I'm gonna have to make a trip up for breakfast just to see this thing!!

 

Sounds like a great plan!

 

Went over to Six States Driveline service today. I walked in with the Ranger driveline, the 1st gen Camaro driveline, and a TH400 yoke. Told the guy I wanted the 400 yoke on the smaller joint Camaro driveline, and the Ranger rear flange on the same driveline. He looks at it all and tells me he's got conversion U joints for both ends and he'll tear everything apart and assemble it all with the two new joints, and it will be ready on Sat. for $62. labor and joints!
In this day and age of useless counter help, and unknowledgeable service people, I am so tickled to find somebody who not only knows what they're doing, but is so reasonably priced also!

 

Brown truck arrived this afternoon with goodies from Summit! My new welded 24"x19" aluminum triple pass radiator, gauges, steering joint, rearend cover, shocks, and other misc. stuff to put a smile on my face! Ran right out and ripped the Camaro airbag wheel off, and put the Grant kit on, so I could put my old three spoke wheel on it! The steering wheel has been on three other cars before the Falcon, (was even on the '71 Camaro for awhile!) and it's plain black grip, with chrome spokes that have no holes. Pretty basic, but I always liked it because of the simplicity. Big upgrade from the Camaro wheel! Looks like a hotrod's steering wheel!

 

Today I decided to see how the new radiator fit, and ended up mounting it in the car. Two bolts drilled and bolted to the frame below, and then tapped the braces for 1/4" all thread rod, and sleeved it with some aluminum tube from my old TV antenna. It's really solid!


After that I bent up some 1/2" offset sheetmetal plates from scrap 16ga., and screwed the hood to the front fenders. Once I got them all screwed together, and checked alignment, I tack welded the plates to hold them better.


With all the plates tacked, and checked, I bent up some 3/4 EMT tubing and tacked it in place. Added angle supports to the corners, and also a separate support from the hood plate to the upper fenderwell opening to stiffen it once I separate the lower fender drops. Added a few extra plates in several places to connect it all and add to the strength. I'm sure I'll need a little more tubing once I figure out how the tilt system will function. It needs to go forward a couple inches before it opens.


Next I need to build a new lower valance to fill the area under the grille and punch some holes in it for looks.
I put the "new" seat in the old holes and checked my seating position with the steering wheel, and it feels like I just need to raise the rear mounting points an inch or so and all will be great!

Knocked off early and did a little cleanup. I was beginning to trip over junk all around the project!

 

Lookin good so far. Some years back I built a V8 Datsun pickup, and made a hand laid glass front end. I had the same clearance issue, where the front end needed to slide forward before it could tilt open. I used barn door hinges, dismantled them, and bent some rod to use as the pivot. To open, I lifted and pulled the nose forward to flop the hinge, then the front end would clear in back when tilted. Drilled holes in the rod for clevis pins, and the rods could be slid out to completely remove the front end if desired. Picture is when the truck was still "in the rough".

 

That's a slick idea Chuck! I may have to incorporate something like that in the tilt hinges! Thanks!

 

You're welcome. Figured it should give you at least a spark of inspiration. I like to improvise as you do, it's more fun!

 

Looks like my pivot wont need to be very long! If I made it an inch it would get the frontend 2" forward and easily clear the doors as it tilts. I cut the lower drops off the rear edge of the fenders at the lower body line, and will attach those to the body. That makes my pivot point lower than the cut line, so the fender should move away from the doors as it goes up.
I may try a solid pivot point first, and then if it needs some clearance I can go to hinged pivot to get a little clearance if needed.

 

Hi Vall,
Just saw a 1965 Mustang Gasser go through Barrett Jackson for $110,000.00 with an injected SOC 427. They said the motor was worth more than the coast of the car at $70.000.

Is it typical gasser style to have the rear tires stick out from the fenders a couple of inches? This Mustang did and I see both of yours do.

Wish I was closer to your end of the country so I could drop by for a visit.