65 Fairlane pro-touring build

[Ol Blue K20]

I think you're doing another great build Vic!

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

I think you're doing another great build Vic!

Thanks, Dale. Sometimes, all this metal work makes me lose sight of the big picture. Once I get the basics out of the way, I'll be able to focus on more of the fun stuff.

[Vic1947]

The saga continues...

Since I last posted, I've cut out much of the trunk floor and started work on the triangulated four link. Back in January when I received the kit, I had a couple of conversations with R&C Motorsports about the contents. They essentially sent me a mashup of V1.0, V2.0 and maybe V2.5. The online video and the instructions cover about 75% of the installation but the rest is up to the end user to figure out. I've had to modify the coilover shock mount bar and I'm not entirely sure I have the upper link bars where they need to be. The sway bar setup has the older style bar with the newest mounts, and they don't work together. I'll have to make the brackets to fit the bar I have and probably replace the links with longer pieces. Other than that, it's going along just swell. I know I sound like a whiner, but dang it, when you spend $$$ on a setup that's supposed to be a "bolt-in" solution, it irks me to have to re-engineer the kit.

OK tantrum is over. Progress photos below.

.

[Vic1947]

Happy New Year to everyone! We were in bed by 10:30 last night but woke up to the sound of celebratory fireworks all around us. Lasted about 15 minutes or so, at which point 2024 was officially underway. Between the holidays and doctor's appointments, I haven't gotten a whole lot done lately. My right leg swelled up like a football and after a week of stalling, I had it checked out. A sonogram revealed a blood clot in my limbic vein from my groin area down to my calf. I'm on blood thinners and wearing compression socks but the swelling has been slow to recede. Doc says sometimes it can take months to clear up. When it does, he wants to run tests to try to determine the cause. Meanwhile I can work on the car, but when I sit down, I'm supposed to keep the leg elevated. Old age is sneaking up on me fellas.

I was surfing the net for holiday specials and stumbled across a smokin' deal on a pair of Currie axles. Basically, it ended up being buy one get one free. I told Kathy it sounded too good to be true but what the heck - Columbus took a chance. They showed up Saturday and are perfect for my needs. Awhile back I picked up a pair of housing ends to replace the pitted ones on my housing. The bearings that came with the axle kit were too tight a fit to suit me, so I bored the housing end diameter .002" which gave me a nice snug fit. This way, I won't have to beat the axles in with 2 lb sledge.

The rear suspension is mocked up where I need it. The sway bar only has a couple of inches of travel before it hits the underside of the frame rail. Pretty sure this is why they changed the design. Unfortunately, I got the old style, so I hope it works out. Had to make the mounting brackets for the sway bar but they turned out pretty well. Metal by the Foot didn't have angle in the size I needed so I sawed up some 3/16 wall rectangular tubing and Bob's yer uncle.

The new axles are cut to fit, so I have some leeway to narrow the housing but I'm on the fence about doing so. Since I have to weld on the new ends, it's no biggie to remove a bit more of the tubes. I have plenty of time to think about it. Between now and then, I have to mini tub the wheel wells and replace a big swath of the quarter panel skin. So, a month or two from now - maybe.

[sduckworth13]

Nice score on the axles. Hope you get to feeling better Vic! You’ve got a gang of people that I know will be willing to help you complete this project if needed, me being one of you ever need anything.

[Russell Ashley]

Take care of that leg, we want to be following your builds for a long time. Speaking of your builds, I was watching the Mecom auction last night when your 57 Chevy wagon came through. I thought they didn't spend enough time describing it but even so it did bring pretty good money.

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by sduckworth13

Nice score on the axles. Hope you get to feeling better Vic! You’ve got a gang of people that I know will be willing to help you complete this project if needed, me being one of you ever need anything.

Thanks, Scott - I always appreciate your help!

Originally Posted by Russell Ashley

Take care of that leg, we want to be following your builds for a long time. Speaking of your builds, I was watching the Mecom auction last night when your 57 Chevy wagon came through. I thought they didn't spend enough time describing it but even so it did bring pretty good money.

What a coincidence. We happened to tune into MotorTrend Fast TV last night just as the Mecom Full Throttle episode was airing. I asked Kathy if she thought they might show the wagon and lo and behold, they aired a clip of it. Unfortunately, during the auction they cut to commercial as the car rolled across the block so there was just the small bit you mentioned. The live stream of the auction had quite a bit more of the action, but without any commentary. Jon Kramen mistakenly said the car had Lambo front doors. Actually, I suicided the rear doors using a kit from Scissor Doors in Nova Scotia. Guess he saw the name and made the assumption. We were happy with the outcome. First time I've ever broke even on a build.

[Vic1947]

Back working on sheet metal. The tunnel is pretty much ready to weld in. I plan to make the very front section that covers the transmission removable, but the rest gets done up permanently. Out back, I raised the trunk floor about 3+ inches to gain some fuel tank clearance. I'm using the 25 gal. '87 Blazer EFI tank with the fill neck moved to the trunk floor. I'll put a sheet metal patch over the original filler door and make some custom trim or maybe an LED strip for the panel between the taillights.

[62c30]

Looks good. Where did you get the rear floor pans from? My 64 came with some unmarked but the fit doesn't seem like it's going to be very good. How good of a fit were they?

[mongocanfly]

Looking really good Vic..!!..
Hate to hear about the bum leg..hopes it's healing...
I feel that "old" thing coming every morning..!!

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by 62c30

Looks good. Where did you get the rear floor pans from? My 64 came with some unmarked but the fit doesn't seem like it's going to be very good. How good of a fit were they?

