My slow build

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I got it in April, 2009. At first I didn't take many pictures. Here we go.

I have a build thread on another site. I figured I would post it here also.

Here is what the car looked like when I bought it in April of 2009. I'm the second owner. I think I got a good deal. I paid $3700 for it. It had 91,xxx miles on it. It came with a folder of receipts an inch thick from everything that was done to it since new. It had a new top a new paint in 2005. The A/C compressor and accumulator was replaced in 2004. Also the radiator and water pump. Since 2004 the guy had only put 8,000 miles on it. I knew that from the mileage listed on the receipt from the Ford dealer from the A/C job. Here are a couple of pictures the day I brought it home.

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Here it is the next day after I removed the bra and chrome fender liners.

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Since then I got rid of the porno red carpet and I installed charcoal gray carpet. I also replaced all the switch plate and seat belt sleeves.

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I removed the luggage rack and replaced it with a small wing. I also added wheels and tires. The stupid chrome tips are gone too.

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Then I whited out the stripe and letters and also new lights in the front.

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I have since added LX tail lights and changed the headlights.

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Installed white face reverse glow gauge faces. They can change from blue to green. I also did white faces for the climate control, but I couldn't find reverse glow ones. If anyone knows where I can get some let me know. Plus a Hurst billet shifter & shfiter ball.

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130 amp 6G alt, Contour fans and Hayden 2 speed fan controller.

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Here's my exhaust. Stainless shortys, BBK H-pipe with high flow cats welded in and Dynamax mufflers, all welded together.

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Other things I've done so far.

3.73 gears
4" crank pulley
Hurst Billet shifter
K&N air filter, but will get a CAI when I redo the engine
Kenwood head unit with Sirius satelite radio
6 new speakers
1200 watt amp & 2 10's in the trunk
new wheel bearings & seals ft & rr
new bearing & seals in the differential
Rack & pinion & outer tie rods
P/S pump
180 degree stat
delete all the smog stuff

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This was on May 8, 2010.

Here is how the car looks at the moment. I'm installing a Pro Motion transmission that can handle 500HP, Ford Racing aluminum drive shaft and a Center Force duel friction clutch.

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Some miscellaneous parts from underneath that I painted.

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May 10, 2010

I got a little more done tonight. I also learned the the flywheel only goes on one way. Man is it agravating trying to put it on not knowing that 2 of the bolts are slightly further a part then the rest. The worst part was I got it on and then I realized I forgot the aluminum shield. Then back a part it came.


Center force clutch and shield installed


Bell housing back on. Clutch fork & cable hooked up


MM quadrant installed


Firewall adj installed


I will be throwing in the transmission as soon as my neighbor can come over and help me.
When I took the starter out I noticed on of the ears were cracked so I figured I might as well upgrade to a mini hi-torque one. I found this new one on ebay for $49.95 + $8.95 shipping. That includes the extra wire to rewire it. Then I notice the location says Lake Worth, FL. I'm like cool, because I work in Lake Worth. I figured I would go pick it up today.....wrong. I call them up and the say our home office is in Lake Worth, but our warehouse of parts is in NC. I had to just buy it on ebay and wait for it to arrive. I won't be able to try out my next stuff until the weekend.

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May 12, 2010

OK I got sick of waiting on my neighbor to help me out so I decided to try and tackle installing the transmission by myself. All in all it wasn't too bad. I put it on my floor jack and rolled it under the car. Once I jacked it up high enough it was a little struggle but it went in pretty easily. All of the major work is done for now. All I have to do is fill the trans, put on the shifter, put the interior back together and install the starter. Hopefully the starter will be here tomorrow. The clutch feel lighter then it did before. I can't wait to try it out to see how much better 1st & 5th gear are with the different gearing. I will report back once I drive it.
Transmission installed


Ford Racing drive shaft installed

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May 13, 2010

New mini starter arrived. I'm going into the garage to install it now. No comments about how dirty the carpet it. It's in the garage in front of my work benches.

