Above 1200 Sq/FT The Warthog Hidey Hole

[Cdubu52]

Chris,
I've seen them for sale but wasn't too sure about it for the time being, what R&P kit did you use? One other thing I'm going to try is to lift the engine up a little to see if that gains me some clearance, it may, but will likely cause interference in other locations.

All,
No work on the car last night, between the storm and having to work a little late it would have meant only about 2 minutes in the shop, I opted to be warm inside instead.

JB

JB, I used the Steeroids kit from Speed Direct. Here is the link:

1964 1/2-1970 Mustang Steeroids Rack & Pinion Conversion Kit with Column, Power Steering

www.speeddirect.com

I have a stock block in mine, but the 351w block is only about and inch bigger overall. Most folks that I know who did an engine swap have had success with off the shelf headers, but Im not sure which ones work the best. I did a ton of searching on Mustang forums, but I just bit the bullet and crossed my fingers. I have the ****** tri Y Long Tubes on mine and I love them. I have zero clearance issues.

I guess when you win the lottery, you could go coil overs and removed the shock towers for clearance. I think I had the dream of swapping in a coyote and doing the Detroit Speed front end but then realized that I would rather have a shop.

 

[86turbodsl]

Good God that's a lot of money for a commodity steering rack and a few custom bits.

In the old days people got steering racks out of the junkyard and made them fit. Only way i'm ever getting this on my car.

 

[jbmatth]

JB, I used the Steeroids kit from Speed Direct. Here is the link:

1964 1/2-1970 Mustang Steeroids Rack & Pinion Conversion Kit with Column, Power Steering

www.speeddirect.com

I have a stock block in mine, but the 351w block is only about and inch bigger overall. Most folks that I know who did an engine swap have had success with off the shelf headers, but Im not sure which ones work the best. I did a ton of searching on Mustang forums, but I just bit the bullet and crossed my fingers. I have the ****** tri Y Long Tubes on mine and I love them. I have zero clearance issues.

I guess when you win the lottery, you could go coil overs and removed the shock towers for clearance. I think I had the dream of swapping in a coyote and doing the Detroit Speed front end but then realized that I would rather have a shop.

That R&P conversion is about what I expected and have seen price wise, it's out of my budget for now for sure.

I did a lot (2-3 hours) of reading and the consensus was to either use shorty headers or the Headman headers I ordered would be the best fit, the only mention was possible clearance to the shock towers, not a single person mentioned the steering, it could be because my car is manual steering and most people have or put in power. Sadly I don't have another close to check out the differences.

If I had the engine out for a while I'd probably just modify the shock towers, I found a really good writeup about one guy and they came out slick and factory appearing. Oh well, not this go around.

Good God that's a lot of money for a commodity steering rack and a few custom bits.

In the old days people got steering racks out of the junkyard and made them fit. Only way i'm ever getting this on my car.

Sadly I knew the price of the conversion already, maybe if I had to replace the steering box and all other components this replaces, but I'm certainly not going to do it right now. R&P steering is nice, but I just can't do it right now.

JB

 

[86turbodsl]

I'm far more likely to engineer my own solution. I know everyone always says it doesn't pay to diy things but it's the only way I get to do anything. I can't pay everyone for ip when I can do my own work.

 

[jbmatth]

I'm far more likely to engineer my own solution. I know everyone always says it doesn't pay to diy things but it's the only way I get to do anything. I can't pay everyone for ip when I can do my own work.

I handle it both ways depending on lots of factors, take the headers for example, when purchased they thought to be bolt in, much quicker and less trouble than building my own set. On the cobra there were no headers available so I bought all the parts and made them, it took 50 times longer, I'd have happily bought a set if available. Also the alternator on both the 66 and the cobra, both are using GM alternators that every parts store has on the shelf, I had to make/modify mounts and rewire, but paid way less than the Ford counterpart and have less clutter.

There is a non power option with reusing the OE columm, but that is still $1,500, I'd be surprised if there is more than $500 in parts. Tough sell, a decision I'll have to make later.

JB

 

[kj_mustang]

Thank goodness for radiant floor heat.

 

[MrPink]

I have a lot of catching up to do lol. Maybe tomorrow when i have more than 20 min before leaving work.

 

[86turbodsl]

I handle it both ways depending on lots of factors, take the headers for example, when purchased they thought to be bolt in, much quicker and less trouble than building my own set. On the cobra there were no headers available so I bought all the parts and made them, it took 50 times longer, I'd have happily bought a set if available. Also the alternator on both the 66 and the cobra, both are using GM alternators that every parts store has on the shelf, I had to make/modify mounts and rewire, but paid way less than the Ford counterpart and have less clutter.

