Project Black Betty

[WoodenNickle]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh0TOeo4noI"]Black Betty with Epic Beard Man - YouTube[/ame]

 

[mrhollywood]

Making some progress with the distributor.

 

[mrhollywood]

Good news! Got my Firm Feel drop spindles and upper control arms today.

Bad news. I went to the junkyard today and I pulled out what I thought was a 8 1/4 rear until I got it out and realized it was a 7 1/4 rear with a big bolt pattern... I think I'm gonna go with a 8.8 rear now after looking at all the other A bodies and seeing they are all the same ...

 

[mrhollywood]

Got some more goodies today. Got a Wilwood adjustable proportioning valve and new camber bolts. Picking up a 8.8 rearend tomorrow. .. I had the junkyard pull it for me this time. Just gonna pull the extra short axle out of a expolder.

 

[Kardon1976]

Hey mrhollywood your engine is looking good man. I read that you plan on adding a turbo to your L6 and I was looking at doing the same thing to mine. You should let me know how it turns out and what all you had to get to do it. I hear that its not all that hard. I have never turbo'd anything so its all new to me. Anyway have fun and good luck with it man. I have a 71 dart swinger.

 

[mrhollywood]

Hey mrhollywood your engine is looking good man. I read that you plan on adding a turbo to your L6 and I was looking at doing the same thing to mine. You should let me know how it turns out and what all you had to get to do it. I hear that its not all that hard. I have never turbo'd anything so its all new to me. Anyway have fun and good luck with it man. I have a 71 dart swinger.

Follow this tread! :coffee2: I will keep updating as I go. Today I got a Ford 8.8 rear from a Expolder that I'm gonna mod to fit my car. Pics to follow soon, as I modify it.:burnout:

 

[mrhollywood]

Picked up a limited slip spool to use in the differential I got the other day!

 

[mrhollywood]

Parts I picked up

 

[mrhollywood]

They cleaned up pretty good. I soaked them in Evaporust and wired brushed them to get them cleaned up.

Been working on the rearend and getting it cleaned up as well. Pics on that soon.

 

[Idaho]

Evaporust is amazing.

 

[mrhollywood]

I was a little skeptical at first...so I only bought the small bottle. Kinda wish I had bought the gallon jug of it now!

 

[robertob]

Like that diff, I think I'm going to do the same thing.

 

[robertob]

Also on the diff, I was looking at some numbers (cant remember where) and an 8.8 is about 1" longer from axle center to flange than a 7.25 rear. So I was thinking that you could use the circle track leaf springs, which have a 1/2-inch longer front section, and probably use the same driveshaft.

 

[mrhollywood]

Been cleaning up the rear diff. Waiting on a 3" pipe cutter to come in so I can shorten the drivers side. I figure the pipe cutter will do a better job at cutting a square cut .Better than a metal chop saw.

 

[Idaho]

I did it with a pipe cutter. Worked OK but slow. Did the next one with a reciprocating saw. Worked every bit as well and much faster. The key is to scribe a nice line to follow and watch carefully while cutting. I used thin sheet metal wrapped around to achieve a straight line. Check with a square after cutting and make minor corrections with a hand file. The latter should also be done if the pipe cutter is used.
I used custom made bushings and a pipe to ensure everything was straight while welding so it would not really matter if the cut was perfect anyway. Details are in my build thread.

 

[mrhollywood]

I'll have to check your build out!

 

[Idaho]

Pages 5 & 6. It's on the back burner. Contact me if you're interested in the bushings.

 

[cjh]

Been cleaning up the rear diff. Waiting on a 3" pipe cutter to come in so I can shorten the drivers side. I figure the pipe cutter will do a better job at cutting a square cut .Better than a metal chop saw.

Hahahahahahaaaaa......thats all they use on Xtreme 4X4 TV show...... :/

 

[cjh]

We didn't get electronic dizzys here in Oz for the slants.....so I made my own....We didn't get slants after 1969.
I used the guts from a Ford XD Falcon 6 cyl dizzy, made by Bosch, and the drive gear from the slant (dizzys for the slants here were made by Bosch too)....
I made the alloy body, and fitted it with 2 new bushes for the shaft.
The electronic dizzy doesn't use an ignition box, but a module that will mount onto a heat sink up on the top inner guard....away from heat and vibes.

 

[memike]

Great job!! :glasses7:

 

[mrhollywood]

We didn't get electronic dizzys here in Oz for the slants.....so I made my own....We didn't get slants after 1969.
I used the guts from a Ford XD Falcon 6 cyl dizzy, made by Bosch, and the drive gear from the slant (dizzys for the slants here were made by Bosch too)....
I made the alloy body, and fitted it with 2 new bushes for the shaft.
The electronic dizzy doesn't use an ignition box, but a module that will mount onto a heat sink up on the top inner guard....away from heat and vibes.

Nice! I want one!

 

[cjh]

Thanks for the comments gents.

 

[mrhollywood]

I've got the axle tube cut down and tomorrow I'll be welding it back up. Thanks to Idaho for letting me use his alignment bushings which came in today, should ultimately keep everything straight!

I've got a differential bearing kit ready to go and wheel bearing/seal combos as well. I ordered new clutch discs for the LSD while I have everything apart.

 

[Idaho]

Not sure why this happens sometimes, I had posted to your thread but was not subscribed.
It would be fun to see pics of the bushings in use way over there on the east coast.

 

[mrhollywood]

Here's some pics! It was my first time stitch welding so the welds for center section to the axle tubes aren't the best looking but they'll do the job. I wish I owned a tig welder...I want one so bad!