79 Zephyr Bonneville

[Tubbed Pacecar]

Hiya Steve! James F in Edmonton! This is great that you're doing a build thread, because now that my parents are both gone, I don't get up there to visit you or Ken nearly as often as I'd like, so this way I still get to see what's up!!

Cheers!
James

[bukshysteve]

Well here are the latest pictures on the upside down Zephyr. I modified the front cross member and lower control arms for air bags, got a bunch of new suspension parts and a Flaming River manual rack. The rear was also modified for air bags with Carrara adjustable shocks. The lower links are some I made years ago for a drag racing application and the uppers are adjustable Edelbrock links so I can get my pinion angle bang on. I set up a set of 3.25 : 1 gears on a Strange spool in a nodular iron center section and I have a set of aftermarket axles (Moser I think). So next program is brakes, air lines and while it is upside down a fuel line and return fuel line.

[DanStokes]

DARN! No pics.

Dan

[Deaf Bob]

DARN! No pics.

Dan

Blue squares..

[bukshysteve]

I hope that the pictures are O.K. this time

[DanStokes]

YEA! Pics!

Thanks. Looking good but I'm not sure how the aero works on an upside-down car.......

Dan

[Deaf Bob]

Belly pan !

[bukshysteve]

Well I got a little side tracked as I also work on a blown alcohol small block ford in a tube chassis 50 ford. We were at the Bakersfield March Meet and I had to change out the bellhousing on the Lenco because it was out dated and Lenco no longer recerts their housings. I got a Bruno housing that was recertified but I had to make an adapter to use the Lenco Drive. Anyway long story as I had other maintenace to do on the 50 so the Zephyr hasn't progressed too much. I got all the brakes and shocks etc on so here are a couple of pictures. I plan to turn the car over this weekend and start on installing the engine and tranny.

[Dynoroom]

Nice work. What tires are you going to use? How much do you think the car might weigh? Where are you going to put the fuel tank & how many gallons will it hold. Are you going to run a charge-air cooler?
Good Luck with your project.

[bukshysteve]

Well after a summer of being crew chief on our AA/Gas 49 Ford and holidaying with the wife I am finely back on the Bonneville project. I am not taking on any more projects until it is done so I hope the salt will be good for 2017. I have bolted up the clutch and tranny and test fitted the combination. I had to modify the block plate for flywheel clearance and build a spacer for the starter but everything else seamed to go OK.

[DanStokes]

Good to see you back!

Did you have to mess with getting the Lakewood aligned to the centerline of the crank/trans? The QuickTime I bolted up behind the SBF in the Volvo took all the offset the dowel pins could provide but now seems OK.

Dan

[bukshysteve]

Here are two more pictures. I cut out the spare tire well and fuel tank and built this tub to hold batteries, fuel cell, ice water tank and water pump for the intercooler. I haven't built the water tank yet. The fuel cell is an Aeromotive product with a built in A1000 fuel pump.and holds about 15 US gallons. I don't know if the tires I have are legal but they came off of the Ranger that raced at Bonneville and they are Mickey Thompson front runners all they way around. The bellhousing was surprisingly close on the dowels .007 out but I had to drill the bolt holes slightly oversize to bolt to the block. The intercooler is another home made deal using 10" light wall aluminum pipe welded to a cooler core that was given to me.

[Mildred]

Great to see a Zephyr being built!!! If you happen to need any body parts at all, let me know, I have a few parts cars laying around.

[bukshysteve]

Well a big thank you for me making the front page again. The class I am running is E/CBGC so the motor is actually a 257" motor as the limit is 261" I am determined to make it next year and if the salt is no good I'll see if I can make it to one of the standing mile events to get some seat time in. Thanks again for you interest.

[bukshysteve]

Well it has been a couple of weeks so I figured I best update this build. The motor and tranny are mounted in the car and the shifter is installed. I'll be ordering a driveshaft now and I was wondering if anyone would recommend a vendor. I was thinking of carbon fiber as it will be about 50 inches center to center and I hope to be pulling over 9000 RPM in high gear. I used elephant ears on the front of the engine and a mount on the bellhousing and at the rear of the tranny. I'll start on the roll cage tomorrow so that will take a little time