Posts by RalphJr

THAT is what I call a FRIEND!!!

You owe him a few cold ones for that!!! Oh wait a few warm ones since he is from the UK.

Pony Carbs does do a nice job of resto - but there are several people who do this - so you can price shop.

Sounds like a lot of metal work - which is expensive.

For what is there IMHO $6500 is a reasonable offer - I'd take it.

You can check with SAAC but all the Shelby's were built in the San Jose plant - should be an "R" not a "T" (New Jersey) in the serial number.

I hope that is $8500....not $85000 - 'cause that is just stupid!

The guy probably just doesn't know and thinks he has a real Shelby.

It is still a K car.

FYI - do a search on timing chain or timing gears and you'll find what you need - but long story short....the only HiPo unique part is the CRANK GEAR because of the counter weight. Cam gear and chain are regular 289.

Your engine should have the weird counter sunk bolt / thicker cam thrust plate - just like my March '65 engine. You can replace the thrust plate and upper gear with the later style and be set.

Which version do you have?

Ford had 2 versions of the cam plate - one for engine rev L7 and earlier & one for L8 and later.

The earlier syle was thicker and used the weird figure eight or hour glass counter sunk screws. It also uses the "C" spacer for the cam gear. The later style is flat and uses grade 8 hex headed bolts. It has the spacer cast into the cam gear. This change over happen sometime in late spring '65.

My early March K engine had the earlier style - but I am switching it over to the later style for easy installation - plus it doesn't show.

Make sure you use the correct cam gear once you make a choice - see many posts on this by me and others here.

I found a good used later style cam plate on eBay - any 289/302 will work - and I also bought a new aftermarket one from a machine shop. I've also seen used early style ones on eBay from time to time. You can get the correct bolts - either style - from AMK.

I agree - the Ford Shop Manual is a great reference.

I also purchased a degree tape (Mr. Gasket) years ago to put around the harmonic balancer - this had marks for the various adjustment positions as you turn the crank - just makes it easy - you can still spin the crank carefully to each position. Not sure if this is still available.

Also, invest in a good set of "Step" feeler gauges - this will help you get the adjustment right on the money - the feeler gauge actually is 2 different thicknesses usually 0.002" apart with a "step' in the middle - some people also call them "go - no go" feeler gauges. If you are setting to say 0.018" clearance - you use a 0.017" - 0.019" gauge - one side fits loose and the other won't go between the valve and rocker - BINGO you are right on 0.018" lash. Lisle or Calvan makes these if I remember correctly where I got mine - but most parts stores will have to order them.

Welcome to the "K"lub.

You won't find a nicer group of classic car or Mustang owners willing to share and trade info than this bunch.

Perogie had an original '65 housing about 18 months ago when I was thinking about replacing mine.

My original has one tube re-welded - actually broke it racing. The restoration shop was confident they could clean it up nicely.

Buck tags in 65 and 66 were only used on the New Jersey cars - Dearborn and San Jose cars won't have one.

My '66 tag is located on the top of the passenger side inner fendor apron right between the shock tower and the fender. It is held in place with one screw.

If possible the engine parts should be 2 weeks to 6 weeks between each other - and all parts up to 3 months before the car's build date.

FYI - only the TOP MCA show class (Throughbred) requires exact "correct" datecodes.

Gary,

Bob Mannel's Small block Ford book only shows casting numbers - so I'm not sure if this will help.

'68 302 rods have a C8OE or C8OE-A cast into the neck.

I didn't see any rods with a number like yours - they all are C#OE or C#AE.

'63-64 HiPo 289 pistons would be marked with a C4OE 6110 ? casting number - the last digit probably varies by lot. Std 289 were cast C4AE 6110 ?. Casting number is down inside the bottom of the piston near the wrist pin area. I didn't see a C4OF casting.

I hope this helps.

Sounds like you have a lot of the sealer material the factory used sometimes between the fender and inner apron - after 40 years it takes something strong to get it off. My '65 didn't have very much but my '68 Cougar had a ton of it and it was as hard as a rock!

You can also heat it up with a hot air gun and remove it with a putty knife - I don't recommend a torch because of possible toxic fumes or fire. If you get it hot enough it will come off like butter!

The stamping looks legit to me - pure FoMoCo - and probably just a line mistake if it is a "5".

Plus someone can confirm the other 2 front stamps just in case.

IMHO I don't think this has been re-stamped or the apron replaced - looks too good for that plus the stars look right.

Looks like a 5 to me too - but it could just be the photo.

FYI - My car was built very close to this car and within a couple 1000 units (5F09K69XXXX) not counting the first digit if it is a 5, so it is probably a 6 not a 5 - just looks like a 5 in the photo or the line screwed up.

There were most definitely cars at Dearborn built in excess of 500,000 - I've got one from April '65 and it is almost to 700,000.

FYI - the last '65 Dearborn car in the registry is 5F07K92XXXX.

I've got 4 rough ones - they don't appear damaged - just old and rusty - they could be cleaned up nicely for a driver - not show car worthy.

Let me know if interested.

My car is a mid April 5"F"09K.

My tranny is in a crate in the basement storage - so no VIN photo right now - but I know it is there.

I've heard of 3 places on the tranny being stamped - the bottom like mine, along the "ear" bolt flanges where the tranny meets the bell housing, and the small flat area near the tailshaft - like the photograph above.

I've never heard of a Mustang K block being stamped anywhere other than the passenger side front. The early Cobra and Fairlane K's were also stamped somewhere - but with a sequentail number not a VIN - indicating which engine in the series it was. I don't know when this started or stopped - maybe the Cobra or Fairlane experts out there can help. I know it has been discussed here before.

My April '65 block is stamped as expected and my tranny is stamped as described on David Kee's website - bottom of main case right next to the drain plug.

Did you modifiy a roller chain set up to fit with the counter weight or did you take the counter weight off the crank? I've heard of guys milling down the back of the lower gear and drilling the dowel pin hole in a standard 289 dual roller set up.

I spoke to a CS rep from Cloyes a while back - he confirmed that they did make a dual roller setup for the HiPo 289 with the correct style lower gear to use the counter weight in the '70s - but it is no longer available. Seems this is a rare find now as they didn't make very many to start with.

VERY COOL!!

BoS,

Nice to see someone else who suffers from "fatumus fingerus" typing syndrome!

They must have hit this week because I picked a copy up at the Atlanta Airport on Monday morning.