Update - FINALLY some real "progress" - This post will be LOOONG!

After wasting Friday night trying to take the girl to disneyland - it was WAAAY too crowded so we left after like 45 min, but it STILL killed any shop time. And then wasting all of saturday finding a new hydraulic ram for my hoist and them making it fit (pics below) I got to spend 1/2 of the day or so on Sunday working. I didn't really get much done other than a test fit, but boy did it make me feel good to finally take that 1st step FORWARD

1st off - pics of my fabrication to make the dang jack work in my hoist. it hold that cummins just fine now!





Ok - now for the "real" pics


Edge of the motor that took the hit in the fall. Luckily not much damage. I think it just needs a new oil pan gasket



Hack job 2wd steering box I install by PO that I need to fix. It will get a saginaw box instead


Truck lowered (took the 35's off) and waiting for motor



Stock x-member


X-member after cutting/clearancing





Looks like enough room for the A/C compressor - but I need to get one to bolt on to make sure.


The new motor came with the motor mounts cut off the dodge ram frame. These are AMAIZINGLY close to BOLTING IN to my old Ford, so I will use them and beef them up a bit.


My bad ****, dual pass aluminum radiator. I wasn't sure if I was going auto or stick when I bought it, so it has a cooler for the trans on this. I think I will use it for the steering now that I decided on a manual trans.



stock dodge motor mount clamped in place to drill to match stock engine mount holes.

 

Lookin' awesome. Can't wait to see more. Subscribing.

 

heck with the "real pics" I'm looking in the background of the third picture............

 

Yes you best keep your daughter out of the pics. Seems to be distracting some people. Subscribing.

 

Daughter!?!? She would love that comment and I might take offense to it

That's Suzy - otherwise known as the "oh so very understanding about my truck fetish" girlfriend. Granted she is young (she's 21 and I'm 28), but I'd have to be a bit older (or more experienced at an EARLY age) to have her as a daughter

I was wondering if anyone would comment about that, since I realized I caught her in her short skirt in a couple of the pics. I did do a nice job of hiding her face though - haha.


Back to the topic at hand...
Monday night = no progress seeing as I was dragged (kicking and screaming I might add) to the bar with a fellow FTE-er. No progress made, but a lot of good concepts thrown around.

Last night I got back to work and spent a night putting the motor in the truck, looking for a bit and pulling it back out. Not fun at all but I discovered my original motor mount plan wouldn't work. I am currently trying to make up my mind on what I want to do for motor mounts, but I'll pull the trigger and move on with a decision soon! Hopefully this time I won't spend 3 hours getting the motor in and out of the truck 4 times...

 

I'll see if I can get ya som A/C pump measurements tomorrow. Whats wrong with the engine mounts?

 

Subscribed

 

I'd appreciate the A/C measurements. I have my 91 to look at, but I think the A/C pumps are different.
What I need most is how far the outermost edge of the pump is away from that flate edge of the timing gear cover. I figure that is an easy, flat edge to replicate when I measure on my motor.

As for the motor mounts - When I first hung the motor in the frame it REALLY looked like i was going to be able to use (and BOLT IN!) the stock motor mount "cups" that were cut out of the dodge. Here's a pic


The problem is after looking at how this motor sits in there I'd have to start cutting up those dodge "cups" to use them. At that point it is almost easier for me to start from scratch on the way the motor mounts on the motor (with the rubber in them) attach to the ford frame. Most people would just hack the dodge cups and weld them to the frame and go, but you will see as this thread continues that I am pretty **** on my fab work. I prefer to make pretty much everything bolt in, and therefore NOT weld a bunch of crap to the stock frame.
Getting things in place and boogering them in with a MIG sure saves time, but my whole deal is well thought out parts. Things that bolt in usually take more time for design and fab, but I believe that level of fab is what sets certain trucks apart. Plus I refuse to use my MIG unless I HAVE to - and even then it is ONLY for tack welds. Everything here will be TIG welded.

Now after thet long rant time for the update. Wednesday night saw no work again seeing as my friends were in town and we took their son to Dsineyland.

Last night was spent designing and making a cardboard template of the plate I wanted use to bolt to the frame for the motor mounts. I then cut the shapes (driver and pass are the same - cut and sanded while clamped together for a perfect pair) out of 3/16" cold rolled mild steel. I am taking these to my buddies shop today to bend them on his press brake since my little Pexto box brake won't do it.

I didn't take any pics of the cardboard template or plates last night, but I'll snap a few this weekend. Look for a decent progress update on Monday (hopefully!)

 

looks like some great fab work there.....

 

You being sarcastic and joking about the steering box by the PO, or commenting on my "fab" work on the jack/cherry picker?

No other fab work has even been messed with yet. Everything so far has been ripping things apart and then setting new things in place. Soon it will really begin though - and I can't wait! My band saw is all set for this weekend and my TIG welder hasn't been used (aside from a small weld on that jack) for a couple months. I can tell it can't wait to get back to work!

 

lets go with a little of both, really i was just needed something to say and that came to mind...but it is good looking work with getting the engine in there looks like a close fit with the fire wall and trans. i have always liked ur crew and it is going to be even better now. i want a diesel so bad, but am thinking of doing a frame swap with an IDI....i also want 4WD so a 2WD gas to a 4WD diesel....

 

go with the cummins. Sure the IDI's can be had for cheap but the cummins aren't that much work and they are SOOOO much cooler (more power, great gas mileage, etc.)

Speaking of the "fit" of this motor. It took me quite a few times of having the engine in and out and looking at clearances before I realized that the tranny tunnel on this bad boy is not centered/symetrical. I kept wondering how I had quite a bit of clearance on the passenger side and not much on the driver side. I am trying to avoid messing with the driver foot area of the cab to clearance, but having this BEAST of a motor low and as far back as possible is more important to me than not cutting/clearancing the cab.

Oh - thanks for the compliment on the crew. It should be one hell of a tuck when done. VERY SOON I will be starting the saginaw steering box swap and most likely the hydroboost swap as well. After that it will either be the chevy 64" leafs and corp 14b in the rear or the 60 in the front. Add that to the custom dash, '04 seats and a few other tricks, and this thing should be a cool camping/tow rig

 

but i want a four wheel drive and my frame wont work and its a long bed so i cant use the 73-79 frame but i can the next body style and if i am going to be doing that i might as well get a diesel at the same time. my buddy has a 07 F150 and want his seats so bad! i use mine as a camping rig now but want to start to pull dubbles with it, a 5th wheel and a rock crawler behind that... kinda like this: YouTube - The Hitch Hog Controlling a 2nd Trailer

 

Yeah - a road train - hahaha! Check the new state laws here before you try that...

As for the 2wd to 4wd in your truck - it's not a huge ordeal. Just use radius arms like on the 4wd F-150's/Bronco's of this era. Then run a coilover on the front of the truck. Do a custom cross member that ties your motor mounts together when you make those and there ya go. Some might think the body swap is easier - but that way isn't bad either. Especially because you end up with a cool, original front end that should ride and flex better than leafs.

 

The pump is only 4 1/4" horizontal from the mounting bracket at its widest point. It is 6" high, only slightly taller than the bracket. 8 1/4" long from front of clutch to back of pump (really small pump and pulley). The hoses attach at the back. Be sure to allow for engine movement. I was wondering if the dodge mounts would work. Clean fab work is always worth the trouble, any idiot can just booger something together. I figured you would do things a little better than most.