72 duster resto

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Had a full saturday morning to work on the car so got a few more things wrapped up:
  • 8.8 backing plates, emergency brake, rotors, pads, calipers all installed
  • painted up some more engine bay
  • testing out some variant of flat black engine paint on my valve covers, but not sure I like the idea of keeping them clean! lol.
I also thought it would be cool to paint the covers with F3 sherwood and then touch up the lettering with orange, but that sounds like a project for later.

On the engine Brian said it's not a big deal with adjustable rockers so just gonna install the valvetrain, spec the pushrod lengths, grab the right set and make sure the pushrod ports in the heads don't need any clearancing before I torque everything down. I'm stuck waiting on a lost set of arp headbolt washers that probably got lost when I last cleaned up my workarea. Hate that. Oh well. Grabbed some gear oil for the rear end so nothing stopping me from setting pinion angle and welding on the spring perches next. Can't wait to drive this thing.

I do have one question - for those who have converted column shifts to floor shifts is this an easy task? I dont NEED to do it (yet), but I was reading the instructions on my Summit brand header installation and it mentions potentially reconfiguring the shift linkage if clearance is an issue. I knew header installation would be a PITA at some point but trying to get ahead of any headaches down the way if possible.

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Todays progress. Gettin the kids to work.
Got a pushrod measurement of 7.3” - closest ones I see are 7.342 ill order. Also waiting on a hughes order for some shims for the arms

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Hughes spacers for my rocker arms… wont be buying from the again. Came in a bag that could easily have been oiled to prevent rust. But a little elbow grease and theyll work.

Got the rocker arms installed and prepping my checklist for wrapping up the block. Hopefully ill be dropping the engine back in the car this month.
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Anyone know if there are “longer than stock” adjuster ball screws for 273 rocker arms? Ran out of thread length getting preload on a few valves
 
Things have been slow around here. Busted a finger doing a brake job on my wife's minivan... woof.

Anyway, Nothin' like straddling separate projects. It's the best way to get something done while waiting for parts to ship for another. So while I have pushrods on order, I finally welded up the spring perches on the 8.8 @ ~7degrees pinion angle. I will fine tune the angle once its installed. If you do this project, definitely pull EVERYTHING from the junkyard and don't buy it bare. I am still hunting vent tubes and brake line clips to put all the parts together. Just to get the 8.8 out of the way i'll probably install it and do the rest of the job under the car but man it would be nice to be done already! haha.

More updates to come.

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72smallairparticler said:
If you do this project, definitely pull EVERYTHING from the junkyard and don't buy it bare. I am still hunting vent tubes and brake line clips to put all the parts together.
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rule number one: take everything at the yard. the bits n' bobs, pins, clips, whatzits, doohickies, dongles, dangles, nuts, bolts, washers, ALL of it.

you don't need it? it goes in the "spares" can to be relegated to the land of misfit hardware-- or as i like to call it: the island of last resorts.

when you need it, it's gold; till then, it's junk.
 
Just found this build. Very nice progress! Any chance you know the weight difference between the 7.25 and the 8.8?
 
bjkadron said:
Just found this build. Very nice progress! Any chance you know the weight difference between the 7.25 and the 8.8?
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Ahh shoot no I dont actually. Id weigh them both but I just sold the axles from the 7.25” the 8.8 is definitely heavier but cant say how much
 
Got the 8.8 in
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Ordered and installed new 7.49" pushrods
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Ordered and awaiting radiator, starter, clamps for 8.8 brake line, 8.8 vent and some other small things
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Next on the list:
  • 8.8 parking cable installation
  • Brake lines installation and bleed
  • Fill 8.8 with gear oil
    Jump to engine work again
  • Set valve lash on the engine
  • Install intake
  • Install carb
  • Fill up torque converter and install
  • Mate the trans and engine together
  • Install engine mounts
Drop everything in the car

Then the fun continues!

I've been out for vacation, and a bunch of side work to fund the rest of the build so finally good to get some parts on order and get back in the garage here and there.

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Updates:

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I set the valve lash on the engine with the new longer pushrods (7.495" length from comp cams worked)

Got the intake installed, but having an issue with one of the bolts so might have to repair the helicoil on the head (already)

On a separate issue - I got these shock mounts from Speedway but the holes aren't lining up with my 3.25" ubolts. Thinking I have to widen the holes or use a strap and try to squeeze the u-bolts once they're around the axle tubes to get them to fit. Anyone else have this issue before? Just curious. Seems like many people doing this 8.8 swap had used factory shock mounts out of the Explorer or used these. I like the clean look of these but looks like i'll have to put in some work to make them useful. Also they don't come with a bolt/spacer for the shocks to mount to, so i'll have to run to the hardware store to get those.

Slow going, but its nice to get some time in.
 
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Intake is on. Shock mounts are on after widening the holes considerably. Thermostat and housing installed. Belt pulleys are going on well so far.
Waiting on valve cover bolts, torque converter bolts, shock mount bolts with spacers to connect the shocks to the new mounts, engine to transmission bolts, and 2 new parking brake cables to round out the rear end. Still baffled at where these stupid brake hard lines and flex lines are supposed to mount on this 8.8. Right now feels pretty wonky just floating.

little by little

One question I have for the group. I just realized I started this brake overhaul with the idea of drums out back and now that i have 4 corner disc brakes, do I need a proportional valve up front? I think the stock 4 drum distribution plate is all that is up there. I'll take another photo but just curious if that needs to be swapped out.


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Ended up buying this aluminum 16:1 rebuilt manual gearbox. Since the engine is still out, I kept looking at the original gearbox thinking I should replace it, but I dont need power steering. Bit the bullet and got a good deal on this.

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Nice... I went with the 20:1 on my project and 99% of the time I don't mind the manual steering... That other 1% though! Would definitely want better if I were autocrossing or something, but just for cruising around, the simplicity is hard to beat.
 
Love that. I just got used to manual steering - it's not terrible. Soon as you get going it's just as easy as power steering but no pump or fluid to manage. Definitely like to keep it simple
 
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