[marks73ta]

I posted on my '63 way back when first got it. Done lots to it since. Still along way to go.








The engine is being built. '60 389 block punched .090 to 406. Forged Ohio crank 3.75 stroke, GRP 6.625 aluminum rods, Ross lightweight dished blower/turbo pistons, 4 bolt splayed caps, rods screwed down into the water jackets from the decks to strengthen then from flexing under boost. KRE aluminum D-Port 325 CFM heads, special cut solid roller turbo cam with 251 int/241 exh, .650 net lift and 116 LCL. Right now I have a CSU 750 blow thru carb on a Victor intake. I'm tryin to sell the750 so I can go larger or, if I can not sell it, I'll try to have a second matching 750 built and run a tunnel ram with th etwin blow thrus. The single turbo in the pic was traded and some cash on a great deal for twin Turbonetics 76MM turbos. So the plan is to either make new headers for the twins or modify the turbo headers in the pic to twin turbo headers. The turbos are capable of over 2000 HP, the single 750 is capable of 1100 or I've read it may go as high as 1300 HP. I want enough carburation to as least get to the 1500 level. I believe an 850 blow thru from CSU can get me to the 1500 HP point but the tunnel ram and twin 750s will for sure and then some. Mark L

[Deadhead]

Originally Posted by marks73ta

I posted on my '63 way back when first got it. Done lots to it since. Still along way to go.

That is one of the coolest damn things I have ever seen!

[hellerods]

Hey Mark-- just finishing pulling the sbc today, will install the BBC tomorrow. I need to finish this car so that I can get back to my 64' cat.

[hellerods]

Thanks for the update and pics Mark, keep them comming, the car looks fantastic-- you/ not so much--lol-------Lee

[marks73ta]

Oh. That. That's just my cardboard display picture of me to keep the women from mauling me where ever I go. LOL
Actually this is a better pic.

(Just having some fun with a stupid self induced injury). LOL! Mark L

[BigAquaBonney]

Nice shiner, Mark. Hope the other guy looked worse.

[Zab]

In a barn since 1985. Once it's running, it will look the same. I have no plans for paint. Interior is mint.



Here's my best helper. She likes making things shiny.

[Scarebird]

dammit! and here I thought you mixed it up with some Mopar malletheads...

[hellerods]

Hey Mark--You should get your face to look like that permanently with some tattoo work, then your "Darksider" street freek image would be complete!!!!!!!!! Post pics of new tats-------lol , I'm believe in your total commitment in this endeavor and will stand by your choice no matter the outcome----Lee

[marks73ta]

Thanks guys and Lee especially. I'm building the ladder bars right now. Still have to finish them up.


Doing it piece by piece. Mark L

[marks73ta]

Hey, now a face to go with yor name. Nice to meet ya. Got the ladderbars all tacked together today. Have to take them to the welder and add the front emergancy catch bracketry. I think I might see how much to have them chromed. Boy I'd love to see that???


Mark L

[marks73ta]

OK. I've been playing with every conceivable location/installation of the radiator and fan shroud for the trunk of the '63. Because of that I haven't gotten anything really done on it. Just set there putting it in, taking it out. Measuring, thinking about it etc. It's done. I just went ahead and cut the floor open.

Placed the fan/shroud up under the floor.

This is the shroud underneath.


And the radiator in its place (just laying in the trunk) with the fuel tank in its place.

Still have to reinforce the opening and use foam to line the shroud and radiator edges for sealing. Now I have to find an inlet for air to the trunk. Then run all the water tubing.

[marks73ta]

Made the duct to seal the radiator to the trunk floor.It was mentioned to add a tilt tot he radiator so it fills and is more efficient, thank you Bruce, I hadn't given it any thought and probably would not have thought of it. This is he rough opening sealed with pipe foam, slit and slid over/against the edge. I still have to do more cutting back on the front edge (top of pic) to fit the shroud, then I'll glue the foam seal in.



This is the angled duct.



Duct in place.



Duct in and sealed.



And the radiator on the sealed duct ready to be bolted/clipped down.



I was thinking of using springs to hold the radiator in place. That way the radiator could float a little above the seal and not have any strain in it.

Mark L

[mike nixon]

Originally Posted by marks73ta

Made the duct to seal the radiator to the trunk floor.It was mentioned to add a tilt tot he radiator so it fills and is more efficient, thank you Bruce, I hadn't given it any thought and probably would not have thought of it. This is he rough opening sealed with pipe foam, slit and slid over/against the edge. I still have to do more cutting back on the front edge (top of pic) to fit the shroud, then I'll glue the foam seal in.



This is the angled duct.



Duct in place.



Duct in and sealed.



And the radiator on the sealed duct ready to be bolted/clipped down.



