Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Wife is heavy into off roading with her bronco....now I know why she never said anything when my parts came in, 3hr's later, her traction mats showed up!! Always has to out do me, LOL!

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Got another video almost done.

So far, Removed the two bus batteries as well as the master switch and 20ft of double O wire.(100lb's??) Reinstalled the rear carpet. Got the new battery tray in by removing the fuel pressure reg and some other wiring that was in the way, then had to move the starter solenoid too. Got that done and a quick disconnect on the new "die hard" batt.

Working on the fuel system under the hood now. Gotta go pick up some fittings and a tap for fuel checks. Pumped two jerry cans of fuel through the system to flush more of the old crap out. (1/2" line and a holley blue pump empty a tank pretty quick!!)
I'll finish the fuel system and then probably post a video of my junk in progress.

Pulled off the rear spoiler because they only came on the indy 500 pace cars in 1979 and this is a ghia.

Also, went and picked up a water pump drive from fellow class racer Rory McNeil yesterday so that will be next after the fuel system is done.

I must be getting lots done, I can tell because the wife is getting really mad with my absence....lol...

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Here's part 5 of undoing the bracket car and building a stocker, lol!

https://youtu.be/kcrHoc9euhI

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Got the pump drive mounted and I ran a fuseable link and a relay to run it and the electric fan too.

A million little steps....

Too busy working on other stuff, lol. Had to fab up a lever and arm for a stainless steel milking valve.

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Progress...once again, 1 step ahead and 2 back...

Got the batt all installed...and then looked at the blue 86lx in the driveway....the battery is supposed to be negative first as the front post is quite close to the hood..swap everything around...

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Then I found a smaller black cap to replace the big grey ugly one. (from a 75 international 304)
Not a "performance" thing, but it will "look older" lol!!

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Tried bolting the hood scoop on and found I was missing some nuts and a stud. So instead of buying one, I made one on the milling machine.
Two different sized threads was fun.

Only took half an hour and it saved $.025!! LOL!!

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

You're better off with the large diameter cap, spark goes where it's intended ;)

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

I'm running msd but really, I don't think spark scatter will be a problem. Worst case, I'll change it back. It was just a "looks" thing, won't stay if there is an issue but how much spark do you need for 200hp? LOL!!

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Are you afraid the alternator might overheat? ;-)

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

I'm a little slow Mark....can you elaborate?

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Stock pulley and fan on alternator..

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Hmmm...never thought that far ahead, I'm still concerned about only having one battery and was considering running the bigger crank pulley out front instead of the smaller one I did in behind. Thanks for the observation, this will be the 1000's of tiny things I have to redo to make it quicker. Now I'm going to go look at more stocker engine bays to see what else I missed, lol!

All comments welcome as there is stuff I never even thought of, that most would say "well of course you do" but I'm learning.

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Interior going back in...still need a front right seat in red......

Also not in the picture but I made an aluminum plate to cover the shifter hole.

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Looking at the pictures I see another issue...no radio and no heater controls....dang it!!!
Can you replace radio and heater controls with gauges and lights??

Or, are these "must have" as well?? I guess I'll have to look for that crap, man 1 step ahead and 2 back every time, lol!

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Radio can have a block off plate/plug, but Heater/AC controls must remain. The 2024 NHRA Rulebook is avail. Free online, Section 11A, get familiar with it, and on your phone so you can quickly find your answers, section by section, item by item, it pays off quickly.

My 84' has been in the family since the dealer lot trip (Feb. 5, 1985), sold without a radio, helped install the cheap K-Mart special Kraco w/Cassette player stereo, that same afternoon, and still have the original poly plastic blocker plate that came factory in center console dash tower. But, due to sentimental reasons, the speakers are gone, radio is now only 1" deep (just weighs ounces now, and no longer makes noise, but still has a light on it, and the tuning needle is permanently set to 102.7 Mhz KIIS FM (The SoCal Classic Rock Station I first set as programmable button 1 to drive my dear departed Mom nuts as this was her daily driver for her career job w/the AAA of Southern California). The Heater and AC box sits in the corner of my garage now, but the controls are right above that fake radio front. All the lights work.

Even w/the rulebook in hand, I still have questions still unresolved. (But, that list is getting shorter by the day). 1 foot in front of the other, horse before the cart, 1 change at a time. Sometimes 1 step forward, 2 steps back. Progress is slow, but getting faster w/each step in the right direction and constantly experimenting.

Old projects, need a bumper to bumper nut and bolt ck, then you can fully concentrate on the improves, rather than the repairs constantly. It will show the weak points, and those need improves then, not later.

