On my 86, The core support perch holes are rotted out and this is my solution.


This is the better of the two, I forgot to snap a shot until this point!
As you can see there is a piece of wood under the perch that is held there by a pipe and jack.
That wood is cut/shaped to fit snugly into the perch the same for either side, I then found the center and drilled a hole to give a center for a hole saw, I used a 1-1/2" hole saw with a 12" long 1/4" bit so the shank rode in the wood to prevent the centering hole from wandering, As you can see I already started cutting before realizing NO PICS YET!

Obviously with a hole saw one must be careful and turn it slow!


And here it is with a 1" flat washer I had laying about just stuck in, it fits perf, I'm going to make a plug using a hole saw thats 1/8" larger (1-5/8") then I cut the hole with and weld it in.

It started raining so I didn't get it finished.

Anyone know the proper size of the original hole??

-Enjoy
fh : )_~

 

The original hole is 6 sided hexed shaped that is 1 3/8". You can actually see the hex shape in your 1st pic. Good luck making that. I would of just went to the junk yard and got a pair of newer ones off of say.....a 96 or 97

 

I would love to go to a junk yard and get them ... Unfortunately this is Maine and if it's older then about 10 years you need a shovel and bucket to get them, besides they get shipped to Canada for scrap before they lose to much weight in rust!

My point is, I have been trying for about year to get perches and hardware, I have been unable to or unwilling to pay the price, I can get the hardware, different pieces from different Ford Stealerships however the price adds up to several hundred dollars.

And now that I know what it is, that actually may very well be an easy hole for me considering I just happen to have access to a Iron worker and I'm pretty sure I remember a set of hex punches in the rack next to it.

However I have to build everything so I am unsure how I'll go about it at this moment in time. Heck I don't know exactly what it looks like originally, other then what I see in exploded views for whatever good they are.

A picture of the assembly and details of the components would be sweet, I would like to duplicate the factory setup.

Thanks

-Enjoy
fh : )_~

 

You kinda have to duplicate the factory set up. the body bushing has a hex shape that fits into the body perch to keep it from spinning

 

Do you by any chance have pictures of the hardware, especially the hex bushings that go inside the cushions.

I have a urethane kit, but of course no hardware!

The hex bushings are part of the Ford cushion as far as I can find out and appear to have a washer attached to them.

Why would it matter if they spin ??

Thanks

-Enjoy
fh : )_~

 

No pics of the ford hardware. But the factory (IIRC) does not use a nut for the rad support. The hexed bushing has a nut made into the bushing,hence why the nount is hexed shaped. You thread the bolt into it

 

I did almost the same as you did, Festus. Execpt I used a longer grade 8 bolt/nut to hold it together with out trying to make a hex hole. I used a block of rubber that was thick as the orginal mount minus the hex part(try drilling a hole in that stuff!) And never had problems till the core support finaly rusted away! Also use never seize on the bolt shank and nut.

 

i dont think you will have any problems as long as you have some sort of vibration isolators(rubber) inbetween the radiator and the supports.

 

I bored the holes in them washers out to 1.375 round, that is the od of the sleeve in the urethane cushion and welded them in ... Be done with it!

I'm going to use nuts and bolts, I have some 2-1/2" bar stock and I think I'll spin off some washers with 1/2" holes!

[edit] I just remembered I have some Delrin, I suspect thats what I'll use to make washers and shims with. [/edit]

-Enjoy
fh : )_~

 

I did just what you are doing except I cut the hex's into the washers first using a jig saw and file.
Doubled the washers with a bigger one on top of the horn and a smaller one that fit into the hole.
That was years ago and of course now my Rad support is rusted out.

Nice to have a chunk of acetal and a lathe...