'63 Falcon project

[1946Austin]

Wow, .375 material? Should way safe if the shaft frags. Are you actually going to have fuel in that rank hanging out front? Brackets look great, will they support a full tank over bad roads at speed.

Yes, 1/4"x2" is the minimum, but I had the 3/8" around so use up, rather than buy!
The tank is not legal for fuel any longer unless it sits within the frame rails. It's being used as a coolant overflow/catch can, so never has much in it. I have a petcock on the bottom, so I can drain anything that doesn't return to the radiator, and keep the weight down. It's mainly there to retain the 60's gasser theme for fun.

[milner351]

We've been through the same thing with the grille - I wanted a 63 grille, ended up with a 60 grille (I think) and had to modify it extensively to deal with the mustang core support, original 62 hood latch assembly, etc. I'm still considering building a custom grille.

The modified angle tank brackets are sweet!

[1946Austin]

We've been through the same thing with the grille - I wanted a 63 grille, ended up with a 60 grille (I think) and had to modify it extensively to deal with the mustang core support, original 62 hood latch assembly, etc. I'm still considering building a custom grille.

The modified angle tank brackets are sweet!

Thanks! I was lucky I didn't have to deal with a core support, so just fabbed up aluminum tabs to mount the grille. It was the headlight trim that gave me fits, and the mixing of '63 and '61 parts. I have a '58 Ford grille here and was planning on using it to make a custom grille, but after bending the correct peak in it just didn't look as good as I thought it would. I flattened it back out and will resell it to my buddy for his '40 Willys gasser pickup. It's a pretty popular thing to use '58 Ford grilles in those old Willys.

[1946Austin]

While the Austin is out of commission, and bot much to do until the short block returns. I decided to get on with body work on the Falcon. Got passenger door pulled out, and front fender ground down. Both had had body work, and the door was really thick with bondo, and still too low. The fender was high, but thin, so I ground it down and tapped the metal down enough to get the proper filler in.

The door took much more work. I don't have a stud gun, and no access to the back with the inner brace. So I welded 1/4-20 all thread in numerous places, and used a 2x4 piece of wood across the door to tighten and gently pull the whole door skin out. Then cut the thread off and ground it smooth. Ended up with just a thin skim coat to finish it off.

Did some sanding and filler work on the rear radius I built also. They're pretty close so just a skim coat and some primer and they'll be good.


Have to wait now until the weather stays good to do any more body work. My little garage is tight, and the Austin has the backyard canopy to do the engine work. I have to roll the Falcon outside to get to the rest, or to shoot primer. So it will also be on hold for awhile.

[mlcraven]

...Ready to start the dreaded body work now. Ugh!

On a positive note, means the paint work can't be far behind!

[1946Austin]

On a positive note, means the paint work can't be far behind!

No, paint work has been put on the back burner, as funds and working space have been detoured to my other project's new engine.

[1946Austin]

Had our monthly hotrodder's breakfast today, so drove the Falcon. Then since it was so nice I got home and did a couple changes with swap meet parts I got this weekend. Wanted my shifter to be longer, so a $10 Hurst donor handle got cut down in length. Then welded it to my shifter base and bolted it on the linkage. Sits right where I wanted, and about 3" longer than the old arm, which makes it easier to shift.
Picked up a nice old cast aluminum gas pedal, so drilled and tapped it for a hinge at the base and bolted the hinge to the floor. Feels much better than the small spoon pedal now!

[Crank]

Some of us were looking forward to your chassis build. It is to bad that you choose that period of time to quit posting. I did enjoy and learn from your Austin build.

[1946Austin]

Some of us were looking forward to your chassis build. It is to bad that you choose that period of time to quit posting. I did enjoy and learn from your Austin build.

Sorry. Guess I shouldn't have been so thin skinned. Most of the front chassis work is shown. I added subframe connectors welded to the front box tubing I put under the frame rails, and it's welded to the rear factory frame rails. The connectors are also braced out to the rocker panels with more tubing. Used factory replacement leaf springs in the rear, and my homemade ladder bars.
My main reason for trying to keep the stock frame rails and add box tube to strengthen them was my "garage" area. Since I'm working in a canopy with a gravel floor that's covered in plywood, I don't have a nice concrete floor to level off of. Since it takes a solid flat floor to build a tube frame, I had to work with what I had to make it true and strong. Some of the later pictures show side views, and undercarriage where you can see what I did underneath.
After a year of enjoying the car, I haven't found much I don't like about it. I have thought I might paint it, but it gets so much positive response with the primer and old paint, that I will leave it alone for now. I just keep dinking around with body work, and shooting some rattle can primer over whatever I do.

[milner351]

Sweeeeet

[DanStokes]

Sorry if someone turned you off the forum - hope it wasn't me. Anyhow, I hope you'll blow off whoever it was and KEEP ON POSTIN'! Love your stuff.

Dan

[1946Austin]

Thanks. It's all good.
Falcon was surprisingly picked as "Best Competition Car" at the Rose City Roundup today! Had the cackle fest Friday night also, and uncapped it for that event. The guy next to me moved his Bucket T, as he said I was shaking his windshield so bad he thought it was going to break! LOL
Got a nice home built trophy for the award today!

[1946Austin]

I have been having issues with the gilmer cog belt and pulleys. I love the look, but the squared cogs on the pulleys and belt make for a bad fitting system, and they wear rapidly! In a year I've gone through two belts, and guess where all the worn out rubber dust goes? All over the engine, and out the hood opening to deposit on the windshield. It makes a mess of everything, and after the 2nd belt wore out, I decided to give up on it.
I spent last Thursday tearing all the pulleys off, and painting up the stock pulleys to return them to the engine. I somehow lost the alternator pulley, but the local rebuilder was gracious and donated a couple to me for the change. Got it all together, and after a few trips to the local chain parts store with my sample V belt cut to length, they finally got the right width and length V belt. First one they gave me sat too deep in the V pulleys and squealed like a loose belt, no matter how tight I got it.
Doesn't look as cool, but it works, and will keep the engine free of all the black sooty rubber dust!

[Deaf Bob]

Function over looks win every time I always wondered about those square cogs...

[SuperBuickGuy]

the coolest part of all - that you drove it enough to know this.