I started my fully re-built powerplant out w/ the biggest fully ckd legal cam for the combo I had on my shelf at the time (though it was a new to me recent purchase, a specially ground 1 off Reed cam, tons of overlap, almost maxed on the exhaust side for lift, intake side was mid range, and it sounded amazing, but 1/8 mile passes were 7K in lo gear, it was in the car 2 whole test sessions (1/8th mile and 1 quarter mile, zero vacuum until 3K rpm (no go w/current power brakes), left like a turtle for 100 then stormed out the back end, would not run the number w/ those brakes, and that converter as tight as it currently
is, swapped it out to my next lower mid lift cam, same settings, and 4 race events (and 1 Class Wally later), ended the 2023 season almost -.800 under index at Pomona.

But, without experimenting to find sweet spots, and forging ahead with a pretty sound car in the beginning, and taking the time, spending the money, I would be
mired in repairs, rather than improves, as mine also sat from 1997-2022 (26 years between racing it actively in STK 1994-97', and a redebut in late 2023).

Good luck on your mission brother! I am enjoying the build thread. I need to update mine too after April (Class racing again this month for 2024! 9 days to Vegas 4 wide, followed by LODRS Double w/Class, all within a 2 week period).

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Thanks for the positive reinforcement! Yeah I keep looking at the guide online when I think of something, but that's usually after I make a mistake and have to redo stuff, lol!

I'm going to d/l it now and do some reading. (hopefully won't see a glaring oversite on my part)

Thinking it would of been simpler to get a street car and just pull out what is legal rather than trying to change a bracket car into a street car so I can convert it to a stocker!

First time to the track will give me a lot of answers (guess I should of rebuilt the transmission or rear end, lol) don't even know what it weighs.

Ok...time to download the rule book!

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

D/L the rule book and found 6 things I need to check/change. Nothing crazy but more work, like;

-Need to find a heater control panel.

-Need to install a radio (actually I like this as I listen to the announcer as I'm staging). But this means moving the fuel pump and fan switches that are mounted to the block off plate that I just finished rewiring a few months ago.

-Headlights and taillights...damn it, cut the harness off at the firewall in '93 or so because you just know it made it that much faster with no headlight harness...lol....

Couple more things to add to the list. (I guess that's why the list never gets shorter, I keep adding to it!)

(keep rereading the line "mired in repairs, rather than improves", boy that has an ominous tone to it..lol)

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

You do not need a radio, factory, or otherwise. Heater controls, yes.

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Life always throws you curve balls doesn't it??

Thursday night coming home from bible study in the snow storm, this happened. Nobody hurt but it went down over a 30' bank and was over 100' off the road when it finally fetched up on more trees and a huge rock. Waiting until Monday to see what the adjuster says.

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

In other news....I ordered the adjustable upper rear control arms and the grill that goes in the hood scoop from LMR. I checked the pinion angle and it's around 3-4* down, but this will let me adjust for what works best.

I think I'll have to get a decal made that says "I've never spent so much to go so slow" !! LOL!!!

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

I will caution you that switching your fuel system from pump gasto race gas and back (and actually passing a fuel ck is not as easy as it seems, but you can do it if properly prepared. It is a real big pain to do, and at today's prices it is an expensive waste of good race gas.

In 1994 I tried w/ the stock gas tank, my system is single point injector EFI, fuel ran from in tank pump w/sock, to TBI hat, to injector top inlet screen/pinter, then to attached regulator, then a quarter inch return line to the tank.

By disconnecting up front lines from Throttle Body, creating and inserting a "temp U-Line connection, plugging into the diag. Port for the ECM to add a switch to temp override the ECM 10 sec key on prime feature for the fuel pump I could both take samples, and could also just circulate the fuel through the system, or drain the tank/lines
completely from under hood area.

1994 First Divisional race of the year, drive in on pump gas, drained the tank and lines completely of the pump gas I drove the car in on then added 2-3 gals of VP C-12 race gas and went for pre-race fuel ck....And failed the ck, oxygenation additives put the ck out of whack (to this day, and I drove the car all over the country in 1995. Then 96, and 97, to many, many events on pump gas, after properly being shown how to wash the system to remove the oxygenation additives, the only fuel ck I ever failed was that 1st 1).

A great NHRA Div. 7 man taught me how. Drain the tank and lines fully. Then get a single gallon or 2 of red diesel, add the diesel to the tank or cell, bounce the rear of the car to splash that as high on tank or cell sides as you can, then you need to cycle flush all your lines for 10-20 mins circulating the red diesel through the lines to wash them, and do not allow the diesel to enter carbs, throttle bodies, etc.

Drain the tank and lines again fully, then add 2 gals of race gas to the tank and wash 10 mins again (circulating that new race gas to wash the system of diesel, and drain again...save the diesel and that now dirty race gas, both can be used for future washes).

