Ford or Holden? Why not both 😁 #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #feralute #feralxf #furyroadute #rustandbaremetal #flaredguards #madmax #holden #ssute #vessute #holdenss #holdenandfordlivinginharmony
3 years ago, and now. The old girl had had some time and money poured into her. Not done yet. As soon as the weather warms up a bit, I'll make a start on putting the 5.0 V8 in. #xf #xfratute #ratrod #ratute #ratrods #ford #feralute #feralxf #falcon #fordxf #rustandbaremetal #fordfalcon #aussieute
The sun came out on Sunday, apt. I entered Ratty in the Royal Bathurst Show Ute Muster and picked up a 2nd in the Feral class. Not sure my idea of feral is what most peoples is. The others had lots of aerials, stickers and Fucking Huge bullbars! So, not sure what I have built,,,,, but I dig it 😁 #xf #xfratute #ratrod #ratute #ratrods #ford #feralute #feralxf #falcon #fordxf #rustandbaremetal #rusty #cutandweld #madmax #apocolypserightnow #furyroadturn
Sold some doors and the drivers side front guard, and got some bits out that I need for the swap! The motor needs to come out ASAP, for now it is covered with a tarp and the bonnet. #barraswap #barratheworld #fordfalcon #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #ibuiltathing #oldshitters #rustandbaremetal #xf #xfratute #ratrod #ratute #ratrods #ford #feralute #feralxf
Not that you can tell a lot from this photo, but new shocks are in! I also did the front wheel bearings and brake pads. There was not a lot in the old pads! They, and the wheel bearings had not been touched in a long time. Shocks cost all of $205, so cheap. But it has made a huge difference to how the old girl drives. No more slamming into what is left of the bumpstops when I hit anything resembling a pothole. And no more wandering all over the place and wallowing off every ripple or rough bit in the road. That's a win! #xf #xfratute #ratrod #ratute #ratrods #ford #feralute #feralxf #falcon #fordxf #rustandbaremetal #flaredguards #madmax #somuchbetter
All done! Pretty happy with that! #ankorwax #xf #xfratute #ratrod #ratute #ratrods #ford #feralute #feralxf #falcon #fordxf #rustandbaremetal #rusty #cutandweld #madmaxute #patina #patinaute
And the waxing of Ratty is done. Happy with that. #ankorwax #xf #xfratute #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #feralute #feralxf #furyroadute #rustandbaremetal #rusty #cutandweld #madmax #patinaute #patina
Yeah. Pretty happy with how the interior is looking. The new dash makes a huge difference. #xf #xfratute #ratrod #ratute #ratrods #ford #feralute #feralxf #furyroadute #rustandbaremetal #flaredguards #madmax #steelbonnetscoops #makeit #fordfalcon #aussieute #falcon
Looks so much better than the old original XF dash! I have wanted to put an alloy dash and gauges in a car since I was a teenager. #xf #xfratute #ratrod #ratute #ratrods #ford #feralute #feralxf #furyroadute #rustandbaremetal #flaredguards #madmax #steelbonnetscoops #alloydash
Dropped Ratty off at the auto electrician to get the new dash and gauges wired in! The receipt for the gauges was in the bag. I bought them in December 2019!!! Finally going in. #xf #xfratute #ratrod #ratute #ratrods #ford #feralute #feralxf #furyroadute #rustandbaremetal #flaredguards #madmax #steelbonnetscoops
Good day out at the SS Owners Club show and shine at Mount Panorama. Lots of Commodores of course, but also other makes. Picked up a trophy. Pretty sure it was because I had the closest to a steel bumper Ford, but hey, I'll take it 😁 I'll put some more photos of the other cars up later. Off to Sydney tomorrow to drag a BF home. #XF #xfratute #ratrod #ratute #ratrods #ford #feralute #feralxf #furyroadute #rustandbaremetal #flaredguards #madmax #steelbonnetscoops
Raided the parts ute because my drivers side door handle was just about to break! And wondering about getting the interior door handle, cover and pull cast in aluminum! That might look cool on the black. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #feralute #feralxf #furyroadute #rustandbaremetal #flaredguards
Old dash back in. Makes me sad 😝 Hopefully I can get it in soonish and get the new dash wired in. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #feralute #feralxf #furyroadute #rustandbaremetal #flaredguards #madmax #steelbonnetscoops #250crossflow
I'll call that done. 4 more mounting brackets in, 2 at the top, 2 at the bottom. Tightened it all up and closed the gaps. Fitted two LEDs for now. I like it, really don't want to pull it out and put the original cluster back in 😝 #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #feralute #feralxf #furyroadute #rustandbaremetal #flaredguards #madmax #steelbonnetscoops
Got a bit of a cold. Not the Rona, tested negative all week. But fixed the dash plate 👍 Get 'er into the auto electrician and get it all wired up and happy days! #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #feralute #feralxf #furyroadute #rustandbaremetal #flaredguards #madmax #steelbonnetscoops #250crossflow
