Hot Rods Just Another 5-Window Build Thread

Been busy the last couple days. I installed the axle to the spring with the front radius rods ....


I am also little ahead of myself in this last pic. I had to trim the center link about 1/4" per side so I had some adjustment. I also installed the simple Speedway panhard bar on the brackets Jack made. Had to shorten it about 2 1/2" and bought a tap to retap the one end. I also finally got my Plymouth artillery rims to seat right on the F100 hub. The hub gets larger just before it reaches the shims. I had to grind the inner lip of the center hole of the rim away a bit to get them to seat so they would spin true. After a few tries on both sides, they spun true and she was down on the ground!


I installed the steering box after going to the hardware store to get the needed 7/16x14 thread bolts ( with all the bolts I have, nothing would fit the box - geesh ) ....

Jack and I knew the steering arm would be too long - just wanted to see how much. A buddy of mine has a shorter arm and it's on its way. A shorter arm will require more steering wheel revolutions but it will be easier to steer with the rather larger early 60s Olds steering wheel I will be using.
A lot of interest in the park brake handle bracket. I had to trim it a bit where it curved around the center round portion of the shifter tower and the bolt to the main body of the trans ....

I rotated the bracket and attached it to the two pass side bolt holes of the shifter tower ...

So far, so good .....

Seems like I hardly did anything for two days but they were productive. Presently the car is sitting high up front. Hoping for a 2-3" drop once the drivetrain and body are installed. That will put me at about 10" off the ground at the lowest point of the front frame horns. I was hoping for a little lower - we'll see what she settles in at after 6 mos on the road.

 

Today was anorher busy day but not one for pictures. I plugged all the non-stock holes in the frame and ground the welds clean. I could not finish dressing the welds as my compressor sprung a leak in one of the aluminum pipes feeding the main tank. Anyway, all welding is done save for some final spots to weld up towards the back of the frame .... Moving forward one day at a time .....

 

My new steering arm came in - it's short enough .....

Anyone know what this came off of? It looks stock and not home made ... tie rod end hole will need to be reamed for the 7 degree taper ...



Panhard bar and steering arm and link will be finalized once the car is with weight and is at ride height.
I finished drilling the breather hole in the rear and adjusted the rear so it was the square to the FE so it would roll srltraight ...

Should be a rolling frame by end of today .

 

Looking good, Tom.
How long (center to center) is the new steering arm? How long was the old one?

Thanks,
Gary

 

6 1/4 vs 5" ....

 

She is a roller!

 

Motor and trans in ....


... and with the firewall ....

 

Had a really great day - a bunch of the boys came over to help out the body on he frame and enjoy hanging out and some bench racing ....

Rolled the frame outside, swung it and the body facing out, dropped the rear with some smaller tires and literally the body was on in 10 minutes ...



It was a great day - so many guys showed up, guys I did know were even coming, just to join in on my big event. I am truly grateful to everyone.

Once everyone left and the car was in the garage, I have been lining up bolt holes and making a paper template on the tunnel I need for the floorpan ...



I made a floorboard template to scope out the main opening ...


Once the body is fully bolted down I will check the fit of the floorpan in stalled, trim if needed, and transfer my template to the floorpan ...

I am pumped right now ..... thanks guys for helping and making it a great day ....

 

Absolutely beautiful, HRP

 

Thanks, Danny - might see it at the all 32 run. You never know .....

 

Worked on the car today before the SB but not a picture event. Got the body all bolted down to the frame, rear spreader bar is in (I kept bumping into the front and rear frame horns multiple times.es yesterday), but the front needs to have the front frame horns spread a part a bit for it to fit.

Looking at the front floor pan, I am noticing that the seat adjuster may run into the shifter tower. But, being as short as I am, I may have to raise the seat so I will need to see what "opportunities" that will afford - LOL! Enjoy the game and for me, go Atlanta!

 

Some updates - got the pattern finalized for the floorpan cut but before I did that I wanted to trial fit the park brake with the bracket I picked up. What I found was that as cool as it is, for me it puts the park brake too close to the shifter imho and did not tilt it forward enough so when the brake was off, the handle would be at a 60 degree angle and not giving enough throw to engage the PB. After playing with the bracket a bit I decided to just mount thw park brake handle to the frame rail instead ....

I will drill the back hole first, spacing it away from the frame rail about 1/2". Once I get a nice handle angle, I will drill the second hole ....

I now needed to determine seat location. I never realized how massive the stock seat is! In its stock location, you can barely get your foot in between the seat and the door post and the stock seat adjuster was running right into the shifter tower.

Since I am short I first put a 2x4 under each runner - it was better but not great. I added a piece of 1x4 for a total height of 2.25" and this put me at a good height but still too far forward. Needing to tilt the seat back forward so I could move it back some more, I put another 3/4" on the back mounting hole location only ....

With this config I am in a good location height wise and there is room for the stock seat adjuster without running into the shifter tower. My neighbor came over and he is 5'8" and was comfortable. Jacksandeuces came over later on and tried it and he's 6'+. After mentioning he would place the back of the seat somewhere under the trunk lid for him - LOL - he thought it was good for me. I will have to raise the stock seat adjuster floor piece a like amount as well ...
As the pics show, I installed the shifter and I need to swan curve it towards the front. I can get through all the gears plus reverse presently but the ball is too far back and reverse puts the shaft up against the seat.
Before bending anything however, I will mock up/install steering, pedals, and heater box to check clearance.
Ride height - going to remove the top three leaves of the front spring for right now. At the back spring I am going to switch out the main leaf to a reversed eye and see where the shackles end up ....

