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

[randyr]

Looking good from here Randy! Does your helmut not have adjusters for shading and speed?? You can't weld it if'n you can't see it!

All in all, it looks great!

And I agree with Dave, unless you can keep the axle ends centered in the middle, don't roll the car around as you risk bearing damage. You could use a tube or pipe to accomplish this. Just needs to slip over the splines.

Hey Mike, that tube/pipe sounds like a good idea. I'll see if I have something that will work for that. To be honest, I think I'm going to have to replace the bearings anyway because one feels a little bit loose and the other seems to have a slight rough spot when you spin it around. That will have to wait till I get the right 3rd member, though.


As for my welding helmet, I've never seen an adjustment on it. It's supposed to auto darken and it's "powered" by light. It was $100 on ebay. It's definitely better than no mask at all but there are times when it seems like I'm welding by "feel" more than sight.....

Dave, keep us posted on the wifey. I hope it's just a virus and not a defective procedure or something!

[34_40]

Hey Mike, that tube/pipe sounds like a good idea. I'll see if I have something that will work for that. To be honest, I think I'm going to have to replace the bearings anyway because one feels a little bit loose and the other seems to have a slight rough spot when you spin it around. That will have to wait till I get the right 3rd member, though.


As for my welding helmet, I've never seen an adjustment on it. It's supposed to auto darken and it's "powered" by light. It was $100 on ebay. It's definitely better than no mask at all but there are times when it seems like I'm welding by "feel" more than sight.....

Dave, keep us posted on the wifey. I hope it's just a virus and not a defective procedure or something!

10-4 on the bearings / replacement. just measure the spline od, beg/borrow/"acquire" a tube or pipe with that id. somebody used to actually sell one I think...

Heck, even my 75 buck helmet has shade adjustments! That's a must! Mig/Tig isn't as "bright" or intense as stick welding. Hence the shade adjusting. Look around and try one, works wonders!

Me too Dave. Hope the wife is feeling better!

[IC2]

Randy and Mike - thanks for the good words about my wife. She's on the way to the gastroenterologist (sp?) just in case. I think she is on the mend though as she has eaten about everything in sight today after not much but baby food for the past 4-5 days.

Now, back to the subject - sounds like you just might need a new helmet, Randy. My no name self darkening seems to still work fine. It's about a shade 3-4 to start then goes to about a 10 when the arc strikes. I really can't see a lot, but can usually follow a straight pass line.

[randyr]

Well, today's activities included temporarily heaving the old 3rd member back into place to hold the axles while I finished fitting the rear discs. It all looks pretty good but I may have double check the clearance on those brake hoses when I get the full weight on it.

I bolted on a rear fender to check the axle location and of course, it's off a bit. The rear end needs to move forward about 3/4" to center the tire in the wheel well. This shot also reveals that the tire diameter looks a bit small and the car still sits a little to high. I'm not sure how much weight all the interior elements will add. I can always add a lowering block if necessary. The tire size may have to change too but we'll just wait & see.

The 3rd member will have to come out again when I find the right gear ratio but for now, this gets me back on the ground so I can work on other things. What's next? Hmmmmm........so much to do, so little time...

[IC2]

At least it's on the ground again and can be rolled around. That third member gets real heavy real quick when you are lying on your back!!

You are right - it is a bit high with need for centering (I do know all about that centering problem)

Choose your tires and, if you are going to change them, the wheels as well. Lowering is easy. Centering means either replacing the spring main leaf with the bolt hole moved forward or grinding the center hole in the spring pad a bit elongated. I wouldn't redrill the hole and adjust the rest of the spring pack as you could set yourself up for potential failure.

[randyr]

Choose your tires and, if you are going to change them, the wheels as well. Lowering is easy. Centering means either replacing the spring main leaf with the bolt hole moved forward or grinding the center hole in the spring pad a bit elongated. I wouldn't redrill the hole and adjust the rest of the spring pack as you could set yourself up for potential failure.

Chassis Engineering offers a 1.5" lowering block kit for 37/38 Fords that will let me move the rear end forward as much as 3/4" without redrilling the spring pad holes, etc. That might be $60 well spent but I'm not going to worry about it right now. http://www.chassisengineeringinc.com/page62.html

Today I started making brackets to install the back seat. I've figured out how I'll mount the back of the seat and tacked the brackets in place. I also blocked up with 2x4's in the necessary places under the bottom of the seat. Now I have to figure out what I'm going to use in place of the 2x4s. Also need to figure out how the shoulder harnesses work so I can mount them in the proper place. Maybe I can find that info on a late-model GTO site. I got the armrests from the GTO too and might design them into my side panels. Anyway, the seats really are comfortable and I think they'll look pretty cool in there when I get it all figured out.

[34_40]

Chassis Engineering offers a 1.5" lowering block kit for 37/38 Fords that will let me move the rear end forward as much as 3/4" without redrilling the spring pad holes, etc. That might be $60 well spent but I'm not going to worry about it right now. http://www.chassisengineeringinc.com/page62.html

I got the armrests from the GTO too and might design them into my side panels. Anyway, the seats really are comfortable and I think they'll look pretty cool in there when I get it all figured out.

I think the CEI lowering blocks is a great idea! And WOW! Those seats look great! Really "form fitting"!