62 Falcon - $5k challenge, how will it rise from the ranger's ashes?

[Bamfster]

As far as rebuilding/rearching the stock leaves ... the place I use here can do any width or length. The only restriction is the number of leaves in the pack and then they just break down the pack and do them individually (not that that would be an issue here).

[milner351]

Interesting you mention bags - this deal has been haunting me - buy 2 get 2 free for $118

http://www.airbagit.com/product-p/bag-free-1x.htm

20 g metal would be fine, if you can find electrogalvinized that would be best (try not to directly breath the fumes)

use 18 g or 16 g and you won't need to put any kind of seam as it'll be strong enough without

Thanks SBG - I'll have to stop and see my local steel shop, I love that place, I have some sheet now but I think it's thinner than 20 - it's what we used to patch the hood on Rhonda's car.

The airbagit it stuff is considerably cheaper than the ridetech stuff.

That fabtech system does look coolio - but I already have the 8.8 from the ranger, yes it needs to be shortened on one side and one replacement short side axle purchased, but - it has a new eaton locker and 4.10 gears all set up, it's already cleaned up and painted and has new brake lines and drum brake stuff, and I have disc stuff for it (it's only a 2450lb car!)
....this all started trying to find replacement leaf springs under $200!

The leaf springs are available here for $99 each plus shipping so I can go that way if I want to keep it simple, but given the tire clearance issues - this four link stuff has me really thinking.....

http://www.generalspringkc.com/index.php?p=catalog&parent=98&pg=1

[STINEY]

]Started to strip a little paint too - the factory paint laughed at the stripper, the shabily applied red oxide and blue came off.

Easy off and Graffitti cleaner work pretty good for getting paint off the emblems.

Neat how the original finish doesn't budge while the other stuff melts away, isn't it?
If you go the Easy-Off route, be extremely careful as it WILL attack the original finish VERY quickly. You get the hang of it, but definitely do a small area first, as in 2" square. There is also a huge difference between actual name brand Easy-Off and the dollar store off-brand stuff, actual Easy-Off runs circles around the other stuff.

That Falcon is in really good shape! Have to admit I would have drug it home myself!

[BBR]

Repost:

Leafs WITH bushings: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-REAR-LEA...item51972b9c07

[Stich496]

isn't eaton spring near you.. I know the spring place here, can make anything.. or, go for the retro look shackles

[milner351]

Yes - I can get leaf springs re arched near me - but in my experience they are pricier than getting them on line.

I can get leaf springs, new - for around $200ish, but then I'm building or buying cal tracs, and buying shocks.

Damitall - I never should have started thinking about air ride and four links.

Doing a four link conversion eliminates the leaf springs, and with adjustable coil overs I get some ride height adjustment, and some more tire clearance.

According to the Fabquest link from Doug:
"Max tire widths for non mini tubbed cars are 255mm. Rolling the inner fender lip will buy you another 10mm or so."

That's way more tire than I ever dreamed of fitting back there, the Fenton torque thrusts I want to run are 7" wide, the car is light, the power output of the 302 with the edel heads will likely be no more than 400hp.

What say you?

Four corner air bags are off the table - just too much money, and complexity than I want to deal with on this car - sure - I know it will ride better and having adjustable ride height is cool, but... I don't want to spend more on the suspension than I did on the engine.

Four corner coil overs with four link rear from ridetech is $1350 or so - still more than I want to spend on suspension.

I think I can do a four link and coil overs for the rear only for about the same price as I would pay for new:

leaf springs $231 shipped from ebay
new shocks $40 for oem replacements
cal tracs $360
(if I bought them instead of spending the time to make them - I already have rod ends)

[STINEY]

Okay, I was trying to avoid showing my roots............. but in the interest of the budget minded........

Once upon a time I had a tail dragger leaf-sprung car. This was back in '89. I got a bunch of big friends to drop by, wedged a strong block of wood between the frame and spring, behind the front spring eye. (on both sides) stuffed the back seat full of human ballast as well as the trunk, and commenced to bouncing the heck out of the rear of the car with people hanging on to anyone and anything while they alternately hit the stops and got air with the tires. Had to stop a couple of times to replace the blocks, but when it was all said and done we'd gained 3-4" as measured on the rear bumper.
Your results may vary.

Its also common practice on big trucks to re-arch springs if they aren't damaged, using a large press. They simply lay the spring on its side on a piece of cardboard, trace its shape before the pressing, and then compare as they press until they get the amount of change. The amount gained on the cardboard measurement is exactly the same as the increase of ride-heigth.

I bet a smaller hand operated hydraulic press could do the same thing, and while not as entertaining as the trunk-jumping method, is probably safer. Cleaner too - one of the big dudes had a couple-few beverages before the event, and lost those beverages in a spectacular fashion.

Be sure to take video if you choose this method. I sure wish I had video of the '89 event.

[milner351]

Neat how the original finish doesn't budge while the other stuff melts away, isn't it?
If you go the Easy-Off route, be extremely careful as it WILL attack the original finish VERY quickly. You get the hang of it, but definitely do a small area first, as in 2" square. There is also a huge difference between actual name brand Easy-Off and the dollar store off-brand stuff, actual Easy-Off runs circles around the other stuff.

That Falcon is in really good shape! Have to admit I would have drug it home myself!

Chris
The ez off seemed to loosen up the poorly applied blue paint off the falcon emblems, but some of it is still holding tight. I'm wondering if pulling the emblems and soaking them in something is the best way to go. I don't want / expect the emblems to be flawless new appearing - I just don't want crappy paint on them. I'm also going to try to preserve the original Pompano Beach Ford dealer emblem on the back.

[Stich496]

if cheap is good, build latter bars and coil overs

[BBR]

Slapper bars ftw!!

[Bamfster]

Slapper bars ftw!!

X's 2 !!!

[Silver68RT]

That fabtech system does look coolio - but I already have the 8.8 from the ranger, yes it needs to be shortened on one side and one replacement short side axle purchased, but - it has a new eaton locker and 4.10 gears all set up, it's already cleaned up and painted and has new brake lines and drum brake stuff, and I have disc stuff for it (it's only a 2450lb car!)
....this all started trying to find replacement leaf springs under $200!

They offer brackets for the 8.8 that you have to weld on yourself. The picture shows a 9", which they offer, but it appears to be kind of an ala-carte spec it out your way kit. Seems like a pretty good deal, solves a bunch of problems, and should give you decent traction.

I'll bring that carb in.

[STINEY]

Beat me to it. Ala-carte is the way I took it too.

You're in trouble John, its starting to almost make financial sense (and that, in a project car, is near impossible!).....oh how easy it is to spend your money from here.

This thread is going to be so much fun.

[milner351]

in my best cartoon super hero near death imitation:

must stay focused must stay in budget

while the voices in the back of my head are jumping frantically on a mental trampoline of possibilities.

It may come down to this (damned being sensible sometimes sucks)
The budget small block (yea - "budget" $600 used aluminum heads and new rockers going on)
isn't going to make enough power to need anything more than cal-tracs to hook up.

Leafs are cheaper (especially if I build the cal-tracs with James pattern he so graciously provided)
Caltracs will make it hook
and it leaves more money and time for other parts of the car, like the full interior, floors, granada front swap, and paint job

[STINEY]

(Superhero near his personal Kryptonite)

Paint job.....must avoid paintjob.....patina is perfect........ spend money elsewhere.....