FE Power Forums
FE Power Forums => Member Projects => Topic started by: jayb on May 22, 2015, 12:45:35 PM
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Seems like every year I end up with a major project over the Memorial Day weekend. This year is no different, and in fact several months ago I decided that this was the weekend I was going to revamp my 68 Mustang fastback. I've owned this car for about 10 years now, and never really done anything with it. My first car, back in 1976, was a 67 Mustang fastback with the deluxe interior, 289 and automatic. I bought my 68 Shelby convertible in 1978, and always regretted that I had to sell the 67 fastback to be able to afford the Shelby. So, I bought the 68 fastback as kind of a replacement for my first Mustang. Shortly after I bought it I acquired all the parts necessary to convert the interior to the 67 deluxe interior that I liked so much way back when, and its been sitting this way ever since.
Here's some pictures of the car as it sat in my driveway today:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68front.jpg)
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68rear.jpg)
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68int.jpg)
Right now this car has several problems. The major one is, that being an FE guy, I can't stand the small block that is in there. I'm used to the effortless acceleration of the FE, and this engine labors mightily under acceleration despite its headers, aftermarket intake, and Holley double pumper. Small blocks are for punks! This thing has GOT to go:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68eng.jpg)
I also have some issues with the electrical and charging system in the car, and the engine is now leaking a little antifreeze from the bypass hose, the carb needs to be rebuilt, the brakes (4 wheel drum) suck, and so does the suspension.
So, over the last few years I've been collecting parts to do a wholesale drivetrain, suspension, and brake swap in this car. I took today off work so I had a four day weekend to accomplish as much of this as I could, and I started out by putting all the parts I'm planning to use in one area:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68parts.jpg)
The engine is my old reliable 428CJ dyno mule, which makes around 440 horsepower on the dyno with the Edelbrock Torker intake and Holley 750 double pumper carb. Two years ago I picked up the T56 Magnum 6 speed transmission and installation kit from American Powertrain, and I'm planning to do whatever is necessary to get that combination installed in the car. This part is going to be new to me, because I'll have to convert the clutch pedal to a hydraulic one, and use the hydraulic throwout bearing that came with the kit. Plus, I'm figuring some floor modifications may be required. But I'm looking forward to the overdrive gears in the transmission, and the smooth shifting that these things are noted for.
Also visible is a 57 Ford rear axle housing, an N-case with 4.11 gears and a Detroit locker, and the Mark Williams Masterline axles I had in my Mach 1 back in 2004 and 2005; these are going to have to be cut back a little because the 57 Ford axle housing is slightly narrower than the stock Mustang axle housing. I'll also need to cut off the spring perches and weld on some new ones I got from Currie, to fit the leaf spring position in the Mustang. I also have all new front suspension components, including upper and lower control arms, all the tie rod end pieces, and a 1" front sway bar. Finally, there is a complete 4 wheel disc brake package from Wilwood for the car, including the master cylinder.
I'm still waffling on the rear suspension pieces; I'm really tempted to go with the Cal-Tracs and monoleaf springs again, because they work so well on my Mach 1, but I think I want to drive the car with the stock rear suspension in it first before I make that decision. This is not going to be a track car, pretty much daily driver street duty in the summer, so if I can tame the wheel hop with some cheap traction bars I might just leave it as is. We'll see after I drive it for a while.
I'll post updates throughout the weekend as I get going on this project. I'm hoping to have all the parts installed by the end of the day Monday; I will still need to get a driveshaft and screw around with the electrical system, finish all the details, etc., but if I can get that all accomplished the heavy lifting will be done, and I can kind of tinker with the car over the next couple weeks to get it running and driving correctly.
I may be asking questions about the T56 install, so if anybody has any advice for me on that, I'd love to hear it - Jay
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Cool project Jay. Nice car to start with as well. Should be very nice when you get done with it! Looking forward to your updates and writeup on this one. I'm no help on the T56 swap, but you might have to do a little tunnel "surgery", not sure really but TKO600's usually do.
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I may have a drive shaft for you.I will measure and send in to ya.
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A leaking bypass hose is reason enough to pull that anemic looking engine and install an FE ;D
I used to mess with small blocks back in school and still have some performance pieces laying around. But once I rode in an FE Mustang, those days were over. WAY over! I gave some pieces to a friend who has a real nice '68 with a 289 to bump his horsepower up a bit. But it never fails, when I ride in his car I keep thinking to myself "This thing just isn't running right." I have to remind myself that it doesn't matter how well they run, they just don't have the acceleration or feel of brute power as an FE.
The car looks super solid and should be a great driver with that 428 and TKO.
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That interior sure looks familiar, my first car was a '67 390GT with the same interior. I to sold mine to purchase another car a "gulp" '77 special edition black and gold trans-am. Luckily I came to my senses and sold the trans-am to purchase a '67 Shelby GT500. Unfortunately I sold it back in '79.
I also have a '68 fastback that I bought like you did to replace the two '67's that I should never have sold.
Keep posting progress on your '68, I need the encouragement because I'm getting frustrated trying to find the time to get mine done. I may have bit off more than I can chew because my plans are to build a '67 Shelby stock eliminator car out of it, but if I get derailed with the racing plans I can always put it back on the street.
Question - Did you just replace the '68 heater control knobs with '67's, or did you change out the whole unit?
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Let's see.....my to do list this weekend.
Completely disassemble and rebuild a car.......no problem :o
Only you pal.
I bow to you. I am not worthy.
Good luck, can't wait to read the updates.
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Awesome weekend project! Nice Car!
I didn't see a mention of the pipes?
I just dialed a QuickTime and it was right on mounted to my "mule 428". lol
Watch that pilot bearing fit.
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Nice car Jay. That should be a good "weekend project". ::) I wish you well on your quest!
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5:20 and the hated small block is out!
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68sbout.jpg)
Now for a quick pressure wash of the engine compartment, and then I can spend the evening painting the engine bay. Ready for the FE/Tremec test fit tomorrow...
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A leaking bypass hose is reason enough to pull that anemic looking engine and install an FE ;D
I couldn't agree more LOL! Feeling like an FE snob today... ;D
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I may have a drive shaft for you.I will measure and send in to ya.
Wow, that would be cool. Waiting with bated breath... 8)
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Question - Did you just replace the '68 heater control knobs with '67's, or did you change out the whole unit?
I replaced the whole panel that contains the sliders and the fan switch.
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I've had a 289 side project for over 4 years with "big plans" on the build, but once I started working on my 390, I kind of forgot all about it. ::)
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Awesome weekend project! Nice Car!
I didn't see a mention of the pipes?
I just dialed a QuickTime and it was right on mounted to my "mule 428". lol
Watch that pilot bearing fit.
I forgot to put the pipes in the picture, I've got one of those complete Magnaflow exhaust systems, 3" all the way back.
What should I watch for on the pilot bearing fit, Howie? Do they come too loose or something?
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When I mocked up my home made Jerico with the correct Ford input shaft, the pilot bearing
which was the standard 6303 bearing, it stuck out of the crank about 0.075" so the input
shaft splines where very close. I had about 0.010" clearance between the input shaft splines and the pilot bearing.
I felt this was to close for my liking.
I had two options, one was radical machining or just make a pilot bushing to fit.
I used some personal stock of aluminum bronze and hacked one out.
I opened up the gap to 0.100".
I'm sure a web search would turn up better fitting bearing,
but it would have set the time line back a week minimum.
So a bushing it was.
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Oh... you just had this car sitting around for the last ten years? Yeah... umm... guess ya probably couldn't see it with the GT, Shelby, 64 Galaxie, and whatever else in the way.
*shakes his fist at jay brown, swears in Polish, and throws a hammer against the wall*
That is nice. Good luck with the FE swap!
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Oh... you just had this car sitting around for the last ten years? Yeah... umm... guess ya probably couldn't see it with the GT, Shelby, 64 Galaxie, and whatever else in the way.
*shakes his fist at jay brown, swears in Polish, and throws a hammer against the wall*
That is nice. Good luck with the FE swap!
You forgot the really kool square Bird. :P
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I just did a T56 conversion on a 67 Camaro..It is a heavy trans..I used the stock clutch linkage and a dual disc Mcleod clutch set up...Lots of dicking around to get the shifter in the sweet spot on the oem hole.Car has a console..
I am putting a TKO 600RR trans in my 68..Trimming the upper floor brace is generally considered to be mandatory.Most just cut a window in it but as mine is still on the rotisserie I welded in all new pcs..
(http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm220/427Fastback/1968%20Fastback/tunnel%20mod_zpsf8gep1bn.jpg) (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/427Fastback/media/1968%20Fastback/tunnel%20mod_zpsf8gep1bn.jpg.html)
Frame connectors will be mandatory..
I always use old school traction master style bars.I make my own and put a adjustable end on the frame end of the bar.I also weld ears on the floor (torque box) so it is in double shear..I am strictly a road car guy and bunny hop just doesn't happen
(http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm220/427Fastback/1968%20Fastback/004%206_zpsdjcrbff1.jpg) (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/427Fastback/media/1968%20Fastback/004%206_zpsdjcrbff1.jpg.html)
My list of stuff is endless but you only have 4 days.......Cory
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Jay, the spring perches should be in the same location on the '57 Ford housing and the '67 Mustang. You might want to check before you go to the trouble of cutting them off. Fairlane / Comet are different spacing. You do have to use either the '57 Ford lower shock plates or slot the u-bolt holes in the '67 Mustang shock plates since the Mustang uses a housing that necks down at the ends and the '57 Ford uses straight tubes. You may want to box in the spring perches though for strength. Knowing you, somehow it may wind up with more power some day lol.
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Cory, why are frame connectors mandatory? Something to do with the transmission? Thanks for the tip on cutting that crossmember by the way, I think I might get in there and do that before the test fit even.
