Sheet Metal Work on the Fenders

After I stripped the original paint and two repaints off the fenders, I cut pieces to fill in the side marker lights and the antennae hole.  I welded in these patches and also welded closed the “Mustang” emblem mounting holes on the fenders to eliminate any unwanted distractions in the lines of the vehicle.   After I filled the holes, I applied metal prep to etch the sheet metal and I shot the fenders with an epoxy primer to seal them.   (All of these things were supposed to have been done by the used car salesman I hired and paid in advance to do.)  He never did any of it.

Here you can see a dated picture where I was stripping the original paint along with two layers of red repaint.  All of which I had payed the used car salesman todd watkins to do and he never did. 

He stole my money.

Paint is stripped here, both fenders are stripped then I started filling holes.

Just wanted to see what it looked like sitting on the car, it's been awhile.

 Side marker hole that was supposed to be filled by the used car salesman who was paid in advance, but he stole my money.

 

Same thing here.

Plug I cut is in place and ready to weld in.

Started the job of welding the plug in place.  Both sides completed.  Along with other trim holes I will not be using including the antennae hole.

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.

408 Stroker Research

September 2013

408 Stroker Engine Research

I am planning on building a street car, a strong running street car. I do not plan on racing this car, just some spirited driving around town.  I know the Cleveland engine is strong in its stock form, but I would like a little more oomph and I would like to use my 4V closed chamber heads as well which I know are not good performers on the street unless you rev to the upper limits or you throw some more cubes at them.  So, with the comparable cost to machine work with all the stock components and the stroker kit, I decided to go with the stroker to help those 4V’s breathe a little better for me.  Sub-frame connectors are already welded in to help handle the added torque and HP. 

I have talked to a few of the parts distributors and read several forums with people talking on this subject of what to put into your 408.  I will not be racing this car so H beam rods are not necessary, or a forged crank.  The 9000 series cast crank will hold up just fine for what I will be doing with this car.  It will have roller rockers, but as of this writing I am still unsure of cam specs.  That is the last thing that I need to figure out.   

I had to buy a replacement block as my original block had already been  into by someone and bored .030 already.  It had two very rusty cylinders, one of which would have needed a sleeve so I just chose to find an unmolested block to start with and plan on keeping the original as it is. My donor block is yet to be unassembled but with the purchase very soon of the stroker kit I will be tearing it apart and taking it to the machine shop to start its new life.  The original 4V closed chamber heads will also be joining the block soon with the machinist. 

Here are a few highlights of my plans, not in any particular order…and these are just ideas, not all of them are set in stone yet

Heads

·         4V factory iron heads

·         Only deck enough to flatten

·         Roller Rockers

·         Port match with intake manifold and gaskets

·         Clean out, smooth up exhaust ports, do not polish

·         ARP head bolts

·         Hardened valve seats

·         3 angle valve job

·         Stainless steel, single groove valves. 

·         Bronze valve guides

·         New valve springs, retainers,  locks and steel spring seats

 

Block

·         Bored .030 over

·         ARP Main Cap bolts

·         High volume oil pump with chromoly shaft

·         Rear sump pan

·        Decked

 

Crank

·         9000 series cast crank   

·         Dynamically balance with flywheel and damper, 28 oz. balance 

 

Pistons

·         Forged pistons  -16 cc dished (stroker kit)

·         New rings (Total Seal Gapless)  (stroker kit) 

Rods

·         Forged I Beam 6” (stroker kit)

·         ARP rod bolts (stroker kit) 

Cam

·         Hydraulic flat cam, custom grind by Jerry Wilson

·         Roller rockers 

·         Push rods.    

·         Double roller timing gear & chain--32 to 34 total advance with about 18 to 20 initial timing?

Intake manifold

·         Edelbrock Performer

·         Port match with heads and gaskets

·         ARP manifold bolts

·         Holley 750 cfm, with electric choke

·         Electric fuel pump

·         1” carb spacer, Airflow Research (tapered 4 hole) or open phenolic

 

Ignition

·         MSD Digital 6A PN# 6201

·         MSD Distributor # 8477 or 83501with steel gear (# 85813)

·         MSD Blaster 2F Coil

 

Exhaust

·         Ceramic long tube headers, 1 3/4” primaries and 3” collectors

·         Cross-over H pipe right behind transmission

·         Magnaflow  mufflers