I just wanted to post this because it's been so long coming! My friends Dave, Chris and John came over to help me fire up the 390. I built it from the ground up, Comp cams, dual quads, Mad Dog headers, top loader 4-speed and on and on with tons of advice from all you guys. I had the distributor off one tooth retarded. Chris advanced it a tooth and she came to life. Sounds sweet too. My valve setting and carb settings seem good! I'm a proud Poppa but still lots of work and $$$$$ to go. Thanks, John
LIKE!!!!! Keep it up, you're getting there.
That's awesome!
That's awesome, nothing like getting it fired up for the first time. Maybe the maiden voyage! Mark
Way to go. That must have put a smile on your face!
After 27 years, you deserve a pat on the back. It looks good too. Now get out there and drive the wheels off of it so you can make up for lost time. I'm very happy for you.
Thanks Guys, Still lots of work to do plus my health gets in the way. I have to finish painting it, Interior etc. That picture is from last summer. I will get it out and shoot some more.
I always tell people how helpful you guys are with advice. How did we build Hot Rods before the internet. People around here aren't much into 57 Fords but like them. Lots of Chevelles!
That is looking good, such a great feeling after all those years of dreams! What color are you painting it?
Kevin
Nobody ever thinks of the Fords....... until they see one. Then the smile on their face says it all. Keep up the good work!
I'm using Eastwood Wimbeldon white and cruise night blue two tone. It's close to what it was in '68 or so. I have the roof done and the top of the body. When our #%&$* weather ever clears I will paint the bottom of the body blue. Painting has been a nightmare! I like the paint. It's great stuff at a great price and they give you free shipping and discounts. The problems I have is moisture , dust, fish eyes and dry spots. One stupid move I made was using plastic sheets from home depot. When the paint dried it would flake off and blow on my fresh paint. Try to save 5 bucks and it bites you in the ass! I was too close to the compressor too and it blew dust on my fender! I will fix all that stuff. I have painted a lot of cars in my life, but new problems always pop up!
Great looking car and the 390 is one of Fords best.
Congratulations on getting it fired up. The 390 and 4 speed should make it a fun driver. I don't have a lot of patience at times, I'd probably be heading down the road sitting on a milk crate :003:
The only thing I really fret about on the first start up is wiping out the cam. I would run the engine for an hour or two then drain and inspect the oil just to be sure.
I once covered the wheels on a car I was painting with big plastic trash bags. I guess you now know why that was a mistake. Congrats again on your progress!
There used to be a product called fish eye eliminator. It works
Plastic is cheap, easy, and in big sheets. The down side is that it can be used once. Once the paint dries, it can't be used again. It you get all the paint on in one session, it's great stuff. It is great for covering other things in the shop.
Very Nice!
Sorry, Gary..can't agree with you on this one. I'll never try to use plastic again...once the first coats start to dry and you start laying on, let's say, the clearcoat, the spraygun will start blowing the dried stuff off the plastic and start a snowstorm of dried flakes all headed for your paint job. Just not worth the ease of masking..too much time to fix, and paints waaaay too expensive to chance the risk. If your doing a one wet pass or several wet passes and it's done, ok, but multi coats that are drying long before the last coat is sprayed, no thanks.
I won't use the plastic again. What a nightmare when you get that snowstorm of paint flakes. I am going to try to wet sand them out and if I have to repaint a couple of sections. It would only be the top of the fenders if I have to.
As far as the engine we ran it for 40 minutes. I used break in lube and Lucas zinc additive with diesel 15 40 if I remember. I will change the oil again too. I have heard lots of stories about flattening out cams.
I can't wait to drive it but there is no glass in it. I have to put a headliner in it first before the glass too. My seat needs to be done too. Maybe just a blanket for now.
Thanks for all the kind words. John
I got my headliner from a place not to far from you..in Worcester. Really nicely sewn and a great selection of fabric. I'll look up the name if you don't know who it is I'm talking about.
I was quite lucky with the plastic. I used it when I was spraying Lizard Skin and tinted bed liner. I learned the flaking thing when it didn't really hurt anything. Used rolled paper from the rack with the tape dispenser for long paint sessions. Like I said...works great for covering shop equipment and the tool box on the other side of the shop.
Do you mean Lebaron Bonney? I want to buy the whole interior kit eventually. It used to be ABC interior and then they bought the guy out. They also bought out EZ Boy rod interior. I like the original '57 interior. It's going to cost over $2000 for the kit, seats, door panels and all other stuff. :006:
No. Automotive interiors. They are in Belchertown. They will send a sample board of fabrics you want to see. I wanted a soft look....the fabric I got was really high quality with almost a mohair look to it. They are in Belchertown...I have them on our supplier list. I don't know anything about their oem style upholstery.
www.automotiveinteriors.com
My pic...almost done here. The fabric I mentioned was their synthetic, color Leige
Thanks for the info. Belchertown is not far from me. It is hard to find upholstery guys around here. There are 2 shops in my area that are nightmares. I gave my 1948 Ford to one of them to fix the conv. top where it meets the body. He scratched my car and charged me $500. I felt sick!!! The other guy charged my friend $1000 to put a headliner in a 1960 Chevy wagon. He also put a headliner in my friends 1956 Chevy and put screws to hold it in by the back window. I could go on and on. Thanks , John
If you do it yourself (the headliner) give us a heads-up. We've run threads on it and a lot of useful tips have come up. It's not really that bad once you get the how-am-I-going-to-attach-it figured out. I will say it took 4 or 5 days a few hours at a time to get it done...old bodies like mine run out of energy quickly...which is why I'm in here on the computer after just one sheet of metal roofing.
A heads up if I'm not too late. Be careful with the roof bows..they are different and have to go back in the same order. They are color coded on the ends, but it may be hard to find or rusted so you can't see. If they were removed without coding them, let us know, somewhere we have some pics and discriptions comparing one to the other. Some guys clean them off and paint them. I cleaned mine off and wrapped them with the same color coded electrical tape...didn't want futre rust stains on the headliner.
Cool! thanks for the tips. I am going to do the headliner myself. All the glass is out as well as no interior. The bows are out and crusty. I did mark them and will clean and paint them. I try to do everything on my cars. They never come out perfect but I don't have much money to pay to have stuff done. Thanks, John
Glad your happy that its running, I know I sure was. Don't beat yourself up to badly I had a few bites on the ass with my build.....I'm finally able to sit down. HRD
Nice work and congrads on your motor.Once you get it finished I think some of those boys,who all have the same old chevells in the driveway,are going to wish they had yours.I too just this past july got my 292 fired up after sitting nearly 30 years.I been driving it a bit,but its time to tear her down .I need to find a shop to rebuild mine that knows y-blocks,but they all say they do.
Hey rich was that an AC unit in yuor garage wall? We dont have those where I come from,just window wipers on our houses.
If you want to work in a garage in Texas you either need heat or air at least 1/2 the year. If I don't turn the air on on an average hot day it gets to the top of my thermometer readings by noon.
Never been in a garage in Texas,just an airport.Maybe someday
In the Texas summers,you M E L T !