66 ltd project

[stuart olson]

As some may recall I got a 1 owner Z code 66 LTD a few months back. Now with spring and tax returns on the way I am plotting what to do first for improvements. My current thoughts are to do a hotchkis suspension first while they are available. Brakes and wheels are proving to be a little bit of a conundrum at the moment. Should I bother with "big" brakes or will four corner stock wheel disk be enough for something that will just get daily type use? All the wheel options for big brake clearance would look terrible on a 4 door. Nobody seems to make a 16 or 17 that a stock poverty cap would go on.

[stuart olson]

As far as engine goes what I want to do is build a 445 CJ engine. I really want to flip open the hood and have it look like a factory CJ install / someone swapped one in from a rolled car in 1970 or so. I figure roughly 400 horse is plenty to wrap yourself around a tree with. A "B" ish cam will play nice with power steering and brakes. The 2.80 gears that are so nice for cruising around 90 should play nice with that cam as well. The runs good but sorta suspect 390 currently residing under the hood should give good service residing under the hood of the 75 F250.

[ToddK]

I put the Hotchkis front sway bar on my 66 LTD, best improvement I have made so far.

I swapped the single circuit master cylinder to a dual circuit master to suit a 67 Galaxie, otherwise the standard disk/drums work fine. However, I am looking to swap the 4 piston front calipers to a 2 piston caliber from a later model to give me better wheel clearance. I currently have to use spacers to give me clearance on the front brake calipers, so I can run the Cragar wheels I’m using.

My car is a Q code 428, stock apart from a set of Hooker headers and 2.5” dual exhaust. Replacing the log manifolds with headers made a very noticeable difference in the torque. I like your plan of a “stock appearing” 445. My car also has the 2.8 rear gears, makes for a great highway cruiser. Build the engine for torque in the practical rpm range you will be using, will make for a great cruiser.