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Hot Rods 57 FORD Build #2... Glutton for Punishment.

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Jeff Norwell, Oct 20, 2021.

  1. so im reading this as, they make a better cruiser over wanting to go fast.
     
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  2. Dedsoto
    Joined: Jan 7, 2014
    Posts: 320

    Dedsoto
    Member
    from Australia
    1. Aussie HAMBers

    Did you guys ever get the 332 FE or was that an Australia only deal?
     
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  3. The 332 was a '58-early '59 motor here then discontinued. Solid lifters only, no hydraulics. It was the first FE, the 352 was a mid-year introduction.
     
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  4. Last edited: Jan 4, 2022
  5. tbirddragracer
    Joined: Jul 25, 2013
    Posts: 128

    tbirddragracer
    Member

    I ordered a '58 Ford convertible from the local Ford dealer in January of 1958,
    was delivered in April '58. I ordered the 352 cu. in. Interceptor Special 300 hp engine.
    The 352 Interceptor Special in my car had solid lifters and was much faster than the
    other '58 Fords and '58 Chevy's in my area. Unfortunately I blew the engine at
    40,000 miles. The replacement engine was much less powerful.
     
  6.  
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  7. Jeff Norwell
    Joined: Aug 20, 2003
    Posts: 14,811

    Jeff Norwell
    MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    Engine/Trans in.. front suspension ......next.


    0629050D-0692-4B4D-A079-374F7D8447F5.jpg IMG_9330.jpeg
     
  8. Jeff you might enjoy seeing this photo. It was a '57 I had ages ago for a daily driver. 20200813_143248.jpg
     
  9. Joe Travers
    Joined: Mar 21, 2021
    Posts: 708

    Joe Travers
    Member
    from Louisiana

    Cool build, Jeff! :cool:
    Think you'll be happy w/ the 352. I had a '65 truck engine years ago that was tough as nails. Original owner did a standard re-ring and fresh bearings. Had a ton of miles on it before the blowby got bad. I dogged it pretty hard and never had a failure of any sort.

    Joe
     
  10. Jeff, I'm excited for you even though you've a long way to go. :)
     
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  11. Jeff Norwell
    Joined: Aug 20, 2003
    Posts: 14,811

    Jeff Norwell
    MODERATOR
    Staff Member


    That is an awesome 300 custom!. love it!
     
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  12. Jeff Norwell
    Joined: Aug 20, 2003
    Posts: 14,811

    Jeff Norwell
    MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    Oh yes........
    "Hopefully" by late spring... it will roll on its own steam... but.. I don't want to set up for disappointment .
     
  13. Jeff Norwell
    Joined: Aug 20, 2003
    Posts: 14,811

    Jeff Norwell
    MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    Yea Joe. Thanks... the whole drift is a sleeper built in 59-60.... Hopefully I'll be happy.
    As I mentioned......I do have a bigger Merc 410 in the wings..... But Being a silly Geared Romantic.... I have a thing for the numbers.... and I have ridden in a 352/4 speed vehicle with some spunk and I loved the Torque that ride produced... so.. we will see.....
    And that's what I really like... Torque... the guttural pull you get when the go pedal is floored.
     
  14. SilverJimmy
    Joined: Dec 2, 2008
    Posts: 524

    SilverJimmy
    Member

    Sorry, but I must not have been paying attention, who made those really cool headers? With the cast iron primaries and then the tubular pipes, gasket leaks must be nonexistent!
     
  15. I had two '64 Fords with a 352 in them, both wagons, one was a 3-speed. Nice and smooth running engines.
     
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  16. Joe Travers
    Joined: Mar 21, 2021
    Posts: 708

    Joe Travers
    Member
    from Louisiana

    Stock '60 T-Bird engine has pretty decent compression, 9.6:1. It would make a good platform for performance improvements down the road, if you're looking for them. '58-'59 heads will bump compression even more, if that's doable but I'm not sure about it.

    Joe
     
    Last edited: Jan 7, 2022
  17. Jeff Norwell
    Joined: Aug 20, 2003
    Posts: 14,811

    Jeff Norwell
    MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    Yes Joe.. that's what I have.a 60 Bird 352..... the block numbers correspond with a 1960 year... anyhow.... the engine was supposedly rebuilt.... I have no issues with doing more HP improvements down the road..... so.Im kinda stoked on it.
     
