Projects DRAG SNAKE "Vintage Terror!"

Now you know why all those copper brass style radiators get painted black lol But I do see your point brazing up a rad tank like that is a real art form it probly won't leak but it does look ugly


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Well you are correct on couple of points anyway. One it does not leak as they pressure tested it. And two, it is going to get painted black...LMAO. I was always planning on painting it black just didn't figure on body work...LOL.

I am pretty sure I now know why these high dollar little tanks come in about 8 pieces. I had joked earlier in the thread that for the kind of cash they want for them they could at least assemble them. But after seeing this one put together ...I get it. I wouldn't give you $50 bucks for this turd the way it looks now. LOL

 

So I want to share the on going pulley/alternator bracket saga. In the end I will likely just build my own but it has been fun listening to these guys argue (especially since I do not need the bracket this afternoon or anything etc.).

The pulley set came from Don Woods Ford Racing Parts which was recommended by Ford Racing Parts. They said I could save a bit of money with them versus Jegs or Summit etc. After ordering the Boss 363 from them, Ford supplied me with a list of part numbers for everything I would need from the oil pan up. I compared the prices on a few parts on the list between Don Woods and Jegs etc. and Ford Racing was correct, I got a better price at the dealership. So off we went.

Now here we are 8 months later assembling the last few pieces of the engine and as you know we have an alignment issue with the alternator. The bracket supplied by CJ Pony Parts had the Alternator set back about an inch or so. Obviously I did not get this bracket from Don Woods as they do not sell them. At the time they suggested CJ Pony Parts. After realizing it was not going to work I called the boys at CJ who are awesome and explained what was going on. They traded out the bracket kit for the correct one and I bolted it on. Same deal. The alternator was now lower however it was still out of line by the same amount. After talking with them and sending photos, they sent me straight to the supplier, Marsh.

The March guys were really nice as well and had a great idea. Take the pulleys and spacers off and actually send them a measurement from the face of the dampner to the water pump pulley flange. I did it. They took those measurements and promptly sent me the third bracket that put the alternator in the same low position but you guessed it, still out of alignment by an inch. After the second call and second round of photos to March they decided it was the pulley kit from Ford Racing (which they make and supply to Ford) that is causing the issue. They supplied me with a part number for a set of pulleys that will align themselves with the alternator.

Here is where it gets fun. Unlike JEGS or Summit etc., you can not return anything to Don Woods with out permission from Ford Racing. Something I found out when we had issues with the oil pan. You first have to send the part back to Ford Racing and if it is warranted they will refund Don Woods whom in turn will then refund you etc. Even more complicated if you simply have the wrong part and wish to trade it out. So I called Ford Racing and tell them I need permission to send the pulleys back to Don Woods for a refund. The question Ford Racing had is why?

I explain what is going on again with photos, part numbers and measurements. Ford Racing responds that the issue is not with the pulleys but with the bracket. I need a bracket for 1970 and up. Easy breezy right? So I call March back with this good news. I don't tell them that Ford Racing says they are morons for having the measurements and not know what bracket to send etc. The folks at March are again very nice and explain they understand the whole 1970 and up but they do not make a bracket for that set up (even though they make the pulleys). I said that Ford Racing said it is the same bracket from 1970 to 1993 for 5.0 set up with single groove pulley system. They said correct but they do not make one. In fact, no one makes an after market bracket for those cars. (That is a lot of cars when you do the math).

So I called Ford Racing back and told them what March said. The tech guy says that is crazy. He has built tons of small black Fords all in this configuration and has never had an issue finding an alternator bracket. I said perfect, just tell me where you got all of yours and we are good to go. He said CJ Pony Parts. LOL.

Of course I know those guys pretty well at this point so yesterday I call and get their lead tech guy. He says the same thing as March. He says he has no idea what Ford Racing is talking about. He even spent some time searching the internet while I was on the phone and sent me a link for a couple factory original brackets for sale on Ebay. He says with those pulleys and that offset finding a factory original bracket would be the only option.

So I call Ford Racing back and tell them what I have found. They say impossible as the pulleys they sold me (supplied by March) are the only after market pulleys they sell. I said I don't know what to tell you other than I need permission to send these back to Don Woods for a refund so I can order the correct set from March. He said let me check in to it and get you a part number for the bracket etc. I said I am fine either way. This morning I had an email from Ford Racing saying send them the invoice for the Pulleys so they could start the return process. LMAO!

 

A 3-ring circus!

 

Needs more Calliope music! And dancing monkeys!

 

Randall,

I will freely admit that you are a better man than I. If I were in your position trying to get brackets and pulleys that fit, and I had to endure the run-around that you have had to, I would have blown a nut a long time ago. Your patience and grace are an example for me to follow. I hope you eventually get to where you need to go - I look forward to seeing what the final solution ends up being!

