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Features Doing Falcons Right

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by falconizer_62, Jul 23, 2008.

  1. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    Just thought I would bump this to let some of our new members know that there is a techincal Falcon thread too... All the answers to your questions are somewhere in these pages!
     
  2. soulsponjah
    Joined: Jun 2, 2010
    Posts: 47

    soulsponjah
    Member

    Another great thread for Falcons. Looks like some serious work being done here. Thank you to all who contribute!
     
  3. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    Since your 'bird has one of the most drop dead beautiful stances I have seen on a Falcon, how about a description of how ya got there suspension wise? Bet lot's of folks would find it interesting.
     
  4. soulsponjah
    Joined: Jun 2, 2010
    Posts: 47

    soulsponjah
    Member

    Louvers, thanks for the kind comments. As fas as suspension goes it's as basic as it can get. Front springs are cut and blocks in the rear. I also put brand new bump stops, bushings, and trimmed the tunnel a bit. I've been on the fence as far as swapping out for air ride/bags for years but just can't justify the $$$. The bird has been able to handle the messed up so cal freeways loaded with my family on numerous 100+mile trips so I couldn't be more satisfied.

    I also noticed you have a wagon and a ranchero. Both look sweet. Love the tru's. I've been on the hunt for some time now.
     
  5. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    There are days when I would gladly trade the TRUs for a pair of 4 lug Cragars! The TRUs look great, but the backspace is not very advantageous for a Falcons wheel wells. It's causing me to do a bunch more suspension twiddling that I intended for a car that the girlfriend is just going to "take to Home Depot, or the dogs to the doggie park"... I have to update the pictures again as I have the rear suspension redone and modified now too. The stance is flat dead on! Not to high, not to low, even for the girl to drive! I wish it could be as low as your car.

    You mentioned that you put in new bump stops, Did you use stockers or something lower? If so, what?

    I should be able to get back to the Ranchero soon. Sucks building other's dreams for a living when you really want to work on yours! I do need to throw an idea that I know better about to the general Falcon population though. I ran across a set of Ansen 14X6 four lug slots that are NOS. Now my wisdom would put a 60 or 65 series blackwall on, polish them to death and run. I'm actually considering a 75 series thin white wall on these too. I have always been the first to say "never whitewalls on aluminum wheels", but I have been diggin' the thin lines lately... Anybody ever see this done? I even have nos 3 bar spiners for these wheels!
     
  6. soulsponjah
    Joined: Jun 2, 2010
    Posts: 47

    soulsponjah
    Member

    I replaced the bump stops with stock replacements. The originals were so worn I would bottom out. It took awhile to find me some decent Cragars to roll on as well as the Firestone FR380 185/80/13 rubbers.

    I'd like to see some more pictures of your girlfriends longroof. I'm sure it looks as good as you describe it.

    As far as running those Ansen slots, my vote is throw on some thin whites. Some blackwalls wouldn't be bad either so if you get sick of it just swap with the girlfriend. Best of both worlds..can't go wrong!
     
  7. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    Well, it's been a bit since I updated on the G/Fs wagon. And since it's not quite done yet, it still stays in Doing Falcons Right instead of Falcons Done Right. Got the rear end set up to my desires this last month in the first bit of personal project time I have had in quite awhile. I ended up dearching the rear springs 3" and doing all the bushings in urethane. I finished it up with some light gas shocks that were left over from another project around here. It's not nearly low enough for MY personal tastes, but I have had to be mindfull of who the proper owner and end user is. This is the same girl who once informed me "I'm a great driver! As long as I'm going straight!!!"
    Let's just say my usual too low was not an option...

    Right now, I have to put some oil in, drop a battery in, hook up a few wires, bleed the brakes and she's a runner. Then it's on to fixing "Arizona rust", looks bad, but it's just the outer panels from the windows leaking. She's in Hong Kong with family this month, and I have been informed that she would like to drive it when she gets home! Oh, and I love to shoot in my cactus garden front yard...
     

