Frankenstein T-5 Waggin' Chronicle (vast doesnt do it)

[Freshmeat]

Okay. I went back to work on it and here's what I got...

The main girdle is installed, torqued down, and the bottom end has been completely reassembled. Don't waste your time on a girdle. Mercracer was right. It was only $90, but I went through five Dremel bits (another $15) and WAY too much time to be worth it... but if you're tight on a budget and NEED a girdle, get the Hawks' Racing girdle on eBay. Just required more clearancing than I'd have imagined. This is pre-paint, so I know things still look ugly. I'll explain a few things more tomorrow... I'm kinda drunk right now.

Matter of fact... the pictures are coming tomorrow. Photobucket is giving me trouble.

[Freshmeat]

Okay. That's it. I'm on my way to get a few drinks... even though I'm already pretty drunk.
Thanks for caring. Let me know what you think.

[Paul_]

That's clutch and brake pedals. The clutch pedal was still loose, so it was sitting at an angle. It's all straight, though. I was VERY careful to measure everything before my friend welded it together for me.

doh! i forgot you were installing a t5 :drug: :drug:

[Danny_Boy]

Looks like everything is coming along very nice.Keep up the good work

[sploer4.0]

looks good mang keep up the good work

[Freshmeat]

I removed the heads today. Man... I have NEVER seen a cylinder with this much carbon build-up. It's literally flaked off and sitting in a pile on top the pistons. I'm gonna get a brush and clean it out as much as I can... it's FILTHY. I had pictures, but I think I've been posting too many, so I'll spare you.

Not sure most of you would have the ability to stomach what I saw, anyway...

Going back out to see if I can get this broken bolt.

[Freshmeat]

Well... that bolt isn't going to come out. I'll take it to the machine shop tomorrow either on the way to the office or on my lunch break.

This sucks...

[Freshmeat]

Dropped off the head at the machine shop this morning. This was the conversation.

"I broke a lower manifold bolt in my cylinder head."
"Ford?"
"Yep."
"Next to the thermostat?"
"Yep."
"Imagine that."
"Yep."

$20 and it'll be ready tomorrow. If I'd have known that, I'd have left it with him weeks ago. Not having the head tonight will allow me to clean up and paint the block and oil pan... which leads me to another question:

Should I paint the oil pan to match the block and heads? Seems like that'd be kinda overkill...

[sploer4.0]

what color is the oil pan now? and what color is the engine?

[Grand Marquis GT]

Yes, or paint it black.

Get rid of teh yellow!

[Fordman75]

Ilike my engines to be painted the same color top to bottom except sometimes I paint the intake and valvecovers a contrasting color. I think a matching oil pan gives it a cleaner look. The only exception I make for this is for an aftermarket oil pan like the Canton oil pans. And I paint the heads to match the block unless I'm running aluminum heads and want to show them off.

[Grand Marquis GT]

Or, unless you are like some people, and paint your heads an aluminum color to fool people

[Freshmeat]

This is what is aluminum and will stay natural finish:
Valve covers
Upper intake
Lower intake
Water pump

Brackets are black.

Heads/block/oil pan(?) will be Ford Blue.

Stainless steel headers, natural finish.

[Blaze86Vic]

Honestly I like having a black oil pan.

[DuceAnAHalf]

I like my nitro-gold canton color