Ash's 69 R-code

[Ash 145]

Spent yesterday morning, cleaning and washing and cleaning and washing...and a few more times. It's ready to eat off now.

 

 

Then I fitted the cam and got to test out my new gauge to check end float. Was within spec so happy days.

 

[MAC390 327]

Whose cam are you using.

going to the car after lunch.

[Ash 145]

Comp did a custom grind for me. I'll take a photo of the spec sheet and post it up.

 

Looking like a nice day out there. Might warm up later. We've had a slow morning, bit of a sleep in after some beers out last night. I'll shake this headache a bit and go out to do some more myself.

Have fun working on yours!

[Ash 145]

Here's the cam specs.

 

[Ash 145]

Everything cleaned more and more as I go. Main bearings in. You can see how the oil holes line up after I centred them way back with the die grinder.

 

 

Cleaned the crank yet again and sat it in place. Main caps are on but not torqued down just yet as I had trouble fitting the rear main side seals and damaged them. I'll need to get some more before continuing on.

 

 

Dragged the pistons out, I haven't looked at these really since they were balanced. You can see where the material has been taken away on the underside when balanced.

I wanted to get my head around ring fitment. I opened the rings and they have been previous out and numbered so I am thinking the shop may have gapped these. I should get a reply next week to be sure.

 

 

 

[Ash 145]

I had the whole section from top to bottom on the underside of the window pillar removed. It need a patch done which you can see the excess hanging out. After that was done and a coat of epoxy applied, I tacked it back in place. It was messy, took quite a lot of tacks with the MIG. The TIG hated it which sucked as it meant I spent more time die grinding and sanding away the mess the MIG left. After I cleaned it up though I went back over the fresh steel with the TIG to blend the MIG hit and misses. I still had some lows but after the epoxy was brushed on it was not that bad at all.

 

 

 

 

[Ash 145]

Yesterday I started this lower patch. The old section was completely trash.

 

 

Close but still needs more adjustment

 

 

[RPM 1,190]

Hey mate, keep up the grind in that warm weather you're having. I just re read the first page here, man what a journey. I still feel bad for the way you were screwed.

[Ash 145]

Thanks, Bob. It's guys like yourself who have taken a shitty experience and brought out all the positives. Will always appreciate, and never forget, the help I have received from good honest people. I just look forward to the times I can return the favours.

 

I took this photo the other day, just to show as example of what it is like here quite often during our summer. And this pretty average, it gets far hotter.

And supposedly, this last month has been the hottest on record. Global warming is a myth? I don't think so.

 

 

Another step forward just now, my new rear main seals just arrived and I couldn't help myself but to get them fitted straight in. And they worked like a charm. Proves the ones I had and tried to fit before were the fault. When I compared the two sets, the first lot were hard as a rock. Took me about 10 mins to get the cap in with the new set and the nails fitted. The wife even gave a helping hand.

 

[MAC390 327]

Nice job on the repairs, the FE is looking real good also.

When you are working on the body just keep remembering as i do being told (THERE IS NO RUST IN THIS CAR] lol

Nice machining work on the engine.

[stangnet33 88]

Good stuff Ash ! Hope I don't run into problems in those area's. Those crankshafts are beauties aren't they :) 

[Ash 145]

Nice job on the repairs, the FE is looking real good also.

When you are working on the body just keep remembering as i do being told (THERE IS NO RUST IN THIS CAR] lol

Nice machining work on the engine.

Thanks mate.

 

No rust....that's in my mind non stop. Those lies, those damn lies!

But I think about how so many others have turned rust piles into solid machines again to live on.

My next build though, I plan for the rust to be warn with pride, rat rod style.

 

These guys did my rotating assembly and head work. I have a good mate who works in the Performance shop here and he has helped me out a great deal.

 

http://engine-reconditioning-qld.australia2business.com/slacks-creek/x-static-balancing/

[Ash 145]

Good stuff Ash ! Hope I don't run into problems in those area's. Those crankshafts are beauties aren't they :) 

 

Thanks very much, Mike.

 

I've seen a few examples, mostly from Rusty and Brian, where they have opened up these areas and although look good from the outside, are terrible inside. Mine was not too bad from outside appearance but got worse the more I dug. At least we can get the lower A-pillar now as a replacement for our cars. That helped a lot.

