Projects The barn find Falcon

The Dougs headers are the only ones I've seen that fit without bashing something. One last thing; I hope you checked the cowl around the fresh air vents under the dash. If these things rot anywhere, it seems like it's there. A huge PITA to fix, but if you never drive in the rain it won't matter... Oh wait, you're in Oregon... never mind... LOL

 

Was in the right place at the right time…FB marketplace..and scored these never mounted, 660YA for an auto trans, Ceramic coated, Dougs Headers for my 65 Falcon for $300.00 I couldn’t get the money out of my pocket fast enough..they are still a tight fit! I bought the small bolts, and made a “custom” wrench, bit those shock towers make anything a challenge..
Your Ranchero looks killer…I wish I wouldn’t have passed on one a few months ago…

 

Well they fit, but you have to get every thing right for that to happen. Worked all day today to get the left side in, had to re-work some floor board issues the P/O created .

 

Yep…they’re a real treat…I bought the best gaskets I could find…complete pita…

 

A real tight fit, but got both sides in. the right side barely touches the stock starter post so I ordered a compact starter.

 

Been fixing some substandard fabrications, the previous owner used many things from the Grenada donor car when he did the engine swap and left some of it half done. thr throttle linkage was attached to the carburetor with a nifty swivel that sandwiched the large hole at the top of the arm between two 1/4 inch washers and was not secured to the firewall at all. I patched the spot on the firewall with a sheet metal plate and built a bushing for the swivel to thread in to.

Then moved on to the engine and trans mounts. He built his own trans. rear mount which at first glance looked good but after the headers were installed the left side was hitting the floor and caused the back if the engine to sit too high, to compensate for this he added a stack of shims under the front mounts which caused the whole assembly to sit an inch higher than it should, I suppose he did what he could with what he had at the time. There is an adapter crossmember and rear mount available to install a c4 in the 61 thru 65 falcons which will set things straight and I can lower the assemble back down to where it should sit.

 

Yeah, the '63-65 V8 Falcon/Comet used a weird trans mount unlike any other Ford car. Took a special tailshaft housing to boot... You used to see some pretty cobbled 'stuff' when using a 'normal' trans.

 

This bench seat is pretty crunchy but I think I can save it, so into the molasses vat it goes then I'll replace a few broken springs. I have a couple of buckets out of a 67 Fairlane but would rather have the original bench, That's what the car came with originally .

 

Fixing the engine mounts, the way the previous owner had them crunched the collectors up against the floor so I ordered a rear mount to replace the concoction he had cobbled up, and removed the spacers he installed under the front mounts for heaven knows what reason. Had to re do the throttle linkage and the throttle pressure rod to the transmission.
Been putting a lot of time and effort into my beater with a heater project but the 56 wagon
but that will be another build thread.

 

Starting to work on the interior, installed seat belts, new carpet and glove box liner. Ordered and recieved new seat upholstery and a headliner, think I'll hire someone that knows what they are doing to install that stuff. A man has got to know his limitations

 

Looking good

 

Got busy last week and pieced together an exhaust system.

 

here's how it sounds

 

Still trying to find a guy to do the headliner and seat, one of the minuses of living in the sticks is a lack of people to hire for tasks like this. there are only two guys I trust with a job like this and they are verry buisey.

 

So the new headers cleared the steering box ok?

 

Yes, they were tight but they fit un modified.

 

Good