Thread: 39 Ford (Coast to Coast) Rebuild

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Have you talked to Brad at Rocky Hinge? I bought their system for the SBF, and they are great to work with - a small, family run company that cranks out a wide range of quality parts and helps you walk through any problems that you might have as you go through the installation. Link here to the SBC system, which I assume you're running? - Quality At Affordable Prices They also have an alternate arrangement that puts the alt/ac REALLY high, which likely won't work for you, and looks a little funky, too - Alt.Air Brackets & Pulley Kits

My guess regarding the sway bar brackets is insufficient threading in the frame. Someone may have just drilled and tapped the thin frame material. Internal nut plates are needed. Threading the frame works for small brackets for hoses and tubes, but not much else.

You can get nuts that are round and can be welded into an oversize hole.

Originally Posted by rspears

Have you talked to Brad at Rocky Hinge? I bought their system for the SBF, and they are great to work with - a small, family run company that cranks out a wide range of quality parts and helps you walk through any problems that you might have as you go through the installation. Link here to the SBC system, which I assume you're running? - Quality At Affordable Prices They also have an alternate arrangement that puts the alt/ac REALLY high, which likely won't work for you, and looks a little funky, too - Alt.Air Brackets & Pulley Kits

No I have not, but I will. Everything they make looks great. Thanks for the link.

Originally Posted by daveS53

My guess regarding the sway bar brackets is insufficient threading in the frame. Someone may have just drilled and tapped the thin frame material. Internal nut plates are needed. Threading the frame works for small brackets for hoses and tubes, but not much else.

You can get nuts that are round and can be welded into an oversize hole.

I haven't thought much about this after I posted the picture, but now I'm curious. I haven't decided if I'm going to be out in the garage this weekend, but if I am I have some grinding to do. LOL.

Originally Posted by daveS53

My guess regarding the sway bar brackets is insufficient threading in the frame. Someone may have just drilled and tapped the thin frame material. Internal nut plates are needed. Threading the frame works for small brackets for hoses and tubes, but not much else.

You can get nuts that are round and can be welded into an oversize hole.

Dave, you seriously think someone's going to drill & tap a nominal 1/8" thick frame rail for a bolt of that size carrying that kind of load? I expect it's a 7/16 14, or maybe even 1/2 13 which would yield less than two threads for a high stress load of a sway bar? I guess I can't say they didn't do it, but if the original builder tapped a frame rail for that service I'd question every nut & bolt on the car.

Originally Posted by rspears

I'd question every nut & bolt on the car.

At this point, I am. If this was my car, it would be ripped down to the bare frame and reassembled again. I told the owner that I would have it done by Spring, so that's the only thing stopping me. I'm a very detailed oriented guy, so it's hard for me to look at rusty control arms and just leave them. I know what this car could be, but the owner just wants a driver. I respect that, but I'm still checking every bolt.

Justin

Yes, I do think that it's possible that someone tapped the frame. It's just a thought. Nothing to get excited about. There's certainly no reason to weld the mounting bracket to the frame. If some fool would do that, they'd tap the frame too.

Just a little update. I will be ordering the front dress kit from Rocky Hinge, they seem to offer a great product. I'm still trying to figure out what power rack to go with, but that should be easy. In the mean time, I've been working on another Hot Rod. It needs a bunch of body work, I don't like the color it came, the axles are a touch rough and the wheels are plain. This one my 10 year old daughter will be doing alot of the work, but it'll come out great. Below is the start of the project.

Pinewood derby 1.jpg

Ahhh the pine wood derby! Go all out! This is for the dads and grand dads as much as the kids!
Be sure to google the derby kits, if you want the fancy axles etc, that seem to give certain individuals a huge advantage!

Originally Posted by stovens

Ahhh the pine wood derby! Go all out! This is for the dads and grand dads as much as the kids!
Be sure to google the derby kits, if you want the fancy axles etc, that seem to give certain individuals a huge advantage!

