My '72 Grabber build thread

I pulled apart the bottom end of the engine tonight. The oil pan was filled with about a good half inch of thick sludge and some metal parts. I found a couple valve locks and a retaining ring that goes on the bottom of the distributor shaft that was broken in half. All the bearings were completely down to the copper and had some significant scores. The crank looked pretty good though and I think it would easily clean up at .010" under. The cylinders are also standard 4.00" which is good because the two with the pits should clean up with a .030 overbore. The bearings were all original ford stamped and the pistons were also original. I still have no idea why two of them were melted. The damage went down the side of the piston to the first ring but the rings looked ok and were free in the grooves. This engine shouldn't need anything more than a standard rebuild. I think I will drop off the block at the machine shop next week. I'm happy with what I found because it could have been worse.

Oh and I found a nice clean set of used Performer RPM heads #60259 with 2.02 valves for a great price and hopefully they will arrive by the end of next week.

 

Turns out the heads are not what the guy told me they were and they have 1.90 valves. I'm pretty disappointed and it took me a week or so to figure out what I'm going to do next. At first I was going to sell them but now I've decided to use them temporarily. The deciding factor was the fact that I'm getting my bottom end kit from Woody at Ford Strokers and he said I can get pistons with dual valve relief patterns. In other words I can run inline heads like the edelbrocks as well as twised wedge heads. So the plan is to just get the car running now with these heads and down the road I will probably switch to twisted wedge fast as cast 190 heads with the appropriate matching valvetrain and cam. That is if I am not satisfied with the way it runs and if it looks like my planned cleveland build with MII front end is going to be a long way off. By then maybe my son will have some money saved up and he can buy the edelbrock heads for his stock bottom end buildup for his fox body mustang.

So all that being said, I dropped off my block to the machinist today and he will let me know by the end of the week whether the bores will clean up at .030" and then I will order my bottom end kit from Woody.

 

Oops I just realized that I didn't mention here that I got the situation with the brakes all straightened out. I tried and tried to get the rod out of the master cylinder until I actually damaged (cracked and distorted) the piston trying to pull it out. So I never could measure the rod that was in there. I took the master cylinder back to the parts store and told them that I installed it and the brake pedal was 4" too high. He said ok I'll get you another one. I checked the length of the rod that came with the new m/c and it was shorter than the others I had at home by only maybe 1/8" and I really had my doubts it would be right. I got it installed and bled the brakes and the pedal is now at the perfect height.

 

One question, what is the switch looking thing with the electrical connection in the midlde of the brake proportioning valve? Mine looks like it's leaking because there's brake fluid in the connector.

 

Just read your thread. Hadn't noticed it before. Very nice work!!

The switch on the proportioning valve is for the "BRAKE" light in the dash cluster. Supposed to let you know if the front or back brakes have failed.

 

Ahhh gotcha. I should have thought of that. Think I could get one at a parts store? What would be the proper name for it to look it up.

 

It's the brake warning light switch.

 

The machinist has my block all cleaned now and is getting ready to do the overbore. I was pretty surprised when he told me I have a mexican block. I did notice the main caps were thicker than other 302's I've worked on but I didn't really think anything of it. After the cleaning he said you can see in the valley where it says hecho en mexico or something like that. I'm pretty happy because I know I'll have a little bit stronger than average bottom end because of this block. How many mavericks came with the mexican blocks?

 

My 73 Ldo did!

 

I received my engine parts from Ford Stroekrs the other day. I got the crank, rods, and bearings and my machinist got the pistons and rings.

 

I got a little bit of work done today. I bought an late model upper dash from another member here and I had to fix a couple things on it and drill the holes for the lower stainless trim moulding. Then I sanded it all down with 100 grit and gave it 3 coats of epoxy primer. Luckily it was barely warm enough outside to spray it today. Now I'm going to have to find the correct black paint to coat it with. I need to get enough to paint the inside of my doors too.

 

I got my engine block back from machining yesterday. The block is .030" over. Today I started assembling the engine. I got the crank in and the bearing clearances checked out good. I had to sand the thrust bearing because I didn't have enough crank end play. Then I had to file the top and second rings to get the required end gaps. Tomorrow I will install the rings on the pistons and then the pistons and rods into the engine.

 

The bottom end is almost done. It takes so much time to assemble an engine correctly. I had a problem with cam end play, I had none! I had to sand down the cam retaining plate around .006" to give me .004" cam end play. I used 100 grit D/A discs on a piece of glass and kept sanding the retaining plate in figure 8 motions until I reached the end play I was shooting for. I had the timing chain and retaining plate on and off probably a dozen times. The cam is now in for good and it is degreed using the lift at TDC method which is what the cam grinder (Camshaft Innovations) specifies to use. Next step will be to install the heads but not for good and check piston to valve clearance. After that it will be time to install the timing chain cover, the oil pump, the oil pan, and paint the block. Then the engine goes in the car after I sandblast and paint the headers. The heads will get installed after the engine and headers are in the car. It's easier that way.

 

It's looking good.....

 

Nice project going on here!! Looks great!!