Barn raising

[slick copper]

Nice! Hope you get it back together soon!

[hgs_notes]

Nice stuff there. It's really going to rumble.

[Mike Bradbury]

Originally Posted by crakarjax

Does anyone sell aftermarket mounts like that? I don't have the fab skills, but I do like the look!

I knew I had seen this type before but did not know where. I just saw them today in the Truck Shop on line catalog. I like mine better because it has a better bushing system
http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/674...c2pjq21oie1bts
Pg. 93

[Mike Bradbury]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

Nice stuff there. It's really going to rumble.

Thanks, haven't been to my build thread in a while, nice to see that some are still along for the ride. I have been too busy scattering parts all over my garage. I did get the core support and inner fenders back from powder coat, and I must say I am really excited to get them back in the truck, they came out awesome.
I have been distracted creating my own version of billet hood hinges and swapping in a '97 mustang rack and pinion system.

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by Mike Bradbury

I have been distracted creating my own version of billet hood hinges and swapping in a '97 mustang rack and pinion system.

Those are things I really want some details on.

[Mike Bradbury]

I dont want to start posting on them too soon because I am still prototyping them. These will be one of a kind but some what of a knock off of the Eddie Motor Sports version. Eddie's are very cool but way outside my price range but not outside my ability to fab. I am using the vintage mounting plate that bolts to the fender and the shaped piece of angle iron that bolts to the hood. What I am making are the three arms that bolt to that to make the hinge. The prototype is pretty sweet and should be done soon. The only issue that is holding me back is the fact that the front clip is in pieces in my garage and I cannot trial fit it just yet. But the action is smooth and ballanced.

[Heavy Evy]

sweet sweet build man! I usually don't like raised white letters but yours are dope and the motor mounts are sweet as well.

[Mike Bradbury]

Thanks Heavy, progress is slow but still having fun. Yeah when it is running I get questioned at stop lights all the time by people asking "where I got those tires?"

[Project1970]

Originally Posted by Mike Bradbury

Just felt a need to say that stumbling across this photo elsewhere on the board made me come find this thread and read it end-to-end. I absolutely love everything about how this truck looks.

I actually had another friend of mine raving about Diamondback tires for one of his projects. How are the tires themselves to drive on / grip / etc on that truck? What's the actual model of the base tire they used for that size? Also, I don't know if I missed it, but what is the actual backspacing on those 18x8s?

[Mike Bradbury]

Thanks for stopping by to join in on my progress.
Diamond back does not manufacture tires they are a specialty shop that has a unique side wall grinding process that allows them to make modern day white wall tires that are safety rate for todays standards. They have several brands that they use, mine are Mirada Cross Tour STX which is a Yokohama product. They ride really nice and are very smooth and hold the road well. I believe they carry a 50,000 or 70,000 mile warranty. I did fine that getting them through Diamond back tire I saved about $20 bucks a tire. I went to Discount tire and they were charging more for a set of some other off brand but then I was going to have to grind the side walls myself. Totally happy with my choice and when these wear out I will be going back to Diamond back.
If I remember correctly the B.S. is 4.5"

[Mike Bradbury]

Well just an update on the engine and what I have been doing for the last few weeks. Basically the engine was shredded, the cam disintegrated and took the rest of the engine with it. the block was magnafluxed and was fine so I re used it. Had to have the crank reground, all new bearings, bored .30 over, flat top pistons, new beefier Crower cam roller lifters, roller rockers, one piece hardened push rods, heavier springs, pulled the rocker studs and threaded new ones in, installed guide plates. So I think I can say with all confidence that I have solved the bent push rod problem.

[mcbassin]

Your engine looks Great! Sorry to hear the cam shelled the old engine.

[VDOG]

I can see at Brothers 2012, your not going to have any problems.

[hgs_notes]

Should hold up to serious abuse.

[oldblue1968chevy]

Nice mike..

If you dont mind whats the rough cost of the roller cam (everything id need to convert)? And what IS the specs on that cam lol

[Mike Bradbury]

I converted everything as you can see. All the components cost $1700 that is the springs, push rods, rockers, lifters, & cam. I spent about $300 having the machine shop pull the rocker studs and mill the bosses down for guide plates. With the springs I chose there was a possibilty that I might pull the pressed in studs, so I had the work done to be safe. The cam is a mild performance cam that will give a slight lope at idle, but will not put my MPG in the gutter. I wanted something very streetable but fun at stop lights if I need it to be. I have a 355 rear gear and 2200 stall converter, I have talked to Bow Tie Overdrives and Crower if this combo will work together and they said it would be fine. The cam needs a 2200 to 2400 stall so mine will be on the low end but will be fine.
The specs are;

[Mike Bradbury]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Your engine looks Great! Sorry to hear the cam shelled the old engine.