There is a non power option with reusing the OE columm, but that is still $1,500, I'd be surprised if there is more than $500 in parts. Tough sell, a decision I'll have to make later.

JB

I feel like that kit is way over priced. Almost no racks cost more than 250-300. Especially hydraulic. There's what, 40 dollars in hoses, a couple fittings, a couple weld on brackets and the column. Even a really nice ididit column is only 400ish. That doesn't look fancy. Not even sure why you need a column to be honest. So i agree, maybe 500 in parts. Tough sell for me too.

 

[jbmatth]

Thank goodness for radiant floor heat.

One day I'll have that, I just need to stop buying cars long enough to save up my estimated budget of $50k.

I have a lot of catching up to do lol. Maybe tomorrow when i have more than 20 min before leaving work.

Take your time, I'm not going anywhere and progress will greatly slow with our upcoming temps getting well below zero a few times.

I feel like that kit is way over priced. Almost no racks cost more than 250-300. Especially hydraulic. There's what, 40 dollars in hoses, a couple fittings, a couple weld on brackets and the column. Even a really nice ididit column is only 400ish. That doesn't look fancy. Not even sure why you need a column to be honest. So i agree, maybe 500 in parts. Tough sell for me too.

It would be great if I could spend some good time around a kit to reverse engineer my own. For now manual steering it is.

All,
Last night I got to work wiring in the relay and electric fan, the kit included with the car was missing some connectors and had no instructions. Simple enough as it was a 4 wire relay and there was a temp switch to trigger it, new crimp and heat shrink connectors on everything and went to test it before finalizing the trigger wire. I touched it to ground...nothing, looked at the relay a little closer this time and noticed I had it wired like a normal positive switched relay. Darn, I'll get to redo some wiring tonight, should be a pretty easy fix though, just a little frustrating I missed it though.

JB

 

[MrPink]

And caught up.

looks like you've had an eventful year last year. Glad the family is doing well.

 

[jbmatth]

And caught up.

looks like you've had an eventful year last year. Glad the family is doing well.

Good to hear, it was a little slower than previous years mostly due to the amount I had to work, I rarely did anything in the shop during the week and spent most of the weekend keeping the house and farm running. Try to keep up so you don't have so far to catch up next time.

JB

 

[jbmatth]

Fan is now all wired up and working, all connections have 3:1 adhesive lined heat shrink tubing. Once all the under hood wiring is done and the headers are final installed I'll tie everything up and install split braided wire covering to give it a more finished look. Here is the final wiring diagram for the relay:


While I was at it I redid the wiring to the electric choke to clean it up a little better than how it was run before, just pushed into a fuse inside the car. I received the U joint U bolts but no U joint yet, that is likely not here until next week early. The cable clutch conversion kit should be here today but with the temps this weekend I doubt I'll talk myself into doing much of anything on the car.


JB

 

[MrPink]

Good to hear, it was a little slower than previous years mostly due to the amount I had to work, I rarely did anything in the shop during the week and spent most of the weekend keeping the house and farm running. Try to keep up so you don't have so far to catch up next time.

JB

new job for me allows much more computer time than the last so i will have access.

 

[jbmatth]

new job for me allows much more computer time than the last so i will have access.

Good to hear, I made a transition to a new company recently and have a similar situation, way better for me even if it means more driving.

JB

 

[MrPink]

Good to hear, I made a transition to a new company recently and have a similar situation, way better for me even if it means more driving.

JB

Thanks JB. Yeah i drive about 10mi more each way now, but less stress. And i am my own boss, and don't get micromanaged.

 

[jbmatth]

That is great to hear, I'm happy for you. My drive is about 50 miles more each way, but I actually have more time at home than before because of how many hours I was working just to keep up. Lots more to it, but I make more money now and work less hours, not a bad deal.

JB

 

[MrPink]

Same, and my family is happier all around.

Glad everything worked out for you.

 

[jbmatth]

Well it looks like this post got lost in the GJ issues this morning, here goes again, fingers crossed. The Viper club had their annual kickoff meeting and with the temps in the low single digits I figured I might as well drive and be warm. I opted to leave the Viper behind since there is still so much salt and deicer on the roads, the Saturn IRL filled in. I found this old gas station on my way down:

I am parked on old Rt. 66 for this photo, the meeting was at Rt. 66 Bowl in Chandler, Ok, pretty cool place with tons of memorabilia:


That Gen 5 Viper the the only one that made it, good time all around. I won a T shirt and keychain:


I also got to go for a ride in this:


Ram TRX, 702 Hp and all time all wheel drive, it was a crazy fun truck, but too rich for my blood.