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  8. falconizer_62
    Joined: Mar 2, 2007
    Posts: 637

    falconizer_62
    Member

    That wagon looks good! She will be stoked.
     
  9. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    Thanks! Look for it soon rolling down I-10 in Phoenix with an adorable Asian gal behind the wheel and probably the left turn signal permanently on...

    On another note, does anybody out there in H.A.M.B.land have a pair of wagon washboards? I have a set of coupe/sedan for trade...
     
  10. soulsponjah
    Joined: Jun 2, 2010
    Posts: 47

    soulsponjah
    Member

    Your girls wagon is looking good. Like I said before I love them TRU's? Hows the spacing on the rear? Since she'll be driving the stance is just right at least for her. I'm sure she'll be happy to finally drive it:)

    BTW, I'll look out for some wagon washboards out here in socal.
     
  11. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    Suprisingly, the spacing on the back is A OK! I figured changing rear tires would be a nightmare with things so close. That's why I did a de-arch on the rear springs rather than a block to drop it, so it would have a more natural droop possistion to help get the rear tires on and off. The front is what is making my life tough. I went with one of Scarebird's disc brake kits on the front, so caliper clearence is an issue. Had I stuck with the drums I could have "thinned" the inner spacer that TRUs come with to pull them in a bit. Just didn't figure that was a good idea with a female driver as the primary user. I plan on buying a pair of Hankook 175/70-14" for the front as they are almost an inch shorter and a bit narrower, too. I probably will still end up narrowing the control arms a touch though.
     
  12. The thin whites on the Tru Spokes are fine, but Please don't do that with slots - that look just doesn't work IMHO.
    And Spinners? Really? They are just FAKE Knock Offs, and I don't like any of the fake junk personally
     
  13. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    Don, I hear ya. The more I have thought about it I have decided to not to. Matter of fact, I think I might end up getting rid of the slots altogether. They were for the Ranchero in the back ground of the second picture. This wagon is the first time I have EVER done anything "customy" in my life, (it will end up with a mild flakey/lacey paint job just 'cause the that's what SHE wants) and I was trying to look to something I thought might have existed at one time with my other thread. Pretty sure i'm gonna just do black prime on the Ranch' and maybe some white or school bus yellow 14" steels and blackwalls. Boring, but at least I'll be able to drop that as low as I want to!
     
  14. No_Respect
    Joined: Jul 27, 2005
    Posts: 1,172

    No_Respect
    Member
    from So-Cal

    The wagon sit real nice!! The true spokes look great on her! I just got a 62 ranchero with a blown head gasket now I need to find a 200ci for her.. I want to put a 5 speed in it but dont have the money to have a s10 case done so I will have to remove the floor brace should this be a concern???
     
  15. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    Ya know, if you look back through this thread I think I posted some pictures of the trans adaptation I did for my Ranchero. Mine came with a fresh 170 and JOHNEVANS and I made an adaptor to mount a Borg Warner T50. It's shifter will come out of the pan in just about the same location as the mustang T-5 will, which means it will be partially into the same crossmember you are talking about. My plan is to not remove the cross member, but to notch it as much as I have to for clearance around the trans, then on the top side make a brace from 1/8" flat stock that conforms to the trans tunnel and plug weld it all along the crossmember itself from the top. I will make this so it forms a full 360 degree circle around the shifter hole and puts most of the lost strength back into the crossmember. Make any sense? The advantage for me will be that my trans is a bit smaller than the T-5, so I should get away with less material trimmed.
    The other way to look at this one is this; if you find a post '66 200 with it's clutch and bellhousing, you can buy an inexpensive Ford to Chevy pattern adaptor and go directly to an S10 trans. Might be a bit easier to do all the way around and having the shifter forward of the seat would be a very nice thing. Look into S10gear ratios, because some of the Four cylinder ratios might be an advantage with the Falcon swap.
     