I made this alloy dash and got all the gauges for it two years ago! I want to get it in and wired up shortly, so I thought I had better actually test fit it. Yeah, I had the angle that the plate and gauges sit at completely wrong! With the plate at the correct angle it just doesn't fit that nicely. It's an easy job to make a new one and put the holes for the gauges and warning lights in though. But seeing it all in place makes me pretty happy with how it will look. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #fordxf #ibuiltathing #feralxf #furyroadute #rustandbaremetal #flaredguards #madmax #apocolypserightnow #furyroadturn #feralute #xfratute
And in! Frame sorted to adapt the original XF seat rails to the SAAS seats. Actually pretty easy to do. So pull it out again, finish welding the frame (it is tacked together to test fit), make another one and paint them. Job done. #saas #xf #xfratute #ratrod #ratute #ratrods #ford #feralute #feralxf #falcon
Grabbed my mate Mick and shot into Bathurst to the car meet at #rockabillycafebathurst . Heaps of cool cars! Only got a few photos as too busy gasbagging 😁 Picked up an alloy washer bottle from Autobarn to replace the original perished plastic bottles. #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #oldshitters #rustandbaremetal #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf #edelbrock
And Ratty does some work with a tip run,,,,,,,, and no, I didn't leave her there 😆 #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #ibuiltathing #ford #feralute #feralxf
The old girl just will not die!! She has been sitting here for at least 6 weeks. That is still the rooted motor in there as well 😁 I'll give her a run to work on Thursday, literally blowing the spider webs out 👍 #theutetheycouldntrootshootorelectrocute #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf #edelbrockcarby #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #xfute #fordxf #rustandbaremetal #rusty #cutandweld #madmax #apocolypserightnow #furyroadturn #furyroadute #rustandbaremetal
A or B? Old or New. Straight 6, or V8?.... Well the answer is always V8 😁 Or why not both 👍 The sound hasn't transferred well. Sounds a bit tinny on here, much deeper in real life. #xf #xfratute #ratrod #ratute #ratrods #ford #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf #holden #ssute #vessute #holdenss #holdenve #v8
This brings back some memories! Sitting in a carpark in one of my old shitters, eating Rotten Ronalds after pulling bits off of another car! 😁 #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #feralute #feralxf #furyroadute #rustandbaremetal #flaredguards #madmax #steelbonnetscoops #250crossflow #250xflow
Alrighty then! Looks like I might have a motor for the Ratute. It even comes with a T5! I've already got a T5 in Ratty. So I might keep the other one as a spare, or sell it on. The motor is still in the car, so I took it for a drive. The plan is to put the cam, head and all the good gear off my motor into/onto it. And how good is the patina looking! Oh, and I needed one o-ring for the fuel cap on the DT, but had to buy a 419 piece kit of them 😁 Only cost $30, and I will never run out of o-rings! #xf #xfratute #ratrod #ratute #ratrods #ford #feralute #feralxf #furyroadute #rustandbaremetal #flaredguards #madmax #dt400
Yep, need a new alternator. Not overly expensive, and an easy fix. Still undecided about what to do with the motor. Throw a Barra in? But that means new box etc. etc. Throw a 4.0 out of an XR6 in it? Same as above. I've already got all the good bits on this crossflow that I can switch to the new block. But there is the cost of getting the block done, new bearings, pistons etc.. A newer motor with its box is actually pretty cheap at the moment. Decisions decisions. No rush at the moment. #xf #xfratute #ratrod #ratute #ratrods #ford #feralute #feralxf #furyroadute #rustandbaremetal #flaredguards #madmax #steelbonnetscoops #250crossflow
Fun with old cars 😁 Looks like a bad wire to the starter motor. Change of plan, no car get together on Sunday. There is a flat track day at Appin I might go to. #oldshitters #feralute #feralxf #furyroadute #rustandbaremetal #flaredguards #ford #xf #xfratute #xfute
Well Fuck! #oldshitters #feralute #feralxf #250crossflow #250xflow #ford
And the Ratute is mobile again! Even though I now have the fancy stupidly quick new ute,,,, I still love the Franken horror that I built myself 🥰 #XF #xfratute #ratrod #ratute #ratrods #ford #feralute #feralxf #furyroadute #rustandbaremetal #flaredguards #madmax #ibuiltathing
Shitty Shitty Bang Bang still runs! #shittyshittybangbang #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #feralute #feralxf #furyroadute #rustandbaremetal #flaredguards #madmax #steelbonnetscoops #250crossflow
Le sigh. Sitting out the other side of Tarana waiting for Michelle to come rescue me. On my way home from work and dodging a wayward 4WD, I hit a pothole so hard it popped a loose connector off the coil! I've been wondering why I was getting some voltage loss, and I am guessing that is it. I'll get Michelle to give me a jump start and I'll replace the bad connector when I wake up later today. #bugger #XF #xfratute #ratrod #ratute #ratrods #ford #feralute #feralxf #oldshitters #imsoverytired #nightshiftsucks
