At the sign of the cat...'69 Mercury Cougar convertible restomod

Nice!  Not mine but similar for sure.  

Less time than I thought I might have this holiday season as activities were prevalent and again parents were hospital bound for 5 days.  
Today I finally got around to starting the safety wire application on the valve cover breather baffle plates.  

The original fasteners were thread cutting screws   I replaced them with stainless steel SHCS pre-drilled for safety wire from McMaster-Carr.  I had the wire and tools on hand already.

Hope all is well with the parents, and the car content can resume at full pace!

Thank you I hope so too.  Post ER doctor visits for the next few weeks then house bound oldsters for winter.   

Full pace is kind of a stilted walk right now but I did get back out today for a bit.  I finished up the safety wire for the valve cover breather baffle plates a little while back.  Most of the cuts on my fingers have healed.  
Today I drug out the Real Gaskets reinforced silicone valve cover gaskets and plopped on the valve covers.  I bought these a few years ago when I was struggling with valve cover gasket oil leaks.  Once I knew this engine was the future heart of the car, I elected to shelf them for this engine and just regularly check/torque the existing valve cover fasteners.  
 

May get a few little things addressed today.  I got the beef stew in the crockpot earlier today and I'm taking dinner to my parents tonight.  

Not dead yet!  Sorry I introduced my younger son to Monty Python and the Holy Grail this week and we're tossing about quotes around here now.

I just took delivery of two more 17x9.5" TARE Superlite wheels for future front locations.  The maker is out of business but I found a brand new pair and snatched them up.  Front end mods will be required to mount them.  
 

I also picked up a Ford OEM 4 bbl cast iron intake manifold locally.  I had it sandblasted and then painted it black as I disnt want anything to come off of it and drop in to the engines.   I intend to R&R the engine and trans with a lift plate on the carb pad but was concerned about damaging the newly coated aluminum intake.  This intake is a beast!   Amazingly heavy.   Temporary structural use only.  
 

wawazat said:

...

 

Temporary structural use only.  

Whew 😥 !

I was concerned & confused about your purchase of that lump.

Thanks for clarifying.

I am clear that the aluminum intake will handle the combined weight of the engine and trans but it still sticks in the back of my mind just how much that combo weighs.  So I understand it will work and I just don't believe myself! 
 

Oh and the concern about damaging it is real!

In reply to wawazat :

Wise decision. All it would take  to damage the aluminum one is one loose nut on the lift plate, or a burr on the plate.

In reply to TurnerX19 :

Thanks Bill!  No need to damage a beautifully finished manifold in my mind.  

None more black.

Ooooh really excited to see this coming together sir.  Have to pop by and check it out when I'm up in Detroit in the next weeks.

Sounds good Dave.  It's been too long!

Detroit Region SCCA held a 2025 Autocross discussion event at the Roush Museum today.  It's a great collection of vintage vehicles, NASCAR vehicles, IMSA Trans-Am cars, Mustangs of all vintages, and a nice collection of Ford GT's plus a cool collection of engines.  I grabbed some pics.

Race cars

I'm guessing that if you're Jack Roush and you want a new Ford GT, your application letter is something along the lines of "Hi Bill.  Jack Roush here.  I want a new GT, bitches!  You know where I work!"

Ford gt is the ultimate supercar to me. If i ever get stupid money that would be the first thing i buy

Wow that month flew by 

Yesterday I pulled the Cougar out and did a pre-run of the upcoming Distinguished Gentleman's Ride-a fund raiser for mens mental health and prostrate cancer support organizations.  Top down and mid-50's on a grey day.

It's been a rough couple of weeks due to family health issues culminating in the loss of my Mom last Thursday.  Dad's memory decline is on full display as well so my sister and I have been working to keep things moving.  It's been challenging but the drive helped my let things go for a bit yesterday at least for a little while.    

dang man, that's rough. you know where to find me.

Distinguished Gentleman's Ride: we care about your big head and your little head!

In reply to wawazat :

Losing a parent is always hard. 

Dad will have been gone for a year at the end of May... it still doesn't feel real. 

My phone is always on if you need to talk; two zero eight nine six nine zero nine zero zero.

Sending Love and Prayers from Idaho...