rharden

I used Muggy Weld and it was like that. They recommended a 000 acetylene torch as low as I could adjust it. Still too hot. It was very difficult to use. I was repairing Ford/Mercury aluminum trim moldings. I somewhat gave up. This may be better. Thanks

I installed the headliner on my 70 Mach 1, and to do it right and have it look good, the rear glass and sail panels must be removed. The headliner goes in behind the rear glass rubber molding. So do the sail panels. You need to purchase a new rear glass molding and the proper 3M sealer for the rear glass rubber. Make sure this sealer is installed in the inner groove in the rubber molding, between the rubber and glass. After the glass is in, the sealer is installed between the rubber and the metal body, like cauking. Sealer can be installed in the outer groove, but it's very messy, because this is where the string goes when you install the rear glass. The stainless trim will cover this. It is messy, but it cleans up easily with mineral spirits. The front glass could be left in. I had taken my glass out, because it was cracked.

I started this post back over a year ago. I have tried to fit these rubber moldings, rear side windows and interior panels every way I can. I never did get a good fit, no matter what I did. When I installed the interior panel (the ones made of fiber glass) and then measure the distance the distance between the edge of the panel and the boomerang chrome molding, I get at least 1 3/16" on both sides. This means the rubber molding would have to be at least 1 1/4" wide along the bottom of the side window. The ones I have are not that wide, and I couldn't find any that were. I ended up taking the rubber used to install over the weld seam on the rear wheel houses, as installed in the trunk, and cut it in half length wise and to the correct length. I glued it to the inner part of the rubber roof rail molding, just where the rubber is to lap over the interior panel. It covers perfectly, looks good and there is no gap! It's not stock, but I don't care. My doors shut fine and I'm happy.

That's OK.

Thanks for both replies. I am at the stock height, all new springs. I may change this someday, lower it. I just wanted to know what other guys have done so I don't buy the wrong set up. I'll check out rims with about the same backspacing and offset. Do you two guys have any pictures? Thanks.

Can anyone tell me what is the widest wheel and tire combination I can put under my 70 Mach 1. I'm more concerned about the rears, but front info would be nice also. I don't want the tires protruding past the wheel opening and I don't want them rubbing. I have stock suspension, and I would like to run a 17" wheel, with a tire diameter of around 26" to 27" (rears). If anyone has any info, backspace numbers and tire size, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

When will you be going to coil over? I would be interested, but I don't want to wait too long. Let me know.

Thanks for all the help and pictures. I was out in the barn, digging through my old car stuff and I found the original 70 brake lines I removed from my Mustang. I thought I had pitched them years ago. There are six fasteners on the long tunnel line. All these are the same and they are identical to the new ones in my brake line fastener kit. My old firewall line is missing a few fasteners, but I can see exactly where they are located. I even found the original fuel line. No clips, but I can see where they were on the line. I think my problem is solved. Thanks again.

Thanks Matt. That helps for the firewall. Did you have any pics of the tunnel area, like where the drive shaft goes? Rich

I'm doing a forever restoration on my 70 Mach 1. It's been apart for several years. I should have taken more pictures of the disassembly. I'm installing the SS brake lines, but I'm have quite a time trying to figure out what clip goes where. I can't find anything in my manuals or other books and Google that shows me much. The fastener kit I bought is supposed to have everything for the brake lines and fuel lines. Why couldn't they have included a drawing? I need some help, so if anyone out there has any info or pictures they can share, I would really appreciate it. I mainly need the tunnel line clip type and locations and the firewall line. Thanks.

The old slapper bars I have are too short. I bought them years ago, 1970, from a local speed shop and they probably were not the correct bars for my car. At the time, I wouldn't have known. I trusted the speed shop sales guy to sell me the correct bars. My bar snubber is about four inches short of the front spring bushing or eye. I like the Cal Tracs and I think they would be the best as far as what is sold today, for a leaf spring suspension.

Thanks. I have never seen a set like this. Interesting. I talked to a Chevy buddy of mine and he installed the Cal Tracs, but he didn't install the aluminum bushing. He installed a poly graphite spring bushing and everything works great, at least on the street. He said the road noise in minimal.

http://www.gearheadtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?25774-Cal-Tracs-vs-Traction-Masters I read a few reviews on the net, from people who have installed both Cal-Tracs and bars like Traction Master. It seems like Cal-Tracs are bragged up more than most other types, no matter what car they were installed on. I just don't want wheel hop. The old slapper bars will hop and hopping isn't cool.

I have a 1970 Mach 1, 408C stroker and four speed. I need a good set of traction bars. The car will not be raced and I want to maintain a decent ride. I now have an old, slapper bar system that has the rubber snub that comes up against the bottom of the leaf spring. I don't care for it and was thinking about the other style that has the weld on, front mount. I still want to be able to connect my shocks and sway bar. Does anyone have a suggestion? I see several ones on the market. I like the Cal Trac, but I don't like the idea of replacing the front leaf spring bushing (I have poly-graphite in mine) with a solid aluminum bushing. Too much road noise. Thanks.

Thanks everyone for the info and ideas. Wycked69, you really sent quite a good bit of info and pictures. I appreciate all the help. I think I'll install the engine and trans soon, once the weather warms up. I live in northern Illinois and it's too cold to keep the garage door open very long. Once everything is installed, I can get a better idea about the shifter mount and linkage. Thanks.