It's home!! Touch wood, runs well!!! Now to drive it 😁 #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #oldshitters #feralute #feralxf #edelbrock #arpbolts #autobarnbathurstrock #250crossflow #aussiespeed #furyroadute #rustandbaremetal #flaredguards #madmax #apocolypserightnow #xfford
Had the old girl home for a couple of days. Ran it back in to get a new distributor put in and the MSD ignition hooked up. Pick it up tomorrow. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #oldshitters #feralute #feralxf #edelbrock #arpbolts #autobarnbathurstrock #250crossflow #aussiespeed
Pretty much ready for the new dash and gauges to go in 👍 #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #alloydash #saasgauges #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #feralute #feralxf
I'd forgotten I had taken this. This is up near our back boundary. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #feralute #feralxf #furyroadute #flaringguards #edelbrock1406 #bnsferalutes
Redid the rocker cover gasket and hooked up the air/oil separator. And, no more stick holding the bonnet up! Finally got around to making a bracket for the passenger side and putting the second gas strut on. Because of the scoops, one strut wouldn't hold the weight. Heading in for a Cars and Coffee get together tomorrow. Let's see how many people hate it 😁 #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #oldshitters #rustandbaremetal #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf #furyroadute
Yeah yeah. Yet more video of it running. It's ok, next weekend I'll be back to horse stuff and dirt track 😁 #chunkymonkey #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf #edelbrock
Drove into Bathurst. All good, didn't get hot, no weird noises etc.. Goes well, sounds good. Only issue is a leaking tappet cover gasket, easy fix.And she blows a bit of smoke under load. But it is running well rich. Pink slip and tune up next Thursday. Pretty happy. Obligatory photos up the Mount. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #mountpanorama #Bathurst #feralute #feralxf
Hardest bit today was getting the accelerator setup to work properly. Going for a drive into Bathurst tomorrow!!! #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf #edelbrock #arpbolts #autobarnbathurstrock #250crossflow
Got to be happy with that! #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #250xflow #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf #edelbrock #arpbolts #autobarnbathurstrock
Idliling away. #xfratute #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #ibuiltathing #oldshitters #rustandbaremetal #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf #edelbrock #feralute #feralxf
So tired. But the 4 barrel is on and works! Still some fine tuning of the accelerator setup to do. I used bits off the OEM Weber carb to maye it all up. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #250xflow #250crossflow #aussiespeed #aussiespeedperformance #feralute #feralxf #edelbrock
Pretty sure my windscreen leaks. It only gets water in it when it is parked nose down. So spun it around as we have rain coming. This is a dead cold start, and hey, no more shuddering clutch. Off for 5 days starting tomorrow. So getting the 4 barrel on. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf #edelbrock #arpbolts #autobarnbathurstrock #250crossflow
What can I say, I like looking at it 😁 Oh, and the view from inside got even better thanks to my gorgeous wife 🥰 When I got up today, I replaced the old heater hoses. I'll get a new heater tap and some vacuum line from #autobarnbathurst and get my heater working again. Going to need it. Went to start it and just would not fire! I had a bit of a look at it, but am so tired from nightshift that I gave up and went inside to get ready for work. It was bugging the crap out of me, so went back out and ran through everything again. Turns out I had knocked off one of the coil wires when I was putting the hoses on. Turned the key and she fired right up. Feeling really good about getting the Edelbrock on and getting it tuned and driving this weekend. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf #edelbrock #poledancersrock #lovemymichelle
More bits! Today was all about running around town picking up packages and grabbing hoses etc. from Autobarn. The banjo fitting for the Edelbrock arrived. Just waiting on the base gaskets now. I'll need to cut some out of the East/West adapter and the pad of the manifold to make room for the carby butterflies and to get rid of some lips. Easy job to do, #havediegrinderwilltravel And my Gilmer drive setup arrived!!!! I also stopped in at the auto sparky and he will wire up my gauges, thermo fans and MSD ignition for me. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf #edelbrock #arpbolts #autobarnbathurstrock #feralute #feralxf #gilmerdrive
And parked up for the week. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf #edelbrock #arpbolts #autobarnbathurstrock #250crossflow
Running rough, but it runs!!!! It still has the OEM Weber on it. On my next lot if days off in a week, I'll put the 4 barrel on it and try and tune it. But happy it runs. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #ibuiltathing #oldshitters #rustandbaremetal #feralute #feralxf #250crossflow
