Before Pic of Engine Compartment - Page 2

john1965fb · 09-03-2007, 10:02 PM

Donstang,
It looks like you're making really great progress, trust me how?
John

check out my website if it will help you when start stripping your engine compartment, it's alot of dirty work my friend, but the payoff is worth it.

http://johnsmustang.blogspot.com

donstang · 09-04-2007, 08:57 PM

Thanks John. Just wishing I would have pulled the engine to start with - but I wouldn't have known the first thing about doing it. I am still having fun.

donstang · 10-14-2007, 12:23 PM

Slow progress on stripping the engine compartment....just like the Cubs - wait until next year....

donstang · 03-08-2008, 04:19 PM

It's been one cold snowy long winter in Illinois. I have made no progress on this car since early November and am looking forward to Spring 2008. I need to tackle these steps to get this baby running again:

- Finish stripping engine compartment
- Primer and paint for engine compartment
- Put shock tower caps and braces back on
- Put valve covers back on
- Put dizzy and coil back on and install new ignition wiring
- Put intake and carb back on (oh yeah I was going to rebuild the carb this winter...)
- Put alternator, P/S pump and fan back on
- Run new heater hoses and bypass hose (maybe heater delete?)
- Install radiator and shroud
- Add fluids (oil, antifreeze)
- Run new wiring (engine harness) in engine compartment and rerun old harness for headlights
- Put solenoid and battery back in
- Turn the key baby

I can't wait for it to get warmer....

Beach Pony · 03-11-2008, 10:07 PM

Don, I know how you feel. I just finished my engine compartment. Only difference is I pulled the motor and tranny out to do it. I've never been known as a mechanic, but, I completed the project and was really proud of my accomplishment. You will be too! Looks great! Now get back to work and get that pup runnin!

donstang · 05-26-2008, 04:07 PM

OK - got the remainder of the stripping done today. What do you all recommend to prep the metal for primer?

lleno · 05-27-2008, 04:23 PM

Hey don, I am watching with great interest, I am ready to do my engine bay. How did you strip your bay?? chemicals?? Or did you wire wheel/sandpaper??I have a drill w/ wire brushes, and have done a few test areas, and really cannot seem to get at any of the lower half, it's very awkward. I've been working on the undercarriage too, where I have made some progress.....I am scared to pull my engine, as my car runs very well, and while I am knoledgeable, I am not a mechanic. Iam sure i could get the engine out, but get it back in and running, Hmmmmm....

donstang · 05-27-2008, 08:11 PM

Hey I know the feeling. My car was running fine until I started this project (just wanted to fix an oil leak at first) over a year ago. I am going to get it running again this summer - no matter what! I used aircraft stripper (the best stuff for me was in a rattle can from AutoZone) - and wire wheels - assorted sizes - on my trusty drill. I have places I can't reach very well either - I didn't pull my engine (but I did pull it apart trying to fix those leaks). Steel wool helps to get to the tight spots. Wear gloves! I haven't tackled the undercarriage. My hope is to get the compartment primed and painted and get to the other items on my checklist (see earlier post) done so I can drive it a bit. Then it's on to the next project - the leaky transmission - the brakes - whatever pukes up at me next.... I can't wait....

donstang · 05-27-2008, 08:22 PM

A couple more of the latest pics - over a year after I started!

Tried attaching the files and it didn't seem to work - here's the pix from cardomain....

donstang · 06-01-2008, 09:11 PM

Got some primer on today....not finished with it but made some more progress....still need to pull the heater to run new heater hoses...

donstang · 06-06-2008, 05:55 PM

Okay - makin' progress today. I had the day off from work and had some fun. Got the intake manifold back on - and the valve covers. Yes I am slow - but I am trying to do this right. Put 5 quarts of oil into the engine. I could hear it say "ahhhhhh.....".

I looked around for the Krylon 1613? semi-gloss black for the engine compartment. No dice. As others have pointed out, it's reformulated and now a satin. I really don't want to wait to send to Eastwood for their underhood black. Any other suggestions on underhood black paint? I am just thinking about finding a rattle can semi-gloss black at Autozone (not trying to win any awards here - just want to get 'er done).

I think I am going to pull the heater next so I can get the new hoses run....

donstang · 06-10-2008, 10:07 PM

Put new primary wire on distributor - cleaned it up - new diaphragm - new cap - painted the cap hold-down clamp-thingies....and dropped it in to the engine!

Before

After

donstang · 06-19-2008, 09:55 PM

Had to replace those ugly orange heater hoses - so I finally got around to pulling the heater. It wasn't too bad:

- removed 4 nuts around heater inside engine compartment
- removed three cables connected to heater and plenum
- removed two wiring plugs connected to heater
- removed defroster hoses from plenum
- tried to loosen bolt connecting the heater to bracket coming from cowl/firewall but found that it it had a nut on the end, so I had to remove the glove box (five or six screws and then had to collapse it to get it through the glove box door area - once this glove box I could get to the nut, and then was able to pull the whole unit down.

Here's some pics of the heater box - some date codes? on it - and some neat things from the glove box (but still no build sheet)....

Looking up into the cowl from under the dash...

I pulled this just to change the hoses - not sure if I want to do anything else to it (other than clean it up and maybe paint the motor) - it was working just fine.

donstang · 06-22-2008, 08:57 PM

Got a few more parts on the engine - water neck, coil bracket and coil. Finished the rebuild on the carb (it's just sitting on the engine for the pic). Not sure if I did the choke right...will probably go back and redo that part before I install back on the car.

Next up is probably a little more cleanup towards the back of the engine compartment - and then paint for engine compartment...

donstang · 06-28-2008, 07:28 PM

Finally got the engine compartment painted today - still some areas to finish (hard to get in the back down low - and around where all the brake lines come together)...I had cleaned up the brake lines, master cylinder and hood hinges - I want to get some clear arcylic to paint those..

I have alot of vacation to use up at work so I took the next few Fridays off and I hope to have it running by first week of August....(fingers crossed)...