The resurrection of the Red Furd!!

[Bob Holmes]

To chronicle my rather hackneyed attempt to take my '86 SVO boneyard shell into a replacement for the recently totaled "hoser."

Where we started:

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q181/horsewidower/Red Turd-86 svo/redturd001.jpg

Where we are today:


http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q181/horsewidower/Red Turd-86 svo/P1040536.jpg

[Raven855]

I love it! That looks really good. You should call it the Phoenix or the Lazaris project. From looking at the weeds you could take on that lawn mower for your next project.

[MikeFleming]

So other than a bath and removal of the front license plate, what did you do? hehehe

Looking nice. And you know how I feel about red!

[Bob Holmes]

Yeah, and you know how I feel about red!!

[Chalky]

I don't get it??? You went from being in a field with a license plate, to being in a shed without a license plate.

Where's the progress in that???? We need more info. Looks OK(!!!!) for a red one.

[Bob Holmes]

No respect, none at all!!!!!

[Patrick]

No respect, none at all!!!!!

So you are asking for special treatment? That may be a new infraction.

[MikeFleming]

So you are asking for special treatment? That may be a new infraction. Yeah, Uh-Huh. Right. Make more work for me. THAT could be a new infraction too!

[Bob Holmes]

I'd say "I like this new infraction category" but I'm scairt!

[Bob Holmes]

You ever get stymied by a low dollar part...two days in a row. This has become a royal PIA!! First, the oil pan gasket is the correct early one, but one of the ends is too large. How can that happen. Of course no parts store has them in stock, they're all "at the warehouse." "We can get it for you tomorrow!" How come I can call Summit and they will deliver anything in their catalog to my doorstep the very next day, but if I buy anything local it takes a day to get it from the warehouse and I have to drive 15 miles to get it!

Freakin cam dowel pin also bit me in the ass! Obsolete Ford part, had to order some from another city.

So my plans to get the engine and transmission in the Red Furd over the holidays has been dashed!! I don't think this car wants to get back on the road.

[Patrick]

... "We can get it for you tomorrow!" How come I can call Summit and they will deliver anything in their catalog to my doorstep the very next day, but if I buy anything local it takes a day to get it from the warehouse and I have to drive 15 miles to get it! ...

The warehouse orders it from Summit, too. DOH!!!

Just plan a JY day to gather dowel pins, crankshaft keys, and all that sort of stuff.

[MikeFleming]

Buy a lathe and get some hardware store round brass or aluminum stock ...

[Bob Holmes]

I was looking for tool steel Mike, I'm storing a buddy's small lathe and was going to make some.

You can't even buy a piston stop at the local "McParts store."

Which means that I just need to do some better project planning, catalog shopping is becoming the best option. And by catalog shopping I'm talking about getting on the interwebs and finding what I need from the big warehouses.

[MikeFleming]

That dowel does not need to be tool steel, Even a soft aluminum will work just fine for the countershaft.

[Patrick]

If you break stuff, you may as well break the cheap part (dowel pin) rather than the expensive, difficult to find part (aux shaft). The best lathe and mill manufacturers in the world use softer material dowel pins than the material on the drives, gears, and shafts for a reason. I had the traverse quit working on my South Bend 17"" x 8' Turnnado Lathe. I asked for the price of the bevel gear before taking it apart. The gear would be $310, but they suggested that I take the table apart and check before ordering. Sure enough, a shear pin did what it was supposed to do. The cheap part sacraficed itself to save the expensive parts.

[Bob Holmes]

Good points, gentlemen. Thanks.

[MikeFleming]

Wha .. uhh... wait-a-hold-it. So I was right?

[Bob Holmes]

Wha .. uhh... wait-a-hold-it. So I was right?

Even a stopped clock is correct twice a day.

[Bob Holmes]

A little update, since we're only three weekends of potential work away from Knott's (which will be not if I can't make this thing driveable).

Engine, transmission, suspension (front and rear) all in the car. I'll have to go through and nut and bolt it, I can't remember whats been hot bolted and what's been torqued.

From an electrical stand point, main cables, engine harness etc have been installed. Need to install the charging system cable, dash and steering column electrics.

No AC, so it better not be 102 in Fullerton this year like it was a couple of years ago.

Entire interior needs to be installed. I ran out of SVO gray interior paint; my order from Late Model Restoration should get to me on the 27th.


Brakes are installed except for emergency cables. They will need to be bleed again when I have time.

Fuel pump has been installed in the tank. I'll install the tank after the rear suspension bolts have been checked.

