Interior Work on Ms. American 3.14159

Originally Posted by JCAllison

Hey Gary,

Anyway, if you need any help on changing out that ignition switch, I could look up how to do it in the 1964 Ford & Mercury Shop Manual. I think it takes a special tool called a "paper clip".

Hope you are well.

JC

I bet he's a pro with the paper clip. Probably found one laying in a parking lot one day and saved it for those odd jobs. LOL

I hate queezies, hope the time goes by quick so you can be rid of them.

Originally Posted by ShotRod64

I bet he's a pro with the paper clip. Probably found one laying in a parking lot one day and saved it for those odd jobs. LOL

Hey mon Deb,
They have them at NAPA for $29.95, while supplies last! Buy one, get one free!

I hate queezies, hope the time goes by quick so you can be rid of them.

They aren't bad enough to even pay any attention to.

Well, got the louver that goes on the bottom of the H/D Unit primed earlier. It has to dry overnight, and then will get a coat of Rustoleum Satin Black. It looks GOOD!

It's time for a nappie.

Hope you are well.

JC

I was going to check napa and was thinking back when I had already but evidently not. That's better, they can order it and no shipping just gas to get it.

That's good on the queezies.

I took my monster and dropped him off so he could play airsoft wargames and shoot each other with plastic pellets. Now i'm just listening to my old 70s records, Walter Egan, Paul Revere & the Raiders, David Cassidy(yeah I know and still want to see that guy darn it, endless crush LOL) and some ol country, Glen Campbell and a real scratch one with yakety yak, yes sir that's my baby and songs like that. Don't know the year of the last one but it's twice as thick a record as the 70s records for sure.

Deb

Hey All,
Alright, here's the plan.

Am going to finish here, and then call Greg Donahue and order:

A Heater Core
A Choke Stove
A Choke Tube Insulation
A Fresh Air Duct Boot
Two Defroster Hoses
8'-0" of "proper&correct" Heater Hose

Then when all that stuff gets here, the heater core will be installed in the H/D Unit. The H/D Unit will then be installed under the dash with the Fresh Air Boot, and Defroster Hoses properly fitted.

Once all that stuff is ready, then it will be time to install the restored Autolite 4100 C4AF 9510 DG. BUT to do that, I've got to take off the Holley 4150, and Chrome Fuel Manifold, so I figured that while I'm at it, I may as well remove the Distributor, take off the Intake Manifold, undo the Headers from the Exhaust Pipes, and remove each Head and Exhaust Manifold as a unit.

I will then proceed to separate the Heads and Exhaust Manifolds and take them to the FE Specialist (FES) in Livingston. I called him this morning, and he said that he would plane the Heads and Manifolds for $40.00 a surface. AND that he would properly remove ANY broken bolts for $10.00 each.

So that means that if I break EVERY friggin' bolt taking the Heads and Manifolds apart, that it would cost $160.00 for the planing, and $160.00 for the broken bolt extraction.

When I rebuilt the engine in 1989, I fastened the Manifolds to the Heads with the "Finest Bolts Available", and liberally coated them with NeverSeize. I wasn't concerned with breaking the bolts back then, and none broke. So I don't anticipate any breakage this time.

To do all this, I'll remove the hood.

The FES said I would have a three day turnaround to do the Head and Exhaust Manifold planing, so while that is in progress, I'll clean and repaint the hood hinges, and the intake manifold.

NOW, here's another thing. I have the original Water Pump from the 3.14 that I took off when I rebuilt the engine in 1989. And I just got off the phone with the FES. I asked him if he could rebuild the Water Pump if I brought him the bearings and seals. He said that he's ALWAYS put NEW Water Pumps on the engines he rebuilds, but that he understood that I wanted to use the original, and that if I'd bring him the pump, and the parts, that he'd make a judgment as to whether or not he'd chance rebuilding this one. I told him I had an original 1964 Ford and Mercury Shop Manual, and it tells HOW to rebuild a Water Pump. He said for me to bring everything, come see him, and he'd give me a price, and would love to give it a try!

Anyway, to do all that, would entail taking off the Radiator, the Fan and Fan Spacer, the Pulley, and the Water Pump, during which time I could strip and repaint all those parts. I'd also like to do the catch tank at the same time.

The only thing that I've not got total confidence about is: Can the Heads and Exhaust Manifolds be removed as a unit?

When they were put on last time, they were done with the engine on an engine stand, and then the whole engine was put into the engine compartment as a unit. I'm going to have to look and see if there's anything that would impede taking the Heads and Exhaust Manifolds off as a unit without removing the engine.

Then when it is all ready, I'll reassemble the heads and manifolds, with the new Choke Stove part on the Passenger side exhaust manifold.

Put on new head gaskets, put on new intake manifold gaskets, install the intake manifold, install the 4100, install the distributor, make new Fuel and Vacuum lines, install the rebuilt water pump with a new gasket, reinstall the pulley, spacer, fan, catch tank, and radiator.

Then it will be a matter of Adjusting the valves, setting the timing, and then doing the proper installation of the heater hose to the heater core, and from the heater core back to the spacer under the carburetor.

So... Whaddayou guys think? Am I missing anything? Is there anything that is going to rise up and bite me on the ass?

Hope you all are well.

I'm off to meet the wizard!

JC

Ummmm, YEAH...

The heads weigh a LOT and the Cast Iron Manifolds Weigh a LOT...

It will besimilar to taking out the INtake manifold THREE times...

Take out the manifold bolts, then the manifolds... The heads too if you wan't or if you must, but not both at the same time JC, that's Back suicide..