Kevin, I measured the distance between the leaf springs mounts on the car and came up with a narrower dimension on the 57 Ford axle housing by about 1.25", but maybe I measured wrong. I will find out on Sunday, which is when I'm tackling the rear end...
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Oh... you just had this car sitting around for the last ten years? Yeah... umm... guess ya probably couldn't see it with the GT, Shelby, 64 Galaxie, and whatever else in the way.
*shakes his fist at jay brown, swears in Polish, and throws a hammer against the wall*
That is nice. Good luck with the FE swap!
Wow, I've never been sworn at in Polish before! English, French, German, and Danish yes, but not Polish. I'll add that to my list ;D
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The car is going to twist on you and there is quite abit of unnoticed bounce in the Mustangs...
I don't speed/power shift the 68...The constant loading and unloading of the chassis will take its toll.When I stripped the 68 the bottom of the drivers door jam (latch side) was cracked.Paint/clear coat was cracked on the upper left windshield pillar.Left drip rail paint/clear was cracked for a foot and the left rear inner fender(hood hinge one) had released it self from the cowl at the top...All the spot welds were broken...
I put the frame rail connectors in before the FE conversion...My glove box still pops open torqueing on it in 2nd...
Its a lot of torque for these cars .....but I wouldn't have it any other way....JMO.....Cory
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I love mustang fastbacks. Sadly I had to sell my twin paxton 68 fastback to buy the cammer engine. Guy who bought it was in australia....... Miss her already. Really nice car Jay!
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10:00 on Friday, and time to call it a night. Just finished painting the engine compartment:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68engcp.jpg)
Its not perfect, but it will do. It actually looks better in person than in the photo. Some of the parts, like the shocks, sway bar, and master cylinder will be replaced so I didn't bother to paint those.
Its been a 15 hour day in the shop, but I've actually only been working on this car for 10 hours. This morning I went to start my Mach 1 and move it away from the lift so I could pull the 68 in there, and it wouldn't start. Took me three hours to figure out that all my fuel injectors had been stuck shut. These are a brand called Injector Dynamics, and they are supposed to be extremely linear in their response, especially at the lower pulse widths, to provide better idle while allowing a very large injector. But I had one of them stick on me once before, and after pulling them out of the car this morning I found that all four that I checked were stuck. I didn't bother to check the other four; fortunately I have another set of injectors from Ford Motorsport that will work, so after a call to my EFI pal Scott to coach me on the changes to the EFI software with the new injectors, I got them installed and the engine fired right up. Scott also mentioned to me that over the last year he had heard of a bunch of people having problems with the Injector Dynamics fuel injectors. So, for future reference, my recommendation would be to stay clear of that brand.
Tomorrow my friend Steve is coming over to give me a hand with the installation, so with luck by dinner time all the issues will have been worked out, and my 68 will have an FE installed :D
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I pulled the small block out of my 68 in 1988 (I was 29) and installed my 427.I have never regretted it...One of my current projects is putting a 428CJ and 4spd in my brothers 66 Mustang Fastback.....Good luck with the install..
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This is a very ambitious weekend thrash. Will this be like an extremely shortened replacement for Road to Drag Week? I have read all of the rest of 'em and was looking forward to this years saga.
I was hoping to find a weekend when I could install brake lines and a fuel line on my car. You're swapping out the entire drive train and brake system with modifications to the trans tunnel. And making time to tell us about it and show us pictures. Very cool. 8)
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Wow, I've never been sworn at in Polish before! English, French, German, and Danish yes, but not Polish. I'll add that to my list ;D
Hahaha, all in good fun. Seriously, very awesome car. Can't believe you've had it hidden for a decade, small block or not, I'd be driving that thing around all the time.
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Hey Jay.
I have a 67 Fastback with a 527cid FE. I put in a T56 Magnum kit from American Powertrain about 3 years ago. Twin disc McLeod RST and hydraulic clutch.
Not much cutting was necessary, just about what 427Fastback shows in his picture.
Maybe I can provide you with some help if you need?
I am actually in the really premature stages of concidering replacing this transmission with an auto but that's another story, hehe
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Saturday morning and I've hit a major roadblock with this project. This morning I started working on mating up the engine and transmission. First thing I did was try to install the pilot bearing that comes with the American Powertrain kit. Unfortunately, it just slid right into the back of the crank, with no press. In fact, there was a bunch of slop. This pilot bearing is a roller bearing installed inside what looks like a bronze pilot bushing, with the center hole of the bushing opened up to accomodate the bearing. But measuring the outside of the assembly, it measures 1.820"; factory Ford pilot bushings measure 1.850". This thing was 0.030" too small in diameter! What a joke. I checked a stock Ford bushing but the ID was too small for the input shaft of the trans. I spent the next hour pressing the bearing out of the pilot bushing it was in, then cutting a factory pilot bushing on my lathe so that I could press in the bearing.
After fixing that problem, I went to install the new bushing/bearing into the back of the crank. After getting it pushed most of the way in, I noticed that the bearing was not pushing in any farther, as I continued to drive the bushing into the crank. The bearing is thicker than the bushing, so the back side of the bearing must be hitting the recess in the crank, and not allowing it to go in any farther. When I had the bushing all the way in, the bearing was standing proud of the bushing by about a tenth of an inch. Now I was worried that I would have interference with the input shaft.
To check this, I took the Quicktime bell and its backing plate and installed them on the engine. I measured from the mounting surface of the bell to the surface of the pilot bearing, and got 4-1/4". Seemed a little short to me. I went over to the trans, and when I measured that I got a real surprise. From the mounting surface of the transmission to the start of the pilot shaft, I measured 4-3/4"! Even if that pilot bearing hadn't pushed out, there's no way that the transmission would fit.
So, now I'm wondering if I'm missing some parts. If there's anybody here who has done one of these installs, can you tell me if there's a spacer that is supposed to go between the Quicktime Bell and the T56 Magnum? It seems to me like there ought to be a 1/2" spacer in there, or else I have the wrong transmission, or the wrong bellhousing. If you know something about this, please respond ASAP. In the meantime, I'm going to be working on front suspension and rear end stuff...
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Jay, I did not have the pilot bearing issues you are experiencing but I run in to a snag when I tightened the tranny/bell housing to the engine. The tranny yoke wouldn't turn unless I loosened up the bellhousing to engine bolts.
I ordered this spacer: http://lakewoodindustries.com/1-4-alum-t56-mag-trani-spacer.html
and problem was solved
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On the Camaro other than the shifter problems I also had release bearing problems...It was way to short and the fork smaked the trans..I had to remove the pivot bracket from the quicktime bellhousing and cut it apart to move it in 3/8..
This was after I already had the trans in..
I have long believed that the only thing that's a "bolt on" is a air freshener....
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Rule #1, no matter what the advertisement / catalog / tech person says....assume it will not fit.
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54 inches center to center with a C6 yoke and 1310 joint.I woke up with baited breath ....horrible.
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Jay, the spring perches should be in the same location on the '57 Ford housing and the '67 Mustang. You might want to check before you go to the trouble of cutting them off. Fairlane / Comet are different spacing. You do have to use either the '57 Ford lower shock plates or slot the u-bolt holes in the '67 Mustang shock plates since the Mustang uses a housing that necks down at the ends and the '57 Ford uses straight tubes. You may want to box in the spring perches though for strength. Knowing you, somehow it may wind up with more power some day lol.
I 2nd that about the spring perches on the 57 being the same as the 67 mustang, been there done that on my 1st 67 mustang.
First of 4!
Also Jay, I have the 3" Magnaflow exhaust on my 67 mustang and it fit quite well.
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Saturday morning and I've hit a major roadblock with this project. This morning I started working on mating up the engine and transmission. First thing I did was try to install the pilot bearing that comes with the American Powertrain kit. Unfortunately, it just slid right into the back of the crank, with no press. In fact, there was a bunch of slop. This pilot bearing is a roller bearing installed inside what looks like a bronze pilot bushing, with the center hole of the bushing opened up to accomodate the bearing. But measuring the outside of the assembly, it measures 1.820"; factory Ford pilot bushings measure 1.850". This thing was 0.030" too small in diameter! What a joke. I checked a stock Ford bushing but the ID was too small for the input shaft of the trans. I spent the next hour pressing the bearing out of the pilot bushing it was in, then cutting a factory pilot bushing on my lathe so that I could press in the bearing.
After fixing that problem, I went to install the new bushing/bearing into the back of the crank. After getting it pushed most of the way in, I noticed that the bearing was not pushing in any farther, as I continued to drive the bushing into the crank. The bearing is thicker than the bushing, so the back side of the bearing must be hitting the recess in the crank, and not allowing it to go in any farther. When I had the bushing all the way in, the bearing was standing proud of the bushing by about a tenth of an inch. Now I was worried that I would have interference with the input shaft.
To check this, I took the Quicktime bell and its backing plate and installed them on the engine. I measured from the mounting surface of the bell to the surface of the pilot bearing, and got 4-1/4". Seemed a little short to me. I went over to the trans, and when I measured that I got a real surprise. From the mounting surface of the transmission to the start of the pilot shaft, I measured 4-3/4"! Even if that pilot bearing hadn't pushed out, there's no way that the transmission would fit.
So, now I'm wondering if I'm missing some parts. If there's anybody here who has done one of these installs, can you tell me if there's a spacer that is supposed to go between the Quicktime Bell and the T56 Magnum? It seems to me like there ought to be a 1/2" spacer in there, or else I have the wrong transmission, or the wrong bellhousing. If you know something about this, please respond ASAP. In the meantime, I'm going to be working on front suspension and rear end stuff...
