maxum96

Don't feel bad, same thing happened to me with my motor. I bought the ARP water pump and front cover set to put on my engine. I have a Edelbrock aluminum water pump. Like you, only 1 or 2 of the bolts were the right length. When I put my Summit aluminum alternator mount on, none of the spacers were the right length. Luckily they were too long and I was able to grind them down. I ended up going to a bolt supply shop and buying all stainless bolts for the front of the motor. You can't see most of the bolts, so it looks fine.

I have a giant BeCool brand radiator. But you probably don't want the one I have. It's so big you have to relocate the battery to the trunk. The radiator actually sits on top of the frame rails and has locating pins that go into the frame rails.

How does the Painless harness deal with the hole in the firewall where the factory harness has the fusebox and engine harness plugs into the back of it?

Either gear ratio is going to do what you want. They're not that far apart. With that T5 it's not going to matter much on performance and driveability. I run 4.11 gears with a Tremec TKO 5 speed. With a 28" tall tire I turn around 2,000 rpm at 60mph. If mileage is a big concern, then run the 3.55 gears.

Nope, won't fit. I have 275/60/15's in the back on my 70. I run 15x8 rims with 4 1/2" backspace. I had to roll my fender lips to get them to work. They're fairly close to the leaf springs. As far as the fronts go, you won't get anything bigger than maybe a 225 or 235 tire without hitting the upper balljoint. Some guys with 17" wheels can get bigger tires on the front.

Unless your cam and lifters have not been run at all, you're going to have to change the lifters. Even if you just started the engine for a minute and shut it off, the lifters cannot be changed between lobes. Trust me on this one, you'll flatten your cam lobes and ruin your lifters.

It may very well make it pull to the right. The entire brace can be bought new for around $50. It's called the radiator support. It's just spot welded on. If you have a MIG welder, or a buddy with one, you can replace it in an afternoon.

No need to index the bolts as long as they're identical.

I would always index pushrods when you remove them and plan to reuse them. Same goes for any engine part that you take and plan to reuse.

Hopefully your toeboards, firewall, and torque boxes don't look as bad as mine did.

JCB, why do you want to replace the lifters? Unless you have a problem, I'd leave them alone.

The OP has a FE engine. Different style of rocker arm setup than the small blocks or 385 series engines (429-460). FE's use a single shaft for each head and all the rocker arms are on the shaft.

The inserts are not helicoils. The inserts that come with the mirror are sometimes called rivet nuts. You can use a tool like this to install them, $17 at Harbor Freight This is what I used to install both the mirrors on my car. The tool installs regular pop rivets and rivet nuts.

69-70 fastback the same. 69-70 coupe the same. Coupe and fastback windshields do not interchange.

Here's a trailer for the film, http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/2009/12/actor-eric-banas-falcon-gt-documentary-the-beast-to-air-on-speed.html

Here's a trailer for the film, http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/2009/12/actor-eric-banas-falcon-gt-documentary-the-beast-to-air-on-speed.html

Ditto. On the piston scale, cast are on the bottom, then hyper, then forged.

Ditto. On the piston scale, cast are on the bottom, then hyper, then forged.

I'll agree that forged pistons do have more thermal expansion. That's why you can't set up a block for cast pistons and then try to run forged pistons. But I disagree on the blowby, piston slap and wear. Pistons don't control blowby, the rings do. Whether they're cast or forged, pistons are all made out of aluminum. All things being equal, they're going to wear the same.

I'll agree that forged pistons do have more thermal expansion. That's why you can't set up a block for cast pistons and then try to run forged pistons. But I disagree on the blowby, piston slap and wear. Pistons don't control blowby, the rings do. Whether they're cast or forged, pistons are all made out of aluminum. All things being equal, they're going to wear the same.

No. The center section has to be removed to see what size bearings you have.

No. The center section has to be removed to see what size bearings you have.

That's a new one on me. Why do you say forged pistons can scuff faster than cast pistons?

That's a new one on me. Why do you say forged pistons can scuff faster than cast pistons?

Good oil pump. Hardend oil pump drive. Chamfer the oil holes in the crank. Clevite bearings. Roller rockers. Not a necessity, but if money is not an issue I'd put forged pistons in. And use ARP bolts throughout the engine. I believe there's nothing wrong with building drivetrain parts stronger than you think you'll need. That way if you ever upgrade something later on you have the bottom end of the motor built to handle it.