So moving onto the exhaust, several options exist. What did Bullitt have? What was factory stock? What would I use to make it correct for both? Why does anyone care? :dunno: Welp.... glad you asked! :grin: First step was to see what the Bullitt car has. It was advertised as headers through straight pipes early on in the enthusiasts realm. Well, not so. Evidence against that, if you watch the movie scenes, is no low slung Grady Day-2 headers hanging down! :burnout:. What it's sporting is factory manifolds, the stock h-pipe, resonators, the transverse muffler removed, and straight pipes over the axle and exiting below the valance minus tips. So, basically, a stock system minus the tips and transverse muffler. :scholar:

My system is exactly that, but with a slight deviation. I want it reversible so it can be put back stock if necessary. After the resonators, it'll be a slip-fit, clamped straight pipe system that can be removed and the stock traverse system installed. :D So the biggest thing I need is a set of the stock Resonators. I called up Scott Fuller who makes dead-nuts-on reproductions of entire systems for Mustangs. But the price of the Resonators since they are one piece and welded to the intermediate and muffler connector pipes, ain't exactly cheap. :frown:

Scott had a run of Resonators made up, but they weren't to his standards. Not being happy with them, he decided to make his own to match NOS ones. You can see the very slight difference in the step down crispness of the edges of the ones he had made and the ones he now makes that are OE identical. Fortunately for me, he tossed out all of the old ones except for one pair. Best part? He's just giving them to me!:headbang: I bought a set of mounting flanges he makes and this will complete my factory looking exhaust perfectly. What a great guy!

So I'll start mounting up the exhaust next week when these come in. Be sure to tune in next week for such updates as, "Why didn't this work like I thought it would in my mind?" and, "Why am I even in this hobby to begin with? ":thumbsdown::hmmm::biggthumpup:

Cheers
Dave

A freshly redone original radiator from Bob at Glen-Ray radiators is just the thing to chill down this big block pony after chasing the Charger. Date Code and part number match up! I got some stuff bolted up yesterday then had to step out on another mission. Exhaust goes in next after the resonators show up. After that, the radiator and all fluids will go in. The following week I'll fix all the leaks of all the fluids that I just put in. :thumbsdown: Stay tuned... More to come as I review all the major papertowel brands to see which really is the quicker - soaker - upper of gear fluid:frown:

Cheers
Dave

It's called experience. The more experience one has the better the outcome!

Dave
Although you probably wont need them there are absorbing towels available from marine supply stores for chemical spills on water, they do not absorb water, just oils, anti freeze etc.

https://www.newpig.com/oil-only-abso...ts-pads/c/5002

We always have a supply in our shop, they do not clean up spilled milk, so we dont cry over that.

Those do work great, sopped up allot of jet A with them :naughty:

Moving forward...... exhaust is in! I'm ready to fire her up this weekend! Maybe...:smirk:

This is exactly what Bullitt had: stock manifolds, stock exhaust minus the transverse muffler, and straight pipes out the back, no tips! This system is bolt on. So if the next owner wants to install the stock muffler with stock tailpipes and tips, it can be done with little effort. Exactly what I had in mind. I used the correct FoMoCo stamped clamps too! Is there such a thing as "factory correct " Bullitt?:dunno::hmmm::biggthumpup::3gears: Really looking forward to hearing this car crank over and fire up! More to come....

Cheers
Dave

We can’t wait to hear it crank either! BTW, you’ve got a nice under side there mister!!

That's going to sound great. There will be a you tube video, right?

Steve McQueen would be Proud :)

Love it!

Dan

Thanks guys! I'm really happy with the exhaust. Exactly how I wanted it to look and fit up. :biggthumpup:

Moving onto the rest of the engine bay assembly this weekend along with a few final exterior items. Next week will be diving into the door assemblies. Always a good time with such memorable moments as "How the hell did this go in here?" And "987 pictures of the inside of the door and not one of the view I actually need!!":frown:

Cheers
Dave

----Love the FoMoCo clamps!........Bill S

Everything oiled and lubed..... which is always a good thing.... and I'm ready to fire her off this week! Stubborn fuel sending unit leak, but a thicker O-Ring will solve that. That usually solves a lot of things! :scholar::rolleyes2:. I pulled it out into the sun to check the stance and compare it to the Hero Car. I'm diggin it!! More to come....