Hey Jay. Yes, I have a quicktime bell housing and a T56 xl... There is an aluminum spacer that is supposed to go between trans and bellhousing to distance the input shaft back away from the bushing. When I got my kit, it was the one thing they didnt have in stock and it had to be ordered trom tremec. I can crawl under the car and measure mkne if you would like. Not sure if you are going to machine your own?
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Thanks Jason, I'm wondering why I don't have that spacer, which should have come in the "complete" kit that I got from American Powertrain >:( I'm going to have to call those guys on Tuesday, and get ready to wait on hold for at least 20 minutes (I've never gotten through to anyone but the secretary in less than 20 minutes, and often it is 40). The missing spacer and the lack of instructions with this kit, with the sole exception being the instructions for the hydraulic clutch, is just icing on the cake of poor service from this company >:(
OK, rant off. Despite the transmission setback there was a lot of progress today, and I have a plan to proceed with the transmission anyway. My pal Steve was over helping out today, and after getting stalled on the engine/trans combination, Steve focused on the front suspension parts and I worked on getting the engine and trans ready to put together tomorrow. Since we weren't going to put the engine/trans in today, we didn't need to be able to roll the car around the shop, so there was no reason to limit the front suspension work to parts that could be quickly put back together to allow the car to roll. Steve tore apart the whole front suspension as a result, and replaced the upper control arms, lower control arms, and inner and outer tie rod ends. When he got the upper control arms off I marked and drilled new control arm mounting points, lowered by 1" like the early Shelbys. Here's a picture of the new upper control arm mounting points from under the engine compartment:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68UCA.jpg)
Steve and I also installed new front shocks, and a 1" front swaybar. Finally, Steve removed the front drum brakes in preparation for the front disc brake installation. Here's a picture of one side of the front suspension as it sits now:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68fsusp.jpg)
Back to the engine and trans, which I spent most of time on today. Here's a picture of the new pilot bearing with the roller bearing installed, with the old one, which was too small in diameter, on the right:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68pbear.jpg)
Made in China. Great ::)
After discovering the problem with the spacing of the trans to the engine, Steve and I talked about this for a while, and concluded that I could get the engine and trans dummied into place if I just made up some 1/2" thick donut spacers from 3/4" aluminum round stock that I have on hand, to bolt between the trans and the bellhousing. This way I could at least confirm the fit of the transmission in the car, and get a driveshaft measurement too (once the new rear end is installed). In fact, when I get the actual spacer I need I could actually cut it in half, and install it one half at a time, by pulling the small spacers on one side of the transmission and bolting in the first spacer half, and then repeating on the other side. So, I might even be able to keep the transmission installed in the car in that case, if there is room to put the full spacer in place once the transmission is installed.
With that plan in mind, I continued working on the engine and transmission to make sure it was completely ready to install once I made up the spacers. Of course, there were issues that came up, for example the starter. The picture below shows the Powermaster starter I'm using for this engine. It is one of their clockable starters, but despite the fact that it can be rotated with respect to the mounting points 360 degrees, I needed to make a slight "modification" in order to get it to fit on the engine and also clear the headers:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68start.jpg)
Despite a series of small problems like this, by dinner time I had the engine pretty much ready to go, with the clutch and bellhousing installed, and all the engine accessories. Here's a picture of the engine as it sits now, hanging from the engine hoist:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68enghng.jpg)
One thing I haven't installed yet is the clear valve covers; I think I will wait on those until the engine is finally installed in the car. One big reason I'm trying to get this car done now is so that I can drive it in the heat of the summer months, in traffic, and make sure that the clear polycarbonate valve covers don't melt LOL! Assuming they pass the summer drive test intact, I may start building those this fall.
As mentioned earlier I did get some instruction sheets for the hydraulic clutch cylinder and throwout bearing. Here's a picture of the throwout bearing installed on the transmission:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68tobear.jpg)
The instructions had me take some fairly precise measurements to set the distance from the throwout bearing face to the clutch fingers. They gave you a bunch of shims to shim the throwout bearing to get it closer, in order to achieve a gap of 0.150" to 0.200" between the face of the throwout bearing and the clutch fingers. Well, with a 1/2" spacer between the bellhousing and the transmission, I ended up with 0.110" of clearance, with no spacers. It says in the instructions that anything over 0.100" is OK, so I'm going to stick with what I've got, but I guess if the spacer ends up being more like 0.550", it would put me right on the suggested range.
In preparation for tomorrow, tonight I started looking at the transmission mount. These are the pieces that I think are involved (again, no instructions on this):
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68tmount.jpg)
It is not obvious to me how this mounting arrangement fits into my car. Anybody have any suggestions on this?
Tomorrow, I will install the front brakes first, so that the front tires can go back on the car and it can be moved around off the hoist, and then I'm going to whip up the 1/2" spacers on my lathe, and get the engine and trans test installed in the car. Should be a fun day. I'll post another update tomorrow - Jay
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Jay, the spring perches should be in the same location on the '57 Ford housing and the '67 Mustang. You might want to check before you go to the trouble of cutting them off. Fairlane / Comet are different spacing. You do have to use either the '57 Ford lower shock plates or slot the u-bolt holes in the '67 Mustang shock plates since the Mustang uses a housing that necks down at the ends and the '57 Ford uses straight tubes. You may want to box in the spring perches though for strength. Knowing you, somehow it may wind up with more power some day lol.
I 2nd that about the spring perches on the 57 being the same as the 67 mustang, been there done that on my 1st 67 mustang.
First of 4!
Also Jay, I have the 3" Magnaflow exhaust on my 67 mustang and it fit quite well.
I remeasured today, and confirmed that my 57 Ford rearend has the spring perches on centers that are narrower by 3/4" than the ones currently on the 8" in the Mustang. My guess is that if I pulled the springs inboard against the rubber spring eye mounts, I could bolt the 57 Ford rearend into position without too much trouble. But it would be pulling the leaf springs inboard by 3/8" per side. If I end up going with Cal-Tracs on this car, I don't think that would be a good option, so I'm going to cut the spring perches off and weld on new ones in the correct location.
Also, near as I can measure with the drums still on the rear end in the car, the overall length of the 57 Ford axle housing is about 1-1/4" shorter than the Mustang housing; do the 57 Ford axle housings that you guys have used also have this dimension?
Maybe my "57 Ford" rear axle housing is not really a 57 Ford? They guy I got it from can't remember for sure what year it was, but he told me it was a 57 when I got it from him...
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Hi Jay,
Very cool project, hope I can help some. I put a TKO 600 behind my Genesis 427 with a quicktime bellhousing and I ran into a similar problem. The TKO shaft is like 1/4 inch longer than the shaft for the topcover transmission. I went online, found the correct length for the input shaft and had it turned down to the correct length. You might also be able to just make an adapter plate to fit between the tranny and bellhousing. Good luck!
Dan
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Jay, was that a small block pilot bearing pressed into a bushing that came with the kit? Do you have a standard FE style 6303 bearing to use or would that be too thick? Never mind, I think you mentioned the hole was too small for the input shaft on this trans, but that doesn't make sense if they used a small block bearing. The FE and small block look like they are both .672-3ish. Is the input bigger than that? Also, please keep updated on the valve covers. A set of clear pentroofs may not look too bad either......Just saying if you ever get a chance ;) It wouldn't be hot rodding if you didn't have to re-engineer everything!
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Jay, was that a small block pilot bearing pressed into a bushing that came with the kit? Do you have a standard FE style 6303 bearing to use or would that be too thick? Never mind, I think you mentioned the hole was too small for the input shaft on this trans, but that doesn't make sense if they used a small block bearing. The FE and small block look like they are both .672-3ish. Is the input bigger than that? Also, please keep updated on the valve covers. A set of clear pentroofs may not look too bad either......Just saying if you ever get a chance ;) It wouldn't be hot rodding if you didn't have to re-engineer everything!
I checked the fit of a stock FE pilot bushing on the input shaft of the transmission, and it felt a little loose; the bearing that came with the kit felt much better. So, I think the pilot shaft on the Tremec transmission may be smaller in diameter than a Ford transmission.
You'll be happy to know that I have started on a plug for vacuum forming the pent roof valve covers. However, they are a much deeper draw than the Cobra Jet valve covers, so I don't know if I'll be able to get them to work or not. We will see...
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Hi Jay,
Very cool project, hope I can help some. I put a TKO 600 behind my Genesis 427 with a quicktime bellhousing and I ran into a similar problem. The TKO shaft is like 1/4 inch longer than the shaft for the topcover transmission. I went online, found the correct length for the input shaft and had it turned down to the correct length. You might also be able to just make an adapter plate to fit between the tranny and bellhousing. Good luck!
Dan
Dan, are you saying to turn down the splined portion of the shaft? Or are you saying just to cut the pilot shaft off shorter?
In my case the problem is that the splined portion of the shaft hits the pilot bearing about 3/8" before the face of the transmission contacts the bellhousing. MustangGT suggested a Lakewood spacer in his post; these are 1/4" thick, so I could go with two of those to get the clearances right. I could also machine one myself, but I don't know the precise location of all the holes, so it would be better (and easier) to just get two of the Lakewood spacers.
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I checked the fit of a stock FE pilot bushing on the input shaft of the transmission, and it felt a little loose; the bearing that came with the kit felt much better. So, I think the pilot shaft on the Tremec transmission may be smaller in diameter than a Ford transmission.
You'll be happy to know that I have started on a plug for vacuum forming the pent roof valve covers. However, they are a much deeper draw than the Cobra Jet valve covers, so I don't know if I'll be able to get them to work or not. We will see...
