BigMike's Front End/Engine Bay Clean-up Thread

BigMike · Post by **BigMike** » December 11, 2011, 2:11 pm

I won't be using the valve covers but I'm painting them anyway. I need to scuff them before painting the engine on Tuesday. Oil pan is already scuffed.

I'll put two coats of primer on the engine before the blue. The timing cover is going to be that aluminum color.

Alan Mclennan · Post by **Alan Mclennan** » December 11, 2011, 6:41 pm

I didn`t think you needed primer with engine enamel!, a coat of white helps with final coat tho!

BigMike · Post by **BigMike** » December 11, 2011, 8:11 pm

Alan Mclennan wrote:I didn`t think you needed primer with engine enamel!, a coat of white helps with final coat tho!

They sell ceramic engine paint primer so I figured it couldn't hurt. It's the same stuff as the paint.

By the end of the week everything will be completed and ready for reassembly of the truck. Of course, we're going to see some friends Saturday so reassembly won't start until next Sunday.

BigMike · Post by **BigMike** » December 12, 2011, 6:35 pm

I'm really digging the protective covering on the harness.

slickmainer · Post by **slickmainer** » December 12, 2011, 7:28 pm

she's a good looking truck. makes me miss my 66 turquoise and white.

BigMike · Post by **BigMike** » December 12, 2011, 7:40 pm

Damn Gregg, that is a beauty.

BigMike · Post by **BigMike** » December 13, 2011, 2:02 pm

This tag was bolted to the engine.

BigMike · Post by **BigMike** » December 13, 2011, 4:05 pm

I actually ran out of work to do on the Slick today and decided to add up all of my receipts for the project. I was a little shocked and wondered HTF I doubled my budget. But then I thought about everything I've done.

-Engine gaskets and seals
-Transmission gaskets and seals
-Add Power Steering (reman gear and pump)
-Rebuild steering column
-Lots of new fasteners ($100 worth?)
-Tons of paint, primer, sand paper, scuff pads, degreaser, Acetone,
Mineral Spirits, rust encapsulator, etc. ($300 easy)
-New lifters
-New hoses
-New rag joint
-New brake lines (prop valve to m/c)
-New plugs
-New alternator
-New water pump
-New plug wires
-New starter solenoid
-New thermostat
-New front shocks
-New steering column firewall seal
-New clutch linkage bushings
-New fender seals
-New hood seal
-New driveshaft hanger bearing
-Braided wire harness protector
-Chrome valve covers and breather
-Engine Stand

slickmainer · Post by **slickmainer** » December 13, 2011, 4:26 pm

all that and it's still thanksgiving. HA

looks great Mike, you will be happy with all the work you put into it!

qwertyd10n · Post by **qwertyd10n** » December 13, 2011, 4:34 pm

Mike,

I've come to the conclusion that I probably should stop tallying how much these "little" projects end up costing.

As long as I'm happy with the result and I haven't broken the bank in getting there, that's good enough!

Cheers,
Dion

charliemccraney · Post by **charliemccraney** » December 13, 2011, 4:47 pm

BigMike wrote:I'm really digging the protective covering on the harness.

It does look good. Are the clips a factory part?

bird55 · Post by **bird55** » December 13, 2011, 5:18 pm

nice work, looks great!
You might want to try shooting hitemp clear over the color on the engine. You'll be surprised at what a difference it can make. try it out on a separate piece first.

fordman7072 · Post by **fordman7072** » December 13, 2011, 10:52 pm

BigMike wrote:This tag was bolted to the engine.

My 240 had the same tag bolted with the coil......beautful truck by the way!

BigMike · Post by **BigMike** » December 14, 2011, 1:06 pm

Thanks!

In the process of painting the engine. Letting the primer set up for about 20 minutes. It's almost 70 degrees out there today.

I picked up another can of primer on the way back from getting my column that was welded. I used up the can I had on the first coat. When I went to apply the second coat, I noticed that I picked up the Rustoleum engine primer and not the Duplicolor. Oh well, hope they play nice together. BTW, the Rustoleum spray a lot nicer than the Duplicolor.

Oh yeah, you guys like pics.

The '71 column with the '65 dash bracket welded on it.

BigMike · Post by **BigMike** » December 14, 2011, 3:26 pm

Oh my, she gonna be purty

Since there are 3 Ford colors, this one should be called PT Blue (PT=painter tape)

BigMike · Post by **BigMike** » December 14, 2011, 4:55 pm

Tomorrow is supposed to be another gorgeous day outside. I'm going to set the front clip up on jack stands / 2x6's so I can't paint the inner fenders and core support. I need to remove the grill to get at the front of the core support. Probably need to paint the radiator as well.

ALL, I said ALL of the little pieces and parts got finished up yesterday which is a HUGE relief because it was a PITA. Tomorrow night I'm going to start installing the engine parts. Probably won't put the fan and PS pump on until the engine is in the truck.

jkimbrel65 · Post by **jkimbrel65** » December 14, 2011, 5:02 pm

Wow!! that fes gonna look good sitting in that fresh engine bay

Mike

BigMike · Post by **BigMike** » December 15, 2011, 7:22 am

jkimbrel65 wrote:Wow!! that fes gonna look good sitting in that fresh engine bay

Mike

Thanks, and the best part is I call stop calling it Drippy and lift the hood at cruise-in's.

I've already decided that my next project I will gather up all of those little pieces, drop them off at the powdercoater and tell them to call when their look new again.

BigMike · Post by **BigMike** » December 15, 2011, 4:53 pm

After wrestling with the header/grill/valence for 3 hours, I finally started cleaning up the core support and inner fenders. It took about 2 hours to sand, scuff, clean and prep for paint, then about an hour to put on 3 coats of Valspar black low gloss implement paint. I used 2 rattle cans .... if you know what you're doing, a rattle can job can be damn good.

I'm happy with the way it turned out but not thrilled. What I mean by that is the proper way to do this would have been to disassemble all of the front end pieces and send the inner fenders and core support out for powdercoating. But I've completely blown the budget and this is not a show truck, it's a driver. 3-5 years down the road I want to do a repaint, I'll do all that stuff then. For now, it's still going to look damn good.

I plan to paint the grill Wimbledon White before it goes back together.

slickmainer · Post by **slickmainer** » December 15, 2011, 7:31 pm

that came out really nice. hope you dont over fill your master cylinder like I did and have it run down the fire wall and f up the paint. yep, im an idiot.