Hi Josh. I look forward to seeing your build thread. There isn't much of a market for 12a here in California. I think I settled for about $350 for everything. The guy I sold it to got a good deal. I probably could have made more taking things apart and selling on eBay or the forums but I struggle to for time to spend on the car as it is. The buyer was the only one who showing ingest after 3 weeks on Craigslist.

I'm in Alabama so u can imagine the interest I expect its still in the car for that reason.....

I got lucky with mine and there was a guy local that specialized in FBs and SAs. I got $350 for mine but I know I could have parted it here for more.

Well it has been a long time since I have posted anything. I thought I might take quick moment just to say I did not die and have not abandoned the project. The summer was extremely busy and did not yield any progress on the project. The last 2 months free time outside of work has been consumed by school work (I know, going back to school after 16 years of being away kind of stinks). The only thing that has changed since my last post is the engine is back from the machine shop.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...c8cebdae5d.jpg

I ended up having to go .030” over on the bore, but crankshaft did not require any machining. Machine work came out to $1200. It included boiling, decking, boring, line honing, pressing pistons, machining flywheel, a new balancer and balancing the rotating assembly. I was happy with the price. The long block build should keep under $2K including the GT40 heads I picked up.
My current goal is to have the long block built by January 1. I will try and get regrouped over thanksgiving break. This will include cleaning the remaining parts, painting the engine and obtaining the rest of the needed parts.
I hope to be back soon. Thanks.

Any body know where I can find a fuel tank from an '84-'85 FB? The local junk yard keeps punching holes in the tanks.

try asking for one in the 1st gen parts section?

any progress in your build?

Black dragon is out of business now?? Look forward to seeing more progress

Yes unfortunately Black Dragon is closing shop. I think they said sometime in December they will stop taking orders. They are out of a lot of items, but what they have left they are discounting pretty well.

I have a question about pushrods.

My block and heads have been resurfaced, will this require me to make changes to my pushrod lengths?

I want to replace my lifters, I figure this is probably a good idea with an engine that has 120k on it, and when I called Summit to confirm the lifter application for my engine, they said I need to check push rod length. I have never heard of having to make changes to pushrod lengths on a stock engine build, but I don't have a lot of experience with pushrod engine either. Any thoughts?

As a reminder, I have a 1993 roller cam engine with the stock pedestal style rockers arms

Thanks for your help.

I am hoping someone maybe able to lend me some advice. I am trying to remove the smog thermactor plugs from the GT40 cylinder heads I purchased on EBay but can't seem to get them out. I'm not sure if the installer used Loctite or something, but they are in there pretty good. I'm thinking of heating them up with a torch.

Anybody have any ideas? Is there a special tool or something I can use?

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...5d1d5b1e44.jpg

Well my Christmas presents to myself arrived today.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...0f7af41332.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...2c758d970a.jpg


In the boxes from Summit and LMR are main bearing cap, cylinder head, lower intake manifold, and timing cover & water pump bolts. I also stepped up and got new timing chain & gear set, water pump and lifters. I didn’t care for the rubber/cork oil pan and valve cover gaskets that my engine rebuild kit came with, so I up graded to the Ford Motorsports ones that are rubber reinforced with steel just like the OEM gaskets. I also purchased a new timing cover from LMR to replace the one I butchered on disassembly.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...dcd839da4f.jpg

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...862abb4ff7.jpg
The timing cover looks good. It is a direct replacement and intended for late model EFI engines. The quality looks to be pretty close to OEM. If it mounts up nicely this will be a great deal for $50. I should now have all the parts I need to assemble the long block.

In addition to purchasing the parts, I have been also able to spend time cleaning parts over the last week. And today I took the valve covers, oil pan, and upper and lower intake manifolds to the machine shop to get hot tanked and cleaned up real nice. It’s not a whole lot progress, but compared to what was accomplished over the last six to nine months, it’s a lot for my slow moving project.

Before I can get too much more done; however, I have a few honey-dos to accomplish. I have promised my wife a new front and back yard and I figure this will keep my busy for two to three months before I can spend some time putting the engine back together.

My New Year’s resolution for 2017 is going to be to hear the engine run. And maybe if I am lucky and can get enough time and the remaining brake parts needed for the rear end swap, drive the car around the block. We’ll have to see though, because that maybe a little ambitious for my rate of progress. Without setting goals it will never run though. Anyhow, it’s nice to end the year on a positive note.

Happy New Year’s everyone!

Nice shiny new stuff. Did you get the plug out? I would try heating it a bunch. I am about to rebuild my engine.

I did not get the plug out yet. A suggestion a co-worker gave me was to put the head in the oven for an hour at like 250-350 and then take it out and spray the plug with can of compressed air (key board cleaner) turned upside down. The head will be expanded and can cool the plug down and shrink it get it out.

I'm not sure if my wife would appreciate the car parts in the oven and frankly a little scared the heavy monsters will crush the oven rack.

hahaha my wife does not let me bring car parts in the house. You could try the same idea by using a torch to heat the area around the plug and then spray the plug. Have you talked to the machine shop about removing it?

I had thought about using a torch also, but am concerned about unevenly heating the head and warping/twisting it.

Hello everyone. I actually spent some time working on the seven today. I tackled some bulkhead modifications for the clutch system and engine fitment.

