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

[jays67]

If ya need something my Uncle is an interior guy I will get you his info tell him I sent ya he will hook you up even if it was making covers from your old ones and you put them on

[milner351]

Jay - that would be splendid - I can probably get the OEM covers off without too much drama - then box them up and send them to him for a remake. They are available from the restoration shops in the oem colors / paterns, but if he can do something simple for reasonable cost - I'm all for it. I could send him the entire seats in two different boxes - but I'm sure shipping would get expensive as it would be oversized? Depending on what we could work out - I might send him the front covers too and reuse the bench?

[Stich496]

candyass.

HAHA. I sweat like a pig.. I'd not smell like candy HA

[VTJUNK]

John I was looking at your garage and saw the picture of your '54. My '54 Belair Hardtop is the same color combo. Probably not going to stay that way though.

[milner351]

]the 54 is pueblo tan - but I have no way of knowing if it's the original color or not, it's surely a repaint, but I don't know much history of it since Rhonda's uncle passed before I had a chance to meet him. It's a good old car, a family heirloom really.

Here's more pics of the falcon - not much progress tonight - lots of errands to run, just some clean up. Both floors are shot, but not the toe boards, and the rears seem solid as well as the entire trunk, wheel wells, door jambs, rockers, etc.

Started to strip a little paint too - the factory paint laughed at the stripper, the shabily applied red oxide and blue came off.

Easy off and Graffitti cleaner work pretty good for getting paint off the emblems.

[BBR]

Minitub it minitub it minitub it minitub it

[SuperBuickGuy]

Minitub it minitub it minitub it minitub it

what he said ..... although, I've never seen an autocrossing Falcon - short wheelbase, light, peppy engine

[milner351]

Well - I've gotten a note back from the second place telling me the John R Leaf springs are out of stock and I will be getting a refund.

The restoration places want way too much money for a set of leaf springs. The coils are also soft - the car sits like a 70's couch that's been in your basement way too long.

So - the question on the table is - Air ride? I'm not a "lay frame" kind of guy - I'm more of a stock ride height make it sit right and don't mess with it guy. I will also check with a local spring shop to see what they'd charge to rebuild the leafs in the car. The issue is they're not mustang springs - the early falcons ran 2" wide springs that were shorter than the first gen mustangs.

Minitub? - well - if you're speaking of moving the inner fenders in to meet the frame rail - that is being heavily considered and will most likely happen.

SBG - your post on Scotts thread per his Imp floor patch - yes - that's the plan - use the hyd press with some tube and angle to create the corrugations. Patches are available for the falcon floors - but I think I will try my hand and making them since the contours are pretty simple, that will save me $100 or more on buying the patch panels. What gauge would you suggest? Measure existing and match it was my thinking, or a bit thicker on the new stuff.

[Silver68RT]

Is this in the budget? Looks pretty cool, bolts in.

http://www.fabquest.com/tci-60-65-falcon-performance-triangulated-4-link-rear-suspension-kit.html

I just picked up an Edelbrock 1405 for $20 last week if you're still looking.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Interesting you mention bags - this deal has been haunting me - buy 2 get 2 free for $118

http://www.airbagit.com/product-p/bag-free-1x.htm

20 g metal would be fine, if you can find electrogalvinized that would be best (try not to directly breath the fumes)

use 18 g or 16 g and you won't need to put any kind of seam as it'll be strong enough without

[BBR]

Yep, minitub = expanding rear inner fenders!

I bet you can come up with a rear spring *somewhere*. What are the dimensions?

[STINEY]

Is this in the budget? Looks pretty cool, bolts in.

http://www.fabquest.com/tci-60-65-falcon-performance-triangulated-4-link-rear-suspension-kit.html

I just picked up an Edelbrock 1405 for $20 last week if you're still looking.

THAT is pretty cool.




Can the mustang springs be retro-fit? As in move the mounting tube in the frame to be the same location as the mustangs? Is the mustang spring wider or narrower?

I'm with you on ride height. Out here in the real world, ground clearance counts for something. And I've seen some of those Detroit "roads", you guys do realize that pavement is supposed to be applied all at once, not just piled in the potholes, right?

I'm just not excited about the air-ride stuff. Seems overly complicated, adds lots of stuff to fail in the future. Did you try Eaton Spring? They always seem to have anything I need ready to go all the time.

[Russell]

Put air shocks on it...... just kidding!

[BBR]

Jeep CJ's use a 2" wide spring. I would probably reuse the main leaf and build a new spring pack with used Jeep stuff.

or....

buy these

http://www.generalspringkc.com/index.php?p=catalog&parent=98&pg=1

or these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-REAR-LEA...item51972b9c07

[milner351]

Is this in the budget? Looks pretty cool, bolts in.

http://www.fabquest.com/tci-60-65-falcon-performance-triangulated-4-link-rear-suspension-kit.html

I just picked up an Edelbrock 1405 for $20 last week if you're still looking.

I'll buy that carb immediately Doug - I'll even give you a little finders fee! if you don't have an immediate need for it - bring it to work for me tomorrow please!

Dan at Ride Tech and I have been exchanging a flurry of emails. What a great company to deal with.
The whole dealio is on sale in December - but to put a four corner air ride system on the car would torpedo the budget - even on sale it's about $2500 for all four corners including a four link for the rear.

However - they offer two different four link kits for the rear - parallel with a panhard bar, and triangulated - ala fox mustang and GM.

I'm leaning toward the four link with coil overs in the rear, and just replacing the coil springs in the front with v8 mustang stuff - or even stock replacements for the falcon. The availability of the fronts is not as much of an issue as the rears.

The four link would fix a few problems for me:
1. hard to find stock replacement leaf springs are out the window
2. no need to fab or buy cal tracs
3. if I go with the triangulated 4 link I will have better control of rear axle location - so the wheel / tire package won't move as much side to side - with tight wheel wells - this could be a big deal.