Joe Ruggirello, Gapp and Roush Mustang II
- Thread starter SuddenDeath
- Start date
SuddenDeath
Forum Member
Finally, here is the engine..machine work done. Original short block, completely re-machined, some upgrades like main cap studs, new pistons in a larger bore size. New camshaft and valvetrain with much more lift. New blue thunder heads, exhaust side ported/flowed. Should make more power than it ever did! Not to mention, about 100 lbs lighter on the front end. Weight is speed!
Anyway, progress..I'll take it any way I can get it! Hopefully I can get this back on track. Past few months had issues out of my control.
Anyway, progress..I'll take it any way I can get it! Hopefully I can get this back on track. Past few months had issues out of my control.
2fastforU92
Club Member
Lookin sharp!!
Hotrodhawk
Club Member
Thanks for the updates. Following your build has great.
Jeff
Jeff
SuddenDeath
Forum Member
Some NOS pieces installed. Picking up the engine from the machine shop Thursday.
Last edited:
SuddenDeath
Forum Member
Made some more progress. Rear hatch installed, passenger side roof rail trim and quarter window done. Starting to take shape! Picked up the engine from the machine shop yesterday. Got the pan blasted/primed and some heli coil work done on the timing cover.
black88coupe
Club Member
Nice!
SuddenDeath
Forum Member
Spent the day on the engine. Mocked up the motor plate, timing cover, water pump to check pulley alignment. Got it all sorted out with a water pump pulley that matches the original used on the car. Oil pump rebuilt and installed. Checked distributor gear clearances on both the Accel dual point that Roush had in it when the turbos were done and the BEI pieces I intend to use later once the engine is sorted out. The Accel BEI is what was in the car when the sudden death article was done. Also installed correct intake bolts/studs. Masked it all off, cleaned, and painted. Hope to get it buttoned up tomorrow.
black88coupe
Club Member
Awesome!!!
hangemhigh
Club Member
Very cool!!.....But what's up with the '64 in the background??
SuddenDeath
Forum Member
My buddy's car he's working on. Its a 289, automatic, but has PB, PS, and AC. He's already put wilwood 4 wheel disc on it. Planning on a resto-mod type of restoration to drive it as much as possible.
ersatzknarf
New member
Hello Tom,
Long time lurker, first time posting, after joining today.
Have been following this thread for a few years, now.
Felt compelled to post.
Thank you ! Thank you ! Thank you !
Like a number of other folks on this thread, I read and re-read and read over and over again Gray Baskerville's prose on this awesome car. I cannot thank you enough for putting this car back to rights and doing it as it was originally.
I grew up in Dearborn with a backyard right next to Telegraph Road and the stop light on Cherry Hill was about a half-mile north of us. On Saturday nights, we could hear the racers shut down from departing that light, before getting to the Michigan Ave. overpass.
I had the good fortune to go out to the (old Gapp &) Roush shop on Levan Road, back in the very early 80s. A very nice fellow there spent a lot of time with me as I was interested in a small block to shove in a Capri (remember seeing a price list for a basic road-race Boss 302 at "only" $20K - too much for me at that time and now...) and when I mentioned SD, he kindly took me out to a garage in the back...
Shoved off to one side and covered with a good bit of dust was SD !
Since the hood was off, at first, I did not recognize it. It had the turbo set-up you referred to early on in this thread. However, it did not look like what was in the photos earlier in this thread. Above the carb was not the small inlet with blow-off, but rather a very large aluminum plenum that could best be described as a very large air filter but with the sides all closed off. At the moment, I do not recall if it was single or dual turbo, but I am thinking it was a dual set-up, especially considering the size of the plenum. Remember, this was the much earlier days of turbocharging and there was a lot of experimenting. Regardless, this big aluminum plenum was so large that I remember there was a section cut out of the cowl as it interfered. This might explain why you found the original cowl modification had been "altered" (to put it nicely).
I asked why it was just sitting there (this was before I read about SD2) and he explained that with the turbos (I do think it was dual), when the boost came in, the front end came off the ground (remember, this car was used from a roll, not a dead dig). So, imagine nailing it at significant speed and then the front end comes up and the car is uncontrollable...
That might explain SD2 and the NOS system they used instead.
Well, rambled enough I guess. Thanks for reading this far.
Again, can't thank you enough for saving this piece of history and bringing it back so beautifully.
Frank
Long time lurker, first time posting, after joining today.
Have been following this thread for a few years, now.
Felt compelled to post.
Thank you ! Thank you ! Thank you !
Like a number of other folks on this thread, I read and re-read and read over and over again Gray Baskerville's prose on this awesome car. I cannot thank you enough for putting this car back to rights and doing it as it was originally.
I grew up in Dearborn with a backyard right next to Telegraph Road and the stop light on Cherry Hill was about a half-mile north of us. On Saturday nights, we could hear the racers shut down from departing that light, before getting to the Michigan Ave. overpass.
I had the good fortune to go out to the (old Gapp &) Roush shop on Levan Road, back in the very early 80s. A very nice fellow there spent a lot of time with me as I was interested in a small block to shove in a Capri (remember seeing a price list for a basic road-race Boss 302 at "only" $20K - too much for me at that time and now...) and when I mentioned SD, he kindly took me out to a garage in the back...
Shoved off to one side and covered with a good bit of dust was SD !
Since the hood was off, at first, I did not recognize it. It had the turbo set-up you referred to early on in this thread. However, it did not look like what was in the photos earlier in this thread. Above the carb was not the small inlet with blow-off, but rather a very large aluminum plenum that could best be described as a very large air filter but with the sides all closed off. At the moment, I do not recall if it was single or dual turbo, but I am thinking it was a dual set-up, especially considering the size of the plenum. Remember, this was the much earlier days of turbocharging and there was a lot of experimenting. Regardless, this big aluminum plenum was so large that I remember there was a section cut out of the cowl as it interfered. This might explain why you found the original cowl modification had been "altered" (to put it nicely).
I asked why it was just sitting there (this was before I read about SD2) and he explained that with the turbos (I do think it was dual), when the boost came in, the front end came off the ground (remember, this car was used from a roll, not a dead dig). So, imagine nailing it at significant speed and then the front end comes up and the car is uncontrollable...
That might explain SD2 and the NOS system they used instead.
Well, rambled enough I guess. Thanks for reading this far.
Again, can't thank you enough for saving this piece of history and bringing it back so beautifully.
Frank