Doug's 65 Cyclone build

[DesertRat]

Doug, that engine bay looks stout enough to handle a Cammer
JT

Thanks Joe: I will complete the strength issue with billet adjustable tower braces and Monte Carlo bar. Removable for service but my plan is to stay with a W series small block. Ideally with AC, PS and Serpentine drive system. Dreams eh----------------

[poboyjo65]

All of your work looks great Doug. good looking welds & all of the fab looks great! you will like the borgesen! I think I mentioned that I made a z bar work & how much of a pain it was. But if I had to do it again I would make an access plate for that area. I would cut a hole in the apron like the afx cars had ,but I would make a cover for it. I may do one eventually just to make life easier, when I need to service it I'll just cut my way in ,lol. Might not be bad to have an access plate there for other types of clutches. It's hard to get to that area after every thing is in place.
the rest of this artical is pretty cool too,check out the outboard shock towers! tells how stroppe built the towers,attached them to the aprons, then sent the whole aprons back to have them built in to the body on the merc assembly line.



borgesen makes a z bar for the conversion ,but its for a stang so it probably wont work. I looked at a pic of it I like the way it comes up & over then back down to the clutch rod.unfortunately it looks like it comes up on the other side of the box.

[SASSY]

I put holes on both sides more for air flow than access.
Ive never had problems with trash entering through them and I'm pretty sure I drive my Comet as much as about anyone.
Have you considered moving the firewall electrical a bit to the left. Then the wiring can all be hidden under the fender.
Fred

[DesertRat]

All:
I have to admit I am reconsidering my potential use of a modified Z-bar for my clutch/power steering install. I know john at Opentracker makes one for our cars and I have the stock unit to play with. I found a trim/badging refinisher so I may be able to get my Cyclone specific badging done. And one more thing, I am in desperate need of a dash instrument cluster for 65 Comet. I don't need gauges just the surround the gauges go in. Then I can refinish my dash factory, I'll replace all the instrumentation. I built a custom Rallye-Pac for my 65 404 build and its not too early to be thinking about that. And I will want a A/F wideband install for tuning purposes. Edit: I forgot to ask, what headers are you Windsor guys running with a 4-speed?
Today I am fitting the front buckets into the new floor in the car.
Thanks for reading-------------DR----------------

[poboyjo65]

Doug after seeing your fab/welding,I'm confident you could make a z bar work . cutting that hole that I posted would be the best thing you could do. another obstacle I had was headers that wanted to contact the borg box so when I moved the engine over for that it would make the z bar contact the header or the header on the other side would hit the frame & if I moved the engine too far back the header would contact the firewall or hit the zbar since it goes between the tubes. another problem was the limited space for the z bar arm between the box & apron,but if you cut a hole would help that. another mistake I made was cutting the z bar too low where forces are the greatest on it.so it would bend easy & then when I was beefing it up would create a contact somewhere. another problem was adjusting & tightening the 2 bolts on the z bar frame pivot with the headers in the way. the access hole would solve that I think. I looked at the open tracker zbar pretty sure it wont work. the borg one,,,if you made a top similar to the borg zbar;
https://www.cjponyparts.com/borgeson-cl ... GCEALw_wcB
& weld it to the old stock zbar that would be what I would try first I think. the problem with the old one it was contacting the box & wanted the same space as the lines.So if you had all this worked out before you strung brake lines would help too!

[Joe Travers]

Not an expert by any means but I would do a mock-up using the engine of choice with header installed to get it right the first time.
I'm running Hookers on AFR heads on a 5.0L roller block but I'm not fighting a steering box.
Hats off to you guys that have.

JT

[DesertRat]

Part of my build is saving the factory bucket seats and reupholstering them. To that end yesterday and today were spent cleaning fasteners and fitting the front buckets into the new floor.

This is what I started with, I treated the seats themselves with SEM treatment and they will get epoxy primer before upholstery. The mounts has been previously cleaned and painted with epoxy primer.

I saved these parts from the old removed floorpan figuring I could find a use for them. Beadblasted and prepped.

The inboard section of the floor had no holes and no reinforcement for bucket seats.

The new floorpan had these installed on the outboard edges.

Primed and ready for plug welding.

Plug welded in and ready for their new job:-)

Seat bottoms are fastened into the new floor with the original fasteners cleaned and tap & die chased.

Another view, this job is done and I am putting them back in storage until they are needed. I will paint and Dynamat extreme the floor before carpet.
I have new original seat foams ordered from shur-fit-------------on order for the last 8 months:-(
------------DR----------------Cheers

[johnhalabama]

Any idea where the car came from? I’m trying to locate the red Cyclone that was bought new with my black one in 65. I believe it was purchased in Jacksonville FL and brought to Slocomb AL right outside of Dothan.

Let me know. I’ve got two serial numbers that came off the line within a day or two of mine. Been looking for a while. I would just like to know where the car ended up and share some history.

Thanks John

[DesertRat]

John:
The vin on my car decoded as being delivered to Seattle. It spent time in Seattle and California. I can go back about 15 years with the registrations I found in the car.
Douglas

[johnhalabama]

Thanks. Always looking. I appreciate you checking

[Joe Travers]

my plan is to stay with a W series small block. Ideally with AC, PS and Serpentine drive system. Dreams eh----------------

Hey Doug, have you considered a 5.8L Lightening engine? I've never seen one in a resto-mod Comet but sounds pretty hefty. Chances of finding a complete, good rebuildable one may not be too hard. If I remember correctly, they had serpentine drive setup.

JT

[DesertRat]

my plan is to stay with a W series small block. Ideally with AC, PS and Serpentine drive system. Dreams eh----------------

Hey Doug, have you considered a 5.8L Lightening engine? I've never seen one in a resto-mod Comet but sounds pretty hefty. Chances of finding a complete, good rebuildable one may not be too hard. If I remember correctly, they had serpentine drive setup.

JT

Joe thanks for the tip. I'm going to have to research that motor. I've been looking at blueprint crate motor options and they have some interesting offerings. I think I need to keep the car under 350 HP because of drivetrain limitations though.

[Joe Travers]

Joe thanks for the tip. I'm going to have to research that motor. I've been looking at blueprint crate motor options and they have some interesting offerings. I think I need to keep the car under 350 HP because of drivetrain limitations though.

Stock 5.0L roller engine with your dual-quad set-up and a set of GT-40 heads should get you in the ballpark. Also has serpentine belt drive, won't break the bank and give you more working room under the hood.

JT

[DesertRat]

I'm thinking about buying a blueprint crate motor 347 fully dressed. They sell a harmonic balancer but look to me like it will be missing the water pump and timing chain and gears. I'm wondering if my 6 bolt bellhousing and my flywheel will work. Have any of you guys used a blueprint crate motor? I need advice.

[DesertRat]

Spent the day repairing the trunk gasket channel. Welded all the holes in the firewall and core support. Buying parts and enjoying the process. Lots of issues to resolve but I do enjoy building this car.