Well, I have several things that I would like to get done on my 77 F 250 this spring. I just ordered the new cam, lifters and double roller timing set. My D0VE heads will be done soon and thanks to Rich, I will have a set of headers for the 460.


I can't fit the truck in my garage. It is too tall to fit in the door so, I will be removing the front clip instead. Yes, it's extra work but, I can also get some spring cleaning done that has been eating at me. (Inner fenderwells, front of frame)


Does anyone have any pictures of the front clip removal on a dentside? I know that I can just go bolt by bolt and figure it out, it's just better in my opinion to see where stuff is and follow a successful and proven plan. Thanks in advance.


Once the engine is upgraded and the engine bay and front frame is cleaned to my liking, the Black Beast, lovingly named "Murphy" will be looking for a new home and someone is going to get a great highboy!

 

I don't yet, but in a couple weeks I will - about to remove it to pull the engine in my '74 F-100.

 

2-core support to frame
6 (3 each side)- inner fender to cab
2 (1 each side)- inside door jam to fender
2 (1 each side)- bottom of fender to cab

Unplug all electrical, radiator, a/c lines to condenser, etc.

And pull it off!
It's really straightforward. Two months ago I removed it for the first time in 2 hours. Just last weekend I removed it again with one other guy and an engine hoist in 30 minutes

 

Cruise my info thread stickied at the top, it is all there step by step. And here....Ok then here goes, there are 5+ ways to skin a cat, here is just what works for me. I am going off memory and am a long way from my truck to go look. This worked on my none a/c 79 4x4 F250 w/standard transmission, more than once, and I used the same technique on a 79 Bronco with a/c and a automatic transmission.
Painters tape on the door front edge when opened, and a little more plus the back edge of the fenders to prevent scratches. Disconnect battery and remove. Then drain radiator.
Tag and bag each piece of hdwr, or stick it in a large piece of card board and mark it accordingly.

1. Make sure you park the truck where you can get both doors open. Or BEFORE you put it inside a narrow shop....Open each door and remove the one bolt on each side that is right between the hinges. Now put it in the narrow shop...lol.
2. Take a scribe or sharpie and trace a mark the hood hinge positions on the underside of the hood. This will be helpful come reinstallation/realignment time. Hood removal is really a 2 person job. If you go it alone, be careful, great way to scratch the hood/cowl. If the hood is all the way open, it is front heavy when you remove the bolts. I can’t really explain a 1 man job here, but it looks like a monkey f..in a football. Just get a helping hand for this. If the hinges are compressed once removed, be careful as they can pop back up easily and get a finger in the process. Disconnect the hood ground on the passenger side. Make sure you make note of the stiffener brackets (under the hinges), if you have them. Ok hoods off.
3. At the very bottom edge/back side of each fender, is one bolt.
4. Make sure if you have the front fender/front edge to frame, small support bars (some do, some don't) remove them from the frame. I would remove them from the fender side also, just to prevent anything from getting bent.
5. Masking tape tag each electrical connection point on each side of the connection and mark them like (1-1), (2-2) or A-A, B-B and so on. There are 3? Main electrical connections on the dvrs side back by the fire wall, behind the hood hinge. Tape, tag, and disconnect.
6. There is an electrical harness that runs across the back side and above the fire wall on the passenger side and goes to the starter solenoid. Disconnect from solenoid (make sure you know make note, where each elbow plug goes on the starter solenoid.) There is a plug for voltage regulator, and then lay wiring on engine. Ground wire from solenoid to eng block (remove from solenoid side).
7. Look over the area behind the headlights/behind the core support area (each side for 1 small square plug) and the windshield washer tank for a elec plug in the front end of the tank. And the rubber feed line that goes to the T up by the cowl.
8. Top and bottom radiator hoses from back side of radiator. Fold rubber hoses back out of the way and zip tie, so they do not flip back open. Is it a automatic transmission? Disconnect transmission lines from radiator and cap lines.
9. There are these 1” or 2” wide rubber straps (one on each side) on the back side of the metal inner fenderwell that attach to the firewall, disconnect from firewall.
10. Scribe mark where the bracket that support the inner fenderwell (where it attaches to the fire wall). Remove 3 bolts per side.
11. Now if you are lucky here, down on EACH side of the radiator there is one main mount bolt for the radiator core support bushings. Lucky meaning, it will come out and is not all rusty and stuck. But if it is rusty, stuck and or the head is stripped. Time for the sawzall, Red Diablo blades here and carefully cut between the top of the frame rail and the bottom of the core support. These bushings and bolt parts are available. A torch is not a good idea here the rubber bushings will smoke like crazy.
12. Have an old tire or some other similar support to set the front clip down on once removed. Put it under the middle of the core support/radiator. So you do not bend the front edge of your fenders.
13. I use 2 other FTE buddies + myself and we just pull the complete front clip off. Make sure the plastic inner fenderwell liners do not get hung up on the shock brackets. As far as by yourself, attach the cherry picker to the middle of the core support, it can be done with a piece of cable, some folks just pull the radiator and use chain. Make sure you triple ck all electrical connections and the core support bushings are free. Lift it up just a bit and ck the fenders, and then lift it up again, just a little. You want to pull it more forward than up, so that the back edge of the fenders contact the back side of the tires. Like I said, it’s doable, but a PITA as far as a one man show. 2 guys can pull it way easier.
I am NOT positive on all the electrical connections, but that is the big stuff. I am sure some FTE members are reading this and will double ck me and chime in with what ever I missed.
Or maybe they have a better hood trick? Like this pic.

What headers, these?

 

I will have help, how much is unclear yet. That was an excellent description of what needs to be accomplished with the front clip. While I have the clip off I will be painting the inner fenders with Mike's Hammered finish technique. I will probably need a newer driver's side one as it has some old issues from what I'm guessing was a leaky battery.

 

Battery is normally on passenger side, unless it has duel batteries? I have a few spare inner fenderwells also....

Start making a shopping list for the road trip to get the headers.

 

I left my hood attached and then used a piece of rope to keep it closed after I hooked it to a cherry picker. I also think its easier if you just remove the front tires. Doing that provides a bit more maneuvering room especially during re-installation. With the wheels of, you can drop the front down a bit too which helps if you have tall tires or a lift.

I got lucky and was able to unbolt the front core mounts without having to get the saw out but they were pretty rusty and I'm probably lucky they didn't break. Thank goodness.

Good luck!

 

Fresh D0VE's




Ahhh... Sexy! Can you say better compression???




C/J Valve size plus, you can see the hardened seats on the exhaust.


You guys may not be half as happy as I am but, I love the old iron heads. Had these D0VE's rebuilt with hardened seats, bigger valves, 7/16 ARP's, Rod guides, 3 angle cut, matching springs to the cam, etc...

Onto the build. I have the iron SCJ intake with Holley spread bore, cam, these heads, 0 degree double roller, new hardened pushrods, hydraulic flat tappets, and possible newer and fresher bottom end. Should wake up my sleepy old 460! I already have the MSD 6AL and HEI distro and QFT 750 Slayer carb.

Once I get done all my Honey-Do's I can tear into it! Hopefully with some adult supervision by Rich and Alan.

 

Nice Heads !! If you don't mind me asking how much money do you have wrapped up in the heads? How much to do the hardened exhaust seats? What size valves did you go? I need to get my heads done on my '76 460 motorhome before I drop a valve.

Looking forward to your build. Keep the photos coming!!

 

Dang if those springs don't look pretty durn clean!