Now add 2 gals of clean new race gas, rehook the system back up, check for leaks, and head for a fuel pre-ck. You will have burned up an hr. to an hr/1/2 of time, and will pass the ck....after the event I simply drained and sold the race
gas left, or carried it on to next event.

Add back the orig. Pump gas and fire it up. (But, once you do, the wash of the system will be necessary again).

I drove track to track all over in 1995 doing that, a huge pain in the rear, but it is doable. But, since my engine rebuild, adding a 5 gal. Cell, removing the tank, pump gas has not been introduced to the system period as race gas is no longer $7.00 a gal., and diesel is getting nowhere near those new Ross pistons or Sealed Pro ringsets.

If it has pump gas in it now, my suggestion is do the first wash at home, then add race gas, then get a pre-ck before your 1st Q1 round (with plenty of time to wash it again if necessary, and come pre-prepared!) Also bring a fresh set of plugs pre-gapped to throw in it.

Good luck brother.

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Really sry about the book above, but I was screwed in 1994 as 1). I did not know the answers. 2). Fuel ck was open a day before. 3). That tech guy was great, knew how to resolve my issue, sold me a brand new 2.5 gal fuel container out of his own truck, then called & arranged a Las Vegas track maintenance employee to secure and sell me for cash 2 gallons of red diesel out of a temp lighting unit on the property, then stay with me teaching me the system wash procedure until I passed. Luckily there was time the day before Q1 to complete it.

Today, you are not even assured that the scale will be manned, ckd., and accurate or fuel ck will be open after pitting. And Q1 comes early in the AM.

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Concerning switching to race gas for fuel check, on my 85 Mustang Stocker, I retained the factory steel gas tank, and for running non LODRS or National events, I would run Chevron mid grade pump gas, which was usually 3 to 4 hundreths quicker than C12 in my low compression, carbed 302, mainly because in Canada, VP C12 was over 20 bucks a gallon. Before getting ready to enter a NHRA Divisional or National event, I would run the fuel pump with the line to the carb running into a fuel jug, until it stopped pumping, then I would add a couple of gallons of C12, and pump that out, then leave the gas cap off, to "air out" for at least an hour, then add more fresh C12, and then load the car up for the trip to the track. Maybe I was just lucky, but I never failed fuel check doing this method.Your results may vary.

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

One step ahead.....numerous back....

Had an accelerator pump weeping a bit, so I replaced it. Hit the key and won't fire? Checked, yup lots of gas...no spark??? After a bit of wire tracing and pulling the msd box out I found a momentary switch under the dash went bad! I had installed it 30 years or so ago when I was running the 302 with 2 4bbls and had the distributor locked out at 38*. I would hold in the button to get it rolling over then let it out to fire it up. Apparently it decided that it didn't want to play any more. Better here than the track of course. Totally forgot it was there! lol.

Installed a neutral switch.

Found a pair of red seats...buddy wants $350 for the pair. Still looking....

Wrote off the wifes bronco

Tore my left bicep muscle off working out so that laid me up a bit.

First race is 24 May.....getting concerned. It might be a bracket car until I get the rest of the stocker stuff finished...

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

We run a second tank with nitrous fuel. If u have 2 tanks, 1 pump and 1 race gas. Then only thing to clean is lines going forward.

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Ck the book, now all Stockers can add a fuel cell (it wasn't always like that, days gone by only the fast cars could), but we all can now if properly done, but it also states if you do, the stock tank must also be removed.

I can just imagine the look, hey what is that other tank over there...Answer, oh. That is our nitrous (or pump gas), fuel tank. Lol. And the fine tooth comb search for associated lines, selenoids, etc.

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Well, that was nice it always ckd. out good, mine failed just that once, and it was a real pain the way he told me to do it. That sounds like it worked out a lot better.

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

LOL. After I sent it I should have made it clearer. Now does one tank with race gas go up front. Less cleaning.

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Sooooo.....
1) Got my springs/retainers/locks, but my lifters still haven't come in.
2) Tried to put on collectors and the four sets of heeaders I have, the ones installed have an odd ball size collector flange.
3) bought new plugs but even though the machine shows them for a 79-93 mustang...they're the wrong ones. I even thought to run them but after sticking them in a head and looking in the chamber? Umm, nope can't use them.
4) Got the car painted...it's very apparent I'm a mechanic and not a painter! LOL! I think I should of painted it orange there's so much peel!
5) I'm buying slicks from a local Stocker guy and tried to get tubes...nope, a month out. I have a partial solution, we'll see...
6) I haven't pulled the engine to confirm 24 or 26 spline converter (Put it in, in 1993 and don't remember what I ordered, I just know it's a truck, pan fill c4) so until then, I'll be running the 2800 stall bracket converter.

