Well, I am dyin' here and I have to vent. I know my fellow mustang buddies are the only ones who will understand!


I was all set to put the motor back into my 70 428 SCJ today, and I got right to the part where we were about to drop it in - but we needed to install the clutch first....

So I go to bolt the clutch plate onto the flywheel and I notice that the back of the crank looks kinda empty....like it's missing something....like the pilot bearing,,,,,,,like the pilot bearing that I don't have,,,,on a Saturday,,,, at 6 o'clock,,,,,,,when every auto parts store that knows what a pilot bearing is - is closed,,,,,aaarrruuugghhh!!!!! :bang:

So I call a Kragen Auto Parts out of desperation and I get this kid who needs me to explain to him that a 428 SCJ is a V8 engine

So I do the only thing I can. Pack up, call it a day, and try and find a pilot bearing for a 428 SCJ tomorrow,,,on a Sunday,,,,where every auto parts store that knows what a pilot bearing, or a 428 motor is for that matter, is - is closed. sigh: Maybe I will just give up and watch NASCAR tomorrow?

Sorry for the rant guys, but i know you have all been there and would understand.

I feel better now.

 

One of these days I'm gonna open an all-nite, for-real, parts store!!! Maybe I can find someone to help me franchise it on here!!!!LOL!!!

 

Hey - what's a pilot bearing?

 

Oh man, I feel your pain!

I'll give you one word that'll fully explain where I'm coming from: wiring.

 

When I was growing up in south suburbs of Chicago I had a 1970 AAR Cuda and we would go to a place called midnight auto parts (our name for them, not sure what they were really called) It was always packed until they closed after midnight.

 

Do they really think that people work on there cars before 5? There not drunk enough yet!

 

Well, one thing i'll make sure when i drop my 351W in my Mach1, that i have that annoying pilot bearing with me...Thanks for all the trouble you've been through!!!!

 

Well small world, cause I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and I know exactly what auto parts store you are talking about!

 

Ah, my mistake. It is a piolt bushing, not bearing.

...and a pilot bushing goes in the back of the crankshaft. The input shaft from the four speed trans slides into a hole in the middle of the bushing. It helps stabalise the input shaft. If you leave the bushing out, the trans will vibrate and eventually damage the input shaft. So it cost 12 bucks and you gotta have one.

Fortunetly for me, Discount Auto Parts here in Huntington Beach was open on Sunday and they actually know about cars. They ordered one (from whom on a Sunday I have no idea) and had it to me by 11am! :w00t:

The motor was in the car by 3pm!

Now, about those headers..........