I really like that. So I guess it's not to heavy on the shifter?

 

That is pretty sweet looking, just don't pull the pin!

 

Crazy Idea, more for a hot rod than a truck. Mount a switch for NOS under the handle. Pull the pin, squeeze the handle, and boom you're off.

 

Interesting idea a NOS'ed 300, but i think your right on the more of a hot rod thing

wonder if i could mount a fog light switch in there........

 

Took in the alternator I picked up yesterday from a guy scrapping his '84 for a test. It works fine, so I have a spare. Also a spare rebuilt starter, a regulator, fuel pump, solenoid, related wiring harness and cables for that side of engine, and a set of taillights. For $20 and a pair of dirty hands. I'll call that a worthy hour's drive to/from?

 

Well, I've finally been able to spend some "quality time" with my truck and have run the leak-down tests to see what the overheating did to it. It looks rather significant:


So, I have 3 cylinders with either headgasket leaks or cracks in the head - or both. I might get lucky and reduce some of that by tightening the head bolts as some of you have suggested. But, even if that is successful it looks like the rings have lost their seal in most cylinders, as a professional mechanic said would probably be the case.

Given that, it looks like I'll be pulling the engine, placing it on the engine stand (once I get the parts truck's C6 cleaned up and off the stand), and tearing it down. Guess I'll get to use my own "which fastener goes where" document. At least this will give me the opportunity to replace the rear main.

 

Yep, time for a freshing up. The way one side is leaking into the coolant at 2 cyls, and 1 on the other side, both at the rear, classic overheat symptoms. The rear of the heads are the hot spots. Could be gaskets, or could be heads. Kinda rare, but the block is always a possibility. If it's just gaskets, you might want to consider replacing the head bolts. They could have gotten warm enough to have lost part of their tensile strength, and thereby the clamping force they can give.

I've got a (currently) unused engine stand. I'd offer to loan it to you, but I know sure as heck I'll end up needing it just as soon as it's put to use. I might have to freshen up the 390...... Hot idle oil pressure doesn't look very good, but I haven't had a chance to verify with a manual gauge. The factory gauge falls way low at idle when warmed up, but bounces right back up instantly with a blip of the throttle.
It had a bad fuel pump, no telling how long it had been putting gas into the oil before I got ahold of it. I know it didn't dump over 3 qts in there during the 2-3 minutes I let it run before detecting the bad pump.

 

Sold the toolbox off of it. Been thinking about parting it out lately, but I just can't bring myself to do it.

 

RW - Thanks, but I think the C6 will sit on it's pan w/o crushing it if I lower it gently. But, it'll have to be treated to a pressure washer bath first as it is awful. The outside of it looks like the inside of the engine's pan - caked on oil. My guess is the PO didn't believe in changing oil - just added it 'cause it must've leaked pretty badly to be this dirty.

 

Got the Argent on today, 3 coats of argent + 5-6 coats of clear.

 

Greyf100 - What can I say but WOW! That looks awesome! I can only wish mine looked half that good. Well done!

 

Thanks, my father in law is the one painting it so i can't take credit for that. It'll look much better after wet sanding and buffing. Hoping to get the black laid down on mon or tue, then the hood, cowl, and scoop on wed / thurs. Next weekend should be buffing / wet sanding and reassembly.

 

i put in a new to me radiator this week.
got it off of craigs list for 35 bucks.
the guy i bought it from was pretty cool and definatly a ford fanatic.
any way i thought i was good to go till the waterpump started leaking.
i got it all apart but had 2 broken bolts,
it looks like they were broken a long time ago,and were just put in for looks.
the motor is a 351 w and the broken bolts are the very outside one on the ears on the water ports.
i dont have the time to pull the timing cover off to get them out today;
they are broken just inside of the cover so when i have time to get to it, it may be easy to heat it up around them and get a vise grip on them..

i have to pull the fuel pump off , but will i have to replace the oil pan gasket too?
or do i just reseal the section on the front?
im not real familar with the windsor.

i just hope the waterpump will seal and hold for a couple of weeks .
we are getting ready to move and i will not have time till after the move

 

I ordered the last piece to my lift kit!! All i need now is the bushings, which I will order this afternoon, and then I will have a rolling chassis!!

 

I'm quite impressed with the brakes on this old truck.

Driving home yesterday; I either looked away for a second too long or that damn stop light went straight to red. I was going 40 and I thought surely there was no way I could stop in time. It stopped no problem.