Making progress!

[Dirky]

Had some time this weekend to pick away at the truck. I've been going through the truck since spring, making sure everything is tight and working the way it should... My plan is to have the truck 100% ready to go, so that once the engine is done, I can drop it in and start driving the thing!

Here are a couple of pictures from recent months...

Pulled the engine because I noticed the cam bearings had come apart and got metal everywhere... All I wanted to do was a cam swap! This engine still had cross hatch in the cylinders and nearly new bearings when I pulled it apart...

Just one of the many modifications made to this block. Oil filter to pump galley enlarged to 1/2" and radiused

Off to the machine shop

POR-15

Thanks for looking!

 

[fatherdoug]

Looks like a lot of work! I use my freezer for a work bench also. HeHe.

I love the smell of new parts in the morning!

 

[Beach66Bum]

Looks like a lot of work! I use my Mattress for a work bench also. HeHe.

I love the smell of new parts in the morning!

Hi Doug

 

[Beach66Bum]

Looks great the work you have done!

 

[fatherdoug]

Hi Doug

Let it go, Roy. I also use the cab lights to help guide my way!

 

[340B]

All progress is good. Also looking forward to seeing and hearing more about your truck when it is done.

 

[primetime]

All kinds of stuff going on in here. Looks nice.

 

[DNFXDLI]

Looking good Derek

 

[bucks77ford]

Looks like a lot of work! I use my freezer for a work bench also. HeHe.

I love the smell of new parts in the morning!

Nice progress. My wife gets pissed at me when I leave my stuff on the freezer and she has to move it in order to get something out.

 

[Dirky]

Thanks guys

I'm in a bit of a bind right now. Talked to my machinist today... Engine is already .030 overbore, and I'm having a very tough time finding a .040 forged piston that is going to yield me the 9.5:1 C/R that I'm looking for. Parts are more plentiful .060 and above, but I'm not comfortable with going that far...

I think I'll have him sonic test the cyl. walls and see what we have to work with... Nothing worse that dumping big money into a bad block..


I'd love to go over to a BBF at this point. A new transmission, engine mounts, and accessories are going to absolutely destroy my budget.

 

[LEB Ben]

Did you call Tim??? Man...that was a good looking truck before...it'll one sweet rig when done.

Edit...crap that's an FE isn't it. Maybe the guys on fordification could put you on something.

 

[Dirky]

Did you call Tim??? Man...that was a good looking truck before...it'll one sweet rig when done.

Edit...crap that's an FE isn't it. Maybe the guys on fordification could put you on something.

Thanks Ben

I'm waiting for the results of the sonic test on the cylinders.. As far as FE's are concerned, Barry @ Survival Motorsports is the go to guy!

Heard of him?

 

[Dirky]

Not much progress to speak of... I'm waiting on a rear brake hose that was back ordered at JBG. I can then install all three hoses and flush the system... I also have a column style NSS on the way. With my column being from a 78/79 style truck, the original setup won't work. I am going to fit the switch to the bottom of the column and use the shift arm to actuate it.

Tinkered with the P/A system a little bit.

 

[LEB Ben]

^^^If you decide you need more than just a ball stud update...here's the place to go for rebuild kits:

http://www.stangerssite.com/TruckCVparts.html

 

[Dirky]

Nice!!! I could use that seal kit! Thanks

Machinist called today. #1 cyl. is .120 thick on the major thrust surface, and we still need to go .010 to the next oversize. Every other cyl. was decent with .150-.170 on the thrust surfaces. Shoot!

I don't feel safe at this thickness... I think it would be more than adequate for a low performance rebuild or even a mild street engine, but for me it won't work.

 

[Dirky]

Decided to rebuild the 390, simply because it's the cheaper option right now. Won't have to bother with swapping motor mounts, tranny, etc. to fit the 460. Since it was recently rebuilt, journals sizes and piston to bore clearances are still good, so I'm going to hone it to bring up the cross hatch, and hope for the best.

Heads are being rebuilt, guides were a little too loose for me... It's to bad because the valve job looked recent.


The pins weren't sliding into their bores smoothly, so I used a hobby knife and a red scotch brite pad to chamfer the edge just before the C-clip. I found a raised edge on some of them, and couldn't install them without a mallet. All is good now. I believe they are "Ohio Piston" hypereutectics... Unfortunately these are .060 over. Turns my 390 into a 401, though..

Got this back together.

 

[LEB Ben]

^^^I'd seriously be interested in any step by step you have on the control valve rebuild. I can never get those things back to functioning capacity.

 

[bucks77ford]

You might want to order your rear brake hose from a local parts store. I ordered brake hoses for my truck from JBG and they were on back order and would have been a long wait so my local Napa ordered them and they came in a couple days later (of course stock hose). Just a thought.

 

[Dirky]

^^^I'd seriously be interested in any step by step you have on the control valve rebuild. I can never get those things back to functioning capacity.

That makes me wish I had taken more pictures! I could get a write up going, but it will take some time.

You might want to order your rear brake hose from a local parts store. I ordered brake hoses for my truck from JBG and they were on back order and would have been a long wait so my local Napa ordered them and they came in a couple days later (of course stock hose). Just a thought.

My rear hose came in two weeks ago actually! Thanks anyway!

 

[Dirky]

The fun stuff has started to arrive