 

The cranks sure are solid and weighty. It's spinning in it's new home very smoothly though. It feels very nice.

If you go with a Scat crank, be sure to get it balanced. Mine brand new out of the box was way out.

[RPM 1,190]

I do like the ARP studs.

 

I'd be more concerned about another ice age than a hot/fire age, as our earth has had what, three ice ages and zero hot ages. Phoenix Az and Death Valley Ca get up to those temps you're having on a regular basis in the summertime. Keep hydrated mate.

[Ash 145]

The ARP gear is nice. I have them for con-rods, heads, flywheel and balancer too.

 

The added bonus of our area is along with the heat, we get high humidity too. Another month or so and it'll start backing off. Bring on the cold.

[Ash 145]

Main caps torqued down to spec, 105ft-lb, and third cap aligned and torqued. For my own reference, crankshaft end float is .18mm

 

 

[Ash 145]

My new Comp degree wheel and crank socket arrived on Friday along with a quart of Driven Break In oil. It was too hot yesterday get anything done but this morning I got a start.

 

 

Here are my Scat H-beams with ARP bolts

 

 

 

Here you can see where material was removed during the balancing process

 

 

After doing the math, these are the two required ring gaps for top and second ring.

 

[Ash 145]

The rings were filed by the guy who did the balancing but I checked before fitment anyway. And they were spot on. Fantastic!

 

Each ring has been numbered to its specific bore. Pistons and rods I was told were not bore specific as they are all identical.

 

 

 

After more cleaning, I fitted the rod. I haven't fitted spring lock clips before so that was fun the first go. Second was much easier.

 

 

Rings fitted and gaps clocked to correct positions

 

 

Now to repeat 7 more times.

[69Mustang16 92]

The rings were filed by the guy who did the balancing but I checked before fitment anyway. And they were spot on. Fantastic!

 

Each ring has been numbered to its specific bore. Pistons and rods I was told were not bore specific as they are all identical.

 

 

 

After more cleaning, I fitted the rod. I haven't fitted spring lock clips before so that was fun the first go. Second was much easier.

 

 

Rings fitted and gaps clocked to correct positions

 

 

Now to repeat 7 more times.

Nice work!

[Ash 145]

Cheers!

[MAC390 327]

All looks good , the engine guys did great work.

Too hot to work on the car it's 50 at my place.

[Ash 145]

Cheers. I'm really happy with what they have done too. It's all going together nicely. But slowly. Just taking my time and like you said, it's too hot. It wasn't too bad this morning, my little wall mounted A/C in my workshop was keeping it comfortable in there but now it's ridiculous. Just came in for a cool shower but I'm sweating inside the house as well.

I've got 3 pistons assembled and fitted in the block. If it storms this arvo and the temp drops like it did yesterday, I might try and get back out there later. For now though it can wait. Cold drink time and it's Sunday arvo so the Supercross should be up online to watch.

[Ash 145]

With the temp back in the 20's and it doing this strange thing outside where water is falling from the sky, it was a good day to play in the shed.

 

I finished building all of the pistons and got them fitted. However, on the 8th and last of the lot, I realised I had too many spiro locks left over. I thought as I was going that there were some spares supplied as they are fiddly little things. But it dawned on me at the end that there were far too many left and that perhaps they were meant to be doubled up, 4 per piston and not 2. DOH!!! So I need to remove the first 7 and redo them. Which was honestly a downer. But it was my mistake. I read and read and read to make sure I was doing everything correct but no where did it mention this. Even when I Googled different methods of fitting them, it wasn't mentioned. So perhaps is it just for the JE pistons? I don't know and it doesn't matter, I still need to redo them so they are done right.

 

It still looks sexy. Everything else went really well.

 

 

On Saturday I got an early birthday present off my parents which was rather nice.

 

[MAC390 327]

Engine looks good mate and and the beating tools will come in handy also.

[Ash 145]

Cheers mate.

I was really hoping to get the rotating assembly buttoned up today so that next time I could fit the oil pump and get closer to fitting the sump to seal it up. One day I'll get my turn at making one step forward and none back. Haha