Cheers
Dave

Wow!!

Looking WICKED Dave!

Looks great Dave. I need to see a picture of you doing a major burn-out with it.

Nailed It..

Yeah but can you do it in reverse with wheel hop and all?:laugh:

Of course I can! But with a 3.90 Posi.. it'll do that going forward too!:laugh::biggthumpup:

Thanks for the compliments men!

Cheers
Dave

Man!, that didn’t take long! Way better than Ford ever made it! Now you gotta make it have wheel hop in reverse!!!

In preparations for start up, all fluids are in I'm happy to report... ready for initial fire up and cam break in! :headbang: I hooked up the battery to test everything. Aaaaaaannnd.....I got nothing. No power to anything. Back to square one. But knowing me and the idiot I am, I quickly realized that the bag of fuses on the workbench that was in my way when I was brewing my morning coffee, was exactly what I was missing! :smirk: So once installed I checked everything out. I was especially interested in that Convenience Group lighting panel. On initial turn of the key, the "Belts" light comes on then goes off after about 3 seconds. "Park" is for the parking brake being engaged. "Door" is when the door is not latched, and what I mean by that is not if the door is open, rather, its for when the door is only latched on the first click of the lock. Open, light is out. Push the door in and at the first click of the lock, the light illuminates. Push the door all the way in to the second "click"(now it's latched closed) and it goes out. "Fuel" is for the low fuel warning which is exactly what is preventing me firing this thing off. I called Bob's Speedometer, the place restoring my sending unit with low fuel thermostaticistorthingy, and he was reassembling it as I was on the phone with him. :shocked: Now, I'm all for doing things twice, but since installing the fuel sending unit is something I'd really only like to do once, I'll wait until it shows up next week. :biggthumpup:

All lights, blinkers, warnings, all work. I should have the 8-Track back this month too. More to come.....

Cheers
Dave:beers:

Lights Camera Action :-)

Love the build, thanks for sharing!!

Ryan

Yeah, that’s a nice Christmas tree you have there. Don’t forget about us after you get that fuel sending unit back!:shocked:

Hey, since the smart folks ‘round here fixed the you tube gizmo upload contraption, why don’t you video that bad boy firing up?:naughty:

I'm on it! Next week after I get the sending unit back. Meanwhile, minus a few detail items, everything is hooked up ready for MCACN! :biggthumpup: Ok.... maybe that's a bit far off, but better to be early than late. I for one, will be done at LEAST a few hours prior to the doors opening. :hmmm::biggthumpup:

Cheers
Dave

"I for one, will be done at LEAST a few hours prior to the doors opening."

Seriously I can not believe what you get done in a day!! (I seem to get sweet FA done but even if I accomplished a normal amount I would still be completely in awe of your ability to progress!!)

If you fly into YYZ plan to stop by and give me some pointers!!

Ryan

WOW...Look bitchin'! :)

That's awesome!

Ahhh, ebay. You need something? Someone seems to have it. Date coded NOS thermostatic vacuum switch....NOS parking brake switch....you just gotta love it! :biggthumpup::biggthumpup::biggthumpup:

With this installed the only missing functional light is the low fuel indicator. And yes, I still need to mount that high beam switch. Sending unit comes back next week and that'll complete that. So... nothing left to do? :hmmm: Is this your first time reading this thread? :smile: Plenty to do!

Looking at the Hero Car, the Hurst shifter boot is on back order right now for another day, so I used this no-name one in place just for now. The Samitron, author of the infamous, and gorgeous, Day 2 '69 L78 Chevelle thread in the members ride area, has blocked my PMs now since I was apperently too aggressive in insisting he send me his Hurst shift boot. But that's OK...you can't guard that car all the time at MCACN.... especially at happy hour! Mmmwwwaahahaaaaa..cough.... oh, sorry.
Where was I? :hmmm: Oh yeah! :biggthumpup:Got the fold down seat and trap door installed and this weekend I'll be stripping and painting the doors in preps for the glass to be installed. I'll install the headliner this upcoming week too and then I can schedule the glass guy to do his thing. Two things homey don't do: glass installation and headliners:no::thumbsdown:

In totally unrelated news, apparently someone told the local Ford dealer here that I was building this car and the owner is interested in putting it on display next to a 2019 Bullitt model in the showroom!:biggthumpup: Negotiations are on-going right now, and so far, we're up to $25/day and two free Keurig K-Cups of my choice. I'm a pretty good negotiator, so I'm also headed toward the additional 8oz bag of free popcorn too!:bs:

Cheers
Dave

Hold out for an I love Ford T-Shirt :-)

Ryan

Looks killer, of course. What do you mean about stripping and painting the doors in prep for the glass?

