1971 FORD LTD gets HYDROS !!

[ChiefRocka]

My buddy Rich who works are a local speed shop (friends forever) always send me his lowrider customers. I done a few cars for this particular fellow...

Currently, is this 1971 LTD. Big car, with some smooth, nice looking lines.

This car is a low-mileage car, which received minor body work and fresh paint. The interior is original.
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Here's some pics:
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I think is has a mean looking front end, and cool lookin lit up tail end.

Anyway, if ya'll ever wondered how hydros went in.....Stay tuned !!!

[ChiefRocka]

First off, here's some of the parts going in:
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[ChiefRocka]

My buddy backed her in last Saturday...
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[ChiefRocka]

Well I started on this thing Monday morning....worked on it for a couple hours and started on the front end. These pics are from this past Monday.

I think this is a really clean ride...nice looking big body, and clean lines.

First off, Disassembly, re-bush, and cut-out of the front end:
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Chiseling out the old bushings...
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[ChiefRocka]

These bushings came out of the 'good' side...pass. side:
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I quickly made these press 'tools' to help me with the bushings...now I have some FORD tools....
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[ChiefRocka]

Moving on to the lower arms. Although this car is going to be more of a poser than a hopper, these lower arms (besides a rebush) need some reinforcing. First off, instead of slideing a pipe in there just for the bushing press, I decided to cut up a nice piece, and weld it in solid....
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Next I will be reinforcing the underside, as well a nice cup to locate the spring:-
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The stock shock hole is quite large, so in order to get a centered straight cut, I tack weld a 1/4" fender washer centered in hole to guide the hole saw: (in the old days..most guys would just use a torch to cut open the hole larger)

This is the "hole" that has to be cut in the frame. So whenever you here people say "Man you gotta cut major holes in the car for hydraulics...this is it, a 1 1/2" hole saw. The hole can always be welded up, and a shock reinstalled....
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View from bottom:
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[ChiefRocka]

Misc pics:
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What ?!?!
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More soon !

[ERASER5]

That is a whole lot of blank space on my screen.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Pics are comming up funky but id like to see more...

[ChiefRocka]

The pics are fine on my end....You guys serious ?

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Pics came up fine this time sweet ride for sure....

[ERASER5]

I guess I'll wait a few days for the bugs to get worked out of the system. Maybe then I will see those pictures. Does it matter that I use Firefox?

[Sub-versive]

Sweet car!
I had one in high school, paid $300 for it, took a sawzall to the roof and made it my skate roadster. Sold it at the end of summer for $300, guy wanted the motor and tranny.

[bad68bowtie]

Sick ride man!

My buddies and I have always said some big boat of a car like that on hydros would be the coolest summer cruiser. I'd totally do it one day if it weren't for the fact that I'm your typical Georgia college kid/redneck....I'd look waaaayyy too awkward in one .

[dieselarmy13]

[ChiefRocka]

Originally Posted by Sub-versive

Sweet car!
I had one in high school, paid $300 for it, took a sawzall to the roof and made it my skate roadster. Sold it at the end of summer for $300, guy wanted the motor and tranny.

Originally Posted by bad68bowtie

Sick ride man!

My buddies and I have always said some big boat of a car like that on hydros would be the coolest summer cruiser. I'd totally do it one day if it weren't for the fact that I'm your typical Georgia college kid/redneck....I'd look waaaayyy too awkward in one .

Man, there plenty of LO LO's outin Georgia..whats one more ?

Originally Posted by dieselarmy13

[ERASER5]

Hurray! I have pictures now!

Cool ride.

[ChiefRocka]

Had some free time this afternoon, and worked on the lower control arms. Made some paper templates, then cut 1/8" plates.
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Since I was removing the front sway bar permantly, I wanted to plate the arm all the way to the ball-joint. This involved welding the nuts to the inside of the arm....
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Then removing these splined bolts, and using standard GR. 8 bolts to fasten the radius arms.
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I'll hit these with some 120 before paint:
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Set the bushings:
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[ChiefRocka]

Spent a few moments on the LTD yesterday...Finished up the lower arms:
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Picked up some SCH 40 that had a 3 1/2" OD that fit perfectly in the coil:
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Marked it out, and cut out the center to 'sink' the pipe into the arm:
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Test fitted in chassis, then welded them at an angle...the way the sping sits in suspension..this will minimize noise and binding:
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Front sway bar was removed and tossed:
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"Cut outs" have been done....this is the location that needs to be cut open (shock hole area) to allow the hydraulic cylinder to slide up into:
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[ChiefRocka]

I decided to go ahead and extend the upper a-arms, I choose to use 5/8" material.

The purpose of this mod is to straighten the wheel when the car is layed all the way out...or "Locked up" (hydros lifted all the way up tight). The hydros usually push the susp. so far down, that you get some serious NEG. camber.

Most guys, take this to the extreme and extend the upper by a couple inches....for no reason, and just plain looks like s#it !! Just to get some sort of "I got juice" look...

Although, after doing the first one, I made a slight mistake (I corrected it later of course)....Just forgot the old saying "Measure twice cut once !!" I was justy gonna smooth out the top side a little differently, that's all.
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Marked it out for the cut...this is where it should of been a "Z" instead of an "L"...no biggie though:
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Material used:
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This is the area that I was gonna grind/mold...but instead, I cut it again and moved it back later:
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[ChiefRocka]

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The other arm, will get the "Z" cut to start off with, to avoid additional work on my part:
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As part of my routine, (even though we are not doing a rein4sting job on this) I reweld all the welds around the spring pocket....
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More soon..

[GREASEMONKEY72]

thats pretty cool, good lookin car

ive got a 72 galaxie 4door waitin on me

[ChiefRocka]

Originally Posted by GREASEMONKEY72

thats pretty cool, good lookin car

ive got a 72 galaxie 4door waitin on me

Sweet !!

Is that coil or leaf sprung in the rear ?

[GREASEMONKEY72]

Originally Posted by ChiefRocka

Sweet !!

Is that coil or leaf sprung in the rear ?

coil

[ChiefRocka]

Well, it has been a long time since an update .... This car is still in the shop (lets just say I have a really understanding customer)

Alot has been done since the last post, just haven't had time to post.


So, here's some quick catching up....

Front and rear suspension is done....Battery racks are done, painted and installed.

Custom pump mount was fabbed up, and sent out for chrome plating, as well as all the custom hardlines I did...

Received the chrome back this past Tuesday, and will be hitting switches soon.....


SCREW THIS BS, BACK TO THE DOOM BUGGY !!!!
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Sneek peek:
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