Lavron's '64 Build Thread

[lavron]

I did a few other things on the Comet over the last few days, whenever I got a second. I unbolted the motor mounts from the front towers, and started taking the front bump stop plates off until a family of wasps, living under the fender, showed their displeasure for my work, so I showed them my displeasure for them by spraying them with wasp killer, I don't think they cared for that but hopefully they will have "moved out" by the time I get back on it.

Speaking of wasps, I had to put some gas in my little red cart this week and when I raised the seat cushion there was a nest of red wasps under it, they didn't like me either and stung me right behind my ear they got the same treatment as the others

Maybe this next week will settle in more normal and I can get some stuff done on the Comet, I need to get the rear pulled back out, cleaned up and painted, cut those pesky bump stops off and get the c-notch tacked in. That is my plan anyway

See Ya,
Mike

[Rocket989]

Way to go!! Fighting through torrential downpours, braving the inferno, fighting off flying beasts...Roll Comet!!

[Jims65cyclone]

Neither rain, nor heat, nor flying beasts will keep him from his project! He is .........Comet Man!
Jim

[lavron]

I got the rear dif painted today, not the prettiest maybe but it will be under the car where no one can see it



It is ready for brake lines and I guess it is done. I have new soft lines for the rear and only need to make the line that attaches the two ends together, I might be able to get one with ends on it already the right length.

While I was cleaning and painting the rear welds I got the bump stops off the frame, after spending probably two hours getting the right one off it took me maybe 10 minutes to get the left one off.

I also trimmed the outer inner fender wells a little more forward.

You are going to think I don't have any idea what I am doing (which is partially true) but I went from a huge c-notch, to a smaller c-notch and now I have decided no c-notch is needed, that saves me some hassle but I wasted a lot of time making stuff

I got the c-notches marked out and was ready to cut them but I decided to put the rear back in and check one more time now that the bump stops were gone and I had made more room up inside the wheel wells, I jacked the rear up until I hit the lower limit of the airbags (maybe a bit more) the lower brackets move pretty far forward and tilt quite a bit but the back edge is about 2.5" apart (bag design is 2.7") and I haven't touched the frame yet.



I am also at the limit of my wheel wells, the right one is making contact (lightly) with the front part of the outer wheel well, the left does not touch because there is nothing but a big rust hole where the well should be



Anyway I think I will position new bump stops about a 1/2" below what shows here and of course I will have to do more to the wheel well, but that was happening anyway because of rust.

See Ya,
Mike

[Rocket989]

Rear looks good to me man!!...but why are you using a GM rear...oh, wait, that's an 8.8"!! J/K!!! I like 8.8's too, just had to give ya a hard time.

It does indeed look like you've got further "tub trimming" ahead of you.

Looks great Mike - keep plugging away!!

[lavron]

Rear looks good to me man!!...but why are you using a GM rear...oh, wait, that's an 8.8"!!

It says Ford right on it to help with any confusion

It does indeed look like you've got further "tub trimming" ahead of you.

I should have had wheels with a little more offset and this wouldn't be an issue, but it is what is, and that is a common offset so if I ever want to change wheels the work I do now will pay off later.

See Ya,
Mike

[lavron]

Only one picture today, because I don't want to get anymore redundant than I already have been

The only thing I took a picture of was the rear suspension completely gone because it will hopefully never be this way again.



The reason I took everything out was so I weld my brackets on solid and clean the galvanizing off the frame rails, I did both, and put everything back in, so it is ready for welding, going to shoot for tomorrow if nothing comes up

So hopefully next report will be it is welded in permanent.

See Ya,
Mike

[RideAndShoot]

Dude, that’s awesome! Any idea how much you’ll have to move the trans tunnel up to clear the driveshaft?

[poboyjo65]

Mike is the tire as close to the outside of the quarter as it looks in this pic? & same on both sides? it looks like it is touching ! I hope it is just the dark pic!

[lavron]

Mike is the tire as close to the outside of the quarter as it looks in this pic?

No it has space, it barely was touching the wheel well, it touches at the top where it curves in. If you look at the top, outside of the tire you can see where it almost looks like it form fits the tire. Mostly I think it is the angle I took the picture, if I drop the axle down less than inch the tires turn freely.

A squarer wheel well would/will fix it, I am thinking about trying to cut the inners off the parts car and making them into outers. Also this is at full squat.

Dude, that’s awesome! Any idea how much you’ll have to move the trans tunnel up to clear the driveshaft?

Not yet I am going to hold off until I actually get that far along, it sure looks like it will touch but I think only in the rear, I was thinking of taking the back portion of the front trans tunnel out of the parts car and flipping it around. I just don't want to get too far ahead like I did on the c-notch so I am leaving everything until I see what clearance issues there are.

See Ya,
Mike

[lavron]

First off I took another picture of the tire clearance outside the tire while it was brighter in the shed.



Hope that helps anyone who couldn't tell how much room there was.

I got out early and got the plates welded on, not pretty, they need some grinding but maybe I will get that later when I am working on the bottom of the car. I sprayed some cheap paint on to keep it from getting so rusty, makes my welds look a bit better too



A couple of more little parts to make and add an upper shock mount bar and this is pretty much done.

See Ya,
Mike

[Lip Ripper]

Regarding the 8.8; I see a vent on the top of your diff cover. Mine has a bolt in it and a vent on the left axle tube. Do you have both? I'm not sure how to address mine. Leave the top blocked or tee the two.

Stacey

[lavron]

Regarding the 8.8; I see a vent on the top of your diff cover. Mine has a bolt in it and a vent on the left axle tube. Do you have both?

Yes, the aluminum cover is for a Mustang and came with the vent so I am using it, you can look on the picture above and see the axle vent hole underneath the air bag bracket, I screwed a plug in that hole so I am not going to use it.

See Ya,
Mike

[poboyjo65]

First off I took another picture of the tire clearance outside the tire while it was brighter in the shed.



Hope that helps anyone who couldn't tell how much room there was.

Yea that looks like a lot more room that what it appeared to look like in the other pic, which looked like it was touching the outer quarter!

[lavron]

Just a quick mock-up today, I had a piece of heavy packing cardboard that was exactly the right size to fit across my upper bag brackets and is 2x2.

I trimmed it so it would move slightly forward, used my old link bars again as mock shocks and spaced the lower mount out slightly (the thickness of a nut). My plan is to weld a 1/4" 2x2 angle iron across and drill a 5/8" hole to bolt the upper shock mount to, I figured it would be plenty strong and add a little more bracing across the back of the car.



Shocks riding at 16" should work ok, I found 1997-1999 Mitsubishi Montero Sport rear shocks should fit ok (KYB KG4034). And a 7" bolt will work for the lower mount and I will cut a new, longer spacer

See Ya,
Mike