74.5 347Z

I ordered the 5/8" and if needed I will manufacture a bushing to take up the slack. I can't finish the brake lines until I cut the steering shaft, and the motor and trans needs to be aligned before I can permantly mount the motor and trans. How does everyone go about making sure the alignment is correct to reduce driveshaft vibrations? I know about the plane of the tail shaft and the pinion of the diff but what about side to side? Sometimes the engine and trans appears not to be straight. What did y'all do to make sure the tail shaft is centered? I did talk to March Performance about a pulley set. At first I was planning to go with the old style set up, only water pump, alt, and crank. The tech told me to go with a '85 Crown Vic water pump. Since then I have decided that I will go with a set up that includes a tensioner with the hopes that the car will have a super charger after a set of heads. I still have a lot to do before I even think about putting an alternator on.

BTW, with the reverse rotation water pump on the later 5.0 is the water pump inlet on the driver side or the pass side? Any ideas on a good brand with a good price? I need to order a radiator and I can't find my water pump.

I ordered the support bearing and u-joint from Coleman Racing today. Did both of you use the 5/8" bore support bearing as well as the 5/8" u-joint? I am just wondering if there is too much space in the support bearing that it will need some sort of bushing. As far as my shifter, it thru the tunnel at the front part of the stock location. I cut the forward part of the hole. It seems that the shifter sets off to the left of the tailshaft. So it hits a little on the side of the hole. I will trim this piece later when I make sure everything is in line with the rear diff. Mike, I will take measurements of the mount when I take the motor out. The only thing I can tell you for sure is that the sides were 1-1/2" instead of the 2" and they were cut at a 45 degree angle on both ends. Just something to keep in mind if someone has as much clearance problem when using the GT-40 intake.

When you say "in phase" you mean the u-joint is opposite of the original one, as if the "ears" are in line from the two u-joints or opposite? But both of you used the 5/8" bore and also a 5/8" carrier bearing? Thanks for the link, I will contact them soon. Originally when I cut Al's mount I just wanted to lower the center section 1-1/2" and welded it back together. I cut it 1" inward from where it would mount to the frame. The part that was lowered then hit the TC rod mount. I bought 2x2 tubing and welded another mount just like the original, then I cut the "perch" where the motor mount bolt went and tried to lower it that way. I got close but no cigar! By that time I had chopped the mount up so bad that it was useless. With a cardboard template, the top of the mount to the bottom was like 8-1/2", that makes it level with the oil pan. Center section was 12" and the two 1-1/2" side pieces are cut at 45 degree angles. The one I have in the car now works but the right side of the motor is a hair higher than the left and there is about 1/4" space causing the sides not to sit flush against the sides of the frame rails. I may try to perfect it one more time, not sure yet. If you only need 1/2 to 1" it will be better if you just cut the "perch" and that will lower the mounting point and put your oil pan lower than the bottom of the mount. I never did take pictures before I put the motor in but I will take some when I pull the motor back out, for the twenty-third time.

I finally got the engine low enough to clear the hood with about 1" of clearance. The only problem I see is that the balancer is only 1/2" above the rack. I ended up making a mount using Al's as a template and changing the side tubes to 1-1/2" X 2". The trans fits well and the header flanges barely touch the TC mounts, I will grind some off the flange to get clearance. Now the problem is the steering shaft clearing the headers. I have read so many post about cutting and using the u-joint for the steering shaft. When I called borgenson, they said they have 9/16 and 3/4 u-joints but by my measurements it is slightly larger than 9/16". What brand and size of u-joint and carrier bearing are you using?

I joined almost two years ago when I bought my 260 and have only posted a handful of times mainly for the same reasons already stated. I spend so much time reading old post and the "post since last visit" section. Since joining I have gotten body work advice from racerx, bought seats from jkoch, alsil's motor mount, and brakes from rossc. So I guess you could say that I am proof that the search function does work. I do have some of my pics posted, http://www.hybridz.org/phpBB2/album_personal.php?user_id=1936, if anyone is interested. Like so many others, I appreciate the vast knowledge and the atmosphere here on this site, and want to thank those of you who have shared your experiences and misfortunes so mine will not be so painful. Mark

Is there a source that you know of for the metric fittings? I have been to four of my local parts store and none of them carry or can order the correct fittings. I have found the adapters but would rather use the correct size fittings. The only thing I can find is pre-made lines with fittings on them, and at $4 each it just isn't cost effective. I would like to replace all of my old fittings as well. Mark