I wonder if the bushing you had was maybe worn a little? I thought maybe if you had one of the 6303 ball bearings, that might work. I just don't care for the Mickey Mouse bearing setup they sent you and not just because it's made in China. ::) I think I would do the same for now and make some 1/2" thick spacers around all the bolt holes to get the mockup complete until the replacement arrives. Also, thanks for the consideration on the pentroof covers. I would love to do the durability testing on those for you, LOL! Good luck with the rest of the project.
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Dan, are you saying to turn down the splined portion of the shaft? Or are you saying just to cut the pilot shaft off shorter?
In my case the problem is that the splined portion of the shaft hits the pilot bearing about 3/8" before the face of the transmission contacts the bellhousing. MustangGT suggested a Lakewood spacer in his post; these are 1/4" thick, so I could go with two of those to get the clearances right. I could also machine one myself, but I don't know the precise location of all the holes, so it would be better (and easier) to just get two of the Lakewood spacers.
Jay, my input shaft was too long. The first thing I did was have an aluminum 3/8" spacer made, using the bellhousing as a template. A local machine shop cut the spacer with one of those water jets and it came out pretty good. The spacer went between the the bellhousing and the transmission. That seemed to work OK, but I was concerned that the spacer would make the clutch ride 3/8" further up the input shaft. When I went online, I found the answer on Richmond's web site. Their 5 speed transmissions also have a long input shaft, and on the site it says that the shaft needs to be shortened to use on FE's and provides the dimensions the shaft needs to be. I called their tech line, and the tech confirmed the length difference. I took the dimensions and the web site info to a machinist who does a lot of work for local drag racers and guys running at Watkins Glen. I've had the shaft modified, but I'm working overseas right now and won't be able to put it back together until I come home in the summer. The engine is also out of the car, so I'll mock them both up together beforehand to make sure everything is right. Hope this clears it up a bit.
Dan
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Its pretty late, so I'm going to let the pictures do the talking. The first one shows the transmission with extended alignment pins, so I can use the 1/2" spacers to install the trans.
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/tranready.jpg)
Next is the engine and trans assembled, with help from my friend thatdarncat:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/4286sp.jpg)
Here's a couple of pictures of the front brake installation, which I had to complete before I could roll the car around to get it ready for the engine and transmission:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68wilw1.jpg)
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68wilw2.jpg)
And, here's the engine going in the car, and temporarily installed:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68install.jpg)
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68installed.jpg)
More tomorrow...
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You might want to remove the pivot ball for the throw out arm on the transmission. I had to take mine off because it hit the McLeod RST pressure plate.
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Jay, I`m looking at your install photo and seeing its tight, well I just installed the mockup motor and tranny in my Tbolt wagon and its tighter than the Mustang! I have it in my shop this weekend and using the shop hoist and my engine tilter I had it almost straight up! The motor has the factory deep pan on it as well. It fits ,but wow is it close. Next step is to seehow the headers fit in the chassie. I already had some fitment problems with the cross shaft but I`m working that out.I`ll post pictures in a couple of days.
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Thought I'd take a lunch break and post some more pictures and a progress update. After getting the engine installed and one the mounts last night, this morning I worked on getting the transmission mount installed, and the transmission positioned where I wanted it in the car.
I started by jacking up the back of the transmission to see how well the shifter on the trans would align with the hole in the floor. To my surprise and delight, it was nearly a perfect fit:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68shift.jpg)
I could see there would be some minor trimming required around the opening, to clear the bolts on the left and right side of the shifter housing, but other than that there were really no issues. Next I measured from the center of the transmission shaft to either side of the frame and the pinch weld of the rocker panels, and unfortunately found that the transmission was off center towards the drivers side by 1/2". I thought I would try to just push it over into position, but there was interference with the tunnel in several spots. The biggest interference spot was with these triangular ears that protrude from the passenger side of the transmission:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68interf.jpg)
It didn't look like these things really did anything. The top rear one was the biggest offender, so I decided to cut that one off with the sawzall, and grind a little on the lower rear one and top front one to add some clearance in that area. Here's a picture of the modification:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68intcut.jpg)
After the modification I put the trans back up in the tunnel, but found more interference, this time with the factory crossmember support welded to the floor. Some of that had been cut away already on Saturday, per Cory's post, but in order to get the trans centered in the tunnel I needed to cut away quite a bit more of it on the passenger side. Down came the trans again, and with no good access for a cutting wheel I ended up using my plasma cutter to take out some more of the material. Then I went in with a die grinder to clean it up. Now with the trans jacked up I was able to get it centered in the tunnel, with at least 1/4" of clearance all around.
Next I tried to bolt on the transmission mount and figure out how that whole thing worked. I ran into another intereference problem here, with the stud that comes down from the frame bracket that holds the emergency brake cable bellcrank. In the photo below I've dropped the trans down a little; that stud sticking down has got to go:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68interf2.jpg)
This is kind of a problem because I was hoping to use the factory emergency brake cable to activate the emergency brakes built into the rear disc brake kit. There is no way that bellcrank will fit in there, even with the stud still in place, because the transmission mount is in the way. I think I'll end up dropping the whole emergency brake cable setup down a little, and fabricating a new stud that welds to the transmission mount, in order to make the emergency brake functional. Just a little more fabricating ;)
Finally after cutting the stud I got the transmission and mount up into the car where I wanted it to be, centered in the tunnel and as high as possible. I measured the angle of the back of the trans and it was exactly the same as the angle of the 8" rearend yoke that is still in the car, so that was OK. I wish the trans angle had been a little higher, but I can compensate for that when I install the 9" axle housing this afternoon. With the trans mount in position it was obvious now how it had to be attached to the car, and it was bolted through the floorboards! What a Mickey Mouse deal that is! For now I decided to just install it, but it will need some serious bracing in order for me to be comfortable driving the car, especially since the floorpans in this car were replaced at some point, and I don't know what kind of the job the installer did. I'd hate to rely on a poorly welded in floorpan, or any floorpan for that matter, to support the back of the trans.
Here's a picture of the transmission mount installed from underneath, and then one of the interior of the car with the transmission up into position. Based on how well it fit through the stock opening, I think it will fit my console just fine:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68tmountinst.jpg)
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68intmount.jpg)
Thinking ahead, my idea of splitting the spacer I need in two and installing it from under the car is obviously not practical given the transmission position in the tunnel; access to the top bolts is very limited. So, I'm going to have to pull the engine and trans back out to install the spacers. No big deal, though, its only about an hour to get it out and another hour to get it back in, so I think installing the spacers and replacing the engine and trans is an evening project. Also, yesterday before I bolted the transmission on the engine, I measured the pilot shaft diameter, and it was 0.678". This was pretty close to the numbers Jared had mentioned in his post earlier. Why would my stock pilot bushing be so loose on the pilot shaft? I went digging around for another one, and sure enough it fit very well. Jared, I think you called it with the worn pilot bushing; I think the first one I tried had been used on the dyno quite a few times, and was probably just worn enough to make it feel loose. So, when I get the engine and trans back out to add the spacers, I think I will probably pull the clutch off and replace that Chinese pilot bearing with a stock Ford bushing. So, maybe its a two evening project ;D
This afternoon I'll be installing the rear axle housing, getting it angled properly and tacked in position on the spring perches, and then temporarily installing the 9" center section, so I can get a measurement for the driveshaft. Then the axle housing has to come out, be cleaned and painted, and then assembled with the axles and center section and re-installed in the car. Also, over the weekend my Y-block pal shamed me into a decision on the springs and Cal-Tracs ("What the hell is wrong with you? Slapper bars???"), so I guess I'll be ordering that setup tomorrow. There goes another $1000 ::) But, then the car will have all new suspension, front and rear, all new disc brakes, and a new engine, trans, and rear end. It will probably take me another few weeks of screwing around with the details to get it finished, but by the end of the day today most of the hard work will be done. I'll try to post a quick update later this evening.
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A weekend project! Holy mother of FE's! :)
Hey, you may want to replace the heater core now.....just a thought.
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Jay, the transmission crossmember is not supposed to be bolted through the floor.
I don't have a picture of mine right now but I found a couple of pics online that shows the correct way to do it.
http://www.ronmorrisperformance.com/01hot_new/
The instructions that came with my kit was very clear on this. Are you missing the instructions?
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Thanks for that picture. No, my kit did not come with instructions >:(. Looks like I bolted it up wrong, but to be honest I don't like the way it looks when is bolted up correctly, either. I'm going to weld some tabs from the frame rail over to the bracket that I have bolted to the floor, and strengthen it that way.
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54 inches center to center with a C6 yoke and 1310 joint.I woke up with baited breath ....horrible.
Too long, need 48-3/4 with a 1350 U-joint. Must've been the big smelt fry...
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Thanks for that picture. No, my kit did not come with instructions >:(. Looks like I bolted it up wrong, but to be honest I don't like the way it looks when is bolted up correctly, either. I'm going to weld some tabs from the frame rail over to the bracket that I have bolted to the floor, and strengthen it that way.
No problem, Jay.
If you want I can have a look and see if I can find the paperwork that came with my kit, scan them and email to you?
Even though my crossmember have held up nicely for 3 years, you can't beat welding ;)
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Thanks for the offer, but I don't think its necessary. I actually kind of like the idea that I can move the rear of the transmission up and down those slots. I want to make sure that the shifter fits correctly with the console, and being able to move the trans up and down may help with that. Some welded tabs will be an easy addition to those brackets.
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When I did the T56 conversion on the Camaro a few weeks ago I got "NO" paperwork on anything...It was a universal x-member that was for the car but I had to look up on the net for a picture as it just didn't make sense..It required redrilling and some cutting..No paper work on the trans or install instructions.I had to use my multi meter to figure which plug was for the reverse lights...Shifter tower bracket required lots of rework as well..
After I got it all figured out I put the one pce (h-pipe)stainless exhaust back up only to have the h-pipe hit the crossmember...I had to cut the exhaust into 6 pcs and then tig it all back together....
