1970 Fastback

[Grabber70Mach 107]

Nice looking truck. 

[Cantedvalve 128]

So I built a sheet metal bender.  It got the job done, but needs some upgrades to be more stout.  Anyway, I used some cardboard to make a template...

Here is the template pulled from the car, flipped over to show the "flat" view of what I have to cut out.

Next, cutting and bending.

 

[Cantedvalve 128]

I bought some 16 gauge sheet metal from Lowes... I feel dirty just saying that.  Anyway, I laid out the template, traced it, and cut out the tray.  I then bent it in the bender.  This worked... and it didn't.  I couldn't get it to just bend the metal as it was... the clamp bar was flexing.  So I used the angle grinder and a cutoff wheel and "scored" the metal where I needed it to bend.  Ended up being a really good bend after that.  Here are some shots of it mocked up in the car (that drop... that is sweat):

and as seen from the rear of the pan:

I will have to massage it a few places to get it welded in, but this is going to work!  Gratuitous shot with the sub set in:

 

[Cantedvalve 128]

So I got the opportunity to weld the tray in tonight.  I of course cleaned out and painted the floor under the seat riser before welding in the tray.  I am not going to bother grinding down the welds.  They aren't the prettiest, but they are solid, and they will be covered with Dynamat and carpet when all said and done.  Nobody will ever see them.

and after it got some satin black...

Next is to get the Dynamat on and figure out how I am going to carpet it.

[RPM 1,190]

Your welds are better than the Ford yahoos did on mine in Milpitas Ca back in 69. And none of them have failed, so...

[Cantedvalve 128]

So not much to report.  Test fit the front carpet, it fits fine,  the back edge (closest to the seats) it’s wildly uneven.  I’ll have to trim that up.  Also thinking about binding the edge.  Not sure if that would work on this carpet or not.  The back has it at that front edge that overlaps the front  I know that the edge I want to trim isn’t supposed to show.  Maybe it isn’t worth it.

Put new Dynamat down in the tray.  What weld?  I dont see no welds!

Hopefully tomorrow I can clean up the rest of the floor and put the rear carpet in.

[nickjames138 15]

On 11/2/2018 at 8:55 AM, RPM said:

In one of your pics, the dynamat doesn't cover the firewall. Do you plan on applying it there, or not. Mine is fully covered and I can still feel some heat from the engine/ headers. 

SAME! I dynamated everything because I live in CA and the summers are unbearable to drive my car...even with Vintage Air (that actually blows super cold). I still get heat under my feet even after dynamat and firewall even after dynamat. I see that Summit sells a heat shield pad for floor boards....has anyone heard if these work? I'm guessing it's the same stuff they use in new cars? 

[Cantedvalve 128]

Test fit the driver seat with the subwoofer under it.  Found an obstruction.  The seat track adjuster - that funky looking thing that connects the track levers together so they operate as one.  That adjuster is just low enough to scrape the top of the sub.  So, I am devising a connector that is about 1/2" higher so that I can clear subwoofer.  Other than that, it fits great!  no pics... hopefully tomorrow.

[mustangstofear 608]

Are you doing this  on both sides  ?

[Cantedvalve 128]

No... just the driver side for now.  I did buy 2 subs with the intention of doing both sides, but I am going to do the one and see how it works first.

[Cantedvalve 128]

I got the adjuster done. Took 3 hours.  I’m slow. Anyway here it is.  I got a 1/4” turnbuckle with eye bolts and some 1/4” rod from Lowe’s.  I cut the loops off and welded the rod on.  A bit of scrap 1/8” steel later, and I have my adjuster.  I need a left hand thread nut yet.

[Cantedvalve 128]

I’m headed to NPD tomorrow for fuel lines and some other odds and ends.  Anyone need anything?  Just kidding, I’m not a delivery service!

[1969_Mach1 333]

It's possible for the thicker material you need to figure out how to put a small radius on the edges of your dies that do the bending.  You might also need more clearance between the dies for thicker materials.  I spent 10 years working as a Mechanical Engineer for a food processing eqpt. mfg. for the canning and bottling industries.  We did a lot of sheet metal work.  Even the Stainless Steel beams and columns we worked with were formed and welded together.  Bend radius' and the clearance between the bending dies needs to increase as material thickness increases.

Also, do you have any kind of "strong backs" on your dies to make them more rigid. 

[Cantedvalve 128]

@1969_Mach1 I purposely made the radius as tight as I could for the current project.  Yeah, it caused some bending issues, but I made it work.  I will likely take what you have said and put it into practice though.  I do need to reinforce the clamping bar.  I have some 1.5” channel I can use to reinforce it.  Not my number one todo though right now.  Getting this beast roaring again is.  Thanks for the suggestions.

[Cantedvalve 128]

So I made it to NPD Michigan today. Got my SS fuel lines, both tank to pump and pump to carb.  The pump to cRb is from a 351C 4V engine, so I am working on it to get it bent to where I need it for my engine.  The boy and I got the tank to pump line in.  It took a bit of finessing, but it is in and ready now.  Tomorrow we will get the tank in. I’m hopeful we may get to fire it up tomorrow.  Not much left.

