Power Steering, Master Cylinder, Parking Brake, and More

I've decided to tackle a few new projects with the Mustang.  

The Raybestos master cylinder (# MC36440) I purchased many years ago has leaked at the lid since it was installed.  I've tried several adjustments to the retaining bar and the lid itself with no success.  The leak causes brake fluid to drip onto the firewall, steering column, and Z bar resulting in wrinkled or missing paint.  I'll be cleaning up this mess and installing a Wilwood master cylinder (260-14157).  The Wilwood is made to fit my model Mustang, has the same 15/16" bore, is lighter, and has a lid which firmly attaches.  Unfortunately, it will require replacing some of the brake lines to the proportioning valve to install.

I've long wanted to install power steering on the Mustang but have just waited due to the cost.  To properly clean up everything, I need to remove most of the steering column.  I decided I'd go ahead and install a Borgeson 999020 power steering system.  This will add some time to the job but there is no better time to do it than now.  I'm hopeful that it works well with the Classic Auto Air system and my exhaust.  

The Borgeson system does not work well with the factory Z-bar so I ordered a replacement from OpenTracker.  This reinforced model has a different curvature to clear the Borgeson unit.  The kit comes with Heim join rods and all new parts.  The full kit is shown to the left with the items I removed today on the right.  So far, I know the dust boot no longer fits the small diameter of the clutch peddle shaft and I expect I'll need to dent the exhaust some to clear this larger z-bar.  However, it looks built extremely solid.

So far, I've removed the master cylinder, steering column, and z-bar setup.  The original steering box will need to come out next.  Afterwards, I'll need to do some clean up, sanding, and painting of the firewall before new items can be installed.  

This project really started with plans just to fix the parking brake lever but it seems to have expanded quickly.  

Searching for the Current Paint Color

 After receiving an incredible quote to paint the Mustang, I've begun to consider different options.  One of those is to try determine the current paint color again as it might allow for additional possibilities.

I visited a local paint shop last week with a piece cut from the original front valence.  I used a section that was protected by the front license plate.  The shop indicated they had the machine to scan the color to identify it but that they preferred to first look through PPG color books to find a match.  I left the panel and commented that I was told the paint was an early 1990's GM color.  

I received a call yesterday indicating they had identified the color as PPG 5357 which has the name Intense Blue Pearl which was used from 1998 to 2003 by Chrysler.  He went on to state the OEM color code was B3 but with some research is seems that PB3 is Intense Blue Pearl so perhaps I misheard or the guy misspoke.  He then gave me the following pricing for 8 oz indicating it would be reduced to 16 oz which is enough for one fender (only 12 oz or so would be needed).
     Shop line - $49.92
     Deltron - $116.72

What doesn't add up, if this is the paint color, is the timing of when the paint was available.  I sear the guy I purchased the car from stated it was painted in the early 90s which matched the failed clearcoat on the car when I purchased it.  For this to be the color, the earliest it could have been painted was in 1997-8.  That would be 10 years before I purchased the car.  That doesn't fit the timeframe very well unless it was exceptionally cheap paint. 

I found the paint color in a Duplicolor spray can at AutoZone.  I purchased it to do a bit of testing.  Surprising, it is extremely close in color.  If anything, it might be slightly darker but without a clear coat over it matching what is on the car it might cause it to look a little darker depending on the light.  

Oil Change, Transmission Leak, & Fixing Rattles

Over the last few days, I've spent a little time fixing some small rattles on the Mustang and cleaning it up a little.  The rattles I've worked on include emblems with missing barrel clips, a loose rear bumper bracket, and a missing bolt from the front lower valence.  There is no doubt more rattles but I'll have to track them down.  

I changed the oil and put in Valvoline VR1 10w30 and a Wix 51515 oil filter.  The oil was changed not too long ago in terms of mileage but I wanted to switch from Lucas to the VR1 oil.  If I watch Amazon, I can get it cheaper than the Lucas Hot Rod oil and I expect it provides better protection.  

I then switched to working on the transmission which I believe it leaking a little from the drain plug and the output seal.  I put some Permatex thread sealant on the drain plug and reinstalled it.  I used a Master Pro 7692S output seal with a little Permatex Ultra Grey RTV around the metal edge.  I would have used a Temkin or National brand seal but none were available locally.

I noticed what looks to be a small coolant leak.  The only evidence is a small run line down the lower hose and a spot on the front anti-roll bar were it ate off the paint.  I've tightened the c;amps and will see if I can find anything else that is a potential source of the leak.  

