How's the GRM Edsel doing?

Love that car.

Dan

Good. The engine's out of it now, as it started leaking oil badly, and was low on compression anyway. The new engine is at the machine shop now. Dad knows more details, as that car isn't really my project.

So many projects in the house that you can't keep track of them? I like it!

Pretty much. I'm on crutches at the moment, too, so I haven't been out in the garage much.

I am guessing you are on crutches from hurting your leg when you were prepping for another slab of patio to be poured. I thought your mom had relieved us of all the instigators...

Good guess... You wouldn't believe how much torque those cement mixers have.

Leaking engine? I forget what that thing has in it. If it's an FE, guaranteed the intake end gaskets were the problem. Tell Dad to just use gasket in a caulk tube and not waste time with the stupid cork ones.

I believe Edsels have a 332 FE standard with a 360 FE optional. Weird engines...the engineer that decided to run the pushrods THROUGH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD is an evil man.

Mine was fixed with sawdust. No leaks!

When Mom stops whacking you with the crutch put up pics. When you guys got rid of the 914 it was beyond my budget, I'm hoping Tim / Dad is still easily bored.

Dan

Tommy Suddard wrote: Good. The engine's out of it now, as it started leaking oil badly, and was low on compression anyway. The new engine is at the machine shop now. Dad knows more details, as that car isn't really my project.

Boss 429 or Cammer 427? Either one with a 6-71 and a bug catcher scoop would make a nice wagon motor...

-Rob

Here's the story... we knew driving across the country that the engine was far from fresh. It is the 332 2 barrel version and first FE. It is 225 hp and as an option, a 303 hp 361 was offered. Oddly, you could have also have gotten a 292 Y-block on some of the Edsels. That said, before rebuilding this oddball 332, we decided to take a stroll through our local pic and pull. To our delight, there sits a 65 or 66 Mercury with a 390 4 barrel. It is probably rated at 315 hp and is a much more common engine to find parts for and rebuild. It measures out identical to a 332 and unless you are a real FE expert, you cannot tell the difference. We snap it up for $175, strip it down and find that other than normal wear, it is in great shape and has never been rebuilt, running standard crank, pistons etc. Friday we pull the original 332 and two speed trans out of the Edsel and the 390 is currently at the machine shop. Margie says I go into the cement, if this thing is not done, with A/C, by June 12th, as she wants to be taken on a trip to Michigan's Upper Penninsula with a stop at the Mid Ohio Vintage races June 27th.

One of my concerns, is that I also snagged the three speed FMX trans from the Mercury with dreams of switching the two speed to a three speed. But, I am a bit out of my element here and don't know how different the linkage set ups are and don't have easy access to an Edsel three speed column, although some Edsels did come with this transmission.

Another thought is triple duece carb setups are seriously cool looking but a bit pricey. I might be willing to pony up the cash, as I have always wanted one and they are readily available for this engine, but I don't want to make an ill running unreliable POS out of this thing. Should I stick with common Edelbrock intake and modern 4 barrel, or go for the 3x2 bling?

I'd stick with a single 4-bbl. Here's a pic of the 390 in my 62 T-Bird, and I think it looks good. Weiand intake, Holley 670 Street Avenger carb, Holley air cleaner, Hamburger's stamped steel chrome valve covers, Concept One pulley system.

will, I dont often say this to other men, but thats sexy!...i dont even like the blue oval and me likey!

So as I read this....
Buy Edsel with 332cid and drive cross country (west to east.)
Bring home for a couple of months then swap to a 390cid.
Once completed, drive cross country (south to north - and back)

That's a lot a miles and a lot of adventure in one year for a car that really has not traveled much all its life.
Sounds like a great time (and some great stories.)
I look forward to seeing it at Mid-Ohio!

Tim Suddard wrote: Another thought is triple duece carb setups are seriously cool looking but a bit pricey. I might be willing to pony up the cash, as I have always wanted one and they are readily available for this engine, but I don't want to make an ill running unreliable POS out of this thing. Should I stick with common Edelbrock intake and modern 4 barrel, or go for the 3x2 bling?

With a long road trip planned and a cement mixer waiting should you not meet the deadline, stick with the 4bbl for now. You can always crown the 390 with three deuces when you get home. It will be much quicker setting up the 4bbl for the road trip.

One of my concerns, is that I also snagged the three speed FMX trans from the Mercury with dreams of switching the two speed to a three speed. But, I am a bit out of my element here and don't know how different the linkage set ups are and don't have easy access to an Edsel three speed column, although some Edsels did come with this transmission.

Was the column and linkage still on the Mercury? Might be worth grabbing all that and see what can be adapted to the Edsel or maybe swap the entire column in if it isn't too out of place in the earlier car.

Other options might be to look at the Lokar catalog. I know they have some column shift columns based on the GM/Delco columns. Not sure if they sell the cables and other linkage bits separately. Might be able to adapt something from there.

I don't know if they offer anything for the FMX. It's not as popular as the C4/C6. Don't know if they use similar linkage or not.

-Rob

Tim Suddard wrote: Margie says I go into the cement, if this thing is not done, with A/C, by June 12th, as she wants to be taken on a trip to Michigan's Upper Penninsula with a stop at the Mid Ohio Vintage races June 27th.

[threadjack]

please know that you are welcome at the House of Anger for steaks on the grill, a cold beer, a hot shower, or just a coat hanger and duct tape exhaust repair. srsly, i'd love for Mrs Angry to meet you guys. i've got two floor jacks and enough jackstands to support that behemoth, although it most certainly won't fit in my garage.

Hmm. How about a homebrew GM TBI setup? Could do the whole thing for $800ish and avoid the barely controlled fuel leak that is a carburetor. Run one from a TBI 350 with slightly bumped fuel pressure to accommodate the extra 40ci.

I'll be at Mid-Ohio for the VGP, can't wait to see the wagon!

I think this year at Mid-Ohio the featured manufaturer is Edsel.
All Edsels will be honored with their own parade lap.
Oh, how the crowds will cheer as they witness the late braking coming off the straight and into the esses. A quick right, then left, then right. The Edsel will be gone before you even knew it arrived!

The FMX transmission wasn't known as a high performance transmission, but they worked fine for regular driving - I had one in a '69 Torino that lasted well over 200,000 miles. Having said that, since yours has an unknown history I probably wouldn't put it back in the car without rebuilding it.

I'm not familiar with Edsels but I'll bet that the only difference in the steering column will be the spacing of the P-R-N-D-L letters on the shift indicator - the difference will be in the linkage under the floor. If you grabbed those parts from the Mercury chances are they can be adapted to fit easily enough. If the letters on the indicator don't line up, make a new one out of a small piece of Plexiglass and some rub on transfer letters.

I'd also stick with the original carburetor - throw a rebuild kit in it and bolt it back on. No sense in spending money on a aftermarket carb and manifold that would probably need tuning anyway.

Tri-power being pricey is an understatement. I had the same thought for my truck but ay-carumba, are they expensive! The 4v will be plenty fine. Don't forget the Pertonix ignition. If you add a double roller timing chain, be aware that there is a spacer on the end of the cam that you have to remove or the gear will hit the timing cover. Don't ask me how I found that out. Even though it says so right on the box.

I like the Chevy 350 TBI on 390 idea, with an MS and adjustable fuel pressure setup and a mix of Pertronix and MSD bit it should be great. Should be. Like I have any real idea how easy or hard that would be to set up.

Something else could be that old two speed trans with a Gear Vendors over/underdrive, assuming there's one available for that trans, I know they don't cover everything. Not really cheap though, but at least you'd have overdrive, which the FMX won't give you.