[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by Oldsboy20

I just found your build thread, I had a question. Do you use Dupli-Color Ceramic Ford Semi-Gloss Black Engine Paint? And do you use a dupli color primer before applying the black paint? Thanks

Yes. I use the ford semi on all chassis, pulleys, and those type parts, the 1615 aluminum for intakes, ALTs, and other natural aluminum stuff, and the cast iron one for items like tie rods, centerlink, steering boxes, diff center sections, and so on.

On the castle nuts on suspension and steering, as well as other natural hardware, use the semi-gloss clear after torque so they don't rust. I also hit ARP head studs/nuts/bolts after torque, they too can flash rust. Wiper motor bolts, anodized oil pans, etc.

No primer, I've found that the engine paint doesn't 'bite' as well and can flake on primer. I just make sure it's clean, wipe with acetone, and the typical 3 coats as directed of the engine paint. Lasts forever, and easily can touch it up. I blends well too, you don't have to shoot a whole part or area, just the areas you need.

My one old timer body guys says : 'Yeah, that stuff will stick to anything'.

I did the aerosol truck bedliner too, underside, wheel wells, inside of bumper, it lasts a ling time and doesn't get eaten up by rock shots.

EDIT: After the engine paint cures well, you can polish and wax it.

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[HWYSTR455]

Got the alt back from PowerMaster, can't praise them enough, the service was incredible. Thank you John is 'returns/tech'.

Put another 200 or so miles on it, the tune is almost complete, just have some shifting programming left, need to soften the 1-2 shift at low throttle.

Ordered the GW control arms with the offset shafts, shafts are getting anodized, they should ship by end of week.

With the GTO endura bumper, the added weight pushed the front springs over the top, and it's sitting too low, and springs are too soft. Ordered some springs from GW when I ordered the upper control arms, but the springs are backlogged to DEC/JAN. Dang. So I ordered some 1/2" pad spacers, which will not only get it off the ground, but also slightly increase the spring rate. I will use those temp until I get the new springs.

Luckily, the springs that are coming out are the exact ones I need for the 442 when I go to the big block, works out for me.

Went back & forth on the trunk tension rods for cars with the wing, have had people debate if it uses a larger diameter rod or not. I couldn't find any larger diameter rods, so I got a aircraft quick release locking pin, and a biker wallet chain, drilled a hole thru the support and trunk arm, and that worked out to my liking. (couple pics)

Still have some minor stuff to do, detailing too, but an enjoying driving it now, so kinda not in too much of a hurry to do stuff!

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[HWYSTR455]

So had a Moser 12 bolt built for me a few years ago, TruTrac, shortened housing 1/2" on each side, tapered bearings, 373 gears, and alloy axles.

So driving around, started getting some posi-burps around slow turns, and was like, what? No. Really!?! And started thinking to myself, 'What was the ONE thing you didn't go through on this build?' . Yup. The rear.

So then I started thinking, nah, that thing's kind a fresh, it should be good! And then started back-tracking mentally on just how long about I got the rear. Uh. Wow, looks like it might be, um, 2003? 2004? Dang.

Guess I will be rebuilding the rear, like I don't have 50 other projects I need to get done! Heheh!

So grabbed a 20 ton press from harbor freight, sold my old one due to space constraints, cheaper to buy a press than to farm that crap out.

Will get the RaTech pinion depth tool, the RaTech crush sleeve eliminator setup (smart sleeve), and just rebuild that thing. Dam. Really hadn't planned for this, but guess that's the way a hot rodder's life goes!

http://www.ratechmfg.com/pinion%20setting%20tool.htm

http://www.ratechmfg.com/smart%20sleeve.htm

Still need to swap the upper control arms and front springs, charge AC, and a bunch of little stuff, but at least I'm driving it!

