Quote:
Originally Posted by Realnoisy
I went with a 3" Z. So far, everything you describe plus...hood lip clearance on tires when closing hood...which means you'll have to narrow the track, or trim your hood lip, or have some serious negative camber. Also, if you're running a manual transmission, your clutch pivot z bar will have to be addressed. I already moved my xmember up the rails 1 inch to center the wheels so I just made a vertical cut. The radiator will have to be addressed. I use knuckle joints for steering to clear the drivers side upper control arm instead of notching the UCA. I just went outside and looked at my valve covers, I should have no trouble taking them off, but I'm very close to the brake booster as you have pointed out and I'm not running a heater box. I moved the engine to the V8 position and now have some good dizzy clearance. I've already purchased a high hump and will be addressing all that you have described. When I air out, my frame barely touches the ground. This is with 1.5 pancaked xmember (all the steering linkage, steering box, idler arm and centering in the wells were addressed at this time with the pancake) and 2.5 dropped spindles with bag cups trimmed to 1.5. Before I forget, you will have to remove the stock bell housing xmember because it hangs low and will hit first preventing you from laying frame.
I just installed the engine and trans (T5) today. I had to remove the ebrake linkage on the ebrake xmember to slip it in. In the next few weekends I'll be addressing the low hump and trans xmember and front sway bar.
I'm sure PB will get a plug on this thread by someone and that's okay but I prefer to build a "glue together" instead of a "snap together" model. I enjoy the build so far even though sometimes it feels like it will never end. It's a journey of meeting people, searching for parts, using engineering and mechanical skills. So far, it keeps me of the streets....literally!  |
Wow, you have done your homework! I am impressed. You have given this mod some real thought. I'm definitely tuning in on this build!
I COMPLETELY agree with your last paragraph. Don't get me wrong...I love Nathan Porter's stuff, and if I was building a high-end vehicle, I would use his parts. I've always been a guy who would rather crawl through a wrecking yard or hit the swapmeets to build my vehicles. I love making things work out of parts that most people don't give a second glance. If I see an article on how to build something for $500, my brain starts spinning and I'll figure out how to build something even nicer for $200. It's the way I'm wired. I've tried to keep that same theme during the build-up of my '64, and it has been one of the most fun projects I have ever done.