Nick's "lvndpst" Restoration (and Slight Modification) Thread
- Thread starter 95BlueStallion
- Start date
@madmike1157 everything I do is your fault, good or bad.
I was able to get the gear off today, no thanks to any gear puller tool. I beat the shaft while the distrubtor hung by the gear upside down. After all the beating with a 2.5 lb hammer, all I managed to break was the cap base when I dropped it on the garage floor, lol.
It now has a new Motorcraft ignition pickup, fresh paint on the outside, new cap base, new Motorcraft cap and rotor, and the new Motorcraft TFI should be here Thursday. Im $110 into it, but I like to think it will be more reliable than aftermarket distributors.
The thing about you guys suggesting coil on plug, EDIS, yada yada, is that you mistake me for a guy with money. I have blown my 5 year budget in about a year and two months. I have to make do with less for a while.
And finally, the only question now is will it start when Im finished? Stayed tuned for the answer on Thursday night!
EDIS is cool but sometimes I live by the KISS therory . 740 to the tire on a stock dist . Ran it with no msd at 17.5 psi . No spark blow out
I agree with this. I know a guy in the 8s on a stock distributor and coil.
I’m just doing DIS because I’m a masochist.
Been working on my son's pinewood derby car, since he is all of 7 years old. He originally said he wanted a new Mustang GT in orange. I found this to go off of.
I got the official pinewood derby wheels done up.
Then started body work on the car. To keep with the rules, the shape is just a hair off due to length, but close enough. After starting with a plain block of wood, a mitre saw, and orbital sander, lets just say Im happy with it.
Ive been working on paint. I primered it with some primer I had laying around, that went fine. When I tried spraying the cheap assed thin as water orange paint, it bubbled instantly.
Come to find out that was a good thing, because my son decided he now wants the General Lee. Whew, hadnt started drawing headlights, tails, grille, etc yet. Im getting new paint tomorrow, some fine tip paint markers as well, and going at it. But tonight, I had to remove the white paint off the tire lettering.
I considered filling the wheels to be smooth, painting them all black, and drawing the correct General Lee style wheel with silver marker, but I dont think you can modify the "official pinewood derby" wheels. Plus that would add rotational mass, and we want it to stand a chance anyway.
*The goal of the pinewood derby:
The idea behind the pinewood derby is for the parent, usually the father, but sometimes the mother or grandparent, to spend time helping the child design, carve, paint, add weights, and tune the final car. However, it is often the case that the parent takes over the construction of the car, an aspect of the event that was lampooned in the 2005 film Down and Derby, and also in a 2009 episode of South Park. The quest for a fast car supports a cottage industry that supplies modified wheels, axles, and blocks as well as videos and instruction books. While a pinewood derby car kit costs around US$4, a set of modified wheels and axles can sell for more than ten times that amount. Each pack sets its own rules under the guidelines set forth by the BSA[10] and their particular local district. The aftermarket items are legal under some Pack rules since the parts originally came from an official Boy Scouts of America (BSA) kit. Complete cars can be purchased on eBay and elsewhere for around $100 to $200, and PineCar, a subsidiary of Woodland Scenics, sells pre-cut or pre-made cars, as well as official kits.[11] Although these cars violate the spirit of the event, if not the rules, enforcement can be difficult.
I've been through this...I think we all have. If not as a parent building one of these cars, ( that the actual scout has little if any involvement in) then the actual scout himself.
I've been both.
You can tell just which cars were built by the kid, and which cars were built by the dad.
The hard choice is to let the child do the work. It's supposed to be a learned skill that is rewarded by the merit badge that is tied to it.
The cars that were mostly built by the scout, look it to be sure, but with the right guidance from the parent, pride of ownership comes with that accomplishment...knowing that he didn't have to have daddy do it for him will be a standard for future projects to come.
I'm gonna say NOT done by a 12 year old boy.....
It's how my dad did it for me....my car looked like ass, and didn't win nothing. Not one heat.
But it taught me how to use a power tool...and that car was mine.
Who knows what you're capable of after that?
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Pinewood derby highlights the overachieving sore loser parents who will ultimately be the little league screamers. You know the type.
