big block to go in ashley's zephyr

[mygasser]

he took it down to manston sunday and apart from it not being quick enough (are they ever? lol) it ran nice and cool all day even when the track was quiet and he was hot lapping it.
the car's back in my garage so we can do the rest of the work.... cam and lifters, timing set, fenderwell headers and a new flex fan.
neil.

[mygasser]

the engine is mostly stripped now for the cam swap and header build. just the timing set and cam left to remove. the timing chain is stretched so much i'm amazed it hasn't jumped any teeth, we got to it just in time it seems.
neil.

[mygasser]

BUGGER!!! the timing set is boxed wrong. part number's right on the box so i can't blame the 'picker' at rock auto, but this small block chevy timing set just won't fit the ford fe engine
i just ordered a replacement, this ones an edelbrock true roller set on 'clearance' so actually cheaper than the other set.
neil.

[mopar_mark]

BUGGER!!! the timing set is boxed wrong. part number's right on the box so i can't blame the 'picker' at rock auto, but this small block chevy timing set just won't fit the ford fe engine
i just ordered a replacement, this ones an edelbrock true roller set on 'clearance' so actually cheaper than the other set.
neil.

I ordered a couple of Trans Stators, arrived really quickly from the US last week. Both had the right degree fins and correct number of fins as per my request. Turns out they are BB & not BBX like I ordered. More suited for a Chevy, not my Mopar.

So irritating, hopefully replacements will arrive quickly

[mygasser]

BUGGER!!! the timing set is boxed wrong. part number's right on the box so i can't blame the 'picker' at rock auto, but this small block chevy timing set just won't fit the ford fe engine
i just ordered a replacement, this ones an edelbrock true roller set on 'clearance' so actually cheaper than the other set.
neil.

I ordered a couple of Trans Stators, arrived really quickly from the US last week. Both had the right degree fins and correct number of fins as per my request. Turns out they are BB & not BBX like I ordered. More suited for a Chevy, not my Mopar.

So irritating, hopefully replacements will arrive quickly

to be fair it's only the second time rockauto have f***ed up in all the orders i've ever made. both times it was on parts that were cheap enough to replace and i just put the wrong ones in the swapmeet pile for next march, lol.
neil.

[mygasser]

while waiting for the timing set we decides to swap the 59 year old 352 valve springs for the nice new 428 cobra jet ones. our hope to do them in situ didn't pan out as the rear ones each side were too close to 'stuff' so it was 'off with it's heads', lol. those new springs with dampers have much more poundage than the old ones for sure. this should elininate any valve bounce which is good. oh and of course we replaced the broken up hard as rock (used to be rubber) valve guide seals too. with the heads off the bores become visible and wow! they're really good with no lips. it must've had servicing when needed, be low-ish mileage and had a careful driver in the 66 galaxie it came from. the head gaskets were still the original single layer tin ones too.
more soon
neil.

[mygasser]

the heads and block fac es are all cleaned and we refitted and torqued the heads in place. the replacement timing set should be here tomorrow fingers crossed so we can keep going with the rebuild.
neil.

[mygasser]

the edelbrock timing set and the timing cover (with new seal) are refitted as is the inlet manifold, carb and fuel pump. we're getting there but can't do too much at a time as it's too bl00dy hot in the garage even with the fan blowing at us and both doors and the windows open.
neil.