Wagon Build - Phase 2

[Jeff W]

Hi all - This is the second chapter of my Wagon rebuild.

Here are the plans:
Move from worn out 170ci to 200ci
Move from 3 speed manual to C4 Automatic
Move from 7.23 (3.5:1) rear to 8" (2.79:1)
Move from Generator to Alternator
Install Progressive 2 barrel Weber
...and the tons of "While-i'm-at-it"

The first block I have been saving for this project was already bored .040" over and needed substantially more. Additionally it was a 1965 block with only the single pattern for transmission mount that would limit future choices. We decided to abandon that block and start the search.

I found a virgin 200ci from a 1967 Mustang in Anacortes, WA. It is disassembled and at the machine shop waiting for attention. They are pretty busy.

I have a large log head from a 1980. Sadly it has a crack where the EGR valve enters and will need to be welded prior to any machine work. That is sitting at the same busy shop.

Roger and I are keeping busy prepping and purchasing until the block is ready.

Roger and I will update this thread jointly - I really appreciate Roger taking on this next phase of the project and making my car a reliable rig.

[Luva65wagon]

No doubt I'll suggest quite a few WIAI? things along the way.

It was critical for me to have my mom's car done, and sold, to make space in the garage before starting a new project. Her car (1980 Capri mentioned in the ChitChat section - It's all for you, Mom) went to its new owner a couple days ago, so I'm now wrapping up a couple things on the Ranchero so I can get it to the alignment shop, soon.

I've been working on the bits and pieces Jeff left me already. The rocker assembly is now done and looking for a head to attach itself to. I machined some Delrin friction-fit washers to - maybe - help retain oil in the rocker arms, which is notorious for not getting all the oil they need and wearing out things. Took 3 cores and a new shaft to make a decent assembly.

Stay tuned, but as Jeff indicated, the machine shop is swamped and it may be the end of summer/early fall before the machine work is done.

[Jeff W]

While we wait for the machine shop we pick away at the other bits. Here I cleaned, painted, replaced seals, filter and gaskets on the C4. I also replaced the reverse servo since the old one was likely 55 years old and rubber.

[Jeff W]

Today was a milestone day. The machined engine parts are back from Action Auto and we?re delivered to Roger?s very cool garage. Kenny and Gene were also there so we got a good visit in. Wonderful to see everyone in person.

Here is a picture of the 200 block, head and other parts in the back of the CRV and ready for delivery.

the dual pattern block was bored 0.030 and the crank 0.010 on both main and rod journals.

the 1980 head has the larger intake log as a bigger carburetor hole which will help it breath better. Because it also has a bigger combustion chamber, 0.014? was taken off the block and we found some flat topped pistons made for a Ford Tempo. The end compression ration should be 8.73:1

Roger will get some progress shots as the assembly happens.

[Luva65wagon]

When I took delivery of this pile o'200 motor, and we gave it a quick going through, one thing instantly caught my eye and after a bit of research and a communication with the machine shop -- the head is back at the shop. The cam requires a higher spring pressure and somehow the spring diameter didn't get accounted for (somehow) and so they assembled it with the stock retainer caps and larger diameter springs. So, thankfully, we were thorough and they'll make it good. In fact the shop owner "owned up" to this mistake and didn't try to pawn it off on a Lackie. Good man.

I'll be getting it onto the stand and start the build soon. Got to get my garage sorted into "car building mode" first.

Good to see Jeff, Kenny and Gene again. Hope you'll all be available, as well, to do some of the heavy lifting.

Hey, I ain't no spring chicken no more.

[Luva65wagon]

I know you guys are just gnawing your nails raw awaiting an update on this upcoming project. Going to be awesome. Really looking forward to it. After Jeff dropped off the guts and stuff I got derailed with other things (didn't you too?), but I did get the block unbagged and up on my stand. Very soon I'll be able to focus thusly.

[SmithKid]

I'm hoping my nails will grow out soon. Hope to help soon too, as I've recently returned from a 2 week trip visiting #2 son.

[Luva65wagon]

Hey all. I know it's been; like, forever ago, but it has officially begun. Jeff drove his wagon over on Saturday and a couple of us proceeded to begin excising the old to make room for the new.

The motor is being built... with a few minor hiccups along the way. I mean try finding a rear main seal, anywhere, for a 200 c.i. six. These are nowhere to be found. In-fact, the gasket set Jeff bought off eBay had a 289 rear-mail seal "thrown into the package" to "look complete." Being Roger, as I am, I said "Fine, I'll use the 289 seal" and made a set myself. With the promise, "if it ever fails, I'll put in a new seal." I figure, maybe by then the seal will be in production again.

So we had Jeff, Gene, Brian, and yours truly out there by 10 AM and pretty much playing around and joking by 2 PM. Brian, in his cool vintage 1983 Diesel Ford Ranger... hauled the block and transmission to Jeff's house. He was apparently hijacked and now some guy named Johnny Plaid has it and is trying to give it away on Facebook Marketplace. Everything he says, though, is true about it.

