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  • Very nice , well done

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    • Beautiful....love the color.
      If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

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      • While I totally get your point about spending 20k to have a 12k car - 1) you saved it from demise, and 2) you'll get at least 8k worth of enjoyment before you send it on to its next caretaker.... I do my job for money, I'm motivated to work because of the fun things I can do with my money.

        Your car is awesome, excellent job - especially keeping the numbers so low, you could spend a lot more an still not have a driving car.
        Doing it all wrong since 1966

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        • man I missed this on the 7th... WOW - turned out fantastic! It's really a beautiful car, very nice job!
          Flying south, with a flock of bird dogs.

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          • That turned out phenominol! Yeah, we all tend to overestimate value generally speaking by saying a 20K car is worth 30K. I think in your case, you're low balling the price at 12K. I'll side with Dan at 20K and I think that's pretty close, I wouldn't say too high at all.
            Tom
            Overdrive is overrated


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            • I finally read through this. Very nice build! The bodywork looks fantastic! Thanks for sharing it.
              Chris - HRPT Long Haul 03, 04, 05, 13, 14, 15,16 & 18
              74 Nova Project
              66 Mustang GT Project

              92 Camaro RS Convertible Project
              79 Chevy Truck Project
              1956 Cadillac Project

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              • Great job! The colors are perfect.

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                • This car is absolutely positively perfect! I'm quite sure that it would fetch north of 15 or 20k should you decide to sell, but I hope you enjoy the fruits of your labor for many many years.

                  Have you put an afr gauge on it? I would recommend you do - or, take it to a shop with a chassis dyno and afr gauge - then do some carb and distributor tuning, I'm sure it's running rich - it seems 90% of hot rods do, with a little tuning you can improve on that 12mpg figure, at least on the highway.
                  There's always something new to learn.

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                  • Originally posted by milner351 View Post
                    This car is absolutely positively perfect! I'm quite sure that it would fetch north of 15 or 20k should you decide to sell, but I hope you enjoy the fruits of your labor for many many years.
                    Have you put an afr gauge on it? I would recommend you do - or, take it to a shop with a chassis dyno and afr gauge - then do some carb and distributor tuning, I'm sure it's running rich - it seems 90% of hot rods do, with a little tuning you can improve on that 12mpg figure, at least on the highway.
                    Thanks milner, it's been a long road hard-travelled and the support and encouragement of fellow Bangshifters such as yourself was crucial to how it turned out.

                    You're absolutely correct about the state of tune, I've played with it by ear and smell but have been too lazy to pull plugs to confirm what you (and others) suspect. Checking plugs on an FE jammed between Ford intermediate shock towers hasn't been my biggest priority since last summer. Happily, there's a shop nearby with the kit you recommend...I'll be making an appointment with them this spring.

                    I really need to decide about future plans for this car. Honestly, there's too much time, effort and passion invested in it to even think about selling.

                    Apart from the mileage it's a fine highway cruiser but, with a 3:1 gear, stock converter and heads and mild 256 hydraulic flat tappet cam, seriously lacks stoplight-to-stoplight cred (never a strong point of the 390 GT motors and something I knew going in). And I miss that.

                    The good angel on one shoulder says to follow your sound advice, get a proper AFR-calibrated tune, then love it for what it is. The bad angel on the other shoulder, the one that I thought I banished when I put the El Camino in storage 5 years ago, whispers 3.91 gears with aftermarket converter, heads and more aggressive cam..

                    The current set-up, properly tuned, should be capable of delivering at least 30%, and maybe even 50%, better mileage. I'll set 16 mpg as the 2015 challenge, that and -- work schedule permitting -- a trip to the April FE Race and Reunion at Beaver Springs.
                    Last edited by mlcraven; February 24, 2015, 02:26 PM.
                    Michael from Hampton Roads

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                    • I got 16 mpg in a 64 Merc Montery, 390, "Baja Beast" cam, adjustable rockers and an aluminum aftermarket intake.
                      Your car is way lighter.. You should get decent mileage like that.. Or better.
                      These motors get better after 5-10,000 miles of use...
                      You'll get there!