The low temps mean the pond freezes, that and the creek are where the cows get their water so that mean breaking ice or in this case cutting through it:


You can see one of the calves did a little dance haha.

I also went to look at a trailer for use as a car hauler, it was a display trailer before but seemed like it may work, 8' x 18' (2.5m x 5.5m) deck 2" x 4" (25mm x 50mm) rectangular tube frame, and the best part is the axles pivoted with a manual hydraulic pump to raise and lower the frame from flat on the ground to normal ride height:

Sadly the distance between the wheels was too narrow for my cars at only 4.5' (1.5m) wide. I considered widening the axles but don't think it was going to actually work without a ton of modification and likely new axles so I passed.

Stay warm,
JB

 

[oldironfarmer]

I found this old gas station on my way down:

Talk about memories!

Up until recently this was a fine motorcycle museum. I think it has closed. Really nice guy operating it the day I stopped in.

But that's not my memory.

In 1959, when I was ten years old, My dad was transferred from the Lockheed factory in Marietta, GA to Edwards AFB in California. We went by SW Missouri where all the family lived then down 66 to California. I remember this station as we flew by. It had ramps on the north side (right in this picture) for oil changes and other maintenance. There was a car up on the ramps and I distinctly remembering how cool that was. Just a few hundred feet farther and we went under a railroad. Another great ten year old's memory. So we lived all over and in 1964 we were transferred to Tinker AFB in Midwest City. When I started driving back to Midwest City from OSU I saw that station. It was pretty cool to see something that had caught your eye years before. I now realize it was just five years, but those are long years when you're a kid. It was closed for years and I'd never been in it but took the opportunity when I saw it was a motorcycle museum. No sign of the ramps but it is the station I saw in 1959 and hasn't changed that much. The front set back to the orange blocks back then, there was space for two drives under the canopy.

OK, back to the future.

 

[jbmatth]

That is pretty cool to remember a gas station from that far back and it still be around. There was plenty of stuff still in the building and being a Saturday I expected it was just closed. I didn't snoop around so can't really say much more about it. I hope you are staying warm over there.

JB

 

[jbmatth]

Update with no photos, we had a slightly warmer day yesterday so I tackled a couple small things on the Mustang, U joint is now installed along with the driveshaft, oil changed, and was about to fill the transmission when I realized my pump didn't fit the jug of trans fluid I bought. I ordered a bit of 1-5/8" exhaust pipe to modify the header where the steering hits it and sadly it hasn't shipped yet. I did get the cable clutch install kit so if the weather cooperates I'll get that installed this weekend.

JB

 

[jbmatth]

Continuing on getting a few things knocked out on my to do list on the '66 Mustang, I installed the clutch cable and put everything back together under the dash, I really dislike working under the dash and this was no exception, cable and mount on the firewall:


I've been doing a few wiring updates and installing shrink tube when I do, a couple more and some test running and I'll install braided split loom on most of the wires, here are some near the battery, fan relay, and alternator charging wire:


Note* The yellow crimp terminal was installed on the batter cable when purchased, I may just cut it off and cap it with shrink tube. While waiting on new exhaust gaskets I decided to polish the gear knob (get your heads out of the gutter. ) You can see the shifter cover and trim ring I installed as well:


It is no Don Long shinny job, but is much better than before, I really didn't want to get rid off all of the character, compared to before:


I got the Remflex gaskets in so I installed them along with the headers now that they were clearanced:


Also radiator hoses installed and air bled out, also filled the transmission with fluid using a flexible funnel and clear tubing extension so I could pour it in rather than pump it since my pump broke. With the weather cooperating this weekend I should be "done" and be able to drive it if I can get it out before the rain starts. The holdup now is the title, the first time he sent it to me it was returned, then I did get it and he'd forgotten to sign it, so I signed and sent back to him 2 weeks ago and he still hasn't seen it which kinda stinks. Worst case he gets a replacement title.

Keep Moving Forward,
JB

 

[jbrentd]

I agree with your dislike on working underneath dashboards. And my mind is now out of the gutter.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

That's a bummer on the title JB!

Looks like it still has a single pot fluid reservoir for the brakes, is this one drum brakes all the way around?

 

[jbmatth]

I agree with your dislike on working underneath dashboards. And my mind is now out of the gutter.

Between this one and the clutch pedal replacement on my Ion I'm good for a while I hope.

That's a bummer on the title JB!

Looks like it still has a single pot fluid reservoir for the brakes, is this one drum brakes all the way around?

Yes it is drums all the way around, I do have to adjust 1 of them as it is dragging a little. My goal was to get it running as cheap as possible then start on actual upgrades. The first two things will be a full exhaust and disc brakes but I'll wait to tackle those until the RX-7 is done, I really need to get back on that one to get it out of the way.