More bits arrived today. Thanks to @aussiespeedperformance I can now run the Edelbrock on my #250crossflow using their east/west adaptor! I also have one of their tall raw alloy rocker covers to bolt on. So I'll get these all on tomorrow and just get it running with the 600. #aussiespeedperformance #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #feralute #feralxf #edelbrock
This is as good as it got. I screwed up and forget to tighten the fuel line and then the battery went flat. So back to it tomorrow,,,,,,, after I go get a timing light. Idiot. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf
It's in!!!! Now to hook everything up. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf
More progress. I've just put the OEM rocker cover on to protect the rockers whilst I move it around and put it back in the ute. I don't want to get the new Aussiespeed one dirty. Because I won't be using the original manifold, I've had to find different spots to mount bits. And I've had to do a run into town to get a Helicoil kit, as the bottom bolt hole for the engine mount is stripped out. Better to fix it now. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf
Sexy! Raw alloy #aussiespeed tall rocker cover! #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf #feralute #feralxf
Oh yeah! Working on the motor and a mock up with the manifold, carb and 9x3" air filter. The carb will sit higher when the #aussiespeed East/West adapter arrives. I want the air filter poking out of the bonnet. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf #edelbrock
Good day off. Got the bottom and top ends back together. Back to it on Saturday and get everything else done and back into the ute! 👍 #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #ibuiltathing #oldshitters #250xflow #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf #250crossflowspeedwaymotor
Big ol' pile of stuff! 6 days off next week, so I'll be going hard and getting the motor back together and in. Hey check out the brand new NatRad radiator Michelle spotted on FB Marketplace. Paid $50 for it! New still in the box! SCORE 😁 #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #ibuiltathing #oldshitters #rustandbaremetal #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf #edelbrock #arpbolts #autobarnbathurstrock
No work on the ute today. Had to go to Canowindra to pick up a load of hay. That's an all day job. So another week will go by until I can get back to putting the motor together. My 4 barrel manifold did turn up as well, and I sourced a carby for it! #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #ibuiltathing #oldshitters #rustandbaremetal #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf
Today's arrival. Now to find a carby for it. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf #4barrel
Got everything cleaned today. Block and gearbox given a going over. Then spent a few hours drying it, and giving the bores a hone and cleaning all its bits. The block and internals are so clean you could eat off them 😁. Cleaned up the bolt on bits and gave them a coat of fresh gloss black as well. It will look pretty,,,, right up until it starts leaking oil like a crossy 👍 I can't start putting it back together until the rear main seal gets here next week. So, a few more bits to clean up and I'll give the engine bay a going over and tidy up some wiring as well. Can't wait to get it done and drive the old girl again. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #ibuiltathing #oldshitters #rustandbaremetal #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf #prepiseverything
Oh noes 😛 Surprising how simple a motor actually is once you pull it apart 😁 So yeah, stripped it back down so I can swap the rope rear main seal out for a more modern one. Also some grit got into the cylinders, probably on the drive home. So I'll give everything a clean and going over and I'll give the bores a hone as well. Then back together. I've got a 4 barrel manifold coming as well, so will be on the hunt for a 465 Holley. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #ibuiltathing #oldshitters #rustandbaremetal #250crossflow #feralute #feralxf #crowervalvesprings #crowcams
Top end is on, and it all works as it should! The pistons go up and down and the valves open and close, that's a win 😁 #250crossflow #250crossflowspeedwaymotor #yellaterra #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #ibuiltathing #oldshitters #feralute #feralxf
And out! I'll pull the box off tomorrow and then heaps to do. Obviously get the new motor together, clutch on etc.. But I'll also clean up and repair some wiring under the bonnet. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #250crossflow #250crossflowspeedwaymotor #feralute #feralxf
And, here, we, go. Motor and box coming out today so that it is ready for the new motor to go in. #xfute #ford #ratute #ratrod #aussieute #falcon #engineswap #itwilltotallyrunagain #250crossflow #250crossflowspeedwaymotor #feralute #feralxf