NikwoaC's "Commitment Issues" Engine Build

Well, I've been on StangNet now 5 years, and of all the stuff I've done with my car, I don't think I've ever done a progress thread. So now I'm finally doing some serious stuff with the engine, I thought I'd document it for your personal enjoyment.

Without boring you guys with a wall of text, the idea for this build is that I don't really have an idea. Thus, the thread title. The one thing I do have my heart set on is a set of Twisted Wedge 205s. Outside of that, I do have some ideas on the direction I want to take with the intake, cam, fuel system, etc, but it probably won't be hammered out for a week or so. Stay tuned.

For now, I'm tearing apart the bottom end for a very basic clean up with some new rings and bearings. I don't want to put a lot of money into it right now, because this engine will be replaced in a year or so with a stroker of some sort, be it 302 based, 351 based, factory block or aftermarket block, I don't know. Commitment issues, remember?

NUFF TALK, LETS GET TO IT!

The engine bay is pretty dirty, but damn it is pretty rust free for a 25 year old mid-West car, eh? Those brown spots you see is actually a rust-stop primer, NOT rust.

THIS is why I'm constantly telling people NOT to run equal-length shorties. I've tried two different types of motor mounts and various methods of shimming, and I STILL have contact, both on the passenger side K member AND on the steering shaft. I will never buy another set of equal length shorties. They are a huge PITA, and and the performance gain over standard shorties is pointless.

Anyway, you can see in these pics where the headers contact.