62 Falcon - $5k challenge, how will it rise from the ranger's ashes?

[Beagle]

Sigh, I am properly chastised...

The cable broke about 3 miles from home, I screwed down the idle on the pump and idled it home. Thank goodness, for once, we live in the country. People are used to slow moving farm equipment.

People are afraid to run into old F350 dually trucks. Mine isn't a dually, but reeks of "no insurance" ... I (usually) get lots of space from would be discourteous drivers.

My smiley face thing was broken... Somebody rear ended me at a light a couple of weeks ago. Bump. I looked in the mirror, crappy little mini van with a terrified looking little guy probably holding his cell phone from the text he was trying to send. You can see him nervously looking for his insurance card. I pulled up a couple of feet to see if he still had a radiator and waved him off. He nervously smiled and waved back. I think he pulled over to change undies a mile or so later. I looked at the bumper later to see if I had any mini vans attached to it. Nope, but he hit the hitch hard enough to knock the dust off of it. Poor guy. lol.

Sorry John, back to the ratty handling Falcon and how to fix it!

[milner351]

Sorry guys - we had a busy weekend, fun with some friends, a distillery tour, and possibly the best bloody mary / cesar I've ever had, with their bacon flavored vodka (I'm not a vodka or b/m guy usually - but this stuff is GOOD)
(look up ugly dog distillery in Chelsea Michigan - literally started in the guys garage - with a hand built still!)

Anway - Matt made me a pair of 3/4" long bushings - those along with some parts of the shim kit from Baer should get the tie rods and lower control arms parallel - then perhaps some safety wire will help me feel better about not having castle nuts and cotter pins.

We're in winter preparation mode big time - so I'm not sure if I'll have time to make it out to any of the last few test n tunes of the season at Milan.

I did manage to remedy the temperature gauge - it was too much teflon tape preventing a good ground on the sender....
which reminds me, I need to drain out a gallon of water and put in a gallon of antifreeze before it gets too cold

[STINEY]

I did manage to remedy the temperature gauge - it was too much teflon tape preventing a good ground on the sender....
which reminds me, I need to drain out a gallon of water and put in a gallon of antifreeze before it gets too cold

Bacon flavored booze? Interesting...very interesting.....

I've done the "insulate the sender with Teflon tape" thing. Old timer gave the ole stinkeye asking me why I thought pipe threads needed sealant. ( I still put on just one wrap when he wasn't looking)

Better get to draining - been getting pretty cold nights around here. You are lots more northish and lakeish than us!

[TheSilverBuick]

It's been sub-30*F each night here for two weeks now. I just got around to draining the water out of the Skylark's system last weekend....

[Huskinhano]

Here's a great book on suspensions that I have, lots of helpfull info.

http://www.amazon.com/Stock-Car-Setup-Secrets-HP1401/dp/1557884013/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1382483640&sr=1-2&keywords=bob+bolles

[Bob Holmes]

That's a great book, just remember that on a street car you need to also turn right.

[Russell]

I learned the hard way. The easiest way to replace core plugs on a sbf is to pull the motor. There is one behind the motor mount. It was full of water and I pulled the lower hose thinking that I drained the block well three plugs pushed out. All mine get anti freeze now over the winter.

[Beagle]

I learned the hard way. The easiest way to replace core plugs on a sbf is to pull the motor. There is one behind the motor mount. It was full of water and I pulled the lower hose thinking that I drained the block well three plugs pushed out. All mine get anti freeze now over the winter.

if you didn't get a cracked block out of it, you learned the easy way.

[milner351]

Here's the way it sits now with the $175 Baer bumpsteer kit, man I hate paying retail for anything.
As you can see - I have just a bit of stud left, Matt made some 3/4" long bushings that I will install with some of the shims already there to get the arms parallel - if I don't run out of stud first.
I'd feel a lot better about those nylock nuts if there was safety wire preventing them from falling off.

[squirrel]

hmmmm....looks like you still have a ways to go.

Can you take that picture with the camera held at exactly the height of the lower arm pivot bolt? It looks like you're looking down just a bit, and it would help us see the geometry of the car, so we can gauge the relative height of the rack and control arm.

[Bob Holmes]

hmmmm....looks like you still have a ways to go.

Can you take that picture with the camera held at exactly the height of the lower arm pivot bolt? It looks like you're looking down just a bit, and it would help us see the geometry of the car, so we can gauge the relative height of the rack and control arm.

Agreed

[SuperBuickGuy]

hmmmm....looks like you still have a ways to go.

Can you take that picture with the camera held at exactly the height of the lower arm pivot bolt? It looks like you're looking down just a bit, and it would help us see the geometry of the car, so we can gauge the relative height of the rack and control arm.

I think it's time for graph paper. From the picture, it looks like the tie rod is shorter than the lower control arm (which is fine as long as the toe-in/toe-out isn't too bad in its suspension travel range.

[STINEY]

What-fer shocks are on the front?

Are there any suspension travel snubbers?

Is that picture sitting at ride height? Just as it was driven into the shop?


Looks tons better. Also looks like there is still room to improve..... you'll get it!

[Huskinhano]

If all else fails maybe limit the suspension travel to where it works best. Agreed more to go.

[1946Austin]

I'd feel a lot better about those nylock nuts if there was safety wire preventing them from falling off.

I use Loctite blue on all my suspension threads, even with lock washers or locking style nuts.