Ash's 69 R-code

[RPM 1,190]

7 hours ago, Ash said:

I know my work is not up to others who do this often or have lots of experience. 

That's pretty much how I feel when I post some progress Ash. But hey, there will always be someone better, bigger, faster and with more money.  I take solace in the fact that most everything we do is better in fit, finish and quality the what was done at the Ford factory. Most of our cars aren't concours, we're just fixing years of abuse from mother nature and morons who owned the car before us. No need to apologise Ash, keep up the good work.

[MAC390 327]

I reckon you do great work mate.The car is coming along well .

Just think about the finished result and what you have achieved.

[Ash 145]

Thanks, guys. Much appreciate the feedback.

I think that's especially where I feel confident, Bob, I know it is done better than when it was new. Putting epoxy on every surface sure is making a lot of extra work but I'm hoping to never have to repair it again once done.

I hope your trip went well too, Mac. You must be back in Aus now. Hope the family had a great time!

[bigmal 225]

Hey Ash, Love your work. They're some pretty serious repairs. I am so jealous that your daughter gets into it with you. My 14 year old boy will only come into the garage if he needs his fishing gear. Doesn't even ask what I'm doing. If he did not look like a mini me I would have him DNA tested. Absolutely no interest in cars let alone mustangs.

Can't wait to see your project when it's finished.

[Ash 145]

Cheers, Mal! It's been a long road but it's great to get some of these repairs closer to done.

I love that my daughter has developed such a keen interest. Ever since I told her some time ago that when she gets old enough, she can have my 66 Mustang, she has been keen to be involved. She's a tiny little thing for her age and always has her head buried in a book or is writing or drawing something. She's very clever and I'm very proud of her but we've never had something that just her and I get up to. I love going fishing with my youngest son, it's something we do together a lot. He isn't too keen to join in the shed, and I'm not going to force it. He does at times but comes and goes. So it is really nice to have Lily as a shed sidekick that is so keen.

She was helping me this morning remove an alloy ute tray and I told her over and over to watch her head while she moved around and under the rear corners. I lost count how many times I told her. As soon as we were done and she went back inside, I did it myself. Nearly knocked myself out and gave myself a good cut on the top of my head. If only I listened to my own advice. haha

My oldest two are the same as yours, Mal. No interest in cars at all. My eldest who now has his own kid can't even remember to turn his lights off on his car. He runs the battery flat all the time. And I've tried with my 14 year old daughter too but she's not keen at all. Oh well, that's how it goes.

[bigmal 225]

Sounds like a great tribe. My boy is the apple of my eye, just isn't into cars. Totally obsessed with reptiles. We are out every second week till the early hours looking for snakes. Found a nice baby brown on Saturday. Luckily I like reptiles and enjoy the outdoors. Maybe our outback adventures need to be in the Mustang so we combine the two hobbies.

[Ash 145]

That's it, snake hunting in the Mustang! You might scare them off though when they feel that rumble coming down the road. haha

You can keep the browns though. I spend too much time each summer keeping them, well trying to, out of my yard and house. The joys of living rural.

[MAC390 327]

Yep guys, summer at my place keep the browns and red belly blacks out of the yard .

Have a diamond python family that come in once a year, the are neat , no rats and even the dogs don't go them.

Btw put the headliner in tonight , looks great.

[Ash 145]

You must be getting closer and closer to the end? Glass must be close to going in?

[MAC390 327]

Next couple of weeks glass in.

[bigmal 225]

19 hours ago, MAC390 said:

Yep guys, summer at my place keep the browns and red belly blacks out of the yard .

Have a diamond python family that come in once a year, the are neat , no rats and even the dogs don't go them.

Btw put the headliner in tonight , looks great.

My boy would go crazy to see that diamond python. Would love to pay a visit one day when it's hanging around.

 

[Ash 145]

Here is a pic of that repair in the sun. The brushed on epoxy actually leveled out quite a bit and it is all quite smooth.

It's taken over 2 weeks but I finally got a key for the crank gear sorted. A mate sent me a range of different ones but none fitted. I read that the Scat crank used a long BBC key so I ordered one of those but after it arrived yesterday, it wasn't even close. The closest was the short Chev key but it was too wide. The keyway measured at 4.75mm which I think is 3/16".