Oh... when I painted the car, I didn't mask the doors so they have base/clear over them which obscures the grain texture of the door. I just want to remove the overspray so the grain pattern is more visible. Should wrap up the doors tomorrow!

Cheers
Dave

The stance is perfect. Nice to see you went with a good shifter, makes all the difference.

So doors stripped and shot in Metallic Black, so I'm ready to install everything. First step? Lay everything out so I can misplace the smallest part at the exact moment I need it.:thumbsdown: Seems that stuff goes together a lot slower than it came apart. :dunno:. I do know one thing..... this side will take about 5hrs, and the other side about :13 minutes. :wink:

Very happy with the results and luckily, the doors still shut like a 50k mile car should! I'll install the door panels and all that jazz tomorrow after I pick up all the stainless from the polisher.

More to come! I'm in the home stretch! Headliner and glass are all that's left! Well.... and the two parts I sent out: 8-Track and the Fuel Sender. So exciting!!!

Cheers:beers:
Dave

Looking great Dave!!

Wow! I am just speechless! What a beautiful restoration.

Dave, you're a one man band and a magician. Props, sir.

Agreed!

Jeeze, Guys! Thanks for the compliments! I've decided that when I put the car on display this November at this small, not very well known, Muscle Car get-together in the Chicago area...i think it's called McCRAKN or something like that..... I'm going to have a sign that reads "Built by SuperDave....Powered by Yenko.Net":grin::headbang: Hmmmm... maybe not. That might set the Ford guys off in ways that would even make an NCRS guy envious! Sort of like when he's told that a bolt is wrong on his car!:burnout: Anywhooo.... moving on...

The factory speedo won't read right with the old gear in there since I've changed the rear gears and the tire size. Now, being a Math major in Elementary School, I ran a simple trigonomic function to figure out how many teeth I needed on the gear. To help others, you simply take the square root of the tire pressure, multiply 1/2 the diamerphrence, then divide by 7. That number, when inverted, gives you the reason that I just Googled it!:thumbsdown:

Picked up the remaining stainless trim to finish out the roof rails and glass installation, along with a pair of Koni Shock decals. Oh... and a new driver's side door regulator since I'm not happy with the smoothness of the original. The headliner goes in tomorrow! :cool2: Some detail items are the "Remove the Tie Down Brackets " decal behind the license plate and the "Battery O.K." Decal. I try and have the line worker's mindset in place when doing details like this along with inspection marks. Instead of being neat, think about their job: Mark it, put it on.... move along! Nobody aligned corners, made paint blops perfectly round, etc. So in other words...I don't try and work to hard at being sloppy. Sort of just do it.... it'll look more authentic in my book.

Also had these center cap spacers made. A friend of mine runs a CNC shop and we banged these out from scrap aluminum. McQueen's original wheels were 15x6. Mine are 15x7 and as such, the offset is about 1/2" different. Looking at Hero Car pics, you can see how far that center cap sticks out. I want that look and this should do it. Overkill? Ha! When have I done anything underkill?!? Is that even a word?:dunno: More tomorrow when I mount them up! :3gears:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

Headliner installation.... always fun. Throw in an overhead console and it's doubley fun! But its in. The center cap spacers worked great and put them right where I wanted them to by inside the wheel! :laugh:

Doors are all together, so what's left? Glad you asked:

1. Fuel sending unit
2. 8-Track radio and door speakers
3. Glass

That's it! And that'll wrap it up for this week. Tune in next week for "Where's my damn sending unit?!" And "Who knew a windshield could break so easily!?":hmmm:

Cheers
Dave

So, Dave in referance to that last photo of your quarter panel.....if you are just showing off your painting and polishing expertise ......it's working.....:drool:
Mike :beers:.

Beautiful job on the headliner. I have done a few myself and they took 8 hours. Looks like yours took you an hour!