1979 Pace Car build

[broncojunkie]

Here's a much needed update. I've been busy working on other projects, but finally got a chance to start finishing up the motor.

I'm cleaning up and painting the valve covers now, and that's not the carb I'm using on it. I just slapped it on top for pics. I've got more parts to go on, including the water pump (standard/clockwise rotation, which was a pain to figure out), solid motor mounts, MSD distributor, and a few other odds and ends. The intake, I had powder coated at a local shop. It turned out nice, but in retrospect, I wish I would have gone with a slightly darker grey color. No big deal, though. It's nice and I won't have to worry about the raw cast aluminum getting stained from grease and fuel.

I'll try and take a couple more pics once I get the valve covers on. I have a clutch, transmission mount, crossmember, t5 cluster shaft retainer (billet steel), and a few other items on order, so I may actually get the motor and transmission bolted in soon.

 

[broncojunkie]

Been working hard on this thing, with what little bit of time I've had. My stepson bought his first car, so I've been busy teaching him how to work on it. We just about got it ready to go as of yesterday. In the meantime, I've been pulling late nights in the garage working on the pace car motor.




I loaned my hoist out to a neighbor a few weeks ago, but I plan on picking it up this evening. Get the motor off the stand and start bolting up the flywheel, pressure plate, clutch, bellhousing, etc. I also need to upgrade the t5 I'm using, along with a few mods to make it work with my setup. I'm going to try and do that today. UPS should be delivering my crossmember and speedo drive gear this evening. Hopefully, by this weekend I'll have pics of the motor sitting in it's home.

 

[broncojunkie]

I have the motor bolted into place, but having a little clearance issues with the header hitting the steering shaft. It may be ok now, but I'll need to get the transmission in and see how the placement ends up. If the transmission bolted up keeps the rear of the motor high enough, clearance won't be an issue. If it wants to drop the rear of the motor down further, then I'll have to figure something out. I picked up another set of headers yesterday, so that might fix it if clearance is still a problem. I'll know this evening when I put the t5 in. I have some running to do. Going to try and pick up some Weld dradlites from a guy, but he's not being very cooperative.

Oh, and I picked up a new clutch cable for this thing. I just found out that the 4 cyl cable isn't long enough. The v8 is a little longer and has a bracket like the later model fox bodies that keeps it pulled over and attached to the inner frame rail.

 

[broncojunkie]

Got a little more done on the pace car tonight.

Picked up a decent used set of draglites. Front tires are good. Rears are dry rotted, so I'll need to get a set.

Got the new clutch cable in, along with the shifter and console.

I had the driver's seat out so I could get to the clutch cable, so I think I'll run it by the upholstery shop today and see what they would charge to replace the zig-zag fabric in the center.

 

[mustanggarage]

you are really coming along on that car. it is looking great

 

[broncojunkie]

you are really coming along on that car. it is looking great

Thanks. I'm off the boat again in another 9 days. I have a few parts waiting at the house so I can get right back to work on it. I also plan on ordering everything for the cooling system tonight (radiator, electric fan, controller, maxi-fuse, hoses). I'm going to at least try to have it running...maybe even on the road.

 

[mustanggarage]

what kind of a boat is this? that you work on. navy, or fishing boat, or what?

 

[broncojunkie]

what kind of a boat is this? that you work on. navy, or fishing boat, or what?

I work on a river boat pushing petroleum barges (gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, asphalt, vgo, etc). My boat stays mainly on the upper OH river, with an occasional trip up the Kanawha, Tennessee, and maybe Kentucky lake.

 

[mustanggarage]

sorry I have lived my whole life in the midwest so boats are for fishing or recreation lol. so I am curious. how does that work do you push a set of barges up the river, then bring one down, then shore leave for a bit, or how does your work/ time off rotation work?

 

[broncojunkie]

sorry I have lived my whole life in the midwest so boats are for fishing or recreation lol. so I am curious. how does that work do you push a set of barges up the river, then bring one down, then shore leave for a bit, or how does your work/ time off rotation work?

Well, I work a 28/28 schedule. I get on the boat and ride for 28 days. There's another crew that works opposite of us. They meet at the main office and then hop in a crew van and meet us out on the river. We have a small boat on board (yawl) and we can meet up at a public dock or somewhere easy to get to. Then, I'm off for 28 days. We push barges up and down the river. Some are just dropped off or picked up at various docks. Others, we have to discharge or load. Our deck crew have their tankerman certification, so we can load our own. I have mine as well, but I'm a river engineer and basically just use my tankerman license for fueling the boat.