I also started prepping my roadster for the up coming run to the LSRU .... there's always something to keep me busy ....

 

Picked up some supplies to make a brace behind the dash to strengthen it, hang the column from it, and hang my turn signal unit behind the dash. A cleaner look IMHO ...

I am using a 60s Olds steering wheel that is in keeping g with the green color of the car, but I needed some kind of cup behind it for my home-made column. The 40 repop cup is too big but I had a 40 Ford horn end that could work once whittled down ....

If you look close at the picture the "horn" end is seamed to the rest of the horn. Some time ago I separated the horn end from the rest of the horn thinking I might use it some day. I then used the steering wheel as a template and whittled it down to fit ...



The indented area was where it attached the horn. I pinched it in a bit so it would fit snugly over the column ....


I like the fit and the look - I'll either have Dave tig it the column (but not this column - I have new pipe) or epoxy it on the inside.

Something I picked up from jacksandeuces is how to sleeve a steering column rather than the stock or aftermarket bushings at either end. Pick up two lengths of pipe at Home Depot ...

Cut a relief slit in the 3/4" pipe so once squeezed together the smaller pipe will fit into the larger. Your steering column rod will slip into the smaller pipe nicely. A little grease or the like will help all slide together easily ....

I like this setup in that the steering shaft bushings won't wear causing a rattle. More on this setup later ....

For the dash support I started with a pattern of the dash. I will not be using the stock dash attached to the firewall, but attach it directly to the dash. With the steering column mounted to the support I am making, I can pull the dash and not disturb the column ...


The column drop will eventually mount straight left to right .... it was a good day
..

 

Tom, that column transition bell sounds like something I would do.

 

I also did something similar on my roadster but used the bulbus end of the horn ..... as a matter of fact, I discussed this with Jack and he said to do a D-Russ and go look at lamps!

 

@TomT What rear spring are you running?

Build looks good!

 

Thank you! I am running a 40 Ford front spring but the main leaf is incorrect as it is a 46-48 front main leaf. Have to swap it out ....

 

Oh cool!! I'm taking notes cause I'm about to get started on my 32 frame!! Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I am also using 35-36 rear radius rods - I talk about the fixture I had to make to line up the radius rods properly with the spring ..... the details are earlier in this thread .... any questions just start a conversation .....

 

I'll check cause I'm using 36 radius rods also! Thanks Tom!

 

This was something I learned from jacksandeuces .....

 

Between yesterday and today I was able to make some progress. I put my steering column together after welding my "cup" to the column, installed my pedals, and mocked up my steering column ....

Having my roadster for reference (it was a 5-window) really has given me some good reference points. With the driver exhaust manifold on, I have no clearance issues with anything so far ....

... with almost a straight shot into my Vega box. My only real issue is the shifter which was planning on reconfiguring it's curvature once the dash and heater box are installed ...

First gear runs the shifter ball and into the steering wheel and depending on the bend that will need to be made, may also need to shorten the arm as well.
I made up the support/steering column mount (sorry - forgot to get a pic) which will need to be installed so I can determine column mount location. I'll be on that tomorrow ......

 

Tom, if you need another 40 main leaf let me know, i have 3 or four nice 40 front springs that i can hook you up with, to swap that 46 main leaf out. @TomT

 

Thanks, Jason - I will let you know ....

 

Things are moving forward on my engine - brought the rotating assembly to be balanced a week ago and picked up everything today. It's all back in the hands of the engine builder so it is ready to be assembled. The only piece to the engine puzzle left is the oil pump .... the 364 is not the best choice but the 401 is and a buddy of mine has one for me ......

Did not do too much due to time constraints today but I worked only steering. I need to install the column installed semi permanently to make my final cut and mate the box to the column.

Got my dash screws late today - hope to mount the dash and the support behind the dash but tomorrow but it is Valentine's Day ....

 

Got the column pretty close - I like the position and it's comfortable. Made mount plates left and right with a notch in it for the bar. This way I could move it left or right to both center it to the dash and give me some flexibility in mocking up the column ....

Not the best picture but you get the idea. I also had a 39 Ford pickup column drop that looked to be close. I actually had to space it down from my mounting bar 2.5" ....

I've also marked the column to be cut on the other side of the firewall ...

That should give me more than enough room for the Borgeson joint .... the steering rod is also a solid rod and OK to make a double D to match the joint ....

 

I worked on ride height - I removed the top 3 leaves of the front spring and placed them underneath. The nose dropped 2" with that change from 11.5" to 9 3/4". Once the spring settles it should come down a bit more ....
Before ...

After...



I like the way the front radius rod is nearly parallel to the ground.
The rear spring needed the main leaf swapped out. I think the leaf is from a wider 46-48 front spring as the shackles were nearly straight up and down. It took a little bit of doing but the result was very good. The main leaf I installed is a reversed eye and will help bring down the rear which it needed ...




The before shot ....

At this point, I am very happy with my ride height ..... on to bigger and more things .....

 

Tom, If you are happy with the stance, that s the most important thing!

 

Thanks, Pete - I appreciate you checking out my progress and everyone's else's likes and comments. Keeps me focused.

I hope to roll it out Sat and take some pics ....

 

Looking good