Needs full exhaust. I have all the parts, just need to slice and weld.

Weather stripping needs to be installed around door opening and hatach.

Trim needs to be installed around front and rear windshields. I wanted to repaint them, but it might have to wait.

Need to install rear bumper and cover.

Need to install headlights.


I'm sure I'll think of some other items. I'm going to take next Thursday and Friday to try and make a dent. I'm supposed to teach at a teen driving clinic, but to hell with it, I need to get this done.

Bob

[MikeFleming]

Get 'er Done, Bob. Folks are counting on you.

BTW - 108 at Knotts this year. That's light jacket weather in the PM where I come from.

[Bob Holmes]

108, that would be very very bad.

[Raven855]

You wimpy Californians are killing me!

[MikeFleming]

Wimp - Tony and I don't even switch on the AC until it's over 100.

[Patrick]

These cars have A/C?

[MikeFleming]

These cars have A/C? Mine do. Used for when the tourists come to visit.

[vrinner]

Bob...just take care of the stuff need that must be done to get the car here, we can work on the rest once your here.

[MikeFleming]

we can work on the rest once your here. Dibs on brakes!!

[Bob Holmes]

Latest impediment to progress.

Engine mount to k-member studs. Passenger side is different from driver on the new ones I purchased. The nut for the passenger side, I have. What is the pitch and size of the stud on the driver's side? I've tried all the relevant sizes in my thread cleaning kit. It appears to have a 1.75 pitch, but is between the 12 and 14. Do they make a 13-1.75? I looked in the powertrain manual that Greg loaned me, and the nuts are different PNs, but they don't give the size and pitch.

[MikeFleming]

Gimme the part number(s). I have some hardware books that will list thread size/pitch.

You using NOS mounts? Or aftermarket ones? On my 84 the non-Ford replacements used a different thread size on the left side mount .

[Bob Holmes]

Aftermarket, Mike.

[MikeFleming]

Bob,

The work "pickle" comes to mind.

[Bob Holmes]

That's what I was afraid of.

Well the big victory of the day was getting the MINI out of the garage and the Mustang back in.

[MikeFleming]

No need to make it so difficult. Take the mount off the block (easier to remove the (3) or (4) left side? bolts from the bracket to the block then lift the engine up enough to pull out the entire mount assy - maybe shove a 2x4 in there for safe keeping).

Mosey down to your favorite hardware store - or get the thread pitch thingies and dial calipers out. Get two new nuts, and two large washers. Then put it all back together and put the spare washer/nut in the Spare Parts Box for next time. Don't forget to pull out the 2x4 - you might need that again for something else.

Next time you buy mounts, get nuts and washers on the same trip.

[Bob Holmes]

Yep, lesson learned. Why should I expect that the aftermaket part would match the factory. Nothing ever does. If it did it would violate Bob's first law of aftermarket parts, "nothing fits out of the box."

[MikeFleming]

"nothing fits out of the box."

Rule 1 above.

Rule 2: It will cost much more than estimated.
3: It will take much longer than planned.
4: It won't go any faster.
5. That "improvement" will never work right.
6. It will make less power.

...

[Raven855]

Bob, did you remember " lefty loosely, righty tightey"? Could explain alot. Just sayin....................

[Bob Holmes]

Tony, I don't know where I'd be without your helpful advice...sigh...

[Bob Holmes]

The four day thrash begins. Today's list of intended fixes:

Paint most of the interior, its already primed and in a building with a temperature greater than 70*

Get the car back up on jackstands and properly placed in the garage.

Pull the engine mount, like Mike suggested, and find the proper nut at the hardware store.

Grab the welder from my buddy, so that I can make up the exhaust tomorrow.

Install the fitting for the oil pressure sensor and turbo oil line, install the line and sensor.

Pull the clutch cable off of the dead SVO. Grease it and get it ready to go into the Red Furd.

The goal is to have it running on Sunday.

[MikeFleming]

All Hail Bob!!

[Patrick]

Don't anybody interrupt Bob until he's done on Sunday. There's a cooler with treats for him waiting here if he drives the red SVO here in three weeks.

[Bob Holmes]

Three done, then slight change of plans. My youngest came over, so I took advantage of the opportunity and we put the fuel tank back in. I had upgraded the fuel pump to the 255lph walbro.

Well, back out to the garage.

[blueboss]

What are your plans for that 'Riv?

[Bob Holmes]

That's an arm wrestle with my wife. Its been in the family since purchased new by her Dad in '67.