Anyway, Jeff and I worked a few more hours to pull the steering bits out so I can get the box to RedHead Steering Gears on Monday morning. Then we started pulling the rear-end out when we decided, Mmm, maybe we'll wait until Jeff comes back next. We were tired. We're changing the leaf springs and I need to devise a means to soak the leaf perch mount screws to get them out. Hopefully. One mount at least needs a slight massage.

It was obvious... Jeff is excited. And no, we helped Gene. He didn't do it all himself, despite how it may appear in the pictures.

[Luva65wagon]

It's been a little interesting building this motor. First hurdle was to discover the rear main seal in the gasket kit was wrong. I already knew they didn't exist (from a previous attempt to find one for a guy who reached out to me to see if I had one in my stash) so I looked at the 289 seal that found its way into the package and after doing some test fits determined I could insert the seal into the cap and cut it to length. Worked like a charm - so much so I may make more of them.

Then when I went to degree the cam - it's like 13 degrees out - out of the box. So we ordered a special gear set to allow some finer adjustment beyond a full tooth, which was 19 degrees. I plan to discuss why a cam is so far out. Is that normal? Rob at Action Machine didn't think so. I will call Clay Smith Cams tomorrow and confirm after checking dot-to-dot with the new timing set.

The other thing I discovered was there being a spacer on the cam nose. We didn't have one anymore. I discovered this is why every time I tightened the cam gear bolt, at all, the cam seized. They're not unavailable, but slowed us down. After a couple calls I found one in Tacoma at a very cool old cam grinding shop. $5 for the part and $275 dollars in gas - and we were back in business! To install the spacer meant pulling the pin, and making a tool that used vise grips, but not use them at the same time.

Not much to show yet, but here's a couple pics.

[Luva65wagon]

Just wanted to post a quick update on the wagon build. I apologize for the delay in posting.

The new motor is in as of today.

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Last week I changed out the worn leaf springs and swapped the 7.25" rear for an 8" 2.79 to go with the Automatic swap. Should be a nice freeway cruiser.

That's when we discovered the dreaded 'leaf spring too short" syndrome. Lot's of chatter about that on the Internet and we confirmed this settles out after the car is weighted. But on a wagon, and a Ranchero, I concluded there is a potential for the leaf shackle to do a reverse flip, which would not be good.

On a car this isn't a problem, but on a wagon or Ranchero the leaf spring shackle is on a step-down platform which can let the leaf go either direction. We discovered a bent rear shackle hanger I believe was caused by this factory phenomenon.

We could not even jack up the car without them wanting to go that direction

So I made bump-stops. Hopefully they never come into play, as is the case with most bump-stops.

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One great discovery was when we tried the driveline he got out of the Maverick that donated the 8" rear end - and it fit perfect! No drive shaft build needed. That deserved a toast!

This is the custom small 6 cylinder air cleaner to 5" air-horn plate I needed to make to adapt the Weber carburetor. We had another Weber adapter to use the small original hole, but it made the air cleaner sit way to high (image on right). It came out perfect.

I think the K&N plate we used was a leftover from a previous club swap meet, so thanks whoever left it with me. HA! I found a old rusty chromy base at a garage sale for a buck and used my new plasma cutter to cut the original base out and then welded it to the chrome base. It even fit the air filter. Mind officially bottled.

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Now that the motor is in place I can look into the various other issues like custom wire harness (not a kit), Duraspark II upgrade, upgrading the wiper assembly to intermittent from an F100 (easy swap) and getting brakes and steering upgraded. Oh and I had a new back window glass for it, and Jeff ordered a new windshield to do While We're At It ( AKA "WIAI?" ).

It'll be done in no time.

[SmithKid]

Disappointed to have missed all the fun.

[Luva65wagon]

Disappointed to have missed all the fun.

It wasn't much fun without you being there Gene. So you didn't really miss anything.

[Luva65wagon]

Nope. Between vactations, COVID (yep, I got it), lots of rewiring and probably some other things I'm forgetting, it's close, but no cigar. But here's a few pictures.

First set is of the motor in various states of doneness. Medium rare, I think.

The speedometer got the signature break-out of the turn-signal feeds to have left and right turn signal indicators. Of course, it never fails, something was not going to go right with that. The shaft broke, or was about to break, on the speedo gear. I'm usually very careful with these things and it was attached one second, and not the next. Thankfully I only needed to contact my speedometer guy (me as well) and had a very nice unit. And the clear plastic and chrome bit was in not so good of shape, worthy of all this effort, so I stole one from my Sprint wall dash. And, cleaning the GEN and OIL cel wiped the GEN right off. SO... since we updated to the internally regulated Lightning Whirler, it got a lightning symbol custom painted on.

And, of course, I had this spare wire on the new 2-speed intermittent wiper system I installed, so Jeff was forced to get the washer bag and pump to use that wire. Only made sense to.

[Jeff W]

Thrilled to get a new windshield in today!

thank you Kenny and Roger.

[Luva65wagon]

Hey all of you who still exist here... LOL... We did finish up this wagon a week ago tomorrow. I will be posting a little more detail on it just to close out this thread... for phase 2. Jeff already has a small list for phase 3, but for now my Ranchero is now in the garage for its phase 438.7. I'll post more on that when that phase begins. Right now I'm onto the things a big build like this puts on the back burner. But hope to shift over to that in a week or two.