General Information
Year
1977
Make
Ford
Model
LTD II Wagon
Color
Red
Packages
None-base model wagon
History
Long Story Warning:
Originally bought in Jacksonville IL, it was only driven for about 15 years, in '87 it only had a little over 15,000 miles, and then it was stored in a garage until I bought it last year, it had 17,339 miles on, but hadn't been started in years. I spent nearly a month getting it running, redoing the brakes, then while driving for the first time (at night, still using the 1992 plates) blowing mouse nest out of the exhaust (lots of spark, and flames). I am also still dealing with the little bastards, as they made a home in the car after nearly 20 years.
The gas tank on these wagons are not reproduced, so I had to have it restored, I am not looking forward to the day it starts leaking again. In December I had a new exhaust put on, I had the shop replicate the factory exhaust, but instead of the 2 1/8'' tubing its now 2 1/2'' and a single flowmaster 40 series. I also put a edelbrock perfomer 400 4bbl intake & a street demon 625cfm on that 351M around Christmas :). Scoot forward a few months, in April the throttle got stuck, aaaaand after a few attempts to unstick it , I was able shut it down. It probably spun every bit of 6K. I thought it fried the rings, no power, backfiring, rough idle and I could turn it over by hand easily. So I take the engine out, and after taking it out I discover a pushrod chilln' in the lifter valley, but I am glad I continued disassembly, the bearings were beginning to go, the main bearings #3, 4, & 5 and corresponding connecting bearings were showing serious copper. So at this point I had two options, rebuild/modify the 351M or 429/460 swap. I chose to redo the original engine, so the numbers still match and I can mess with people :). I got my hands on a 400 crank (getting hard to find), and .040 over TMyer hypereutectic flat tops, Edelbrock 2172 cam, Crowers camsaver lifters and a Howards Cams Double Roller Billet Steel Timing Set, then took everything to Wilkersons engine shop in Springfield IL. Even during race season, they got my engine together quickly, they reused the original rods, but balanced everything, new valves, and valve guides. The block was a twizzler, the drivers deck was 7 thousandths higher in the back than the front, passenger side was perfect, but both sides were evened, heads were milled 10 thousandths, plus all of the bottom end is ARP'd. Late August and I have the engine back, assembled, and in the car running. Late October I had to replace the third member as the spider gears blew up.
Originally bought in Jacksonville IL, it was only driven for about 15 years, in '87 it only had a little over 15,000 miles, and then it was stored in a garage until I bought it last year, it had 17,339 miles on, but hadn't been started in years. I spent nearly a month getting it running, redoing the brakes, then while driving for the first time (at night, still using the 1992 plates) blowing mouse nest out of the exhaust (lots of spark, and flames). I am also still dealing with the little bastards, as they made a home in the car after nearly 20 years.
The gas tank on these wagons are not reproduced, so I had to have it restored, I am not looking forward to the day it starts leaking again. In December I had a new exhaust put on, I had the shop replicate the factory exhaust, but instead of the 2 1/8'' tubing its now 2 1/2'' and a single flowmaster 40 series. I also put a edelbrock perfomer 400 4bbl intake & a street demon 625cfm on that 351M around Christmas :). Scoot forward a few months, in April the throttle got stuck, aaaaand after a few attempts to unstick it , I was able shut it down. It probably spun every bit of 6K. I thought it fried the rings, no power, backfiring, rough idle and I could turn it over by hand easily. So I take the engine out, and after taking it out I discover a pushrod chilln' in the lifter valley, but I am glad I continued disassembly, the bearings were beginning to go, the main bearings #3, 4, & 5 and corresponding connecting bearings were showing serious copper. So at this point I had two options, rebuild/modify the 351M or 429/460 swap. I chose to redo the original engine, so the numbers still match and I can mess with people :). I got my hands on a 400 crank (getting hard to find), and .040 over TMyer hypereutectic flat tops, Edelbrock 2172 cam, Crowers camsaver lifters and a Howards Cams Double Roller Billet Steel Timing Set, then took everything to Wilkersons engine shop in Springfield IL. Even during race season, they got my engine together quickly, they reused the original rods, but balanced everything, new valves, and valve guides. The block was a twizzler, the drivers deck was 7 thousandths higher in the back than the front, passenger side was perfect, but both sides were evened, heads were milled 10 thousandths, plus all of the bottom end is ARP'd. Late August and I have the engine back, assembled, and in the car running. Late October I had to replace the third member as the spider gears blew up.
1977 Ford LTD II Wagon (Red)
Modifications
Drivetrain
410 Stroker topped with 625cfm Street Demon, factory duraspark II ignition, MSD plug wires, Autolite Racing AR25 spark plugs.
Should be pushing 400hp and 500ft lbs, and 9:5:1-9:8:1 compression
All going through the factory FMX
(Seems to be doing fine so far)
Should be pushing 400hp and 500ft lbs, and 9:5:1-9:8:1 compression
All going through the factory FMX
(Seems to be doing fine so far)
Interior
All original, the 70s fake leather as usual is in perfect condition, the mice have left the interior alone as far as I can tell, minus the occasional smell or chewed acorn shell on the floor
Exterior
None, but I do have plans
Audio
AM radio that only picks up 2 oldies stations between 7am-6pm.
1430 out of St.Louis
1290 out of Peoria
1430 out of St.Louis
1290 out of Peoria
Suspension
Factory with spring assist shocks up front and factory shocks in the back, which I think are just about gone.
Wheel and Tire
Factory wheel covers with white walls. I plan on putting on cragers, but in a drag setup with skinnies on the front and fats on the back.