[Cantedvalve 128]

So I went back over and worked on the car again. Got the two halves of the tank-to-pump (mechanical pump) fuel line tied together with soft line and oetiker clamps (Sven inspired me).  Got the fuel filter installed - plain old Wix filter just before the pump. Put my adjuster on the seat. It is now ready to go.

Darn near ripped a finger nail off. That was fun too!

[Cantedvalve 128]

On ‎11‎/‎4‎/‎2017 at 4:44 PM, Cantedvalve said:

@MAC390 not much longer.  Wiring, fuel pump, fuel lines, radiator hoses... that's about it to make it run.  After that though, I still need to do the interior... which I have already started on.  I work on the car at my dads house, but I bring home parts to my house to clean and paint.

Sheesh... over a year ago I said that... still haven't fired it up.  I am a lot closer... fuel pump is done.  One radiator hose is done.

The boy and I did fuel lines last night  We put in the fuel tank today.  Most of the wiring is done - only the fan wiring remains, and I worked on that today.  Just need to get the wires over to the fan.... not sure how to do that without running them through the engine bay.

[Cantedvalve 128]

Being Thanksgiving, I didn’t get too much done.  I did sand blast the filler neck and paint it black while,I was at my parents.  I am using a pop-open gas cap, so I left the part that protrudes through the base natural finish.  Painted the hose portion black after washing it several times to get rid of the mildew stains.  It is still in good shape, just cosmetically icky. Made the gasket that goes between the neck and the taillight panel as well.

Still debating whether to use the spring cap a la OEM or go with the twist on cap.

[Cantedvalve 128]

Today was assembly day for the rear of the car.  I got my taillights ready and installed.  I’m using repop bezels, and they are slightly different shape from the originals,  but they did work.  They were a bit touchy to install.  The spacing in the mounting studs was a bit different, but they did go in, and they look good.  I ended up painting the outside of the housing black.  I like black.  I also dusted the outside of the seals with black as the same idiot who painted the taillight housings silver back in high school also didnt take the seals out, and the silver on the seals was ugly.  Also got the fuel neck and gas cap installed.  Using the hidden twist off cap for now... might have to change because the latch is hitting it.

[Mike65 475]

Looks good.

[1969_Mach1 333]

On ‎11‎/‎20‎/‎2018 at 8:34 PM, Cantedvalve said:

So I went back over and worked on the car again. Got the two halves of the tank-to-pump (mechanical pump) fuel line tied together with soft line and oetiker clamps (Sven inspired me).  Got the fuel filter installed - plain old Wix filter just before the pump. Put my adjuster on the seat. It is now ready to go.

The filter should be between the pump and the carburetor not on the suction side of the pump.  There is a screen on the end of the pickup tube in the tank to catch the larger debree.

I use the Pop-Open gas cap that has the small twist on cap underneath.  It's a Ford NOS item I got from Perogie Enterprises.  Works good and it's safer.  Ford resigned these because the original type would pop open in an accident.  I don't know if there were ant TSB's or the twist on type is just a newer safer design.

[Cantedvalve 128]

50 minutes ago, 1969_Mach1 said:

The filter should be between the pump and the carburetor not on the suction side of the pump.  There is a screen on the end of the pickup tube in the tank to catch the larger debree.

Originality aside, are you saying it won’t work like I have it?  What is this specific concern, making sure the filter is as close to the carburetor as possible?  What am I risking with it where it is?   I know stock carb setups mount a fuel filter directly to the carburetor.

I’ll look over my setup and see if I have an opportunity to put one after the pump.  That location right before the pump was just so damn convenient.

[1969_Mach1 333]

I went through that same thing myself many years ago because I don't really have a lot of confidence with hose clamps on the pressure side.  I originally put the filter the same place you did.  Fits good and is convenient.  Then I realized that car mfgs. never did that so I found a couple of articles, one was from BG Carbs.  The gist of it was with mechanical fuel pumps it's more difficult for the pump to draw fuel through a filter than push it through on the pressure side.  What you did works fine most of the time.  I guess there is some potential for the maximum flow rate to be reduced some with the filter on the suction side. I ended up with a filter and a hard line from the pump to the carb, all with AN fittings.  Doesn't look original but has been very reliable.  I made certain I purchased a filter that had higher a higher flow rate capacity than the pump. 

[Cantedvalve 128]

Stock isn't a concern.  Just like the look of the hard lines.  My carb bowl feed kit has a 3/8" NPT, and I have about 6" between that and the end of the hardline.  So, if I can find something to screw into the NPT, then I can make it work.  Given that most of the filters are 3" long or so, I think it will work.

[Cantedvalve 128]

Okay, filter ordered.  I think I am gonna try to start it with the filter I have, but I will switch it out once Summit delivers.  On the topic of fuel systems, I had lost a nut for my carburetor.  I found the little rascal.  There is a passage right at the middle of the head.  The intake doesn't cover it.  That little bugger rolled right in there.  I got it out.