New Coffee Table

[sqlbullet]

I picked up an engine stand on public surplus for $37 yesterday.  It came with a Ford 260 attached to it.  The engine is non-running.  It lacked oil pan, pump, dizzy, intake manifold, timing chain/sprocket.

Family night last night was tearing it the rest of they way down.  The block is going to become the base for a coffee table in my office.  I was planning on keeping the pistons in it and having the assembly able to rotate, but it was missing one piston and rod.  Best laid plans.  Oh well, just a small set-back.  Don't suppose anyone here as a few 260 pistons sitting around with rods on them.....

In any event, it was a fun evening teaching the kids about engines.  Best part was since it was trashed to begin with I could give them all a go at the cam-shaft, at putting bearings on the mains, etc.  Fun evening.

[tommac919]

engine rebuild is another lost art.... 

I still refuse to let a 20yr pimple face kid getting $12/hr work on my 10k motorcycle !
And, my last truck was 13yrs old before I just got a new one and it never saw the dealer since new.

[sqlbullet]

I even change my own oil rather than let the "professionals" do it.  Good way to spend time with my kids and teach them about cars, saves me money, and I never have to wonder if they put the plug back in cross threaded, or forgot it, or didn't get the filter tight.

It really saved me money when I had an Excursion with the 6.0 Powerstroke.  That beast took 15 quarts of oil.

My kids are all sold on Ford Bronco's as their first car, and my oldest daughter now has a '93 with a 5.8 Windsor.  This engine [the 260] is a good place for her to learn the basics of a rebuild before her car needs one.  Next step is to track down a donor 5.8 block with a 93 casting number and build it up.  Then we can just swap down the line as other kids get bronco's with tired engines.

[The_Shadow]

Here here, I do my own maintenance on my vehicles for the most part...The front wheel bearings on the GMC 2500HD 4X4 was a bear with bolts torqued at 221 ft lbs...bought new torque wrench to handle the specs.
I hurt for several days after that adventure...getting too old for that stuff!

Torque Specs:
Axle Nut - 177 lb.ft
Spindle Bolts-133 lb.ft
Main Caliper Bolts-221 lb.ft

[buckeyeborn]

SC I have a 72 351 Cleveland with 4V heads in a Ranchero
In California but but that is another story

[dakota1911]

Sounds like it will be a great coffee table.  Yeah I do most the routine maintenance on my cars and things like brake pads/drums, water pumps, etc.  I have taken them in when an air conditioning compressor goes.  I just don't have the tools, gauges, etc. to work on that.

[Hairtrigger]

I have seen pics and think it is a cool idea for the man cave.
I have an early Hemi I toyed with the idea but too darn heavy to get into the cave