Rod's 84 BabyBajaF100

[AussieRod]

Tuesday update:
My suspiscions were confirmed tonight.... sender is dead, and so is the pump. So, I am looking at ordering a complete unit from the US, any ideas whether Airtex or Spectra Premium are better or worse? I can land one at my door for about $135 shipped. Both the HP pumps I have seem to work ok, so I will try both properly once the tank is sorted and mounted and I can run some fuel thru them for a wet test. In the meantime, I will clean and paint the tank, clean and sort the fuel lines, start making up the harness and keep on with the diff assembly. Its raining cats and dogs out there right now, has been since 10 pm yesterday and it is brass monkey cold to boot. Now that I wont be going anywhere overseas for a few months, I will concentrate every spare hour (and $$$) on the truck to get it done in a timely manner.

[Silverslk]

Rod, where are you looking at pumps? Rockauto.com usually carries motorcraft stuff and I have my buddy at the dealer. I guess I need to find a box to send your stuff over? You can get a pump sent here and I can throw that in too..... bundle the shipping to save a bit?

[AussieRod]

Rod, where are you looking at pumps? Rockauto.com usually carries motorcraft stuff and I have my buddy at the dealer. I guess I need to find a box to send your stuff over? You can get a pump sent here and I can throw that in too..... bundle the shipping to save a bit?

Andy, RockAuto seems to have the best prices and range, I will probably order one from them and get it sent direct. I might have a complete truck EFI setup coming my way for free on the weekend, so I will wait before I order, just to see what turns up. Regardless, I need a Xmember before I can mount the tank and start doing the fuel pipes. Meanwhile, I'm working on sorting the wiring harness and waiting for the wet weather to piss off so I can do the brakes, 9 inch and piping (need to work outside to do some of this stuff).

[AussieRod]

Thursday update:
Broke down the fuel lines, pumps and 2 way can:

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Gave the tank a clean inside and out, but it will need another flush before final fit-up. Its now sitting in place, the front of the lower straps sitting on the chassis stand. I re-fitted the sender unit sans pump, and I'm using it to locate the fuel pipes and starting to organise them. I REALLY need that X member right now (I found one locally, but he wants $150 for it) :

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The pipes will get a good clean and scrape to get rid of the black paint, and then I will P clip them up and start routing. The fuel filter will go inside the frame rail behind where the old front tank sat just behind the cab, with the HP pumps mounted just in front of it. That way they will all be easily accessable for service/replacement. I am probably going to have to cut some of the plastic lines and fit them the way I want, or buy the adaptors and use AN S/Steel lines. I will have a play over the next few days and see which length will fit where and make it work. Also will make the new harness fit better (its too long now) and use new plugs at the rear. The EFI engine and ECU harness will come from the Mustang donor car, but if its too hard to adapt (to the 84 carb harness), I will buy the universal harness from RJM, its so much easier to adapt to my trucks carb harness, and easier to connect to the pumps, etc. My new chassis harness has 2 plugs adjacent to each other, I gather one is for manual / C6 and the other is for the AOD. Both are inter-connected in the harness wrapping:

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[AussieRod]

Mas.
88 5.0L donor engine:

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Once its pulled from the Mustang, it will be fully serviced (its due for its 6 month storage service), flushed, cleaned thoroughly, a new rear main seal fitted, low mileage GT40P heads installed, painted and pimped with the truck intake and truck valve covers installed ready for fitting. Then, I will source an auto trans, driveplate, etc.
More updates soon.

[AussieRod]

Finally found a X member locally cheap, he will drop it off early next week. If/when the other one gets here, I will keep it for a spare, or for the new project.

[AussieRod]

Monday update:
Spent a couple of hours susing out the fuel lines, where to mount the filter, pump, etc...... now I am perplexed. It seems the pump outlet is 3/8", all the way thru the 2 way valve until it hits the 5/16" HP pump nipple. It then runs 5/16" to the fuel rail, then it is all 5/16" return all the way back to the tank.
Filter and pump nipples:

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Option A means I will juggle the 3/8" line to the HP pump mounted at the LH front spring perch (inside the framerail) them a short jump to the inline filter (also 5/16") then to the fuel rail. The return will remain 5/16". The plastic lines will need to be cut and shut to fit.

Option B will be remove all the plastic hose from the Ford fittings and use quality EFI rated hose all the way through. That means barb fittings for the HP pump, and barb fittings at the fuel rail. I'm easy with that, I can tailor all the hose lengths to package everything where and how I want.

Option C is a full custom hi performance fuel system, probably Aeromotive with billet fuel rails, etc. and use a surge tank fed by the std intank LP pump. The fuel return from the rail will drain into the surge tank to keep it full at all times.