*The goal of the pinewood derby:
The idea behind the pinewood derby is for the parent, usually the father, but sometimes the mother or grandparent, to spend time helping the child design, carve, paint, add weights, and tune the final car. However, it is often the case that the parent takes over the construction of the car, an aspect of the event that was lampooned in the 2005 film Down and Derby, and also in a 2009 episode of South Park. The quest for a fast car supports a cottage industry that supplies modified wheels, axles, and blocks as well as videos and instruction books. While a pinewood derby car kit costs around US$4, a set of modified wheels and axles can sell for more than ten times that amount. Each pack sets its own rules under the guidelines set forth by the BSA[10] and their particular local district. The aftermarket items are legal under some Pack rules since the parts originally came from an official Boy Scouts of America (BSA) kit. Complete cars can be purchased on eBay and elsewhere for around $100 to $200, and PineCar, a subsidiary of Woodland Scenics, sells pre-cut or pre-made cars, as well as official kits.[11] Although these cars violate the spirit of the event, if not the rules, enforcement can be difficult.
I've been through this...I think we all have. If not as a parent building one of these cars, ( that the actual scout has little if any involvement in) then the actual scout himself.
I've been both.
You can tell just which cars were built by the kid, and which cars were built by the dad.
The hard choice is to let the child do the work. It's supposed to be a learned skill that is rewarded by the merit badge that is tied to it.
The cars that were mostly built by the scout, look it to be sure, but with the right guidance from the parent, pride of ownership comes with that accomplishment...knowing that he didn't have to have daddy do it for him will be a standard for future projects to come.
I'm gonna say NOT done by a 12 year old boy.....
It's how my dad did it for me....my car looked like ass, and didn't win nothing. Not one heat.
But it taught me how to use a power tool...and that car was mine.
Who knows what you're capable of after that?
My son is 7, so power tools are a little out of his league in my eyes. He is picking the design, I am doing the construction this first year. That being said, Im not going balls to the wall to win, just making it look how he likes it.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/142667036594
Was it a drivers side you needed?
Was it a drivers side you needed?
I was the Cubmaster for my boys Pack.
Noting that I and several other of the dads had a......let’s call it a competitive nature, we had a new “open” class started that anyone could enter for a five dollar fee used to buy a trophy with the extra going to the Pack funds.
The idea was to keep us from fully building our son’s cars, it worked fairly well. Though my boy’s cars may have had a shinier paint job than some of the other boys.
Of course, being modest, I won’t tell you how badly I spanked the other dad’s pathetic attempts to challenge me.
If you have that type of race too for us pathetic type of dads, the key is the axle (nail). Straighten them and polish the living crap out of them. Having access to sandpaper that goes to 8000 grit might be helpful. Put them in your drill and use thin strips of the different grit sandpaper’s to smooth them out.
The boys did well in their “racing careers” too. Didn’t win every time, that was a real tough lesson for my son Andy!
I, on the other hand, was a glorious undefeated champion!:zombie:
Noting that I and several other of the dads had a......let’s call it a competitive nature, we had a new “open” class started that anyone could enter for a five dollar fee used to buy a trophy with the extra going to the Pack funds.
The idea was to keep us from fully building our son’s cars, it worked fairly well. Though my boy’s cars may have had a shinier paint job than some of the other boys.
Of course, being modest, I won’t tell you how badly I spanked the other dad’s pathetic attempts to challenge me.
If you have that type of race too for us pathetic type of dads, the key is the axle (nail). Straighten them and polish the living crap out of them. Having access to sandpaper that goes to 8000 grit might be helpful. Put them in your drill and use thin strips of the different grit sandpaper’s to smooth them out.
The boys did well in their “racing careers” too. Didn’t win every time, that was a real tough lesson for my son Andy!
I, on the other hand, was a glorious undefeated champion!:zombie:
Update.
The General was slow. I didnt polish axles, add weight, or do any other tricks. I had the flu all week leading up to race weekend. My focus was making The General recognizable as The General. Goal complete, and we finished mid pack which wasnt all bad. My 7 year old is that kid that likes to brag. So it was just fine with me that he needed to remain humble.
Pics. *note my 4 year old grabbed the hood when the paint was wet, so the hood area not only doesnt have the vents drawn on, but is wonky from last minute dont care Im spraying fresh orange over the scar and we are going racing.