A Quick List of Projects

Quite a bit of time has passed since I've done any work to the Mustang or driven it for that matter.  I checked into the price to paint the Mustang at a local, high end restoration shop and was told $20-$25k.  The wait to even start was 1.5 years.  This was not the best news and I've been debating what to do with the car since.  It is more than I expected and I'm not really sure if it is worth it.  I tell my self that the paint and exterior condition is why I don't drive it but I'm not so certain.  

There are a few small annoyances that I want to fix on the car.  They are things I have put off for a while and should be done if I decide to paint it or not.  These include:

1) Transmission Leak - The transmission leaks a fair amount.  I believe it leaks from the drain plug because I did not put any sealant on it.  That said, I think I will also replace the tail shaft seal with a new one while on the fluid is drained out.

2) Master Cylinder Leak - The master cylinder is a Raybestos for a 1974 Maverick because it fits and has a 15/16" bore.  The problem is the lid leaks and I don't see a way to fix it.  The leak strips all the paint off the steering column inside the engine bay and perhaps more.  I need a good master cylinder.

3) Parking Brake - The parking brake stopped working quite some time ago.  I believe there is something wrong with the pulley or wire connection inside the car that activates the rest of the system under the car.  It stopped working and I've not even looked so I'll need to start there.

4) Rattles - There are many rattles on the car including the rear bumper for starters.  I'd like to make the rattles go away so that it does not sound like a box of bolts rolling down the road.

5) Windshield Leak - I still have not addressed this since the road trip a few years ago.  I questioned waiting for the paint job but with a 1.5 year wait for paint, I might as well do it if I'm going to drive it anywhere.

6) Rear Suspension - The rear leaf springs are just too stiff.  I hate to just go buying more leaf springs but don't believe there is another way to fix it.  I'm going to need to think on this one a bit more before buying anything but I need a solution.

7) Clutch Squeak - The clutch spring squeaks and makes noise when the clutch pedal is pressed.  I'm not sure I need the spring anymore.  I'm going to look into it and might convert to a roller bearing bushing on the clutch and brake pedal assembly.

Considering Compression Ratios

I continue to consider different ways of making the Mustang faster.  The challenge is that any performance improvement at this point involves replacing a relatively new part I installed with something better.  The gains are smaller without considering a larger engine.

If I went to a larger engine like a 347 or 363, I would need different heads that would work with a roller camshaft.  Bigger heads would have some form of improvement now so they would work for either option.  While I don't know that they offer a great deal of improvement in my current setup, I'm considering it and wanted to collect all the details I have on what different heads would do to my current compression ratio and if I switched to a larger engine later.

Looking through my original posts, I found the following detail on the original engine configuration.  If I plug it into an online calculator, the compression ratio is only 8.13 which does not seem right compared to the stock specs published online (9:1+):
    Cylinder Size: 4.040 x 2.87
    Deck Height: 7.365cc (.035" In Bore x 4.040 Bore))
    Gasket: 10.16cc (.047 x 4.10" Bore) (Fel-Pro 8548PT-2)
    Piston: 12cc Dish (Keith Black Silv-O-Lite 1157)

    CR 8.13 (w 55cc heads)

If I calculate where I am after the rebuild, the compression ratio is at 8.86 which is rather low.  I thought it was a little over 9:1 for some reason but don't see where my measurements are off.

    Cylinder Size: 4.040 x 2.87
    Deck Height: 0 (Zero Decked)
    Gasket: 10.16cc (.047 x 4.10" Bore) (Fel-Pro 9333PT1)
    Piston: 6.5cc (Keith Black KB115)

    CR 8.864 (w 60cc heads)    

The Summit website states that the compression ratio of the Dart 347 small block is 10:1 with a 58cc head.  The Summit site does not include a compression ratio spec for the Dart 363 but it does indicate the pistions are Mahl 93024485 with a 6.5 cc dish which would put the compression ratio at 10.7:1 with a 60cc head and 11:1 with a 58 cc head.  

The FelPro 10112 head gasket which compresses to .039.  The cc of the current FelPro 933PT1 is 10.169cc and the 10112 is 8.438 cc.  This has almost the same effect as dropping the head cc to 58.  This still only puts me at a 9.045:1 with the current setup.

If I use the FelPro 10112 and start to mill the head, I see the following impacts on the current setup:

58 cc = 9.266:1

56 cc = 9.5:1

According to a MotorTrend article I read, a change in 1 compression ratio is about a 3% change in power.  https://www.motortrend.com/news/0311em-power-squeeze/

My thought is that this really isn't worth the trouble.  I don't think the head would flow that much better and the compression ratio benefit is minimal.  The real difference is that I could have more than .550 lift and would be able to rev beyond 5500 rpm.