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

[RAIV70Judge]

Had a fun this weekend-Thanks for everything John.

[DirtyWhiteBoy]

WOW I've been missing out here. Shop looks killer John! I feel your pain trying to set it up the best way the first time.
I failed in that respect.
I am looking for used pallet rack shelving to move some heavy/bulky stuff off of the floor. I need to take advantage of my 12" ceilings.
I plan on keeping my brake and blast cabinet under them too(1st shelf @ aprox 60").
This should gain me a good amount of elbow room.
I have about given up on a good used lift, I have only got to look at on "good deal", and it was just more than I need. Most I have looked at want way to close to new price. I mean sheesh, If I can have one delivered for a few bucks more and have a warranty......

[milner351]

Thanks DWB - yea pallet racks are a real help getting stuff oranized and up off the ground - Matt has a sweet set up with the first shelf just above his lower tool boxes - acting as a stout work bench, with shelves above that for more storage.

The real trick is going to be trying to figure out the truss design by looking at it from behind the "knee walls" upstairs and see if I can put in a hinged opening in the upstairs floor, with an I - beam across the upper truss structure with a trolley and chain hoist to lift stuff up stairs.

All in time.

[Shawn Anderson]

Love the new shop! Well done, I will have to check it out in person in the future.

[milner351]

MOVING SUCKS!

That is all....

[pintoboy77]

Enough said.
I think we all can relate.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I heard you're having glorious weather to move in.... right?

[milner351]

Well - I'm not sure i'd rather be sweating my tail off - so - I'm not going to complain about the weather - it was over 60 on Sunday afternoon. But we're back to the 30's .

OK - back to my To do list - did anyone read it? I got very little input on that - and that's what I need the most help on.

Keep in mind at some point I need to finish the under car work on the hoist - then move it to the new shop where there is no hoist:

Not poll worthy - but I need input sorting out how to most efficiently progress from here on the falcon.

We're looking at moving in the coming month or two, and we all know what that does to any shop time.

There were a few things done during the thrash to try to make DW12 that will have to be un-done to move forward... but not many.

What I want to avoid are any other "one step forward, two steps back" sort of moves.

Given time restraints and the car as it sits now, I think having it in paint by DW13 is entirely out of the question, and is not really a priority.

Here's my feeble attempt at a plan trying to minimize re-work.... thoughts?

Body/paint:
1. repair window channel rust, fix dents in roof, prep interior painted surfaces.
2. paint roof, pillars, dash, interior metal surfaces white.
3. install glass and trim
4. install interior


Wiring:
1. remove start on wiring in engine compartment
2. paint engine compartment, chassis, trunk
3. resume wiring - loom runs, tie downs, trunk battery mount etc. once and for all.

chassis / plumbing:
1. install factory replacement fuel tank with drain plug, factory sending unit 3/8" feed - drain plug will become EFI return line port when the time comes - plan to leave factory vent alone (unless instructed otherwise)
2. run 3/8" steel hard lines for fuel from factory location up outside of sub frame rails, through wheel well and into engine compartment on driver side - allow for future rail mounted electric pump be it for carb or efi
3. run brake lines


Power train:
1. complete install of cal tracs, heim joints, u bolts, crown vic disc brakes - look into e-brake set ups (LS electric?)
2. confirm driveshaft length - have shaft modified / balanced as required
3. driveshaft loop fab and install
4. install engine, trans, shifter, tv cable, radiator, fan, shroud, etc.

And most importantly:
Drive in primer as much as possible to work bugs out before DW13!

UNKNOWNS:
Hoop? Cage?
Belts?
Tach and AFR gauge location?
Headliner?
Cut-outs?

Fuel filler in factory position or inside trunk with funnel / drain to outside?

Fill in factory reverse light holes in tail panel?
(run 63 fairlane talights with reverse lights in center)

Swap 4.10 gears for lower numerical given 2.8 first gear in AOD?

[SuperBuickGuy]

Primer then paint the car, run the electrical and plumbing systems, put the motor and such back in the car and run on as close to stock rear suspension as you can.

Just to give you context, that list - is what I did to the Corvette in a year. You don't have a year, or the time I do to devote to car building. At this point, you have just enough time to make it go, turn, stop. It'll take at least 5 years to make it pretty and to dial in the car.

Honestly, I don't see you in the roll cage range this year, a hoop gets you teched to 11.5s

And keep the 4.10s

[1946Austin]

Moving does suck, but I'd do it in an instant to have such a great work space!

[milner351]

I'm thinking that painting the engine compartment, chassis and trunk is the next logical step which must be done before further assembly.

Then, run the brake and fuel lines, put in the factory replacement fuel tank, assemble the rear axle with the crown vic rear discs, put in the power train, mechanical fuel pump on the engine (KISS) same carb I had on it before 4777, put a good gear on the MSD "ready to run" distributor craigslist score (easier to tune advance curve than the duraspark but comes with an iron gear for flat tappet cams).