  16. No_Respect
    Joined: Jul 27, 2005
    Posts: 1,172

    No_Respect
    Member
    from So-Cal

    Yeah I like the final drive of the s10 I got a quote for $950 for everything which was s10 housing mustang input and gears except for fifth gear would be a taller s10 unit... But I dont have that kind of cash right now :eek:
     
  17. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    Dude, top whack high dollar price in any u-pullit in Phoenix is about 250.00 for an S10 trans! With a 200 inch six, don't let anybody tell you that you have to have a "world class" type unit or anything but just plain pipe racks... I'd do a bit of wrecking yard hopping and see whats out there. My T50 cost exactly 50.00, the adaptor cost 30.00 for the chunk of aluminum, and about 60.00 to have John cut it up to our specs. From there it was a 40.00 vega clutch disc and about 12.00 for a pilot bushing.
     
  18. galaxie65
    Joined: Nov 28, 2009
    Posts: 48

    galaxie65
    Member

    For all of the guys on here with granada spindles i need some tie rod help what did you use the falcon tierod is to small for the granada spindle the the threads are to big on the granada tierod what should i do?????
     
  19. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    There is an adaptor from I believe mustangparts.com that aadapts the Falcon tie rod to the granada spindles. If I have that company wrong I'm hoping some corrects me.
     
  20. hoop
    Joined: Mar 21, 2007
    Posts: 643

    hoop
    Member

    Mustangsteve.com has what you are looking for.
     
  21. cage66
    Joined: Jun 4, 2010
    Posts: 117

    cage66
    Member
    from reno

    Amazing thread. I cant wait to get my new toy home so I can start on it.
    First I will just static drop it and save for the drop spindles and bags.
    I will be doing most the work myself as I have no time or money but time is easier to find.
     
  22. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member


    Thanks hoop! I knew it was Mustang something...
     
  23. RustNeverSleeps
    Joined: Aug 26, 2003
    Posts: 93

    RustNeverSleeps
    Member

    Here's my slightly O/T '67 Futura Wagon as it sits today... mostly original except for the drop in the front, and definitely a work in progress.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 1, 2014
  24. cage66
    Joined: Jun 4, 2010
    Posts: 117

    cage66
    Member
    from reno

    Finally got the falcon here, have a good list of "to dos" but I am pleased with it. Hit it with the buffer and some 3000 to see how it cleans up.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    And the interior (one of the main reasons I bought it. Still need to clean it up, I assume its original as the car sat in a garage since 87, I completely believe it too since I shipped it here from NJ and its amazingly solid.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    Is there any way of visually telling if its the original interior or not? Not a big deal but would be pretty cool if it is.
     
  25. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    Are the seams Stitched in the seats or heat seamed? It looks to me that the seats have been redone, but the door panels are genuine.
     
  26. falconizer_62
    Joined: Mar 2, 2007
    Posts: 637

    falconizer_62
    Member

    Love that wagon. The paint looks like it came back nicely.
     
  27. cage66
    Joined: Jun 4, 2010
    Posts: 117

    cage66
    Member
    from reno

    Seems are stitched.
    So that equals redone?
    Thanks.
    Falconizer I am completely impressed with your build. I will be stealing a few ideas, if I could afford it I would steal 99% of them.
    Thanks.
     
  28. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    I'm pretty sure it does. I'm not 100%, but I think by that time Ford was doing most of it's vinyl stuff in a heat press operation. I also believe the red and white colors are reversed on your seats as well. Ford was big on red outers with white inserts in black cars i the early sixties. Super neat wagon though! I wish ours was that clean.
     
  29. falconizer_62
    Joined: Mar 2, 2007
    Posts: 637

    falconizer_62
    Member

    Thanks. Steal em all if you want :). None are expensive, 45 cents per pound scrap metal. The Aussie motors are cheap as well. It's all labor so you gotta enjoy working hard.
    I'm just jealous and wish I could drive mine...
     
  30. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    Ya, no kidding! Mine could be drivable with a couple of strong days of work, but customer stuff ALWAYS comes first...
     

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