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I've been busy since the weather got warm. I decided to build up the existing rear axle rather than swap in one from a '73-'79. First I installed a nodular 3rd member with 3.70s and a traction lock.
Notice that I also installed mandrel bent 2 1/4" dual exhaust from LMC truck. They fit incredibly well. I also installed new leaf springs from Eaton Detroit and heavy duty high pressure gas shocks from KYB. These are more heavy duty than the Gas-Ajust line and come with boots to protect the rod.
The nodular carrier has a 31 spline traction-lok, which meant I needed 31 spline axles. Rather than try to scrounge up a pair of used axles from a '68 - '72 truck that would end up being 5/16" short (may not matter?) I had a pair custom made by Moser Engineering.
Last edited by 66v8baby; Apr 15, 2017 at 08:32 PM.
Reason: grammer, spelling
Of course I couldn't settle for the stock wimpy 1 3/4" rear drums, so I spec'd the axles to have the same offset as the '68 up truck axles so I could install 2 1/4" rear shoes.
The rear backing plates are from a '69 T-bird; same offset as the trucks, just some minor differences. Notice that all the brake hardware is new. Here it is with the drum installed.
With 2 1/4" rear drums, I couldn't leave the stock 2" front drums, so I bought some HD backing plates from a big block '70 F100 in Virginia, then bought a set of 3" drums and a set of ceramic shoes from Muscle Car Brakes in Texas. I also installed the slightly larger 1 1/8" wheel cylinders as came with the HD brakes on the '70 and of course all new hardware.
Last edited by 66v8baby; Apr 15, 2017 at 08:33 PM.
Reason: spelling
Virtually everything in the brake system is new. All the hard lines, all the hoses, all the hardware, the front wheel cylinders and the master cylinder. The driver side rear wheel cylinders was fairly new, and the passenger side rear wheel cylinder has less than 100 miles on it. The only thing that hasn't been replaced with new is the brake booster. All I did was clean it and re-paint.
The weather was phenomenal both Friday and today (Saturday). I didn't stay for Sunday. I picked up an underdash AC unit from a 65 Mustang.
There were only 3 slicks in the entire show field. There was a beautiful black short bed '66 Custom Cab F100 with a hi compression 429 and C6. It had a red interior. He runs 100 octane Av gas, so he can't travel far from home.
I've been busy since the weather got warm. I decided to build up the existing rear axle rather than swap in one from a '73-'79. First I installed a nodular 3rd member with 3.70s and a traction lock.
truck looks pretty clean underneath. where is it from?
It's from San Jose CA. Spent most of its life there until I bought it last year and drove it all the way back home to Maryland with the original coil, alternator and front brake hoses. In hindsight it was probably not the smartest thing I've ever done.
It is unbelievably clean and original. I was planning to do the typical disc brake and later style power steering mods, but decided instead to keep it as period correct as possible but still make improvements to reliability and performance. I intend to press it into towing service to some degree.
I'm still gathering pieces for an AC installation. At the moment I'm using an NOS 2 sheave Ford pulley for the dual sheave alternator and power steering. I'm probably going to retain it when I add AC and swap out the alternator pulley to the original single sheave.
While I was at the Ford Carlisle swap meet this past weekend I saw the difference between the AC and non-AC power steering reservoirs, but failed to snag one for AC. I don't have time to get all the AC stuff ironed out this year anyway, so I'll just pick one up next year.
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