Details 54....

Today I set about removing the driver side collector to see if it would work on the passenger side and vise-a-versa. Well the driver side collector fit onto the passenger side once rolled 180 degrees and got the collector off the transmission pan....

but the passenger side collector mounted on the driver side had the same problem as on the passenger side, the collector was right against the pan! I spoke with Kenny at Crites last week and he said whatever I needed to get collector correct he would be happy to oblige, so I guess I'll have him make me another driver side collector, rotate it 180 degrees and then install the tabs in the correct location to mount it on the passenger side and leave off the three hole collector flange. I'll also need to order a new V-band flange to weld to the collector once it arrives.

I then trimmed the silicone off the AC idler pulley...

siliconed the beauty plate onto the other idler pulley...

got the transmission yoke unmasked...

and set the crank and fan pulleys aside for install.

I also painted the various engine brackets for the AC, alternator and power steering before loading the Ford slot mags into the car to take to machine shop to have the old center cap hardware drilled out and the holes plug welded before having them polished up nice and purdy!

Didn't get as much accomplished as I would have liked, but I did make a little headway!

Until next time....

ZEBRA 3 OUT

Details 53...

Well it hurt my pride, but I broke out the cutoff wheel and cut the new u joint out of the transmission yoke and dressed away some of the casting marks...

painted the front side of the water pump and crank pulleys (will dry to a satin black finish)...

and dry fit the collector reducers. The driver side was perfect, but I discovered the passenger side collector was snug against the side of the transmission pan and no way to get the V-band and collector reducer installed. I'll contact Crites next week and see if they can make me a collector that breaks 20 degrees at the primary to collector transition to get it off the pan and running back parallel to the driveshaft.

I also beveled that backside of the AC idler pulley beauty plate and got it siliconed into place.

Will trim away the excess silicone after it sets and then get the rest of the pulleys and other brackets blasted and painted.

***WEEKEND UPDATE**

I played a bit in the garage Sunday afternoon and got the front of the fan clutch shot and cleared....

Next weekend I'm supposed to drop off 6 of my slot mags for repair and polishing so may not have anything to show for myself.

Stay tuned for more...........

ZEBRA 3 OUT

Details 52...

Not a very productive day Saturday.... sometimes I'm my own worse enemy! Started installing the transmission yoke u-joint and, not paying close enough attention to what I was doing, installed the wrong one in the yoke! FUK, couldn't get the blunt ended snap rings back out, so I turned my attention to other things until I figure out the solution to this dumb ass mistake!

I got the header bolts torqued to 20ft/lbs, then turned my attention to things I knew I was safe in doing.... I remove some of clips from the factory valve covers and got the areas dressed out and started removing some of the small dents from years of service. I'll use the OEM covers until I can get the M/T covers straightened out....

I also started painting the crank and water pump pulleys. Was another scorcher at the dealership, so I called it a day before I could screw up anything else!

Until next time...

ZEBRA 3 OUT

Drivetrain installation...

REAL PROGRESS! Thanks to my brutha from a diffunt mutha, Jim Conley, we were able to marry the engine and transmission together and then wrestle the engine hoist across the undulating wood flooring to get them set between the frame rails and secured!

One little snafu was we had to separate the passenger side engine mount and lift that side of the 460 to get the transmission cooler lines fitted, but everything is now in place! Was also able to get the headers reinstalled (and look how tightly they wrap around the steering box!!)....

so all that's left to do is install the driveshaft and the drivetrain is complete!

Next weekend I'll focus on getting the starter installed, all the various bracket, pulleys, hardware, etc blasted, painted and ready to reinstall as well as dragging out the engine compartment wiring harness to start cleaning it up, detailed and ready to rehang.

Getting really close and I can't wait to light this bad boy off and hear it rattle the rafters!!!

Don't touch that dial!

ZEBRA 3 OUT