1978 Mustang II

[Tod Lane]

Originally Posted by Robert Swartz

Just a little update.

Life has severely gotten in the way since my last posts on this thread. My old friend, Tod Lane and I have both been bitten by life. My mother whom was living with my wife and I had become more and more ill in the past few months. As cold as this sounds, mercifully she has finally left us. She passed away two weeks ago.

Roughly at same time, Tod's wife of 36+ years has been stricken with cancer. Which for both of us has made working on these old cars just a little less important in the grand scheme of things.

No real work of any consequence has gotten done in the past few months. Honestly, I haven't been in my garage much except to get tools for routine maintenance. So, I'm trying to get re-motivated to get a direction back in life.

In that regard, went to visit a co-worker yesterday and help him remove an unneeded item from his garage. Brought back a "Mexican" re-manned long block. At least that is what the tags say it is? Which just happened to be numbers matching 78 FFFord 302. He said it came out of a 78 T-Bird that he and a buddy had stripped. It did measure out at 4 inches on the bore (std). It has the correct number 78 heads. Which gives me a few more pieces to work with once I get my head screwed back on straight.

Well life has thrown us some curves since Bob's last update, my wife passed away Dec 11.

But we have in fact restarted the project, there is a LONG way to go yet but progress has been made.

[HandOverFist]

Pulling for you regardless of the time table.

[tommy d]

Originally Posted by Tod Lane

Well life has thrown us some curves since Bob's last update, my wife passed away Dec 11.

But we have in fact restarted the project, there is a LONG way to go yet but progress has been made.

Todd, very sorry for your loss. Can't begin to imagine the pain. Hope to see you guys sometime this summer.

[Robert Swartz]

It's been a good while since I've posted anything. Just hasn't been a lot of time to devote to working on the cars. Makes me wonder if we'll ever get this thing done.

Finally this weekend we got to do something constructive. We got the manual master cylinder in and plumbed. Along with the line lock. Still may need to fiddle with the brake peddle. Next step is straighten out and bleed the brakes. From the pictures it is a mess. We have most of the wiring roughed in. We have the gauges placed. They too are at present, roughed in.

I have to order a few more pieces. Then we will plug in the stocker camshaft and put the intake and carb back on it. Fire it and break in the cam. Get it mobile again. Then I will swap out the valve springs. Those beehive springs have a tad of pressure. Just working on a spare set of heads on the bench. Till we perfected a method and made a washer for the spring compressor. We launched a retainer and a set of 10 degree locks somewhere in the garage, LOL! Need to get a hold of Bullet and get some replacements.

Still need to get the transmission done. Put in the fuel cell, fuel pump and lines.

I have slim hopes of maybe having the car ready for the Indy Fall event. Maybe go to Ohio Valley for the Doorslammers and the Halloween combo. Lot of work to get there.

[Robert Swartz]

Some time was spent on the Mustang II today. We finally have the brakes back online. There is still a bunch of wiring to do, as well as clean up. As you view the photos, this is evident.

We got the fuel cell mocked up. I need to do a final finish on the brackets, clean them up and paint them. We have the fuel lines run up to the regulator. So, progress is there, albeit slowly.

Looks like the next step is to change out the cam. Put the new Bullet stocker cam, lifters and the adjustable rockers in. Not far from a point where this car may be able to run under it's own power again.

Anyone here local (Indianapolis or the Midwest) know whom to take a C4 for a rebuild. I already have the TCI rebuild kit, a serviceable valve body and the PA servo. Get that done and install my Bluestreak converter. This thing could well be close to looking at going down a track. Still a lot of work to do.

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Robert Swartz

Anyone here local (Indianapolis or the Midwest) know whom to take a C4 for a rebuild. I already have the TCI rebuild kit, a serviceable valve body and the PA servo. Get that done and install my Bluestreak converter. This thing could well be close to looking at going down a track. Still a lot of work to do.

Thomas Arnett can do it for you..He's not too far...Greenville, Ky.

[Robert Swartz]

Originally Posted by Mark Yacavone

Thomas Arnett can do it for you..He's not too far...Greenville, Ky.

Thanks Mark. I will look him up. Way back when, you and I discussed this. Thought about doing it ourselves. Decided to turn it over to someone that knows more about transmissions than I do.

Also seems I'm way late to the party with the 78 motor. This thing has gone from 139hp to 163, ouch! The 76 and 77 motors are still at the lower hp. I have a set of 77 heads and an intake. Also got a set of early Ford roller rockers courtesy of Bob Shaw. I have an option.

Running this thing as a U car would be a lot better. Car as a 78, presently fits in Q. 14.85 index versus a 13.80 index. Can weight it up to run R at 14.05, still be tough without a decent motor.

Ah well, finish the thing up. Take it to a track, see where we are at.