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Low buck 68 LeMans

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  • #16
    Went to the junkyard with Scott. Found a manual steering box on a 65 Tempest at the yard, along with a 68 400 block. The box is on the car already, put it on yesterday $25. Found a 71 Cougar with a bare 9"under it, and a 72 El Camino with an 8.5 open. The 72 is a bolt in deal, and the 9" will fit most of my F and X body cars. Headed back this week with a cordless Sawzall to get them. I'm still amazed an 8.5 that fits 68-72 A body cars is in the yard. If it was a 12 bolt or a posi it would definitely be gone, but it's perfect for my needs since I can set up rear ends.

    the glass work is comingalong, will take pics later.

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    • #17
      Yep. The block was in the back of a Corvair Greenbriar van for years. We found it after it was dragged out of the back and left on the ground by a noob who didn't see a 400 or 455 cast in it's side.
      BS'er formally known as Rebeldryver

      Resident Instigator

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      • #18
        Well here's the latest. Bumper mold is coming along good. Should be cured tomorrow and ready for support bracing to be glassed on. Manual box is on it. Fender straightened a bit and ready for primer and cheap enamel. Almost have the rest ready for cheap satin black. One ball joint showed up today, still waiting for the bushings to show up.












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        • #19
          Upper control arms are back on with new bushings, the ball joints are good and I have spares now. If I could get the rear bolts out of the lower arms I'd be going back together. Going to do that right after this post. Got the front drums off, need a hardware kit if I don't have them around here. Engine is going to be cheaper than I thought, crank is good, didn't need ground. Block is 030 over and I ordered the pistons and rods yesterday. Machine work should be under $500 for the shortblock. I'll go through a set of heads here, springs and seals, and run them until I can swing a ported or aluminum set.


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          • #20
            Pulled the bumper mold a bit ago. Came out nice.







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            • #21
              Nice project Todd,love it! One thing I always wanted to try with front drums is to radially drill them in the fins to help cooling and let water drain out. I was reading this guy's site who had a Maverick with front drums. For what ever reason he couldn't do disk brakes at the time so he drilled the drums. He said it worked great. The brakes didn't fade anymore, going through water was no longer an issue either. After about a year he installed a set of Granada disks expecting a big improvement. He was thinking of putting the drilled drums back on!

              Do a search on drilled drums. This is an old trick that was used in many forms of racing back in the day with good results.
              Tom
              Overdrive is overrated


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              • #22
                Have a big pile of front drums, might as well try it out.

                Started the hood mold today, everyone around here is out of glass mat now. Headed in for a VA appointment tomorrow, so I'll snag some more in a bigger town. This fiberglass thing is kinda fun.

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                • #23
                  Here's the hood slathered in fiberglass with some very old siphon tunes used for reinforcement. A couple days of curing and I can pull it off. Then some work on the mold, and make a hood for this thing. The forged rods showed up today, waiting on the pistons now. Brake hardware is in, need to pick it up tomorrow, then the front end can go back together. This one is going fast now.







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                  • #24
                    Brakes are almost done up front. Need to clean the lines, make new lines for behind the drums, and clean the drums, thenthe front is done.




                    The hood mold came loose without a hitch, need to stiffen it now. Its just sitting there right now, turned out to be quite easy.

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                    • #25
                      Front suspension and brakes are done. Needs tie rod ends and an alignment. Hood mold is nearly finished, one more layer to go. Pistons are here, taking them to the machine shop tomorrow.

                      68 LeMans $300
                      Domed forged pistons: $380
                      Forged I beam rods $288
                      Ball joints and control arm bushings $135
                      Brake shoes, wheel cylinders, master cylinder and rubber hoses $185
                      Manual steering box $25

                      Machine work should be under $500 for the short block and $300 for the heads.
                      Found an 8.2 3.08 geared posi for $150
                      $30 for satin black, have to figure up the fiberglass cost.
                      $200 for a new windshield
                      $200 for rear suspension lift bars
                      $200 for shock absorbers


                      Have a Th350 in good shape but I want a good converter, figure 2800-3400 stall, and I need a cam and lifters, rings, bearings, gaskets and oil pump. Tires that hook, maybe two new slotted rims. Some wire to make everything work, fuel pump, probably a cell and half inch fuel line. Leaves room for porting the heads $1500 ready to go, or a nitrous kit.

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                      • #26
                        Can't you just bolt some caliper brackets to those drum spindles?

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                        • #27
                          Tests proved the drums stop better in what he does with the car,.

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                          • #28
                            I can put discs on it easy, I just don't want to. Felt like something different and cheaper. Also I can adjust them so there is no drag on them, makes it roll easier and go faster in the quarter

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                            • #29
                              Race-mart has e-heads for $1005.57 each (61599). If you know where to get them cheaper let me know.

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                              • #30
                                I'm running iron heads, ported aluminum is minimum $2400. SD can CNC 6X heads to flow as good as unported E heads for $500 less. Maybe I'll step up the heads later, but I have three sets of 6X sitting here, might as well use them.

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