1960 Falcon

[badwagon]

Awesome project... love the stance!

[1360]

Huge early Falcon fan, looking forward to progress on this project!!

[813Demon340]

Coming along nicely! Keep up the great progress!

[Walther]

The flares arrived today, custom made to my specs. They are still gonna need a lot of trimming and fitting before I can start tacking and welding them in place. The pictures show a rough mock-up, but they are really close to my rendering.

[JJK]

Looks great! I had not noticed the gas lid in the rendering, but I see it goes right where its sitting. You are staying very true to the rendering-good job!

[Walther]

Looks great! I had not noticed the gas lid in the rendering, but I see it goes right where its sitting. You are staying very true to the rendering-good job!

Thank you. I stumbled across the rendering on Google a few years back. It became the inspiration for the car I wish I knew who the artist was so I could thank them and keep them updated as well.

[Walther]

SLOWLY starting to take shape. This is more arduous than anticipated but I'm getting there.

[Motown 454]

Nice!

[HotRod47]

I don't know why this build is just hitting my radar, but I sure am glad it did! I love home built cars with this level of fabrication and ideas. Keep up the great work!!

[Walther]

I don't know why this build is just hitting my radar, but I sure am glad it did! I love home built cars with this level of fabrication and ideas. Keep up the great work!!

Thank you. I often wonder if I have bitten off more than I can chew. I guess if it was easy, everybody would be doing it? I am making a point not to rush.

[Walther]

Haven't posted in a while because of holidays and whatnot, but after 2000 tacks per side and some trimming, the flares are really starting to take shape.

[Walther]

The Coyote I ordered off of eBay finally came in and I wasted no time lowering it into the chassis- only to learn that I screwed up my chassis design. Even though I used measurements available on the internet, it turns out they were not accurate and as a result the engine sat way too high in the chassis. The valve covers would have been through the hood. Damn, I hate re-doing things.



here it is with a fender mocked up in position.

[Walther]

My solution was to install some 2" dropped spindles I luckily had on a shelf. I then broke out the plasma cutter and cut the cross-member out. I used a section of another M2 crossmember, measured over and over, then welded it in place and "boxed" the ends.




The finished product is now 3" lower. With the addition of the 2" dropped spindles, the engine will sit 5" lower as compared to the hood. All thats left to do is section and raise the frame rails to achieve the original desired ride height. I ordered some mandrel bent frame sections to "splice" in, but they have yet to arrive.

[Martin71RS]

I love this build, great work!

[Walther]

I love this build, great work!

Thank you.

[HotRod47]

I have to say I am completely confused and maybe am missing something. How does adding 2" dropped spindles have anything to do with engine placement height? I get that dropping the crossmember 3" effectively lowered the engine the same amount. Easy.

But the dropped spindles...... I must be tired because I don't understand that one. How would adding 2" dropped spindles have any affect on the hood line to the engine? I'm sure its me, brain not turned on?

[Walther]

I have to say I am completely confused and maybe am missing something. How does adding 2" dropped spindles have anything to do with engine placement height? I get that dropping the crossmember 3" effectively lowered the engine the same amount. Easy.

But the dropped spindles...... I must be tired because I don't understand that one. How would adding 2" dropped spindles have any affect on the hood line to the engine? I'm sure its me, brain not turned on?

Normally you would be right. By installing the dropped spindles, the entire chassis became 2" lower to the ground. Dropping the crossmember got me 3 more inches. HOWEVER, I still have to section the frame uprights to raise the frame back up in relation to the crossmember- to the height it was before I installed the drop spindles. The body mounts to that portion of the frame. So I'm raising the body back up 2". So the crossmember is now a total of 5" lower, but the body will be raised back up in relation to the frame. My process will work, but my explanation may not.

[HotRod47]

Ahhh, now I get it. You hadn't mentioned raising the body back up. Now it makes sense.

[Walther]

I have had comments and PMs about my method. THANK YOU. This isn't about me arguing that I am right, this is me trying to make sure I'm right so I really welcome and appreciate the comments.

A question came up about bump steer. Here is a better picture. The green lines show what I believe to be both the A-arm and the tie rod on a level plane. This picture is with the suspension mocked-up. Most fasteners are finger tight.



This next picture shows an installed 2" rack extender (red arrow) and how it lined up the pivot points of the A-arm and inner tie rod (green arrow)



Finally, in this picture, I am going to remove a section of frame rail between the yellow lines. That will raise the frame (where the body mounts are) back up two inches. (red arrow) Please note that this [particular picture was taken before I broke out the plasma cutter. It was my first version of the chassis.



My tape measure shows that the engine will now sit 5" lower when compared to the body. Please comment if you think I am missing something. Working by myself has it's pitfalls.

[HotRod47]

What will your ground clearance be under the center crossmember with your new plan? Sounds like it will be really low.