Meaning you have less traction?

 

More ballast for holding the front end down......

 

LOL! Somehow I don't think that's the right plan for a 50/50 weight distribution - like some Mazdas have. So, we won't be roadracing our trucks?

 

Prolly not. Something tells me neither would be particularly great at negotiating tight twisties at speed......
On the other hand, both would make great tow vehicles, for getting to/from the track with a car that would manage the task MUCH better.....

 

Yup. Like your RX-7 and my ex-MX-5. Or, maybe a boat?

 

I hear it too, but on the 92, I have plenty of clearance to get it out.

My engine is also black, I just have a cover that went over the rocker covers. One of the hold down bolts is spinning when I try to take to cover off though... I like the black, and aluminum accents would really pop...

Our Cummins is starting to burn oil, but I haven't taken time to see if the turbo seals are out or if the compression is down. It is smoking much easier, and the power levels are down from what it used to do... It has around 300,000 miles on it now, the last 100,000 have been pretty heavy duty type use.

 

Leaving the engine black would certainly be a lot less effort, as it would just need a few areas touched up, and far less masking to be done. That is one reason I have been leaning towards staying with black.

As for that cover over the top, I wonder if the valve cover bolt is loose. That is what the hold down bolts thread into (or onto, depending on year). Those covers were only used on the factory IC engines, 91-98. The non IC engines didn't get it. Most guys toss the cover when swapping the engine into something else, due to the "cuss words" on it......

The 6 individual valve covers are a bit easier to get on/off compared to the 98.5+ 24V and common rail 5.9/6.7 engines with the single longer valve cover.

Since it has been claimed that getting #6 off can be tricky, with the engine in chassis, I plan to massage the firewall lightly over it, to make a bit more room.

This project has taken a bit of a hit due to recent events, so I kinda doubt I can have it back on the road by the time I had hoped. My income is down right now too, as business has slowed down a bit.
I hope to be able to make some more headway in the next few weeks. The delay getting the firewall reinforcement plate didn't help, but that should be in my hands in a few days.

 

Recieved a package today from terrapin mfg. The firewall plate has arrived. Looks like a high quality item, painted or powder coated black. Now, just gotta install it, along with the tilt column and manual trans pedal assembly.

I've got used master and clutch line from a ZF truck, and a used slave on the NV4500. They will be replaced before the truck actually hits the road, but they will work just fine for mock up purposes. The line may not be replaced, since they are either good or bad......

Now, I need to find some 3" x 1/4" strap, so I can get started making the engine mount brackets. Shouldn't be too difficult to locate some of this.

 

Good progress. And the plate is well made, as we've discussed.

 

Heck, the Ford piece wasn't even painted...

 

Glad to see someone tackling this endeavor. I thought about it a few years ago with my '80 F150. Just as a note, I am not sure if you are familiar with the website photobucket.com , but I have found it handy to upload pictures there and use the image code they give you for each image to post on the forums.

Best of luck with this project, I look forward to the updates and pictures!

 

I don't use photobucket for the pics I post here. I upload them directly to the forum, so they'll be here as long as the forum survives.
I would post more pics, but I keep forgetting to take any. My phone is smart, bit can't think for itself......

 

Quick teaser pic of the freshly powdercoated valve covers and air intake tube.

 

Hey! I like those!

 

Boss saw them yesterday, and at first thought the valve covers were uncoated. Until he noticed the even coloring. He had no idea there was a powder coat that could give that kind of textured finish.......