37 Ford build--IE: old Header issues thread /37 Ford/5.0/GT40P heads

[IC2]

The extra 6" of leg length - that might hurt my straight line walking but if I was to walk across the side of a hillside.........

I measured up my upholstery material and have just over 4 square yards left plus a few more square feet of tag ends. I have no idea how much I need to do the seat fronts, but that's probably about enough.

Since I already have my outer seat mount studs installed as well as the bolt holes for the inners, I have a bunch of figuring, cutting and welding to do to make these Recaro's fit. To change these studs out, I would need to lift the body - and that ain't gonna happen!!! Too many hours were spent aligning doors. There will be no fore and aft adjusters nor much of any risers - I'm using 1" oak blocks and a steel framework more so the seat can be bolted in to the car then any any other reason. The seats will need to be all the way back for anyone over 5' tall anyhow

Now - since I have my steel and my oak, off to do my thing.

This almost makes me reconsider the van seat again - but I'm not quite ready to do that yet

[randyr]

Hey Dave, sounds like the Beemer seats might work out. Cool. I've considered Beemer seats for mine when I get to that stage. I want seats from the '02 & newer convertible because they have a built in shoulder harness but it's really inconspicuous, unlike the GM or Chrylser seats. But I have much to do before worrying too much about seats....LOL!

As for your right leg, maybe you could cut a hole in the floor and put a gas pedal directly on the carburetor. You could rest your heel on the valve cover. That should give you the 6" you need....

[IC2]

I just finished up building the dual framework to bolt the BMW seats down using the existing floor board bolt holes that were for the Glide seats. I guess that I can say that I did get some good practice fabbing angle iron and flat plate stock and a bunch of welding to get these to fit properly. What a PITA!! I have two pair of risers and the two sets of adjusters left over - thank goodness for evilBay. Now, to get the rest of the carpet and interior in and get this project running in forward again and at least make some suspicious black marks in front of the house

As far as post '02 Beemer convert seats for shoulder harnesses - only in my dreams up here in the normally frozen tundra of the Great Northeast. Until I get the seats reupholstered, the 4 point harness will have to come over the top - I'll probably have to install some sort of retainer on the top of the seat to hold it in place, but no big deal there (I say here with bated breath)

[34_40]

Now, to get the rest of the carpet and interior in and get this project running in forward again and at least make some suspicious black marks in front of the house

(I say here with bated breath)

Glad to hear you're moving forward! Black marks in front of the house.. Now it's ME who is JEALOUS!

I've been fighting a charging issue on mine. I have a red top optima battery and it's been driving my alternator crazy! I took the alternator to a friends shop last week and after testing we proved it worked fine. I re-installed it and it would continually overcharge. And I mean like 18 Volts!

So, I pulled it again and yesterday went back to his shop, he rebuilds starters & alternators, we opened it up to replace the regulator, we discovered that the rectifier center terminal was loose as the surgeons at Powermaster had overtightened the nut and stripped the threads, and they still shipped it out! .. So much for quality control!

I even bought a new battery charger to handle the AGM battery! After re-charging I reassembled everything last night and while the new regulator is holding voltage to 14.5 volts, I tried a new lead acid battery and there is a big difference as the alternator/regulator runs about 14.3 volts and you can hear the load coming on and off. While the optima battery forces the alternator to run constantly.

I wanted to try the new technology of the optima battery but I am giving it up. I don't hear any good things about'em and just wanted to see it for myself. Oh well. Better luck next time.

[IC2]

Glad to hear you're moving forward! Black marks in front of the house.. Now it's ME who is JEALOUS!

I've been fighting a charging issue on mine. I have a red top optima battery and it's been driving my alternator crazy! I took the alternator to a friends shop last week and after testing we proved it worked fine. I re-installed it and it would continually overcharge. And I mean like 18 Volts!

So, I pulled it again and yesterday went back to his shop, he rebuilds starters & alternators, we opened it up to replace the regulator, we discovered that the rectifier center terminal was loose as the surgeons at Powermaster had overtightened the nut and stripped the threads, and they still shipped it out! .. So much for quality control!

I even bought a new battery charger to handle the AGM battery! After re-charging I reassembled everything last night and while the new regulator is holding voltage to 14.5 volts, I tried a new lead acid battery and there is a big difference as the alternator/regulator runs about 14.3 volts and you can hear the load coming on and off. While the optima battery forces the alternator to run constantly.

I wanted to try the new technology of the optima battery but I am giving it up. I don't hear any good things about'em and just wanted to see it for myself. Oh well. Better luck next time.

I didn't think Optima batteries were AGM but a leak proof lead acid but needed a regulated charger - they WILL die - FAST - if they are overcharged though. Makes me wonder about my Powermaster alternator and my 2 year old Optima now as well, but so far the few hours that I have on this engine, the charge rate has been low. I do keep a Battery Minder on it though to maintain the charge. If I have to change to a standard battery, that presents a problem as I'll need a fully vented battery box.

My mission today is to get the rest of the carpet installed - but need better heat resistant contact cement for the firewall - so a quest for some DAP or similar.

[34_40]

I didn't think Optima batteries were AGM but a leak proof lead acid but needed a regulated charger - they WILL die - FAST - if they are overcharged though. Makes me wonder about my Powermaster alternator and my 2 year old Optima now as well, but so far the few hours that I have on this engine, the charge rate has been low. I do keep a Battery Minder on it though to maintain the charge. If I have to change to a standard battery, that presents a problem as I'll need a fully vented battery box.

We are in the same boat. My Optima says right on it - it's an AGM. Takes a charger with a AGM mode (for lack of another word) to bring it back. I also need to add a vent or change boxes. I think the battery has developed a memory and won't apparently charge past that point so your tender may be your saving grace. I too am less than pleased with the Powermaster name, too bad the assembler didn't just swap out that rectifier and say "hey, this one is bad". But to ship it with stripped connections...

Anyhow, it's water under the bridge. I'm going to see if I can get some credit for the battery, it's supposedly has a 3 year warranty... we'll see what happens.

[randyr]

Ok fellas, so I've actually been working on my car again and I have pics to prove it! LOL! I think I said in an earlier post that I was going to remount the rear end using new springs, hangers, shackles, etc because my old setup had the car sitting way to high in the rear plus I didn't like the rear shackle setup I had. I bought a pair of barely used springs from SAC Hotrods on craigslist. I contact SAC to buy the appropriate mounting hardward for them only to find they were closing their doors. It was sad because I've seen their ads in car magazines for years. Anyway, I called in the nick of time and Roy still had the parts I needed.
Here's some of my process of installing them.....the new springs set a little wider on my chassis than the old ones so I had to move the spring perches on my rear end. I cut the old ones off with a dremel cutoff wheel (several actually) and was able to use them again. To get them in the right place I built a jig with some 4x4's I had laying around (see pic). I wanted the perches to be 42.5" apart on center so I drilled a 3/8" hole in the cross blocks at 42.5". I put a 3/8 bolt in each hole then place the perches on there. I put the rear end on the perches and centered it then set the pinion angle then tack welded the perches. Then I turned the rear end over and completed the welds.