Bought an old BTF U4 buggy

Got a little bit accomplished, brackets and pulleys test fitted. Looks like I'll need to do some modifications on the PS bracket as I suspected. The pump is a Howe TT pump that is based on a modified Saganaw P-Series pump. Need to rotate it clockwise to point the inlet vertical which should just be a matter of relocating the bottom hole inward. Will need to figure out pump/pulley spacing later. Not a fan of the polished look so might cerakote them black 🤔

Floor gets finished in the morning and then everything gets put on hold for a couple of days until it cures. This old man is tired and time to chill for the evening.....

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I thought while I have some time before putting everything back in it's place I'll fill the expansion joints. Calculated coverage and headed to Home Depot to get some Sika Self-leveling sealant. It went down easy and looks great, one problem. After several hours it's still very soft so I checked the instructions.......3-5 days curing time 😡 I guess I should have read the instructions more thoroughly to start with, what a dumbass..... more waiting :dumbass:

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Got everything moved back in place and got back to work on the blue buggy. Sometimes I wonder how I talk myself into doing shit the hard way 😂 Could have just rebuilt the 347 or dropped in a new 363 (faster timeline) and nothing else changes. Oh no that's too easy, let's drop in a 351 based 427w because after all who doesn't want more power :dumbass:

Modified the engine cradle/ motor mounts to prevent twist and fit the new oil pan. Oil pan clears everything so just fit up skid to bottom of the cradle and final weld.

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I knew I would need to make new larger headers at some point but I wanted to get by with the ones I have for the time being. Driver's side is golden but the passenger side hits the PS reservoir and coolant overflow tank so I will have to relocate them. I'll have to remake the exhaust turnouts which I planned on anyway.
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Yep....bigger engine....more power....:buttkick:

Fixed the trans mounting holes

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On a positive note Fritz Performance should be done with the new trans on Friday 😁
 
I so miss the old school auto parts stores where the guy behind the counter actually knew something about cars. Whenever I need a part from the local "auto" parts store I try to make it easy on them by knowing the part # and availability before hand. I measured for the belts I needed and looked up the Gates part #s. Checked stock online before heading to the "auto" parts store. Got to the counter and told the guy I needed two belts and I have the part #s. I give him the first part # and he types it in his computer and gives me a puzzled look. I know what's coming "What car does it fit?". I politely tell him he can't look it up because it's a race car. He tries several more times unsuccessfully to look up the part number. "I really need to make and model".....Ok, time to have some fun. "It's a 2010 Ford Ultra4 with a 427" 😁.....He actually tries to punch it in, again I get the deer in the headlight look. "Dude you can't look up the make that's why I gave you the part #". He has no idea how to look up a part by the part # 😂. Finally he calls the manager over to show him how to look up a part by the part # :dumbass:
 
Joe_U4 said:
I so miss the old school auto parts stores where the guy behind the counter actually knew something about cars. Whenever I need a part from the local "auto" parts store I try to make it easy on them by knowing the part # and availability before hand. I measured for the belts I needed and looked up the Gates part #s. Checked stock online before heading to the "auto" parts store. Got to the counter and told the guy I needed two belts and I have the part #s. I give him the first part # and he types it in his computer and gives me a puzzled look. I know what's coming "What car does it fit?". I politely tell him he can't look it up because it's a race car. He tries several more times unsuccessfully to look up the part number. "I really need to make and model".....Ok, time to have some fun. "It's a 2010 Ford Ultra4 with a 427" 😁.....He actually tries to punch it in, again I get the deer in the headlight look. "Dude you can't look up the make that's why I gave you the part #". He has no idea how to look up a part by the part # 😂. Finally he calls the manager over to show him how to look up a part by the part # :dumbass:
Click to expand...

Same experience in January when I was putting a tractor back together and needed a V belt. Kid gave up and just let me walk into the back where all the belts were. 😂
 
Both the alternator and PS required adjusting the spacers lengths. The alternator is a PM 200A Ford 3G large frame and I believe the brackets were for a 1G frame. Machined all new spacers for both which also allowed elimination of washers that were used as spacers with the kit.

Belts fitted up and everything is aligned. Think I'll get a 1/2" shorter alternator belt. Gates belt alignment tool makes this kind of stuff so much easier. Setup the laser on the desired pulley, measure offset, and machine spacers to length.

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Still need to finish the PS pump rear support but that's enough for today. Need to get a longer cap screw to replace the 5/16 allthread (it's all I had that was long enough 😂)
 
All about the details and being too OCD 😂

Fuel rails sit higher on the 351 than they do on a 302 and interfere with the throttle linkage. Same intake, Super Victor jr 351 vs 302. Had to make a plate to offset the throttle cable and add a 1" spacer to clear the fuel rails.
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Will need to machine the spacer to match the opening. Cheap ass Spectre shit, says 4150 but clearly it's too small. Had to order a 1-1/2" end mill to match the corner radius so I'll have to finish it later.
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I didn't want to weld on the valve covers and mess up the finish. I found that Redhorse makes a nice clamp style 12AN fitting for valve covers. Should be a 5min job, right? Nope, the inside of the valve cover has a lip for the rubber grommet that makes it too thick for the fitting to clamp together. No problem, let's just machine the lip off. Nope, can't get the end mill deep enough into the valve cover. Hmm...I don't have an end mill extension holder. I dug through my junk and found a thing-a-ma-bon I had made for something that just happened to be 0.875 OD and the right length. A few minutes later and wala an end mill extension 😁
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Worked like a champ and was able to flush cut the lip off the inside of the valve cover.
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Three hours later into the "5min" job 😂

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Grand plans of what I wanted to accomplish this weekend, got maybe 20% of it done :buttkick:
 
Fuel lines mocked up, remote oil adapter & fuel pump blockoff installed.

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All the lines except the coolant lines were AN fittings. The coolant lines were 1-1/2" flexible stainless hoses that I have never been found of. I wanted to convert them to 16AN, planned and ordered 16AN bungs to weld on the pump, radiator, & heat exchanger. After thinking about it for a bit I didn't want to weld a fitting on the pump so I could use a stock replacement pump upon failure. Decided to give Autoplumb fittings a try, we'll see if this was wise or not. Installed one on the pump and the first impression is great. Anyone have feedback on these?
Old hoses:
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Autoplumb 16AN 🤷

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