And Now it Starts

HR5058 · Dec 25, 2025

Watching also. Good luck and hope you feel better soon!

Coyote Jack · Jan 22, 2026

Sorry for the big gap in posts. I was sick for a few weeks and it has taken a while to catch up with life. It seems like I have to plow the driveway every other day as well. I finally got out to the garage again today. I now have the block pretty well stripped. Just have to get 3 more MDS plugs out and the block heater and the block can go off to be cooked, cleaned and have new cam bearings installed. There were no real surprises with the block, it appears to be in very good shape and should only need a good paint job and a quick hone. I did have to use an easy out to get 2 of the cross bolts for the mains out. They had rusted to an almost round head. So a new set of bolts is in my future. The first couple of photos are of the front of the block and one of a typical cylinder. The rest of the photos are of some of the parts I have started to gather. Headers, Oil pan, Con Rods and Crankshaft. the rods and crank are from a low mileage hellcat and are in like new condition. So it looks like the stroker is a thing of the past, it was to hard to pass up the deals I got on these parts. Saved a pant load with these parts. The crank is already pinned for the blower setup. The block will be off to a shop as soon as I find one that can do it soon.

Jack

Coyote Jack · Jan 23, 2026

I now have all of the MDS solenoids out. What a PITA those things are. Now to find a shop that can clean this block up in a timely manner.

Jack

CFD244 · Jan 24, 2026

Good to see you moving forward Jack. :thumbsup:

Coyote Jack · Tuesday at 5:36 PM

I took the block to a local engine building business. I had never heard of them before but they do all the work on the airplane engines around here so they probably do decent work. I am getting them to clean the block, install the cam bearings, deck the block and hone the cylinders. Prices didn't seem to bad either. The owner knows my car by site and has a older Mustang of his own that I have seen.

Jack

Coyote Jack · Saturday at 3:07 PM

I got out to the garage again today. After cleaning up the garage I got to cleaning one of the heads. I decided to try the dirtiest one first. It seemed to clean up fairly good and I don't see any issues with it. I still have to remove the broken exhaust bolts, lap the valves and install the new springs. Then one final cleanup and it should be good to go. Here are some photos of the head I haven't touched and the one I worked on today.

Jack