62 Falcon - $5k challenge, how will it rise from the ranger's ashes?

[milner351]

Do you have that issue / article you could pdf scan for me? or I can buy it off the hemmings site for $7 +s/h

[SuperBuickGuy]

Technically - wouldn't lighter bumpers make the car faster?

Yea - I will be happy to see the chiro tomorrow and I may look into one of those magic tables Stiney - I've popped this area of my back out of whack probably 5 times in the last 10 years - and it's a week or so and usually 3 trips to the chiro before I'm back on track.... Lee isn't helping being overf 30lb and still feeling as if he needs to be carried around like an infant (then lunge at things knocking you off center while trying to carry him).

The wiring harness will be a new adventure for me I've not done a complete rewire before, but I've done a lot of sub assemblies so I expect this shouldn't be too hard, just a bit tedious. Can't beat the price for sure.... already has circuits for additional upgrades like power windows seats, locks, ac, etc.... so I can "grow" into it per se (already have power seats from a mark 8 so that will be handy)

Then light speed should be in reach with no bumpers

I get the occasional sore back, PT works for me....

[milner351]

Thanks for the link to the article! I will copy to my desktop and view zoomed in - should work great.

I got one Edelbrock carb assembled today - and started cleaning the other, all in all I'd have to say they are easier - just fewer parts - than a holley - but each have their advantages. I hope the "lean" jet / metering rod combination I've put in will work OK given the fact that I'm puting 1200cfm capacity onto a little 302. The secondary throttle blades weren't going all the way open - only way to adjust is to bend the little "tang" that limits travel - they open all the way now!

My back is feeling a bit better - went to a new chiro Saturday morning - the xrays show some obvious problems - several verterbrae are rotated and my spine is moved over to the right between my shoulder blades. I had one adjustment Saturday and go in for another Monday and again Wednesday. So far so good, I'm keeping Ice on it a few times a day which seems to help - they said ice, no heat.

[mlcraven]

Although I've never suffered from persistent back pain, like SBG I do the core/trunk strengthening PT at work too...very GENTLY. As a fellow I once knew used to say, getting older is not a funny business.

[mlcraven]

Article sent as two files to your gmail account. The author indicated he would post a schematic to the Hemmings online FAQ, but I haven't seen it yet. I've taken my orig post down; had this strange premonition that maybe the Hemmings copyright police would take a dim view.

[Beagle]

Thanks Michael - so did I.

I hate looking at MRI stuff..."One of these things is not like the other"... 10mg vicodin only goes so far.

John, did you get your crank thing worked out?

[milner351]

I have a line on another shorblock for my favorite price - FREE - so - I will probably have two cranks to choose from - both will need $85 worth of clean up and grinding / polishing.

Then the question is - $200 worth it for balancing?

[Beagle]

I would if I were changing pistons on the rods or flexplate / balancer from manual to auto perhaps. A matched crank / rod / piston set from Ford though, I probably wouldn't... based on the number of 302's that bounced off the rev limiter and purred like kittens.

[mrocketscience]

I wouldn't bother with the balancing. The 302 in my Mustang has a stock bottom end '68 short block and will pull very nicely past 7000 rpm. I limit the shift point at around 6400 just to be conservative.

[milner351]

My first check will be how much different the Mahle pistons weigh compared to the stock forged HO TRW - if there is a big difference in weight - I might spend the extra $200 for "the good engine".

This mill will end up with edelbrock out of the box performer aluminum heads with the 1.95" intake valves
(used from a trusted source for $600)
comp roller rockers, valve springs will be those I purchased to match the X303 cam - have to move them from the E7 heads.
Mahle pistons (slight dish), stock rods with ARP bolts, stock crank, aftermarket balancer and new flex plate.
I still have to swap a steel cam gear onto the MSD ready to run distributor (keep the duraspark as a spare) and whatever headers I can make work in the chassis with the AOD - the trans tunnel / firewall will be tight.
(hoping I can get the hedman long tubes I have to work, $300 for shorties for early falcon with AOD from Evilbay)
I may modify a stock front sump pan for additional oil capacity, I should not need to run a remote oil filter as i had on the Ranger.