So it looks like I'll be going to a bracket race this weekend with wrong cam/heads/intake/converter, no collectors......this will be a "first time since 1997 it's been on the track" so I have zero expectations, just get it on the track. Make a few passes and look for bugs to work out.
Here's some pic's of the mess.

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Poop.....
While loading I gave it a couple shots on the road and when I hit 3rd, it fell on it's face. That turned out to be (hopefully) low fuel, heard the pump surging and looked at the guage, 1/8th tank, hopefully all that it was.

But, still not running "crisp". Getting popping though the headers when at steady rpm.
Popping almost goes away when I move the timing around.

Pulled one plug wire at a time and found #1 to not affect the engine idling as much as the others. I did a compression test and all were between 125-135 including #1 which was 130. Did a leakdown and it's...not good.(valves leaking) I don't even want to say the numbers, lol. So instead of spending $500 or so for the weekend, just for it to be aggravating for me and others, I think I'm going to stay home and start doing my good heads.

The first S/SS race is 14 June so hopefully I'll have lifters by then (so, SO hard getting parts here!) then I'll have the right cam/intake and carb and will only be missing the right converter.

Took the sparkplugs back to canadian tire, got a set of E3's because it was the only thing they had 8 of.

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

I built the same combo several years ago and it's my backup stocker, I'd recommend autolite 25 spark plugs or equivalent. Brian Seaberg 627

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Thanks Brian, unfortunately here, all you can find is two of these or one of those��

I got E3 plugs (with the nhra logo, lol) only because that was the only complete set I could buy!
Maybe I’ll special order some autolite 25’s as backup. Not sure if the heat range with autolite now but I think years ago when it called for 45’s I put in 43’s as they were colder. If that’s still the same, are these 25’s the heat range? Wow, that’s cold, call that a “wife’s plug”��

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

I get them off Ebay NOS USA autolite 25 and 45 for the comet, they work pretty good..I would post a picture of my mustang on here but this page is complicated..

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

I use the same and get them the same way, for my Cougar. And get extras. ;-)

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Brian, it really is not that complicated to post pics here. You just need to resize the pics, transfer your pics to a computer to a folder in your pics folder, create another new folder in your pics folder, name the new folder resized pics.

Then highlight and right click, choose copy for the pics you wish to resize and post. Then go to the folder labeled resized pics, right click again choose paste. Now you have the pics in that folder. And highlight all of them again in that folder, up top choose edit. Then it will ask you what program you wish to use to edit the pics, choose Paint.

Paint will now open and the first pic will show up very large. Up top choose pixels and put a dot in it on the left. Up will come 2 sets of numbers for the vertical and horizontal pixels (choose the largest number of the 2, in that box, change the number to 800, it will change both numbers. Hit the X to close the window upper right, then it will ask you if you want to save it, choose yes, that pic will close opening the next pic highlighted, just keep repeating the editing process all to 800 pixels. Always choose save, once all the pics you chose are resized then you are ready to post them here.

Choose the paper clip on the toolbar up top, a window will open on the left, go to that resized pics folder using the search button there. Find the pic in the resized folder, click upload and watch it upload, then choose the other pics, once all are uploaded, close the window on the left. Return to the toolbar up top, hit that arrow to right of the paper clip and choose 1 of the 2 ways to post it, in the text box or as a thumbnail attached to the thread, and they will post. Then submit reply and the pics will show up in your or his thread.

Good luck.

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Could you please post this in English for us computer illiterate folks?

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Way ,way too complicated for a neophyte .

Download Postimage.org for free

Open, click on Choose Images.
Click on image from your particular folder
When next page opens, click on icon all the way to the right. on the third line from the bottom.
You have now copied your image to a URL that you can paste here .
Can be any size and you can re-post that pic again at a later date, which you can't do with C/R's pic server.

(Reader's Digest version, for you old timers)

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Went to Armstrongs and picked up lifters (why didn't I go there first??) and started working on the heads. Some guides were worn out, other were just worn, but, I'm replacing all the guides just because.

Couldn't get over the difference between stock locks and the comp ones as well as the stock springs compared to the beehive springs! Seat pressure is 192# and over the nose is 350#! Once all the guides are done, I start doing the valve job. One thing I didn't expect was how deep the valve would drop when I ground it out to have a 30* seat. Might have to replace some seats, not sure until I get going. (or do people change all the seats when building stocker heads??)

Anyway, 1:31 AM, time to stop for tonight I guess, lol.

Re: U/SA 302 ffffford build
 

Why 30 degree seats?