I have a few questions for those of you who replaced your brake lines. I did read a thread that everyone was talking about adapters for using SAE fittings on the metric switch, etc. and was just wondering if I have to go this route or can I use the metric fittings on 3/16" line. I have just about all of my brake lines bent and have half of the original fittings. Another question, is it nessacary to have a double flare or will a single flare stand up to brake pressure. Mark

Yes, at the throttle body where the hood curves down. Today I pushed the engine as far back as it will go until the mount hits the tension rod mounts and coincidentally the bellhousing hit the trans tunnel. Now I am down to about an inch from closing and the intake plenum is touching at the same time as the TPS, just a little more forward. The oil pump is still not clearing the crossmember. Can you believe all of this is just to use a stock hood with vents? If I wasn't so dead set against a cowl induction this problem would already be solved. I will post more pictures tomorrow. Thanks Mark

What angle is your engine set at? Mine is almost level. I need 1-1/2" to close the hood and the problem is that my oil pump is 3/4" above the crossmember. So if I counter sink screws on bottom of oil pump=1/4", lower the engine mount=3/4", counter sink screws on TPS=1/8", I will still need 1/2". Anyone have any ideas about where to get that last 1/2"? I am thinking about cutting into the front crossmember. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated. Mark

John, I would be very willing to help with this. I have a '77 with good doors that I can't use on my '74.5 due to the diffrences in door latches and I have eight other doors, some old style latches and some new style latches most of them have latches, hinges, window regulators, basically complete doors but have been eaten up by rust. I could even cut out a couple of the side impact beams. I would definately sacrifice some of these old rusted doors if we could get a good quality set of doors available. Does the molds have the new or old style latches? The two I am trying to use on my car are terrible, Mikelly is right about the doors being light with everything removed but my passenger side door has another five (estimated) pounds of body filler. As you can tell, I am in a dyer need of a solution for doors. I will gladly help. Mark

Josh, I am also concerned with the oil pan being lower than the crossmember. I will be using a set of MSA springs about 1 to 1.5" lower and have considered altering the oil pan if needed. But before that I do have 2 hoods with louvers and one hood without. Have you heard about anyone else using the GT-40 intake? The thought of this makes the steering shaft seem like a minor issue. How much higher is your oil pan than the crossmember? Mark

buschj, I am assuming that your intake clears the hood. if so you must have your engine further back than josh. It looks like I will have to wait until this weekend and get my motor back and sit it in to be able to see the clearance problems that you are describing. I got a set of flowtech headers today and will stop by the parts store tomorrow to get a set of engine mounts. I should have some pictures for you next week. The pictures that I take will probably be the same pictures you take only different colors. Have either one of you considered pulling your motor back out and making some changes? Mark

Josh, You didn't say how much clearance you have but I am assuming you have at least 2". Right now I am looking at how much width the mount will loose if I cut the angle iron off and reweld it an inch or so lower. Looking at the mount on AL's website it appears that the mounting point on his crossmember is lower than the one he sent me but pictures can be deceiving. As far as cutting the steering column, I'm not worried because I got a spare. I had to take my flywheel to the machine shop this afternoon for them to complete the balancing. Everything should be assembled by the weekend and the Flowtech headers should be here within the next couple of days. I hope by this weekend that I will have 347 inch chunk of cast iron to sit in my empty hull. Any ideas on how you will get your hood to clear? Mark

Josh, That was not what i wanted to hear. How much clearance do you have between the pulley/balancer/oil pan and the crossmember? I was thinking that I may consider altering al's mount to lower the engine more. I have the later style hood with the louvers and don't really want to cut it up to put a cowl induction scoop. What are your ideas about resolving your clearance problem? Also, I think that if I can lower the mount 1", I shouldn't have to cut the steering shaft but that will not necessarily fix the intake clearance problem. Mark

Josh, I was wondering if you have checked for hood clearance yet? I'm getting nervous because I also have ALSIL's mount and a JTR trans corssmember but I got the GT-40 intake and think it is slightly taller. Anyone know if there is a height difference between the two? The engine is still at the machine shop getting balenced and assembled so I will not be able to install for another week. I decided to do the 347 stroker kit and F303 cam first because it will be much easier to bolt heads on later. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

I just checked and it does have a little less than three turns in 1st. I got lucky on this deal. Thanks for your input.

