Is there a better/cleaner option for raising the floor braces when you need more driveshaft clearance?  The floor braces themselves are really just ~20g hat channel that is bent into a U shape to clear the driveshaft/transmission.  I thought there would be some universal options out there, but apparently not?  I've used 1/4" round pipe in the past for this, but it looks hideous (yes, its under the car and nobody knows it's there, but I know its there!  ).  Any better suggestions?

I'm rebuilding the cross member for my TKO that is in my '62 Galaxie.  The mounting pad for the Tremec is back a few inches like the C6 vs the stock C-O-M that was in there at factory birth.  My first iteration of the cross member was built from 1.5"x3" .120 wall rectangular tubing and used the factory mounts, so it had to have a nice step back of a few inches and around an inch of drop to use the factory cross ears cut off the old unit.  See the construction pics of this attached.  This worked...ok.  Now I have new FPA Tri-Y headers that dump out right into the factory cross member mounts.  So, I cut them off the frame and intended to set them back a few inches so I can have a perfectly horizontal trans crossmember now with no built-in setback.

Ok, here is where I need some help.  I'm likely ditching the factory frame mounts and going to use something more compact since they are cut off anyway.  I need the cross member as high up and close to the floor pans as I can get it as I'll have 2.5" exhaust running under it now and maybe someday 3".  Not using the factory frame mounts I can now set the cross member as high up as I want and gain more exhaust clearance, which is great.  Also, no setback will be needed in the crossmember, again another plus.   The span is around 42" from framerail to framerail...pretty far.   I'm concerned that if I run the crossmember perfectly horizontal with the drop I need in the middle (around 3"), it may flex some, see the first sketch attached.  Do I gain any strength in vertical flexing at all from the second option where I set the frame mounts lower and kick up a section on each side for exhaust clearance?  See the second sketch for what I'm thinking there.

Thanks all, appreciate the feedback.

I'm running a double v-belt setup on my 428.  Upgraded my damper to an ATI unit and a double v-belt pulley from CVF.  I have two Gates 7425 (11A1080) belts that are now too long, but just barely and I'm at the end of the adjuster for the alternator.

1.  Is there such a thing as a banded v-belt that would take the place of two individual v-belts?  My thinking here is a single type belt would mean equal size of the prior two belts and carrying one belt as a backup would be convenient.  Unsure if such a thing exists though.

2.  Am I reading the Gates part number 7425 as meaning 42.5" belt and if I need to step down by maybe a half or full inch, I would go to 7420 or 7415?

Thanks gurus!

How does one go about freeing up the stuck plungers in a linked roller lifter?  I went to pop the clip out of the lifter bore from the top, but...there is a link bar rivet blocking the internals from coming out so that isn't going to happen.  Very oddly, all the plungers on the 5-8 bank are stuck at the top most position.  All but one on the 1-4 bank are a-ok and move just fine when you push on them with a pushrod. 

Should I try to soak them in some sort of solvent?   Gas?  Something stronger?

I've got a Precision Tig 185 that decided to give me the first major problem since I've owned it ~15 years or so.  I got all set up to weld, unit turns on fine, fan and gas purge cycle complete.  I tap on the amptrol to verify I've got pre-gas and I've got nothing.  Pedal to the floor, nothing.  Crap.  Unplug, replug everything, same problem.  Toggle all the settings I can on the front, still no luck when set back to tig DC-.  I check the amptrol at the small microswitch inside the foot pedal, it has continuity when the switch is closed so I think that is ok.  I check also at the end of the amptrol cord where it plugs in and it also has continuity when I hit the switch.  I tried to bypass the two wires at the plug on the machine front, D and E to see if it would trip the pre-gas switch and it wouldn't do it.  Opened the top, unplugged the amptrol connector from the board and tried tripping D and E from the board and still nothing. 

Anyone familiar with diagnosing these?  Am I missing something I should try?   I'm really not wanting to have to buy a new board for this thing unless I absolutely must, they are freaking expensive!  Maybe there are some electrical shops guys use to have the boards diagnosed and repaired you can recommend?

I need some advice.  I've torn my 428 down to fix some issues and upgrade a few things.  While I was in there, thought hell, why not just stick a new set of bearings in there while I've got it all apart. 

Most of the rod bearing clearances are coming out around 0.0025-.003 with a bore gauge, which I think is the ballpark of where I want to be.  However, I've got 3 rods where that clearance is down closer to .0015.  The rod journals on the crank are all very close in size, which leads me to think it's the rods and/or bearings (Clevite CB-760P-30).

What are my options for handling these which are too tight?  The crank is already 30 over, which I think means no undersized bearings, correct? 


Ok, now onto the mains.  All the mains are coming in at .0025.  On #1 however, it is sitting at .0015.  Again the main journals all are very close in size.  Run it at .0015 or should I do something?  These are Clevite MS863P-30 bearings.

Are there any better options for motor mounts for my '62 Galaxie than the two piece rubber molded ones?  Picture attached of my special "two-piece racing" version I have now...

Milodon is back ordered for this pan for at least the next six weeks, was hoping to have one sooner than that.  I'm looking for the 31650 front sump road race pan and pickup.