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Dear Welder Series…
Hello, I’m inquiring about the Mustang II crossmember kits. A couple of questions specifically related to the 56″ track width. What is the minimum and maximum frame width measured on the inside? When using the 56″ crossmember do I purchase a narrower rack and pinion?
Thanks in advance for your response. I first saw your items used on the SPEED channel. Great stuff. Can’t wait to do business.
Ken
Dear Ken…
Ken, the min/max frame width depends on the height of the frame relative to the spindle height. The 56″ crossmember is 30″ wide. The inner edge is 25″ at the top and 19″ at the bottom. The top is 3″ above spindle height.
If your frame is 30″ wide, the coil spring might touch the upper outside corner of the frame, again depending on the ride height. Builders put a small relief in the frame for clearance. (’42-48 Fords are an example.)
All of our kits use stock MII or ’79 and newer T-bird power racks. Use our spacer kit to put the T-bird rack axis in the correct spot.
Thanks for the questions.
Paul Horton
Dear Welder Series…
Paul, I finished making up my new 2X3 front frame rails. They are 29″ from outside to outside. They are also parallel. Here is my question: I located what I would like as my spindle height and came up with approximately 1/2″ to 3/4″ from the top of the frame rails. Is this going to work or do I have to run drop spindles. I really don’t want to run drop spindles. I need to use the 56″ crossmember as planned. Let me know. I plan to order next week. Thanks again for all your help. Also I plan to air bag the front end to drop it on the ground at shows.
Dear Ken…
Ken, with stock spindles, the top of the rack bellows (the rubber boots at each end of the rack) will be about 3/8″ lower than the spindle height. With stock spindles, you will have to c-notch about 2″ up from the bottom of the frame. With dropped spindles, you might not have to c-notch at all.
I hope this helps with your spindle decision.
Paul
When we ran a full service chassis fab/turn-key hot rod shop a number of years ago, it was always useful to have threaded things around to weld into the frame for some kind of mount, etc.
Here’s a list of all our threaded things for your reference:
http://www.welderseries.com/blog/online-store/category/handy-parts/threaded-tubes/
I did take a few pictures at the show, but progressing 200 feet in 2 hours doesn’t give many photo opps. I found a link for PW pics through this Canadian Rodder thread about the show. Great pics, great quantity… check out the rest of the site too!
www.stanceiseverything.com
Brake Lines
If you were wondering how I ran my brake lines, this will be the article which answers that burning desire.
Starting at the front, I brought the braided line out of the Wilwood caliper with a 1/8 NPT to -3 90 degree fitting. Because this is an open wheel car, I decided not to run the lines directly to the frame rails because I wanted them to blend in as much as possible. Short of wireless brake line technology that hasn’t been approved by the NSRA yet, I felt this was the next best thing. Using a 9″ braided line (as opposed to a regular brake line kit which is around 16″) I dropped down to the tie rod. I could use such a short line because the only movement is in the very slight angle change of the tie rod and steering arm. In suspension travel, the flex line has to put up with a similar angle change, this time in a vertical arc. Again, it’s peanuts compared to the angle change between the caliper and frame rail during a turn.
I machined clamps to hold the -3 joiner on to the bar and also machined the hex off the joiner fitting then centered it in the clamp. A set screw on the bottom of the clamp holds them to the bar.
Let’s play “where’s the brake line?”
I ran both sides to a T fitting under the drivers side frame rail, slightly offset to the engine side so it’s harder to see as you walk up to the car. This is where the most flex will occur, because the tie rod is going back and forth under the rail.
The middle flex line goes back just behind the steering box where it meets up to the hard line. Instead of using a bulkhead type fitting to connect the lines, I drilled out a front panhard bar tab (from Welder Series of course!) to just under 7/16″. With a bit of filing on the tab, the round part on a 3/16″ fitting will press in to it, and hold securely. It can’t come out because the hex is bigger than the round part of the fitting. If you have one in your hand, you’ll see what I mean. A -3 joiner holds the other side of the tab.
Further back, we see the Wilwood 10# residual check valve in place, attached to the line with two -3 to 1/8NPT fittings. I used another panhard tab to hold the frame end of the braided line. Braided line is being used just in case we want to use a power booster some day. All we have to do is add the booster… no bending up new lines. It also makes it really easy to drop the master cylinder if we need to look inside it for some reason.
From the braided line going to the rear line, I attached the proportioning valve right to the residual check valve with a 1/8NPT to 1/8NPT joiner. The frame rail got tapped to hold the prop. valve. Yet another panhard tab holds the braided flex line coming from the rear drum. The other line goes along the rear crossmember to a flex line on the passenger side.
Thanks to all who stopped by the booth at Louisville… it was great to hear from people who watch our videos, and get these emails. The show was great – good numbers (I think I heard just over 11 000 cars) and the booth had a pretty constant stream of the public perusing our wares.
There were some interesting “anti-’80″ T shirts around…
To trim the blade for a chopped windshield, we had to set up the arm length and the blade length properly to get the maximum windshield “clearage”.
It will need to be marked at the outside and inside of the blade to make sure you’re not interfering with the windshield frame.
As an aside, I did a little experimenting with a 3/8″ stainless tube, a mill, and a wiper blade. I like how it turned out, but more work would be required to hook it up to an arm, as well as finishing off the ends. I think it has some potential though!
We used Specialty Power Window’s wiper arms and blades for flat glass. They are easy to trim, pretty stable (they don’t flop around a lot), and nicely finished.
A few articles ago, I talked about why I had to trim the front edge off the air ducts.
They are pretty tight, but with the ducts trimmed, as well as the outlet duct trimmed, airflow is great!
For the defrost vents, my original plan was to run a bolt through the vent, the dash, and the plastic piece that the hose hooks up to, which had flat spots at the same width as the vent mounting holes. Upon further inspection, it was discovered that the plastic ducts (which go under the dash) wouldn’t fit tight against the slots. I ended up trimming them, but I trimmed so much that there were no longer any mounting tabs. Vette panel adhesive to the rescue! I made a ridge along the edge of the duct where it would meet the dash, then carefully maneuvered it into place. I used a toothpick to smooth out the goop from the top. I used a few blade inserts to attach the vent from above instead of trying to get a nut on under the dash.
If you’re trying to plan ahead and want to trim the defrost slots in your dash, make sure to account for the thickness of the glass. Of course I did!
Just a miscellaneous shot of the underdash. That’s the wiper gear/motor mounted to the column support.
Here is the aired out parking lot profile.
Dear Dave…
Just a quick email to make sure your parts arrived in good condition, and most of all to make sure you’re happy with them. I hope you’ll get a chance to go through the catalog that was with your order and let us know if there’s anything else we can help with. Remember… we also do custom work.
Thanks very much for your business.
DW Horton
Welder Series Inc.
Dear Welder Series…
I’m very satisfied with the entire process. As a matter of fact, I’ve got the cross member and spring pockets tack welded in place…..Looking to purchase more stuff to do my brake/clutch and rear-end installation.
Dave
Thanks Dave, I’m glad you’re happy with everything. I would like to see some pictures of your frame!
Talk to you soon
dw
dw
here’s a photo of my frame. Just an old ’52 Dodge, that I saved from the crusher. I’m concerned about the spring tower angle (from horizontal) It’s about 15 degrees. Is that correct?
Thanks, Dave
Dave, this is a very good picture of the installation. The upper towers look fine. The angle is correct.
Thanks for the picture and the positive feedback.
Paul Horton
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