Baer fronts, TKO tranny in progress!

[70vert 17]

Hey all,

Finally, the Baer discs are getting installed on the front and the TKO600 is going in. TKO is for my eventual 408w I hope to put in there, but I can't afford to do all at once. Plus, I'd like to get a little more mileage out of my old 302-2v. I'm having a local shop do it and getting some work done on the garage (earthquake retrofit) done while the mustang is in the shop.

Exciting times - the next project is Tin Man Fabrications subframe connectors that I'll have go THROUGH the subfloor on my convertible, thus tying in the center of the floor there, and welded to it. Then the Evolution Motorsports Watt's Link and 3-link rear suspension. I was originally going to go Watt's and fiberglass leafs, but Uncle Sam was nicer than expected this year, so some of the money goes into the house, some into the mustang this year!

Should have a sweet-shifting, sweet-handling convertible for the summer, and I'll actually have decent mileage if I take it down to see my buddy in Santa Barbara with the 5-speed and 2.79 rear! If the engine makes it!

Anyway, that's the update, if anyone's still reading. If you've got any questions or comments about this setup, let me know!

[70vert 17]

Hey all,

I'll post pics in here tomorrow when I'm off work, but I picked it up today on my lunch break from work. Here are some quick observations from the 2-mile drive back from the shop: (where my wipers suddenly stopped working in the rain :no: )

 

-pedal feel a lot more firm - I'm trying to follow the bedding and seasoning process so no real panic stops yet. Stops fine, (manual front Baer/rear drum) but requires some effort

 

-clutch pedal effort fairly high, and clutch pedal sits high, though I had my bike in the backseat and couldn't push the seat back.

 

-Much easier to rev now, (aluminum flywheel) but I didn't notice any real jerkiness as some have mentioned with the AL flywheel. Must be my superior clutch skill. :rolleyes:

 

-Shifter has pretty narrow gates, but I didn't have any trouble finding any of the gears.

 

-First is pretty low, 2.87 first, 2.79 rear. I ran out of steam pretty quickly.

 

-no tach yet, but the .64 5th gear and 2.79 rear is great on the freeway. I only went a few exits but it feels much smoother. Can't wait to see the mileage - speedo is finally working again, I just hadn't bothered to fix it before.

 

I've got a 3-day weekend, but rain tomorrow :glare: so I'll do photos tomorrow for those who are interested then some more driving and break-in the next 2 days.

 

anyway, I'm stoked! :thumbup:

[69Rcode_Mach1 112]

Awesome man, enjoy it, that should add a lot more fun factor to the car, what kind of pinion/drive angles are you getting with that TKO just for curiosities sake.

[buening 63]

Wow must be nice! :tt1: A TKO600 is definitely in the future for my mach. But you know how it goes, gotta pay for a wedding first and then buy a house. Just have to squeeze that in between the house and having kids. Like i tell my fiance', i'm gonna buy my toys before i have my boys :lol:

 

So did you modify the trans tunnel or were they able to get the driveline angle close to specs. I still believe that one or two degrees out of specs won't kill anything. Sounds like you have a similar gameplan as me with the 408, TKO, Tinman connectors, and watts link. You'll get yours done way before me though :001_unsure: Definitely need pics!

[wantahertzdonut 10]

So you're not bogging your engine on the highway with the 2.79 rear? What size wheel/tire do you have on there?

 

Also, what size are your front brakes and what wheels do you need to fit over them?

[buening 63]

Yeah 2.79 gears was Ford's way of having overdrive without a reduced gear in the trans. Getting a set of 3.50's will wake up that motor, especially when that 408 gets in there.

[70vert 17]

I'm of the school of thought that OD is something you just fall into to keep the RPMs low and don't do any real acceleration in. :wheelchair: that's what 4th is for on the freeway. :cowboy: maybe the 408 torque monster can push that kind of gear on the freeway but the 8", 2.79 will never see that engine . . .

 

This will be the setup until my 408k fund matures. get it? :yes: I plan to take a long trip or two this summer and I should get decent mileage this way. I imagine with the 408 I'll go with something lower, but I'm not ready to do the rear yet - that will probably be a next winter project.

 

13" Baers and 17" Coy's c-7, edelbrock 454 copy. 4.75 bs F. 245/45f, 275/40r, I'll have to send a pic but my digicam is just this short of dead - the focus is messed up - so I'll try to get some decent pix before I get my new one next month.

 

this Norcal rain is getting old! We're on track to have the wettest March on record, and I want to get my seasoning process underway for the brakes!:angry:

 

So you're not bogging your engine on the highway with the 2.79 rear? What size wheel/tire do you have on there?

 

Also, what size are your front brakes and what wheels do you need to fit over them?

[70vert 17]

I agree with you there. I love my (future) children too much to have them while I'm restomodding a Mustang! and I have a local shop doing the serious work so I have time to work on the house and have a little time to relax . . .

 

I'll let you know if I have any issues with the TKO/kevlar/kevlar clutch, but I don't expect anything. No trans tunnel modification, but they did mention a little exhaust mod they had to do, I'll have to get under there today - no time yesterday - to see exactly what they did. Everything does seem to sit a little lower, I think they may have lowered the exhaust a bit to clear the bellhousing. I'll have to measure the driveline angle, but they didn't mention any issues and it fit in the shifter hole perfectly and I think that is only an issue with the pre-67 crowd and the mods they have to do.

 

good luck on your setup. :rockon: you might finish before me, the 408 is gonna take a lot of saving . . .

 

Wow must be nice! :tt1: A TKO600 is definitely in the future for my mach. But you know how it goes, gotta pay for a wedding first and then buy a house. Just have to squeeze that in between the house and having kids. Like i tell my fiance', i'm gonna buy my toys before i have my boys :lol:

 

So did you modify the trans tunnel or were they able to get the driveline angle close to specs. I still believe that one or two degrees out of specs won't kill anything. Sounds like you have a similar gameplan as me with the 408, TKO, Tinman connectors, and watts link. You'll get yours done way before me though :001_unsure: Definitely need pics!

[70vert 17]

http://web.mac.com/jbauder/iWeb/6970clutchpedals/wheels,%20tranny.html

 

nothing you all haven't seem 20 times before somewhere, but it's a great sight nonetheless. Since my camera's focus is screwed up I can't get anything interesting of the tranny install but I can answer questions if you got 'em.

 

Took it out before the rain today and got some initial wear-in on the brakes, got used to the shifting. It is a HELL of a lot more fun with that 5-speed. :punk: Getting used to that point in 1st, just starting out, when it feels like the engine dies and you have to hold the clutch in just a little bit 'till you get going . . .

[bswor 76]

13" rotors just look good behind an open wheel dont they? Its a totally different car now sounds like. :thumbup: