Kyle242GT's 1959 PV544

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by kyle242gt

Looks like that'd be my path to megasquirt tuning and boost support. But I still have to figure out the wiring.

If I take it slow, I should be able to source pretty much all the wiring from the donor, ECU included. One of the slick things about it is it's sequential injection.

I wonder what the 5.0 guys do when they turbo... eh, down the road.

a lot of guys use like sct tuners and the like whenever they turbo it.

its not a fox specific forum, but if you ever need info or anything, if you post on horsepowerjunkies.com/forums, there's a TON of fox drivin rednecks (its an nc-based site) on there that are more than willing to help with that side of the project..

[kyle242gt]

Back at it today, another six hours or so... finished tracing out the wiring, extracted the fuel pump wiring, traced a few more things around to hopefully get my brain around the wiring. Kinda scary because I know I'm not likely to get back to it for many many moons.

Couple small lulz occurred - while pulling the fuel pump/relay/impact wiring out of the body harness, wound up with an extra wire. Went round and round trying to understand what the purpose of it could be.... oh yeah fuel gauge.

Then, while debating trying to get the car to start and run by kludging the wiring back together off-car (to prove out what I'd been doing so far) my wife came home. Ran it past her, and she gave me the look "haven't you done wiring before?"

So, I proceeded to pull the wiring off the car, then got crackin on the engine pull. Stopped short of actually getting it out (I like foreplay) but did get the exhaust, driveshaft, smog pump, power steering pump (unsure if I will want PS or if the mustang rack can be run de-powered, or if it will even work) off the car. Rather funny to notice the driveshaft bolts were loose... and the tailshaft seal is trashed. But the trans oil was new looking (and smelling), and broken connectors indicated it had been recently out. And the flywheel (Made in China, conspicuously stamped), while ferrous, has the look of a hotrod piece. Curiouser and curiouser.

At any rate, the Roach has rolled its last. Might try to get the engine/trans out tomorrow.

[kyle242gt]

oh yeah one more art shot

[Magnum TE]

Last thing I heard was an SR swap, now I check in a few months later and you're going 5.0

Hit me up sometime I can hand you tools/beer and laugh at your misfortune - oh that's right you already have a wife.

[kyle242gt]

Sold the engine/trans/radiator today. now to finish taking the 5.0 out.

//edit, that didn't take long.

No pics because wife and kids took all the cameras on their vacation...

[turbofiend]

Sweet project dude! That thing is going to haul.

[550]

Originally Posted by Magnum TE

Last thing I heard was an SR swap, now I check in a few months later and you're going 5.0

Hit me up sometime I can hand you tools/beer and laugh at your misfortune - oh that's right you already have a wife.

Originally Posted by kyle242gt

Sold the engine/trans/radiator today. now to finish taking the 5.0 out.

//edit, that didn't take long.

No pics because wife and kids took all the cameras on their vacation...

Just something I noticed, but your avatars... look a lot like, kind of. Facial expression wise lOL

[Magnum TE]

Originally Posted by 550

Just something I noticed, but your avatars... look a lot like, kind of. Facial expression wise lOL

only difference is that my Avatar is actually ME, but coincidence is noted.

[550]

Originally Posted by Magnum TE

only difference is that my Avatar is actually ME, but coincidence is noted.

QFT! And extra points because of that...

[grnmachine02]

Originally Posted by kyle242gt

Looks like that'd be my path to megasquirt tuning and boost support. But I still have to figure out the wiring.

If I take it slow, I should be able to source pretty much all the wiring from the donor, ECU included. One of the slick things about it is it's sequential injection.

I wonder what the 5.0 guys do when they turbo... eh, down the road.

Also check out http://www.theturboforums.com/ That started life as a turbo mustang only forum. There's all kinds of info to be had over there.

[kyle242gt]

Out, empty, and gone....

Next step - degrease the 5.0/T5, tear out the PV's interior, and start cuttin.

[kyle242gt]

Front sheetmetal is off... tomorrow disassembly continues forthwith.

[D123GT]

nice work. be interesting to see how you fit the 5.0 in there

[JohnMc]

DIWY?

(Does It Wheelie Yet?)

I just ordered another cam for my PV's B20. I go through cams with a certain amount of reckless abandon. Double valve springs, high lift cams, high rpms, yeah.

[kyle242gt]

Hi ho hi ho, rip and tear I go.

Removed steering, pedals, dash, wiring, ebrake, carpeting etc. Found a bunch of rust in the floors. Guess that's to be expected from something so old.

Took a look at the Mustang rack - it's really too wide. Kind of on the fence re: power or manual, but I guess I'll see what I can find at Pnp. Anyone with any tips or ideas? Might still use the Mustang column, we'll see how that shakes out.

As of now, planning to use the Mustang pedals, master, booster, etc. The PV pedals, floor-hung as they are, are really in the wrong places, and the PV brake master is potentially in the way - at the very least, I'd never be able to fill it.

Sold a few more parts off the Mustang, now officially a HoverCar. Down to $700 net cost of donor. I feel pretty good about that. Be really nice if I could've used the rear end and steering, but such is life.

Looks like I might be in trouble as far as pedal clearance goes, so I may enlarge the footwell by angling the inner kick area outward and expanding the front of the firewall; there's a lot of room inside the fender.

Next step will be to remove the fuel and brake lines from the tunnel, and then cut away.

This is a crazy big project, really didn't bother thinking too far ahead. Probably for the best.

[kyle242gt]

it's all nekkid!

[mavawreck]

Still can sell the headlights. Sand the bumper down, fill any imperfections, hit it with some OEM looking primer....sell.

[JohnMc]

If you're not going to use the steering column - want to sell me the turn signal switch housing?

Mine is 25% thick rattle can paint (peeling), 60% crystallized crumbing plastic, 15% cracks.

Those floors are pretty solid compared to mine. It has rust worse than that... on the (poorly installed) replacements! laugh-laugh-cry

[kyle242gt]

Hi John - sounds like a possibility - will be a while until I deal with the steering column, bug me later if you remember. Mine looks to be OEM casting and overspray, some crystallization.

Mav - the front bumper I've had some inquiries on, but it's pretty shredded at the lower grille area. Think it's worth farting with?

[kyle242gt]

With an ounce of luck and a smootch of determination, tomorrow I cut.

Degreased the engine today, it's definitely been apart recently; not a spec of paint on the block or heads (fools decided to forgo $10 of paint?) all exposed gaskets are pliable and new looking.

Did some measuring with the oil pan, crossmember, radiator support, firewall....



The front sump, which doesn't have a pickup as far I can see, is in the way of "optimum" positioning - ie, engine as far back as possible while retaining accessibility to the rear plugs (etc) and keeping the shifter location reasonable. If I put the front sump behind the PV crossmember, the engine's (probably) too far back. If put the front sump ahead of the PV crossmember, there's no room for the radiator.

So, I'll either leave the front sump as-is and just put it (all but) smack on top of the crossmember, or remove it altogether in the interest of getting the engine a little lower in the chassis. We're talking 3/4" or so, so maybe not worth sweating.

Gotta love the details.

[kyle242gt]

Cut out the firewall, tunnel, and test fit things.

Shifter seems okay, suspension still has travel, looks like a I can fit a radiator, room for clutch/starter, oil filter is a no go (at least the length that's on there) and I'm headed for trouble with the headers.

Had been hoping to use the BBK shorties, either stock or swapped, maybe even flipped, but none of those are going to work as is.

Can either move the engine forward and down a bit, putting the crossmember in between the sumps; that'd screw up radiator fitment. Guess the Explorer WP is shorter?
Or, move it back about four inches, which makes header fitment a fantasy, but would fit the engine sexy far back and sexy low.

Chassis engineer types, what's mission:critical here? Far back as possible, low as possible, or just focus on feasible?

On the upside, I think I'll have ample room for pedals, though I still think I'll be kicking out the clutch side of the footwell.

[kyle242gt]

sh!t just got real

[kyle242gt]

Last pic is blurry, but the idea is the lower control arms are still a bit under level, and there's a couple-three inches between the upper arm and the bumpstop.

Nice thing is, though this is a major hackfest, it's still a PV as far as the front end is concerned.

[Redwood Chair]

Originally Posted by kyle242gt

Guess the Explorer WP is shorter?

It's the whole accessory pack from a thunderbird that's 1.5" shorter.
&
http://www.ronmorrisperformance.com/

[kyle242gt]

Moved the engine around a bit, got it where I think it'll wind up. Sitting forward from my initial placement, but that makes the exhaust clearance a bit easier. A bit. Shifter looks to be in a good spot too.

It also gets the engine lower, and centers the crossmember in the sump. Clearance for pulleys, water pump, and radiator will be an issue, so nothing's set in stone yet.

Posted in OT about the header situation - nothing off the shelf for this, so I'll have to roll my own. Leaning toward a sprintcar-style kit, cheaper to buy prebent sections (with flanges, collectors, gaskets, bolts) than individual bends. Might revisit this.

But as I got to thinking about the exhaust fab (which really should be pretty fun, if not exactly easy), I realized I needed to sort out the steering. In turn, the pedals need to be located, so I know where the brake booster will wind up.

That brings us to today. Pulled the column and pedals out of the Mustang, layed them in place, and did some for a while. Column weighs a lot, don't know if that's to be expected or not? Will need to have the lower end shortened and probably section the upper end, wheel is out a bit far.

Brake booster looks doable too. Think I'll wind up with clearance for exhaust under and in front of it. Issue at this point is the pedal cluster (and attendant linkages) expect to be mounted vertically, and the firewall of the PV is sloped quite a bit. If I somehow manage to mount the pedals at the angle dictated by the firewall, the booster and master will (probably) stick out the top of the fender.

What I'd like to do is cut the firewall out where the pedal cluster attaches, and rebuild it around the pedals and booster. That would also move the booster back and allow more exhaust clearance. Obviously the firewall is structural, so not sure how much of it I can cut out. Opinions welcomed!