FINALLY!!! Time for my '57's!

[lalessi1]

Here is a pic of the front counter weight....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-Ford-MUSTANG-428-Super-Cobra-Jet-Shelby-Harmonic-Balancer-COUNTER-WEIGHT-/262566338818?hash=item3d222c6102:g:mmcAAOSwARZXpmXb&vxp=mtr

[mustang6984]

LOL!!! Well...luckily for me...I will escape that one. I am thinking about having it balanced by a machine shop...so that way I will have a nice smooth engine...and wont do anything like that. (glad to know I am not the only one who does silly things! whew!)

...and then you have to watch out for used parts that silly people, like me, zero balance all external parts.

[mustang6984]

Thanks! I probably won't get to look at the motor again until Tuesday...(it is at my shop where I keep my toys...25 miles from here) but now I have some things to look for thanks to you and others.

Seems like that was kind of a high price for that counter weight...or have they real.y gotten that expensive now? YIKES!

Here is a pic of the front counter weight....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-Ford-MUSTANG-428-Super-Cobra-Jet-Shelby-Harmonic-Balancer-COUNTER-WEIGHT-/262566338818?hash=item3d222c6102:g:mmcAAOSwARZXpmXb&vxp=mtr

[59meteor]

The harmonic balancer is unique to the 410 & 428 as well.

Not true, the only 428 FE engine that has a unique harmonic balancer is the 428 SUPER Cobra Jet, 410s, big car 428s and regular 428 Cobra Jets use regular balancers, narrow with a built in pulley for 66 &67, the wider balancer that only uses bolt on pulleys for 68 thru 70. (410s were only made in 66& 67, and only in full sized Mercurys). 390 car engines from 1968-71, and 360-390 PU trucks from 68 thru 76 use the same balancer as the non SCJ 428s. The 428 SCJ damper is slighter larger, and is used with a counterweighted spacer sleeve between the balancer and the timing cover. All other FE engines use a straight, non counterweighted spacer. The 410 and non SCJ 428s are externally balanced, but only at the flywheel/flexplate, the SCJ is also externally balanced at the flywheel, AND the crank spacer.
The reason for the 428SCJ front counterweight is due to the heavier (about 75 grams per rod) 7/16" capscrew "LeMans" connecting rods, plus the SCJ crankshaft is unique, in that it is lacking the small counterweight near the middle of the 410/428 non SCJ cranks. The 428SCJ crank is stamped "1UA", while the regular 428s are stamped "1UB", and regular Galaxie/big Mercury/T Bird 428s are "1U". Some sources say that some 428 CJs used the 1U crank, but in racing and building FEs for 40 years, every real 428 CJ that I have owned or built had a 1UB crank. I have all 3 versions of 428 cranks on hand, and to be honest, I can`t see any visual difference between a 1U and a 1UB crank, and have made hundreds of low 10 second 1/4 mile passes in my race car, using the "plain" 1U cranks.
The reason for the 428 SCJ

[Ford Blue blood]

59meteor, thanks for the clarification.  That is valuable info and will be added to my FE note book!

[lalessi1]

Ditto!

[mustang6984]

59meteor...that is a wealth of knowledge. Thanks!

[mustang6984]

So...catch up time on the project. Things moved fast and furious for a bit, then came the Thanksgiving and Christmas distractions. We'll start up again after new years...but here is what has been done up to this point.

[mustang6984]

And some more...

[mustang6984]

Then there are the things that are in good shape...and some NOT in such good shape...

[mustang6984]

Upon initial inspection the frame looked pretty bad. But a little more checking and it was found to be actually REALLY good!

Plan is to put an "H" frame addition in between the rails from just ahead of the transmission mount back to where the frame rail kicks back in front of the rear wheels, adding some rigidity to the frame and ride.

[mustang6984]

And the tool that gave it's life for the cleaning was my trusty Harbor Freight grinder. I think I asked a bit more of it than what it was designed for. But hey...I've had it for nearly 17 years...and it has done a lot of work...so no complaints. OOPs! So...I went and bought a much heavier duty one, and it is doing just fine.
And this brush...YIKES! I was afraid it might actually eat the steel! This thing is GREAT for disposing of rust!

[mustang6984]

And isn't there supposed to be a spring on either the top or bottom of this arm to help it keep the gate up in the air? If I can find one, and make it work like it is supposed to...then I will ditch my idea of splitting the gate.

[mustang6984]

Okay...lesson learned...CHECK before you post pics...to keep from duplicating pics already shown! LOL!!! I just discovered I had already posted some of the frame/body separation pics. OOPs!

Let the flogging begin! 

[RICH MUISE]

Wish I had your space to work in when I separated mine. What I'm seeing is looking pretty solid. I sure hope you're gonna get something more substantial holding up that body before you get under it. Nice to see a car getting ready to be done right.