Thanks Alan! Happy New Years to you!

 

Tony,
Have the Cal-Tracs help much?

thanks,
Jim

 

Not sure Jim, I haven't had a chance to take it to the track yet. I will definately give some feedback once I do.

 

I have CE Slide-a-links which are overglorified Caltracs and they made a huge improvement. Hope your results are good too!

 

tony, did you order the wheels directly from RPM or another dealer?

 

I looked at those wheels also at the Wheelstudio site.. not a bad price.. might order some next month for my Nova.. anyone have another dealer or deal on them ?

BC

 

I ordered them through http://wheelstudio.com

http://www.wheelstudio.com/view-whee...ll/vehicle-all

 

I had talked to a friend who works at a local tire shop.. he said that they stopped marketing RPM wheel for some issues.. but lets not go into those, they are retail/wholesale issue with service..

The question I have is on the wheel.. is there a trim ring around the front side of the wheel..(like a gm rally wheel) ?.. one of the RPM wheel they had has that.. might be an older style.

Thanks.

BC

 

No trim rings. The lip is part of the hoop.

 

Great.... thanks for the info..

 

AKA tranny breaker!

 

SSShhhh!!! Don't say that out loud! I am hoping the clutch will slip enough to soften the blow! I am sure the weak link will come forth soon enough.

 

Alright have you ever had this great idea in your head but when it is put in a real world application it turns out to be ****! Well that's what happened to me. Take a peek....
[IMG][/IMG]

So I decided to try my hand at using what I had on hand. I know they make a shift **** with the button on the side but it is plastic and is around $60. I already own a solid aluminum shift **** all I needed was the momentary switch. Fortunately the local Radio Shack still carries some electronic goodies. This is what I found. It is a normally open momentary switch that is compact in size. The cost is $3.99 and the part number is 275-0644.

[IMG][/IMG]

I locked the **** down on the shifter and found a comfortable location for the line lock button. Marked it and then centered that mark in the lathe. I was going to use the mill but the lathe uses a three jaw chuck versus the vise in the mill which would only hold it in two spots.

[IMG][/IMG]

This is after the switch hole was bored and spot faced.

[IMG][/IMG]

Bottom view after I drilled the hole for the wires to pass through.

[IMG][/IMG]

Two lengths of wire soldered to the switch. Heat shrink was doubled since the **** will conduct current. Maybe a plus side to the plastic *****, huh!

[IMG][/IMG]


I bored the hole for the switch to make it a press fit as the threads were an odd ball size. The OD of the threads are .485" and the thread pitch is 28tpi. This is with the button pressed into the ****.

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

Installed completely! Works like a $60 plastic ball!

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

 

That's super clean.. nice!

 

what is that rubber piece at the bottom of the shifter

 

Thank you Joe!


The rubber piece right below the **** is off of the old line lock switch. I am using it to hold the wires tight against the shifter. It was not necessary but does keep everything tidy.

 

sweet, nice attention to detail,

 

Thanks Steve.

Speedtigger asked if I had used an alignment jig to located my housing ends. Here is the center section I used for mock up. It has the pucks clamped into place.
[IMG][/IMG]

Here are the pucks used in the housing ends. They are 3.150". The small rings are used to hold everything tight while welding.
[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

This is motorheadmikes fault! He suggested that I cut the muffler to clearance for the pinion yoke. Which I must say was brilliant, thanks Mike!!! I mocked the exhaust back up and located the interference. I marked it and then cut it out.
[IMG][/IMG]

It worked out since I was behind the last chamber of the muffler so no change in the exhaust note. This is a pic of it boxed in.
[IMG][/IMG]

Plenty of clearance now!
[IMG][/IMG]

Random pics of the car with the point and shoot camera.
[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

 

The do-it-yourself rear has its rewards and will save you some money. It is however, time consuming and frustrating all the same. Here is the official list of the components and their prices:
1979 Ford 9" rear out of a F-100 drum to drum=$75
Moser #7900 housing ends= $95
Moser flush mount drain= $25
All-Star aluminum fill cap with steel weld bung= $22
Ford 9" rear end ruler(Ebay)= $26
Ford 9" alignment pucks(Ebay)= $112
Parking brake cables from Pullapart= $6
S10 disc brakes from Pullapart= $115
Replacement caliper= $35
New dust boots for the parking brake levers= $40
2- universal joints to make one hybrid= $35
3 qts. of Castrol gear oil= $24
3/16" hard brake lines custom length= $6
Custom made braided stainless brake lines and associated hardware= $75
Calvert Racing 1" lowering blocks= $50
Calvert Racing HD spring perches= $39
Custom 1/2" u-bolts= $40
Moser custom axles= $370
Moser axle bearings= $65
Moser bearing retainers= $15
Moser T-bolts and nuts= $15
Moser wheel studs= $23
Moser axle bearing spacers= $15
Mark Williams aluminum bolt through center section with billet steel caps, Daytona pinion support, 1330(BC) pinion yoke, Ford 3.89 gear set, Lenco "H" locker, assembled= $650
Fel-pro gasket= $10
Gasket sealer= $5
Have rotors turned= $20
For a grand total of $2008.
Not too shabby considering the cost of the center section assembly alone, if purchased new, would have cost this much or more. And I have the tools to narrow any Ford 9" in the future.

 

The car is looking great as ever Tony, and you did a really nice job on the muffler!

Guess who's gonna keep that fact in the back of his mind.....