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May 14, 2010

Well I got the interior back together and took it out for a test ride. Luckily nothing fell off. The new transmission it tight! Between the new transmission, transmission mount, clutch, quadrant and aluminum drive shaft it feels like a different car. There is zero vibration in the shifter. When I lay into it, it doesn't jump like it used to. It's really smooth. I'm very happy.
This thread will probably lay low for a while as I collect the engine and suspension parts. That's unless I find some money somewhere. I've been know to do that on occasion.

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I did all of the prep work and lined everything up for the sumbframe connectors. Now when I go to my buddies shop tomorrow all he has to do is weld them on.

Here are the seat braces bolted up.


Here is the front frame rail grinded and ready for welding.


I notched the stock frame connector plates that come on a vert instead of removing them.

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May 24, 2010

OK I had the sub-frame connectors welded in today. It was done at my buddies shop in Lake Worth FL. Custom Exhaust. They do some of the best quality exhaust work anywhere. No dangling tailpipes here. If you go see Don or Doug, tell them Frank from Bennett Auto Supply sent you.
Man I forgot my camera so I had to use my phone. I'm surprised what good pictures it takes.

Custom Exhaust


Here's the car on the rack.


Here's Julio lining things up.




Him welding.


Some of the finished product.

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One of the projector headlights had water in it. I was on the fence weather I liked them or not, so that swayed my decision to put back these. If I do get it replaced for free, which I hope I do. They are only 4 months old. I'm going to sell them.

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June 26, 2010. I told them i was in no hurry.

Lastly for now. I ordered an engine from Fordstrokers about 2 weeks ago.

Here is the build sheet for the engine.

347 Liberator Complete Longblock -
Roller 302 Machined Block
Scat Cast Steel 3.400 Crankshaft
Scat Forged Steel I Beam Connecting Rods 5.400
Probe SRS 2618 Forged Pistons (Flat, TFS) 4.030
Perfect Circle Moly File Fit Rings
Clevite 77 Main Bearings
Clevite 77 Rod Bearings
Clevite 77 Cam Bearings
Screw in Oil Galley Plugs
Fel Pro Rear Main Seal
ARP Main Studs
Freeze Plugs
FordStrokers Custom HYD Roller Camshaft
SA Gear Billet Timing Chain with Torrington Bearing
Melling Oil Pump M68
Moroso/Canton Oil Pump Pick Up
ARP Billet Oil Pumpshaft
Fel Pro 1 Piece Pan Gasket
Moroso/Canton 7qt Oil Pan - Fox Body
Timing Chain Cover
Mr. Gasket Oil Pan Bolts
Fel Pro Timing Chain Cover Gasket
Fuel Pump Eccentric?? Mechanical Fuel Pump?
TFS Twisted Wedge Fast as Cast 190cc Cylinder Heads
Comp Cams HYD Roller Lifters
Comp Cams Ultra Gold Rocker Arms 1.6
4130 Chromemoly .080 Wall 1 Piece Formed End Pushrods
ARP Head Bolts
Fel Pro 9333 Head Gaskets
Professional Products NON SFI 28oz Balancer - 80006
Professional Products .95 Spacer - 81007
157 Tooth Billet Steel Flywheel 28oz
Block Painted the Color of Your Choice -
Machine Block
-OvenBaked
-Shotblasted (Remove scale, rust)
-Magnafluxed for cracks
-Cylinders bored on Kwik-Way Boring Bar and Table
-Finish honed on Peterson Powerstroke Hone with BHJ
Aluminum Torque Plates, Fel Pro Head Gaskets and ARP
Hardware (.0001-0002 Taper MAX)
-Plateau Brushed (Provides Instant Ring Seal)
-Main Bearing Bores Align Honed on a Sunnen CH-100
Hone
-Deck surfaced on a Winona Van Norman CBN surfacer (Ra
Finish compatible with MLS Gaskets)
-Screw In Oil Galley Plugs
-Lifter Valley Oil Drain Backs Chamferred
-Oil Filter Inlet Chaferred
-Threaded Holes Chased
-Lifter Bores Honed
-Crankshaft Balancing done on Hines Dominator XP Digital
Balancer - Balanced to 28oz

