Well it has been awhile but I finally got the garage set up.

I brought the truck home last weekend and unloaded the engine from the pick up bed.  Today I married the new T-5 transmission with the Y Block.  I fully expected that it wouldn't fit and require the pilot shaft to be shortened.  I was really suprised when it slide right in with that satisfying clunk when it contacted the bell housing mating surface.  I am going to remove the front sheet metal in order to test fit the engine/trans into the frame.  I need to measure for the drive shaft and make sure the the floor shifter will line up with the access hole I put into the cab.

Bob.  Great job on the garage.  Looks too good to work in and get dirty.
 
Although the tranny slid right in place with a nice ‘thunk’ when bottoming out to the bellhousing, you would still be ahead to do an input shaft measurement and compare that to a ‘inside’ bellhousing measurement.  This will insure that the input is at least 3/16” shorter than the ‘inside’ bellhousing measurement.  At zero clearance, you can still wipe out a center main thrust bearing.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

That is a nice looking garage.



Lawrenceville, GA

Thanks guys.  Hopefully the weather will cool down soon so I can spend more time in there.  I have a couple of fans to move the air around but I still come out with a soaking wet 
t-shirt.  I was planning to do that after I do a test fit of the engine and trans in the truck.  I still have to install the throw out bearing and arm.  So I am still some way from final assembly.

You mean with all that beauty of a garage you don't have central air and heat? Shocking! That is a beautiful setup though. Problem is where do you put all your "can't let it go" stuff?



Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

Bob
Who did the engine work?
Thanks
Jim

Moon Shadow...if you look closely in the photo you will see a rack frame that goes across the garage...this is for storing all those "I got to keep" things.
Kahuna...I sourced all the parts and TOE Performance in the SF Bay Area did the machine work.

I am about a month away from handing the truck over to my Georgia body guy for final paint.  So I thought it was time to update what has been done since the last one.  First I went back and cut down the input shaft to the transmission and installed the throw out bearing.  I dropped the engine in the frame with the new motor and trans mounts.  Then I had to remove the dash extension to modify so the steering column and wiring could be installed correctly.  I partly installed the engine wire harness so I could firgure out where the firewall pass throughs needed to go.  Modified the inner fender panels filling and smoothing all of the unused holes.  

The second big issue was overcomming my incorrect bolt circle specification for the custom wheels I had made.  After a lot of research I figured out that by changing out the front & rear disk brake packages for ones from Wilwood, have a set of custom rear axles made by Moser, and make a custom caliper mounting plate for the front...everything would bolt up and work correctly inculding the e-brake.  The e-brake didn't work too well on the last rear disk set up...a modified kit for a Jeep.  With the body work installed and the truck setting on its wheels, the ride height was right where it was supposed to be.  The problem will fix in final assembly is that I don't like the way the wheels and tires fit in the fender.  When I did the chassis rebuild right after I bought the truck...the only drop axle available didn't have a "stock" appearance.  So I kept the stock one.  Mid Fifty has just brought out a 3" drop replacement axle that looks exactly like the original unit.  I have one coming in the next few weeks.  When installed it will drop the fender opening to just above the rim...like the rear of the truck.


I had to modify the Olds/Caddy (reproduction) air cleaner.  It hit the firewall.  Not a big deal since it had a flat on the that side of the air cleaner I just cut off enough to provide clearance.  Welded it a patch to close up the hole.  Since I was already welding on the unit, I decided that I would remove the outside pinch weld.  Everything is tack welded in and is ready for me to finish with the TIG welder.  This will give me smooth sides on the air cleaner to put Ford Y block valve cover decals.

The truck is finally ready to the body shop.  Here are some pictures right before I loaded it into the enclosed trailer.

Very nice truck bob, what color you gonna paint it?

Rowen
55CV
Woodland, Ca