Beginning some of the sheet metal work--May 2014

Since there are three coats of paint on this old beast I decided it best to rid the sheet metal of all layers.  The original Wimbledon White, one coat of an Orange/Red, and another coat of Bright Red.  Of course just like about  any  other 44 year old car there is going to be a few bruises along the way that need ironed out.   Also I plan on deleting the side marker lights and antennae so I will be welding patches in place of the holes on the fenders.  I have already welded in place two new quarter panels and they will need some smoothing as well by a "real" body and paint person.

My plan with the sheet metal is to strip all the paint, rust and otherwise junk from all the metal, clean and prep, then shoot with an epoxy primer.  This will allow my paint guy to see all the dents and dings he needs to fix to make it straight while keeping it rust free.

I'm just getting started on this process so it will take me awhile as I do not get a lot of opportunities to work on the car.  Here are a few pictures of the work I have done recently.  Just getting the roof and both fenders ready before I mix up any primer.  I still need to weld in the patches for the side marker lights and clean up the second fender.

Roof, in the process of being stripped.

Fenders, Doors, odds n ends in process

Roof stripped and metal prepped

Roof stripped and metal prepped

Driver's fender in process of stripping

Driver's fender stripped and metal prepped, still in need of a patch to over that side maker light.

408 Cleveland

  It is finished now, ready to bolt on all the goodies and put in the car.  Here is a picture of the engine without all the peripherals.  I need to spend some time on this just to bolt on a few things but it is quite a ways off until I need it in the car.  There is a lot of sheet metal work to do for paint before the engine goes in.  I'll have more pics of the engine coming soon. 

All machine work done by Jerry Wilson at Chet Wilson Engine Service

Heads

 ·         4V factory iron Closed Chamber heads
·         Decked
·         Harland Sharp Roller Rockers
·         Heads are Port matched with intake manifold and gaskets
·         Cleaned out, smoothed up exhaust ports, did not polish
·         ARP head bolts
·         Hardened valve seats
·         3 angle valve job
·         Bronze valve guides
·         New valve springs, retainers, locks and steel spring seats

Block

·         Bored .030 over, and decked
·         ARP Main Cap bolts
·         High volume oil pump with chrome moly shaft
·         Rear sump pan to clear new front end


Crank
·         9000 series stroker cast crank for 408 ci displacement
·         Dynamically balance with flywheel, clutch and damper, 28 oz. balance 
 

Pistons

·         Forged pistons  -16 cc dished    9.5 Compression Ratio
·         New rings (Total Seal Gapless) 

Rods
 ·         Forged I Beam 6” for 408 ci displacement
·         ARP rod bolts
 

Cam

·         Hydraulic flat cam, custom grind by Jerry Wilson
·         Double roller timing gear & chain

Intake manifold

·         Edelbrock Performer
·         Port matched with heads and gaskets
·         ARP manifold bolts
·         Holley 780 cfm       
 

Harland Sharp Roller Rockers

Cast Iron 4V Heads

The James Todd Watkins scam

Since so many of you have been asking for more info on this subject, here is your answer. 

This blog is for the description, documentation and logging of events associated with the rebuild of my Mustang, I refuse to have this blog degraded with the use of a name of such scum like Todd Watkins. 

In hopes he will not be able to scam someone else, I will continue to tell everyone I meet the story of how I paid him almost $5,000 for work he never did on my car.  I have a signed contract and signed receipts of payment.   I also have two other websites dedicated to the sole purpose of telling the story of how he scammed me. "The truth"  Not his lunatic lies.   If anyone wants those web addresses and have not seen them already, just let me know and I will send them to you.