I wrote back and answered two other responses. Do you own a 70 Mustang with a 351C? If so, what shifter are you using and where is it mounted on the tail housing? The rear mounting holes are there in the Gear Vendors housing, along with holes to the front side of the housing. All the Hurst linkage kits show the shifter mounted on the rear of the housing. I don't have the engine and trans installed at the moment, but just looking at the trans mount location would tell me the shifter has to be towards the front of the housing. I realize, this shouldn't be this difficult. Maybe I should just install everything, then figure it out. I thought it would be much easier to install the shifter on the trans while it's on the bench, adjust it and then remove it for installation.

The Gear Vendors tail shaft housing has been drilled and tapped for mounting the shifter adapter to the front or rear of the housing. Gear Vendors asked what trans I have and what the car is I'm installing their OD in. They tell me their tail housing is machined and drilled to match the original 70 trans housing. The 66 tail housing that was on the trans, C6OR-7A040-C, had the mounting holes to the front of the housing, with undrilled casting post to the rear. The problem I have is Hurst tells me what kit and shifter to use for my application, a 1970 Mustang with a small block. They don't say 351C, just a 351. The directions for the recommended Hurst kit, per their web site is 3737637, and it shows the mounting plate mounted at the rear of the housing. That would put the shifter too far to the rear in order to line up with the original floor opening. Even the other number Hurst gave me, 3735587, shows the mounting plate at the rear of the tail housing. I was just looking for someone, who owns a 70 Mustang with a 351C to say, this is what Hurst numbers I used.

The Gear Vendors tail shaft housing has been drilled and tapped for mounting the shifter adapter to the front or rear of the housing. The problem I have is Hurst tells me what kit and shifter to use for my application, a 1970 Mustang with a small block. They don't say 351C, just a 351. The directions for the recommended Hurst kit, 3737637, shows the mounting plate mounted at the rear of the housing. That would put the shifter too far to the rear in order to line up with the floor opening. Even the other number Hurst gave me, 3735587, shows the mounting plate at the rear of the tail housing. I was just looking for someone, who owns a 70 Mustang with a 351C to say, this is what Hurst numbers I used.

I have a 1970 Mach 1, 351 Cleveland engine with a top loader 4-speed. I bought a Hurst Comp Plus shifter and Hurst linkage kit many years ago. The kit is #3737717 and I thought they sent the correct one. Well, after all these years, I went to install it and it's not the correct kit. The Hurst web site says I need #3737637. The installation drawings/instructions show both of these kits mounting on the rear of the tail shaft. The shifter should mount closer to the trans mount area. I called Hurst, just to get their tech advice, and the guy said I need Hurst #3735587. Now I'm really confused. The Hurst guy tells me to order both the #3737637 and the #3735587 and mix and match what I need. That's spending around $400.00 on shifter kits. I think he's nuts. I'm installing a Gear Vendors Overdrive unit and the tail shaft they sent me is drilled with front and rear mounting holes. They said it is correct for a 1970 Mustang with a 351C engine. Does anyone out there know what Hurst kit is correct? My car was bought new in 1970 and it was built with a Ford 3-speed trans. I later installed a Ford toploader HEH out of a 1966 Ford Fairlane, 390. It was a perfect fit and I used a 1969 Ford Mustang shifter. Just a little history. Thanks.

I'm the original owner of a 70 Mach 1 and my tail light buckets were painted a semi-gloss white on the inside. I repainted them in white, because the original paint had some flaking.

I talked with Mark today. Nice guy. He did tell me most everything he sells comes from Taiwan. He said beware of the Chinese and Mexican parts. Many of those trans parts are not as good as what he sells, or the Taiwan made. He mentioned something about the nickel content in the steel. Another high ranked seller/builder said he sells parts from China and has no complaints. I talked to another dealer that said he uses only bearings made in Japan, gears made in Korea and India. Maybe everything available is good. It just depends on who's selling them and what there story is.

Thanks barnett468. I tried the link, but their web site is down, under construction. I'll keep checking. Never heard of these people. Are they a gear manufacturer or a distributor? I'll write to them. Thanks again.

Thanks everyone. I've been calling around to all the major top loader parts dealers and rebuild shops I found on Google and EBay. I found that most of these businesses sell/use gears, syncros and rebuild kits that are not US made. Taiwan, China, Mexico, Korea and Japan are the most common countries that manufacture parts for the Ford top loader. I was surprised. A few items are US made, I was told, but not what these items were. All the dealers I spoke with claimed to have very good luck with the parts they sell. I don't know what to think now. How do I choose Taiwan gears over Chinese? I didn't get to talk with Dan Williams. No one would answer.

I've got a Ford top loader four speed that I would like to rebuild. I disassembled the trans and looked at the syncros and gears. Some of the parts should be replaced, along with the seals, bearings and gaskets. I started looking at parts on the internet and see many different prices. I notified several sellers and the cheap ones come from China. The sellers say these parts are fine and they have no complaints. Has anyone rebuilt a top loader lately and where did you buy your parts? Did anyone use Chinese parts? I'm an old Ford mechanic and I know the top loader fairly well. I just want decent parts. Thanks.