Gary Lewis Posted September 28, 2017 Author Share Posted September 28, 2017 Good score! They will clean up really nice. I just saw a pair of the Blue Thunder plain valve covers NIB on the local Craigslist for $250. https://cnj.craigslist.org/pts/d/fordbig-block-blue-thunder/6293690664.html Good price, and they aren’t easily available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khaitan Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 Good price, and they aren’t easily available. Before I put the ZF in the truck, I decided to change the oil pan as it was leaking near the drain plug no matter what. It is my fault because I was working in a mechanic's yard which barely had any concrete and my engine hoist had a bend which I found out two days ago. I dropped the engine twice and cracked the factory oil pan. I got it welded based on suggestion from my mechanic but it has not helped. Once I pulled out the engine, the exhaust has chewed up the mount which costed me $180. I wasnt happy. I am going to write to transdept who makes this mount and see if they will send a replacement under warranty. But anyway, this is what my day was like. I have painted the engine back to ford blue and going to powder coat the brackets, valve covers, nuts and bolts and few other nick nacks and then drop the engine back on with the new oil pan and heat shield to cover the mount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 Before I put the ZF in the truck, I decided to change the oil pan as it was leaking near the drain plug no matter what. It is my fault because I was working in a mechanic's yard which barely had any concrete and my engine hoist had a bend which I found out two days ago. I dropped the engine twice and cracked the factory oil pan. I got it welded based on suggestion from my mechanic but it has not helped. Once I pulled out the engine, the exhaust has chewed up the mount which costed me $180. I wasnt happy. I am going to write to transdept who makes this mount and see if they will send a replacement under warranty. But anyway, this is what my day was like. I have painted the engine back to ford blue and going to powder coat the brackets, valve covers, nuts and bolts and few other nick nacks and then drop the engine back on with the new oil pan and heat shield to cover the mount. The heat shield is very important but I can't imagine paying that much for any motor mount. Yesterday I washed my truck for a second time this year. Parts are trickling in from the usual sources. I need to find some solid D3VE a2a heads locally. Nothing this old in the junkyards around here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted October 2, 2017 Author Share Posted October 2, 2017 The heat shield is very important but I can't imagine paying that much for any motor mount. Yesterday I washed my truck for a second time this year. Parts are trickling in from the usual sources. I need to find some solid D3VE a2a heads locally. Nothing this old in the junkyards around here. Prashant - You are making progress, even though it may be two steps forward and one backward. So keep on keeping on and you’ll get there. And good luck on the transfer case rebuild. Jim - Having parts coming in is a fun stage of projects. But getting hung up looking for a necessary, but elusive, part is a pain. I assume shipping costs on heads would be exorbitant? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85lebaront2 Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 Before I put the ZF in the truck, I decided to change the oil pan as it was leaking near the drain plug no matter what. It is my fault because I was working in a mechanic's yard which barely had any concrete and my engine hoist had a bend which I found out two days ago. I dropped the engine twice and cracked the factory oil pan. I got it welded based on suggestion from my mechanic but it has not helped. Once I pulled out the engine, the exhaust has chewed up the mount which costed me $180. I wasnt happy. I am going to write to transdept who makes this mount and see if they will send a replacement under warranty. But anyway, this is what my day was like. I have painted the engine back to ford blue and going to powder coat the brackets, valve covers, nuts and bolts and few other nick nacks and then drop the engine back on with the new oil pan and heat shield to cover the mount. Couldn't you use the factory 460 perches and stock mounts with the adapters? The mounts sit low enough they have to come off in order to remove the pan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 Prashant - You are making progress, even though it may be two steps forward and one backward. So keep on keeping on and you’ll get there. And good luck on the transfer case rebuild. Jim - Having parts coming in is a fun stage of projects. But getting hung up looking for a necessary, but elusive, part is a pain. I assume shipping costs on heads would be exorbitant? $80-90 a piece shipping when if I had had the time to drive to Long Island I could have bought the pair for $50 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted October 2, 2017 Author Share Posted October 2, 2017 $80-90 a piece shipping when if I had had the time to drive to Long Island I could have bought the pair for $50 Ouch! I thought it would be expensive, but that’s more than I expected. Guess BBF heads are heavy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted October 3, 2017 Author Share Posted October 3, 2017 Ouch! I thought it would be expensive, but that’s more than I expected. Guess BBF heads are heavy. Those who were here for the show will know the story about getting the truck on the trailer. But today it came off of the trailer, finally. It is a delicate operation since the rails and fenders of the trailer make it tedious to get the lift's arms in to the frame w/o hitting anything. However, I finally got there today. Now to get the front powder-coated or painted and installed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted October 4, 2017 Share Posted October 4, 2017 Those who were here for the show will know the story about getting the truck on the trailer. But today it came off of the trailer, finally. It is a delicate operation since the rails and fenders of the trailer make it tedious to get the lift's arms in to the frame w/o hitting anything. However, I finally got there today. Now to get the front powder-coated or painted and installed! Annnnnd now we understand the term 'sandbagging' at the track. (Or should that be slagbagging? ) It's time for you to get the engine in so you can cut that out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted October 4, 2017 Author Share Posted October 4, 2017 Annnnnd now we understand the term 'sandbagging' at the track. (Or should that be slagbagging? ) It's time for you to get the engine in so you can cut that out. LOL! Yes, that is slag-bagging at its finest. And I do need to get the engine in. But I need a front suspension and transmission in order to easily carry out my plans. The suspension needs several more parts powder coated or painted, and the transmission needs to be ordered. I’m doing the powder work and have gotten sidetracked with the show, this forum and website, a perceived health issue, and now a trailer quest. (Not to mention just enjoying life with my wife.) As for the tranny, I need to commission someone to build an E4OD. Anyone have any recommendations? And the plans are to mate the engine and tranny and install them as a unit into the rolling chassis. To do that w/o damaging the cab I’ll pull the 4 bolts holding the cab on and pick it off the frame with the lift. If I chock the truck so it won’t move while doing the engine/tranny installation the cab should come right back down where it was, or at least close enough to make re-installation easy. But, as I’m thinking about this again, it occurs to me that it might be advantageous to go ahead and raise the lift up into the ceiling as I’ve planned to do for some time. That would give me another 11” of clearance between the engine hoist and the cab. Hmmmmm...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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