Needs a strip and paint job. Auto trans needs a rebuild. And I'd like to get the disc brake conversion for at least the front. It ran when parked, just wouldn't go far with the transmission problems. I drove it to work for a while about 10 years ago. People just didn't no how to take it.

[Bob Holmes]

Alright, 4 done, plus fuel tank and rear suspension fastener nut and bolt.

Today:

Pull clutch cable and install

Install turbo oil line

Install driveshaft

Get exhaust done. I'll have to probably install the rear bumper cover to do this correctly.

[Raven855]

The riv have a wildcat engine? Reverb radio? I have a friend that has a collection, 1 of every year! The family had one too. Drove it to my high school senior prom. It was like stopping an aircraft carrier with those brakes!

[Bob Holmes]

Tony, it was the first year of the 430. I don't even know what a Reverb radio is.

Stopping it is worse than trying to stop the F-350.

[Raven855]

The Wildcat and the wildcat engines were built through 1970. At that time the stage 1, 2 and 3 stuff came out. The standard wildcat was the 465, for 465# torque and 340hp. The super wildcat engine was 360hp and had 2 4 barrel carburetors. You could get reverb even on the Fords. It was kind of an echo device for AM radio. I must be showing my age......Are your drums still aluminum?

[Bob Holmes]

Clutch cable is installed complete with MM adjuster and quadrant.

Driveshaft installed.

Building an exhaust without a lift is a PITA. Lying on your back trying to make everything work is an excercise in frustration. Downpipe, 3" cat, then...the wrong offset muffler. Damn. Tried to make the center to center Hooker Aero Chamber work, but it'll contact the driveshaft if there is any downward movement. I'm going to order a Dynomax VT with the proper offset. It seems to get good reviews for quiet at idle and cruise, when the valve opens at load and WOT it gets load and lets things breathe.

[MikeFleming]

Is it done yet?

If not, how much longer?

[Patrick]

Clutch cable is installed complete with MM adjuster and quadrant.
.

So the PLA firewall adjuster ain't good enough for you, eh? (sniff, sniff)

[Bob Holmes]

Didn't know there was a PLA firewall adjuster. I've had the MM for 5-6 years. Not a new purchase.

[Bob Holmes]

Some Pics!!

Here's where it was:

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q181/horsewidower/P1040591.jpg

The offending MINI pushed out on the gravel. Maybe it'll be running today.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q181/horsewidower/P1040599.jpg

Wiring, wiring and more wiring:

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q181/horsewidower/P1040592.jpg

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q181/horsewidower/P1040593.jpg

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q181/horsewidower/P1040596.jpg

[Bob Holmes]

Back in the shop:

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q181/horsewidower/P1040597.jpg

3" Exhaust:

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q181/horsewidower/P1040602.jpg

Welding in the new cat:

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q181/horsewidower/P1040603.jpg

At least the engine's in:

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q181/horsewidower/P1040601.jpg

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q181/horsewidower/P1040600.jpg

[Patrick]

So if you have to change the clutch at some time in the future, what would you have done differently on the exhaust?

[MikeFleming]

Do I spot a wee bit of a termite problem in that first pic?

[Bob Holmes]

Yep, wee bit.

[Chalky]

So you moved it into the garage, turned it around and took the wheels of. Wheres the progress in that:):):):):)

Lookin' good mate.

[Bob Holmes]

Stop Bob Stop.

Well at least that's what the Doctors, TLD and my back has enforced.

Monday, while teaching at a teen car control clinic, a not so controlled car bounced off a tree, took out a light stand and swatted me in the air for 15 to 20 feet. Apparently I stuck the landing (9.5 by the japanese judge, 9.5 by the belgium, but only a 7 by the chinese) landing on my ass/back and slowing the slide with a bounce and then scrap on the back of my head (I now have something I can blame for a lack of hair other than creeping male pattern baldness)

After spending the rest of the day in a trauma center (by the way, why are the young nurses such a pain in the ass and all the ones my age so nice?) and talking my way out of staying at the hospital (people are sick in hospitals, not a good idea to stay there any longer than you have to) I made it home very early Tuesday morning.

So I can finally sit up today, and let you know that I'll be down for the count for a little while. Apparently a broken back takes 4-6 weeks to heal.

So I'll spend my time (explinative removed) up your threads...beware!!

[MikeFleming]

Dayum!! Should start a new rule that all spectators need helmets. That would help with the head banging.

