Rich Ackermann

I have granda front disc with global west suspension. I lowered my upper control arms 1" (called the Shelby drop) for better handling. I have 17x 8 US Mags - Bandit rims with 4.54 backspacing up front with Nitto NT555 G2 225 x 45. I have no rubbing at all. 

Cleaning up some door handle linkage pieces.
Some scotch bright, and the Dremel with the sanding wheel, took care of the initial Rust.
 
Then used some Eastwood etching product thar leaves a zinc phosphate coating.  It’s too cold to paint today, so I’ll wait until next time and the phosphate will preserve the metal till then.
The parts came off some cougar handles from a good friends parts car 
 

I put mine on double stick tape and stuck up behind the gauge cluster on the underside of the cowl between the column and the kick panel with enough wire that I can pull down to the floor where it's easy to see and adjust. It is also right next to the wire harness with the fuel sender wire. A good spot to splice the metermatch in.

I used my original 70 center console and repurposed the front  and rear ashtrays. The rear now has usb charging ports and the front now houses my own custom warning and diagnostic lights, which I can close the old ashtray lid and hide them. The console is where I mounted the duel power window switch so it is accessible to both front passengers and the power side view mirror control.

I found it important to be able to adjust the MeterMatch while what the fuel gauge. The fuel gauge and the adjustments to MeterMatch do not react instantly. Having actually installed and adjusted it, the trunk would make fine tuning the settings difficult to do.

I put mine on double stick tape and stuck up behind the gauge cluster on the underside of the cowl between the column and the kick panel with enough wire that I can pull down to the floor where it's easy to see and adjust. It is also right next to the wire harness with the fuel sender wire. A good spot to splice the metermatch in.

I used my original 70 center console and repurposed the front  and rear ashtrays. The rear now has usb charging ports and the front now houses my own custom warning and diagnostic lights, which I can close the old ashtray lid and hide them. The console is where I mounted the duel power window switch so it is accessible to both front passengers and the power side view mirror control.

I used my original 70 center console and repurposed the front  and rear ashtrays. The rear now has usb charging ports and the front now houses my own custom warning and diagnostic lights, which I can close the old ashtray lid and hide them. The console is where I mounted the duel power window switch so it is accessible to both front passengers and the power side view mirror control.

Fantastic job! I wish I could fabricate like you. I can barely mold something from ABS plastic.

I go every year. Lots to do over the 3 day event. Every year the Carlisle All Fords event has a theme and features certain Fords with a large indoor representation of those cars in building T. This year the Carlisle is recognizing the 60 year anniversary of the Shelby Mustang. In 2021, Carlisle recognized the 50th year anniversary of the 1971-1973 Mustang body style.  I was invited to bring my 1973 convertible and join the many other 71-73 Mustangs on display and featured in the 50th year anniversary of the 1971-1973 Mustang event. Besides the massive swap meet area, and cars for sale, there are lots of vendors. On Saturday and Sunday there is a huge car show.
I am member of the First State Mustang and Fords, a local club here in Delaware.  We rent a spot, as do many other clubs,  and step up a large tent where club members and guests can eat and relax. Let me know if you decide to go this year.
  

I have a 408 Cleveland with a Tremec TKO 500 5 spd that I bought from MDL. I have an Eaton True Track anti-slip with 3.70 gears and Yukon (N case like) casing. The Tremec and the Yukon have 1350s. When pushing 500+- HP,  MDL recommended the following (custom built) driveshaft... It was not cheap, but then again neither is the cost of repair should one blow up as a result of under sizing it.
Aluminum Driveshaft 3.5" tube, 31 spline forged yoke, 1350 U-joints (under 700hp up to 58") High speed balanced
* Drive shaft is measured and built once the transmission has been installed. 

I've referred to Explorer's as Exploder's since the Firestone fiasco. Rather fitting.

I go every year. Lots to do over the 3 day event. Every year the Carlisle All Fords event has a theme and features certain Fords with a large indoor representation of those cars in building T. This year the Carlisle is recognizing the 60 year anniversary of the Shelby Mustang. In 2021, Carlisle recognized the 50th year anniversary of the 1971-1973 Mustang body style.  I was invited to bring my 1973 convertible and join the many other 71-73 Mustangs on display and featured in the 50th year anniversary of the 1971-1973 Mustang event. Besides the massive swap meet area, and cars for sale, there are lots of vendors. On Saturday and Sunday there is a huge car show.
I am member of the First State Mustang and Fords, a local club here in Delaware.  We rent a spot, as do many other clubs,  and step up a large tent where club members and guests can eat and relax. Let me know if you decide to go this year.
  

Damn, I sure hope there won't be a test later. I'm still working on colors this week, next week is numbers. 

At this time every year Facebook sends me a reminder of a post I sent to all a few years ago to start the New Year. So every year since I repost it to help remind me to count my blessings. So I thought I'd share with you these words of wisdom from the one and only C. B. ....Wishing everyone a happy and healthy New Year!

For health reasons, I avoid using any type of Exploding driveshafts. :-)
 

For health reasons, I avoid using any type of Exploding driveshafts. :-)
 

I would go with a 3.5" Dia for sure.

