BBR's 83GT - 552 BBF version 3.0 (at least)

[BBR]

No video that I know of. Not that I would want to see it. haha

Thinking back I think I put the wrong width belt on it. It was supposed to be a 13xxx and I had a 15xxx on it. I had the same trouble with the Ranger until I put a 13xxx on it. Just gotta remember what the length was.... arrg.

I am just happy the Durango pulled it so well and that the whole load/unload went off as well as it did.

[Beagle]

I was thinking about that Ford logo on the wheels. I used my big Lincoln's spare on my Chevy truck. The Mark IV had a 5 on 5. I think the big wagons / full sizes had a 5 on 5 in the mid 70's.

[milner351]

NICE WORK!

what was the oil pressure when the valve train was making noise? Something up with the addition of the girdles? Anything touching the girdles when it's running?

Bummer on the trans issue - I know EXACTLY what that's like!

Great first night out! Ya didn't blow it up, wad it up, or screw it up! success!

Hope the dash light deal isn't a night mare - do those things still have the printed circuit with the volt reg behind the gauges?

Man do I wish I could go on drag week this year!

[BBR]

Oil pressure is good. The valve train is just noisy all the time. It was a little noisy before the girdles, but I think they are helping to amplify the racket. Those cast aluminum valve covers do really not help matters either!

I don't really know about the dash. Just gonna tear it open and take a look. I have been pouring over all my pics to see if I had one that happened to have the belt part number on it... no luck so far.

After doing some research, I'm starting to think the popping might be more ignition related than fuel. This HEI style ignition might need a little help.

[STINEY]

Awesome, keep the progress coming!

Couple of thoughts that may help or may be worthless. On the trailer loading thing, screwing some lumber down to the floor in order to slightly raise the floor (just a 2x10 about 8' long, butted up to the ramp end of the deck) will make a bunch of clearance to help with the high-centered header issue, you may not have to crank it up very much at all this way.

Second, on the dash light issue, Autozone has these neat little items in the "cheap bling crap" isle, they are LED lights on a string that you plug into your lighter and then look cool with them hung on your mirror or some such weird crap. Anyways, cut the plug off, solder them into the dash panel where the dashlight circuit comes in, and then just silicone them in place of the factory bulbs. Costs about $15 dollars and is TONS easier than trouble-shooting those factory printed circuits with the crumbling plastic.

[Russell]

Are you lifting the front of the trailer up with the jack? I think I f'ed my trailer jack doing that. Now I use my wheel ramps under the rear tires of the truck.

[BBR]

The first time, I used a floor jack. The other times I used the trailer jack. Did not seem to be a big deal for it. Thanks for the info though.

After doing some reading, my high rpm pop might be an ignition issue. Seems these HEI type ignitions do not like 5500+ rpm. I will be checking into ways to cure this very shortly. Might just end up with Duraspark box in it.

[Beagle]

try a Davis coil in it? Seems reasonably priced if they'll keep it lit to 7k.

http://www.performancedistributors.com/coils.htm

I wasn't thrilled with the wang chao coil for my 302 kit like yours... the TFI duraspark seemed to be a LOT hotter. I like the one wire deal, but I'm considering calling up Scotty at RHP and asking him to curve a Duraspark for me.

I put 3 foot long 2x12's at the second to last rung on my trailer ramps to keep them from dragging, like an extension. I had them from a waterbed (cut the side in half) and left the angle brackets on the ends to prevent them from sliding off the ramps. I need longer ramps, but haven't bought them yet. The way the guys set up my trailer, I'll have to move the ramp storage to get longer ramps in there. They got close, and it is usually fine for everything but the lowered 90 LX and the Lincoln with busted air springs. Both of them drag unless I use the extensions. It's also easier on the winch with longer ramps.

I think my trailer jack is a 3500 pound jack so pulling the ass end up on the truck when raising it's nose doesn't seem to bother it. I spray it in the lube hole every time I use it with wd40 and oil it with 30 wt about twice a year so it stays halfway smooth.

[Russell]

I thought you needed to replace the module as well......says a ford guy.

http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/techarticles/67498_hei_coils_modules/index.html

[BBR]

I'm tired of catching hell for having a 'Chevy' distributor in it, so I am putting a Skip White distributor and a Duraspark box in it.

I think the Skip White is really a rebranded Procomp billet, but the one that is in it now is a Procomp and has worked decently well with the exception of the high rpm pop. (Save me the anti-procomp rhetoric). Besides, it was only $39. It will be here tomorrow. It was less expensive than getting a stock distributor from Oreilly. I plan to use a TFI style MSD coil on it because they are inexpensive and locally available.

Dist: $39
Box: $33
Coil: $39

New ignition system for $111.

[milner351]

Let me know how you like that IGN set up - I went round and round with all the options in my head - before just copping out and getting an over the counter "rebuilt" duraspark distributor for an 85 manual trans mustang for $55 and hooking it up to the MSD box already in the truck when I got it.

The more I mess with ignition - the more I like the MSD ready to run concept - or any distributor with the springs right up top where they're easy to get to for tuning.

A friend had good luck using the HEI 4 pin module under the dash triggered by either points or a duraspark on the engine - and a "normal" coil.

I'm not a huge fan of the HEI set up in a "race car" either - great for DD and trucks.

Dan Stokes is about the only guy I know that's had good luck with the "DUI" in a performance application.
The summit version Seth put in the forum 454 didn't make the first trip to NC from MI - and it was the non HEI style - the advance mechanism just flat fell apart.

How much was shipping on all that stuff? Seems shipping is going up on everything.

[BBR]

Shipping for the dizzy was $10, so I guess add $10 to the total. The other stuff I got at the local O'reilly.

The Duraspark II is a CDI (capacitive discharge) ignition and a GM HEI, like a Duraspark I is an IDI (inductive discharge). The stuff I read, said CDI is more bettah at high rpm than IDI. Seems the Duraspark II boxes are hard to beat. They are not multi spark, but are reliable and stable at high rpm.

[milner351]

Learn somfn new every day - thanks for that - when did the DS2 come in?
Are those the ones that OEM have the slide on coil clip instad of screw down terminals?

[jays67]

my buddy has that same set up ( I bought it from Whites) in his fairlane with a 351 and a Summit ign box runs great his Mallory unilite ate the upper shaft bushing/bearing and timing was everywere we put this in and no issues.
my run stand at the shop has a chevy verson of that dizzy in it been there 4 years works great I did not want to buy a MSD for the stand as I was being cheap and figured it was rust a run stand lol has my old 6a box on it though

[BBR]

I don't know about the coils, but I *do* know it was when Ford went to the large cap distributors.