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[Bob Timmermans]

"With the GTO endura bumper, the added weight pushed the front springs over the top, and it's sitting too low, and springs are too soft. Ordered some springs from GW when I ordered the upper control arms, but the springs are backlogged to DEC/JAN. Dang. So I ordered some 1/2" pad spacers, which will not only get it off the ground, but also slightly increase the spring rate. I will use those temp until I get the new springs. "

I'm curious about what springrate you'll end up with.
I've got QA-1's up to 650 lbs./inch.
550's screwed all the way up to the end , just about broke the bumpstop loose 1/4"

I read that you're rebuilding the Moser build rear and I kinda agree with OCMDGTO on that.
These are purpose build rears and you pay for that.
They should last , especially with street rubber.

[HWYSTR455]

Well, GW doesn't reveal the spring rates, but I believe the ones I currently have are about 550. The next step up I believe is 620 or 650, but am kind of basing that on previous rates provided by tech support. It's more soft at the moment than I thought it would be, and it contacts the bump stop frequently. I'm tempted to step up 2 rates, but will try the 600s ones first, and if they are too soft, I will put them in the 442.

My 'bird has 720 springs in the front, and under hard driving, it too contacts the bump stops, but it' livable, since it only happens when I really push it.

Don't be afraid to try higher spring rates, even if many say 'it will ride like a truck', it's simply not true. And talk to Doug, let him know what you're experiencing, it will help him zero in on a spring that you will be happy with.

Yeah, '01, that's almost 20 years, stuff doesn't last forever. Like I said, I've had some serious power in front of it, most close to or more than 600hp. The one 400 I had was about 405hp, based on another build I followed, and I was spraying that with a 300hp shot for a while, and dialed it back to about a 250hp shot of N2O.

I get about 100-120k miles out of my engines before I swap them out or rebuild, so it's probably got about 500k miles on it. There was one engine in there, a 455 .060 over, where the crank broke, think that had about 45k miles on it.

I had about 90k on the 461 before I took it off the road for this 'version'. So that too was slightly less than 100k, but that still doesn't drop the potential mile estimate by much.

I had an OE 12 bolt housing for a while in the 90s in this car, that was a brute strength posi unit, and that was professionally built, using heavier springs and vintage NOS asbestos clutch plates. That lasted 10 years, and sold it, pretty sure the guy who bought it is still using it. But he's not making the power I am/was.

I will pull the cover, and look it over, but I'm pretty sure it's going to need a going-thru.

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[perry]

Very nice car I finished mine in October 2010

[HWYSTR455]

Wow, I REALLY like that, I was sooo torn on the color, OO was the choice I was struggling with!

So hammering out the details, also trying to catch up on other, non-car related stuff too.

Couple things that are on the list:

* adjust all the glass
* Glove box light and Heater/AC panel light don't come on, pretty sure it's a ground
* Adjust headlights. Need to make sure the LED bulbs are installed facing the correct way too
* Adjust pinion angle, it's pointing down a little, thing the diff was 3.5 degrees when I last checked
* Recalibrate the fuel gauge, again. I get the empty set correctly, then when I go to do the full, seem to always hit the cal button in the wrong sequence. Doh.
* Want to redo the door opening welting, trimmed the one top part a little too much, pops out sometimes
* Rocker adjust. Have about 700 miles on it now, hear a couple that are a little louder than others
* My E-cable clips were a little too small, one fell off, have the correct ones now, need to toss those on

Have a little slop in the steering column lower bearing, will need to address that, once I figure out the best approach. It's a rebuilt/refurbed one, but heard rumors some of the replacement bearings are a little sloppy. Trying to do some homework on that.

Still have some tuning to do, need to take a little break from that, it can be frustrating at times. Pretty sure I need to play with the Injector End Angle settings, have to figure out the best approach there.

Still waiting for the upper control arms, there was a delay due to anodizing the cross shafts.

Anyway, stuff like that, and will have to do the rear once I save the bux for the parts.

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[HWYSTR455]

Posting some A/C and heater line routing pics, some were asking about them...


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