Features Doing Falcons Right

I've got a pair of 50 year old 28 spline 5 lug axles from a 1963 Falcon eight inch V8 rear... If you've got an eight inch rear in the car now..

 

Thanks for the offer, but the current rear is something like a 7.5 or 7.25. Very weak and not very easy to find parts for. OK for a six-powered cruiser, but not desirable for a V8 swap like the 8".

 

That's kinda' what I figured but I thought of put it out there for ya', just in case...


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

This is what made me seek out the wagon rear.


Dispatched from my 1949 Underwood Master.

 

Burnt Out,
To bad that you are not closer to me. The mav.-comet 8' is still fairly common in my area. I lucked up about 4 months ago and found a 8" v-8 rear end out of a 63 4 dr. Gona use it in my 62 Ranchero build. Was gona use a mav.-comet 8" and have it cut about 3/4" but now I can use the 63 rear and not do any thing but bolt it in. Even a blind hog finds an acorn every now and then.
Butch Evans(Falconeer)
Thomasville NC

 

So it was rainin' this morin' n' I got all bored. I figured there was no time like the present to ditch my slapper bars n' install my spiffy new Cal-Track bars.



First I removed the spring plates n' the spindly 3/8" U bolts along with my heavily modified Lakewood "universal" slapper bars.





Check out the spacers I made to keep the slappers centered on my 2" springs...

Then my buddy yanked out the springs...they came out pretty easy- the same dude had helped my replace the 50 year old springs n' hardware in May of 2012.

 

After lubing the front spring eye up with anti-seize (never use as a personal lubricant) I pressed in the supplied aluminum bushing on my cheesy Chinese press.

I used a bearing race installer that looked 'bout right n' a Jim's Harley 5 speed transmission main drive seal installer mostly because I couldn't find a piece of scrap pipe that was the right size.



Front spring eye bushing installed.



Pivot assembly n' steel insert installed...

 

After a lot of grunting n' bad language, the springs got re-installed with the new pivot assemblies.

Next up were the new spring plates and some 65-67 Mustang 7/16 U bolts.



I would'a like to use 1/2 diameter U bolts but couldn't find any 2 3/8" U bolts for my eight inch rear in half inch...

And no dude, I don't live on the left coast where there's a spring shop, a radiator shop n' an upholstery joint on every corner.

All the local spring shops just laughed when I asked for a 1/2 x 2 3/8 x 6" round U bolt....



So anyhow, here it is:







Now I gotta' wait till it stops rainin' to try em out.....

 

Must be a Ranger axle with the small tube diameter at the end? I had the opposite problem with my 8.8 Explorer; the tube was too large at 3.25" I used 3" U bolts on the tube, and reworked them to fit the 3.25" tube.

 

In the first pic it looks like the Cal Trac shock plates are set up for staggered shocks? What did you do about that?


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Never mind! I zoomed in closer and see that they have tabs on both ends for the shocks to mount. Crafty.


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Big block- it's a dead stock 63 Falcon V8 8in housing-
I'm told the 63 Falcon is the narrowest hosing Ford ever made- the tubes are stepped down to 2 3/8" and take the small axle bearings. I know Mustang 8in rear housings are like this too because the parts interchange with the Falcon..


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Thanks! Didn't see the center to know what it was. I did notice when looking for the 8.8" for my Falcon that Rangers with the 8.8" used a stepped tube also.

 

I kinda thought ya' might a' seen where I swapped out my 3:55 trac-lock center for a 3:80 TL center a coupl'a pages back...


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Yeah, now that you mention it I did. But my memory is about 2 seconds long! I can walk from the car to the tool box and not remember what I was going to get!

 

EXCITED! A few years back I put a Unisteer Rack and Pinion in my 63 Convert. It fit well, steered nice, but has the turning radius of a dump truck. It was so bad that at one Autocross event if I didn't Drift one corner (not the fast way around) I had to make a 3 point turn (Even slower way around). I kept looking at alternatives but wan't happy with any. Some guys modify either Chevy Cavalier or other OEM racks, but I never saw a conversion that i was all that happy with. TCP made a really nice looking unit, but you had to cut the driver's side frame rail and box it in to clear the rack - I wan't too thrilled about that. Flaming River kept saying they had one coming out, even advertised it, but every time I inquired it wasn't available yet. In the end, I had Total control make me a rack using Woodward Precision Steering Components (they build a lot of circle track steering) in a new design that doesn't require frame mods. Well it came in last night so Saturday I will be under the car installing it and my custom Aluminum Road Race oil pan (originally a Stef's Fabrication pan for a Mustang).
I'm excited - will take pictures and post next week

 

I'd really like to see how that goes for ya', too.



Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Should be interesting. I've never done much thinking about R&P because of all the issues with the Unisteer rack (and because I've never been unhappy with a steering box), but it will be interesting to see one done right.

 

Once I started autocrossing and open track day running my car, I didn't like the feel of the stock steering linkage. The early Unisteer units had a bad bump steer issue, but that was sorted out, so now the radius was the problem. Probably not a big deal for a street car.

 

I've always wanted to try Autocross, but for now mine's strictly a street car. I'll still be looking with interest!

 

I used to autocross my GT6 some. Stayed in stock as that kept me in one of the lower classes, mostly older 4 bangers. Poor thing got bumped to A soon as you did any mods and I didn't want to spend the money to run with Porsches and such.

I couldn't imagine auto crossing the Comet. At the least I'd need much faster steering, or maybe I've just let myself get old and lazy.


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Let us know how the rack works out. I put a unisteer rack and hate the turning radius. I have to use my right foot for U-turns on some 6 lane roads. It doesn't give me much steering angle to correct drifts either. How much was the whole set up? did you keep the unisteer u-joints and steering rod?

 

Does anyone know of a source for stock 8" axles? I've got a Maverik rear end for my 64 wagon and it has one bad axle.

 

http://www.currieenterprises.com/cestore/orderingonline.aspx

I called Currie and they made me a set for my 8":

 

If'n you go with new axles its a good time to rethink rear brakes too!

I wish I'd been thinking more ahead, I would have got the axles machined to fit the brakes and wheels I am using so I could have skipped the spacer.


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

And... Over on TFFN there has recently been a thread started on electric power steering conversions that has me very interested.... I like the idea of bein able to get power steering without adding more under hood clutter. I can handle under dash clutter, I don't have I see it!




Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

No offense intended, I just can't imagine needing power steering on one of these cars. My wagon is too light for my tastes just flat dead stock.

 

I'd like to do something to reduce the turns lock to lock. With my new tires the standard steering box makes things kind of heavy when parallel parking. In Savannah you do a lot of parallel parking. With the stock tires I could pretty much park with my pinky.

I have been contemplating just swapping to the faster power steering box alone and seeing if I an handle the increased effort without boosting things.


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

What are you running for a steering wheel?

 

Stock... Whatever size that is? My 6'3" self can barely fit in there.

Another reason I'd like power. I would like a hair more room in there.


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!