Build Thread 1978 Mercury Cyclone. The pig is in the pen.
- Status
-
Sponsors (?)
Hey Mike can you make a tour video of the car? You could even do the obnoxious mustache on the Counting Cars guy
Mike! I'm so proud of you! I mean, of course you were going to get it done.....but......YOU GOT IT DONE!
It really looks good too!
You've met me now, you know this isn't just some forum bs from me. I'm really happy for you.
What a trip for you huh? The little japanese kid accepting this is about done?
It really looks good too!
You've met me now, you know this isn't just some forum bs from me. I'm really happy for you.
What a trip for you huh? The little japanese kid accepting this is about done?
Mike! I'm so proud of you! I mean, of course you were going to get it done.....but......YOU GOT IT DONE!
It really looks good too!
You've met me now, you know this isn't just some forum bs from me. I'm really happy for you.
What a trip for you huh? The little japanese kid accepting this is about done?
Thanks to all of you gentlemen. I was so satisfied w/ my accomplishment I went straight out, and celebrated with the wife. (She kept asking me why I was smiling so much.......)
It was because I beat the Monster......he didn't win this time.
Every now and then, it all becomes "worth it". I have had several instances where that has come around for me,...the engine starting,..the day it sat on all four tires,..the day after it was finally painted, and now the interior. Hard to believe that that interior was just an idea in my head. No plans, no sketches,..just went at it w/ a bender and a welder.
Now it's done.
YESSSS!!!
To answer your comment Steve,..I've been thinking about doing a walk around, but where the hell do you start on this thing?
I think I need to open the video editing software box that I've had sitting on my shelf for over a year, and learn some editing tricks, and actually make a better effort at doing the car justice than just an off the cuff walk around. Something w/ commentary, still slide shows, moving shots, really creative angles and of course........really dry humor.
I'll wait till I get it finished for that. I still have 2/3rds of a car to wet sand and buff. And judging at the dust from the pics in the A/C vents and everywhere else,..... still have a whole bunch of time spent cleaning, detailing, and waxing in front of me..
I hope that the engine is sound. I really wanna drive it on really long trips. As campy as it is,...I think I'll reprise my auto show story, and make that february show the first formal Monster appearance. By that time I should have all the bugs worked out, and the power tune in place ( if I can actually say the word "power" and have it be relevant in this instance).
Tonight is a good night for me though,..I'm really happy that it's coming together after 3 years.
Congratulations Mike-The Monster has turned out great.
I really hope you open that video editing box lol
stangboy
Founding Member
Congrats Mike! The interior is awesome! The Monster is really coming along. I can't wait for that video you want to make. 
Nice work brother, it really does look awesome! I think a good video of it all done would be a feather in your cap. Quick question. What is the spot in the mesh above the Y on your passenger door? Something on the leather, or something with the paint on the mesh?
It's in the leather behind the grille. The camera sees it, your eye doesn't
It's a big assed ugly abrasion in the poor ol cows hide....
The interior turned out great Mike! I was quite the skeptic as my skill set precludes me from ever attempting upholstery work (if you have seen my 84' you would know what I'm talking about - @TOOLOW91 has seen it 
) but the end result in your case is exceptional. I would also sit in the car and make motor noises, probably for several days after completing a sizable task like this.
The question I have is when can we expect to see some miles on the odometer? Car show victories? More satisfied pictures with the Monster photo-bombing the background? Total and utter triumph of the world? Ok, admittedly I may have just got carried away.
) but the end result in your case is exceptional. I would also sit in the car and make motor noises, probably for several days after completing a sizable task like this. The question I have is when can we expect to see some miles on the odometer? Car show victories? More satisfied pictures with the Monster photo-bombing the background? Total and utter triumph of the world? Ok, admittedly I may have just got carried away.
November for sure will be the maiden voyage. (ironic that the car will be "born" in the same month I was).The interior turned out great Mike! I was quite the skeptic as my skill set precludes me from ever attempting upholstery work (if you have seen my 84' you would know what I'm talking about - @TOOLOW91 has seen it
The question I have is when can we expect to see some miles on the odometer? Car show victories? More satisfied pictures with the Monster photo-bombing the background? Total and utter triumph of the world? Ok, admittedly I may have just got carried away.
I gotta get alot done before that though. As stated above,...I've got an oil leak. It's probably coming from the side cover I made to cover the lifter access, but I just dont know yet. All I know is that after it runs for a few minutes, a small puddle will appear that's coming from somewhere.
There's also stuff that keeps me awake at night that I second guess myself.......The engine sounds like a diesel when it idles.
You can hear the lash on the valves,....but whats up with the clunking noise ya spose?
I was laying in bed at 5 AM wondering if that is a sign of something hitting something? (It's no wonder I fall asleep in a chair at 9PM,......I lay awake at stupid hours thinking about stupid sht when I should be sleeping)
Even if NOTHING's wrong,...and that is what a Monster I6 is supposed to sound like,...I still gotta find that leak.
