of the guys who's match (with Bonner) made me love the sport. I had a chance to talk with him for awhile during one of the matches. The guy is a total class act and is still working for the UFC's charity division. The boy got a chance to take a picture with him, even though Forrest was taking a break.

On another note, I realize I set the fuel pressure without the engine running. I let the pump build pressure, then set it. Will this cause problems on start-up?

rdharper02 · Aug 14, 2016

So I'm now a resident of rainy Florida. The Mustang got here and the overpaid shippers left it out in the rain. Yours truly, had some local folks help push it into the garage, Just a not, don't let guys with greasy hands push a white car anywhere. So after weeks, my garage has enough room to actually walk (partially) around the car. Yup, place happy face emoji about here. yea. At this point I have to get TDC lined up on my pointer, finish my vacuum lines and get my fuel system straight.

The dog gone BBK rails pushed the stock fuel lines outward. If it was not turbo, it probably would not be a problem. Unfortunately, this places the lines against my turbo manifold and puts my (*eventually leaking) aeromotive fuel pressure thingy right over the manifold. No Bueno.

So, I started the two step forward process of fixing it. Who knew Pep Boys had good stuff. I actually bought a BBK fuel pressure regulator that has a port for a pressure gauge. Who knew that (after mounting the thing) the gauge will not sit in a location where you can see if it's screwed directly in? Add a 90 degree fitting.....and you can't screw the gauge in or the regulator base into the rail. AWESOME! So it gave me a chance to find what True Value had to offer (props to the Value).

Like most of us, I just bought a bunch of fittings to ensure I don't have to go back. Who knows, I might be able to make artistic stuff out of the extra?

So, I'm like a brass fitting ninja now that I have a ton of "medium" to work with. Ok, a couple of intermediates, a 90 and a coupler, and now we have art (and a couple more laces for fuel to escape toward hot objects).

So, I'm awaiting my award while mounting this monster and.....boom....it look like I will avoid the hundred other obstructions by the manifold. AWESOME...right? So a couple of my brain cells scream "tighten it a little". Yup, it leans against the heater core hoses when tight. I walk away with a smile. Later, I think about engine rotation and realize that it will turn the thing in a certain direction. Go ahead and guess which way?

Progress Thread Fire Hazard GT build: On the road

Chicks can make things hard if they’re inspired...

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

like kicking myself in the junk

like kicking myself in the junk

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

like kicking myself in the junk

Chicks can make things hard if they’re inspired...

like kicking myself in the junk

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

like kicking myself in the junk

like kicking myself in the junk

It's only an inch or two. What's the big deal?

like kicking myself in the junk

It's only an inch or two. What's the big deal?

Chicks can make things hard if they’re inspired...

like kicking myself in the junk

If you're the village idiot what's that make me?

like kicking myself in the junk

like kicking myself in the junk

like kicking myself in the junk

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