This is the first year that they are letting Girl Scouts participate, so this should be fun. I'm running in the parents class too! Rules are pretty strict in both classes, so no special axles. You have to use the axles in the kit, but there is alot you can do with the axles to make them better. Below is the 3D model of her car. Hopefully we can cut it on the CNC tomorrow.

Mustang.jpg

Cool! Gonna create a lot of "tool envy" among the Dads with that!! When you call Rocky Hinge tell Brad that Roger in Gardner, KS says hello. He'll walk you through any questions, and be sure that what you're ordering is right, or at least he did for me. A great guy, and he's the engineer that does all of their detailed design.

Originally Posted by rspears

Cool! Gonna create a lot of "tool envy" among the Dads with that!! When you call Rocky Hinge tell Brad that Roger in Gardner, KS says hello. He'll walk you through any questions, and be sure that what you're ordering is right, or at least he did for me. A great guy, and he's the engineer that does all of their detailed design.

A few dads have already asked me to help them with theirs. Maybe I'll have a few over with their kids and spend a day teaching them, it's not too hard. I've been keeping my daughter involved with every step and so far she is understanding the 3D aspect of the car. She has used my machine to create a few signs for her teachers, but nothing like this.

I'll tell Brad you said hi. I'll be talking the them on Mon, I still have a few questions. Thanks again!

I order the pulley kit today from Rocky Hinge. Roger, I told Rocky to tell Brad that you said Hi. Brad was busy in the shop. Rocky seemed like a great guy and knew for sure that his kit would fit between the fenders. They already have a few kits in C2C cars, this made me feel so much better. I also opted for their PS fluid reservoir, it should fit nicely.

Thanks again Roger for the heads up, Justin

Pinewood;It's great fun,I helped my son way back in time build a Pinewood in the late 1970's,he ended up winning both cub[he was one]and webalow<spell?the class above his too at County meet,for over all. And yes he polished the nails and rounded shaped the tires so they road on a small edge near the body that was all OK to do than,don't know about now?,he played with it so much before the races,the nail holes war out,so we had to make a slot and glue in small brass tube in the body block and bang the nails into it,to hole them in place,he had sanded long and hard to get his teardrop body shape and painted and polished it very nice<was really aero. Someone saw the the tubes glued to the bottom and bitched a storm about it being a bearing or bushing,but after I explaned ,no that could only be called at best a sleve becuses it dose not move and nether dose the nails/axle move,so it meets the fine rules as they are . Was great fun,but a few of the other Dad's were all bent out of shape when it was ruled AOK,there not engineers or gearheads so have little to no real understanding of what a bushing or bearing is by def. and actuly really mad they didn't do the same,as more then a few cars had the wheels fall off in the races.

Originally Posted by The Bat

Pinewood;It's great fun,I helped my son way back in time build a Pinewood in the late 1970's,he ended up winning both cub[he was one]and webalow<spell?the class above his too at County meet,for over all. And yes he polished the nails and rounded shaped the tires so they road on a small edge near the body that was all OK to do than,don't know about now?,he played with it so much before the races,the nail holes war out,so we had to make a slot and glue in small brass tube in the body block and bang the nails into it,to hole them in place,he had sanded long and hard to get his teardrop body shape and painted and polished it very nice<was really aero. Someone saw the the tubes glued to the bottom and bitched a storm about it being a bearing or bushing,but after I explaned ,no that could only be called at best a sleve becuses it dose not move and nether dose the nails/axle move,so it meets the fine rules as they are . Was great fun,but a few of the other Dad's were all bent out of shape when it was ruled AOK,there not engineers or gearheads so have little to no real understanding of what a bushing or bearing is by def. and actuly really mad they didn't do the same,as more then a few cars had the wheels fall off in the races.

It is a great project for the kids and the parents. Our rules are pretty tough, just to keep thing fair far all of the kids. One of the dads already warned me because they know me. I don't know if that's good or bad. Either way, they will be keeping a eye on both of our cars. I had to order a few new bits for the CNC, but as soon as they arrive, we will be cutting the shapes out.