Steve

 

Where is Deswillfitter Scott when you need him?

 

Yeah.......What's up with that guy?

 

So with a 3-way, I guess they all wear this style shirt

 

Well I took one last (aftermarket) shot at the alternator bracket last night. The Ford Racing guy finally admitted there are no really nice billet bracket systems for this set up. However there are plenty of stock steel (painted black or even chrome) ones. I answered that is exactly what I am looking for on this car. Apparently this has all been about billet. I guess all involved just assumed after seeing photos of the motor and hearing Cobra etc. that I was a billet boy!

Anyway he sent me about twelve links from all the big suppliers for a simple two piece steel mount that will work (maybe). I ordered it from Summit...and get this...$19.50. Even if it puts us in the same place at least I have something steel to work with and we will make it fit! LOL.

 

Hell yeah

 

Spent some time this evening cleaning up the tank and prepping it for paint. It took some elbow grease but it cleaned up pretty good...





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That looks a LOT better!

 

Looks like a awkward overflow tube placement to me.
Edit. Looks good Randall.

 

Yes I am really happy. Hard to see the final finish as it was just sprayed and looks really glossy in that shot. I am using Duplicolor Black semi gloss. When it dries it really deepens. Looks like it might had been glossy at one point but now has some age. We are so happy with the color we are re shooting the chassis and cage with it.

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Looking good Randall


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Thank you sir. Hey it sounds like this little George Ray Soiree is going to get wild! Anytime Brian unloads some where you know it is going to be a show. If you are following this thread and have not heard about it, here is the link:
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/racing-at-george-rays-whos-interested.1126533/

I have wanted to go down their for a long time. I am pretty excited to take the Cobra!

 

Yeah Randall I was kinda one of the instigators of that lol that place is awesome and we are gonna wake that place up trust me I have a surprise that should be unveiled there and it's gonna be awesome


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Was just watching that Detroit Muscle show.
Didn't catch the name of the company, but the were installing some brackets on there mustang project.
Looked like it stuck the alternator way out, maybe something to check out.

 

Thanks James but I decided this morning just to deal with it myself. The final "factory" style mount showed up Friday and as I expected made absolutely no change to the alternator placement. In fact if you look at them, it is obvious. The steel bracket offers nothing more than a cheaper option to the billet piece. It obviously makes no drastic angle changes etc. to make up for the 1" of misalignment.


Earlier in the week, assuming this is exactly where we would be today, I started searching for socket head screws that would work with the billet mount but that were an inch longer than the original. That was actually a pretty tall order, at least for two of them which would have to be 6.5" to 7" long: one 7/16 and the second a 5/16. I actually found the 5/16 but Fastenal is trying to order the larger one.

After studying the situation a bit I started by making a bushing the same width as the spacer between the dampner and the lower pulley. I installed the billet bracket with the bushing, about 1" wide, between it and the water pump. At this time I am just using a standard bolt for test fitting. When I tightened this bolt it basically made the bracket rigid.


With another longer temporary 7/16 bolt we installed the alternator the way this bracket is supposed to work running the bolt through the bracket and in to the upper/outer bolt hole in the head. With the alternator hanging on that 7/16 bolt and the bracket ridged we slid it forward to eyeball the pulleys. They looked dead straight to me.


While the alternator hanging there, I got an idea how we could make a much stronger mount and still utilize the original socket head 7/16 bolt. Basically the plan quickly evolved to utilize the billet bracket up front with 1" bushings or spacers added at the water pump. Plus fabricate a bracket (above) for the backside that would mount to the head with two bolts instead of just the one etc. As you can see I made a rough pattern on poster board with imprints where the bolt holes in the head were placed.


After cleaning up the mount with the grinder we test fit it on the head. The holes were perfect. The two lower bolts are 3/8" and now attach the bracket to the head with 3/8" bushings between the mount and the head etc. The top hole was 7/16 and after the test fit we welded a grade 8 nut on it. This means after the bracket is in place, instead of screwing into the head, the original socket head bolt that supports the alternator screws into the top of the new bracket.


We have a couple of spacers on there to align the alternator properly. It is bad ass solid and straight as a string so we decided to change out the alternator pulley with the billet unit that came with the pulley set. Maybe I am a billet boy...LMAO! While we were at it we painted the fan black as it was cadmium plated.


I am very happy with how the bracket system works and looks. I am telling you with the bracket on the rear this is a really strong and functional mount. Heads up Ford Racing I am willing to sell the idea to you guys...LMAO! Check it out.