Hi Everyone, I was wondering if any of you can tell me for sure that the trans i have is a world class. I bought a '87 mustang for the motor and tranny for $800 and tonight a friend and I was looking at the tranny when we spotted Tremec written on the gear case and the part number below that is 13-52-065-922 G. It still says Borg-Warner on the tail shaft housing. What looks promising is that the metal tag has the numbers M-7003-Z which match the "Ford Racing Super Duty T-5" part number. Is it too soon for me to start celebrating or should i do more research? Any help you guys can provide will be very appreciated. Mark

hi everyone, i want to get rid of two L6's and trannys, for a reasonable price of course. they are in maine. anyone interested? what do any of you think they are worth? one is a '75 260 w/automatic, it was running until i removed my wiring harness but had some blue/black smoke. the other is a '77 with a manual in a junker i am trying to get rid of, not sure if it runs or not. i have to move on the '77 within a week or so. mark

hi everyone, anyone live in the new england area? last week i found 3 z's for $200. i may keep one, it is an '80. the other two are a '74 and a '77, all three have rust. they are already stripped i am getting them for the parts. anyway, to the point, anyone want these semi-bare chasis? i really don't want to see them crushed. i just don't have anywhere to put them, and don't have much time to work with. mark

bbbowtie, what is weld through primer? how should i treat the metal that is inside the overlap? do i even have to?

please don't appoligize about the lengthy replys! i am just glad there is someone that has the patience to explain this to me. a friend and i done a little rust repair on a bronco that i had and then primered and painted it. a few months later the rust was back, definately didn't do something right. as far as the primer we used had two parts and the paint had three parts, i think. he said this is what we are using, so we did. it was my first experience with a paint gun it turned out pretty well considering. the only bad part was the rust. now the bronco is sold and i bought this z. i hope to have better results this time thanks to the help that all of you are giving me. ok,ok. now i will blast the rust, weld in the new panels (rockers, lower quarters, and a bad spot above the tail light on the quarter panel) then treat the bare metal. rinse,dry,wipe w/thinner,sand,wipe w/thinner, and then spray w/expoxy primer. then comes the body filler, a diffrent kind of primer, and paint, this of course that will be later. this is what i gather from what you are saying. and then the por15 deal will take care of hidden areas inside and underside. am i getting close? what are good brands besides ppg and rustmort? i will take some pictures before i get to far into it. once again, thanks for your paitence and your help.

i read up on the por15 stuff you mentioned. so you think this would be better? it sounds like it is a simpler process. they have the metal-ready that goes on before the por15, what should you use after the por15, a primer surfacer or their tie-coat primer? they say the tie-coat is sandable. the por15 only sticks to bare metal or rust, correct? they advertise that "TIE-COAT Primer™ is a tough-yet-sandable single-component polyurethane primer, with special adhesion characteristics that make it perfect for most painted surfaces... Especially POR-15®." so after the metal prep, por15/well sanded old paint, tie-coat primer i should be ready for paint, right? what about the fine line where the bare metal area meets the old paint? should i use bondo or something else in needed areas on top of the por15 before the tie-coat or after the primer? monday i will call "RestoMotive Laboratories/POR-15, Inc. P.O. Box 1235, Morristown, NJ 07962 Phone: 1-(800)-457-6715" to talk to their techs. your advice is very helpful. i agree with Georgia Flash 75V8, you definately are the man.

i didn't mean to get anyone confused. owen and racer x, i now have an idea of what you are talking about. i live in maine and right now we have a bit of moisture, so it is a good idea to do small sections. does this procedure of metal prep, rinse, dry, wipe w/thinner, sand, wipe w/thinner, and then expoxy primer work both on bare metal that has been derusted and metal that has had no rust? if so i think i can handle that. "PPG", is that a brand name? i plan to cut the areas around the rusted spots, so hopefully the metal will be rust free. is there any other considerations i nood to take into account while i am doing these things?

owen, so a good expoxy primer on top of a blasted area will prevent further rust? how long do i have to primer the exposed bare metal before any chance of rust returning, minutes, hours or days? this por-15 that members are talking about is for areas of rust that cannot or have not been fully "derusted"? the more i look at this car the more rust i find. soon i am buying a sand blaster and declaring war on rust. just looking for the best way to treat the surface before painting. i appreciate your inputs. mark