Ideas for Vintage Ford or AMC Entry - Houston, San Antonio? (Page 2 of 3)

Fairmonts and Zephyr's would be the smart move.  But lacking the vintage or cool factor, so not really interested.

Why?

The aforementioned ruining

Yeah, I know where you're coming from.  Plentiful, and cheap, and not too difficult to hop up, either.

How does your car do in finishing races?  Gotta think that you beat on the brakes, suspension, trans, cooling system, etc, quite a bit.  Do you know how much it weighs?

Thanks,

Scott

I support this idea. Lemons needs more old Fords. I still drool over Matt's Galaxie. I'll be right behind you after our mopar build is done.

(Phil's picture)

The PJ Galaxie is a 67. Its a little more battered now than when this picture was taken, but it still knocks me on my ass whenever I see it, which now that it lives in PA, is more often than I deserve. It inspired our Tbird, but its just not the same. Im working to rectify that.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/ct … 51667.html

Good points.  Thanks

351w/C4

We plan to run our 1947/48 Plymouth with stock engine and tranny for the first few races.

FYI, moonshine runners are bootleggers and the them is pretty easy but does require overalls with only one strap.

I would love to do something like that at some point, but would prefer to start out with something that has a bit more potential to be competitive. 

Thanks

Stock, it weighed something like 4400 lbs.  We had to get a waiver from the judges it's first race.  The first couple of races it ran on the stock 400 engine, which, while it only had 153 horsepower, was stone dead reliable.

Then we swapped in the first 460, out of a junked 68 Continental.

That engine had sat for awhile before we got it and we had numerous teething issues with it before finally popping a head gasket and cracking the block. 

The 460 that's in there now came out of an 80's Ford pickup (mileage unknown) and while it's down on power compared to that hi-comp '68 plant, it's been pretty reliable.  We have had overheating issues, eventually solved by flushing 30 years' worth of crap out of the block and using a washer in place of the thermostat.  We also installed the biggest aluminum radiator Summit sells. 

We do have a recurring problem blowing out intake manifold gaskets and subsequent oil leaks.  Still haven't nailed that down.  PCV system is all new and we're running an aftermarket aluminum intake with a 650 Edelbrock.

Suspension has a cop rear sway bar and a doubled-up front sway.  Cut springs in front, clamped in back.  No issues.

The 460 eventually blew up the stock rear (WER, crappy Ford rear that shares no parts with a 9"), swapped in a 9", blew up a chunk, replaced it.  For next race we're building a new chunk.

Steering is de-powered, otherwise stock.  Not as heavy as you'd think.

Tires are 400TW BF Goodrich 245/50R16 on steelies.  Once we got the alignment settings figured out, they wear pretty evenly.  We figure we should get 2 races out of a set. 

C6 trannies are like anvils.  Add a $30 shift kit and go.

Brakes are Mustang front, Chevy Impala (94-96) disc rear.  Hawk HT10 pads in front, Raybestos metal in back.  Car stops like no other 1975 LTD on the Planet.  About a race and a half per set of pads. 

We've stripped out all of the interior, gutted the doors and hood, removed the front bumper, and removed every bit of weight we could.  With a cage, fuel cell, and aluminum seat, I would guess it's somewhere around 3800 pounds now.  The 460 with an aluminum manifold weighs about what a 400 with an iron manifold does.