FE

Originally Posted by FEandGoingBroke

Ummmm, YEAH...

Hey Gary,
"Ummmm, YEAH..." what? UTGQB!

The heads weigh a LOT and the Cast Iron Manifolds Weigh a LOT...

Actually, the Cast Iron Exhaust Manifolds are VERY light! No, honest! When I took the block, the heads, and the exhaust manifolds to the machine shop in 1998, I came in carrying both of the exhaust manifolds, one in each hand, and they are like really thin wall castings. Now the heads were completely different. BUT, I have some help, and I was reading how to do this in the 1964 Ford and Mercury Shop Manual, and it says to use a spreader tool to be able to "lift" the heads off without having to do it manually or having to "pry" them off.

I'll probably build a structure out of 2X4s and a 2X10 that goes over the engine compartment, and lift the heads with a come-along. I'm sure that I can handle this.

It will be similar to taking out the INtake manifold THREE times...

I'll use the 2X4 bridge to take off the intake manifold too.

I went out and looked at the situation for the first time with head removal in mind, and found that the Exhaust manifolds are only about an inch from the upper A-Arms and about three inches lower than the upper A-Arm pivot. And I thought: "OH, NO!" They won't come off because of the heads having to clear the studs in the block.", BUT then I noticed that the three fasteners on the bottom edge of the heads were BOLTS! And so I checked in the manual, and it turns out that the fasteners under the valve covers are also BOLTS, and so once they are removed, the head can come right straight UP, except first the push-rods will have to be removed. And to do that means that the Rocker Arm Shafts have to be removed, but that is not THAT big a problem or deal.

Anyway, I dialed Greg Donahue this morning, and found that I had only three minutes left on my calling card, AND his line was busy. So I'm going to either have to get another calling card, or I'm going to have to do everything in writing through the mail. Fortunately, I'm in no rush, as I've LOTS to do and waiting is no big thing for me.

Take out the manifold bolts, then the manifolds...

Can't do that. Can't get to the bottom manifold bolts. That's why I've got to take off the Heads and Manifolds as a unit. Besides, I don't want to break any of the bolts holding the manifolds to the heads.

The heads too if you want or if you must, but not both at the same time JC, that's Back suicide..

Both heads and both manifold have to come off in order to get the exhaust ports and manifolds planed properly. Like I said, I'll build a bridge over the engine compartment. I can do this!

Anyway, I'm heading out for a run to the Post Office and to the Hardware Store.

Hope this finds YOU all doing well

JC

Hey All,
The other day when I was out and about, I stopped at an auto body shop to see what it would cost to have front floor pans welded into the 3.14, and the old guy at the auto body shop said: "Well, I can do that, but you'd be a lot better off having Larry Roberts do it." He said that LR was a "big time" restorer. He then gave me directions on how to get to LR's place, but when I followed his instructions, I found nothing. So today, I had to get some stuff at the auto parts store, and I asked the owner there if he knew LR, and he said: "Yes." And I asked him for instructions on how to get there, and his instructions were right.

I went and visited with LR today. He had a 427 Hemi-Cuda convertible in his shop that was just GORGEOUS. AND he had an AMC Javelin that was like a gem. He had a bunch of other vehicles in various states of restoration, like a 1931 Model A Four-Door Sedan that was being converted into a Two-Door Sedan Hot-Rod.

He looked at Ms.American 3.14159 and allowed as to how he had NEVER seen a Four-Door, Hard-Top, Police Interceptor.

Anyway, if the restos on his shop is any indication, this guy is GOOD, and he said he doesn't have a REAL website, but he has THIS:

Lonestar Custom Chassis -- Make Your Ride Glide

He also said that when the time comes, he can weld the front floor pans in for me, put on NOS seat-covers, headliner, carpet, window gaskets, body work, paint, and etc.

In all the years that I've lived here, I never knew about this guy. He doesn't advertise, and when I asked him why, he said: "I've got more work than I can handle right now."

He was a super-nice guy, and had a super-nice shop.

I was happy to meet LR.

Hope you all are well.

JC

Originally Posted by JCAllison

Hey Gary,
If you'd like to see the thread that all this stuff is on, click or C&P this:

332-428 Ford FE Engine Forum (Page 2 )

JC

Thanks JC, but I will pass. The format on that site annoy's the hell out of me and hurts my eyes more than your quote posts do...

In my opinion the format is horrible...

I reckon that at your age a measly old #65 per head won't hurt ya none... It's the #85 intake that you need the bridge for....

When I said Ummmm, YEAH, I ment, "Duuuh" sure something is gonna bite you in the ass.... It's called your back

Originally Posted by FEandGoingBroke

I reckon that at your age a measly old #65 per head won't hurt ya none... It's the #85 intake that you need the bridge for....

Hey Gary,
I've mentioned that I used to work for a crane manufacturer (SeaTrax), and they had a "prime philosophy" about EVERYTHING that they did. That prime philosophy was to do EVERYTHING "The Easiest RIGHT Way". Great philosophy!

That's pretty much how I'm going to do this engine thing.

Now, that is NOT to say that the "Easiest RIGHT Way" is always simple or easy. It just means that it has to get done, so do whatever it takes to get it RIGHT.

When I said Ummmm, YEAH, I meant, "Duuuh" sure something is gonna bite you in the ass.... It's called your back

Having it hurt my back is NOT the "Easiest RIGHT Way".

I'll JPG the building of the "bridge".

I can do this. It may take me a while, but it's going to get done, and it's going to get done RIGHT.

Hope you are well. Give Karen my regards.

JC