Work done around May 26th, 2012

We’ve been working to remove the engine, transmission, gas tank, tail lights and a few other parts. This was a fun juncture, just seeing that Cleveland come out of the engine bay gets me excited to start rebuilding it, but I know we have a lot of other work that needs to come first. Very anxious to get that thing back in the car and running!!! Planning on a strong street engine type of build. (400hp or so??) Very streetable, but plenty of torque. Pretty sure we can do that with very few problems, they can roast the tires when bone stock so with a few added goodies I’m sure it’ll be just the right amount of fun for these streets.

The original FMX tranny will not see service again in this car, it’s gonna be a 5 speed all the way. That was a fun chunk to remove from the car. Whose damn idea was it anyway to build these things this heavy?!?! The rear gear set was changed out several years ago by dad and we’re gonna try that combo to see how it works with this build. 3.55 is the spinning rate for this 9 inch, stock gears were 2.70 or 2.79, I can’t really remember that far back.

 

Ready to come out, rat's nest gone...sorta.  There were still a bunch of rocks all down in and around lower engine, steering, tranny, and exhaust.  Amazing what a rat can do.

That is a 351C, 4V factory original engine.  Factory original FMX tranny.  When it goes back in it will have 2V heads on it for street performance and a T5 tranny backing it up.  

Dad being mechanical...

We bumped a few times on the way up and out, but over all the removal was pretty straightforward.  We removed the engine and transmission as a unit, much easier this way with all the room we made for ourselves. A very heavy block with the transmission.

      Home free, just need to unbolt the tranny and get it on the engine stand now.            That FMX is one very heavy unit!!

Resting at peace for now. Currently it has a sheet over it to protect it from debris but will soon be torn apart.

Yes, we made a mess with the tranny fluid, the bag we tied on the output shaft did not hold very well.

"We're Getting close" as dad says.  Yes we are.

View of the driver's side shock tower with a large crack in it.  This had always bothered me as to how we would repair it but now, it's just gone.  No more shock towers.        Also you can see some of the debris left behind by the rats.

Tank was a mess, even twenty years ago when I was driving it there was sludge coming off the inside of the tank playing hell with the carb.  No fun taking that apart every week.  And to make room for the exhaust idea I have, the tank will not be going back in the original spot.  That is all I have to say about that...for now.

 

Passenger side quarter, eh not too terrible.  Some rust repair but manageable.

Driver's side quarter, pretty darn terrible. Before I got the car it took a good hit directly from the side and it had an ugly repair job with about 8lbs of Bondo.  Plus tons of rust as well.  Both quarters will be replaced with half panels.

Jumping ahead a bit, this is what the engine bay looked like cleaned out.  Before the cutting wheel.