[TPR] What we are about . . . .

Asa Jay Laughton asajay at asajay.com
Sat Dec 3 15:51:01 PST 2011


You're excellency,

There is always room at the Northwest Pantera Research Institute for The 
Pope.  The last transients to stay here were Mike Drew and John 
Christian on their way to the Rocky Mountain Tour.  I have a 
refrigerator specifically designated for beer.  Although it's not 
normally stocked, it miraculously fills anytime a man of the shop cloth 
comes to stay.  And one of the natives has a "Hut" always well stocked 
with pizza.

I do have an emotional attachment to the engine in the Pantera.  It's an 
original numbers matching, never been rebuilt, still runs.  Yes.... the 
more I drive it -hard-, the more I take a chance on breaking something, 
which I sometimes have angst about.... until I climb in, fire it up and 
drive away.  So on the one hand, I really should swap it, but on the 
other... how cool would it be to complete the SSCC in a triple digit 
speed class, with the original numbers matching engine, never been 
rebuilt, 40 years after it was made?  ...   WOW!

The Mach I could sit without an engine.  I haven't actually driven it in 
-over- a year.  It's really in a sad state of bodywork and paint.  But I 
just know if it sits for -long- without an engine.... it will depress me 
even further as to it's non-driven state.  That engine is -not- numbers 
matching and I could pretty much put it anywhere I want without any angst.

The engine currently on the stand in the lab is still waiting further 
forensics, which I'm hoping to get to this winter.  It isn't a good 
candidate for a rebuild; it was bored .030" over last time and has 
nearly 80K miles on it or so.  I have three others stored that I could 
use for new rebuilt platforms, but I don't know what condition they are 
in.... again, the Northwest PRI has no money for research at the moment.

If the angels granted this kind of project could be undertaken, it would 
most likely happen in January and would look something like this:

- Move Shelley's Jeep out of garage, move Mach I in
- Remove engine sans transmission (time estimate, half a day)
     - Drain radiator of coolant, unhook radiator hoses, remove radiator
     - Drain engine of oil, unhook oil lines to accumulator
     - Remove fan belts and fan
     - Remove power steering pump and set aside (or unhook hoses if 
necessary)
     - Remove alternator
     - Unhook all wiring to the engine and place aside
     - Remove carb, tape over intake
     - Remove distributor
     - Unbolt headers at head
     - Unhook fuel line and cork it (if there's any left)Asa Jay 
Laughton, MSgt, USAFR, Retired
     - Unbolt transmission, motor mounts and pull the sucker
     - Put the engine on a stand
- Move Mach I back outside, move Shelley's Jeep back in.
- Remove the engine from the Pantera (time estimate, half a day)
     - Remove the decklid
     - Drain coolant, unhook hoses, remove radiator (needs new or 
rebuilt radiator)
     - Drain engine oil
     - Drain ZF gear oil
     - Unhook fuel line and cork
     - Remove carb and distributor, cover holes
     - Unhook all wiring, set aside
     - Remove A/C compressor (unused currently), set aside
     - Unhook/remove starter (get it out of the way)
     - Remove A/C Condensor
     - Unhook headers
     - Unhook transmission linkage
     - Unhook transmission wiring
     - Unhook half-shafts
     - Remove clutch slave, set aside
     - Unbolt engine and trans mounts and pull the sucker
- Swap the ZF to the other engine (an hour maybe)
     - Swap flywheels (the Mach I is an automatic)
     - Install new pilot bearing since the Mach I doesn't have one (money)
     - Install pressure plate and clutch disc (assuming they are fine, 
otherwise.... more money)
- Reverse the process on the Pantera (another half day)

But then.....
- I don't have a well-tuned carb for the Mach I engine.  The Carter AFB 
on there works, but not as optimally as it should.  The Holley from the 
Pantera would work, but it's not tuned to the higher horsepower of the 
Mach I engine.  Do I rebuild and re-tune the Carter or do I re-jet the 
Holley?
- I could use the Duraspark distributor from the Mach I in the Pantera 
but I'd need to wire up a computer box in the engine compartment to make 
it work.  Best to do that while the engine is out. (more money)
- If the engine is out it's a good time to replace the rubber mounting 
doughnuts. (more money)
- If the engine is out, it's a good time to re-plumb the cooling system, 
ala John Taphorn/Dave Bell's method. (more money and some creative work 
in the engine bay)
- Might as well remove the A/C parts for now since they aren't being used.

