390FE (406ci) for #50, built by Tom Lucas at FE Specialties.

[robroy]

Good afternoon Jamie, Bobby, and Ryan, thanks for your superb replies!

Have you decided anything on the exhaust yet?

Great question! I think I may have un-decided more than I've decided. As you know, the two Borla Turbo XL mufflers and Hedman 89810 headers are already in place. The remaining decisions are: pipe size, pipe type (crimped or mandrel bent), pipe length, and pipe routing.

I believe I'm going to stick to my previous conviction on using 2.5", mandrel-bent pipes, yet the routing and length are still undetermined.

Since I actually am enjoying the sound of the engine so much, I'm thinking of initially going with pipes that exit in front of the rear wheels on both sides. I'm not concerned with getting carbon deposits on my old steel wheels, and I think I might enjoy the sound even more that way than if I ran the pipes all the way back. Plus, the shorter the pipes are, the easier they'll be to remove when I want to do additional work on the truck, which is inevitable.

When I spoke with the best muffler shop in Salinas, All American Muffler, I asked them if they could mandrel-bend pipes, and they said No. Since then I've realized that I should have asked if they can order and install mandrel bent pipes, since I gather that pre-bent sections are readily available and should be feasible for any exhaust shop to install. And if I'm exiting in front of the rear tires, this might be even more feasible (no complications getting over the rear end).

Thanks for being interested Bobby!!!

Can't wait to see this thing again... with the truck wrapped around it

Me too!

Any date estimation of when it will be ready to see Tom again?

At the rate I've been going, my best guess would be some time in September. I'll probably have it completely on the road by July and have put a few miles on it by August!

As y'all know I've been re-doing the rear brakes in 1972 F250 Dana 60 12"x2.5" rear drum brake rebuild: advice? and planning for a cooling system in How shall I select and install an electric fan system? Those are the two most significant things I need to complete before taking #50 out on its maiden voyage!

I've also become increasingly busy with my business, so I'm only able to allocate time to it sporadically these days.

Jamie, Bobby, and Ryan, thanks for your outstanding replies and ongoing interest!
Robroy

[Ranchero50]

Robroy, one thing I would suggest looking into is call around and talk to some of the local race car fab shops for your exhaust. Be honest with your needs and I think you'll end up with another Tom who will be interested in your project more than your money. Most exhaust shops are hacks and far more interested in your money vs. a decent product.

Jamie

[68monster]

where can i get a dipstick that is braided like yours?

[BobbyFord]

where can i get a dipstick that is braided like yours?

I believe Robroy has a Lokar dipstick.
Robroy, correct me if I'm wrong...

[robroy]

Good afternoon Jamie, 68Monster, and Bobby, thanks for your excellent replies!

Robroy, one thing I would suggest looking into is call around and talk to some of the local race car fab shops for your exhaust. Be honest with your needs and I think you'll end up with another Tom who will be interested in your project more than your money. Most exhaust shops are hacks and far more interested in your money vs. a decent product.

Jamie, thanks for this great advice--I'll take it to heart. I searched around and found Moore Performance in Seaside, California. I haven't called them yet to chat but it sounds like they do custom exhaust work, and they have two great reviews on Google.

where can i get a dipstick that is braided like yours?

Bobby's right! It's a Lokar ED-5012. The thread wherein it's discussed is here: Which after market dip stick is best for an FE? Its build quality is beautiful and it's USA-made, but it's not without issues--I'll be updating that thread soon with a detailed description of the symptoms I'm seeing with it. I'd describe them here but the dipstick wasn't selected by Tom Lucas, so it's not an intrinsic part of the FE Specialties engine--this thread could get off-track with that discussion.

I believe Robroy has a Lokar dipstick. Robroy, correct me if I'm wrong...

You are correct--thanks Bobby!

Jamie, 68Monster, and Bobby, thanks again for your superb replies!
Robroy

[robroy]

Good evening!

With #50's rear brakes completely rebuilt and several other issues resolved, I took #50 on its second ever test drive! Today's drive was far more daring than the first one--I must have put an honest hundred feet on the odometer! Going on these types of long drives makes me glad to be an AAA member.

In the beginning of the video I mention letting the engine cool down, since the temperature gauge was reading suspiciously high. Y'all can ignore that; I'm pretty sure the engine was running cool and it's just a sending unit issue. I'll be sure to document that investigation in the Teleflex gauge thread.

The Yellow Jacket ran wonderfully and had no issues, other than seeming mysteriously powerful!

High Quality H.264 (35MB) Medium Quality WMV (17MB)


Thanks for all the superb guidance!
Robroy

[fordman]

after you back up in the street again dump the clutch.

[thebannister8]

looking great robroy

[sport71]

Can you say, Oh yahhh!!! sounds good and smooth..

[stephen44]

Fantastic - well done for getting this far !

what are your next plans for # 50 ?

- Stephen

[robroy]

Good afternoon Fordman, TheBannister8, Ruben, and Stephen, thanks for the fantastic replies!

after you back up in the street again dump the clutch.

I'm not one exactly to be hard on a clutch, but I promise to supply some great videos of hard acceleration once stuff's broken in!

looking great robroy

Thanks very much!

Can you say, Oh yahhh!!! sounds good and smooth..

I can!!! Thanks for appreciating its sound Ruben! I'm sure it will sound quite different once all the holes in the temporary exhaust are replaced with real pipes. I can't wait to hear it that way!

Fantastic - well done for getting this far !

Thanks Stephen! It will have been two years since I removed the first bolt on #50 in a few days; I began around July 1st, 2008.

what are your next plans for # 50 ?

Next plans--you mean there's more to it beyond using it as an extreme go-cart in the yard? Even running it back and forth in front of the house is quite thrilling for the time being!

My next plan's to get it street-legal as quickly as possible so I can allow The Yellow Jacket to stretch its legs! This engine wants to go!

Today I took #50 on its third joy-ride! Before departing I strapped the video camera to the cowl using a fat zip-tie.



High Quality H.264 (36MB) Medium Quality WMV (22MB)


Fordman, TheBannister8, Ruben, and Stephen, thanks again for your great replies!
Robroy

[BobbyFord]

I see you didn't get bagged by the cops!!!

[robroy]

Good afternoon Bobby!

I see you didn't get bagged by the cops!!!

HAHAHAHA!!!

I actually didn't take it on the public road--I used it as a seriously glorified go-cart on the private driveway that leads to this house, and part of the private road that's shared by a few houses here. Yet I'm not exactly ready to break any speed records in this fifty foot stretch, to say nothing of swerving around all the neighborhood children and cats with the supremely nimble handling of an 8,100lb GVW F250! And to say nothing of the unsuspecting mail-man!

Robroy

[BobbyFord]

Gee whiz, that thing sounds good!!!! Um.......at least I've got fenders on mine
I do not have your restraint; I had to drive mine out on the street. I'm so lucky I did not run into the local heat

[FreakysFords]

Gonna have to make a trip to Salinas on one of these runs (actually turned down a load from there this week because I had a better offer on one from Eugene, OR).

LOVIN IT!!!!

Frank