[67Catmando]

I have been posting and researching here for a while. You guys have been great. I just wanted to take a minute to say thanks for all of the advice and technical expertise. This is my first restoration. I can't imagine doing this without Mercurycougar.net as a resource. This is an exemplary forum because of the quality of the people involved.

I have been posting questions all over the boards, burning up the search function and learning as much as possible. I have also gained a great deal of inspiration from your progress, personal victories and sweet rides. There is nothing better than seeing a cool car get a new lease on life.

Seems like I have been moving like my hair is on fire or stalled for months on end. I am making steady progress now and just wanted to show you guys whats going on.



Got the AOD in and running. Probably needs some tuning but it does driver reverse neutral and park. That was a huge hurdle and stalled me out for months. A little pin was stuck in there and couldn't get it out myself. Mostly just looking for time to work on it. Put in shorty headers and converted a stock PS mess to manual steering.



Had subframe connectors and a driveshaft loop welded in. Used Durling Mechanical in Fairfield, CA. Bob Durling is a great guy and I highly recommend him if you need metal work done. It was a bit beyond my depth so I went to a pro. Bob wanted to dress it up more but I just needed it strong.



He tucked up everything nice and tight. Will go back later to see if an H pipe will fit. Nothing hangs below the sub frame connector or aod crossmember.



Got some new mufflers installed



And my favorite part, tucked the exhaust tips into the rear valance. Bob did some custom work to get these fat tips to slide along side the gas tank and spring shackles.





Going for a clean driver so I won't be dressing the underbelly too much. Progress feels great. If you are up here in Northern California, go see Bob. Thanks again. More to follow.

 

[Sal]

Dan, looks good. Hows about a pic of those shorty headers from the top down?

 

[1969XR7Vert]

Dan,

Looks good, but let me point out one little thing. I strongly recommend getting rid of that rubber fuel line (which runs so close to the exhaust) and replace it with a repro steel line made for the car. Would hate to hear of a horror story related to this!

P.S. PM me your email address and I will send you my tire/rim spreadsheet.

Regards,

Bob

 

[dmac]

The underside of your car is in super nice shape. you're a lucky fella!!

 

[67Catmando]

Good call on the rubber fuel line. They had to be moved to get the subframes in. Give me some ideas.
Bob, what brand of steel line would you go with and would the routing still work with the sub frames? I was thinking about routing everything along the new frame rails to protect it.

Thanks for the compliment. Besides all the white over-spray, the car is pretty solid and clean. I might hit it with a little black paint to seal everything up.

 

[67Catmando]

Dan, looks good. Hows about a pic of those shorty headers from the top down?

They are kind of difficult to see.

Passenger side


Driver side



These are the cheapo painted headman headers you see everywhere for $150 or so. The first thing they did was bake off all of that paint. They look like hell. They clear the box fine. I am wondering now if they will support the borgeson conversion I have planned. So the verdict is still out. For sure should have sprung for ceramic coated. Sorry I couldn't get better pics too much junk in the way.

I am not comfortable with the routing of the AOD dipstick tube. I think I am going to mount it on the firewall somewhere.

 

[Cougrrcj]

Just think of what would happen if the rear u-joint were to let loose and the driveshaft flail around... Ford might have built it that way back in the '60s, but it is NOT a safe location for either the brake line or fuel lines. Not only do you need to get rid of the rubber fuel line, and that damned plastic fuel filter, you need to relocate both the fuel line and the brake line to the as far outboard as you can. That's why the auto racing sanctioning bodies do not allow brake or fuel lines to route down the driveshaft tunnel... They also limit the total amount of rubber fuel line on the entire car to under 12 inches. Braided line isn't much better since it is rubber line, too, just covered with stainless braid...

Get yourself a double flare tool and a good quality tubing bender and make up some new lines. Replace the fuel filter with something like this mounted to the framerail.

 

[1970fastcat]

I really like that driveshaft safety loop idea, I may have to steal that if my 3 inch exhaust will clear.

If you go with Milo's suggestion on the filter, I have one you can have. It needs a replacement element and cleaned up good, but is in good shape other than the paint on the top is flaking off.

 

[67Catmando]

Not only do you need to get rid of the rubber fuel line, and that damned plastic fuel filter, you need to relocate both the fuel line and the brake line to the as far outboard as you can...
Get yourself a double flare tool and a good quality tubing bender and make up some new lines. Replace the fuel filter with something like this mounted to the framerail.

When you say as far outboard as you can do mean outside the new sub-frame rails? I was thinking of tucking all those lines tight along the inside of the frame rail. They would be out of the tunnel and hard to hit. That would keep me from having to drill a bunch of new holes to get to the outside.

I have a lot of work to do before this thing is rolling. I am adding power disc brakes, so I have to replumb everything. All new brake lines for the mustang steve GT Brake conversion. The fuel line will get redone too. That is going to require new parking brake cables. I swapped out the hand pull brake with a pedal parking brake. Got a little re-engineering to do there too. This is what I have so far.

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I kept getting hit in the knee with the handle style brake so it had to go. Of course, it required removing the brights switch, the fresh air vent, and the stock windshield wiper squirt gun thingy. The wiper is getting an electric pump. I am going to scavenge an all in one pump and reservoir unit. Both the wiper pump and brights are going on the dash with matching switches. Although it is a can of worms, I think it will be cool. All 3 pedals will have the same matching stainless trim.

 

[67Catmando]

Here is a look at the bracket for for hanging the pedal.

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Used all grade 8 bolts. The brake pedal bracket needed to be spaced away from the kick panel so I wouldn't mess up the panel applying the brake.
I am working on routing the cable to the pedal. Anyone have an underbelly shot of a 69 or 70? Maybe a picture of the cable routing inside and out
would help a lot. A direct shot to the pedal would mean going through the frame rail or maybe the torque box.