So, there I was sitting in my booth at the Stirling flee market this spring. Minding my own business, dreaming of the warm summer days to come. In particular that day I was dreaming of running my Mustang at the up coming Arm Drop races in Picton. Boy, I had a lot of work to do to pull that off!!!! I had finally just paid off the new bell housing and clutch (smoked three of them last summer..... but that's a whole other story!!!! :( ) Anyhow, all of the sudden this guy is in my face, saying how I beat him in a race and how I had to give him another chance. He keeps going on about how he's modified his hot rod and put something called a "maga squirt" on it and a bigger turbo. This guy is going on and on about it and I'm thinking to my self that if I beat him, boy he must have been having a bad day!!!! My carhas only seen the track once in the last 18 years!!!! I don't even think I can really "race" it any more I'm soooo out of practice, but he's insistant that I did, and that I OWE him another shot!!!!! Boy, the pressure was on then, I really did have a lot to get done!! So after I got home from the Stirling weekend (had a great time again!!!) I got right to work puting the drive train back together. Now, if any of you have ever worked on a Ford before, a Ford with a Ford drive train that is..... You'll know where this next part of the story goes!!!! One thing after another starts to go wrong. First the new flywheel won't fit just right, then the brand new Ford Racing pressure plate bolts strip (well, stretch) and won't hold the prescribed torque!!! Then the headers won't fit around the throw out arm. At this point I'm starting to go a bit crazy (short drive for me though). So I do what any self respecting hot rodder would do. I cut the header and build a new one....... EKKKK, what did I just do!!!!! Ah well, can't be any worse then when I started!!! After a little bit of fussing I finially get it back together, with the propper clearence and they fit in the car to boot!!!! So, I drop the engine / trans in the car and do up the drivers header ( remember the one I just finished building???) Ahhhh, it does fit!!!! Now on to the passanger side........ What the, why won't this bolt up!!!!! Ah crap, the new bellhousing is bigger at the flang then the stock one!!!!! Back to the drawing board.
At this point I had had it. I was beat and knew it, the Arm Drop was the next day and there was NOOOOOO WAY I had it in me to build a complete header in that time frame (it was already 10:30ish at night) What was I to do???? Remember that guy from Stirling??? The one that was all up in my face about getting beat by me???? I guess I would have to forfit..... :( Oh well, fixed or repaired daily, right??? I meen, he didn't really expect to get ANOTHER race out of my tired old Mustang, did he????
SO, there I am at the Arm Drop event, Sitting in my booth, minding my own bussiness ( see a trend here??) and all of the sudden THERE HE IS!!!!!! Right in my face all over again. "WEll, where is it!!!!!" , "Lets get this done!!!!" , "You won't beat me this time!!!". I'm a bit stunned by it really (not an unsusal thing for me to be... :) ) Anyhow, this guy, Light something or Speed something..... Maybe Lightspeed???? Ya, Lightspeed Mike!!!!! That's it!!!! Anyhow, he had to walk away with the condolance that I couldn't make the show, just didn't have it in me to get it all together..... He had to "win that way" and I had to give up the "title" on a forfit.....
Anyway. Lighspeed my good buddy, If you read this. I'm coming for you. She's going back together. I just finished the last pipe tonight and I'll be dropping it all in later this week. Since the next ArmDrop that I know of isn't until Sept????? I should have enough time to dial in the clutch and tune it up!!!! Look out Mike. It's your turn!!!!!!!!
If I did this right there should be some pics of the proof!!!
Well this is getting good .A side of the, calm ,quiet, laid back,Mike,that I haven't seen before.I thought T.J. and I had a rivelry going,but its nothing compared to this.Mike whats your side,did he oil the track on you,I know, he jumped the start Common Mike inquiring minds want to know,what's the other side of the story.How will this tale unfold,I know i'll be at the next Armdrop and find out. Ed
Well if your going to put it all over the internet like that I guess I had better step up and tell my side of the story. Yes last year we raced a few times and I couldn't beat him. It might have been something about twice the numbers of pistons he has or something. I was eager for a rematch, He said he would be there to show his tail lights again. I waited patiently. Arrived at Picton, I looked, no Mustang. Found the driver, muttered something about I couldn't get my car together. I think he saw the turbo hanging off the side of my engine and got scared. Then a couple days later he emails me, Mike, buddy, I've got a friend who is putting a small block Ford in a car and needs some header flanges. Would you be able to help? I says this small block Ford wouldn't be going in a Mustang would it, that the owners likes to race about every 15 years? He muttered something. I said sure stop on by I have a set.
Well I guess I know where those flanges went now. The headers look great. I hope to see you in Picton again if not before that. If you win again I guess I will say that I helped you win!
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Hey, Mike!! Those header flanges are great, unfortunatly they didn't work out for this build, but they will work great for a future project!!! As for the tail lights, their still at the back of the car, and I plan on doing everything I can to show them to you again!!! Also, I didn't realize that thing hanging off the side of you "engine"? was the new turbo..... Did you get the moster working better yet?? You were hard to keep out in front of the last time, I am certain it won't be any easier the next time!!!! I am looking forward to it though!!!!!
Anyone heard if there is going to be an earlier Arm Drop event??? Maybe we'll have to go out to Shannonville Mike> I'm not sure I can wait until September. That is, if I can keep the car together that long!!!!! LOL!!!!!
Fords Rule ! If it ain't designed and manufactured in North America it sucks ! I don't do rice, pasta, fish and chips, sauerkraut, Ikea or other third world motor vehicle !
Aside from the attached pics in the first post showing the engine, I don't have any on the computer.....yet. I will say this much. LOOK OUT MIKE!!!! The engine and trans are bolted in the car, the headers fit perfect after a slight massaging of the pass side inner fender. Still have to finish connecting all the hoses and such and fill it all up with fluids. It's coming together though.
The Mustang is a 1976 Cobra, modified 302 with a WCT5, headers (custom built), frame connectors, Quick time SFI bell housing, Ford Racing clutch and SFI steel fly wheel, professional build custom drive shaft and yolks, 3:73 rear gears with Auburn possi and an All Star 5 bolt front disk brake conversion kit. Got lots of bugs to work out and I have to remmeber how to drive it on the track (been years since I did that regularly!!!!)
