The 427 Ford had a high pressure oil pump, standard volume. The 477& 534 truck motor had a high volume oil pump. We used to take the taller gears out of the 535 pump and install it in the fe pump by making a spacer to fit in the fe pump. But now I buy a mellings hv pump for the fe and put 2 flat washers between the relief spring and retaining plug.
The goal is for my kids to be able to get in and out of the back seat so handles will stay. If I want a two door I plan to recreate my grandpa's project with a 1956 and a 394 olds!
Picking away at things. Pulled the harmonic balancer to pull the power steering pump. I will likely gut it and reinstall it to both seal off the front of the timing cover and space out the harmonic balancer. On the search for early Edsel and maybe Mercury's that came with a non integral power steering pump so they have a different timing cover and spacer for the crank snout. Also got a holley 4 barrel in trade and it all ready makes the engine look more racy. The gasket set came in so I will pull the engine/trans back out to clean, seal and maybe even paint it!
Thinking Ford Wimbledon white on the valve covers and likely as an accent color throughout the car. To make the E-475 pop on the Edsel valve covers and an homage to the GM aspect probably will use Chevy Orange. Edsel engines were a turquoise kind of color so likely the block will get that. Maybe tie that into turquoise Mustang seat covers and turquoise 57 Chevy carpet kit if they all are close on the palette. Black on black is awesome until you have to sit on it in the middle of summer.
I pulled the front dress and then bolted everything back together (with the polished front cover!) . I need to finish the front axle, get the windshield in it and wrap up the steering so I can move the car out of my friends garage. The engine will need to be pulled, degreased and then painted but that will have to wait until the move.
I laid out all of the steering components and think I may have everything needed to go from the mooneyes steering wheel, to the adapter, to the 57 steering stub, to the prius steering, to a chunk of 1965 GMC steering column (which has a matching rag joint to the Ford one I have) and then to the FoMoCo steering box. Likely the toyota joints will work to make the connections from the straight portions. Trimming of the inner fenders was begun to push the box further forward though that also means it of course is conflicting with the front crossmember. Always something! I am hoping to keep the stock blinker stalk so that will need some rebuild parts. An operating horn button would be nice as well.
The Header flanges came in so I can start the work to modify the BBC fender well headers to work with the big Lincoln! Really happy with the product. Not sure if I will need a bend to join the two or if a straight merger will work. I plan to include his logo in the car lettering. I am on the look out for someone to help me develop the logos on the car. Just one more step in the progress.
Give me a call if you like. I had ideas for mine, and had Chris at Signs Now make up the stencils so I could do my own lettering, and he is always very reasonable, and loves doing this work. He'll make whatever it takes in different fonts, and styles, and photoshop it on an image of your car if you take a picture and send it to him.
Change that timing gear before you get it all together, it's got nylon teeth on it. Quite surprised they aren't all broken off yet from age. That'll quickly turn into the kind of "gummer" that sends valves into pistons. Badass combo there, stock 430s haul ass in the big cars so it should be a nice handful in a 57. Looking forward to seeing your progress.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/tech-week-make-a-mel-live-long.123920/ Good read on the Mel. Nice project. Rare to see a Ford going into a Chevy. Even more rare someone is crazy enough to use a Mel lol. I just spend some cash on pistons for a 410. Not cheap. There’s a blower intake base for a Mel on eBay if you want to spend the 2k haha.
Can you send a link? Did a few searches and didnt turn up anything. There is a guy getting ready to do a run of his own blower manifolds that I am interested in. He is keeping the water passages. There is a 3d printed version. I will grab the photos and upload them if I have not done that already!
That's Me! Yes, I am still slowly working on this project. I am still trying to find some one who can do a lost foam casting and make a few copies of the 3D printed intake. It has been a struggle so far. Most foundries want 5 figures per intake to cast a few up. If anybody knows of a lost foam aluminum caster that would be willing to work on this for less than the price of a new truck, I would gladly take the info. The Weiand MEL blower intakes have three big short comings for a street application. 1: The distributor has to be relocated. 2: There is no provision for a thermostat and the water passages are very small and restrictive. No surprise as it was designed as a race only manifold. 3: It is one giant plenum that results in very short intake runner lengths that will have a very negative effect on low speed, part throttle operation. My intake should cure all three of those problems. Weiand Intake
I'm loving this, one of my buddies years ago stuck a 428CJ in a 57 Chevy, he said it was payback for all of the 32 Ford's with a small block Chevy in them
61 Votes came in as far as the weight of the engine and trans combo. Actual answer is: 1007 and it started bending the hook between the scale and the cherry picker! Hopefully I save some weight elsewhere.
The answer is acid. Then you won't care! Oh wait, that was the 60's. What I meant was acid dipping! And a blue crescent wrench...
I have been working but this is a little catch up on efforts on the frame. I have struck out the first two times on shackle placement but found a YouTubevideo that will hopefully get it right on the third try. I may have to lower the front mounts to get the angle right as well as help with the stance. Not cartoonish but also not level. Also threw on the header flanges and excited about how the BBC fenderwell headers will look once they get cut up! I have already started addressing the bad welds and still need to add fish plates over the joints between new and old.
In bigger news, I moved her to my house! My hope is that with closer proximity it will pick up the pace some. This should make my buddy happy to get some shop space back. Wifey maybe less so but will be added fuel to get it done as quick as possible. We did get the old windshield out only to find that the glass I have been storing to replace it is back glass and not a windshield. No one in Portland has one so will have to wait for a group order to get one and of course there is now rain in the future. I need to put the hood on but it has two broken bolts so those need to be extracted first. Thirdly a new drivers door handle needs to go on to help with the getting work done as it cant just be left open. Hoping to get something done over Father's day weekend but time will tell.
Also on the suspension front: I have brand new rear springs so those will go under before the front is finalized to bring the ass end up before setting front heights.
Auto City Classic out of Minnesota has glass for good prices. Just bought a windshield for my 57, 310 shipped to my door nicely packaged.
You can also buy tapered shims to adjust kingpin angle if it's not exactly where you want it, and you don't want to change ride height to get there. Glad to see it is home now! Did you ask at Cliff's Classic Chevy out past Rockwood south of Stark to see if he might have a decent used windshield?
Cliff has me in line with one other guy to get group shipping. He wants at least one more. Looks like a tarp is in my future....
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