I was thinking of using springs to hold the radiator in place. That way the radiator could float a little above the seal and not have any strain in it.

Mark L

Ok I have a dumb question. WHy'd you face the radiator with the hose inlets into the trunk? It'd be easier to plumb and keep heat out of the passenger compartment to run piping inside the frame rails under the car. That would also add an extra effective cooling wiht the air passing across the piping as it's driven.

Mike

[marks73ta]

Still playing with options for building and or making a dash board. I still have the original dash in place cut up to fit around the steering support. I want to build or use something to bring the speedometer and gauges closer to the driver. So I found this at the last swap. It's actually a fiberglass motorcycle headlight nacelle. I mocked it up kind of in place, but it would end up be more towards the driver. The other pics show what I would do with the gauges with the other opening holding a 5 inch speedometer.







Once the bezel is on place I will use sheet metal to fair the bezel back into the dash to cover the steering support and run the wires etc.

I like this better than the pevious idea of using the '63 head light bezel.

Mark L

[Alvin]

Hey Mark, GR8 project! Any detail photos of your flip up nose mounting? Thxs.

[marks73ta]

Thank you Alvin. I used the original '63 hood hinges flipped them upside down with the firewall mounting surface towards the front. This placed the top hood ounting surface on top of the frame rail and the firwall mounting towards the front for an upright mount.

This pic shows the hinge inverted and mounted on an angle iron welded onto the frame horn. The first time I did it was back in '74-'75. I used it by bolting it right onto the original '63 frame horn on a '63 I owned back then. The inverted firewall mount (then facing forward) was bolted to the back side of the radiator core support. That allowed the eniter front end to tilt as an assembly using all factory stock parts. Heavy but it worked. This time I have the custom frame clip so I mounted the hinge down lower along the side of the frame horn. More to get it out farther for more room (radiator etc if needed) than to place it lower. It would have worked fine on top and farther in if I had placed it there. The next two pics show the hinge in various raised positions so you can see the transition as it goes thru it's travel. But at this pooint they were not attached to the front end assembly.


The thing that I really liked back then was, I still had the front bumper in place. But any normal tilt would have made interference points between the back side of the bumper and the grill apron that closes up the space between the grill and the bumper. If you look at the progression of the hinge it actually lifts the whole front end assembly straight up during the first part of the lift and then tilts the assembly. I found that it worked perfectly wih the full factory front end assembly to clear the grill apron around the bumper as it lifted. With the gasser front end there are no interference points like there are using the full factory assembly. But I wanted to use this same inverted hinging because I had it. I knew it worked, and by using the hinges, the hood spring help the tilting/lifting and also has a built in stop so the front end can't fall too far forward. It is limited on how far it can go, and if you look you'll see the hinge is mounted on a slight forward rake to get a little more tilt to the front with out compromising the down position. Mark L

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by marks73ta

Thank you Alvin. I used the original '63 hood hinges flipped them upside down with the firewall mounting surface towards the front. This placed the top hood ounting surface on top of the frame rail and the firwall mounting towards the front for an upright mount.
... Mark L

Those are GR8 photos and a neat & simple way to mount the front end.

Reason I asked as I want to convert our glass nose slip joint mount (circled below) to a flip nose or dual slip joint/flip hinge mount. Perhaps I could modify some light weight hood hinges w springs in a similar manner as you have done (photo below).

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. A local welding shop had the car for several weeks and couldn’t figure it out…I even provided the Glass Front-end Hinge website info for their use.

[marks73ta]

If you look at the pics you can see that, after inverting the hinges, I also used the drivers side on the passenger side and the passenger side on the drivers side. I did that only to get the L shaped hood mounting flange to the outside so the hinge axle pins were away from the side of the frame. If you mount on top of the frame that would not be neccessary. This is the front end all bolted up and hung off the firewall and the cross support that I welded to the original fender mounting points.

Then I ran uprights straight down form the crossbar to the front of the hinge front mounts (originallly the firewall mounts). This pics is not really clear but you can see the uprights inside the tilted front end.

I then tied the uprights off going straight forward to the bottom of the grill sheet metal to lock it all in place.

I still have some additional gusseting to add but even at this point it is very solid.
Mark L

[marks73ta]

I just layed the radiator on the duct face up, it is not done and in final position yet. I will be running the in/outs down and under when I'm done, for the very reasons you've mentioned. Good catch on the up/down positioning.
Lookin at your set up. Could you keep the slip joint but use a straight tube inside the tube you already have, slot it for a stop pin, with a axle/rod end to form a pivot? Then you can pull the front end straight out enough to clear the firewall and then tilt the assembly? You can still pull the stop pin and remove the entire front end like before. Mark L