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                      • The car looks fantastic. Wonderful to hear you have been out enjoying it as well.
                        BS'er formally known as Rebeldryver

                        Resident Instigator

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                        • Another summer comes to an end and I seem to have accomplished so much less than hoped for on the car front. Didn't get the Cyclone to the FE Race and Reunion at Beaver Springs (again), missed the June All Ford event at VMP as well as the US-13 Dragway Ford show at the end of August. Mostly my own fault; I've invested a lot of time getting an old Miata roadworthy for the better half, plus there were some family health issues that required attention.

                          Heeding the good advice of those who insist old cars should be driven, and the more the better, since August 2014 I've managed to rack up a bit over 1500 miles -- hardly much by some folk's standards but still 100+ miles a month. Would have been more but the C6 trans has been giving fits and is a source of some anxiety: an annoying 2-3 shift flare is getting worse, a drip has turned into a leak, and I still haven't managed to sort out why it won't 3-2 downshift under WOT.

                          With the objective of making the trip to the Henderson NC East Coast Drag Times Main Street show in mid-October serving as inspiration, over the course of the last week I've re-focused attention and effort, starting with lifting it up in the air in the garage last Sunday night. Click image for larger version

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                          Swore my days of crawling around on concrete were over, but I guess not. Click image for larger version

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                          These Race Ramps high density foam blocks are a darn sight more confidence-inspiring than my old jack stands sitting on top of wood blocks.

                          The offending C6 removed and ready to be taken away for rebuild. Click image for larger version

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                          I also decided to replace some clamped portions of the exhaust with honest-to-goodness welds. The offending clamps: Click image for larger version

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                          Now welded up: Click image for larger version

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                          A bit prettier after some work with the flap disc. Added an O2 bung as well: Click image for larger version

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                          Not quite sure how that happens -- get busy with the aim of putting the transmission right and spend a half day on the exhaust. Oh well, it's all progress!
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                          Last edited by mlcraven; September 5, 2015, 03:27 PM.
                          Michael from Hampton Roads

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                          • It's gone, sold last week. I was approached at the VMP Restoration Reunion last fall by an interested party, we exchanged contact info and he was persistent -- without being aggressive or rude -- over the winter in signalling his wish to own it. A passionate Ford fellow, retired, with a small collection of 60s Fords and Mercs he likes to play with.

                            The opportunity gave me something to think about; truthfully I didn't drive the car that much (average less than 100 miles a month since summer 2014) and, in my 60th year, I must confess that driving an old muscle car doesn't have the appeal it once did. Not sure what's changed, but something for sure. Without airbags and other modern safety technology it made me a tad nervous putting small grandkids in it, and Mrs. Craven was never an enthusiastic passenger. I've known for a long time that I derive the greater enjoyment from the build than from the long-term ownership experience.

                            So, with an offer on the table that allowed me to mostly cover the money in it (although not the labor, which I don't consider a factor anyway) I drove it to its new home last Wednesday. An emotional moment, a certain amount of blood (literally) and a lot of time and sweat went into this project.

                            Not certain what direction I'll go next, if at all. Still have the El Camino stored in a barn, and I did enjoy bracket racing that car, even if very badly.

                            Pics of the Cyclone from last October at the VMP Restoration Reunion in Dinwiddie County VA, the last time it was driven any distance.

                            Click image for larger version

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                            Attached Files
                            Last edited by mlcraven; April 3, 2016, 06:02 PM.
                            Michael from Hampton Roads

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                            • Sounds like it left you better than you found it and it went to a good home I would call it a win.
                              http://www.bangshift.com/forum/forum...-consolidation
                              1.54, 7.31 @ 94.14, 11.43 @ 118.95

                              PB 60' 1.49
                              ​​​​​​

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                              • Sounds like you did the right thing , your hard work has made someone else happy and that's always a good thing . Plus you got your money back , when does that ever happen ?. I'm sure you'll find a wrench in your hand and some iron in your driveway soon enough . Another plus is you gave us all some enjoyment watching you work , thanks.

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