The General was slow. I didnt polish axles, add weight, or do any other tricks. I had the flu all week leading up to race weekend. My focus was making The General recognizable as The General. Goal complete, and we finished mid pack which wasnt all bad. My 7 year old is that kid that likes to brag. So it was just fine with me that he needed to remain humble.
Pics. *note my 4 year old grabbed the hood when the paint was wet, so the hood area not only doesnt have the vents drawn on, but is wonky from last minute dont care Im spraying fresh orange over the scar and we are going racing.
Update about the car this thread is about.
I found out three things tonight.
1. I have spark when I put a spark plug in the end of the coil wire.
2. I am an absolute idiot and probably had spark the whole time and just used the wrong technique to check it.
3. @90sickfox might just be on to something about me over tightening my rockers.
I dont know how you can do that when you are hand cranking the engine, waiting for the valve to be closed (resting on back side of cam lobe), and spinning the pushrod while barely tightening to zero lash. Then only going a half turn more from there and locking them.
This engine was originally assembled by Woody at Fordstrokers. That said, I know I have the right length pushrods, etc.
After pulling the upper intake, inspecting EVERYTHING and finding NOTHING out of the ordinary at all, smelling fuel when intake is off, confirming it has spark via spark plug in coil wire, it has to be that the valves are staying open.
That would explain why it just sounds like the engine is spinning and nothing is happening. Its not building compression. That has to be it, there simply isnt anything else wrong, and explains why it wouldnt start after only having the rockers snugged. Im tired tonight, and literally just reinstalled the upper intake.
The rockers will have to wait until I get another free night. But damn if I know what other technique I will use on them. I was able to spin the pushrods over and over again after rotating the engine several times.
I found out three things tonight.
1. I have spark when I put a spark plug in the end of the coil wire.
2. I am an absolute idiot and probably had spark the whole time and just used the wrong technique to check it.
3. @90sickfox might just be on to something about me over tightening my rockers.
I dont know how you can do that when you are hand cranking the engine, waiting for the valve to be closed (resting on back side of cam lobe), and spinning the pushrod while barely tightening to zero lash. Then only going a half turn more from there and locking them.
This engine was originally assembled by Woody at Fordstrokers. That said, I know I have the right length pushrods, etc.
After pulling the upper intake, inspecting EVERYTHING and finding NOTHING out of the ordinary at all, smelling fuel when intake is off, confirming it has spark via spark plug in coil wire, it has to be that the valves are staying open.
That would explain why it just sounds like the engine is spinning and nothing is happening. Its not building compression. That has to be it, there simply isnt anything else wrong, and explains why it wouldnt start after only having the rockers snugged. Im tired tonight, and literally just reinstalled the upper intake.
The rockers will have to wait until I get another free night. But damn if I know what other technique I will use on them. I was able to spin the pushrods over and over again after rotating the engine several times.
Once I get this car running, who wants to buy it? It deserves a better owner, lol. I should go back to newer cars where I only mod how the look, and leave the power train stock. 
I needed both outside corners, but found one NOS from your progress thread, and other used but solid OEM that just needs Kevin's refreshing work.
The ironic part about all of this is that the engine seller was trying to sell it whole when I first came across it. Stupid me saw that he wasnt having much luck, and offered to buy the heads alone. He agreed, and off they came. After getting them I realized I'd be miles of $1 bills ahead if I just picked up the rest and reassembled it, versus buying all new parts to upgrade my 28 year old worn out short block.
Damn I wish I would have just bought it fully assembled from the get go. Woulda been like plug and play, and none of this rookie BS would be happening. But hey, at least I have replaced several more 28/29 year old parts with NOS to help my resale value, lol.
Damn I wish I would have just bought it fully assembled from the get go. Woulda been like plug and play, and none of this rookie BS would be happening. But hey, at least I have replaced several more 28/29 year old parts with NOS to help my resale value, lol.
You should go back to "Modding how they look?"Once I get this car running, who wants to buy it? It deserves a better owner, lol. I should go back to newer cars where I only mod how the look, and leave the power train stock.
If you have the valves so tight that they are holding the valves open( which to me is an impossibility....you'd actually have to compress the spring on the flat part of the cam)
Seems to me that a compression tester would tell you if you have a compression loss bad enough to not build any compression.