Eventually it all works out and takes much longer than planned....
Keep forging ahead Jay....
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With trans mount, the up and down action is great.
Hint. I would fit some stop blocks to the elongated holes when you finally have it
in position. You know it will slip down while a good distance from the tool box. ;)
As always Jay, Great Show.
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Yes, I figured on doing that. No way it would stay in place with all the normal vibration issues.
Hope my engine sounds as good as yours, Howie...
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Hey Jay,
Just out of curiousity, did you get a Lock out solenoid with your kit? Paul over at Modern Drivelines got me one because the T56 (XL-At least) has 6th gear and reverse really close in the shift pattern..... Nothing like going 80 MPH on the interstate with that big FE, going to put the car in 6th (overdrive) and accidentally putting it in Reverse LOL
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Yes, I did get that solenoid with the trans, plus the wiring harness that plugs into it. Scary thought, that reverse at 70 MPH scenario...
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That would be an "oopsie" moment for sure ;)
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Over the weekend, amid a whole bunch of other stuff to do, I got the spring perches welded on the axle housing. This is the first axle housing I've done in a few years, since I got my big LeBlonde lathe, so I thought I'd chuck it up on the lathe and look at the runout of the tubes after the welding operation:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/diffstraight.jpg)
I had about +/- 0.035" runout on one tube and about +/- 0.050" on the other. I figured that was close enough; what do you guys think?
Also last week I called Calvert racing for the rear suspension package. Today was Calvert Christmas:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/caltracxmas.jpg)
I think I'll put the leaf springs in tonight...
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I see that transmission spacer!!! That picture is like gear head QVC. Lol
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Yep, the transmission spacers came this week too. I've got to get the rear end in first so I can put the car back on the ground, then I can pull the engine and trans back out, install the spacers, and do the final engine and trans install. Hopefully this Saturday...
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I was out at Calvert last week Jay.
What a fun place.
Calvert Christmas is a beautiful thing.
I see you boxed your perches as Howie suggested I do.
Diggin this build.
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I was out at Calvert last week Jay.
What a fun place.
Calvert Christmas is a beautiful thing.
I see you boxed your perches as Howie suggested I do.
Diggin this build.
Hey Marc, I believe Jay has the "pre-boxed" perches from Calvert if I'm not mistaking. If you want to box your new ones or factory ones like I did, you can very easily do it with some flat stock steel. ;)
Jay, I'm not sure I understand why your pulling the engine back out also. If you're just installing the spacer, can't you just leave the engine bolted to the mounts and angle it down enough to just pull the trans? Is there more to it than just the spacer? Also, I noticed when I made my torque strap from hex stock steel and heims, when I pulled the trans out the last two times, the engine never moved. :)
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I'd say your good to go at 0.050" runout.
You could probably flex the housing in the lathe 20 or 30 thou just pushing on it.
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Jay, I'm not sure I understand why your pulling the engine back out also. If you're just installing the spacer, can't you just leave the engine bolted to the mounts and angle it down enough to just pull the trans? Is there more to it than just the spacer? Also, I noticed when I made my torque strap from hex stock steel and heims, when I pulled the trans out the last two times, the engine never moved. :)
Mostly because I think it will be easier for me to pull the whole unit than to unbolt the trans from under the car and do the things I want to do. I'm actually planning on pulling that roller pilot bearing out of there and replacing it with a stock type pilot bushing, and having the engine/trans on the ground to do that and add the spacers will be easier, I think. Takes me about an hour to get the engine out, and another hour to get it back installed, and I don't have to horse a heavy transmission up into the tunnel and try to line it up :P
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Mostly because I think it will be easier for me to pull the whole unit than to unbolt the trans from under the car and do the things I want to do. I'm actually planning on pulling that roller pilot bearing out of there and replacing it with a stock type pilot bushing, and having the engine/trans on the ground to do that and add the spacers will be easier, I think. Takes me about an hour to get the engine out, and another hour to get it back installed, and I don't have to horse a heavy transmission up into the tunnel and try to line it up :P
Gotcha. Hopefully it'll be on the road soon. :)
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For various reasons I had to pull the T56 back out of the 67 Camaro numerous times.There is nothing flat or uniform about the bottom and sides of the tranny.I had to cut blocks of wood to shim the thing still on my transmission jack and then strap it tight with a cargo strap.Last time I did it the shims slipped and I dropped the trans off the jack.I was by myself and there was no way for me to get it back on the stand and safely strapped down by myself...When it is on the jack it is to high to slide under the car when the car is on stands.So you are on your back under the car....It wears thin after a while..
It wasn't a option for me but yanking it out(engine,trans) and working on the whole unit on the floor seems a better way...
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Yea, if I remember correctly, definitely too high on the tranny jack to fit under the side skirts of my Saleen, but I think I ended up taking off the front drivers side wheel and coming in at an angle.... Oddly enough, it fit through that path. If I had to do it all over again, I would definitely called down some family to help, and slid the trans and engine in as a whole. Especially the time saver of not having to torque the bolts with 4 extensions LOL
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More work done on the rear end tonight, getting pretty close to being able to roll this thing around. For my pal thatdarncat, and anybody else who may be interested, here are the compressed and extended lengths of the Calvert Racing shocks:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/calvertshocks.jpg)
You get a little parallax error with the photo, but the right side of the tape is lined up with the end of the rubber donut. Looks like 13-1/2" compressed, and 19-3/4" extended, before any compression of the rubber donuts.
Last night I got the leaf springs installed. Tonight, after cleaning out the axle housing, I bolted it in place with the Cal-Tracs and the U-bolts from Calvert racing. Looked pretty good, and everything fit perfectly:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/axlehousinginstalled.jpg)
Then after a clean up of the sealing surfaces and digging around to find the 9" housing gasket (My last one! Better order more...), I installed the pumpkin and tightened up the bolts. I even found a spare set of copper washers to go on the axle housing studs. Also bolted the shocks into place at this point. And, as luck would have it, my driveshaft from American Powertrain arrived today. I always worry about the fit of the driveshaft, but the big moment came, and it slid right into the trans and up into the rear end yoke with no issues. Looks just about perfect for length. Here's a couple pics from under the car:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/diffinstalled1.jpg)
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/diffinstalled2.jpg)
Tomorrow night I'm going to install the axles and rear brakes, and get the rear wheels back on the car. Then I should be all set to roll it off the hoist for the engine/trans R&R planned for Saturday.
Getting closer...
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If im not completly wrong so what you have there
is a 57 T-bird axle
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For what it's worth on my 67 mustang the Calvert rear shocks were too long. I had to exchange them for shorter 65/66 mustang rear shocks.
My car has 275/60/15 (28" tall tires) and sits just slightly above them on stock springs.
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Bump
What's new?
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Rear brakes are on, but that's about it. I've been sucked into the SOHC project for the last week; I have a couple of friends coming in a few weeks to help dyno the engine, and I wanted to make sure it was ready in plenty of time, so I have temporarily shelved the 68 project. Should get back on it at the end of the month.
Punch list to get it going is like this:
- Remove engine and trans, install trans spacers and pilot bushing (after removing Chinese pilot bearing).
- Install master cylinder, run brake lines
- Install hydraulic clutch cylinder and reservoir, run lines
- Re-install engine/trans
- Install radiator and hook everything up
- Drive and enjoy :D
Hopefully I can get all that stuff done in a week or so after I get back to it...
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Awesome, good luck.
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Toss up between 2 awesome projects...... I don't envy you .... Or do I?
Just out of curiousity (and a little off topic with the 68 thrash). Which Rods are you putting back in the SOHC?
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I went with Crowers again. See the 577 SOHC Post Mortem post.
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Finally, the mad thrash leading up to Drag Week is over, Drag Week is done, my business trip to Europe is over, the shop has been thoroughly cleaned (took a good three weeks!), and I've had my big Drag Week victory party. FINALLY, I'm back now on this project. I had Friday, Saturday and Sunday more or less free, so I got back to work getting all the new components for this car hooked up.
The biggest items were the hydraulic clutch setup and the master cylinder and brake lines, so I started there. Figured it would take me a full day to get all this done. What a joke LOL! I'll bet I've got 20 hours in this part already, and haven't even started running the lines. I started by removing the master cylinder in order to get access down below to mount the clutch cylinder. After pulling the master cylinder, I knew I was in for more than I had originally bargained for:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/fwallhole.jpg)
The firewall is totally hacked up. To the right of the clutch rod you can see the remnants of the original hole where it came through the firewall, and it has been hogged out towards the middle of the car so that the clutch rod can come through. Why was this done? I have no idea. But looking at the clutch rod itself, there have obviously been some "modifications":
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/cprod.jpg)
The problem here was that the new hydraulic clutch cylinder is supposed to bolt onto the firewall, around the original hole. Since that area has been opened up, I had to fabricate a custom piece to bridge the enlarged hole, in order to support the hydraulic clutch cylinder. The cylinder and the 1/8" steel backing plate that comes with it sandwiches the firewall to hold it in place. I ended up making a whole new steel backing plate. The picture below shows the original backing plate on the right, and the new one that goes across the hole and bolts to the firewall on the left:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/fwallplate.jpg)
Of course another issue with all this is that there's a fair amount of work to be done under the dash. I'd forgotten how much fun that was >:( Trying to get the bolts through the plate from under the dash, while my son held the hydraulic clutch cylinder in place on the engine compartment side, caused lots of cramps in my arms and neck, and bumps on the head. Finally, at the end of the day on Saturday, I got the clutch cylinder in position and bolted down:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/clutchcyl.jpg)
Sunday morning I got out to the shop, expecting the Wilwood master cylinder installation to go much more quickly. It did, sort of, but fabrication was required here also. The Wilwood master cylinder just had a threaded rod coming out the end to attach to the brake pedal. No way I could just screw on a rod end and bolt it to the Mustang brake pedal; the pedal has a fairly thick stud coming out of it, and of course the brake light switch is also integrated into this assembly. After thinking about this for a while I decided to cut the end off the original master cylinder pushrod, and graft that onto the Wilwood master cylinder. So I cut the end off the original master cylinder pushrod, and also cut the threaded portion off the 3/8" rod end. Then I bored the rod end out to a depth of 1/8" or so, and pressed the original master cylinder pushrod end into place. Here's a picture of the Wilwood master cylinder, and the original pushrod that was cut, the rod end that was cut, and the 3/8" original master cylinder end pressed into the threaded body of the rod end. Also shown is the brake light switch:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/mcparts.jpg)
The Sharpie marks on the rod of the Wilwood master cylinder are where it needed to be threaded down to, so I took a tap and threaded the rod all the way down to the second Sharpie mark. Then I welded the old master cylinder end into the piece of the rod end that I'd cut off. Then I had to cut the Wilwood rod down to the correct length, but after filing that smooth I was able to thread the "new" rod end onto the Wilwood master cylinder, along with a jam nut:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/mcmod.jpg)
With this arrangement I can adjust the length of the master cylinder pushrod, lock it with the jam nut when I've got it correct, and still use the factory brake light switch.
