37 Ford build--IE: old Header issues thread /37 Ford/5.0/GT40P heads

[randyr]

Hey Dave,
The car is looking pretty sweet!! That's exciting and inspirational....cool!

Randy

[34_40]

Hey Dave,
The car is looking pretty sweet!! That's exciting and inspirational....cool!

Randy

Dave, I'll second Randy's opinion. "That's exciting and inspirational....cool" It's just a pretty sweet ride!

It was great chatting with you also and thanks for the pep talk.

[bluestang67]

I'm 3rd Dave W. she is really looking sweet . Remember all the pics from frame up build and now its here great job .

[IC2]

Thanks guys - after tomorrow I'll be able to get back to work on the car in earnest as my ~1 acre yard with its' 20 "mighty" oak trees in and bordering will have shed their leaves and be carted into the woods. At least no 6-8 wheel barrow loads of acorns this year - none at all!! But with that said, maybe not - my wife begins her life of leisure writing up 'honey do' lists. Her early retirement begins at 5:00 tomorrow night

I bought a big new leaf blower to help clear the leaves away - it lasted all of 2.5 tanks of gas before it crapped out and will go back to Lowe's today. My history with anything made by MTD (Troy Bilt/and now Bolens to name a couple of their products) is that the survival is less then stellar - I also have an MTD snow blower that died a couple of years ago that is still under the deck waiting "transport" to the dump - it was only a couple of years old when it went to yard implement heaven. The dead MTD lawn mower went a couple of months ago. But I did buy a new rake and that works just fine!!!(my aching shoulders)

[randyr]

Hey Fellas,
I haven't fallen of the face of the earth.....geez, it's been over a month since we've posted on this thread! Yikes!
I've been tied up on other projects like a film-making class and things that pay the rent but this past week I managed to get my new garage situation painted. I'm now trying to organize and find places for everything so I can work on my car more efficiently.....yeah, that's a lofty goal, I know!

I'm going to Oklahoma to see my family for Christmas for a couple of weeks then hopefully get back to work on the car. It would be so cool to have it running by the fall of '09! Hey, all it takes is time and money, right?? Too bad I'm short on both of those! It's all good though!

Just wanted to thank you guys for all your advice, help & encouragement thus far! Here's wishing you an Amazing Christmas and all the Best in the new year!!
Later,
Randy

[bluestang67]

Randy Happy Holidays and hope soon to be needing some info from you on my coupe . Be carefull have a great time and always drink at home .

[IC2]

Hi Randy (and all others here)

It has been a while - November 14 or thereabouts since we picked up this thread.

Have a great Christmas and we'll get this thread going again in the new year and we can hash over what we're doing.

[34_40]

Hi Randy (and all others here)

It has been a while - November 14 or thereabouts since we picked up this thread.

Have a great Christmas and we'll get this thread going again in the new year and we can hash over what we're doing.

Man how time flys! I'm back to work since 12/1/08, it's good to have a job too! Also good to have new friends like ya'll !! Here's hoping that you all have the best of holidays and we'll pick it up again in "09"...

[34_40]

Hey Fellas,
I haven't fallen of the face of the earth.....geez, it's been over a month since we've posted on this thread! Yikes!

Just wanted to thank you guys for all your advice, help & encouragement thus far! Here's wishing you an Amazing Christmas and all the Best in the new year!!
Later,
Randy

Oh, I just wanted to be post # 444! Hee Hee....

[randyr]

Geez guys, another month has passed! Yikes! Anyway, here's an update: after spending 3 wks in OK & AZ over the holidays (trust me, it wasn't all vacation! Much the time was spent doing a remodel on a rental property for my mom.) I'm back in CA and making some headway in getting my new expanded garage space into a workable shop area. I'm stoked about having room to work!!
Next order of business will be to raise the body up to install new mounting pads and undercoat the new floors. While I have it lifted, I hope to fabricate the exhaust system. It'll be much easier to do it from the top than from underneath. I need to figure out what kind of stands I'm going to set the body on that won't take up too much space and give me room to work. I'll probably have to leave the body suspended above the chassis during this process. I might be able to roll the chassis to the other side of the garage for a few days but not sure yet. When my dad & I removed the body years ago, we jacked the body high enough to slide 4x4 runners at the front, middle and rear, then jacked it high enough to put barrels under each end of the runners. That gave clearance to roll the chassis out from under the body. I don't have room for barrels this time so if you have any suggestions I'd be grateful.