Notice we have an oil filter on there. We just got back from the auto parts store where we picked up a Gates belt as well. Originally I had thought with our new 90 degree adapter the oil filter could point straight down...(no go)! The chassis frame rail is in the way. I can not spin it facing to the rear as the motor mount is in the way. Sooooooo. What you see is what you get. It has to point forward.


This is of course something we figured out a while back, in fact if you look above we actually had to grind the tab on the top of the adapter to get it to rotate to this position. It was obvious the tab was designed to keep it from rotating as it only has the one large bolt in the center to hold it in place.

Several folks here on the HAMB noted the potential rotation issue when I purchased the adapter. So at this point we have to come up with some way to support this adapter to keep it from rotating down from the weight of the oil in the filter or maybe recoil from hard wheelie return etc. Obviously if it turns down it unscrews itself from the block and of course that would not be a good thing.


We entertained several theories this afternoon but ended up searching the shop for something the same diameter as the adapter where the filter screws on. Believe it or not we found an old header collector that had been cut off and it was the exact size. We cut a section from it about 3/4" wide and made one cut in it breaking the ring etc. I then welded tabs on them and drilled a 3/16" hole in the tabs.

The other thing you might have noticed in the area is the fuel pump opening that we will not be using. I am sure I can order a block off plate for it but I am already in fabrication mode and decided I might be able to kill two birds with one stone.


As you can see I did have a small edit there to the original thought but it is solid and strong nothing a little body filler won't hide in the end. You probably just figured out what is happening with that steel ring.




It is not going any where...I ordered some Ford blue paint to match the block. Both this little bracket after we do all the finish work on it and the rear alternator bracket will be painted the same color as the block which will be a nice touch.

So just before heading in for the night we installed the belt and the expansion tank. Take look...

 

Eye candy!

 

Just seen this photo on instagram thought I would share it with you

 

Very cool. That is my car! ....or at least the one we have been working off of. You can tell because it is the only Dragon snake car with no side air ducts. Awesome shot...I will ad it to my collection. Thanks

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Well after just over a year of searching high and low for video action of an actual DragonSnake, I finally have it. It was sent to me by a person whom answered a Craigslist ad and these quick video shots were edited out of their personal 8mm film shot in the mid 1960s. Man I would kill for some sound! LOL.

 

If you look close and quick you can see the A/SP on the windshield. Stock sports car class. Man, what chance did those sports cars in the class have against this little thing running off and hiding from a Thunderbolt...LMAO!

 

As I said above, it has taken a year to track down moving pictures of a Dragon Snake. Even the Shelby Museum in Vegas has none in their archives. I have spoke with just about every Vintage Drag Racing film collector in the country and no one has any footage. Even the Bee Online video guy says he has never seen any. So I hope someone proves me wrong but in my personal opinion, the above is likely the only video out there. Please....someone prove me wrong.

Of course there is the Penn Brothers Cobra and while it drag raced extensively, it was not officially a Dragon Snake. These guys just had the killer idea of drag racing a 427 version....cool video though...here it is again for your enjoyment...LOL

 

THE CORVETTE GOT IT OUT OF THE HOLE

 

Probably jumped the start. LOL! Sorry couldn't resist.

 

Rare photo of the old drag strip in Henderson Nevada.

 

Well you are going to laugh. I know I did. Nothing else I could do but just sit there and laugh. So you remember our struggle with hinges right? Who could forget something seemingly so simple that totally kicked our backsides. Well guess what jumped up in the engine compartment and bit us in the ass last night?!! Too long a story to even rehash but suffice to say, this morning the hinges have been removed and I am looking for hood pins which honestly is what I should have done in the first place. It is a race car right?

So I was thinking last night and sitting here in the office early this morning wondering if the boys were looking around the Shelby shop on in 1964 for a set of hood pins, what might they have found. According to several Shelby historians and after market professionals probably this:


Note from the seller/manufacture:
"Hood pins were used on all 1965-’67 Shelby Mustangs. This is the best reproduction kit available, made with stainless steel components just like Shelby used in the 60’s. It is accurately made with proper hardware for every last show point. This kit includes two ½” diameter x 4-3/8” long stainless pins, nuts, plastic coated stainless lanyards and chrome plated lynch pin. Will not deteriorate from exposure to weather, and so strong we use them to hold down our race car hoods at 170 mph." - $89.50 plus shipping and handling....

What is making me laugh this morning is minus $ .25 worth of rivets, I can not find any major difference between
this set and the one at JEGS for $12.99. LMAO!

My thought is sort of do the old MOPAR raised hood display if we are at a show!


To be honest this was the first style I thought about but after doing some research these didn't make an appearance until '69 or '70 I think. But I really like them. There are even some for an extra $30 that are stamped Shelby. Just in case no one recognizes they are attached to a Cobra...LMAO!


Or these...but the are only 1968 Shelby or California Special....