After a break this afternoon to watch some football, I got back out to the shop tonight, and mounted the rear brake proportioning valve, and also the reservoir for the hydraulic clutch cylinder. Here's a picture of everything bolted into place:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/mcccpbr.jpg)
Despite the new parts this corner of the engine compartment is a real mess. But this car is going to be a driver, not a show car, so at this point I'm satisfied that everything is solidly in place and functional. I still need to finish the clutch rod and master cylinder rod hookup under the dash ( :(), and then run the lines and bleed the brakes, but hopefully the rest of this job won't be as bad the last couple days. I'll try to post another update on this project next weekend - Jay
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Agree it makes no sense as to why someone made that hole. It looks, in the lower right corner, that a flame cutter was used to make that hole. Strange.
Your fix to the master cylinder rod is interesting. Still, I hate the idea of a weldment on such a critical part that even, with a great weld and the part being in compression, a failure here could really hurt you or someone else. JMO!
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I'm not too concerned about it, Bob, because I counterbored the threaded sleeve and pressed the original master cylinder rod end into the sleeve, probably close to 1/4" deep. I think it would probably have held just fine if the weld wasn't even there, but welding for sure makes it secure.
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As always Jay that's some good engineering to make it work.
I've done a similar configger to a M/C push rod. Works for me.
Now would be the time to fit the line lock in.
It's hard to hold the car without one.
You know at the box and line. You know you will. ;)
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Good idea, Howie, and I just happen to have a spare line lock on the shelf ;D I can get it installed in the brake line and just hook it up later, if (when!) I decide to take this thing to the track...
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Gotta love that under-dash work! ::) I had a big dose of that this last summer when r+r-ing the AC/heat plenum on the Fairlane. I went ahead and bit the bullet by removing the seat, carpet, etc. so I could really get my "head" into it.
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I'm not too concerned about it, Bob, because I counterbored the threaded sleeve and pressed the original master cylinder rod end into the sleeve, probably close to 1/4" deep. I think it would probably have held just fine if the weld wasn't even there, but welding for sure makes it secure.
Ah, got it. The depth helps. Just was concerned since I've heard of a few almost tragic incidents and saw the results of one, where someone half-ass welded a relocated factory brake pedal pivot pin (the pin that engages the back end of the brake pushrod) and it broke over time. Each went for a wild ride for sure!
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.....and I've had my big Drag Week victory party.
Hmm, our invitation must have been lost in the mail? I hate it when that happens :(
Gotta love that under-dash work! ::) I had a big dose of that this last summer when r+r-ing the AC/heat plenum on the Fairlane. I went ahead and bit the bullet by removing the seat, carpet, etc. so I could really get my "head" into it.
THIS ^^^ is the answer, at least the seat anyway. Only takes a few minutes and is sooo much easier on the back and neck.
I can't remember if it was posted, but is this the hydraulic throwout bearing style or a cylinder that pushes against the throwout arm? I'll be curious how it feels when it's done. I've only been in one retro-fit job and it was pretty sensitive. I didn't care for it but I think it could have been made better with some fiddling. Is there any sort of adjustment on the pressure?
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They sell adjustable brake push rods but I would imagine you were in a hurry.
What you did looks good to me.
http://www.cjponyparts.com/ssbc-brakes-adjustable-master-cylinder-pushrod-kit-with-adapters-1964-1978/p/A1726/
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Gee, Doug, I would have invited you if I thought you'd be willing to drive 1000 miles to be here ;D It was a good party, but it wasn't that good...
I did have the front seats out when laying under the dash. Still a pain though. One of the issues I have is that I require bifocals in my old age, and getting your head into the right position to see what you are trying to see, while looking through the bottom half of the glasses lens, can be kind of difficult. I end up taking my glasses off now for welding, or working with anything up close. It just isn't that easy anymore...
The throwout bearing is the hydraulic style. I'm kind of curious to see how that works out myself. I do not know of any adjustment on the bearing or the clutch cylinder, except for the rod length going to the pedal.
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Bifocals? Wait until you absolutely have to have trifocals! LOL. Now I use computer lenses when I need the lower part of my glasses. You can order a pair of computer lenses(whole lens is bifocal) with the bi-portion of your prescription, and get them for any distance you need for close work. They will actually measure the distance from your face to the monitor, work station, or work bench for best clarity. It is a pain getting older. Joe-JDC
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Yes nowadays i weld more by ears
And Old habits
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One of the issues I have is that I require bifocals in my old age, and getting your head into the right position to see what you are trying to see, while looking through the bottom half of the glasses lens, can be kind of difficult.
Tri-focal glasses can be the answer. The top area matches the bottom area. You won't have to tilt your head so far back. ::)
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LOL...I guess we're all fighting these issues. I don't see guys complaining about these problems on the SN195/197 forums. ::)
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Bump :)
Wuzzup?
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If only we could Clone Jay ;D. Lots of stuff happening at the FE Power chicken farm and race car hatchery, just less on the '68. Jay has been helping some other people with their projects, but I bet we hear updates on various things soon.
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Bump :)
Wuzzup?
Brake lines are run, hydraulic clutch lines run, pedals are connected. That's about it since the last update. Working on Jason's motor today, plus my former trunk monkey will be here this afternoon getting his 392 hemi on the dyno. More on that when we get it running...
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Any progress on the 68 Jay, or has Joel's ADD rubbed off on you?
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Not since my last post, I've been working on the race car instead. Decided I wanted to get that a little further along first. Hope to have some progress on the 68 coming up at the end of April...
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I've been working on the race car instead.
Now that is great news.
It's like the old tome: How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice....or on this case, prepare, test, prepare!
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Man, this is an old thread! As usual when I started this over two years ago I was hopelessly optimistic about getting the project done in a short period of time. Real life keeps interfering with my best laid plans. Just to recap, after I got the parts that I needed to complete the installation of the transmission, including the spacer plate that goes between the bellhousing and a few other parts, Drag Week necessities took priority and except for some minor progress on the brakes and hydraulic clutch setup, the car sat up on my hoist for nearly two years. It kept moving up and down my list of priorities; whenever I started feeling like I had the time to finish the project, some other "emergency" would pop up, and the project would get put on the back burner again.
Thankfully, that all ended about three weeks ago. I took a couple days to finish up the work underneath the car just prior to my son's graduation party, and then when I had a bunch of people over for the party, I took the opportunity to enlist some help and get the brakes bled. I tried to get the clutch system bled too, but discovered an O-ring on the clutch master cylinder had been installed incorrectly, so it wouldn't hold fluid. The O-ring was shot so I ordered a new one. Then came my son's back surgery, which tied me up for about a week and a half, but finally when the long Fourth of July weekend came around I had the free time I needed to finish up the project.
I figured it would only take me a day or two to get all the wiring done, finish in the engine compartment, reassemble the interior, etc. Wrong again LOL! It took me all four days to get the car as complete as I could, and in fact I needed some parts to finish that I didn't have, including a couple of relays for the electric fans, and a temperature switch to turn them on and off automatically. The Fourth of July passed on Tuesday with the car almost complete, but needing those parts to run and drive.
Wednesday last week I was out of town, but the parts had arrived by Thursday so I got them installed and FINALLY was ready to start the engine. I'd already run over 100 dyno pulls on this engine; it is the 425HP 428CJ that is detailed in my intake comparo book. I had installed one of my intake adapters and an Edelbrock Torker II, and run the engine again when I was doing the initial testing on the intake adapter. It made about 440 HP with that intake combination, and was running flawlessly when I took it off the dyno. So, naturally, when I fired it up on Thursday it sounded like complete crap. It was missing, it was pig rich, it would hardly run. What the hell?
I was able to keep it running at around 1800 RPM by turning the idle way up, and went looking into the carb with flashlight. This is a 750 double pumper Holley, and I've been running it for quite some time, at least eight years. When I peered into the carb, fuel was dripping out of the booster venturis. I tried re-setting the floats, but they were OK as is. I revved the engine a couple times and then saw that fuel was squirting straight up into the air, out of the carb. That turned out to be a bad gasket between the screw that holds the primary shooter in place, and the shooter. Of course, when I went in to try to replace it, I had a difficult time getting the shooter into the proper position, with the gasket underneath it and the other gasket between the screw and the shooter, because this carb has a choke and access is rather limited in this area. After dropping and retrieving the shooter a couple times I finally got it installed. Now fuel didn't shoot up into the air, but it was still dripping out of the booster venturis and the car was obviously still missing. I finally just gave up on this carb, and pulled it off to put some new gaskets in it, and hopefully solve the problem. However, this carb had been assembled at Holley with the normal paper gaskets, not those blue coated ones. They tore all to hell when I took the float bowls and metering block off. I spent the next half hour trying to scrape the gaskets off the metering block, and finally just threw in the towel. Man, I hate carburetors! ( ;D ;D) I did have a fairly new Holley HP carb in my collection, so I grabbed that one and quickly installed it. Of course, I had to make a modification to the throttle linkage, and the return spring setup, and the air cleaner stud...
