Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, I'm still not sure. But it was laying on the work table, so I put them in place, though not "on", to see how they'd look.

May do the headlight doors and grille in black. We shall see what it looks like - when the time comes.

Ok, I'm ready to install the headers tomorrow. The batteries are disconnected and I have padding material to-hand. Plus I have studs ready to go in the end bolt holes in the heads.

But, do I need to sand off the engine paint that is on the heads around the ports? I sure hope not, and I've not done that before, but thought I'd see what y'all think.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Ok, I'm ready to install the headers tomorrow. The batteries are disconnected and I have padding material to-hand. Plus I have studs ready to go in the end bolt holes in the heads.

But, do I need to sand off the engine paint that is on the heads around the ports? I sure hope not, and I've not done that before, but thought I'd see what y'all think.

Are you using gaskets, or just the graphite paste recommend by Ford?

[Gary Lewis]

Are you using gaskets, or just the graphite paste recommend by Ford?

The gaskets that L&L sent.

[Gary Lewis]

The gaskets that L&L sent.

Well, I'm bummed. The passenger's side header isn't going through this gap, in spite of the padding.

The next attempt was by loosening the engine and tranny mount bolts and rotating the engine/tranny combo slightly clockwise in this pic. It helped, but not enough. The starter "bump" on the bell is just too big.

So I'm preparing to slide the tranny back. I've pulled the clutch slave, and realized in doing so that I didn't have a boot on the release lever. Further, that the boot I do have is cracked. So I need to order one of those ASAP.

Next I'll pull the tranny/engine bolts, place 4 studs in, put the jack under the tranny, remove the crossmember, and slide it back.

[85lebaront2]

Well, I'm bummed. The passenger's side header isn't going through this gap, in spite of the padding.

The next attempt was by loosening the engine and tranny mount bolts and rotating the engine/tranny combo slightly clockwise in this pic. It helped, but not enough. The starter "bump" on the bell is just too big.

So I'm preparing to slide the tranny back. I've pulled the clutch slave, and realized in doing so that I didn't have a boot on the release lever. Further, that the boot I do have is cracked. So I need to order one of those ASAP.

Next I'll pull the tranny/engine bolts, place 4 studs in, put the jack under the tranny, remove the crossmember, and slide it back.

Gary, I'm really not surprised, the right side is so close on the engine with the 460 that there is virtually no room for anything. It's a big enough PITA to get to the exhaust pipe flange nuts on that side.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Gary, I'm really not surprised, the right side is so close on the engine with the 460 that there is virtually no room for anything. It's a big enough PITA to get to the exhaust pipe flange nuts on that side.

Do you have L&L longtubes on Darth???

It was tricky for me to get a split (repair) flange up on that side.

First time I bolted it together I realized I needed it in the other way.

[85lebaront2]

Do you have L&L longtubes on Darth???

It was tricky for me to get a split (repair) flange up on that side.

First time I bolted it together I realized I needed it in the other way.

No, I do not have headers on Darth, after two cars with headers and getting very proficient at replacing the exhaust gaskets (I had a stack of real asbestos ones) there is no way I want them on a truck!

[Gary Lewis]

No, I do not have headers on Darth, after two cars with headers and getting very proficient at replacing the exhaust gaskets (I had a stack of real asbestos ones) there is no way I want them on a truck!

Well, I have a question for everyone, but first have to explain a couple of things.

First, this happened today:

Yup, the tranny had to leave to get the passenger's side header in. But I got it in w/o damaging it, and then put the driver's side one in, which was a piece of cake. However, as you can see below, there's a bit of a problem on the passenger's side header. The gap to the engine spacer is maybe 1/8", but the gap to the frame is maybe .010" - if that.

If needed I can grind a bit on the tranny to get some clearance. But the real issue is the frame. So, borrowing from Baldrick, I have a cunning plan: Put a 1/4" spacer between the driver's side perch and the mount, which will rotate the engine just a bit. I think that will get 1/4" of space from the frame.

Thoughts?

[kramttocs]

Well, I have a question for everyone, but first have to explain a couple of things.

First, this happened today:

Yup, the tranny had to leave to get the passenger's side header in. But I got it in w/o damaging it, and then put the driver's side one in, which was a piece of cake. However, as you can see below, there's a bit of a problem on the passenger's side header. The gap to the engine spacer is maybe 1/8", but the gap to the frame is maybe .010" - if that.

If needed I can grind a bit on the tranny to get some clearance. But the real issue is the frame. So, borrowing from Baldrick, I have a cunning plan: Put a 1/4" spacer between the driver's side perch and the mount, which will rotate the engine just a bit. I think that will get 1/4" of space from the frame.

Thoughts?

But it clears the top of the frame no problem?

On my hedman HD headers I had to grind off a little of the frame on the top but not the bottom.

Will putting the spacer on the perch rotate them away or up and closer?

[Gary Lewis]

But it clears the top of the frame no problem?

On my hedman HD headers I had to grind off a little of the frame on the top but not the bottom.

Will putting the spacer on the perch rotate them away or up and closer?

Yes, it clears the top of the frame fine.

Adding a spacer on the driver's side will rotate the engine clockwise when viewed from the back, as in the picture above. But it will rotate it on the passenger's side mount, which is well above the spot where it hits the frame. So the header should rotate away from the frame.

But, I just realized that I can easily test that theory. I have the nuts where the mounts hit the perches loose, so if I tighten the passenger's side and jack up on the driver's side of the engine I can see if it does indeed rotate like I think it will. In fact, I could slip a 1/4" piece in between the perch and the mount to see exactly how much clearance I'll get.

I actually came up with this plan a couple of years ago 'cause the driver's side header was hitting the perch. I drew it up on CAD and found that it would work. But didn't do it 'cause I decided to pull the truck down for the transformation. However, it looks like the same solution will work for the passenger's side.