YET ANOTHER '65 BUILD

The Era of The Square Body Racing Comets
BST'65
Posts: 57
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2017 8:10 pm
Location: Hawthorne, CA

Re: YET ANOTHER '65 BUILD

Post by BST'65 »

comethead wrote: Hey Ben I think YOU WILL make that Ford show. Yes you will. :D
Thanks for the optimism Joe! I really hope "d" I would too but, my work schedule has been jacked with the new job. 5 days out in Johnson Valley for KOH, a couple nights a week up in Ventura / Camarillo area. Next week I fly out to Dallas and then a couple weeks after that I will be in Seattle / Portland for about a week. And that's only been the start so not much Comet time lately :cry:

Finally got a chance to do some stuff today.

Got the rest of the valve train in and the covers on. All Howards Cam stuff. And went with some generic steel valve covers, liked the finned look. :wink:

Image

Image

Bolt in baffles.

Image

Hope i got the valve pre-load set right. I am sure once the lifters get some oil pumpin through them I will need to adjust them.

Image

I also got the steering shaft shortened need to rebuild the rest of the box and then it will be good to go back in.

Image

One on the left is the original out of the car and the one on the right is out of the V8 steering box I bought. So the machine shop cut the shaft then put it on a lathe to create a post on one side and drill a hole on the other for re-alignment. Then just prep and weld. came out pretty good and relatively cheap. :lol:

Here's a close up up of the weld . . .

Image

Besides that got around to getting the trunk coated in POR-15 accidentally ordered black but doesn't matter much as it all be carpeted. :roll:

Image

Image

Still a lot to do but plan is to get the rest of the interior (under dash and new floor pans) coated and then from there get the new suspension and rear end under her. Get the master cylinders mounted up and then drop in the motor and tranny to follow that. Sounds easy but its all the little stuff that really takes up the little time I get to work on her. I think it will be ready for summer though.

I'll keep it coming . . .

Ben 8)

Rocket989
Posts: 1678
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 2:53 pm
Location: Kansas City Metro

Re: YET ANOTHER '65 BUILD

Post by Rocket989 »

Long as the lifters were bled down you should be fine. Motor looks great!! How come the shaft needed to be cut? Weld job looks good (it NEEDS to be good!).

I hear you on time. I’ve been busy at work and right now I’ve got a few weeks until the kids spring/summer sports start, but they’ve got birthdays within a couple weeks of each other and I can’t seem to keep anybody on the healthy train! :roll: :lol:
'cause Johno says you gotta have a sig pic! :)
Image

BST'65
Posts: 57
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2017 8:10 pm
Location: Hawthorne, CA

Re: YET ANOTHER '65 BUILD

Post by BST'65 »

Wow . . . time flies been MIA on the board for a while.

Here's a little update, still quite a ways to go but it feels good to be putting on new parts finally.

From the last post, Joe (Comethead) convinced me with all the work I have done, that I should really do the export brace and shock tower braces. So just when I thought I was done welding had to break her back out again but, it was totally worth it. (If you cant tell welding has been my least favorite part, thats just cause Im learning still :roll: ) In addition to that I wanted to repaint the engine bay because there were a lot of sanding scratches. So I got that a little better.

Image

Image

After that, I got the steering box rebuilt. Still not extremely happy with it, should the steering shaft turn smoothly after a rebuild? It feels slightly rough, I read that would either be the worm gear or the ball bearings. The worm gear was in great condition but, the bearings looked slightly worn.

Image

Image

After that, I got the Modern Driveline hydro clutch / clutch pedal assembly mocked up. Didn't take to many photos of that process but, it was super easy. And yes I did cut down the brake pedal after the fact. :mrgreen:

Image

After that I got all the old front suspension pulled out. Got the plates welded in, fabbed those up myself totally not worth the time but, I didn't realize open tracker made some for the comet until after I invested in the material, so I just made it work. PIA :oops: Prepped and painted under there too stoked on how it came out.

Image

Image

And then the good stuff. :D :D :D Parts: Open Tracker coil springs, Open Tracker Roller Spring perches, Open Tracker "Blueprinted" UCAs, PTP Adjustable LCAs, CSRP Disc Brake swap + 4 to 5 lug conv., PTP Adjustable strut rods.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Other than that theres been some few little things I have worked on here and there as well. Making progress for sure and its making me excited again.

lavron
Site Admin
Posts: 4710
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2003 9:17 am
Location: Missouri, Ozarks
Contact:

Re: YET ANOTHER '65 BUILD

Post by lavron »

Coolness 8) Thanks for an update.

See Ya,
Mike
Mike's build thread
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=13058
Image

User avatar
poboyjo65
Moderator
Posts: 7037
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2011 9:40 pm
Location: Camden, Tenn.

Re: YET ANOTHER '65 BUILD

Post by poboyjo65 »

You'll be glad Ole Joe spoke up, everything you do in the the engine bay, even painting it will be easier. & installing the MC & brake lines will be so much easier,headers,steering box,clutch rod,s plugs, throttle linkage/cable,,,everything will be easier.

looks like Joe talked you into roller spring perches & adjustable strutrods. did you build those too? btw nice progress,lookin good! :D :D
Image
Johno

comethead
Posts: 5692
Joined: Sun Nov 09, 2003 7:44 pm
Location: Palmdale, CA

Re: YET ANOTHER '65 BUILD

Post by comethead »

Hey Ben looking great!
Glad Pacific Thunder is back up again

Joe
1965 Caliente HT- 289/4 speed
1964 Falcon HT- track car- 302/4 speed
Image

Rocket989
Posts: 1678
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 2:53 pm
Location: Kansas City Metro

Re: YET ANOTHER '65 BUILD

Post by Rocket989 »

Great progress man...looking sharp!! :D :lol: The 2nd best feature of the export brace is it can be taken OUT to work on stuff! :mrgreen:

Steering shaft movement shouldn’t feel rough. Did your use a kit (typically come with new needle & ball bearing assemblies)? IMO the needle bearing assemblies should be pressed in but if you got ‘em in place...should be good.

Try looking for a shiny ring on the input shaft somewhere around where the big nut holds it into the box. That surface needs to be mirror-like. IIRC it should take 4-inch pounds to turn the shaft, going up to 10-11-inch pounds over center.
'cause Johno says you gotta have a sig pic! :)
Image

BST'65
Posts: 57
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2017 8:10 pm
Location: Hawthorne, CA

Re: YET ANOTHER '65 BUILD

Post by BST'65 »

Thanks guys, shes getting there.

No doubt, Joe is always convincing me to do things that I should be doing anyway. :lol: I appreciate all the help to.

Rocket,

Yeah I use a kit, I was referring to the ball bearings surrounding the worm gear on the steering shaft. I read that if the chrome is worn, its a good sign they should be replaced as well, which the kit didn't include. I will take a look at what you are referring too. Thanks for the heads up.

I have another box but, I was under the assumption that there is difference between the boxes on the V8 cars vs the I6. Can anyone confirm if they are different because I think the other box is in better condition.

Thanks,
Ben

Rocket989
Posts: 1678
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 2:53 pm
Location: Kansas City Metro

Re: YET ANOTHER '65 BUILD

Post by Rocket989 »

If both ‘65 year, they’re the same on the outside & could be same innards... Turn both lock to lock...they’ll either be 4 or 5 turn boxes.

Earlier V8 boxes (‘63.5-‘64) used 1-1/8 sector shaft, I6 cars and ‘65 V8 were all 1”.
'cause Johno says you gotta have a sig pic! :)
Image

Post Reply