Build the exhaust (summit X pipe kit, thrush small case turbos - not sure on tail pipes yet)

Then put all the fluids in it so it will run and drive itself on and off the trailer (no glass yet)

Then - maybe at my new shop - or at a friends (painter) shop - fix the windshield channel rust - paint the roof a pillars and B pillars and interior steel white, and put in the glass.

Finish the wiring - put in the lights, grille, bumpers, and DRIVE IT.

[STINEY]

Sounds like you are trying to come up with a plan that will allow you to avoid a repeat of the current situation (at least for the next couple of years.)

Problem: Time shortness. Problem is enhanced by current proximity of shop, which is NOT in the backyard. Involves 15 minute commute one way.

Notation number one - time shortness is addressed and cured with new housing. New housing has backyard shop, commuting is negated. Good.

Notation number two - most useful tool in old shop cannot be immediately moved to new shop (lift). So we are back to commuting to get to the useful tool.

Aaagh!

Can you just pour a pad and move the lift - use it outdoors, canvas it up when between jobs? Build the lift "room" on the pad later?

I like your list above. Make it function in a very basic way, then chew away the other stuff slowly.

Print the list. Just aim for knocking off one small task at a time. If you get it done and have more time, great, if you just get that task done, also great. Eat that elephant one bite at a time.

I should talk.....maybe we should try eating groundhog or something smaller. Thing is, elephant is just SO tasty!

[Russell]

I'm thinking that painting the engine compartment, chassis and trunk is the next logical step which must be done before further assembly.

Then, run the brake and fuel lines, put in the factory replacement fuel tank, assemble the rear axle with the crown vic rear discs, put in the power train, mechanical fuel pump on the engine (KISS) same carb I had on it before 4777, put a good gear on the MSD "ready to run" distributor craigslist score (easier to tune advance curve than the duraspark but comes with an iron gear for flat tappet cams).

Build the exhaust (summit X pipe kit, thrush small case turbos - not sure on tail pipes yet)

Then put all the fluids in it so it will run and drive itself on and off the trailer (no glass yet)

Then - maybe at my new shop - or at a friends (painter) shop - fix the windshield channel rust - paint the roof a pillars and B pillars and interior steel white, and put in the glass.

Finish the wiring - put in the lights, grille, bumpers, and DRIVE IT.

Are rear Discs KISS? I know you dont want to do it twice, just thinking out loud. Go ahead and get that distributor gear swaped if you are going to run it. (One of those things that should be simple that some times are not?)

Is it all still bear steal? I agree (nice) paint is out of the qustion, but you are going to have to prime / seal the body. What about "tempary" paint the body with the chassis paint.

Have you put time requirement / due dates on each task?

Paint Chassis 2wk 3/24
Brakes / Fuel 3wk 4/21
Exhaust / move car 1wk 4/28
White Paint 2wk 5/12
Wiring 2wk 5/26
bumpers 1wk 6/2
Drive it / bugs 13wks

[milner351]

the body is currently sprayed with a gray sealer inside and out, the dash and tops of doors are painted white but need to be re-done / touched up the floors are coated on the inside with POR15.

The 8.8 axle tubes are not assembled - the cal tracs are partially installed, the spring perches are fully welded and u-bolts are ready to torque and cut off the excess threads (from the ranger)

Not much more work to put the crown vic rear discs on now thanks to Greg I have some complete axles - just swap parts and run the lines... I'd be doing the lines partially over again if I put the drums on now. I'm going to use the granada manual disc/drum master cylinder and either and adjustable prop valve or a prop valve off a 4 wheel disc brake crown vic.

thanks for the input guys I have to finish this moving hell - and get a tenant into the old house before i can devote any time to the cars.
It's kiling me - but I have to keep in mind the long range lifestyle improvement that this property will afford - having the shop out the backdoor has been a dream for 10 years.

As far as adding on to the new shop - yes - that will happen at some point - I don't know how yet - but a breezeway from the existing building to a new kit 30x40x12 makes a lot of sense - as it seems trying to build anything "custom" will cost more per square foot than going with a common kit. I will be thinking about this for some time. Being a gambrel style barn with a full second story with windows in the gable ends - there are limited options for adding on a bay that's tall enough for a lift - unless I want to loose the windows upstairs, or continue the roof profile with open rafters --- which would probably look the best but be the most expensive?

[STINEY]

How about continuing the roofline, and using coffered or scissors truss on the continued section?

Sink some poles, mount appropriate trusses, nailers and side to match, roof to match, pour floor.

30x40x12 sounds great though too. Gotta watch those tennis balls, they are tempting!

The Mennonite builders in these parts are getting REALLY good at putting a pole building right next to a pre-existing structure, connecting them and sharing a roof. Pretty darn reasonable too. They've done 5 in the last year just on my way to work, look really nice when done.

But back to the car.

Finish that rear axle first. You know what it needs to be no matter what, and that's nice lift work. That includes the brakes and lines.

When that is done, come back here for the next assignment. (Hey, it works on my boys....)