JB

 

[oldironfarmer]

You just do pretty good work for a kid.

 

[jbmatth]

When I first read that I was saying to myself, "Now hold on just a minute you...." Oh it's Andy, yep he can say that.

Thank you, I'm happy to accept that coming from the master.

JB

 

[jbmatth]

Some more work on the Mustang over the weekend, I thought I was done, coolant system filled an bled, wire loom all installed and cleaned up, brakes adjusted, new Moroso plug wires installed, and time to fire it up for a while. That's when things went southish, I couldn't get it to run right, it would only take 4° of base timing and any throttle would make it surge and act like it wanted to run backwards. Suspecting too much timing which also seemed odd I rechecked the firing order, voltage to the coil, and even pulled the distributor to take out even more timing but nothing seemed to help. The coil is new and the distributor was on the engine and wasn't changed before I started messing with it.

Now I'm asking for help, I'm using a normal canister oil filled coil on the distributor instead of the E-core coil before just for aesthetics? The distributor I have is like this one but red Distributor. I haven't tried putting the E-core coil on just yet but plan to tonight to see if that helps.

Anyway since I wasn't making forward progress I walked away and wondered around the shop looking for something to tinker on. That is when I found and old railroad spike, fired up the torch and went to work ending up with this:


A little more work the next day, some sanding and polishing and this is the result:


It needs more fine sanding then I'll polish it again before sharpening it, but pleased with the results, it was a fun quick project.

JB

 

[OutlawDrifter]

JB, what is the condition of the weights and springs in the distributor?

 

[68400BIRD]

Do you have a resistor wire running to the coil?? Sounds like it could be low voltage problem when you try getting the rpm's up.

 

[jbmatth]

JB, what is the condition of the weights and springs in the distributor?

I have only pulled the cap and can't see them from there, I can feel the springs are still working, but no clue on the weights. I can have a closer look tonight and will report back.

Do you have a resistor wire running to the coil?? Sounds like it could be low voltage problem when you try getting the rpm's up.

No sir, I removed the ballast resistor when doing the other wiring changes, I am sending full battery voltage to the coil, I also tried running an additional jumper wire to the + side of the coil with no change to running condition.

JB

 

[Cdubu52]

JB, I switched over to the HEI Style distributor on my Mustang. We had done a pertronix kit 10 years previous and were starting to have issues so my mechanic had good luck with the GM Style HEI Distributor on his Street/Strip F100 with a small block, so I gave it a shot and it has worked great. I got it from Summit and I know it was under $200. It solved a lot of problems. I did have to change to a different air filter assembly, but that was also due to the high rise intake.

 

[Finallygotit]

JB, do you have another coil you could swap out temporarily just to confirm the coil isn't the issue?

 

[jbmatth]

JB, I switched over to the HEI Style distributor on my Mustang. We had done a pertronix kit 10 years previous and were starting to have issues so my mechanic had good luck with the GM Style HEI Distributor on his Street/Strip F100 with a small block, so I gave it a shot and it has worked great. I got it from Summit and I know it was under $200. It solved a lot of problems. I did have to change to a different air filter assembly, but that was also due to the high rise intake.

I may just go that route, I really don't want to change the air filter assembly though, the Cobra one on the engine just fits so nice with everything. I haven't used an HEI since I had a square body before buying the cobra, but it worked great in that truck. Thanks for the input, I'll see if I can find some dimensions on one to see if it'll even fit.

JB, do you have another coil you could swap out temporarily just to confirm the coil isn't the issue?

I do have the old E-core I'm planning on trying tonight, if that doesn't solve the issue I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get another distributor. I didn't realize how expensive they had gotten in the last 12 or so years for a good one, ouch.

JB

 

[jbmatth]

Well that turned out to be an easy fix, I'm not sure if the new coil was bad, not compatible, or if it just wasn't up to the task, but I put the old E-coil on and it ran great, now to make a mount and fit it permanently. With it running I adjusted timing to 15° at idle as it was before and closed up shop for the night:


JB

 

[MrPink]

glad it was a simple fix.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

As Hannibal would say "I love it when a plan comes together!"

 

[Finallygotit]

WOO-HOO!

 

[jbrentd]

Glad you were able to fix it! And with parts on hand...even better.

 

[jbmatth]

glad it was a simple fix.

Me too, kinda frustrated the new coil was bad, but glad it worked out in the end.

As Hannibal would say "I love it when a plan comes together!"

Loved that show, good quote.

WOO-HOO!

Little victories and much cheaper than a new distributor.

Glad you were able to fix it! And with parts on hand...even better.

I was really thrilled when it started and ran just fine, and as you said, free fix.

JB