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Front end swap. Lotsa pics!!

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vping

vping

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Well I worked my butt off all week in preparation for the front end swap on my '74 B. I was up untill 11:30 every night this week preparing all the parts.

Cross member was powder coated.
Front swivels - rebuilt, primed and painted.
Shocks, blasted, primed painted.
Coil springs - GT, blasted, primed painted a pretty Red metallic
Calipers, blasted, primed painted with high heat primer and silver
GT sway bar, blasted, primed painted.
New links.
New bump stops & spacers
New bearings and seals
New cross drilled rotors
New brake pads
New brake hoses and hardware - Reused the coils around the hoses.
All urethane bushings with stainless sleeves, cross member and suspension.
New Grade 8 hardware.
Steering Rack - Cleaned painted and filled
New rack boots
New Tierod ends.
All other metal parts blasted etch primed and painted.
Tire re-balanced and front end aligned - Really neat machine.

Probably more stuff I forgot mention. There is a little touching up to do as a few scratches occured while installing. In looking at the pics, I need to add the small clamps on the boots. The body needs to be cleaned up a lot and that I'll start thinking about next.

Stops on a dime and really handles well. Took it on the highway and it runs straight and solid. Twisties are really, really nice.

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Wowie Zowie.... That's the next big chore I have on the list. I hope mine comes out even half as nice.
 
Lookin' good Vince!!

Those poly sway bar blocks are my idea of "proper"!!

:thumbsup:
 
Vince, looks good indeed. Lotta work there.
Don't you think the purple blocks and red springs clash though? I think maybe you should take it apart and repaint one of the two what do you think?
Almost done my harness!
 
Press on, Mike!
 
Tempting but no thanks. Matching purple would have been nice. On the next one, I'll make sure I coordinate that one. Took us 6 hours but we should have been done in less than 4. I had been given a rack to prep before hand and cleaned it up nice & purty. While installing the new one we noticed it was sticking way too far. Pulled it back out ad lined it up with the other one. Yep steering shaft was 6" longer. Mustabeen a RB car. Not knowing if we could or not, took it apart figuring we'd could swap shafts. Nope. Gears are different. So I had to finish taking the old one apart, de-grease, tale off the new boots and tierods from the other, re-assemble the old one, wire wheel it clean, spray it black, leave it in the sun to dry, have some lunch while it dried, then put back in the car. What an afternoon killer.

I'm going to take the old front end aprart and start the process all over again for the GT. Oh boy what fun.
 
Nice, Mike!

Please let us know how this setup rides and handles. Is it a relatively stiff (teeth-rattling) setup with the poly bushes everywhere???
 
I noticed a little bit more than I had so it's hard to compare. The ride I had before was slightly chattery but I had litteraly no bushings to speak of. It handles very well and runs real true. The steering is much more responsive and although it does not handle like it is on "Rails", it turns on a dime and is fairly flat in quick u-turn situ. I need to drive it a bit more this week to get a better comparrison. More twisties and on/off ramps and I will be able to tell.
 
Very nice work. You done good.
 
Vping,

Aw come on!!! :wall:

Every time I do something on one of my cars and think I did a great job... someone comes along whose work makes my work look like... well, you know... :smirk:

Very nice work.... :thumbsup:
 
Thanks and I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. I think the GT is next although I really should focus on the TD.
 
Glorious looking! If I can get my underside to look like that, I'm gonna start parking it upside-down!
Seriously, absolutely stellar work :bow:
 
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