1968 Turned the Corner!

[robert campbell]

I have finally turned the corner and I am assembling. Still work to do. Joe and I swapped carbs and he has helped me with other new technology available.

Sorry, I like Ford ""light blue"........

Pic of the forged Arias pistons in the block. Standard bore Mexican block. Steel crank and Crower sportsman rods in the short block. Crane hydraulic roller cam.

Other picture is with the heads on with Cometic steel o-ring gaskets to handle the boost and more compression(thanks again Joe). ARP bolts throughout. Blower on for the first mock up to get the lay of the land. First look is the need for a new radiator and electric fans. Little room for the normal fan with the blower belt.

I will keep posting a pic or two as I go. Already have the 9inch 4 pinion trac lock with 3.70 gears and 31 spline axles. Auto is a hardened Performance Automatic Transmission Center AOD dominator with 3k stall convertor.

Now I will have something for the new Vette boys.....

Rob

 

[J.Bart]

that looks nice!

 

[hookedtrout]

Nice! Very Nice!!!

 

[HappyHour]

Man thats like HD or pretty sweet engine!! Talk about living vicariously...cant wait to see it in the engine bay.

 

[robert campbell]

I have been fighting a cold this week. Pan is on covering the Melling HV oil pump. New 110 gallon per minute fuel pump. Going to dump some break in oil for the new cam gear and spin up the oil pump. Just need to screw on the oil filter. Then adjust the lifters.

Got the MSD "E" series distrubutor an have installed the steel gear for the roller cam. Valve covers are sanded and painted the way I want them. I did not like the black krinkle finish for my car.

New aluminum radiator is on the way with dual electric fans. May have been able to run a stock fan, but it would be very tight between the blower belt and the radiator. Long tube headers are on the way and I want them in hand before I land the motor. Still some engine bay prep work. Still waiting for the pre 1969 crank spacer. I did not order it up front, but now need it.

Getting ready to cut an 11 inch diameter hole in the hood! Rob is not much of concours guy. Have to wait until I get the engine in and snugged up to see the center of the carb. Appears that it is an inch aft of the normal postion.

FUN FUN FUN!!!

Anyone want a set of JBA shorty headers? Good condition and a great upgrade for a mild performance motor and no fitment issues at all.

Rob

 

[nates68]

Rob, i think you more than turned the corner, that is one clean setup. Color looks great. Wish i could do that to mine. Maybe next year. Keep the pics comming.

Nates68

 

[rvrtrash]

That looks to nice to even put oil into it! I want one.

Steve

 

[di81977]

Wow, that thing is going to scream. Rob, how do you paint the valve covers? Lots of tape?

Can't wait to see pictures of the engine in the car and your impressions of how it runs.

david

 

[robert campbell]

David,
Lots of tape..... Your favorite Exacto or rasor knife on the ends of the fins. Then a sanding block to take the paint off the fins and letters after a couple days to be sure they are nice and dry.

Takes me a couple hours to mask them..... But if they are clean you can watch a favorite chic flic with your significant other as you do it!!!

Or Bullitt!!! My wife loves cars and all there is about them!

Rob

 

[Stathy]

Wow Rob that engine setup looks amazing!
Looks good enough to wheel into the living room and put on display.
Just a quick question on you OAD tranny setup: do you need to use
a conversion kit or is it a straight forward install?

Best of luck and keep us posted!
Cheers
Stan

 

[robert campbell]

Stan,
I went with the conversion kit and tranny from Performance Automatic Transmission Center. Here is the link.

http://www.transmissioncenter.org/classic_mustang_to_aod_conversion.htm

They have 4 builds for the Ford AOD. I went with the AOD Dominator. Uses the stock shifter and you can convert you linkage rod. It comes with everything you need except one bracket from Lokar for the throttle valve cable. You can build one or order it from Lokar. I went with a 2,600-RPM stall converter. Even uses your stock drive line and tranny yoke!!

The shift from 1st to 2nd is “breathtaking” to say the least. And AOD in stock form has a rather sluggish shift from 2nd to 3rd. Not the dominator. Nice and crisp. Shift to overdrive is crisp but not jaw shuttering like 1st to 2nd.

Best thing I ever did for this car with 3.70 gears. I have lower RPM’s at 70 than before with a C4 and 3.00 gears. And all the performance of lower gears.

LOVE MY AOD!

Rob

 

[Stathy]

Stan,
I went with the conversion kit and tranny from Performance Automatic Transmission Center. Here is the link.

http://www.transmissioncenter.org/classic_mustang_to_aod_conversion.htm

They have 4 builds for the Ford AOD. I went with the AOD Dominator. Uses the stock shifter and you can convert you linkage rod. It comes with everything you need except one bracket from Lokar for the throttle valve cable. You can build one or order it from Lokar. I went with a 2,600-RPM stall converter. Even uses your stock drive line and tranny yoke!!

