Number 5 is alive

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Damaged manifold stripped off, gasket surfaces cleaned, ready for assembly

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2 hours later, all re-assembled

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After 6 years, FINALLY, back where it belongs

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Not since 005's conception and assembly by Pro-Drive, and MGR's subsequent disassembly for training, has there been a gearstick in the old girl. Perhaps her life has changed for the better
Notice the blue top plate? there was just a gaping hole in the transmission tunnel where the shifter normally mounts, out with my trusty grinder, attack the remnants of the 577 tunnel and hey presto! one top plate yielded.

[trikey]

Well done posting the pics John, nice to see 577 is still helping out V8's

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Originally Posted by trikey

Well done posting the pics John, nice to see 577 is still helping out V8's

Thanks Andy, and I'm sure it will still continue to do so

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Many, many thanks to Chris (CB750CHRIS) for popping round and running a T4 session on 005. I now have a full set of matched ECU's and a re-programmed airbag module. If you all remember, I installed the wiring harness from 577 which was a tourer and did not have rear belt pre-tensioners, I installed the rear cables for these in the loom and fitted a set.
Also 577's SRS ecu had crash damage stored and was basically useless, so I fitted a s/h unit. I also installed roof curtain airbags but the new ecu was not set up for these. I knew that a T4 session would be on the cards one day so I wasn't really bothered. All done now, airbag light goes off, at last!!!!!
Now over to the latest entertaining job. I installed the starter motor in the engine when I built the stuff up assembly, fitted this extremely heavy & large lump into the engine bay, simples. Everything was fine until I went to connect the steering column to the rack, wont fit, there's a starter motor in the way Mustang engine, Mustang gearbox =Mustang starter motor Wrong !! Special starter only made for the 260, not available without a remortgage. Put out a few feelers over on the Two-Sixties and on ebay trying to locate a s/h unit. nothing.
Okay, as is the normal case with this car, adapt and overcome
The starter is basically a standard Mustang unit, BUT, MGR had a new nosecone specially cast to move the solenoid from mounting holes 2&3 to 1&2. I will sort this, out with my Dremel (much smaller grinder than the one used on 577) and remove the solenoid mounting from the nosecone, cut a new groove for the pinion fork lever, send the bits to our local Tig Welding chap and ask him nicely to glue it back together. Done, just have to put it back together now, easy. Wrong!! the body of the starter won't fit in in the new position because the slot for the pinion fork lever in the body doesn't line up, so I elongated that, then it still wouldn't go together because the tie rods that hold the whole thing together are also in the wrong place. Out with the drill and make new holes in the rear cover, it all fits now !! bolted back together and tested, working perfectly, refitted back in engine and steering now connected also
Engine now cranks on key!
The day looms ever closer

[sworks]

I absolutely love your determination with this. I remember seeing this when it was a training rig in the pyramid at Studley castle for product launch training

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The nosecone showing the solenoid mounting pedestal removed with a Dremel
Notice the original slot for the pinion (drive cog) fork lever that had to be duplicated further round the nosecone. I had to make a plate to blank this one off because the aluminium casting there was too thin to weld up, the heat would have destroyed the nosecone.

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The nosecone showing the solenoid moved to mounting hole positions 1&2 (solenoid facing up when starter installed instead of sideways, fouling steering column)