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June 15, 2010

I just got the new intake that will be sitting on top of my FordStrokers.com 347. It's a Track Heat. I will be sending the lower to Jim @ FordStrokers so he can install it when he builds my engine. I'm getting closer 1 part at a time. No comments on the dirty carpet. It's in my garage.

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Oct 17, 2010

I'm getting all so close to having everything I need. No pictures right now, because I still haven't gotten my stolen stuff back from the cops/pawn shops. (My house was robbed on Sept 16, 2010). Here is a list of things I bought since the last update. I plan on putting everything new on the new engine. I won't be using any parts off the old engine.
4" n/a Anderson power pipe.
A9L (rebuilt A1 Cardone unit)
MAF harness
30lb Injectors
Pro M 80mm MAF with big mouth filter
Acufab 75mm throttle body with EGR delete
Acufab fuel pressure regulator
255lph fuel pump
Champion 3 row all aluminum radiator
Performance Distributors Hot Forged distributor
stock fuel rails (the only used part I will be using)
oil pressure sw
temp sending unit
coolant temp sensor
idle air temp sensor
TPS
There might be more but that's all I can think of off of the top of my head. When the parts arrive I put them in the attic so the wife doesn't see all the money I spend. I'm hoping to be able to tear into the car in January or February.

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Jan 16, 2011

The beginning of my Fordstrokers 347.

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Jan 18, 2011

updated pic from today

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Jan 26, 2011

The transformation has begun. The engine is out. We worked on it about 2 hours Monday night and about 2 1/2 hours last night.

The beginning of the tear down


From underneath...still all together


Exhaust removed


Trans next


Engine out


I'm lucky to have access to this kind of a work area at my friends house


Empty engine bay


Car on trailer on it's way home

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Jan 27, 2011

FordStrokers just sent me a picture of the finished product before the put it in the crate to ship. I guess I will have to trim the excess gasket material.

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Jan 29, 2010

I was only able to work on the car for a few hours. I cleaned up most everything and ran all the nuts & bolts on the wire wheel. Here are the accessory brackets ready to be powder coated gloss black.

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Jan 30, 2010

The more I take this thing a part the more I wonder if I will be able to put it back together correctly. I don't have the tool for the A/C spring locks. If I did the condensor would be out. I will get one tomorrow. A few pictures from today.

This is what I started with.



Here's what I ended with.

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Jan 30, 2011


I have a PA racing K-member and control arms that will be installed after I finish the engine bay.

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Feb 1, 2011

The engine arrived today. I forgot to take a picture before I cut the straps off the box.

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Feb 2, 2011

A couple items arrived today.

MM steering shaft


PA Racing k-member & a-arms

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Feb 4, 2011

Got some more goodies today.
Distributor, wires & coil.

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Feb 10, 2011

Got more stuff today.

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Here's where I'm at now.

[Dart347GT]

Great thread, it almost makes me regret selling my 91 Vert. It was white with a black top also. My 347 was supposed to go into the vert, but I really didnt want to put a bar in it to run it at the track so I found a different car. For almost 2 years I tried to finish my LX and restore the vert at the same time. In the end I sold the vert to finish the LX. Every time I see a car like yours I wish I had kept mine. I also ran the tokico blues on on my vert with BBK lowering springs. The ride was pretty nice for as low as the car was. Some times I wish I would have just done a 306 HCI motor for the vert as a nice cruiser.

I like the wing and the Ultra clear headlights a lot on your car. Are you going to run it at the strip or just keep it a cruiser.

This is what it looked like.