I'm not going to lie to you...today is CRAP. It's snowing, I'm supposed to be working late tonight, I probably won't get any games in, my week was long and terrible, I'm very tired, and Heidi is sick (so I'm basically on my own with the kids today).
So I'm writing this post in an attempt to switch out this negative groove for some positive vibes. I'm going to start by talking about something you all know I love to talk about: cars...and specifically, the continuing project of the Mustang.
First, I was able to take a couple of hours this past week and get the new engine Ford 302 block (well, new to me...it's actually out of an '86 Cougar) all stripped down and ready to go to the machine shop. I got everything taken off of/out of the block, and she's pretty much ready to go. Here's the block, fully stripped, on the engine stand:
Here's the bottom end of the block, showing the main bearing caps (and no oil pan or crank, obviously):
Also, here are the crankshaft and camshaft (along with the old freeze plugs). Below that is a pic of the pistons.
Will these be reused in the engine rebuild-and-swap? Well, I might be able to use the crankshaft, but not the camshaft. Funny thing about the Ford 5.0L engines of the 80s: there were two different build-outs. The "standard" 302 used the original 302 firing order of 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8. The cam and crank are both thus set up for that particular firing order. The 302 H.O. ("High Output") engine used the same firing order as the larger 351 Windsor, 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8, basically swapping the timing of the 5-4 and 3-7 cylinders in the order. Apparently, the 351/HO firing order results in the engine running more smoothly and provides less stress/load on the crankshaft and bearing caps, so Ford's engineers decided to go that way in high-performance engines (the HO and bigger 351 engines were obviously designed to be the high-performance Ford small blocks). So I can't use this cam with the Mustang engine, if I'm going to stay true to its original HO build-out, because this is a standard (i.e., original firing order) camshaft. I won't reuse the pistons, either. Basically, if I'm going to go to the trouble of doing a full rebuild, I might as well put in as many new parts as I can. I likely will use the crankshaft and connecting rods that are in the best shape (cranks and rods are EXPENSIVE). However, I will be getting new pistons, a new camshaft, new lifters (I am strongly considering Rhoads lifters), new timing set, new high-volume oil pump, new bearings, new gaskets and seals, new bolts and fasteners, and possibly a new oil pan. Reusing the old parts just doesn't make much sense because of the greater wear incurred by them.
Here's the Mustang in its current state, on the jack stands and patiently awaiting my completion of the engine rebuild, as well as the steering box swap:
It also needs the rear brakes redone, but they're drums, so that won't be too bad, even if I have to buy new drums. It also needs new tires. Once all of THAT is done, she'll finally be road-worthy again. (I'd also like to get the top working automatically again, since summer's coming and that would be very nice.)
Unfortunately, since it's just sort of taking up space, it's also being tasked to hold a few other things that it normally wouldn't, because the garage is in something of a state of flux right now. We just got the main bay cleared out enough for Heidi to park the minivan in the garage (its first time in a garage of any sort for nearly two and a half years). I'm using the third bay for the automotive work, which it will do until the Mustang is in a better (i.e., mobile) state. Now, the hood's also off, as you can see, since she's awaiting an engine swap:
The next big phase of the Mustang project, after the mechanicals are done, is repainting. You remember a few posts back, where I put up the pic of what it WILL look like? That's gotta be done next. The weatherstripping also all needs replacement. Once the exterior is done, all that will remain is interior work: new carpet and upholstery, new console, new dash pad, new door panels...you get the idea. I did get a little time to finish off a small piece of the interior, replacing the old, totally-destroyed sun visors with new ones:
Next up on the agenda is another subject very close to my heart, but this is someONE, not someTHING: my son Connor, who I miss very much. I took these pics while he was here with us at Christmastime. We got some decent weather, so he and Chong and I went down to Norman for lunch and a little walk-around time on campus. Here he is with some important personages:
What's great is, he and his big sis have already gotten their pictures taken with the real deal in three of these cases:
I can't wait until summer, when he comes out for his five weeks. We've already got a lot planned.
Finally, I have a HILARIOUS video of our little one, who is making incredible leaps and bounds every day:
So I feel better now, after all of this. Plus, the snow hasn't been nearly as bad so far as they were predicting, and that makes me feel A LOT better. Let's hope it stays low-key today. I can REALLY use low-key.
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