At this time every year Facebook sends me a reminder of a post I sent to all a few years ago to start the New Year. So every year since I repost it to help remind me to count my blessings. So I thought I'd share with you these words of wisdom from the one and only C. B. ....Wishing everyone a happy and healthy New Year!

Many (but not all) of the accessories and brackets are the same on the Windsor and Cleveland small blocks. I have a 351C with a Tuff Stuff 140 amp Alternator, A CPP (Borgeson like) Saginaw Powersteering pump and Vintage air Sanderson A/C compressor. There are no v-belt accessory brackets on earth that support this combination. I used a stock 351C three groove crank pulley, and stock single groove Water Pump and Alternator pulleys.  The passenger side alternator, brackets, and v-belt are a slam-dunk stock setup. On the drivers side I had to make the P/S and A/C brackets by combing a few stock brackets, a couple of brackets available from the aftermarket, and then I had to make a bracket, modify a couple, and make all the spacers. Finally fine the right side v-belts. PS. I only used high quality toothed Belts. I have read that these belts grip better.
In my humble opinion, to avoid belt slippage/squealing/wear, it is important to have the alternator belt on its own and on the middle groove on the crank pulley and the A/C compressor dedicated on the large outer groove. The Water Pump and P/S pump share the inner most groove. It took me a lot of time and trial and error to make certain all the accessory pulleys were on the same plain with their counterpart groove on crank pulley and also that the accessory pulley was square with the belt and then make the right length spacers. Leaving any angle in the belt forward/back or tilt left/right in the pulley will cause the belt edge to fray in a hurry.
 

 

I have been driving the car on the road since October 1st and its been running fine for most part. After a month I experienced some slippage (squealing) on the alternator belt when I would rev the engine quickly, so I tightened the belt a bit more an she has been quiet since. Hopefully it will stay that way. The P/S pump belt width and V angle fit the Saginaw pulley perfectly, but sit a bit deeper than stock in the grooves on the crank and water pump pulleys, but so far no issues. I do feel the hydraulics straining a bit when turning the wheels from stop to stop at a stand still, but that is partly due to the wide front Nitto tires putting more resistance than stock tires. I should mention, That the P/S pressure hoses do not mind bending, but they do not like and flat out refuse to be twisted. To my surprise, I had quite a bit of difficulty finding the right high pressure fittings needed to clock the P/S hoses so I could connect them to the back of the Saginaw pump. I think adding the 71-73 over the A/C  compressor P/S fluid cooler will help keep the system cooler when driven hard on those hot summer days.
Overall, I am pleased with the results so far. With the two adjustable Saginaw pump brackets on the front and back and the long 7/8" dia bolt running thru the three brackets and in to the stock accessory hole in the head, they setup is solid and does not flex when tightening up on the v-belt. Very important to square off your pulleys and get them on the same plain as the crank and water pump grooves to minimize resistance and prevent fraying the belt edges.
What I have not hooked up and tested yet is the A/C belt, but I don't anticipate any issue there. The belt grooves on the Sanden and the crank pulleys match, and the crank pulley is designed to drive the old York Compressor, but that test will not happen until sometime in the spring. Here are a few more pictures...
 days.
 

I have been driving the car on the road since October 1st and its been running fine for most part. After a month I experienced some slippage (squealing) on the alternator belt when I would rev the engine quickly, so I tightened the belt a bit more an she has been quiet since. Hopefully it will stay that way. The P/S pump belt width and V angle fit the Saginaw pulley perfectly, but sit a bit deeper than stock in the grooves on the crank and water pump pulleys, but so far no issues. I do feel the hydraulics straining a bit when turning the wheels from stop to stop at a stand still, but that is partly due to the wide front Nitto tires putting more resistance than stock tires. I should mention, That the P/S pressure hoses do not mind bending, but they do not like and flat out refuse to be twisted. To my surprise, I had quite a bit of difficulty finding the right high pressure fittings needed to clock the P/S hoses so I could connect them to the back of the Saginaw pump. I think adding the 71-73 over the A/C  compressor P/S fluid cooler will help keep the system cooler when driven hard on those hot summer days.
Overall, I am pleased with the results so far. With the two adjustable Saginaw pump brackets on the front and back and the long 7/8" dia bolt running thru the three brackets and in to the stock accessory hole in the head, they setup is solid and does not flex when tightening up on the v-belt. Very important to square off your pulleys and get them on the same plain as the crank and water pump grooves to minimize resistance and prevent fraying the belt edges.
What I have not hooked up and tested yet is the A/C belt, but I don't anticipate any issue there. The belt grooves on the Sanden and the crank pulleys match, and the crank pulley is designed to drive the old York Compressor, but that test will not happen until sometime in the spring. Here are a few more pictures...
 days.
 

Rich, congrats. Really, the best part about finally finishing a high quality restoration like yours is to share the details about the build with the other car owners at the show.  It makes all the hard work worth it.
Nicely done.

wow Wow WOW!!!
 
You're car is spectacular. I can't imagine how excited and proud you must be. 
 
Congratulations.

Catching up on some mini projects while I’m home for the holidays. I have my LED tail light assembly‘s together, and did some quick checks of my tail light wiring harness, and connections, to make sure everything was working OK.
everything seems to be working well, I just need to get an LED flasher, to check out my sequential tail lights.
You will probably notice my powder coated tail light housings, that’s keeping with my all black trim theme. Should be pretty cool.