King Cobra Build in Oregon

LILCBRA · Aug 11, 2022

You'll have to be careful doing that, the retainer on the transmission is what locates it in the bellhousing. It's commonplace to have the retainer machined to fit the bell housing. It takes around .020" or so for it to fit. A competent machine shop should be able to take care of that rather quickly.

IICrew · Aug 11, 2022

I feel like I am always raining on your parade. I really don't mean to. I just want to help avoid my mistakes. Which are numerous.

The bearing retainer acts as a dowel pin so to speak to keep trans aligned with the bell. I recommend having it turned down by a machine shop if you stick with the aluminum one. Keep in mind it is considered a weak point on the t5. One of the first things done to beef up a t5 is switching to a steel retainer. I had my first one turned down by the machine shop. When I purchased the new t5 from MDl they included a steel one. When I rebuilt my old t5 I used a new steel one from MDL. They use oem style steel which are turned down to fit our bell. I am leery of recommending them but they are the only place to get off the self parts for us.

If you get a new one pick up a shim kit as well. You should re-shim the trans when replacing it.

I don't remember the weight difference but MDL's flywheel is noticably lighter. I want to say oem is 40ish lbs and the mdl is 25ish lbs.

79PaceKar · Aug 11, 2022

No worries, we can use the rain out here.......

The bell housing still does not fit the trans input shaft thingie thru the big hole. So, I have taken the bell housing to the machine shop and Andy said he has a T-5 and will make sure it fits. Back to sanding the prepping the body for paint. Hope to have the housing back on Wednesday.

I really appreciate all the advise/information I get from this site. Very helpful.

Going to see Jay Leno this weekend at a local casino. I will be wearing my "God made Tesla's so Mustang have more gas" T-shirt. Wife will be wearing her same shirt with "MoPar"....................I will mention I am working on a 1978 Mustang 2 King Cobra..........

IICrew · Aug 11, 2022

I would trim the bearing retainer instead of the bell. If you trim the bell you can not reinstall the rad4.

LILCBRA · Aug 12, 2022

I think there's 2 schools of thought with the bell housing/bearing retainer issue. T5 bearing retainers are relatively abundant and easy to get, so machining those to fit is probably the easier of the 2 choices. There's a second reason for that, too; they're easy to chuck up in a lathe and buzz a few thousandths off of the outer diameter. On the other hand, how many people will step up and restore a MII? If you're never going to be concerned with restoring it to original, setting up and boring the retainer hole on the bell housing makes it easier to swap transmissions and/or bearing retainers if the situation ever arises, making repair and maintenance a lot easier. All of that being said, the bell housings aren't being made anymore and there are a limited number of them. So, if it's ever needed to be used with the old RAD transmission it will be useless UNLESS someone does some work to the mating pieces again. I can only see that being a purist, though - and really, how many of those types are there out there?

I think it boils down to being a personal preference. If I had to do it all over again, I think I'd have set up my bell housing and made it work that way.

79PaceKar · Aug 12, 2022

Good thought. I have WAY too much invested in this T-5 to consider going back to the RAD. Housing is at the machine shop now. thanks for the info .

79PaceKar · Aug 23, 2022

I am back.... Bell housing is still at the machine shop. Seems they forgot to work on it. Been sanding and getting most of the body ready for paint. Planning on painting Wednesday. Prepping and getting work area ready tomorrow. Almost had the sanding ready until I got the hood out again and found a bunch of spots not sanded......Bad news. Seems the guy who was taking the black 75 Mustang off my hands has back off. Well his wife told him he is not getting the Mustang. thought I had the engine and transmission sold but that was cancelled today......So, while doing gardening getting ready to have the house painted, I came up with a great idea...............Well a pretty good idea. Since I can't find a new owner for the 75 I am going to cut the back seat area off and make a couch/trailer. figure to cut the back seat off keeping the trunk attached along with rear springs I will have this dipped and paint it. As the photos I have shown the seats are in really good condition, I can keep them just the way the are. OR I have another back seat and new back seat covers to install. So, depending on the color I paint the rear area I can change seats. REALLY would like to paint candy apple red...........since I was talked out of doing the Mustang. Plus I will only need a pint of paint...............or to match my cobra I will do candy apple yellow, using the black seats. If there is anyone out this way that needs a 75 ii coupe let me know.

Figure I can take this to shows and use the trunk as storage. I will use the same style rims as on the cobra since I now have two sets. That's if for now.

LILCBRA · Aug 23, 2022

Too bad you're on the other end of the continent. It's possible that I could find a home for that coupe, but it's an awfully long haul....

79PaceKar · Aug 24, 2022

Hoping to find someone here..........Pulling the engine and transmission to save for some upcoming project. Still in the running for 48 Ford pickup. If the engine is bad I will use this one.

79PaceKar · Aug 28, 2022

Unhappy update. Well I got the yellow done. Then started on the clear. got the passenger side done and the hood and part of the fender. Ran out of clear, reloaded and began again. I noticed big blobs of clear. Though I was not covering properly, as it looked like a "dry" spot. So ran gun over area on left door, fender and hood. It got worse, then the paint just stopped flowing..................check around and found I had no air......... Check wall filter, no pressure. Went out to my air compressor and the motor was running but not the compressor..............found bell pulley on motor fell off.............make a long story even longer, got a new key, set screws and did all kinds of stuff. Pulley keeps coming off and the belt keeps getting thrown. So, the last thing that can be causing this is a week belt. So, tomorrow off to a supplier for a new belt. I get to sand the clear down to remove the heavy spots..................But I did get the bell housing back from the machine shop. Engine goes in Wednesday.

IICrew · Aug 28, 2022

Always. Never fails. 2 steps forward 1 step back.

