390FE (406ci) for #50, built by Tom Lucas at FE Specialties.

[brandon.k]

Nice work robroy. That thing sounds and looks great!

[FreakysFords]

OMG the videos are up and I wont have audio for another couple hours!!

Congrats Robroy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Frank

[fomocoguy]

So Robroy, I couldn't help but notice the lack of a fan. Are you planning on going with an electric fan setup?

[Ranchero50]

That feeling of it moving on it's own is pretty cool eh? Now to get comfortable with it. then feel you can rely on it and life is bliss.

I didn't notice the fan, but was wondering about the heater hoses missing.

Blocks of wood for a seat brings up a fond memory. I bunch of years ago I bought a '69 Torino vert, 351 4bbl, 4sp for $1900 that had just been painted but was missing the front seat. I drove it home (less tags and insurance) sitting on a milk crate. Only problem, the Autolite 4bbl was junk, either idled or was wide open. So manual steering, power brakes, clutch, sliding seat, oh and shifting too made for a handfull. I will be honest, leaving the first stop light I went arse over tea kettle backwards off the crate, tires screaming. Fond memories.

Jamie

[23109c]

Nicely done Robroy. That thing sounds healthy. Cam specs seem a little conservative vs. tone of engine! Thanks for the documentation and motivation.

[BobbyFord]

Excellent job Robroy! The engine sounds great!!

[FreakysFords]

Just now got to watch the videos......... Congrats again bud!

I've driven more vehicles than I care to admit with no seat. Most of the time an upturned 5gal bucket serves well (incl Darlin)............... Somehow I'm thinking that my shortness is a little different than your height though.

Keep 'em coming man! The FE addiction must be fed!

Frank

[Alvin in AZ]

Laughed out loud a quarter of the way into the first video! :)
I've never stepped on the gas pedal to anything like the Yellow Jacket either! :)

So now what's the plan? ...I mean, what's left to do? :)

Alvin in AZ

[DuckRyder]

Way more bad than the other one...

That is a classic!

It sounds very good! Definitely a note of authority!

Congratulations again!

[robroy]

Good morning 70_F100, Ruben, Brandon, Frank, Joe, Jamie, 23109c, Bobby, Alvin, and Robert, thank you all so much for your outstanding replies!

Robroy, that's SAWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fantastic, thanks!

Sorry I haven't commented, but I've been working feverishly on my C6 to T19 swap.

I'll be quite curious to hear (and see) more about your T19 swap! And I understand completely if any main contributors to #50 don't reply to updates instantaneously. After all, #50 is not the center of the universe--only the center of the Milky Way (kidding).

Look for some updates from me in a couple of days, with things I NEVER expected.

I'm looking forward to that greatly!

It's one of those things that, "Well, I'm doing this, and I found this, so I might as well fix this while I'm at it, and those other things need to be done too, so..............."

That's an algorithm I'm familiar with! It seems that on our trucks, every bolt, washer, nut, clip, cable and push-rod leads its sibling bolt, washer, nut, clip, cable or push-rod, and all ask us, "Would you please make me function in a perfect way, and make me look beautiful as well?" Turning down their plea for restoration is a perpetual challenge.

Robroy great progress. Your doing a supurb job with all the details, and I know the rest of the build will be no exeption.

Thanks very much Ruben! I'm trying to balance my attention to details with my desire to have a running, driving toy. I appreciate your comments!!!

Nice work robroy. That thing sounds and looks great!

Thanks Brandon! I'm sure its sound will change when I get some real pipes on it (that don't leak badly like its current, temporary setup does).

OMG the videos are up and I wont have audio for another couple hours!!

Thanks for being so interested and excited Frank!

Congrats Robroy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you very much! I've learned enough along the way to completely replace my previous understanding of automobiles. In its current incarnation, #50 would not have been possible at all if it weren't for the generous guidance I've received from you guys on FORDification!

So Robroy, I couldn't help but notice the lack of a fan. Are you planning on going with an electric fan setup?

Good observation Joe! Yes, that's my plan. Completing the cooling system is one of the major tasks that remains, and I'll probably continue an existing thread on that topic or start a new one (when it's time to begin planning and getting my hands dirty)!

That feeling of it moving on it's own is pretty cool eh? Now to get comfortable with it. then feel you can rely on it and life is bliss.

Absolutely true Jamie! It was a special feeling. Considering my lack of understanding and experience with cars, I'm always amazed when something that I put together with my own hands works! And I'm shocked when a whole slew of things all seem to work!