The shift from 1st to 2nd is “breathtaking” to say the least. And AOD in stock form has a rather sluggish shift from 2nd to 3rd. Not the dominator. Nice and crisp. Shift to overdrive is crisp but not jaw shuttering like 1st to 2nd.

Best thing I ever did for this car with 3.70 gears. I have lower RPM’s at 70 than before with a C4 and 3.00 gears. And all the performance of lower gears.

LOVE MY AOD!

Rob

Very nice Rob!
Looks like I'll have to purchase their conversion kit as I'll be setting up an AOD
onto my 390(428cj clone) FE. I'm going with an aod setup probably for the same reason as you. My rear end has 4.10 gears. I actually didn't want such
a low gear but it came with the 2001 Cobra IRS that I purchased. I figured if it doesn't work for me then I could always change the gearing later.

I figure with an AOD I could get the best of both worlds.
Is your tranny strong enough to take all that HP you'll be feeding it?

 

[robert campbell]

Rated to hold 750 HP. More than I will ever need. IRS!!!! Wow!!! Show me a pic of that!!!

Rob

 

[Stathy]

Rated to hold 750 HP. More than I will ever need. IRS!!!! Wow!!! Show me a pic of that!!!

Rob

LOL...don't get too excited. The IRS is sitting on a pallet at my work right now.
I'm only party way through my project. At this point I have completely dismantled the car (everything has been removed) and will hopefully have it on the rotisserie some time next week. That's the easy part.
The cobra IRS should allow for a very nice ride with the added benefit of modern day disc brakes in the rear.
The kit i'm going to purchase to complete the conversion is through DVS restorations :
http://www.dvsrestorations.com/irs.html

Once I get my website set up the way I want it I'll link it so everyone can check out my progress (slow progress I might add).

750 HP? Wow! That thing is bulletproof.

 

[robert campbell]

Stan,
Cool website!!! I can only imagine what the "doner" rear end must cost? But the driveability results will be awesome!!

Rob

 

[Midnight Special]

...All I can say is Very Impressive Rob!

With all that power and intricate systems, the car is sure to Fly!! I'm sure its management would be difficult at best using the stock instruments, so here's a possible upgrade borrowed from another "performance" Mustang.
;-)

 

[J.Bart]

I have been fighting a cold this week. Pan is on covering the Melling HV oil pump. New 110 gallon per minute fuel pump. Going to dump some break in oil for the new cam gear and spin up the oil pump. Just need to screw on the oil filter. Then adjust the lifters.

Got the MSD "E" series distrubutor an have installed the steel gear for the roller cam. Valve covers are sanded and painted the way I want them. I did not like the black krinkle finish for my car.

New aluminum radiator is on the way with dual electric fans. May have been able to run a stock fan, but it would be very tight between the blower belt and the radiator. Long tube headers are on the way and I want them in hand before I land the motor. Still some engine bay prep work. Still waiting for the pre 1969 crank spacer. I did not order it up front, but now need it.

Getting ready to cut an 11 inch diameter hole in the hood! Rob is not much of concours guy. Have to wait until I get the engine in and snugged up to see the center of the carb. Appears that it is an inch aft of the normal postion.

FUN FUN FUN!!!

Anyone want a set of JBA shorty headers? Good condition and a great upgrade for a mild performance motor and no fitment issues at all.

Rob

that looks so mean, the vettes will be running scared

 

[robert campbell]

Tim,
Never seen the "dash" of a P-51. Is that real? I am a WWII lover. I really like the P-38's.

Rob

 

[Stathy]

Stan,
Cool website!!! I can only imagine what the "doner" rear end must cost? But the driveability results will be awesome!!

Rob

It actually surprised me how inexpensive it was. Around $900 plus $300 for shipping into Canada and I got myself cobra rear disc brakes and IRS!
The expense is in the kit which mates it to my 68 mustang. As you saw on the website the kit which includes all the brackets and shocks is $1600.
The only cost above this is for new brake lines and an adapter bracket which will allow me to use my E-brake cable with the Cobra's IRS. Those items are quite insignificant as far as cost goes.
Basically just over 3K plus my labor. Now I just need to save my money for a cool tranny setup like yours :wink:

 

[robert campbell]

Stan,
You will have one cool car!! Tim (Midnight Special) is building a torque monster 428 for his car!!

Face off at the OK corral!!

Rob