You know we're gonna talk about at Vince's and Knotts, right?

6 weeks MINIMUM. Get someone else to do the heavy lifting - like anything over 10 Lbs. And find a [physically] comfortable way to sleep - that'll be important as you heal.

Feel free to fix threads as please. Remember you can still be banned as an invalid, iirc.

On a side note - the younger nurses are much better when you're on drugs. The older ones are too.And so is daytime television. Do you have enough drugs?

[Chalky]

(explinative removed)!!!! Glad to hear you are going to be ok......sorta?!?!?!?!?!

In all seriousness though, this is a terrible thread hijack and I think it needs to be moved to the "Racing Crashes/ Accidents" thread!!!!!! Pics:):):)

P.S.- i hope you laugh at the last comment and that it doesn't hurt too much. If so, take more drugs!!!!!

[Bob Holmes]

Thanks Chalky, I'm bummed I won't be seeing you guys.

It did give me a chuckle. I'm officially limited to chuckles until further notice.

[MikeFleming]

... I'm bummed I won't be seeing you guys. Be sure to get us a t-shirt so we can include you in the group pics.

[Patrick]

Thanks Chalky, I'm bummed I won't be seeing you guys.

yOu'Ll SeE s0mE oF u$ wHeN y0u LeAsT eXp4cT iT oR 1EaSt WaNt iT.

(friggin capslocks key!)

[Bob Holmes]

I'm thinking about sending the polo shirt that the EMTs cut to shreads. Too visceral?

[MikeFleming]

Just a normal short, thank you. There will be women present and we wouldn't want to get them too excited.

[Patrick]

There will be women present and we wouldn't want to get them too excited.

It's Bob who we're talking about here. Rethink what you just posted.

[Bob Holmes]

"normal short" is about right. No women excitation really expected.

[Bob Holmes]

I wandered out to the garage yesterday...yep the Mustang is still there. http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-basic/biggrin.gif

I had my son mount some tires and wheels and drop it off the jackstands; pushed it outside.

It'll get a washing today, 3 months of neglect have layered it in dust.

The plan is to start working on small stuff. One of my sons has a friend who was discharged from the military 4 months ago (he hasn't been able to find a job), so he's going to help me. It'll give him some "walking around" money, and me a helper for the hard stuff.

[MikeFleming]

Good to hear you're healing up, Bob. Take it easy for a while and let the younger folks do all the heavy work.

And stay away from Volvos.

[Bob Holmes]

Finely settled my hanging title issue with the car. Time to get back into gear and get this thing done.

[MikeFleming]

Now that your special vacation is over?

Welcome back!

[Bob Holmes]

Still a few hangovers from the special vacation, but I can work through it!! I'm just tired of driving a diesel 4x4 truck that costs $65 to fill one tank. The fuel savings will pay for the parts I need to finish the SVO.

[Meotchh]

That thing better be destined for Knott's & or Sturgis in 2013!

[Bob Holmes]

Special vacation is over. Time to get to work. Now I have to find all the parts that have been moved around over the last 7 months. I'll be digging around the storage barn trying to find all the interior parts.

I'll sit down and go over everything that needs to be done this evening.

[Bob Holmes]

Looks like I found everything. Its amazing how much dust and dirt lands on parts when your wife harrows the horse arena twice a day. Also pulled out the headliner so that I can prep it for a new cover.

[Bob Holmes]

Disinterred the Furd from the Wilton clay today. Took the tractor, in 4 wheel drive, to pull it out. Time to get back to work. Now I just have to remember where everything went.

[Chalky]

woot-woot!!!!!

[Bob Holmes]

How do I get the headrest off these damn seats. Arrrgh.

[SVOC]

reach up from the bottom of the seat back, inside the seat fabric, once you have your whole arm all the way up in there you will feel the release latch to remove the head rest.

[Bob Holmes]

The Furd is back from the fabricator. I've only run it a little while, my initial impression is that I'm not pleased with the exhaust note from the large VT Dynomax. We'll have to wait to see whether or not I like the sound from the inside.

I should be banned for my negligent behavior, no pics in a long, long time. I got to get back on this thing, deadline for licensed, tagged and on the street is 9/2.

But I plead for mercy, cause Bonneville was worth it.

[MikeFleming]

Well, on the plus side, you did provide pictures from Bonneville.

But, alas, that was a different thread. So you're getting a one-post ban. You've worked hard and deserve the time off.

[Bob Holmes]

1...