Old engine? I only had 14,000 on it I was seriously bummed to go down this road but in the end I know it is better than it ever was, and I am glad that I did it.

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by Mike Bradbury

Old engine? I only had 14,000 on it I was seriously bummed to go down this road but in the end I know it is better than it ever was, and I am glad that I did it.

Yeah, I remember that now. It was a low mile motor. That should never happen. it was the sythetic oil right?

I remember building an old 350 in the back of my tailgate one time. New standard size rings, bearings and new oil pump. Drove that thing hard for 3 years put about 40k miles on it and sold it still runing strong. Quaker state 10w-30. This was early to mid 90s. spent about $250 on that build.

[Mike Bradbury]

I think it was the oil but others disagree. I think it was a combination of the oil and the way I drive it. High revs and low zinc make a bad combination. Mild driving and low zinc might be ok and the engine may last for a long time.
I talked to a guy who used to work at the Chevy factory and he said that one year some of the cams would completely miss heat treat and were flattening before they left the factory as they were driving them off the line, quality control might be a factor also. Since there is still a shread of doubt as to what caused it, I decided to upgrade to remove any question. Plus the tech at Crower said that I could see as much as 25 additional HP with a roller valve train because there is that much less friction plus the .30 over bore and flat top pistons should give me a nice boost of power over bone stock.

[slick copper]

Nice progress! That engine's gonna be rock solid!

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by Mike Bradbury

I think it was the oil but others disagree. I think it was a combination of the oil and the way I drive it. High revs and low zinc make a bad combination. Mild driving and low zinc might be ok and the engine may last for a long time.
I talked to a guy who used to work at the Chevy factory and he said that one year some of the cams would completely miss heat treat and were flattening before they left the factory as they were driving them off the line, quality control might be a factor also. Since there is still a shread of doubt as to what caused it, I decided to upgrade to remove any question. Plus the tech at Crower said that I could see as much as 25 additional HP with a roller valve train because there is that much less friction plus the .30 over bore and flat top pistons should give me a nice boost of power over bone stock.

Hey, if you can't drive it hard put it up wet...... why have one?

I thought that's what these old trucks/motors are for?

This setup you got should be near bullet proof if you break it in right.
You can't beat a full roller setup. Looking forward to a new video.

[Mike Bradbury]

First up for my vacation is the rack and pinion steering from the '97 mustang.
The mounting holes for the Mustang are asymmetrical, and required a special bracket on each side of the cross member. I am still in process of building them so this post will get you most of the way to understanding what I am fabricating.
I had to knock off early today because one of the many family Christmas's was on the agenda and I had to look presentable. Grease under my nails is just expected so nobody questioned what I was doing this weekend.

Looking at the first pic you can see that I needed to rotate the rack to get clearance for the motor mounts and steering column. Since the Mustang has a shorter firewall the rack can rotated flatter so the shaft is pointing back toward the firewall more. Mounted in the truck I needed to point the shaft more vertical to clear the motor mount I only wanted two u-joints in the system to keep things tidy under the hood.



As you can see I used my 1/2 drive extension to mock up a steering shaft, and the rack is tucked up between the harmonic balancer and the pan as tight as it can be but still allowing for pan removal if needed, and the steering arms are pretty straight while staying in line with the top and bottom pivot points of the control arms so I should have minimal bump steer.



I fabricated a temporary mounting system to hold the rack in place so I could fab the brackets to hold it all together.

I consists of two 1.5 square tubes with a 3/4 inch spacer stock and it holds it perfectly in line so that I can fab from the other side.



With the rack held securely in place I can now start cutting cardboard mock ups to get the fit I want. It took several different attempts but it is far easier than messing up using steel.



Once I am happy with the cardboard I move to thin aluminum to see if it will fit where it needs to with all the clearances



One side in place and ready to fab the other side. This bracket is triangulated and with be strong from three different axial forces, I also plan to put one bolt into the cross member to relieve any stress there may be. It is going to be made of 1/4 inch plate and there will be a nut welded at the hole. This is a very crude mock up, the real one will be bolted in rather than welded in case I ever need to remove it.



And oh by the way, you can kind of see that the motor mounts fit like a charm, no further fabrication is necessary, it is off to powder coat for them.


Once I get the rack set I will yank the motor again and bolt the tranny on so that I can set the rear trans crossmember. Then back out again to paint. Hopefully I don't have to pull it more than three times.




.

[70LonghornCST]

Cool thread! Subscribed.

[67cheby]

nice job

[FrankieD]

With all that money in the engine are you going to run break in oil? The shop that did mine recommended Joe Gibbs oil
( http://joegibbsdriven.com/products/breakin/index.html ) it is about $8 a qt but I figured it would be cheap protection. Nice work you are doing!