My First Ever Project Build.

[keepat]

Great job! and the rear stance is awesome!
Pat

[craigF]

Ok, Didn't do much today but we did reach a mile stone.
The car is back on all four wheels. (for a short while anyway!!) Here are a few shots of the first impressions.

[craigF]

Rear end shaping up nicely.









Hoe you have a great Thanksgiving over the last few days and are enjoying my build.

[craigF]

Hi all, it's been a little while since my last post. Had a break away from the project and then Christmas came and went but we are back at the slowest build ever. For the time away not much has progressed but we did get some parts from over the US side of the pond. I have purchased an Ididit column some Detroit Speed tube, which look great just held in place and will save so much time, and i have also had the engine built.
For the first weekend in a couple of months we concentrated on making after market parts fit. (not that old chestnut) Again i will state for any new guy contemplating a project, use as much original stuff as you can!!!
We are up to getting the bonnet gaps and light buckets to fit. What a joke. I'll show you in pictures.

[craigF]

For the engine i have gone for a good street build consisting of 351 Dart block stroked to a 427, Internally balanced, 4 bolt mains and H beam rods. Don't know any numbers yet but hoping for a 500 plus hp with as much torque as i can get with nice and mild manners.

[craigF]

Finished putting the Engine together today

[craigF]

Think i'm going to put a serpentine belt on prior to running the engine just to give it a nice look with all the accessory's hanging off the front.
Here is a picture of the Detroit Speed Tubs loosely clamped into place

[craigF]

Back to what i was saying about aftermarket parts. We spent the weekend fitting up the guards and light buckets but as usual they needed lots of TLC. The shape of the guards along with cast shape of the buckets has led to more filing than i can remember along with the need to aluminium weld a piece of the old light bucket onto the new at the bonnet lip to achieve good gaps.

[craigF]

This is a picture of the amount of material that was short on the new light bucket.
We have cut a section off the old bucket and shaped it to fit and will then weld it into place. This will give a nice finish without the risk of cracking through the paint.
The consolation prize is that after all this extra work the gaps are looking really good. The glass bonnet has taken good shape after some heat manipulation and seems to be staying in position even after sitting it in the 40 degrees Queensland sun.
l

[craigF]

We test fitted the engine today. Had to adjust the TCI engine mounts forward 10 mm and up 10 mm to give enough clearance to the steering rack. Because I have opted for a 427 the stroke is a little longer I think but it fits well now. The engine did seem to be leaning back a little but I'll wait until I refit it with the transmission to see if any further adjustment is needed.

[minendrews68]

Won't the gas run out this way? I'm thinking you might have the motor upside down, or is it just me?........ JK Looks good so far.

[craigF]

Don't know why it inverted the picture I'll have to fix it up some how��

[craigF]

Took the car into work for the first time last week to finally get rid of the tack welds and screws holding it together.
Couldn't believe how much different the car felt after getting the panels fully spot welded together.

[Bossed]

Awesome build !!! Congrats on the progress and result up to this point. Looking forward to more updates, keep up the great work.

Bossed

[craigF]

Awesome build !!! Congrats on the progress and result up to this point. Looking forward to more updates, keep up the great work.

Bossed

Thanks. It's a slow process but I enjoy it

[Bossed]

I understand slow as well as anyone, but you're progressing right along. Doing a fine job at that. That motor will pull like freight train.

[craigF]

Here are a few shots I did while getting the spot welding done at work.

[craigF]

[craigF]

Just a quick shot of my engine and transmission back together for a short while.
C4 with a stage 2 shift kit, hardened shafts, Kevlar bands from Northside Transmissions mated to my 427 Windsor from Fataz Competition Engines

[craigF]

Had to shorten the Sway bar after my measuring mistake of the shock mounts.
I didn't take into account the correct backspace on my wheels when I went up to 10 inch rims so the mount had to come in 1.5 inch each side. But after shortening the sway bar we are back on track