Going to freshen up my 27

About 8 months ago or so, I went for a little drive in my 27 and had to turn around because the throwout bearing started making a noise when I depressed the clutch and the pedal felt funny. I brought it home, threw a tarp over it and it has sat there collecting dust since.

This week I decided that it was time to fix the throwout bearing and also do some much needed repairs to the car. I originally built it 25 years ago and about 6 years ago I did a major rebuild. It got a 331 Ford stroker/ fully roller motor and I had everything powder coated and I painted the body satin black. Also had the interior redone at that time. But for 5 years I just drove it and did really nothing to it so it was time.

A lot of the bolts had rusted, so I am going to replace them all with polished stainless bolts, I am going to go through the motor and replace gaskets, seals, and maybe put a Z303 cam in instead of the X303 cam that is now in it. The motor rear seal and the rear end yoke seal leaked since day one, and this time I am going to cure those leaks..........I'm tired of putting oil absorbent pads under the car when it is parked in the shop.

So, yesterday and today I worked at removing all the parts and today I got the motor and trans out. I am also going to have a new radiator built, this one is 20 years old and has been patched a few times. Here are some pictures of the progress I made today. (man, I didn't realize this thing was so filthy !!!!!)

Don

LOL at "filthy".

Nice car.

Skip said:

LOL at "filthy".

Nice car.

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Probably had to use a whole paper towel to wipe all that grease off...

smallfoot said:

Probably had to use a whole paper towel to wipe all that grease off...

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Maybe just one of those half sheets [S

Ditto, nice car [cl

filthy...... I think not...... It's cleaner in your "filthy" state than mine would ever be in it's "clean" condition.

Thanks, but it really is pretty bad. I was surprised to see so much rust on all the bolts and so much shop dirt on the whole underside. I plan on pushing it outside and scrubbing everything off before I rebuild the motor and reinstall everything.

I have two new tires for the front that I bought from Coker a year and a half ago, and the back ones still look pretty good, so I will reuse those.

It didn't make sense to just have it sitting there unused, when I could be driving it again.


Don

I think it"s great,that you have been able to keep+enjoy your car that long. Freshen it up and get it ready for another 25 years.

Could be a lot worse things to work on than that ride.

Ruck row. Now Don has 3 projects going! [P[P[P

Bamamav said:

Ruck row. Now Don has 3 projects going! [P[P[P

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Yeah, and some of us can't even get one done..........
good for you Don, do you're thing and get it back out there and enjoy....
another 25..............

smallfoot said:

Probably had to use a whole paper towel to wipe all that grease off...

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Yeah, that thing's a filthy mess... haha!!! Glad you decided to put her back on the road... love that car!

BoB

Thanks again, guys. As for the 3 projects, I have a very short attention span and get bored easily. Those are not exactly virtues.

Tonight I pulled off the transmission and found the throwout bearing in 3 pieces. It had disintegrated and I'm surprised it worked at all the way it was. I also am going to cure my persistent oil leak at the rear of the block, so I tilted the engine steeply and put a couple of extra quarts of 5-20 oil into it to see where it is coming out.

I cleaned that area bone dry and before long I started to see oil drip out of the bolt holes where the flywheel bolts to the crank. I had heard that on sbf engines those bolts go all the way through the crank into the pan, and they do. I had only used antiseize on them, not thread sealant, so that was part of my leak.

I also started getting a drip from where the pan gasket seals around the back, so I am going to replace that gasket and goop the heck out of it with Permatex. I left the motor on that angle over night and will see if any other spots show up tomorrow.

I've decided to go with a hotter z303 cam instead of the x 303 I am running, and I also am going to go to an aluminum flywheel. I figure those two changes should take some of the low end torque out of the motor and let it rev quicker

Don.

Well, true to my usual mode of operation, I changed my mind on what all I was going to do to the 27. I pulled the pan down to replace the gasket and everything was so clean inside that I have decided not to screw with putting a new cam in and all that it would entail. The motor ran great, so why screw up a good thing.

I scrubbed up the engine and Dan polished all the aluminum parts for me, it now looks pretty good. I am ordering a new clutch, flywheel, pressure plate, and throwout bearing from Summit today, and Saturday I am going to drag the rest of the car outside for a good bath. Then I can replace some worn parts, like fuel hoses, put a new battery in it, and start buttoning it back up.

I don't want to spend a fortune on this car right now, I have two other projects to finish and don't want to spread myself too thin. I'll post some pictures of the motor and body when I get the body all cleaned back up.

Don

Good call on the engine Don.[cl [cl
Most of us have the inclination towards tearing into thing when a simpler,faster and less expensive approach will do just fine.
[P [P [P
Torchie

Or you could just box it all up and sell it to me if you've got too much on your plate.

I've always liked your bucket.

Thanks, guys. Don't tempt me, I might just send it to you and make my life a whole lot easier !

I ordered my flywheel, clutch and pressure plate from Summit today. It should be here by Tuesday so maybe I can start putting the motor back in then.

I've got to start finishing up some of these overdue projects. I think I have more projects than time left to finish them !

Don

donsrods said:

Thanks, guys. Don't tempt me, I might just send it to you and make my life a whole lot easier !

I ordered my flywheel, clutch and pressure plate from Summit today. It should be here by Tuesday so maybe I can start putting the motor back in then.

I've got to start finishing up some of these overdue projects. I think I have more projects than time left to finish them !

Don

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Haha, if you're boxing up projects I call dibs on your RPU [dr

This should be fairly quick for you to get back on the road in tip top shape by the looks of it!

donsrods said:

Thanks, guys. Don't tempt me, I might just send it to you and make my life a whole lot easier !

I ordered my flywheel, clutch and pressure plate from Summit today. It should be here by Tuesday so maybe I can start putting the motor back in then.

I've got to start finishing up some of these overdue projects. I think I have more projects than time left to finish them !

Don

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Don, I don't think I have more project's than time ....I know I do....buuuutttt
I'M with Snopro if you're looking to unload the rpu I'M IN[ddd[ddd

Haha, I'm not sure you guys would want it, the thing needs WAY too much work!

I spent today scrubbing up my 27, on top and underneath. Took me a long time with some dawn dish detergent and a brush, and then I used some wash and wax soap and finally some wax on the shiny parts.

Here is the engine, almost ready to go back in. The clutch parts should be here early this next week and that is that last piece I need to drop it in.




Here is the car itself, after some scrubbing. It sure looks a lot better than it did when I pulled the motor out .










Don

That's a SWEET ride Don.
I use Dawn on my engines to degrease as well.I figure that if they can use it on wildlife after a oil spill it must be good stuff
Torchie