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Indy-Guy
Indy-Guy UberDork
3/17/19 7:28 p.m.

Solid progress.

bigfranks84
bigfranks84 Reader
3/17/19 7:28 p.m.

Drivers rail is in.  Tooked some Jack's and ratchet straps. Sure would be easier if I had some concrete to work on.  

 

bigfranks84
bigfranks84 Reader
3/17/19 7:32 p.m.

Frontend mocked up. 

bigfranks84
bigfranks84 Reader
3/17/19 7:38 p.m.

Tossed on some other wheels to see

 

V6 mustang wheel. Offset not right 

15in trailer wheel, offset really wrong 

 

 

I'd like to see if I can find a 16in wheel that sucks in a bit more.  

NOHOME
NOHOME UltimaDork
3/17/19 8:05 p.m.

Remind me what is going in the rear suspension slot? Same donor?

 

Pete

bigfranks84
bigfranks84 Reader
3/17/19 8:33 p.m.

In reply to NOHOME :

Undecided.

Two plans right

Use donor rear setup.

Or just use an explorer 8.8, since it's a leaf spring axle already . Though I bet it will need different leaf springs

bigfranks84
bigfranks84 Reader
3/17/19 9:33 p.m.

Need to get some body saw blades to cut the fenders for flares. Any recommendations on good body saw blades?

 

Also, I used to have a strut catalog that gave all the dimensions for them. I apparently don't have it on this phone and haven't been able to find it again. Anyone have it?

bigfranks84
bigfranks84 Reader
3/18/19 9:16 p.m.

Well, backward progress. Some how it shifted on my. Was offset to the passenger side about a 1/4in. 

So 

 

Going try and get it in place tomorrow. That's what I get for rushing.  

TurnerX19
TurnerX19 Reader
3/18/19 10:28 p.m.

For the rear suspension you can make something in the way of a really crude stick axle that will work just fine with low unsprung weight. Do not use the Explorer live axle, it is very much heavier than you need. Even the Mazda axle is overkill. What you do need to do is match the rear track width to the front, or a few inches less, but much wider than what you have with the original live axle. Original springs should be close to adaquite. 

bigfranks84
bigfranks84 Reader
3/19/19 9:50 p.m.

In reply to TurnerX19 :

But if I use an 8.8 I'll be ready for the day it gets a v8...

bigfranks84
bigfranks84 Reader
3/19/19 9:53 p.m.

Getting closer to getting the rails in place. Ran out of light before its 100% in place.

 

NOHOME
NOHOME UltimaDork
3/19/19 10:25 p.m.

The fact that you are doing this in the dirt amazes me.

I did not see the FWD plan until you actually stuck it in the hole and that has taken me a while to adjust to mentally. 

 

Pete

bigfranks84
bigfranks84 Reader
3/19/19 11:05 p.m.

In reply to NOHOME :

Me too. But trying to spend as little money and use what I got laying around. And I'm getting a divorce,  so I have a bunch of free time and not alot of money. So far I'm only into the swap for $80 for the 24ft of 2x3 tubing. Well another $100 for a new c25 tank because mine was empty and out of date. Had about $500 into the Mazda 3 to go get it and get it running. 

bigfranks84
bigfranks84 Reader
3/20/19 9:45 p.m.

Got it within  a 1/16. Good enough for me

 

bigfranks84
bigfranks84 Reader
3/21/19 12:47 a.m.

Found that strut catalog. 

Looks like 92-95 civic have the same body and are almost 3in shorter. 

And the 2008-2013 BMW 128i are about 2.5 inches shorter. 

Just have to verify the body diameter is the same. The catalog only gives body styles and lengths, not diameters. 

bigfranks84
bigfranks84 Reader
3/21/19 9:06 p.m.

Got the rear mounts made up. Forgot to take a picture of that.  

Cleaned it out and removed the gas tank.  

 

Valve cover is about 4in away

Vise gripped on the front core support.  

nimblemotorsports
nimblemotorsports None
3/22/19 3:37 a.m.

I had a 59 english ford, and I swapped in a toyota truck drivetrain.  Was my daily driver for years.

I had to cut the firewall to make it fit, but other than that it worked and did it super cheap.

And I also have an mg midget that I swapped in a 3-cyl geo metro motor with a Suzuki Samuri 5-speed.  The Tracker is bigger and not exactly a bolt-up to the 

geo 3-cyl (the samura has the 1.3 4-cyl equivalent, the Tracker has the 1.6 "big block".

 

That mazda fwd swap looks like a bad idea...hope you don't mind my saying so, I don't hold back. ;)

  The 3-cyl in my superlight mg is plenty of power.   

bigfranks84
bigfranks84 Reader
3/22/19 8:01 a.m.

In reply to nimblemotorsports :

My original plan was v8 gasser. Hence the 2x3 frame. Very likely to happen some day, that's why I'll prob put an 8.8 in the rear. 

But it will cost me atleast couple grand to round up the parts I want for a gasser build. Mazda parts cost me nothing since I have them and the tube frame will work for the gasser swap. Mazda will donate its wiring and fuel system,  which I would have had to buy otherwise. 

Fusion 2.5 makes around 175hp and tq, car should be around 2k LBS. It should be pretty quick and rock 30mpg. 

I really want  a 331 hemi with velocity stacks but those are so far out of my price range it never happen. 

stuart in mn
stuart in mn UltimaDork
3/22/19 8:27 a.m.

While watching a recent Urchfab video I found out there's a company in the UK making fiberglass body parts for these cars that appear to be pretty high quality.  I looked up the company that sells them, they make all kinds of cool stuff including entire bodies for some other English Fords.  http://www.oldfordautos.co.uk/

AngryCorvair
AngryCorvair GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
3/22/19 8:34 a.m.

In reply to bigfranks84 :

My Dad (rip) would love what you're doing here.   i believe he'd say you've got more nerve than Dick Tracy, which would be a pretty high compliment coming from him.   the only thing higher would be if he referred to you as "that wild-ass bigfranks84."   i'm saving that for first drive.  ;-)

NOHOME
NOHOME UltimaDork
3/22/19 9:24 a.m.

bigfranks84
bigfranks84 Reader
3/22/19 12:40 p.m.

Yeah, old ford is suppose to be the good quality parts, some of the others are real bad. Maybe down the road to get weight down, these stock fenders and doors weight a bunch. 

Pricing was reasonable on the items, never checked what freight would be though. I just emailed them out of curiosity of freight cost. 

bigfranks84
bigfranks84 Reader
3/22/19 12:41 p.m.

In reply to AngryCorvair :

Thanks, I'm also looking forward to the first ride. I figure if its to slow I could always build a log exhaust manifold and toss about 10psi of boost at it. 

bigfranks84
bigfranks84 Reader
3/22/19 8:39 p.m.

Got the passenger mount made up

Racingsnake
Racingsnake New Reader
3/22/19 10:27 p.m.
NOHOME said:

That Mk1 Escort shell could be the base of a fun build..

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