The first undertaking was fitting the larger-bore clutch master cylinder. Granny’s instructions make it sound simple and all that needs to be done is enlarge the main hole to 1 3/8”. So I used a step bit and enlarged the hole, but come to find out there are few extras steps that are needed. The first obstacle was the clutch master cylinder hits the brake booster. To overcome this I shaved down the body of the clutch master about 0.6mm on with a file.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...b18ce583b3.jpg

I then ovaled-out the hole with a file to shift the clutch master over to the left ever-so-slightly. The master cylinder now just barely clears the booster. I think I am going to leave it as is for now because I don’t want to take too much more off of the cylinder housing or off-center the master cylinder from the pedal too much. Finally I had to enlarge the mounting holes on the master slightly to make them align with the mounting holes in the bulk head.

So there it sits.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...8e0533f0e8.jpg

Before I permanently mount it I need to do few more things. One is weld a standard thread pitched nut onto the clevis to match the threads on the master cylinder pushrod. Mount the reservoir, and then get a sheet of gasket paper to make a gasket.

I then turned my attention to modifying the shape of the firewall.
In order to fit the thermactor/air injection pipe that goes to the back of the cylinder heads, Granny says you need move the fire wall back about ¾” to 1” in a couple of spots. On the right hand side they have you measure 11” down from the washer fluid hose and inboard ½”. On the left hand side they have you measure down 4” from the speedo cable and then inboard 1” from there. The left hand side is tricky though because it ends up right on the curve of the transmission tunnel.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...6d96960e6c.jpg

I’ve never had to beat body panels in before to make things fits, but one inch is a lot! I managed to get the right side between the ¾ and 1” mark fairly easily.

The left side was more difficult to move and to measure how much it moved because it was on that curved edge. I think I only moved it back about a ½”, but I am going to leave it and see what happens. Tomorrow I will go back and sand the paint and get some rattle can paint to protect the bare metal I exposed in the process.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...1311081d41.jpg
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There is one thing I was hoping I could get some help on. The pull type clutch slave cylinder Granny’s sent me did not include any instructions and I couldn’t find too much information online. I think I figured out and hopefully you guys let me know if I have it right or not.

The end without the boot is what I anchor to stationary or fixed point. Granny’s recommends make a bracket and attach it to the LH engine mount. The booted end point towards the clutch fork. I will need to extend the rod, but I think put it through the fork and adjusts the nuts until there is just about zero freeplay. I do this with rod fully extended. And because it’s a pull type, I will have to periodically have to adjust it as the clutch disc wears down. Does that sound right?


Thanks for the help.

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I was going to put the same shit on my car and went to a Tilton bearing.It is like a clutch slave and bearing combo.
Grannys sold a 1 inch master and external slave which made the clutch feel like an 18 wheeler clutch.Very hard to push.
The remedy is a 3/4 master...and the Tilton.

That bearing looks a little pricy. Do you think it would work ok with a 1" master cylinder?

That 1/4 inch is the difference between having your left leg bigger than your right leg..or a nice feeling clutch that doesn't kill your groin muscles..!
Without exaggerating you almost have to grab the wheel and push on the pedal..until you get used to the pressure.Then you wonder HOW the fark you are gonna feel if you gotta shift a lot.
Believe me this 1 inch master did not stay on my car long..I would have blown another disc out of my back driving the car!!

Now,here is a way to think about it..Push fluid from a one inch pipe and into a small 3/16 diameter hose...It gets "bunched up" as you try to make the fluid flow into the smaller diameter space.
If you have less fluid to Push(now the master bore size of 3/4 is smaller so less fluid) it is less exertion to make the fluid flow..It doesn't hit that wall to go into the clutch hose..it doesn't need to have all that force to push the fluid as there is no excessive fluid to "bunch up".
I had that explained to me by a Guy over the phone and though he was full of shit...until I actually changed the Master..
It was NIGHT and DAY...From UMMPH..to Squuank!..Yah Baby!

(* for sale..Wilwood 1 inch master..!~)

I get the principle behind it. One thing to also remember is with a smaller diameter piston you will get less travel on the slave cylinder.

I did find something interesting though in Speedyway Motors website They sell the slave cylinder I have and it recommends a 3/4 master to use with it. Go figure.
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway-Pull-Type-Slave-Cylinder,7169.html?sku=91025604&utm_medium=CSEGoog le&utm_source=CSE&utm_campaign=CSEGOOGLE&gclid=CNj og565xNECFRB2fgodQNwB9g

I think I've decided on a direction for the fuel system. I have been reading through Granny's website lately and reviewing a an article someone wrote about there install. He used a inline pump for mid 80's fords wth EFI and said it worked well for him. I think I am going to try it and see how low the tanks gets before the engine stalls around hard turns. This gets me running for an affordable price.

I have a couple of questions I could use some advice on.
1) would you run a fuel filter before, after both side of the pump?
2) how fine of a filter should I run?

the pump should have a large filter, run a 10 micron filter after the pump

A question about main bearing cap bolts. I had the block line honed with the stock bolts, but I bought ARP bolts to install and the directions say to line hone the mains with the new bolts.

What are your thoughts using the ARP bolts and not line honing?

Should I just use the original bolts?

I wish I knew this before I had the machine work done.