Now the engine fired and at least there was no fuel dripping into the engine unmetered; it sounded quite a bit better. But, it was still obviously missing. I checked the timing and it looked OK, and I thought maybe I had a bad plug or something. I popped the distributor cap to make sure the rotor looked OK, and it did, but sitting inside the distributor was a 3/8-16 nut. How did that get in there? Maybe I had the cap off when the engine came off the dyno and the nut dropped in without me noticing it? That's the only thing I could think of. I took a closer look at the distributor, and saw this:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/7tangs.jpg)
Obviously, with only 7 tangs on the reluctor wheel, I was only going to be firing on 7 cylinders. Digging around a little more I found the broken off tang. I assume what happened was the nut that got into the distributor got wedged between the pickup and a tang, and broke the tang off when the distributor turned. Marvelous.
Sitting on the shelf I had a brand new in the box MSD 8594 distributor. I decided to just slam that thing in there. I pulled it out of the box, installed the springs and bushing that I wanted, and installed the distributor in the engine. By the way, installing the distributor was easy because of the clear valve covers. I could watch the number one rockers open and close the valves, so I knew that I had the distributor phased correctly, and not 180 degrees off. Pretty handy, really. Got the distributor all hooked up, cranked the engine, and - nothing. No hint of firing. I re-checked the connections a couple times, but no matter what I did, the engine wouldn't fire. Finally I put the other distributor back in, and the engine fired right up on 7 cylinders. The only conclusion I could come to was that the pickup in the new distributor was bad.
A few weeks ago there was a post on the forum here about problems with the MSD distributor pickups. I remember mentioning that I had never seen a bad one. Obviously, I jinxed myself by making that comment, and I am convinced that as soon as I wrote that, the MSD pickup in my new-in-the-box 8594 distributor took a crap >:( So, I had one distributor with a working pickup and only 7 tangs on the reluctor, and another distributor with a bad pickup. I spent the next 45 minutes or so extracting the good pickup from the old distributor, and installing it in the new distributor. I also tested the bad pickup, and it came in at 640 Ohms, which would indicate that it should work. Go figure. FINALLY, after the distributor installation the engine fired up and sounded just fine. Here's a picture of the engine compartment, and also one of the wiring on the fenderwell that runs that electric fans, electric water pump, and electric fuel pump:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68Must428CJ.jpg)
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68Mustrelays.jpg)
So now the big moment had arrived when I could finally back this thing out of the garage, for the first time in over two years. I was anxious to see how this six speed transmission was going to act. I was also anxious to see how the car looked, with the Shelby drop on the front upper control arms, plus new springs and shocks front and rear, and the Cal-Tracs. Very carefully I put the trans in reverse, and ever so slowly let out the clutch. The clutch engaged all at once, squealed the rear tires and killed the engine. I tried two more times with basically the same result, but finally got the car out of the garage. Putting the trans in first gear, I tried to get the car moving but basically had the same issue. Seemed like the clutch was either on or off. This is a McCleod dual disc clutch setup and the hydraulic throwout bearing with the hydraulic clutch master cylinder, and between the two I simply could not get the car moving without barking the rear tires and killing the engine. Finally I just figured I had to get the car on the road for a while and maybe the clutch would wear in a little, so I smoked the tires out of the driveway and drove down the road. Despite a few glances from other drivers, the shakedown cruise was uneventful, and after the first 10 miles or so the clutch had improved noticeably. I was actually able to pull away from a stop sign without smoking the tires by the end of the test drive. I have about 200 miles on the car now, and the clutch is still very grabby, but is no longer a liability.
The transmission is a dream. It shifts so easily and effortlessly, and the gears are easy to find and right where you expect them to be. With 4.11 gears, the car is at 2500 RPM at 75 MPH in sixth, so long road trips are no problem. I've never had a manual transmission that works this well, not even a toploader. The only gripe I had on the first drive was that the shifter handle that came with the kit positioned the shifter too far over towards the driver; I'd hit my knee with the shift knob when going to second gear. I fixed that later by putting the shift lever in my vise and bending it over a couple of inches; now it is perfectly positioned. Here's an interior picture of the car; sure like that six speed pattern on the shift knob...
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68Mustint.jpg)
The engine idles at 1000 RPM and seems to be very reliable. It sits between 170 and 185 degrees with the four core factory style radiator and the electric fans, and shows no signs of overheating despite some pretty hot weather we've been having lately. The Magnaflow exhaust system is a little louder than I was hoping it would be, but it doesn't drone at speed and it is still quiet enough to talk in the interior. And I've sat in traffic with it now long enough to develop some confidence in the polycarbonate valve covers; they show no signs of getting soft or bubbling or blistering, and they don't appear to be turning yellow, although that is a little hard to tell because the oil tends to put a yellowish tint on them when the engine is running. The only real problem with the valve covers, and one I'd figured on, was that without baffles under the breathers, the breathers mist some oil onto the valve covers. It's worse on the passenger side, where the breather is farther back towards the rear of the engine. I don't find it particularly objectionable, but assuming that these covers last out the summer with no problem I will need to figure out a way to baffle the breather openings. For now I may cap the one on the passenger side and add a breather to the rear of the intake. But in any case so far, it looks like the clear valve covers are going to hold up.
I'm also very pleased with the stance of the car, and the handling. Despite the drag race oriented shocks, it is flat around corners and handles varied road surfaces quite well. If anything, I think it is a little too low, but it doesn't seem to hit the exhaust or anything else over bumps, so I think I will leave it as is. That Shelby drop and the big front sway bar sure made a difference in handling; this car never handled that well before. It has the usual no-feel, factory leak option Mustang power steering, but I guess I'm used to that and don't find it objectionable. Here's a couple of pictures of the car as it is today:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68Mustext1.jpg)
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68Mustext2.jpg)
Finally, the link below is a little video walk-around of the car, focusing on the valve covers with the engine running.
https://youtu.be/9Xqc70OzPy0
The car still has some issues I need to address; the fold-down rear set rattles when going over bumps, the plate in the console that has the shifter opening clatters a little too, the gas gauge reads full when the tank is full, and empty when the tank is half-full, the side mirror won't stay adjusted, etc. etc. But I can get those items taken care of as I go along. And as I'm sure you've guessed, this car is a blast to drive. I'm going to put at least a couple thousand miles on the car yet this summer; nice to have a daily drivable FE back in the garage!
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Awesome Jay. I was wondering what had happened to this one..... :0) Congrats
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very good write up , thank you for the real world test drive .
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A few weeks ago there was a post on the forum here about problems with the MSD distributor pickups. I remember mentioning that I had never seen a bad one. Obviously, I jinxed myself by making that comment, and I am convinced that as soon as I wrote that, the MSD pickup in my new-in-the-box 8594 distributor took a crap >:(
That was my thread, and it seems to be contagious. When I checked mine, it checked fine also. I now carry a small bag in the trunk with a spare distributor AND a spare pickup, along with a 1/2" wrench, an 11/32 wrench and a 9/64 allen wrench. Probably overkill, but I've learned my lesson >:(
The car looks good and I like the stance. Is that a stock style alternator or one with an internal regulator? What size is it and do you notice dimming with all the high draw stuff at lower speeds or idle? I just put a 100 amp Powermaster (stock style) on my Mach and so far I'm pretty happy with it. It puts out quite a bit more current even at lower speeds.
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Doug, after the experience with my brand new in the box MSD distributor, I'm ordering a spare pickup too. Who would have thunk it?
The alternator is a chromed, 100 amp stock style alternator, and I have not noticed any lack of amperage with it, even with both electric fans running. I think it should be fine; I've added between 40 and 50 amps at max current draw to the electrical system, and what were the stock alternators, 40 amp or 60 amp? That alternator should compensate for the added components.
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Man I like that car Jay.
I'm "jonesing" on your electric water pump choice.
I have that set up ready for the Fairlane but am thinking about the Mustang also.
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I forgot I was going to comment about the misting coming from the breathers. It may sound a bit cheesey, and maybe it is, but I've found that an old tennis wristband popped over the bottom of the breather does a nice job of stopping the mist from spreading over the engine bay. They're cheap, come in multitudes of colors, can be popped off easily and discarded/replaced, or just taken off for a show-n-shine. I've done this on a couple of engines when the aftermarket rockers would not clear the baffles, and I didn't run a closed PCV system. It's cheap, easy...and it works. I always use black or dark blue and they don't bother me a bit for looks. I'd post a picture...but PHOTOBUCKET >:(
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Jay 2 things, the magnet in your dist looks like it took a hit from the reluctor fragment . Is that a problem? Next now that you have proved the clear valve covers work in the real world WHEN can we expect full on production! Just kidding. Sounds good. As for gremlins I`ve been hammering on the Harley bobber I built for the last few weeks to get ready for our roar to the shore in Erie PA this thursday. Finally got all the leaks and driveline issues sorted and got 100 miles on it last weekend. Now their calling for rain thurs -sat during all the fun. >:(
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I forgot I was going to comment about the misting coming from the breathers. It may sound a bit cheesey, and maybe it is, but I've found that an old tennis wristband popped over the bottom of the breather does a nice job of stopping the mist from spreading over the engine bay. They're cheap, come in multitudes of colors, can be popped off easily and discarded/replaced, or just taken off for a show-n-shine. I've done this on a couple of engines when the aftermarket rockers would not clear the baffles, and I didn't run a closed PCV system. It's cheap, easy...and it works. I always use black or dark blue and they don't bother me a bit for looks. I'd post a picture...but PHOTOBUCKET >:(
Doug, that's a great suggestion and I will give it a try, despite my general fear of tennis, that came from watching the following video when I was much younger ;D ;D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeYznvQvnsY
By the way, has anyone come up with a good alternative to Photobucket yet? It sucks that all of the sudden they want to extort a bunch of money from their customers. Is Supermotors.org still around? That was a pretty good site...
