We ended up not using the factory cast iron exhaust elbow from manifold to muffler. Also luckily the guy I bought it from gave me the brand new muffler he had just bought for it (IT WAS $700!!!!!) so we fabbed up a new elbow out of some 2.5" stainless I had kicking around. Also of note, I changed the thermostat water outlet to one off my old 453t powered 78 F250 and like magic the factory upper radiator hose works.
F*** yea boys she's a runner.
Other than the swap I had to replace one hydraulic hose for the fork rotation and hammer the pin back in that supports the main boom lifting assist cylinder. Then we welded that pin in place because it had already been booger welded once which f***ed up the threads. Really really happy with it. I cleaned all the factory gauges and dashboard and had to replace the oil pressure sender so now everything works except the hour meter. I'm thinking of ordering a new one to commemorate it's new heart.
Here's a quick video of my buddy ripping it around the yard a bit. I will have this entire process in video on my channel pretty soon but it's going to be a bit of editing there's a ton of footage.
So far the only hickup is the trans leaks oil pretty good from the weephole at the bottom rear of the bellhousing after you shut the machine off? I'm guessing we knocked the spring out of the converter seal when putting it together. NBD Fix it in spring... any of yall ever seen that?