So I look at all this and it just doesn't seem practical.  But I get 
that darn thundering clapping sound from a good strong V8 engine in my 
bones and "practicality" begins to get awfully transparent.

Bless me father for I have sinned... I have lust for more horsepower and 
coveted my neighbors ponies.

Asa Jay


&  Shelley Marie
Spokane, WA
******************************
http://www.racingagainstautism.com
http://www.teampanteraracing.com
http://facebook.com/racingagainstautism


On 12/3/2011 1:48 PM, David in Durango wrote:
> So, you have a "spare" for the Pantera?  Hot motor? (well, usable).
> Swap them out!  If you have some emotional attachment to the Pantera 
> motor, use it for the dream rebuild  "next winter" [1] and have some 
> fun in the mean time.  I've heard the Pope would donate labor for 3-4 
> days if he had a place to stay and beer/pizza rations.  That way, if 
> you dropped something big, you would have back up!  Hell, he might 
> even deliver your new wheels, too.
> Or you could sit on the porch while the big dawgs play . . . . .
> Morally unemployed,
> David in Durango
> [1] next winter = appropriate economic time
>
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     *From:* Asa Jay Laughton <mailto:asajay at asajay.com>
>     *To:* tpr at teampanteraracing.com <mailto:tpr at teampanteraracing.com>
>     *Sent:* Saturday, December 03, 2011 2:10 PM
>     *Subject:* Re: [TPR] What we are about . . . .
>
>     AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgh.........
>
>     The more I -SIT- here and dwell on it.....
>     The more I want to put the 351C from the Mach I into the Pantera.....
>     nnnnnnngh......
>     I know I could have it done in a couple weekends....
>     rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh........
>     It's winter........
>     I'm not driving the car......
>     mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmph................
>     Must.... resist.... temptation.
>
>     If I take that engine out of the Mustang... it'll be the death
>     nell for the car and I can't have that.
>
>     must.... resist....
>
>     Asa Jay
>
>     Asa Jay Laughton, MSgt, USAFR, Retired
>     &  Shelley Marie
>     Spokane, WA
>     ******************************
>     http://www.racingagainstautism.com
>     http://www.teampanteraracing.com
>     http://facebook.com/racingagainstautism
>
>
>     On 12/3/2011 12:20 PM, David in Durango wrote:
>>     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIn0IOD9eEc&feature=related
>>     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIn0IOD9eEc&feature=related>
>>     just in case you've forgotten.
>>     Snow and low of 16 forecast for tonite!
>>
>>
>>     _______________________________________________
>>     TPR mailing list
>>     TPR at teampanteraracing.com
>>     http://lists.teampanteraracing.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tpr
>>
>>
>>     No virus found in this message.
>>     Checked by AVG - www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com>
>>     Version: 10.0.1411 / Virus Database: 2102/4054 - Release Date:
>>     12/03/11
>>
>
>
>     __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus
>     signature database 6681 (20111203) __________
>
>     The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
>
>     http://www.eset.com
>
>     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>     _______________________________________________
>     TPR mailing list
>     TPR at teampanteraracing.com
>     http://lists.teampanteraracing.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tpr
>
>
>
>     __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus
>     signature database 6681 (20111203) __________
>
>     The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
>
>     http://www.eset.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> TPR mailing list
> TPR at teampanteraracing.com
> http://lists.teampanteraracing.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tpr
>
>
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com>
> Version: 10.0.1411 / Virus Database: 2102/4054 - Release Date: 12/03/11
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://teampanteraracing.com/pipermail/tpr_teampanteraracing.com/attachments/20111203/1dce621a/attachment-0003.html>


More information about the TPR mailing list