Hi Tigers
I am re posting a piece I sent in on Aug 9th that has to deal with both
header and engine installation.This was my first time doing an engine from
underneath a car to install it.The 302 people still have to resolve potential
bellhousing conflicts(5 bolt vs 6 bolt pattern),but that is a very solvable
problem.If I had mine to do over again tommorrow,I would get a 302.I am
sending this to the whole list as I lost the e-mail of one person who was
interested in this matter.
Tony
> I have finally finished the weekend goal of installing the engine and trans
>back ino my Tiger.Took less than 3 hours to install engine and trans thru the
>bottom.With headers.And re-install the front end assembly.I listened to some
>of the advice I had recieved from list posters.Some things I picked up from
>the Tiger website(s),and some of it I adapted from there.I am going to share
>what worked and why.
> I purchased a kinda generic engine dolly at a ford swap meet.Musta been
for a
>Big-block,the bolt holes on the stand front did not line up with anything.The
>only bolt I could attach it with was the top starter bolt,so I ran a long
bolt
>out of the backside to attach to the stand.I let gravity do the rest.the
front
>stand part fit in between the forward and middle freeze plugs.The engine W/O
>carb,crank pulley and waterpump(but otherwise "complete") were attached to
the clutch and trans and
>supported by the dolly.
> The car was on Jackstands all the way around.I raised the car further by
>removing the topmost bolt for the support strut that attaches on the wheel
>well top and using a longer bolt so I could attach the (rented )engine hoist
>chain directly to the car.It worked perfectly! So did the dolly.I raised the
whole car up 6 in or so to pass the engine thru from the front,into the
engine bay.With the
>engine more or less in place let the car back down on the jackstands.Attached
>Chain to the engine(at a diagonal across the intake manifold,I used a I/2"
>longer bolt in front and back ) to remove the dolly(WARNING-wrap towels
around chain adjacent to where it is close to the firewall or you will lose
your pretty paint right there!). Jacked tranny tailshaft
>up and installed crossmember piece(but no rubber mount) Installed Headers
>loosely,then added mounting brackets and engine mount rubber biscuits(loosely
also).
> It took maybe a half an hour to line up the mounting brackets w/the frame
>holes and clear the headers of contact points. No hammer was needed,only the
>correct soliloqy of choice profanities.The some what lower trans tailshaft
>resting directly on the crossmember gave me the additional clearance(under
the
>firewall) to remove the longer-than stock manifold bolt I had attached the
>lift chain to.
> To re-install the front end I used a variation of the Mark Olsen rope
>technique(outlined on his website).With the engine in place and the chain
>removed,My friend Jeff and I turned our attention to the front end.I
ducttaped
>the aluminum front end spacers to the Front end assy.After an abortive
attempt
>at balancing the front end(With tires) on a jack with us balancing it ,I
broke
>out some rope.Sisal rope.Not real heavy stuff, shy of a 1/2" thick(maybe less
>),I ducttaped a nylon wire tie to the one end of it after snipping off the
>sqaure end.I then used the nylon as a guide to pull the bigger rope
>thru.Started up under the crossmember at the aft hole ,thru the
>crossmember,thru the corresponding frame hole(from the bottom),up over the
>engine and down the aft holes on the other side of the frame and
corresponding
>holes of the crossmember.Then with the rope run thru I got my two largest
1/2"
>drive sockets that I wasnt using(making sure that they were larger than the
>pass-thru holes for the bolts that secure the front end to the frame) and ran
>the rope thru that and tied it off in several knots and wrapped several
layers
>of ducttape aound that,so that the rope wouldnt come loose.I then brought the
>hoist over and measured out how much slack I would need to attach the
hoist to
>the rope before"attaching" the other socket to the rope end.Using the
>hoist(with an assist from the floorjack to take some of the strain off of the
>rope.The rope was a "found" item-It was in the basement when we moved here
and
>I dont know what strength it was rated at) the front end assembly went up
with
>a little coaxing.I wish I would have known about rotating it forward a little
>do the back of the upper control arm would clear the clear the
>outward curl of the frame at the topmost point of the inner wheelwell/frame
>area.I lost 10-15 minutes in "Uh-duh mode" trying to figure out why what came
>out wont go back in.If anything it should be easier with the 20-30 lbs of
>grease and road crap cleaned off at the car wash with high pressure soap.
>After lowering and rocking the front end foward,everything lined up
perfectly.
> Towards the end of the adventure in the garage the heat caught up with me.I
>had been wearing black coveralls during the heavy work and drinking plenty of
>pepsi and later some beer.No water.90 degrees air temp and probably hotter
>where I was at.Then the cramps came from dehydration.First the legs ,then the
>back.My friend Jeff continues to finish the job because I cant.Now a small
>problem. Jeff found out why I had ducttaped the long bolt for the crossmember
>to the socket,and the socket to the extension(I found out previously when I
>took the thing apart-the bolt I lost in there fell out when we moved the
front
>end to install it) not once but twice!Is there an easy (ier) way to get bolts
>out of the crossmember?Are new (or old used) replacement bolts available from
>someone?
> Well,that is the story of my friday.
>Further reports as progress is made.
>I have come to the realization that I will probably have this finished
just in
>time to put it up for the winter.
> I read in my mail today from the list about a recomendation for Macs Antique
>Auto parts-of NewYork.I have a Macs catalogue and that is all well and
good.My
>own "special" old ford parts place is called K.A.R. (Mustang) .They are a
>chain of about 20-25 shops scattered throughout the nation.There is one here
>in Columbus that I have gone to to get oddball stuff they have in stock-like
>late 260 early 289 dipstick tubes.they also carry a full range of proper
bolts
>and speedo gears and other parts small and large that would be a real pain to
>find in a salvage yard.
>Goodnight and happy Tiggering
>Tony
>PS.Do the front end shims(the aluminum spacers)between the crossmember and
the
>frame get installed large side facing front?
ANS:I screwed up.The large end faces the rear of the car.Took 25 minutes to
fix.No big deal,just do one side at a time.CAREFULLY.
TONY
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