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Jay 2 things, the magnet in your dist looks like it took a hit from the reluctor fragment . Is that a problem? Next now that you have proved the clear valve covers work in the real world WHEN can we expect full on production! Just kidding. Sounds good. As for gremlins I`ve been hammering on the Harley bobber I built for the last few weeks to get ready for our roar to the shore in Erie PA this thursday. Finally got all the leaks and driveline issues sorted and got 100 miles on it last weekend. Now their calling for rain thurs -sat during all the fun. >:(
Garry that's a great observation, and when I took the new distributor apart and saw that, I thought that the problem was the magnet, not the pickup, because the magnet was cracked in two. As soon as you break a magnet, the pole structure changes, and I thought that must be the problem, especially since the pickup showed the proper electrical resistance. However, when I took apart the old distributor to take the pickup out, the magnet in that one was cracked also! So much for that theory; I wonder if they tend to crack on installation, when the bolts are tightened or something. Anyway, I swapped the pickup from the old distributor into the new one, and kept the new one's cracked magnet in place, and the distributor worked fine. So, no doubt it was the pickup.
Assuming the valve covers last the summer with no issues I would expect to put them up for sale in November.
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(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68Mustext1.jpg)
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/68Mustext2.jpg)
Wow... First time I've seen the top side of that car. Looks nice!
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Garry that's a great observation, and when I took the new distributor apart and saw that, I thought that the problem was the magnet, not the pickup, because the magnet was cracked in two. .... However, when I took apart the old distributor to take the pickup out, the magnet in that one was cracked also! So much for that theory; I wonder if they tend to crack on installation, when the bolts are tightened or something.
Just an FYI, mine was cracked also, and I thought the same thing, AND had the exact same experience with my 2nd distributor (a used one though), so I knew that wasn't the problem. I know magnets are very brittle, so I'm not sure how to stop it from happening, but it doesn't seem to be the issue anyway.
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What size are your front tires?
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Yes, cool pics Jay! The car looks great. Did you repaint it or did it come to you that way?
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What size are your front tires?
P225/60R-15 on 15X7 wheels.
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Yes, cool pics Jay! The car looks great. Did you repaint it or did it come to you that way?
I bought it like that, Bob. The paint isn't great or anything but it still looks pretty good after 12 years of me owning it...
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What size are your front tires?
P225/60R-15 on 15X7 wheels.
If I was to quibble ever so gently, I'd say just a little less tire up front with that low stance. Maybe 215's. Keep the spare 225's to replace the rears that will be down to the cords soon!
Love the car, especially the six-speed! I bet it will be a great driver as that clutch settles in ;D
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Well done...I like it.I see you even went as far as putting a 67 grille in the car.My 68 is a deluxe interior car but I do prefer the 67 stuff...
I noticed the 6cyl (no cid) running horse emblems on the fenders as well..
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By the way, has anyone come up with a good alternative to Photobucket yet? It sucks that all of the sudden they want to extort a bunch of money from their customers. Is Supermotors.org still around? That was a pretty good site...
Jay, take a look at Postimage.org
I've been using that site for a couple of years, and I've been very satisfied with it. I recommend creating an account, that way you can control the settings for your photos. For example, you may want to have them private, so that they can't be randomly viewed by anyone and everyone, except in the case of when you post a direct link to a particular photo or album. One can still upload without an account, but then the photos will always be public and can never be erased.
An account is free, and it allows you to create public or private albums. I have no association with the site, other than being a satisfied user.
Giovanni
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By the way, has anyone come up with a good alternative to Photobucket yet? It sucks that all of the sudden they want to extort a bunch of money from their customers. Is Supermotors.org still around? That was a pretty good site...
Jay, take a look at Postimage.org
I've been using that site for a couple of years, and I've been very satisfied with it. I recommend creating an account, that way you can control the settings for your photos. For example, you may want to have them private, so that they can't be randomly viewed by anyone and everyone, except in the case of when you post a direct link to a particular photo or album. One can still upload without an account, but then the photos will always be public and can never be erased.
An account is free, and it allows you to create public or private albums. I have no association with the site, other than being a satisfied user.
Giovanni
Does this site allow you to post images, or can you only provide a link to the picture? It would be a huge pain to have to click on a link to see every picture of a thread.
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Well done...I like it.I see you even went as far as putting a 67 grille in the car.My 68 is a deluxe interior car but I do prefer the 67 stuff...
I noticed the 6cyl (no cid) running horse emblems on the fenders as well..
Thanks. I really like the 67s better, probably because my first car was a 67 fastback. That brushed aluminum interior and grill design stuck with me. Right after I bought this car I found a ratted out 67 coupe with the deluxe interior, so I bought it, restored the interior and swapped it into this car. Also kept the grille from that car and put it on during the revamp of this one.
Its a J code car, so it came with a 302, and that's what it had when I bought it. Was it supposed to have different front fender emblems? I'm afraid I don't know much about that stuff...
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When can I come over and get a ride in it???
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When can I come over and get a ride in it???
Any time, Jeff. Call or text me first - Jay
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By the way, has anyone come up with a good alternative to Photobucket yet? It sucks that all of the sudden they want to extort a bunch of money from their customers. Is Supermotors.org still around? That was a pretty good site...
Jay, take a look at Postimage.org
I've been using that site for a couple of years, and I've been very satisfied with it. I recommend creating an account, that way you can control the settings for your photos. For example, you may want to have them private, so that they can't be randomly viewed by anyone and everyone, except in the case of when you post a direct link to a particular photo or album. One can still upload without an account, but then the photos will always be public and can never be erased.
An account is free, and it allows you to create public or private albums. I have no association with the site, other than being a satisfied user.
Giovanni
Does this site allow you to post images, or can you only provide a link to the picture? It would be a huge pain to have to click on a link to see every picture of a thread.
Doug, it all depends on which code you use for the particular board you happen to be posting on, but it's no problem to have the photos show up in a thread. If someone preferred to have hotlinks, it could be done that way too. Postimage gives you a variety of codes for your photo after upload: Each code is suited for different board software.
I post on several different boards that all run different software, the first time I post a photo in a thread on any given board, it just takes a little trial and error to figure out which code format is correct to embed the photo for that board, then it's easy street after that. You can always access all of the different codes for your photos, as long as you've uploaded the photo to your account. I, unfortunately, may make it sound more complicated than it really is. Believe me it's pretty easy.
Also, they don't purge photos that aren't accessed for a long time, like some sites do. Good luck.
Giovanni
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I did a few Mustangs (smallblock) with Shelbydrop in the 80s with 1 inch
swaybar TCM springs think 600 lbs if memory is right Koni shocks and a
45 degree reinforcement plate under the upper a arm boltholes
Think i used 4 degree caster
it was like driving a totally different car
Sliding around on the vinylseats was what limited the handlig after that ;D
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For anyone interested, the code required to post a photo in your message is shown in the informational link below. You have to use what are called "image" tags, which are square brackets around the text "img" before the internet file location, and square brackets around the text "/img" after the file location.
http://fepower.net/simplemachinesforum/index.php?topic=2.0
Heo, I remember when I did the Shelby drop on my 68 Shelby convertible back in the early 1980s. I set up the alignment for over 1 degree of negative camber, and used BF Goodrich Comp T/A tires on some wide rims. Burned up the front tires in no time, but that would car would outhandle most of the small block cars out there. I was tired of hearing about how big block cars don't handle, and proved to myself that was a myth with that setup. I ended up installing Recaro seats out of a 79 Mustang pace car to address the issue with sliding on the seat that you pointed out.
I have a much more conventional alignment setup on this Mustang, and tires and wheels that are nowhere near as good, but it still really handles well. In fact, I'm thinking about installing a shoulder harness to supplement the factory seat belts...
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with -4 degree camber you had to do....sporty driving as the
Ford shopmanual says ;D. To wear the tire even with girly driving
the inner side of the tire wear prematurly had a couple of owners
complaining about that so we set it back to -0.5-1
I tried to find a power stearing box to adapt to the Mustangs then
but no luck with that long sector shaft. The stock Tractor power stearing
leave a lot to wish for but as you say you get used to it
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Well done...I like it.I see you even went as far as putting a 67 grille in the car.My 68 is a deluxe interior car but I do prefer the 67 stuff...
I noticed the 6cyl (no cid) running horse emblems on the fenders as well..
Thanks. I really like the 67s better, probably because my first car was a 67 fastback. That brushed aluminum interior and grill design stuck with me. Right after I bought this car I found a ratted out 67 coupe with the deluxe interior, so I bought it, restored the interior and swapped it into this car. Also kept the grille from that car and put it on during the revamp of this one.
Non GT's got the running horse emblems and the Mustang script..plain emblems were for 6cyl cars.They were also made with 289,302 and 390 cast in them..When I switched my 68 to the 427 I pulled off the 289 emblems and put the 6cyl ones on...I have since welded all the holes up...
Its a J code car, so it came with a 302, and that's what it had when I bought it. Was it supposed to have different front fender emblems? I'm afraid I don't know much about that stuff...