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  18. Jeff Norwell
    Joined: Aug 20, 2003
    Posts: 14,811

    Jeff Norwell
    MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    Slowly moving forward .
    Installed the upper A arms, installing the lower ones today.
    Did some horse trading with a friend and picked up Brand new PowerMaster Alt. Since this engine used a Generator(and I thought about it) I will need to mock up some brackets and such to hang it properly.The boss on the block is not on the face of the front of the engine.... on the side.... not a big deal.
    Dug through a few heater boxes and motors... and found one in good working order, did a 12 volt test and all is fine.
    I'll scuff it and shoot it black.....Just need to find the fasteners.... they are somewhere....



    5.jpg 6.jpg 7.jpg
     
  19. Jeff Norwell
    Joined: Aug 20, 2003
    Posts: 14,811

    Jeff Norwell
    MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    I also test fitted the steering box into place(sorry no pic) and it fits well with the headers,.... tight.... but well.I was a little concerned about the box... removed it and had a friend look at it.... with the conclusion that it just needed new lube and it was dry.
    The 57 box design is not a favoured design or box..... its big and gets in the way of many things.. especially the exhaust.With a Y-block. its a non issue(on fitment) but a 58-64 Ford Box is smaller and a better internal design..... but..... I will use what I have at this point.I have 4 other spares.
    The main issue is that they are a MAJOR PIA to get out once a car is on the road.... but.. I will throw Lady Lucks Dice and see how they roll.
     
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  20. I'm on the fence with my '59, possibly going with a Borgeson PS box or a rack and pinion conversion. The R&P will give me better header options. The manual box is however in great shape.
     
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  21. Jeff Norwell
    Joined: Aug 20, 2003
    Posts: 14,811

    Jeff Norwell
    MODERATOR
    Staff Member


    I can totally understand this... and I have had long conversations with friends and acquaintances about steering and brake upgrades.I can't argue the point that its not a better upgrade... but for me I feel some folks really don't understand what I am trying to achieve.
    I recently had a conversation about a front brake upgrade..... while it "might" happen down the road..... at this point.... Im using what I have.
    To each his own.
     
  22. Jeff Norwell
    Joined: Aug 20, 2003
    Posts: 14,811

    Jeff Norwell
    MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    Mentioning Alt brackets again...I may use something like this.... solves the side boss issue.

    Screen Shot 2022-01-09 at 9.49.53 AM.png Screen Shot 2022-01-09 at 9.50.01 AM.png
     
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  23. I have the ‘58 box ready to ship, just say the word!
     
  24. Plus it just looks right.
     
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  25. Jeff Norwell
    Joined: Aug 20, 2003
    Posts: 14,811

    Jeff Norwell
    MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    Lane.. you rock... I will holler at you in a wee bit....... we gotta make our deal work.
     
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  26. RmK57
    Joined: Dec 31, 2008
    Posts: 2,659

    RmK57
    Member

    Does the 58 steering box have the horn wire pass the hollow tube like the 57 column?
     
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  27. Baumi
    Joined: Jan 28, 2003
    Posts: 3,043

    Baumi
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Great job Jeff, your 57 is coming along nicely!
     
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  28. F.Y.I. talking about steering boxes. I may have posted my lesson here already but being your talking about Steering Boxes, thought I'd mention it again. When setting up the Akerman on my 57 and doing so because of the Fatman spindles I learned a lesson about steering gear to sector shaft and dead center. I had a major issue getting my spindles pointed dead ahead and the steering gear at 50% of full rotation. With the Pitman arm I was using I could not get my steering wheel and Horn ring to center up. It's important to have the box at 50% due to the ramp between the gears. This helps control wanderitus. The lesson was that there is a spline clocking change between the Power steering and the Manual steering pitman arms. I wasn't willing to give up some turning radi. to get my wheel strait in my hands. Go ahead and call me anal but I knew there was a problem. Now if I remember right the Power pitman arm actually has the word power in the forging and the Manual arm just has a part number on it. There are different part numbers for each arm in the book. They both will bolt to both parts. They both look identical. Hope my memory is right with this last info. At any rate all is correct to center and both right and left turning ratio being the same now. Just thought I'd throw that out being that's what you're working on.
     
  29. Jeff Norwell
    Joined: Aug 20, 2003
    Posts: 14,811

    Jeff Norwell
    MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    Thanks Baumi!
     

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