Wow, what an amazing amount of work! whew, makes me tired reading it. Wish i had your determination

Dude, do you take a break and have time to relax?

 

being the largest automotive project I have ever taken on, breaks are sort of my middle name. I try to tell local people what I'm doing, but there are a lot who are just into other things. I have gotten over that stuff and I just have 3 beers and start grinding. luckily, most of the heavy industrial stuff is done. halfshafts are next. I have waited so long to get to them. I drink a bit just to get started sometimes, but I am addicted to results, so I drive to them and photograph them.
scratching things off the list is cool, but starting her will make my ears ring for sure. thanks for the kind words, and thanks to the site here for their kind accommodations.

 

I have been following this project of yours and I admire your persistence, I do not have anywhere near the amount you have shown. Keep at it and I wait with baited breath to see that machine move. You are amazing.

 

I am playing around with a college course that builds this project. I need to structure the curriculum so that a new phase can be completed each week. repetition will sort that out. I already have a second van and I'm on the hunt for a nice donor.
If I can't use college facilities and teach what I want, then I will build a 200 foot square intermodal freight box building with a modular roof and teach and train as I build. well see....

 

half shaft lengths

I had to relieve the arm


and the setback of 1.5" is evident

 

the wooden dowels were just the prelim stage for ballparking the axle lengths-- so I will cut and shorten my bmw shafts with cvs on for the final fit. splint them together at the median radius and weld them back with angle iron for the length mock-up. they will hang in the tool room after for the next one as a verifier.
I am starting a new visor/wink mirror assembly for the windshield that will match the dash a bit and give me full coverage in rear view and solar shielding. ongoing

 

Diablo makes a Predator tune.sure Comp Cams makes a aftermarket Cam.seen headers think they were KooKs.air intakes all over the place.the new mustang 6 cyl for 2012 has 310 hp and get 30mpg highway, 0-60 in 5 seconds at 3600 lbs,not bad.I thought bout putting that 3.5 in couple of years ago the junkyard wanted 1300 for one with 33,000 miles.i thought from the beginning that is the motor they should have used.with such a nice outside the motor is far to exspensive to upgrade.$2000 headers,no intake manifolds that dont leak,cams are $1200.still aint hitting 300 hp.

 

tore all my wiring out and going carb.just for fun.why not.(pause)the prowler motor had 245 hp but had iron heads that could take nice boost.i would bore it out 10 over just to make new room for some eagle esp pistons and rods.without doing the crank youll be able to boost 7-10 psi.def the type engine the car needed from the start,nice point.

 

shelby was getting 500 horses out of the 3.3 in the late eighties for the dying can-am circuit-
dont bet the farm on that ford mileage claim-- they are all tilted a bit.
I just bought donor car #2 for my worn out subyvan-- a 97 intrepid sport with autostick has 45000 miles on her clock, verified by carfax. lovely retired couple living in sin kept her garaged all the while. the wiper/turn signal stem switch is as black as the day it was installed-



yes-thats disneyland across the street

 

second gen throttle bodies can be bolted on this engine, and uncork the exhaust a bit for a free uptick in power--people complain that theres no factory support for hotrodding these engines, but they already have most of the upgrades from the factory--only in the last 3 years has nissan and ford stepped up to match the moosemotor in size, making their own 3,5's. a second gen motor is already hotrodded--just install it into a smaller vehicle to up the p/w ratio.

 

in logical progression, I am working on a chrysler powered toyota previa van. it has much nicer coachworks and the frame stringers are 43" apart, much more accommodating for the wider, gen two HO 3.5.
I'll have feasibility drawings for it coming--

 

the right side of the dwgs are the rear bumper face

the overhead

 

what is it?

 

 

Is that a panorama review mirror?

 

46" wide, 8 panels. I was going to work in visors too, but top tint may negate the need. I paint it next and set the mirrors with rtv. I may draw a string down it's length and align the glass first. some of the panels are off a little and get me cross-eyed looking at them.
this was something I have wanted to build for over 20 years. it uses the oe visor mount pads instead of drilling new holes.

 

if I'm going to put oil in, I must replace the forward shaft seals on the engine-- never did it before, but I have a factory manual and most of the special tools it prescribes. once i am familiar with this procedure, i can do it to my 97 trep too. its wet underneath.

cam lock tool

what a *****!!

I'll tack it here

it works!!!

I have been putting this off for a year and a half.

 

I had to jack up the front to pull the wheels from the crank.

there was an obvious leak. I cleaned it all up with some brushes, solvent and rags. the belt cog is keyed by a dowell that punches into the hollow center for removal. don't lose it!! then the way is clear to r/r the seal

I got this tool from miller spx. it augers into the seal with a couple of taps and pulls it out without scratching anything.

of course the lip separated from the rest as it is dry and cracked.

 

a little light oil on the shaft and some contact cement or gaska-cinch on the outer diameter and it seals best. install while the cement is still wet.

another bottoming tool for the autistic mechanic installs the belt cog prefectly

the water pump was leaking too

and behind the pump manifold three o-rings died of old age

this all cleaned up fine, after i knocked the old seals out

now I am waiting on the cam seal tools and viton o-rings - the dealer ones dont fit well.

 

still waiting on o-rings and tools