Option B sounds the most cost effective, given that it will still supply enough fuel for any occasion with the stock or warmed over engine on gasoline, while being dormant during propane operation. I cant justify the cash to waste on a fuel system that will not be used 98% of the time (I will run the truck on gasoline everytime I run out of propane, to make sure the system is always working).

[AussieRod]

Wednesday update:
The old bloke came through tonight and dropped off the fuel tank X member I have been sweating on:

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Its going to sandblast sometime in the next few days,then paint and fitting. While it dries, I will final clean and paint the tank, and it will be fitted once the Xmember goes on. Hopefully, next door at work will finish with the big press so I can do my axle bearings, then the diff will go together and be painted and fitted. Then it will have the wheels put on and rolled into the garage for 2 weeks, while I have fun in the US. Upon my return home, I will start again and get into it in earnest.

**To all my GFB buddies who are holding parts for me, I will collect them all at Tom's place Friday morning if you would be kind enough to bring them with you **

[yikes]

I forgot to take a picture of the e-brake. Dernit! I'll try to remember this evening Rod.

[AussieRod]

I forgot to take a picture of the e-brake. Dernit! I'll try to remember this evening Rod.

No probs, Mate

[AussieRod]

Thursday update:
Cleaned up the tank Xmember at work today. No sandblasting available (they are painting in the booth and some idiot left all the garnet out in the rain yesterday) so I couldnt use my portable gun. I used a wire wheel on the small grinder and sanding discs for the tougher rust. It came out nice and is primed and hanging up to dry:

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I also noticed that the LH side of the frame at the rear is quite bent in above the axle. LH side:

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RH side is straight:

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That will explain why the tub bolt hole has been drilled off to the outside 5/8":

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Tomorrow morning, I will paint the Xmember so it will be dry for fitting tomorrow night. I will take the tank to work and pressure clean it out and dry it ready for a splash of paint and fitting after the Xmember. Saturday I hope to finish assembly of the 9 inch and get it painted ready to go in Sunday. Cant wait to get some wheels on this thing and get it rolling. Once the fuel lines are dealt with and the harness run, I will start on the cab

[AussieRod]

Friday update:
Fuel tank Xmember is painted and installed. I undid the LH side of the rear Xmember and pulled the LH rail out, and it fitted right in. I used a rachet strap to pull the rail 2" back in to reinstall the bolts and torque them up:

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Shot some paint onto the tank, it will be fitted tomorrow morning when dry:

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Cleaned and painted tank supports, straps, axle U bolts, spring plates, muffler hangers, etc:

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[AussieRod]

Mas:

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This is my E brake assemby, if anyone has a good one, I am interested, PM me:

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I have to find 2 axles for the 9". The damaged one has an undersized seal surface and a different wheel flange diameter to the other one, which has a crack in the bearing radius. So, the 9 inch will go to one side for now, the old 8.8 didnt sell on Ebay, so it will go under until after the trip. I will probably source 2 HD axles in USA, or maybe a floater kit, disc brakes and axles. TBD.
Well, thats it for tonight, more tomorrow.

[AussieRod]

Sunday update:
Got the fuel tank all snugged in, fits like a glove:

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Then I started laying over the stripped wiring harness, to locate the pump/sender plug, the rear plug for the lights, etc and added a HD 2 core and a 7 core to be wrapped in:

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HD 2 core and 7 core:

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The 2 core will handle about 30 amps, its for a fused live power (to run a fridge, air compresser, etc.) and the 7 core will be spares, for a dust light(s), extra lighting....... whatever. They will be there, no need to add them in the future. The propane safety switch and sender will be on a seperate harness alongside the supply hose to the lock-off and convertor.

[AussieRod]

Got my wrinkle wrap ready:

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I've got my soldering iron, solder, connectors, crimp fittings and soon, Deutsch pliers and plugs put aside in the garage ready for the after trip attack. Anyone have any idea what the Deutsch plug kits are worth in the US? I can get them from $5 - 10 each here depending on how many pins I want, and the pliers (crimpers) are $60 or more. I might look at buying Stateside if they are cheaper.

[BajaF250]

Hey Rod, Kicking butt! Looking good...

[AussieRod]

Hey Rod, Kicking butt! Looking good...

Thanks, Tom It's really starting to come together well. Soon I can attack the cab and continue the good work

[AussieRod]

I was just thinking, in 1 week Aus time, I will be flying across the Pacific right now, in USA time, I will be around Grover Beach / Pismo heading north to pick up some parts and meet up with some buddys. Its pretty cool, the time difference, I leave here at 11:20 am Sunday, and arrive in LAX 10:15 am Sunday!

[Copykat]

Time travel! And they said it wasn't possible!

[AussieRod]

Yep, and I dont need a Delorean to do it, either