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

[milner351]

Two numbers stamped into the torque convertor housing:

432801
1790

I think it's a TCI street fighter - anybody else got any ideas?
It appears to be almost new - came with the aod trans when I got it off CL.

[BBR]

http://www.jegs.com/i/TCI/890/432801/10002/-1

[milner351]

yup - we found the same thing - it will be interesting to see if it really stalls at 3000 - I don't have much of an engine in front of it.

[STINEY]

it will be interesting to see if it really stalls at 3000 - I don't have much of an engine in front of it yet.

There, fixed it for ya!

[milner351]

it's a simple combo:
edelbrock heads with 195 valves, box stock
x303 cam 224 at .050 / .542 lift
mahle forged pistons, which are unfortunately .020" down the hole killing compression
stock crank
knock off air gap intake
4777 holley
headers

I'm relying on light weight and gearing to make it quick, 2.84 first gear in the aod with "3000 stall" and 4.10 gears should make the launches entertaining.

[gearhed1971]

Let me know how the aod hookup goes. We have one sitting in a 34 ford right now waiting for one of us dimwits to fry it-oops, I mean hook it up. I wish I could afford a gear vendors setup, more weight in the ass too.

[milner351]

GH71
for the AOD - you need the little $20 carb adaptor to hook the TV cable to, then - with the carb linkage held at WOT, pull the TV cable tight and lock down the adjustment. THat should get you really close. There's a pressure port on the side of the trans you can use to set the pressure just so based on TV position - but the previous backyard method works just fine in my experience.

Tighter on the cable is higher pressure and later shifts if my memory serves....

[pintoboy77]

I bought the Lokar cable and you adjust it with a guage it shifts at 35psi and after the shift it goes as close back to 0psi so in over drive it will run pretty close to 0psi. If you don't set it up this way it will burn up the clutches I have a AOD in my Torino and it hooks up great and shifts great too. The oil guage goes in the middle port on the passenger side. As for your yoke you can knock the balance ring off and then balance the drive shaft or if you have a C4 yoke it will work too.

[milner351]

Thanks Greg
thanks again for the 8.8s too they're going to donate a few more parts than I originally thought - I swear there's a bolt stealing gnome in my shop - maybe it's the black cat I've caught sleeping on the back of the boat cover out back....

Headers are installed - more clearance on driver side than passenger side - which is a good thing as that is where the shift cable, tv cable and speedo cable all go... it's a bit tight on the trans cooler lines but with a bit of tweaking it should work.

Had to make a couple special bolts for a couple places on the headers to clear the tubes, then I had to re-do the trans dip stick bracket, again, then make a few bolts to bolt the water pump on. Starter went back on with out a hitch - the mini starter from the newer 5.0 sure packages nice in the older cars.

I continue to eat the elephant one bite at a time!

[odmarco]

you had to redo that perfectly re-purposed bracket from the SVO? bummer.

Glad the header mod worked out to clear the trans. I went to NPD several times and picked up the water pump bolts, FEAD bolts, etc to avoid having to do special bolts as you mentioned...not sure if that would help.

[Russell]

How do you make a bolt?

[milner351]

Start with one too long, thread more of the shank with a die, then cut it off to the length required, round the end and hope you cut it to the right length the first time.

It seems you need about 5 different length bolts for a ford water pump - and only maybe three of them are something you can grab from the hardware store in say 2.5 or 3" length, there are some that go through the pump, through the timing cover and into the block - those are like 4 - 5" long - they are all 5/16" -18 UNC thread, so at least I had the die for them in my old craftsman set.

[Beagle]

Start with one too long, thread more of the shank with a die, then cut it off to the length required, round the end and hope you cut it to the right length the first time.

It seems you need about 5 different length bolts for a ford water pump - and only maybe three of them are something you can grab from the hardware store in say 2.5 or 3" length, there are some that go through the pump, through the timing cover and into the block - those are like 4 - 5" long - they are all 5/16" -18 UNC thread, so at least I had the die for them in my old craftsman set.

I believe you can get he water pump / housing studs and bolts from the HELP section in box parts stores. Something like 12.00 the last time I checked.

[Russell]

Start with one too long, thread more of the shank with a die, then cut it off to the length required, round the end and hope you cut it to the right length the first time.

It seems you need about 5 different length bolts for a ford water pump - and only maybe three of them are something you can grab from the hardware store in say 2.5 or 3" length, there are some that go through the pump, through the timing cover and into the block - those are like 4 - 5" long - they are all 5/16" -18 UNC thread, so at least I had the die for them in my old craftsman set.

Are bolts hard all the way through? does extending the thread make them any weaker, or something like holding on a water pump not take that much anyway? ARP makes ford water pump bolts but they are $$

[milner351]

I can't justify the expense of ARP stuff for anything non critical - you could spend a fortune on pretty bolts for valve covers intakes, etc, I put arp bolts in the rods, mains and heads on this engine.

I've never had problems making studs from threaded rod or making bolts the right length as described for valve covers, water pumps, carb and air filter studs, etc.