Our Smeding 427 Windsor has been sitting in the corner of the Mustang & Fords shop as we gathered all of the ancillary items to properly dress the engine, mate it to the Tremec transmission, and drop the whole enchilada into our FFR Roadster. Thankfully that time has finally come. With our Roadster project finally becoming a "roller" two months ago and our fuel system in place last month, it was our desire to hear all 427 cubes bark an exhaust note from the Roadster's sidepipes before the end of the month.
We've come a long way since February 2006. From a bare frame on jackstands to a rolling chassis with a full drivetrain that starts and runs, we've been busy over the many weekends we've spent in the garage. If it wasn't for a driveshaft and some brake lines, the Roadster could actually move under its own power and stop, too. But we'll get there soon enough. There's still a lot of wiring to figure out, then install the body for fitment of exterior items, and send everything off for bodywork and paint. Our deadline is coming up fast, but we're doing our best to keep it.
Send us an e-mail (modified.mustangs@sorc.com) or letter letting us know what you think of the project so far.
Our Smeding Performance 427...
Our Smeding Performance 427 Windsor arrived safely via truck freight to our Florida office. We assembled and detailed the drivetrain in the tech shop and then hauled the completed work home for installation into the Roadster's frame.
As soon as the engine was...
As soon as the engine was freed from its shipping crate, the rear of the block was prepped before heading to the engine stand. The first thing we grabbed out of the new-parts pile from Dallas Mustang was a 5.0 replacement roller pilot bearing (PN 9827; $14.95). Carefully seat the bearing with a socket or bearing installer.
Since we're using a crate...
Since we're using a crate engine and had nothing in the form of a drivetrain to start with, we needed a new block plate to properly locate the starter assembly. Dallas Mustang stocks this direct-replacement late-model Mustang unit (PN 61584; $49.99). After a splash of paint, we slid it over the block dowels.
Depending upon your engine...
Depending upon your engine stand design, you may or may not be able to mount your flywheel at this time. Our Powerbuilt engine stand had a deep enough offset to allow us to do so. We're using a Centerforce billet-steel flywheel (PN 700221, $259.95), which has a 28-ounce balance with a 1011/42-inch late-model-clutch bolt pattern. The Powerbuilt flywheel holder is a great tool to keep the flywheel in place while tightening the mounting bolts. We used ARP fasteners from Dallas Mustang Parts (PN 9370; $9.99).
The all-new timing covers...
The all-new timing covers that Smeding uses on its engines allows the use of a mechanical fuel pump. Since we're running Mass-Flo EFI, we blocked off the timing cover with this simple block-off plate we had in our spare-parts pile. Note also the Auto Meter oil-pressure sending unit is installed here as well.
Even though our 427 is based...
Even though our 427 is based off a small-block, underhood we perpetuate the look of a 427-powered Cobra roadster using real FE valve covers. We found out about these way-cool valve cover adapters made by Rupert Hartmann on the ffcobra.com forum. Rupert's adapters are available for $135, and you can contact him at (856) 829-4007 or via e-mail at superhart@aol.com. Here we've removed the crate engine's valve covers and installed the small-block gaskets provided in the adapter kit.