Then there's blacking out the trim, finishing the fuel filler junk,....sway bar end links....(stupid piddly crap)
Congratulations on the win. I'd wait to call it a victory until that first time you:
- walk out to the garage
- get in the car and start it
- drive it to get beer
- drive back home
- park it
- walk into house with beer and NOT have to worry about something on the car.
Once that realization hits you as you take that first sip, you'll know you've not only claimed your victory, but also dominated.
- walk out to the garage
- get in the car and start it
- drive it to get beer
- drive back home
- park it
- walk into house with beer and NOT have to worry about something on the car.
Once that realization hits you as you take that first sip, you'll know you've not only claimed your victory, but also dominated.
It may need a valve adjustment for sure but if I'm not mistaken aren't flat tappet cam supposed to be a little loose on break in?
HotFox
15 Year Member
Yeah the valve lash noise is to be expected,...it's the other noise I'm hearing that's probably the forged pistons rocking in the cylinders,...(the engine is fairly cold at the time of that vid (like 130 degrees)).
They are lashed tight,..like .010-.012 as per the cam guys recommendation...but it has been a long time since I heard a solid lifter valve train (10 years), and time tends to make one forget. But that was that big turbo'd drag car, and it was nowhere near as quiet and sedate as the Monster's engine is, so I'm sure that all of that mechanical noise The Monster is making is just amplified because of that.
They are lashed tight,..like .010-.012 as per the cam guys recommendation...but it has been a long time since I heard a solid lifter valve train (10 years), and time tends to make one forget. But that was that big turbo'd drag car, and it was nowhere near as quiet and sedate as the Monster's engine is, so I'm sure that all of that mechanical noise The Monster is making is just amplified because of that.
HotFox
15 Year Member
BTW great work interior looks like something a pro shop would turn charging like 20K.
Well,....the Monster decided I was getting too complacent. He decided to remind me as to who's who in the garage.....he bit me.........Again.
I piddled yesterday for a few hours. I got the fuel filler neck installed. I got the access door installed I got the tank vented, (actually pretty happy w/ my solution... I shoulda took a picture)..
I installed my brand new dew wipes... (My door sounds like a new door when you shut it,....no ambiguous "What the hells rattling around" noises,.....Just your typical, early 80's "Thunk/Clank" (depending on how you describe that noise.))
I tightened all of the screws that held my grille and headlight trim on,....but the passenger side was off,....it stuck out about 1/4" for whatever reason.
I decided to remove the entire headlight bucket assy,. to see WTF was wrong.
There was a bent mount tab holding the bucket forward.......I fixed it.
The problem arises on the reassembly. With the bumper mounted so high,..there is no room to swing stuff into place when you put the headlights back in. I managed to get the first assembly mounted,..but that second one was a btch, and when I tried to force it............
The Monster said "BTCH!! don't try and force me to take something I don't wanna take!''...."Here! How bout I just break one of my little tab thingys that hold my headlight adjusting screw as a reminder of who's boss around here?" "I'm fighting you for a reason!"
Snap!
The little 40 yr old plastic insert that the upper adjusting screw "screws" into shears off.
The Monster bit me......Owwww Charlie that hurt!!
He didn't draw blood,....but it still is painful. That insert may or may not be available. One things for damn sure,...AZ isn't gonna have one.
Regardless,........What do I have to fix it with?
I piddled yesterday for a few hours. I got the fuel filler neck installed. I got the access door installed I got the tank vented, (actually pretty happy w/ my solution... I shoulda took a picture)..
I installed my brand new dew wipes... (My door sounds like a new door when you shut it,....no ambiguous "What the hells rattling around" noises,.....Just your typical, early 80's "Thunk/Clank" (depending on how you describe that noise.))
I tightened all of the screws that held my grille and headlight trim on,....but the passenger side was off,....it stuck out about 1/4" for whatever reason.
I decided to remove the entire headlight bucket assy,. to see WTF was wrong.
There was a bent mount tab holding the bucket forward.......I fixed it.
The problem arises on the reassembly. With the bumper mounted so high,..there is no room to swing stuff into place when you put the headlights back in. I managed to get the first assembly mounted,..but that second one was a btch, and when I tried to force it............
The Monster said "BTCH!! don't try and force me to take something I don't wanna take!''...."Here! How bout I just break one of my little tab thingys that hold my headlight adjusting screw as a reminder of who's boss around here?" "I'm fighting you for a reason!"
Snap!
The little 40 yr old plastic insert that the upper adjusting screw "screws" into shears off.
The Monster bit me......Owwww Charlie that hurt!!
He didn't draw blood,....but it still is painful. That insert may or may not be available. One things for damn sure,...AZ isn't gonna have one.
Regardless,........What do I have to fix it with?
- Status