Back on the project! I removed all of the factory front suspension besides the lower control arms - leaving them in place to help hold the crossmembers in line when cutting/fabbing the Rack mounts and so on. Plan is to install my Summit racing Chinese control arms with updated Moog Lower ball joints and QA1 1" longer high clearance Upper Ball Joints. I have Afco double adjustable coilovers for the front and Smith Racecraft pinto rack, including their steering shaft kit and shaft pivot mount. I chose S&W Racecars for their rack mount because it appears to have enough clearance for my Stefs Pan. Plan is to be able to remove the oil pan on Drag N Drives if needed - not that I would ever want to mess with getting that pan installed in the car! Geez these pans do not fit very good.
I got the hood out of the way and ended up removing inner fenders, AC Box, Master Cyl in preparation of new work. Also removed the Rad Support too as I have a chromoly tube support ill install. I foam cover all of my surfaces, it makes it a pain to work on but don't want to destroy the paint leaning over it all winter.
I ordered some heat shrink, flame resistant wire loom, ill address that before final drop in of engine, going to hide all of the wiring too if I can. With low mount alternator, ill go below the header and hit it with wiring and the engine shouldn't be too wiring intensive with MSD wiring to the Distributor and crank trigger but I can keep it clean I think.
I leveled the front stub to 0.00 degree accuracy and measured up the centerline of the frame. I marked rear end centerline as well and strung a line so that I could accurately mark crossmembers for cutting. This pic is what their kit instructions show the finished product will look like, however I'm not peeling off the upper layer of the rear crossmember. I'll leave it in place and drill through it for the steering shaft travel. I think it will end up cleaner. My steering shaft has 3 knuckles and a brace that bolts into the factory steering box bolt holes, this gets it out of the way for header clearance hopefully. This part wasn't mocked up on the old stub, so I may be modifying header on the DS too.
Previously, I had planned on fabbing my own front stub suspension mounts and cut up the 68 subframe I had from that project. We sold our old house and moved last spring, plus had to build a garage at the new (Old built 1902) house so this whole plan changed. In fact, i had purchased a chromoly front stub for the car but since offloaded it due to lack of interest in removing the front of the car to further back peddle the project. The previous mock up did help build the header on the passenger side to clear the kickout on the pan and in doing so, I had one tube that goes outboard of the frame. This is why ill remove the inner fenders for now and may eventually buy carbon fiber and cut around the tube as needed. Just wanted it cleaner for now.
Headers are some older Mad Dog 2-1/8" primary with slip-on collectors. They will get high temp paint and header wrap.
I didn't get pics, but I already cut the front crossmember out and will start clean up and tack in the tube that the rack mounts to, then plan on cutting out the rear crossmember as well. I'm going to bolt in the trans crossmember to keep everything where it needs to be, as well as the stub is still mounted to the body and front bumper keeps it all straight as it should be. Plus welding in the front crossmember will happen before cutting out the second one, per the S&W instructions. My hope is to this week keep you updated with progress as I want the Engine down in the car by Sunday!