Our crew, for the most part, works a 6hr schedule. Six hrs on, 6 off. Basically, two "wake-ups" per day. The exception to that is the cook (our boat doesn't have a cook, so the deck crew does most of the cooking) and the engineer. I have the most lenient schedule, although that's not always a good thing lol! We work around the clock. Always something going on. Building tow, tanking barges, cleaning, painting, servicing engines, repairs.... you name it.

It takes some getting used to and it's definitely not for everyone!

 

[mustanggarage]

yeah that would definitely be different. I am on call all the time I can get called out of dinners, meetings, movies everything, but I am usually home for at least a little while every night. different strokes right. very interesting. thanks. I have never had any experience with anything like that, except I went on a cruise last year on the oasis of the seas. I am sure it is almost exactly the same. Not lol.

 

[broncojunkie]

I hope to get back to working on this in a few weeks. My last 28 days off didn't go as planned. I was off for two days, then had to go back out and ride another boat for 9 more. The day after I got home, I broke up a fight between one of my two boxers and a 2-yr-old boxer rescue we are fostering. They're both fine, but the rescue bit my right hand down to the bone. I spent the rest of my time off trying to do some work around the house with a one hand. I'm all better now, but back on the boat.

I did get a couple evenings to work on a new, project. I picked up a 79 cobra that has been stored under a tarp for nearly 20 yrs. It looks rough, and it certainly is... but a closer look and I found out it's actually a solid old car. Managed to get it running again. I'll start a new thread on this, but I'm pretty excited to have a good sister to the ol pace car.

 

[broncojunkie]

Started running some new fuel lines the other day. I've had to work over a lot and got a terrible case of the flu for a while. With Christmas and working over, I haven't had much time. But I'm trying to get this thing together so I can get it ready for paint. A buddy has agreed to do the paint and body work. I'd like to get it to him next month, if possible.

 

[broncojunkie]

Well, a buddy stopped by and helped me get some stuff done. We mounted the msd 6al, the fuel regulator, carb, throttle bracket, and a few other odds and ends. We also tinkered a little on the 79 cobra.

Still a lot of work to do, but she's coming along.

 

[broncojunkie]

Got the fan controller, oil pressure and water temp sensors, and new negative battery cable in this evening. I also ordered some more fuel fittings and a sump pan for the tank. I'm not 100% on the sump yet, but it's on its way. If I don't use it on this, I'll use it on the cobra. Still need to clea up some wires, but it's pretty much done.

 

[broncojunkie]

Just dropped the tank off to my buddy who lives down the road. He's going to weld the sump in for me so I can get the fuel system finished up. Picked up plugs and wires today, too. Today is Friday. I'm going to try and get the car fired up Sunday. Fingers crossed.

 

[broncojunkie]

Got the driveshaft in, the sumped tank installed, return line tied in to the tank, and I'm a couple feet of fuel line shy of tying in to the tank on the pump side. Tomorrow, I need to finish that up, along with filling the t5 with fluid, filling and bleeding brake lines. If it wasn't for the big ice storm we're supposed to be getting, I could take it for a spin down the road.

 

[broncojunkie]

Got the motor fired up! Started right up. Had trouble setting timing and I figured out a couple issues with the distributor and plug wires. Had a couple fuel leaks around the carburetor, so I got those straightened out along with an oil leak around a valve cover. Not positive, but I think there's still a small oil leak somewhere down there. My neighbor stopped by and helped figure out the rest of the timing issue. With just a quick tune of the holley carb, we got everything working pretty well. Once I get her on the road, I can fine-tune it.

Other bugs I'll have to line out:
No power to starter relay trigger wire
Coolant temp gauge no worky
Fan controller no worky
Rear hard brake line leaking
Need lower thermostat
Need some mufflers

 

[broncojunkie]

Here's a quick video of the first start-up. I need to get another video, since I got the timing and firing order straightened out.

 

[broncojunkie]

I fixed a couple brake lines but couldn't bleed the front calipers due to frozen bleeder screws (which I absolutely destroyed). So I bit the bullet and ordered and installed all new front brake components, including calibers, rotors, hoses, bearings. After bleeding the system twice, I believe I still have some air in it. The rear shoes also need adjusted, but I ran out of time.

I ended up replacing the distributor since the gear was wearing. I got a steel gear but ended up breaking another roll pin on the distributor while pressing it on. (New one worked out fine and I already repaired the other one for future use)

I got the coolant temp gauge working (tied into wrong wire).

I had to replace the non-working fan controller... twice. The second one would only kick on by tapping on it. Same issue with the 3rd one. I replaced and tested the relays (ok) and checked all the wiring. I'm sort of at a loss on that one, but I'll come back to it.

The car starts and runs fine, even with needing the carb and timing tuned properly. In fact, I was able to take it for a quick spin down the road!

I'm back to work for a month, but going to try and get a buddy to work on the brakes so another buddy can start paint and body work.