I didn't notice the fan, but was wondering about the heater hoses missing.

Indeed! I removed the heater box to swap out its core, then got sucked in to the "trap" of wanting to resolve its rust issues and make it work like-new. It's in pieces on my work bench at the moment!

Blocks of wood for a seat brings up a fond memory. I bunch of years ago I bought a '69 Torino vert, 351 4bbl, 4sp for $1900 that had just been painted but was missing the front seat. I drove it home (less tags and insurance) sitting on a milk crate. Only problem, the Autolite 4bbl was junk, either idled or was wide open. So manual steering, power brakes, clutch, sliding seat, oh and shifting too made for a handfull. I will be honest, leaving the first stop light I went arse over tea kettle backwards off the crate, tires screaming. Fond memories.

HA!!! That is a fantastic story! Yes there is something special about driving on wood blocks, or a milk crate!

Nicely done Robroy. That thing sounds healthy.

Thanks very much 23109c!

Cam specs seem a little conservative vs. tone of engine!

I know just what you mean! So far I've actually been a little surprised with how aggressive the engine sounds, based on its mellow camshaft. I think part of that is due to my swiss-cheese exhaust system--we'll know for sure when I get some real pipes welded in!

That said, I'm not let down by this at all. It just makes the engine seem more exciting and insane, which appeals to my innate, genetically directed quest for extremes. I love it!

Thanks for the documentation and motivation.

You're most welcome 23109c!

Excellent job Robroy! The engine sounds great!!

Thanks very much Bobby! I'm looking forward to posting more videos once real exhaust has been installed.

Just now got to watch the videos......... Congrats again bud!

Excellent--thank you Frank!

I've driven more vehicles than I care to admit with no seat. Most of the time an upturned 5gal bucket serves well (incl Darlin)............... Somehow I'm thinking that my shortness is a little different than your height though.

Vehicles without seats are classic indeed! And with regard to the five gallon bucket, I think its lack of surface area to comfortably support my posterior would limit its applicability sooner than its height!

Keep 'em coming man! The FE addiction must be fed!

Thanks for your great enthusiasm Frank! I took more video footage yesterday and will continue to post them here!

Laughed out loud a quarter of the way into the first video!
I've never stepped on the gas pedal to anything like the Yellow Jacket either!

HA!!! Excellent! Indeed, I was surprised by its profound response to slight gas pedal inputs. It's unlike any engine I've experienced before--it feels like it wants to get up and go!

So now what's the plan? ...I mean, what's left to do?

Great question! Some of the main things are: put the body back together, design and install a fan system, finish the heater box and put it back in, put the interior back together, wire up the instrument cluster, get some real exhaust installed, and get it registered and insured!

I've been thinking that for much enhanced clarity and organization, I'm going to start a meta-thread that tracks #50's overall progress, including everything up to this point. This will be in the Project Updates section. I'm hoping to tie all my existing threads together in a chronological way, and make an official place to ask for advice on high-level plans.

Way more bad than the other one...

That is a classic!

HA!!! Thanks Robert! Kasie was really impressed with how bad, as in "bad to the bone," this engine sounded! She said later that after hearing it, and stepping on the gas pedal, she finally understands what I've been doing for the past couple of years. She can see now that I have not been building an ordinary vehicle!

It sounds very good! Definitely a note of authority!

Fantastic! Thanks for saying so!

Congratulations again!

Thanks Robert!

You've all played a huge role in designing #50's setup since the day I began, and when I see #50, I'm acutely aware that it's the product of a group effort. I simply do not have the knowledge and skills to put something like that together on my own! And so far, I've wound up with a vehicle that's much more exciting than anything I've experienced before. It's tremendously fun to be discovering a whole new type of animal as it goes together!

70_F100, Ruben, Brandon, Frank, Joe, Jamie, 23109c, Bobby, Alvin, and Robert, thank you all again for your quality replies!

Robroy

[robroy]

Good afternoon!

Here are a couple of videos taken yesterday, Sunday April 18th.

The first one, "Runs in Garage #2," is similar the video already posted. I just figured I'd add it here since I had it on my video camera. The second one, "Sound from Behind," captures the exhaust sound from behind the truck.

H.264 (2MB) WMV (4MB)


H.264 (2MB) WMV (3MB)


Thanks for watching!
Robroy

[Ranchero50]

Have you decided anything on the exhaust yet?

Jamie

[BobbyFord]

[1971ford]

x2

Can't wait to see this thing again... with the truck wrapped around it Any date estimation of when it will be ready to see Tom again?