P72Ford's White Box

[P72Ford]

If I stick with an automatic, I'd use a TH400 behind a big motor (or the windsor, when the AOD craps). But I just think a big block stick shift car would be gnarly. So would a big block windsor stroker car.

I really should read my posts before I click submit...

The above is one of my many blunders... Should have been stick shift windsor stroker.

But yeah, the parts are piling up lately. Should be some here today, too.

[1987cp]

Meh, big-inch windsor strokers have big-block cubes, so same difference.

[P72Ford]

I suppose, Michael. I was thinking though; if I build a windsor, I want to make some serious power. 500+. Probably a 408, although folks are going to 427, and sometimes larger with Dart blocks. But I think a Dart short block from Woody would be the way to go. TFS 205s, and a custom grind would probably get me there; and I'd definitely be going with a set of custom LTs.

Some parts came today. I am still missing battery cables, an eccentric, and a distributor and rotor from Summit. Should be here tomorrow.

I got the oil pan and thermostat housing from Rock Auto; the rest should be here tomorrow.

I was concerned upon looking at the fuel pump. It has 3/8" NPT inlet/ outlet, and I bought two 3/8" NPT to -8 adapters. Between that and a 90 degree AN elbow, I was concerned the fuel lines/ inlet/ outlet wouldn't clear the frame. I studied my purple car, and all appears well. It should fit without a hitch. I may have to re-clock the pump, but that is simple enough. I think it will work without a re-clock, though.

I was also concerned the battery box was too small, but it is just right.

And the carb is very nice. I love the look of a dichromate Holley 4150; such a nice piece, although it is very heavy.

I had alot of 'toys' to play with this afternoon. And the parts are really starting to pile up now.

[gadget73]

We used a chrome oil pan on that car? Hm, I didn't remember that. Not a fan of chrome bits either TBH. Not just for the heat reason, but mostly because it rusts and starts to look horrid in short order. I thought that was just a painted stock pan. It should be a one-piece pan gasket though. I know damn right well I didn't put a 4 piece gasket on that car.

[P72Ford]

The pan is definitely chrome; the gasket I never noticed. I bought a new pan and 1 piece gaskets just the same; the 4 piece gaskets leak and are a general pain in the balls.

In other news, my distributor cap came yesterday. It was packaged in a small box, but Summit had put the small box inside and much large box (would have fit 20 of those caps), and filled the rest with packing pillows (WTF?). Oh, and they pu a Smmit hat in there too.

I also got 1 of the 2 fuel tank lock-ring and gasket sets from Rock Auto; the one for the pump/ pick-up, etc. This one is larger than the fuel tank sending one; I hope that sounds right.

I have yet to drop the tank, so I really do not know what I will find up there for a hole. But I know there isn't adequate clearance on top of the tank to run my -8 line. So I will more than likely just pull the tank, and block off the top hole in the tank. I will have to make (or have made) a blank plate to do so. I thought about cutting a hole in the trunk, and using a bulkhead, etc... but then the fuel line would be inside the car, which isn't cool. And I think it'd be a clusterfuck to pull off in such a way that looks and works good.

I'm going to pull the sender and run my pick-up through that tank hole, like the carbed cars had. There is plenty of room to run the line there; up to the frame, and then to the front of the car. I may have to get creative to retain the sender (just because the bulkhead fitting is quite large), but I'll cross the bridge when I get there. Without having it in front of me, there isn't much I can do.

I will do it, and it will be done in such a way that it looks and functions correctly.

[1987cp]

Only hole on top of a stock Panther tank is the vent hole, IIRC.

So that car still has the SEFI tank with the extra larger hole in the front? That does seem like a convenient location to run a pickup from, and if you're clever about it you could maybe run a SEFI-style pickup screen that's still commonly available in parts stores (ones I've searched for a carb-style pickup screen in, anyway). The 3/8" pickup I made for the white wagon after the style of a stock carb pickup was, frankly, a bit of a hackjob, and the sender seemed slightly flaky once I got done torching all over the thing (my approach meant I had to cut the sender off the dummy pickup tube and stick it onto the new actual pickup tube). I also don't *think* there's room on that plate to punch an extra hole of sufficient size for your AN bulkhead.

[Grand Marquis GT]

Duce ran a fuel cell in his trunk. Might be an option.

[1987cp]

Phooey, I forgot to bring in my extra sender and have a gander at it. It crossed my mind while replacing the rubber bit during my fuel line job today, then I forgot again.

[P72Ford]

Duce ran a fuel cell in his trunk. Might be an option.

I'd rather not.

Michael. My '88 parts car has two holes in the tank. It has to. The hole on the front side houses only the sender. The fuel lines go in somewhere on top of the tank, mean the pump has to drop in from the top.

I am assuming my '87 will be the same way.

I got the other lock ruin today, and it is the same as the first one. Shit. So I looked around on Rock Auto, and found two other part numbers. I ordered them from Advanced, and will pick them up tomorrow. I have a feeling one is the same as the one I have, and the other will be the one I need. If that turns out to be the case, they can keep the one I already have two of, and I'll just get the other. That way I have almost every possible ring that could be required.

I also got the water pump, correct cam dowel for the 1 pc eccentric (1.375" long), pan gasket, timing cover set, etc.

I may go ahead and pull the car out this coming week, and get started stripping off the things I won't be using.

[Grand Marquis GT]

The fuel sump is practically on the same location as the sender, but on the other side of the tank...in the back!

[gadget73]

yes, the 87 has a front sender and rear pump plate. Tank needs to come out to access the pump side.

[1987cp]

Can you tell it's been five years since I thought about SEFI tanks?

[P72Ford]

I went to the store to get my lock rings this morning, and found that, as suspected, the larger one is identical to the ones I already had. The small one was the one I needed. That one is for the sender.

Unfortunately, I do not foresee me being able to retain the fuel sender in that same location. There just isn't much room. I may try a few things, but its not looking that great, which pisses me off.

But I'd rather have the stock tank, and no gauge, than an aftermarket cell, which would take up the trunk, require opening the trunk to fill,etc, and still not use the factory gauge.

I will find a work around, but maybe not in this stage of the build.

[gadget73]

How about leaving the sender alone and just using the rear plate for the fuel line connection, as it currently is?

[P72Ford]

I will be going to look at the car today, and I will see about that. But looking at my purple '88 5.0 car, it doesn't look feasible. The line is pretty big, and I don't see where there is clearance.

I originally was going to buy a new carbed tank, which has just one hole. Put the sender there, and have fittings welded into the bottom of the tank. Some 3/8" NPT bungs. But, in order to do that, the fuel line elbow would hang very low on the car. It'd look rigged, and I'm fairly certain I'd have issues with it sealing, and possible (this is the real issue), with cracking. A 90 degree elbow hanging off of a heavy bung welded into a thin tank is an atmosphere where I see it being an issue.

I may have to get creative to keep my sender now, but the line is going to be hidden, and the pick up is going to be like an OEM unit, so I know I'll have no issuies with sealing, functionality, etc.

But I will look into it further today. See about using the current outlet as a possibility.