Rsanter

One trick if the headlamp buckets and end caps fit proper,y already/ don’t need work. Is to remove them and reinstall after adding a few spacer washers in between to gap them from the body.
the less costly paint places don’t like to deal with Parts off of the car, doing this you can have the car painted as one piece without bridging the paint.
then after painted you will remove them, install the new seal and reinstall without the washers

Long tube headsers and bigger primary tubes are for higher RPM applications.
for general street around town performance I would use the tri Y or shorty headers
 
bob

So I am building another engine and decided I wanted an AVIAD style oil pan (like used on the R model Shelby’s )
well if you are going to build one, you might as well build several
 
 

This started as an 8.8 posi rear end out of an explorer.
this was narrowed for a friend of mine to go into an older car. He gave me the dimensions he needed for width and pinion offset.
steps.
axles, carrier and gears were removed and the housing was pressure washed.
fixture bushings were installed in the carrier location.
hydrolic shafting was used for an alignment bar.
9” axle ends from a torino were used so the rear end could be converted to use 9” axles and still retain the Explorer disc brakes.
 

Yes....yes I am....

On a non fold down fastback there is a fiberboard package tray that goes behind the back seat. This leaves you with a deeper trunk for storage

You will have to do the Work leaning over the fender.
that can be a PITB....
however it is likly less Work that pulling the engine.
 
you need to degrease and pressure wash the engine and compartment before you start. Working in a grimy engine bay is a pain.
 
if you have wanted to clean up and paint the engine and the bay, if you have other engine leaks, etc then pulling the engine becomes a decent option at that point
 
Bob 

This......
 
also to me it it looks like you do not have the window/gasket completely seated.
from my experience I have had to ' wiggle' the glass a bit to get it to seat down into its ' happy place' before getting the trim to be able to go on properly
 
bob

If that is a decent car, it seems like a bargain for a vintage convertable.
i don't think I would really add value for the signature but I don't think it hurts value either

I think we should set up a network of us that are willing to inspect and even take possession of cars for other members.
i have been doing this for a number of years now for a select groups of people.
for those of us that are knowledgeble on these cars, we can inspect them for those that are out of the area.
 
i have also taken possession of some of these cars and stored them for a limited time till transport can me arranged.
this for me is not a free service but would come at a reasonable cost
 
bob

Offer to trade someone that has a shaker cut hood already.
if that doesn't come though, cut away
 
remember, you are not damaging the hood, you are using it on your car
 
bob

To me the kit is still a good deal. Just buy a few added bolts from them to make the kit exactly what you need.
also, this may be just me but I don't use the kit exactly as they specify anyway. Very few people will see my car from the looking up perspective and some of the bolts on the engine really can't be seen.
so I use the oil pan bolts for misc things in the engine compartment and I use the motor mount bolts for where the export brace bolts to the he firewall
 
bob

The sets from ARP are great but very generic 
the majority of the bolts for the engine will work fine, some of the bolts are not none enough or too long depending on variations or the accessories you may have.
in some cases you can get individual bolts from ARP to modify the set into what you need, in some cases they may not have the exact bolt you need and will have to perhaps modify the bolt (shorten/lengthen) the bolt.
 
keep in mind that external accessory bolts are not as critical as actual engine parts, so you can get away with more
 
bob

Will the car be stock? Slightly modified? Or a total hot rod?
unless you are building a complete hotrod/streetrod car I would stick to stock or stockish wiring
 
bob

Those are beautiful on the right car 
you said you want the trans am look, that will do it. However you will also need to lower the car a proper amount to make it look right with the wheels and for the trans am look
 
bob

I had a friend that could not weld and I was helping him out. He would take everything apart, clean it up. Get the new panel installed with clamps (and sometimes pop rivets). Then I would come in and weld everything up.
 
i have another friend that has the flux core welder and can't weld for shit. He does the same thing and tac welds everything in place then I come over and weld it up properly
 
bob

98% sure its as you have it
 
bob

Where you are located matters.
if you are in a warmer climate or won't drive the car in the winter then you don't have to go through the radiator at all, and should not.
the only reason to go through the radiator as well as an external cooler is so the engine/trans warm up faster in the winter
 
bob

So I find myself in a tough position here with a severe lack of cars. I only had 4 convertable and a coupe .
im sure you guys can feel the pain of it all.
so on a tip from someone I know I was led to a 1965 mustang convertable that was for sale due to the passing of the original owner.
the car is a 1965 mustang convertable 289-4V-4speed-Posi and disc brakes. All original, unrestored and mostly unmolested. Other than a few accessories added by the original owner, nobody has messed with this car.
all paperwork was included, window stickers sales invoice, booklets...etc
76000 original miles parked since 1979.
 
 

Finding really cherry ones can be tough sometimes andnyeas they are desirable and people do what them.
 
but, remember there is a difference between rare, desirable, and valuable.
the key thing that keeps them from being valuable is that they were put on a lot of different cars based on what engine was in them. And there are only certain people that want them.
do not throw it away unless you want to make all the rest of them a little more rare. You might as well sell it to someone that wants it or save it to use on a future project
If you clean it up and paint it you can raise the value a little
 
bob

I make my own because I had to make the for the race cars. For me it was never that big of a deal.
if you can't see in your head what direction the next bend it supposed to be then you will fight it all the way.
 
i also have several bending tools of different radiusus which also helps in creating the bends you need to look right.
 
if you are not good at it and if you can buy what you need then do so
 
bob

Body carts are great, I have two,of them I built

I always do my own.
if you want the best builder in the  state I would say it is Joe Begosion in Fresno. What I don't know is if he is still doing it.
 
there was a motorcycle engine builder in Bakersfield that went under the name of Curtis craft. I don't recall the shop but all of his machine work went to a place in Bakersfield. I visited the shop one time with a friend and was impressed with their organization and the shape,of their equipment.
assembling an engine is not tough and like I said I always do my own, only thing you need to concern with on a stroker is the rotating clearances.
 
bob

A hammer or a press will get those UCA bolts right out....easy.
 
the issue is that the replacements will not have the knurl to prevent them from rotating. You will need to use epoxy or a tack weld on the new bolts.
 
mil spec is that you need three threads past the nut. That is for resistance of backing off as well as the end of a threaded bolt is not reliable strength.
also, if you have now over torqued those bolts, you may have compromised them
 
bob

If it was me I would install thin shims between the UCA and the tower. 
I would install the same thickness shim in all four locations. You can use a good quality washer.
 
then when aligned the lower arm eccentric will be adjusted to compensate
 
bob