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

[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.

[randyr]

Wait, I'm not finished yet....then I put the rearend back under the car for a test fit. I'll be using different mounting plates than what are shown here but I don't have them yet. I fitted the rear sway bar in place, too.

When I put the car back on the ground it is quite a bit lower which is what I wanted. The last pic is how it sat before the new springs. Of course it wasn't quite that high when it had all the interior and everything in it.

I still have a few more holes to drill for shock mounts, etc. then I'll pull rear end back back out to clean it up and paint it. That's all I got for now.

Hope all is well with you guys!
Randy

[randyr]

Randy,
Good deal on the fixture for resetting the spring perches. I don't want to bum ya out but I noticed you placed your ground clamp on the center section. This is a fairly common "mistake" made by welders. The proper method is to place the ground clamp as close to or on the actual work as possible. The way you have set it up the "ground path" of your welding can be going through the bearings in the third member. I have seen extreme cases of this causing little "ground arks" between the rollers and races of bearings which leaves little stalagmites of metal behind. When that bearing is rolled these break off causing destructive damage. This most likely did NOT happen in your case, but its always better to be on the safe side.
Good work on getting the car lower!

Hey E, thanks for the tip! I didn't even think about that. I was just going for the easiest place to get a ground. Hopefully, no damage was done, but if it was, I plan to change the 3rd member to different gears anyway. I got the idea for the jig from another site called Fordification, so I can't take credit for it. He built his jig out of steel tubing though. For a one-time use, I thought wood would be fine.

[34_40]

Hey E, thanks for the tip! I didn't even think about that. I was just going for the easiest place to get a ground. Hopefully, no damage was done, but if it was, I plan to change the 3rd member to different gears anyway. I got the idea for the jig from another site called Fordification, so I can't take credit for it. He built his jig out of steel tubing though. For a one-time use, I thought wood would be fine.

I was going to mention the same issue, it may also have created a bearing issue.. Hopefully the connection was through the center section fasteners. Other than that, it looks great! You do nice work Randy!

Could you remind me how all this started again? ROFL.. I thought you were working on the firewall??

[randyr]

Could you remind me how all this started again? ROFL.. I thought you were working on the firewall??

Actually, it all started with replacing the radiator.....

[34_40]

Actually, it all started with replacing the radiator.....

AH! Yes, that's it! I knew it was up front! And let me compliment you on the pics too! I always forget that part.. IF I remember to bring the camera, I forget to snap a photo or two

[bluestang67]

Well this is as far as i got over this time period . Had help but to many anvils to bang on LOL . Got the A almost all stripped of it's original paint . Also took some time off in W.V. really love the state . It's a 40 cal S/W .





http://good-times.webshots.com/video...02070080HbJkNP



Randy some good stuff was looking at parts tonight my self on the springs . I did get the sheet metal I needed to fix body . Now this is ready for the starting but still on the A . Want to get it going to make a better scene when it hits Ebay again .