79PaceKar · Aug 28, 2022

Mess around mess around we're in MAC................

2Blue2 · Sep 3, 2022

79PaceKar said:
Well I got the yellow done. Then started on the clear. got the passenger side done

Pics soon?

79PaceKar · Sep 6, 2022

Got the yellow on and did the clear. Had a few runs but working on those. Not bad. Waiting for my air compressor motor to return from the shop. did the primer on the replacement rear hatch.

Heading for week cruise to Alaska tomorrow. Wife makes me go on these.

79PaceKar · Sep 6, 2022

At last, the engine/trans is installed. Got that done Saturday. Exhaust manifolds were powder coated. Came out a bit too silver, but should look good.

Ordering engine parts; roller arms, lifters and push rods when I get back from cruise. I do have new tall valve covers. These just keep junk from falling in......Need to have drive shaft shortened.

79PaceKar · Mar 18, 2023

Hello from Oregon. Seems I have been posting on two places. This and All Ford Mustangs. This has been the posting thread I prefer at this time. Sorry for not updating this, but been kinda busy and lazy. Cold weather keeps any work limited. I have been doing some wiring and just finished making my custom
dash using VDO gauges.

I will be painting the support the triple yellow I am doing the body in. The upper hole will have the lights for;OIl, Temp, High Beams, door and each end has a running pony for the turn signals. Will send when that is installed. Had to test about 10 different LED bulbs for I found one that fill each word without just filling the center.

Installing my stereo system this week. Using an older Secret Stereo system I have had for about 10 years. Still new in the box. Found I have two of the 10 disc CD player.

Also finished building my LED brake lights. Did not do sequential as i don't own the company anymore and did not keep a few of the computer chips.

The lens will be all red. Have some white LEDs for the reverse that will be just above the license plate.

Still looking thru my junk upstairs while throwing stuff out. If anyone has a nice clean spare room and wants to fill with junk let me know....

79PaceKar · Mar 18, 2023

OOPS Did not post a good photo of my brake light LEDs. Here are several. l also have a photo showing how the upper area will contain warning lights and the turn signals. When properly installed and aligned the light will not bleed through as the blue is doing.

79PaceKar · May 8, 2023

Making progress. Almost finished doing the re wiring. Hope to have my Hidden Stereo wired up Tuesday. l Painted new dash and insert on the passenger side just above the glove box. Putting radio/CD control there. Photo to follow as I did not take one. Also finished the dye application of the center console. Used the red one from my parts car. I did not know the center console has a chrome piece going around it. This console was in a GHIA. Had the hardest time finding a yellow vinyl dye. Had to order it from the local auto paint supplier. Painting the area under the windshield in front of dash pad. Also installing an NOS dash pad I bought about 15 years ago. Looks good and nice and soft.....Redoing all the interior panels using SEM trim black. Washed them yesterday and cut holes in panels at the end for speakers. Putting new speakers in doors and trying to put small tweaters in the area under the winshield (what is that area called???) installing relays under the battery air flow cover in the engine compartment. Placing switchs at the end of the console under the ash tray for on/off controlling the electric fan, electric water pump, backup camera, along with red LED lights showing when the fan and pump are not working. Also used plastic coating paint to paint one of the rims black for testing...........Kinda ugly...... Still have not finished attaching the door lock/handle rods.......That's it for now...............oh yea. After many people telling me to put a better cam in the engine I bought one this week. Local family owned parts store going out of busness. Having a big sale. Up to 75% off. So got one just in case I want to upgrade..... Guess I am now as someone is coming over the help. Lucky the front of the engine and radiator is not installed.

LILCBRA · May 8, 2023

The specs for that cam look familiar....

LILCBRA said:
I had to search online for my cam specs, I couldn't remember which part number it was anymore. It's a Melling part number 24203, here are the specs. Posting here so I won't have to search for it anymore AND to confirm the LSA as I misspoke earlier.

Adv. Intake Duration 288
Adv. Exhaust Duration 300
Intake Duration @.050 214
Exhaust Duration @.050 224
Intake Valve Lift w/1.6 Rocker Ratio [w/1.72] .473 [.508]
Exhaust Valve Lift w/1.6 Rocker Ratio [w/1.72] .497 [.534]
Lobe Separation Angle 112
Cam Type Hydraulic Flat Tappet
Basic Operating Range 2800 RPM

If I remember correctly, it was actually labeled as an RV cam when I bought mine. I'm pretty happy with it, I think you will be too!

79PaceKar · May 12, 2023

Good News and bad news. According to my wife, while driving to work, a wall in the parking building jumped out and smacked the front of her 2012 Challenger. Lots of damage. Reported to local police regarding the wall jumping out in her way. For some reason they asked her to touch her nose and count from 10 to zero. She loved this car. Insurance company said the car was totaled. She did not loose money on the payout as the car has gone up, a lot, since she bought it. Looked for another yellow RT but no luck. Asked my friend at the local Ford dealer ( I see a strange ending to this) said he had two on the lot, a red and a blue one. Did a test drive but both were no where near the yellow in all ways possible.

There just happened to be one yellow Mustang on the lot. A 2017. Looked and sounded good, but lots of miles and the add-on's told me a younger driver had this........

So after driving a few we left and came back today. I asked about 2024's to compare prices. Well she ended up ordering a 2024 Mustang in Yellow. Seems Ford has not been selling true yellow Mustangs for a couple of years, but 2024 has a yellow option....Should be here in Sept or Oct. She has her 2002 T-Bird to drive..

King Cobra Build in Oregon

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air

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I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air

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I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air

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Mustang Master

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will be trying this sex one when I can find it

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I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air

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