I bought the LR pan from AutoKrafters ($119.95) and it was a very good fit. Wish I had bought the others from them. Decided later on to get quarters from C2C and popped for the remaining pans at the same time. Unfortunately, I found them to be unusable. I hope to salvage some of the quarter panels when I get to that point, but they made the stuff from 22 gauge it looks like. Super flimsy and the floor pan shapes weren't anything like the originals.

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

Looking really good Vic..!!..
Hate to hear about the bum leg..hopes it's healing...
I feel that "old" thing coming every morning..!!

X2 on the "old" thing, Greg. The leg seems to be improving - at least it isn't all swollen like at the start. I'm going to be optimistic and say it's in the rearview mirror - hopefully.

[62c30]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

I bought the LR pan from AutoKrafters ($119.95) and it was a very good fit. Wish I had bought the others from them. Decided later on to get quarters from C2C and popped for the remaining pans at the same time. Unfortunately, I found them to be unusable. I hope to salvage some of the quarter panels when I get to that point, but they made the stuff from 22 gauge it looks like. Super flimsy and the floor pan shapes weren't anything like the originals.

Well that's not good, I put c2c trunk drop offs on my 64 and they fit very good. I guess I'll buy the autokrafters for my floor whenever I get back on it.

[Vic1947]

When I bought the car, a pair of trunk drop offs came with it but I don't know who made them. They have sort of the same finish as the C2C parts so they might be from them also. If you want to try the C2C pans, I have both front toe boards and floor pans as well as the RR pan. You can have them all if you want. I also have the trunk floor that I cut out that's in very good condition. You don't live very far from us if you wanted to come get them. I have a bunch of other parts in storage I won't be using if you're into scavenger hunts. PM me if you're interested.

[TotallyHucked]

This is a cool project, don't see many '65 Fairlanes being built at all. We do parts for '66-71s at work (AMD) but nothing further back. I'll definitely stay tuned into this one

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by TotallyHucked

This is a cool project, don't see many '65 Fairlanes being built at all. We do parts for '66-71s at work (AMD) but nothing further back. I'll definitely stay tuned into this one

Thanks for checking in! I'll warn you though, I've been slowing down a lot over the last year or two, so I don't refresh the thread as much as I'd like. But when I have a bit of progress, I try to post a few photos. I bought inner and outer wheel wells for a 66-67 Fairlane from AMD. I know they aren't a direct fit, but I'm hoping I can slice and dice them to make them work.

[bevis1]

Doing some mighty pretty work there amigo.

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by bevis1

Doing some mighty pretty work there amigo.

Garcias senior Reek. Hope yer doing well.

[TotallyHucked]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

Thanks for checking in! I'll warn you though, I've been slowing down a lot over the last year or two, so I don't refresh the thread as much as I'd like. But when I have a bit of progress, I try to post a few photos. I bought inner and outer wheel wells for a 66-67 Fairlane from AMD. I know they aren't a direct fit, but I'm hoping I can slice and dice them to make them work.

I don't blame ya a bit, it's a big project! Still though, hope you can keep at it and we won't see it on Hagerty's Barn Find Hunter in 20yrs still not finished

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by TotallyHucked

I don't blame ya a bit, it's a big project! Still though, hope you can keep at it and we won't see it on Hagerty's Barn Find Hunter in 20yrs still not finished

If it does show up on Hagerty's Barn Finds it will probably be with my mummified remains in it somewhere.

More sheetmetal work - made stand offs for the gas tank and started work on the access panel for the fuel pump/lines. In order to put the fuel filler in attached to the tank, I'll machine a split ring that screws to the trunk floor and the filler assembly. Couldn't figure out any other way to do it since it's too close quarters to get at the hose clamps once the tank is in place.

[62c30]

How low will it sit? It looks taller than the stock tank but with sitting a lot higher it's probably close to the stock tank?

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by 62c30

How low will it sit? It looks taller than the stock tank but with sitting a lot higher it's probably close to the stock tank?

Great observation. I'm already mulling over how to re-engineer it. After getting it all in place I used a square to estimate where the bottom of the tank would land. The way it is now, the tank bottom would be about 2" below the lower edge of the rear bumper. Not a look I can tolerate. So, what that means is the tank will need to sit higher between the frame rails. It appears there's no way to have a flat floor in the trunk with the Blazer EFI tank. I don't want it to look like a fuel cell strapped to the trunk floor, but it's gotta come up.

[jaros44sr]

Victor, don't know if this will help but I had my tank modified to give me a little more clearance on top, about 2 inches, BTW, my tank was new, so no fumes

I've been watching since CRLS, always enjoyed reading your threads, keep at it

20191002_093933 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/97391199@N06

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by jaros44sr

Victor, don't know if this will help but I had my tank modified to give me a little more clearance on top, about 2 inches, BTW, my tank was new, so no fumes. I've been watching since CRLS, always enjoyed reading your threads, keep at it.

Thanks, Jim! Your tank mod looks really clean. I'm not sure I can do the same with mine due to the configuration of the pump and fuel gauge sender but it's certainly worth considering. At present, I'm doing what I should have done from the outset and mocking up the tank in its approximate location. Looking at what I need to do to mount it and where the trunk floor will land. As Roseann Roseanna Danna used to say, "It's always something!"

[SCOTI]

Hang the bumper if possible & visually verify things @ ride height to get a better feel for the package.

Also.... blacking out the lower half of the tank works wonders for minimizing/hiding things in plain sight.