Once I get this part done, then I'll proceed to have the body media blasted and get on with the body work. And to think this all started because I wanted to replace the radiator!! LOL! One thing leads to 10,000 more!

Hope you guys are all well! I check the site everyday so I'm keeping up with whatever progress you post.

Stay warm. We had a cold snap here that brought the temps down to 48 degrees last night!!! LOL! Don't worry about the sympathy cards....I'm sure you've had your own weather drama....LOL!

Later,
Randy

[randyr]

Here's a question.....how much do you think the 37 tudor humpback body weighs? It is just the shell with the doors, no windows, interior, deck lid etc. I'm asking because I may try to hang it from the rafters while I do the work underneath if it doesn't weigh too much. Any thoughts?
Thanks...

[IC2]

Hi Randy - saw your first msg yesterday but for whatever reason the site has been down every time I've tried to respond. Oh well, nothin' new for here - but most of us just live with the problem.

Sorry about your 'cold snap'

Sounds like you had less then an exciting "vacation" with hammer in hand.

That new garage space must be a godsend after the single car garage - don't forget that old Jr high axiom about vacuums and nature abhorring them. An empty garage is exactly the same and will fill with treasures you never knew you owned or ever thought wanted

My progress has been more then tempered by the weather. I have two propane heaters now but when the temp is hovering in the negative digits to <20, they don't make a lot of headway. Then there is the precipitation. Since Thanksgiving, we have had a major ice storm and snow once or twice a week, including yesterday's 5-6 inches the 2 hours of freezing rain. It took over 2.5 hours to clear the drive.

Back to your question on the body weight - my guess would be in the 1000 pound range. My roadster as shipped was about 400. My '31 Slant windshield, empty body, with doors, no glass or roof wood was ~700 (4 of us put it on my truck).

What I would do is build a reinforcing frame across the rafters out of 2x4 or 2x6x10'/12' timbers doubled up to spread the load then use a lolly column as close to the car for the actual weight bearing members. Then wrap your chainfall hanger(s)-mine are 3/8" case chain. I have some long construction jacks that are used - and they are really just HD lolly columns. Depending on how the rafters run, you might have to make 2 sets - then 2x4's will work fine.

This is how I did mine - can't really see much, but I have the reinforcing in my rafters:

[randyr]

Back to your question on the body weight - my guess would be in the 1000 pound range. My roadster as shipped was about 400. My '31 Slant windshield, empty body, with doors, no glass or roof wood was ~700 (4 of us put it on my truck).

What I would do is build a reinforcing frame across the rafters out of 2x4 or 2x6x10'/12' timbers doubled up to spread the load then use a lolly column as close to the car for the actual weight bearing members. Then wrap your chainfall hanger(s)-mine are 3/8" case chain. I have some long construction jacks that are used - and they are really just HD lolly columns. Depending on how the rafters run, you might have to make 2 sets - then 2x4's will work fine.

This is how I did mine - can't really see much, but I have the reinforcing in my rafters:

My rafters are 2x12" on 16" centers spanning about 20'. They run parallel to the car. I spoke to another friend this morning who suggested bolting a 2x4 steel tube to one wall, run it through the front part of the rear windows and support the other end with a post. He said the body balanced perfectly but he supported the ends with some other stands. Here's a pic of what he meant: Of course, you know that by taking the body off I open myself up to all kinds of other modifications that I might now deem necessary.....LOL! Yikes!

[randyr]

Ok, so since the body is now going to come off, there are other things I might want to consider.....like switching from the C4 trans to an AOD, 4R70W, or maybe even a T-5. I've found some info on modifying the x-member to fit the AOD but I don't know about the 4R70W or the T-5. Of course if I go with a T-5 I'll have to come up with a clutch pedal plus a few other things. You guys have any thoughts on these options for the 35-40 frame?

[IC2]

Randy,
I think you can forget the 4R70W - it's a 4.6/5.4 modular and electronic control trans. The AODE and the E4OD are as well and also for the modulars. This leads you to the AOD or the 4/5 speed trannys. As far as a manual in your part of the world - and the traffic - all I can feel is your future left leg pain. Then there is the bell housing, clutch, pressure plate, pedal linkage or hydraulics, the new drive shaft..........

Take a look here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_C6_transmission#E4OD.