[Bob Holmes]

5068506950705071

[Bob Holmes]

Spent the day arguing with the HVAC system. Fought to a stalemate. Who would have thought that no one, not one store, in Norcal has a blower motor for a Foxbody Mustang. I'll have to drive into town tomorrow, provide a CC # and hope that the NAPA will have it shipped from Socal by Monday. I love the engineering that requires you to cut open the evaporator enclosure in order to replace it. Yep, that's what it tells you to do in the service manual. Tomorrow we'll work on the brakes while waiting to put the dash back together.

[Bob Holmes]

Up and running again, then the new heater core pissed all over the passenger side. Test everything, I repeat, test everything. Almost time to take it over to Geoff's and align. He's got a flat floor, I...don't.

[SVOC]

Glad to see you chipping away at your list, really, really sucks to hear the heater core failed :confused:

[Bob Holmes]

My son Jason has acquired this car from me and will be finishing the rebuilding process.

He'll take over from here, and I'll just sit back and heckle, which I'm quite good at.

[MikeFleming]

Passing the SVO Torch!!

Well Done, Bob!!

[Holmzy]

Taking where my dad left off, we spent the last couple weekends installing the interior after replacing the daggum heater core.

We started out with a solid working engine and just the need to reinstall the interior
6427

After a couple Sundays we've managed to get the bulk of the interior in, including new seats, new speakers and deck, a fresh carpet and quite a bit of cleaned up plastics
64286429

The spoiler/wing has been painted, but yet to be installed. We will be doing a turbo swap this next weekend and should have it ready for smog.

6430
6431

[Bob Holmes]

If I knew it was going to look that good, you would have never had a chance!!! Even if it is red.

[Chalky]

IT LIVES!!!!!!!

[BLK BRD 88]

Well done, dad & son Holmes.....it looks great!
Ron

[Bob Holmes]

We've dealt with some "new" build teething problems, but I'll let "Holmzy" provide the narrative.

[Holmzy]

An update for this past weekends efforts


6581
(Over the course of the week I only found enough time to throw on the lower half of the spoiler and the windshield wipers)

We started the weekend hoping to get the car aligned and smogged

The alignment was done at a local shop after our own attempt didn't do much.

While heading over to smog, the car began to stumble, idle roughly and do it's best imitation of a rust bucket. Backfires and all! So smog was cancelled and we took it back home to test and begin a turbo swap

6582

The turbo removal was pretty straight forward, we were looking to remove this monster, which we believed would of failed smog anyways, and install a smaller one

6583

With a little help it wasn't to long before we had pulled it completely

6584
(The smaller turbo to be attached)

While removing it we discovered what may have been causing out rough idle and stumbling

6585

My guess is the way it sat brought it to close or on contact with the turbo and it melted straight through to the metal cord

6586
(The larger turbo as it sits now)

It wasn't as successful a weekend as we had hopes but progress has been made! The turbo swap will be finished this week and then it's off to smog!

[brsvo]

Plug wires that look that way are generally a problem all the way around!!!

[Chalky]

This is all BS!! You guys have just been pushing it around the yard taking pics. I know your game!!!!

:):):)

[Bob Holmes]

The big turbo was one I picked up from Bo. It had made over 500 rwhp on one of his builds. But its not really matched to this stock engine build. It also had a pretty impressive leak on the exhaust elbow, even though I'd lap'd the elbow. I probably needed to pull of the turbine housing and lap it.

We're going to the IHI that I decided to use on the Hoser. Very quick to boost, just runs out of air on the top end. But lots of fun on the street.

We're not drag racers.

[Chalky]

my '84 had an IHI on it when i first got it. They are a great little turbo for a daily driver/ street car.

[JTurbo]

Great progress.

[Ford Builder]

Whats next?

[Bob Holmes]

We have to install the IHI and then get it smogged.

CARB changed its CAT requirements while I was trying to get this back on the road, we'll see if they pass it.

[Ford Builder]

Good luck!

[Bob Holmes]

Well, we can bring this one to a close.

The car finally passed smog (bad dizzy shear pin problem fixed), its been registered and licensed. My son will be using it as a daily for a while, when he gets some reliable transportation we'll start modding it.

It was a long journey from a shell to a legal road car.

[MikeFleming]

Another SVO Rises from the Grave!

Congrats.

[SVOC]

So what's the story on the bigger turbo acquired from Bo?

My bucket-o-bolts needs a replacement hairdrier.

[Bob Holmes]

It might have been sold on...or its sitting on a shelf in the garage. I'll have to check.