1969 GT500 - Concours level knowledge needed please - detailing engine bay.

[acmemopars@gmail.com]

I'm starting the process of detailing the engine bay of my survivor 69 GT500.
I see tons of issues that need cleaning / tidying up, and hose fasteners/clamps that need replaced, etc.. but I would like to post several photos of my engine bay and solicit feedback as to what others see.

I'm interested in all feedback such improvement suggestions, correctness or incorrectness of parts, positive or negative comments, etc...

Background info: 
This is a drag pack car.
The engine in the cradle is a 427 s.o. (1968), purchased over the counter at Gotham Ford in 69.
--> Original engine was raced and damaged. The correct #'s matching 428 scj block is on my shop table and needs a sleeve. 
Bottom edge of cylinder wall is damaged but easily repairable.
The heads, carb, dist, exhaust manifolds are from the original 428.
The early 427 edelbrock intake is obviously not original and was installed as a performance upgrade, but the single 4bbl 427 intake allows for the original fresh air breather to be used with a good seal.

My objective is to remove the individual components, hoses, brackets, alternator, distributor, coil, etc.. and clean them up and reinstall.

--> I need to increase the 1/2" carb spacer to a larger 1" spacer to reduce the heat transfer even more.

Oh.... And as you can see, I removed the hood hinge springs and am using a temporary prop rod to keep my hood straight.

Thanks for any/all feedback.

Mike

[acmemopars@gmail.com]

Photos

[acmemopars@gmail.com]

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[acmemopars@gmail.com]

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[acmemopars@gmail.com]

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[acmemopars@gmail.com]

Last photo

[Coralsnake]

We should probably clarify some terms

Concours restorations are not for survivors

Concours restoration is the process or art of finely detailing the car to factory specifications  and make it historically correct. Presumably for national show competition , but not always

In order to accomplish that you can not just clean up a few parts.

Once the engine has been changed to a different displacement there is no opportunity for concours

[J_Speegle]

Before you start have you identified your end goal and evaluated the process, issues and viability for such a plan.

Since your now focusing on the engine compartment how does this plan fit the condition and look of the rest of the car?

All things IMHO to consider before taking the leap.  Good luck with your choices we are here to help in ways that we can

[acmemopars@gmail.com]

We should probably clarify some terms

Concours restorations are not for survivors

Concours restoration is the process or art of finely detailing the car to factory specifications  and make it historically correct. Presumably for national show competition , but not always

In order to accomplish that you can not just clean up a few parts.

Once the engine has been changed to a different displacement there is no opportunity for concours

Thank You both very much for the reply.
This thread probably needs to be moved to the 1969 GT350/GT500 board.

My objective is to keep most aspects of this car as unchanged and original as possible, only cleaning, repainting and reinstalling what is necessary to keep it as mechanically sound as possible.  Driving a true survivor may be great for shows, but it is not that much fun in the Texas summer at highway speeds when everything is coming apart and needing replacement.

My # matching 428 SCJ block and internal rotating assembly will remain on my bench until I get it in a machine shop for a full rebuild.  I will keep this 427 beast in my car until I start the full rotisserie restoration which will not happen until next year sometime.
I'm finishing up the last month of a rotisserie Resto on my 69.5 Superbee 440+6 and this Shelby drives and looks too good to disassemble right now.

The goal is to replace all of the ugly, visually obvious, incorrect things under the hood such as the rusted hose clamps, ugly wiring, clean up the alternator and PS pump, brackets, etc... replace the 1/2" carb spacer with a 1" spacer for better heat dissipation, etc...

I prefer to not use any aftermarket replacement parts, keeping everything original, just remove the surface rust and oil grime and put back on.

My white interior is also original and I just bought new seat foam and will reuse the center section of the seat covers and have the side bolsters replaced as close as possible.

I was just hoping that, since most of my experience is with Mopars, some Shelby experts out there could lead me in the right direction under the hood with a few suggestions as to what they see may already be wrong and need correcting.

Thanks again,

[J_Speegle]

............... what they see may already be wrong and need correcting.

Just as a note. Not everyone would describe your finished product as a "matching" numbers engine since it will lack the VIN as stamped originally at Dearborn

Just a very small start from just the first picture since. Going through all the pictures will take a fair amount of time for someone

From pic #1  As a reminder for me and all that read this GT500 is described as being completed Feb 5, 1969

- Wrong auto transmission dipstick

- Carb may or not be incorrect one (check the numbers and dates) but has an electric choke

- Someone has added a manual choke. Unless the car was a 70 it would have had an automatic (not electric) choke assy

- Carb missing the ID tag

- Carb attaching nuts do not look all the same not all correct because of that

- Hard and soft tubes disconnected (source tubes likely missing off or broken off the exhaust manifold)

- Finish on vacuum balance tub incorrect. If your not going to be repainting anything to keep with your goal you may need to find an original with remaining engine color. Same issue you will be facing on many parts of the engine compartment

- Hose from that to the PCV has the wrong clamp which by now will have damaged the original hose. These are most often painted engine color also

- Just the over all condition and lack of original paint on much of the vacuum/balance system to the PCV and detailing. Believe this is covered in threads on this site with unrestored picture examples

- Has the car been painted? or touched up? The wiper ground and mounting bolts appear to have body color on them but the angle and shot of each is not great in the picture

- Firewall has been repainted or more likely rattle canned black over the original finishes. No contrast between the sealer and firewall as well as other attaching parts.

- Engine ground and attaching screw painted. Would have been attached to the engine and not attached when the firewall was painted or sealed

- Looks like the throttle cable has been replaced at some point

- You have already mentioned the intake manifold

- Coil not mounted in original location

- Engine (aluminum) ID tag missing

- PB hose and clamps incorrect

- Finishes of the PB and master cylinder assembly. Discussed in a number of threads on this site.

- Missing rubber/plastic plug for the center of the cowl

- Shocks have been mentioned and covered in another thread as not originals

- Looks like the shock tower supports may have been rattle canned black also over cracking or lifting paint

That's it for this pass and for now

[Coralsnake]

Heres some information that be useful

https://anghelrestorations.com/mustang-factoids/

[acmemopars@gmail.com]

.......Just as a note. Not everyone would describe your finished product as a "matching" numbers engine since it will lack the VIN as stamped originally at Dearborn

Thank You for the detailed list, that's what I was looking for.
Regarding the engine; are you saying that even if I pull this replacement 427 out and have my VIN matching 428 scj block sleeved and rebuilt, it will not be considered # match ?

I appreciate the detail in your list. 
Thanks Again,

[acmemopars@gmail.com]

Heres some information that be useful

https://anghelrestorations.com/mustang-factoids/

Excellent reference, Thank you.

[J_Speegle]

Thank You for the detailed list, that's what I was looking for.
Regarding the engine; are you saying that even if I pull this replacement 427 out and have my VIN matching 428 scj block sleeved and rebuilt, it will not be considered # match ?

Sorry I didn't understand that you had the original block still. There are allot of different definitions as to what makes "matching numbers"