My 64 Ford Custom Project

[HOTRODPAINT]

Mike, I can't believe that a guy I thought was MoPar through and through is building a Ford!..........Are they digging one up somewhere? LOL! :-)

[Mike P]

"....Mike, I can't believe that a guy I thought was MoPar through and through is building a Ford!..........Are they digging one up somewhere?......."

Hell I aint proud, I've even been known to build the occasional Chevy

[Oldf100fordman]

Mike, I love the idea of the Custom. Nice looking plain jane Ford. But a Chevy??? Geez, am I gonna have to disown ya?

[Mike P]

Well I keep pluging along on the 64., the big goal is to get it to move under it's own power so I can stop pushing the heavy thing around.

Last weekend I got the tranny cooler lines built and installed and and after looking at where the headers dump, built a couple of extensions to deflect the exhaust off the starter and oil pan.

Neighbors really ought to love the cam break in.

[Mike P]

After waiting for 2 months on a back ordered radiator, I cancelled the order and bought one off E Bay. I got a 30 X 19 which is the biggest that will fit without major surgery. It came in the middle of last week and I thought there might be a chance of actually hearing the car run this weekend.

Unfortunately when I went to pick up parts this weekend, the lower radiator hose I need has to be ordered, so it won't be in till Monday. Without the hose, my sense of urgency went way down, so most of the weekend was spent just mounting the radiator and taking naps.

I built a lower bracket from a piece of aluminum channel I had laying around that happened to exactly fit into the bottom channel of the radiator.

The top bracket was another piece of the channel bolted to an original 64 upper radiator hold-down. I only spent about an hour building the brackets and bolting the radiator in, but half a day figuring it out.

I had an old Ford fan shroud laying around and a bit of trimming and fabricating and my fingers stand a bit better chance of staying on my had when I time it. I put a 7 blade Ford flex pan on it (I like them because they have quite a bit more pitch to them than the aftermarket units), but can and probably will dig up one that's an inch bigger than what I used.

I sprayed a light mist of black paint over thefront and ends of radiator so it doesnt stand out so much.

So at the end of the weekend, the radiator, fan and shroud are mounted along with the transmission cooler. We'll see if I can make it go next weekend.

[Mike P]

Well, 12 years after the machine work was done and 7 years after the engine was assembled I finally head the 401 fire today for the first time.

It all went pretty well, I primed the fuel system with an electric pump prior to trying to fire it (and found out I had picked up a piece of crap in the needle and seat that required the removal of the carb top on the center carb). After that it cranked about five times and fired right off. The cam breakin- went really well with the engine carrying 60 PSI at 2500 and 25 PSI at a hot idle. It stayed at a constant 180 degrees the whole breaking period.

This is the first car I have used a Pertronix ignition conversion or an aluminum radiator on, and I've got to admit I'm pretty happy with both. I was really amazed at how simple the Pertronix conversion was and I really won't miss setting up the dual point distributor any more ( I guess I'm getting old ).

I'll probably tweak on it a little bit during the week then put the car aside for a while I get started on the new shop truck. When it comes back in to the shop the next project will be re-doing the front suspension and brakes.

[Dave Severson]

Good to hear things went well, Mike. That engine is gorgeous, BTW!!!! I still think the FE's are one of the best looking engines built this side of a V-12 Ferrari!!!!!

[Mike P]

I'm really enjoying building this one (when I don'f feel that I have other priority projects....which seems to be most of the time).

The tri-power, cast iron headers and Mallory dual point distributor body take me back to the days when I was just starting out and wishing a lot.

[Dave Severson]

I'm really enjoying building this one (when I don'f feel that I have other priority projects....which seems to be most of the time).

The tri-power, cast iron headers and Mallory dual point distributor body take me back to the days when I was just starting out and wishing a lot.

Stashed away in a corner, I have a nice collection of FE parts just waiting for the right car to come along.... Somedays I'm thinking a Thunderbolt clone, other times a CJ Torino clone....I really do like your Seeeeedan, thought I had a 300 Custom lined up, but I guess I let it get away.... I dunno, I should just quit looking and build what I have!!!!! I swear, when Merc 2 leaves for the upholstery shop I am going to finish my pickup and get the rear suspension done in the Camaro before ANYTHING ELSE comes in the door!!!!! I will be back on the Ranchero this winter......unless my "new car" takes it's spot on the priority list!!!!!! Or, I decide to head South for the winter!!!!

[HOTRODPAINT]

You almost make me want to work on my own toys again! After seeing your Plymouth, I have no doubt this Ford will be beautiful.........but it needs to have a teardrop hood to showcase that FE motor! :-)~

[stovens]

Mike
I just got done reading this thread(that you posted for Don) what a great story and build. I guess this was all done a couple of years ago but nice link!Are you still driving this car? Any videos of the engine roaring to life. Update us. Steve.

[Mr Blue]

Wow that looks great down in there! So nice to hear an engine fire and run for the first time. Congrats!

[Mike P]

Well with all the spare time on my hands I got the 64 Ford back in the shop. I’ve moved the car around a few times and with all that motor trying to stop it with the emergency brakes can be interesting. I’ve had all the stuff to do a disc brake conversion sitting in the truck for quite a while now and figured it would be a good time to get it done.

I found out I was luckier on the car than I figured. Looking at it, the front end had been rebuilt and brakes done just prior to it being wrecked (they even had put new springs in it and a new rear brake hose). I really hadn’t been looking forward to the front end rebuild.

The rear shoes and drums are beautiful (the shoes are riveted so I have no problem re-using them. I did put new rear wheel cylinders in, and as I have a real problem trusting the original 45 year old steel brake lines so all those got replaced.

I’ve done this conversion before, and it’s really straight forward. 79 Ford T Bird spindles and brakes are virtually a bolt on. If you are using the original tie rod ends. where they bolt up to the steering arm needs to be thinned a bit so the nut goes down far enough to get the cotter pin in (I have heard that using latter tie rod ends would eliminate having to do this). A 79 T Bird master cylinder also bolts up. The spindle is just enough different that the front end does need realigned but not a big deal there either.

While I was in there I also got rid of the clutch peddle and changed the brake peddle pad to one for an automatic.

[Dave Severson]

Looks good Mike, nice job on the discs! Good plan on the new brake lines, a lot easier to do it now then waiting till the old one's start leaking....

[Mike P]

I've only seen it happen a couple of times but brake lines tend to rust from the inside out....they can look great, right up until they burst. It's one of those jobs I really don't care for, especially doing it on a creeper, bu tthe piece of mind is well worth it.

While It's still up in the air and I'm under there I think I will also be running a new tank to engine fuel line. I don't know if they were all this way or if it's just because this was originally a 6 Cyl but the current line runs down the pass side of the car but on the FE the fuel pump is on the drivers side.