just another shoebox budget build

[tedley]

Originally Posted by Dan

very cool stuff, love shoeboxes...

Tell me about the merc valvecovers, are they a bolt on for the 302? I have a 302 snd I dont care much for the looks and those v/c's on yours look great!

No the valve covers are big block. You need an adaptor. Fellow hamber dirtbag13 makes them. Waiting for my call from him to get mine.

[tedley]

I don't work much in the summer but had to get this done before winter. I got the body off and going in a porty garage for now so i can do the fun stuff. Frame and suspention before winter.

[kiwiandy]

Looking good. Solid progress! What are your plans for the rocker panels? In one of the pics they look shot. Are you gonna splash and get the EMS full rockers or go with a patch repair? Looks like youve got the skills for the repair.
Andy.

[tedley]

Originally Posted by kiwiandy

Looking good. Solid progress! What are your plans for the rocker panels? In one of the pics they look shot. Are you gonna splash and get the EMS full rockers or go with a patch repair? Looks like youve got the skills for the repair.
Andy.

Plan is EMS for sure for rockers. Also need the mid floor body mounts and i think i'll get a back panel as well.

[tedley]

Good night to play since it is raining. Made a trans mount. Sometimes one just has to get lucky. It happens that the original flatty mount just needed to be turned around and fits perfect using the original holes.All i had to do is narrow the 'u' clamp 1/2 inch and drill the 'u' clamp holes to 7/16. Bolted it right up. Rubber isolated and center. I like it.

[mattcrp1]

you mentioned a rack and pinion set up earlier do you have any pics? that looks like an h pipe for a 5.0 did it fit right under the floor? thanks nice progress

[mattcrp1]

and what master/booster combo is that?

[farmer12]

This is a great build, keep up the good work!

[Plung]

WOW! Awesome.

[tedley]

Originally Posted by mattcrp1

you mentioned a rack and pinion set up earlier do you have any pics? that looks like an h pipe for a 5.0 did it fit right under the floor? thanks nice progress

Yes i used a rack from a caviler. I'll post some pics of the install before i put the body back on. I realise i've lost some turn radius but my rpu isn't that great either, but very managable. It will be far better than the sloppy old manual steering box. Right now i'm dialing in the racks steering 'u' joint shaft to the 5 liter headers . Stock cast manifolds would have givin me lots of room but i like the headers.
The exhaust pipes are off the shelf 5 litre but aftermarket. Fit is near perfect.

[tedley]

Originally Posted by mattcrp1

and what master/booster combo is that?

I'm not sure what the booster is off of. A friend of mine gave it to me. It's small and only a single diafram unit. Should be a nice little assist with the long pedal from a early sixtys gm truck. Made the firewall bracket, swing pedal bracket myself. Bracket ties the firewall and dash together with a 6 inch or so square plate on the inside of the firewall to rid of any flex in the pedal. The master in the pic is 80's corvette for 4 wheel disc brakes but will be changing that in favor of a disc drum master later.

[tedley]

Originally Posted by mattcrp1

you mentioned a rack and pinion set up earlier do you have any pics? that looks like an h pipe for a 5.0 did it fit right under the floor? thanks nice progress

I took a few pics tonite but it's hard to make things out as the engine is in the road and my crappy camera is going south. But maybe you can see abit in mock up form.
I'm holding up in near position the universal steering shaft of the rack to column. It's the stock cavy unit and trying to make it work since i'm a cheap bastard. Kinda big thou, but it' way down under and can't see it that well anyway. May have to shorten it a few inches in the end but don't know till i get body and column back in.
I also notched the front x member and boxed it for the front sump oil pan. I chose this route for clearance for the rack which worked out real slick.

[tedley]

Got alittle done on the chassis. Cut the coils 1-1/2 in, hope it's ok. Rack is basicly done, just have to button things up. Homemade motor mounts using orignal flatty type isolators, notpictured here. A arms rebuilt with nos parts.
The rear shock x member installed. Well it turned out to be a bust and a waste of time. Forgot to take the floorpan into consideration. DUAH ~%$^&!!!!
I went with the front sump oil pan so i'd have lots of clearance for the rack n pinion, so a box was welded in the front xmember. Easy task.
I had some NOS front shocks that i bought back from Ford in the early seventys. Hydrolics, but they will do for now. Iwas building a 50 2 dr back then with a 390 4 spd from a cylone. Bitch realy hopped but never finished it.
Found a original ford handbook to in magazine box. It was from a 50 woody i had 25 yrs ago.

[tedley]

A few more pics

[Buddy Palumbo]

Nice work !

[r0yal]

geez ted, you are just non-stop with the projects! I really dig shoebox's, and yours is coming along nicely.
I wish I had the time/skills you and kev have, maybe then, my bike would finally be done and I could start on my 58 :P

[tedley]

Originally Posted by r0yal

geez ted, you are just non-stop with the projects! I really dig shoebox's, and yours is coming along nicely.
I wish I had the time/skills you and kev have, maybe then, my bike would finally be done and I could start on my 58 :P

It's a grind sometimes. Almost manic sometimes. Getting motivated is the key. Talent? Hell, one picks up skills in the garage thru the years. Lots of mistakes and remakes is what gets ya there.

More pics comming soon

[tedley]

After a bit of thinking what to do with the rear shocks, i decided to relocate them abit since the factory position was just plain stupid. So a few things. I flipped the axle plates from side to side with the shock stud now facing up. Reason? The shocks where below the scrub line with 3 inch lowering blocks. Flipping them makes them still fairly border line but much better. Still have to trim the U bolts as they hang too low as well.
I moved the upper shock bolts approx 4 1/2 back from stock using the same technic ford did with the steel sleeve in the frame. I still have to do the left side but you get the idea from the pics. Makes a big difference in shock angle. Maybe not ideal but better. Left side is going to require moving a few things around but no big deal.
The shocks i'm using are monroe max air. Went with air so i could bump up the rear a little if i had a load.

[tedley]

Did the other side today. Had to relocate the brake line bracket but no biggy. Just another step forward.

[Buddy Palumbo]

Like I said in your other thread , it looks like a much better angle now .