The intake / carbs will change over time - I'm going to try the twin 1405 Edel600s on top of the offy low rise dual plane intake, I have the knock off rpm airgap with the 4777 ready to go, and eventually this thing will get multiport DIY EFI, but I'm going to creep up on that after the rest of the car is sorted out. (another reason I want to go with a fresh aftermarket wiring harness)

[Beagle]

I'm betting 100g difference between them minimum... let us know.

[STINEY]

If the new pistons are just somewhat heavier than the stockers............ I'd drill/grind/machine the weight off them myself using a postal scale to make them all equal to each other and equal to the the original pistons.

Then I'd pocket the $200 and run that sucka!

(by the way, it was going to be 11:00 when we ran past your neck of the woods on Saturday night, didn't want to disturb you. We'll get the stuff swapped sometime soon, lots happening fast up north so many trips to follow!)

[milner351]

Well the way things are going lately - I'm not making much progress fast.

Good news
- Both edelbrock 1405s are rebuilt with guesstimates for leaning them out on the primary side, different jets and metering rods, a compromise between the 500 and 600 calibration (I didn't have the right combination of parts on hand to set them up just like 500s as I'd have liked to)
- I have another donor short block available for free - just have to go get it.
- $240 wiring harness has shipped, that will take time but should save time and hassle in the future Rebel wire at first impression seems like a great place to deal with.

Bad news
- messed up back / neck is slowing me down - more chiro appointments plus ice a couple times an evening is helping.
- Rhonda is going to be traveling more - meaning I'm Mr. Mom more - meaning I have to continue to be crafty with sub assemblies like the carbs I can work on in the home garage after Lee goes to bed for the night. (may bring the "good" engine stuff home to build)
- I've lost some of my free storage space - the '54 and ski boat need to get stored asap, the trailer needs new tires before picking up the 54 ($400+), and I will probably have to buy a "tent garage" like Randals got his cars in for the short term...
- One Tree guy got back to me with an estimate to take the trees down behind my shop - it's a technical job with power lines, cable. and phone lines nearby, the roof of the barn near by, and fences from two neighbors close too - $950 including grinding the stumps. Damned.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Dang, I could send you my tree guy for less than what that guy charges... the guy is entertaining to watch. He chops the tree down 3' sections at a time then makes them into firewood on the ground - but since he does such large sections, the tree really whips him about as he's chopping.

You are far too young to be having such back problems - stop doing whatever's causing it.

[milner351]

The issue with these trees is not the trees themselves but everything around them.

The first problem is the building I have is far too close to the power lines in the first place - then I went and put a lean to off the back, UNDER the power lines. Then there's the fences on the other three sides of the lot behind the shop - one I own, the other two are neighbors. The neighbor to the North side has a very cheap chain link that you can barely lean on without it bending - one limb hits that with any force - I'll be replacing a section. The neighbor to the East has a split rail flanked by a row of ever greens placed very close together effectively creating a green wall 20ft high.... one of those trees was already damaged by one of my trees dropping a limb.
I will try to get additional estimates - apparently tree guys are busy around here - this guy took over a month to get back with me.

The back problems started when I was 25 swapping M22 trans in a 427 '67 vette - on my back. My left shoulder blade moved my spine to the right, and my right shoulder popped - never been the same since. 90% of the time I'm fine, something happened lately that really agravated it - at least this chiro is close to home, thorough and seems to moving things in the right direction from the start.
The depressing thing was that there is already a small sign of arthritus in my neck - hopefully I can keep that at bay.
I need to see a chiro on a maintenance basis.
I need to get back into a regular work out routine.

Tonight a friend helped me move those I beams again - move the falcon, the splash ranger bed, ranger 8.8 a couple work benches and a pile of tires so we could move the ski boat through and behind the shop into the "tent garage" at least it's out of the way for now so the '54 will have some under roof space when it arrives this weekend.
I'm considering getting another "tent garage" to put on the concrete slab out in front of the shop - I'm not sure how I'd anchor it to hold it down. The other option is to pay for storage - which I'm trying to avoid!