The key measured 4.81mm

After a while of sanding the sides on some 600 grit wet and dry, checking over and over along the way, I got it to 4.75mm

The next issue was the key was too tall and also had the wrong curve. The keyway was cut in a semicircle shape where the key is squared off which you can see on this original one. I sanded it slightly as well until after many more continual checks, I had the correct height.

and booyah, I had it.

I'm not sure why Scat make it difficult to find this info and why I found conflicting info on the interwebs as well. But this is what I ended up needing for mine so hopefully anyone searching in the future may find this helpful. What would have been nice is if Scat supplied the keys with the crank.

[MAC390 327]

Great result Ash, the cranks cost a bucket load and yet don't supply a lousy $5 key. That sucks.

[Ash 145]

Cheers mate!

I was kicking myself thinking I had lost the key. I thought it would have been supplied too. I hate losing stuff and I looked everywhere several times. My shed may be a royal mess but I know where most of the things are. But after checking with my supplier they are not included.

It took me just as much researching to figure out in order to get the key for the balancer I needed to buy a length of 1/4" or 6.35mm square stock and cut it to length. Again, I thought this would have been supplied or easier to work out.  I think 1/4" may be an uncommon size to be used. Am waiting for it to arrive but this is what I have purchased.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Key-Steel-1-4-x-1-4-6-35mmx6-35mm-300mm-Long/112477192041?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

[Ash 145]

I made a piston stop jig today to start working on degreeing the cam.

And then a wire indicator. As soon as I went to turn the crank though the fitting on the end of the crank for the degree wheel had too much play in the grub screw lock so I now need to wait for the 1/4" key to turn up to use it to lock it out completely.

[MAC390 327]

Always something eh.

[Ash 145]

Yep, these baby steps forward couldn't be any more baby sized.

[Ash 145]

1/4" square key stock turned up today. It too required quite a bit if sanding to fit in the keyway.

[Ash 145]

Started out the day with another delivery. This one has taken a couple of weeks to turn up from the States. It's a billet crank spacer. I had a couple of other original ones but they both had worn grooves in them from the oil seal. This one should hopefully never need replacing.

Then I got these sexy things out to put one pair into the number one cylinder locations for degreeing the cam.

I have not done this before so it took a bit of reading, watching a couple of videos and then re-reading the Comp installation guide. My dial gauge is in metric so I had to get my head around the imperial to metric conversions while I was at it. My mind was initially swimming at first but once I got my thought process on the right track, it all made sense. I find myself to continue to overthink every step to prevent making any mistakes. But at the same time I know I'm thinking too much into everything.

The Comp guide recommends going off intake lobe centre line, this cam being 111°.

My first calculations I wound up with 115°, meaning I was 4° out. I was not sure I was doing it correctly at first but after 3 goes getting the same result, I must have been.

I advanced the crank gear wheel the 4° and I then got it at the 111° as per the specs. I went away and had lunch then restarted the process again, starting out with calculating TDC with the piston stop jig, to again confirm I had it at 111° So happy days.

 

 

[Ash 145]

I put some more oil on then wrapped it back up. Because I was moving some stuff around the shed, I stuck the intake back on top for shits and giggles.

The next step after locking the timing set in is fitting the timing cover. I have been thinking about buying a new one, everything else on the engine is new and a beat up original I thought would look drab. I liked the look of the Blue Thunder cover but either can not find a supplier or can not get anyone to reply to an email. I nearly pulled the trigger on the FE Powernet cover too but hesitated about spending that kind of coin.

I have two covers and thought I'd have a go at cleaning up the better one to see what it turns out like. After a degrease, a couple of hot water soaks in Dawn soap followed by a high pressure blast, and then a light rub with some wet and dry, it's improving. Most of the paint is flaking off but the oil and crap is definitely coming out of the cast alloy.

I think with some more elbow grease, some time on the tools, it should comes up ok. I'll sand down all the rough casting edges and also the scratches and scuffs. It'll be painted in the same black 2k SPI epoxy that the block is.

I'll also have a go at welding up the fuel pump location and bolt holes. I don't need it as I'm running an electric pump and it'll look neater than a cover plate.

[MAC390 327]

Degreeing a cam is always fun but you have it spot on.

Elbow grease sure comes in handy on these jobs.

Going to be a very healthy engine.

[RPM 1,190]

Very nice progress Ash!

[bigmal 225]

That's one smick looking engine. What size is it?

[Ash 145]

Thanks, guys!

It started out as a 428CJ,  Mal. It is now bored and stroked to 462ci.

[MAC390 327]

No substitute for cubic inches.