The Banana Rebuild, More pics.....

I'm gonna take a guess at the super secret engine combo, and it's gonna be somewhere between a Briggs and a Pro Mod deal. I wish my body work was that far along.

I wish you were closer, I'd help ya get it done... After doing this, and my son's truck, it's starting to feel like I'm doing it for a living again... Too bad you don't get paid to work on your own stuff... I'd probably have a few more engine parts stacked in the garage. Oh well, it'll get done, when it gets done. And not before. That's fer sure and fer certain.

Got "ALL" of the fixin' done on the Banana. Yesterday, I replaced the front cross brace that supports the top front of the box. The factory piece was all cracked from the vibration, and also from vibration, some of the filler I had on top of the bed sides was cracked. So I repaired that in conjunction with replacing the cross piece. You can also see in the center, where I installed an upright support to take care of the vibration issue. I can literally stand on this piece without issue. Now if things go the right direction, I'll have it in paint in the next week or 2... I hope... I think when it's done, it'll look awesome...

Doug you staying with the yellow

Yeah Jim. It's still gonna be yellow, I'm just adding a couple of things. Besides the stuff I fixed.

cool i like yellow on old trucks the 1st time I paint my 69 f100 I thought hard on the yellow but couldn't find the shade I wanted so got mad and painted blue now the blue has grown on me on it.

I really like this yellow. It's a 2003 Mustang Cobra color. That with the other things I'm puttin' on it, it's gonna look nice... I'll post some pics when it's done.

looking good ..... but she is gonna need more the a briggs

bruno wrote: she is gonna need more the a briggs

Well sir, the Briggs is just to help get it started...

Well, we're finally off to the paint tomorrow... Here's a few pics of what I did this past week...
Changed the color on the frame rails to Ford Blue, while leaving all of the cage tubing black. Front to back...


Also painted the firewall, and complete underbelly Ford Blue...



Got the front clip mounted and ready to go. New fenders & hood, with scoop bonded on and not bolted like last time. And new cowl, with the wiper holes filled and smoothed over...


New hood in place... I put tape under the dzus' to protect the primer until I get it to the booth tomorrow...


Also did the inner panels in Ford Blue... It should compliment the yellow, and the other stuff I'm doing to it tomorrow...


All loaded up and ready to go... I'll post up pics next week after I get it all reassembled again... Then it can sit and collect dust until the engine is done...

Lookin good Doug !!

Can't wait to see it finished.

WOW!! I forgot just how "Yellow" that paint really was... Got it painted/cleared last night, color-sanded today and laid the graphics out today. Gonna shoot it again this evening. I'll post up pics of the finished product Tuesday when I go back up to get it...

Looks great Doug.
I'll be in Spokane on Labour Day weekend for the International Mustang Meet, would be great if you dcould make it.

Well, The Banana is 99% finished. Went up and un-masked it today, and will pick it up and bring it home tomorrow. Now all I need is an engine/trans...

This thing turned out WWWAAAAY better than last time around. Tell me what you see different.

Ranch71460 wrote:Looks great Doug.
I'll be in Spokane on Labour Day weekend for the International Mustang Meet, would be great if you dcould make it.

I won't be makin' that one Ken. That's the same weekend as the big Gambler Race I'm puttin' on here. I hope you have fun though...

Great job on the ghost flames Doug.

Thanks Ken. The flames turned out exactly now I wanted. The only way to see them is when the sun hits the truck just right. The ones on the doors are just as impressive.




I sure got alot of compliments over the last few days since bringing it home from the paint booth...

Nice Doug!

Thanks David. I sure wish I was gettin' paid for the work I put into the 'ol Banana. I'd probably have made enough money to get the new mill finished up. What's cool is, the guy that let me use his paint booth offered me a job working at his shop because of the work I did to the Banana. I'm trying now to figure how to get my wife some more help. If so, I may just take him up on his offer.

How's yours coming along? I did see that your engine is headed for the dyno. Can't wait to see yours all finished.

well, it's been a long winter, and pretty miserable spring. But, after a few happenings both here, and in life in general, I ended up having to sell my A-headed 598 combo to a friend of Frank Merkl's, and now I'm at the point where I can put together at least something to try and get the Banana back to the track. Here is what's been going on:

After lots of consideration, I decided to put the Banana on another diet. Starting with the 52# hood that was on it with the big 26# Pro Stock style scoop. In exchange the more "Traditional Ford" look, and inevitably dropping over 30# off the nose of my hotrod.







Then I mocked up my new combo. Pretty much how you see it. It's a stock stroke, D0VE headed deal. I also set the engine back 3" and down 3" more. It looks like a small block in there now.




Then, after several pm's with a few on here, I decided to go this route with my combo...
I bought this intake from stanggt on here, and it "was" powder coated black. I got it all stripped off and left it au-natural. I decided to clearcoat it to help it remain clean.



After alot of thought, I have just too much stuff going on in the garage with the body work and such, so I moved my build into my gun room, in the house... I was really quite surprised, as the wife took it very well... HHMMMM!!



Hopefully in the next week or so, I'll have the shortblock done, then I can get started on the heads... I'll post up more pics as I progress.

Go get em Doug! Don't let them big boys talk crap about a "little motor" It's not how big it is, its how well it puts it to the ground that counts!

Thanks Karl. I ain't worried about some of the bigger combos out there. Here's a prime example of big vs. small. The guy in the Camaro is the secretary on the board of my drag racing assn. here. I'm not 100%, but I heard he's running a 709" "BBC" with 3 guns on it. Though he only used 2 here. I don't know if Glidden is still running his 400" SBF or not,but I "heard" he still was. The 1st time I saw this, I laughed til I cried.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsNNN2A0QmA

Very nice!! guns and engines in one room?? I like it!!

Great progress Doug. Gonna be a head scratcher matching up the paint again though I think.

It won't be too bad Ken. I still have about 1-1/2 qts. of the same yellow that we originally painted it with... Should be a piece-o-cake...