Another little Falcon
 

Hey guys, I have a little introduction thread in the new guy section but thought I would make one here that I could update as I make changes/additions to my car. Some details on the car.. 1936.5 Falcon Sprint. Factory 260 column shift car. Purchased new by my grandpa. I got the car 8 years ago in boxes. Built a little 302 (kinda) outta parts I could scrounge up. The block is an 72 302, 289 crank, rods, forged TRW flat top pistons summit 3601 cam. Turns a T5 to an 8 inch out back.

I Just did a garage paint job on the car, and while it came out ok... I wish I had learned on another car, as there are about 100 things I would do differently now. Here are some shots of the car in different phases of its life since I have owned it.

Here we had just moved to Arizona for flight school. Was a broke college student.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...y/61902052.jpg
Got most of the engine mocked up. I think I still had a C4 in it at this point.
Everything was where I wanted it for the most part except the radiator I had was not going to fit the tiny Falcon core support.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...y/7c314c7c.jpg
So I made some stand-offs so I could mount it. Works fine.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...y/6fa186fd.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6.../July06249.jpg

Things for the car went very very slowly for the next 4 years as I finished school and started flying a lot. Its like you either have time or money but never both at the same time.

During this time, we bought a house, had a baby (with some expensive med bills, but hes doing great now) and did normal family stuff.
Finally found both time and money in the same opportunity and thought I would paint the car and install new suspension. Suspension is a TCI 4 link and coilovers in the rear and Chassisworks coilover conversion up front. The car has 4 piston disc brakes in the front which work really well so I thought I would leave those. Drums out back. So as for the paint, I have now painted one car... but I am by no means a car painter.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...s/IMAG0406.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...s/IMAG0407.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...y/IMG_0197.jpg
At this point I replaced all the rubber and had the glass put in.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...2E5B0442F9.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...y/IMG_0863.jpg

Working on the interior now. Its mostly in with the exception of the door panels. I will post interior pictures when I get it dialed in the way I want it. But for now, here is a gauge picture.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...4A5CB5E478.jpg
After 8 years, it is really really nice to open up the garage and see it looking like this.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...C7F1FA09BF.jpg

And just for kicks, here is a shot from my day job.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...3FB7DB2BFE.jpg

Thats it for now. I will add more to this thread as the car comes along. I think the next big upgrade will be wheels and tires.

Regards,

Rob

Hard to make a SBF sound bad.

Nice car! I love the sound!!!

Here is a the 4 link in action. It's a TCI setup with their coilover. Ill probably get an adjustable shock in the future to match the Varishocks up front. Sorry it's dirty. I drive it.
And about the low quality of the clip. I uploaded it from the gopro but it only shows 360 for some reason. Ah-well.

Rob

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...DC7E608B2C.jpg

Here is the front. It's just an adjustable coil over that replaces the factory spring and shock. I plan on lowering the upper control arm and switching to tubular arms or boxing these and lowering the shock mount in the upper control arm. Spring is all the way down and the car doesn't sit where I want it to.

I like the car, welcome to the site.

As far as your front coil over is concerned I believe tcp offers different too cups to lower the car. If a a deep enough too mounting cup is available to lower the car it looks like you may have availability to a machine shop to get a pair made.

You may also consider a Shelby drop for the upper control arm.

Thanks for the comments. I have the lowest cup they offer. I couldn't imagine how it would sit with the factory ride height option. I plan on lowering the upper control arm via the Shelby drop here pretty soon. Probably this winter some time. I have a few questions regards shock settings if anyone could provide some info. I have them set all the way soft (1 way adjustable shocks) right now. The car seems to have less roll in the rear. What's a good method for tuning the front shocks? I haven't pushed the car hard enough to see if it'll under steer or over steer but my guess based on how it feels is that it'll under steer. Any info on a starting point?

Rob

The Falcon looks great--mine might have looked that good 30 years ago, but now, not so much. As for shocks, find a road with some dips or some large speed bumps; if the front still moves after the bump or dip, dial up some rebound control . . .

I commend your patience!

best compliment ever! Haha thanks rustomatic! I appreciate the input on the shocks. I'll give it a shot. Where can I see more pics of your car?

Love it!

The car runs a little hot. I get around 200-210 sitting in traffic. Ive wired up an electric fan and that really knocked out the cooling issue. But knowing that I have an issue I wanted to do something more to keep the air directed in to the radiator. The rad is an ebay special that is really just a wide 2 core. I want to see if I can get the cooling totally dialed without having the added expense of a new radiator. I came up with some little baffles (i guess thats what they are) that run between the core support and the grill. I've seen a few people run/make these and as an added bonus, it cleans up the appearance a bit under hood.
Started with cardboard
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...D3249F7CF0.jpg
I do not have a brake so the bending was done with a bench vise and rubber mallet.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...0D37F10A5E.jpg
I just noticed a small dent in the panel. ah-well...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...D0629FFBC0.jpg

Ill post the finished product with both sides soon.


Rob

The close out panel is looking great Rob, nice work! I couldn't see the video of the rear suspension but saw you mentioned upgrading the rear CO's. I've got some double adjustable VariShocks I could send you if they'd work. They need to be rebuilt....I don't remember what they told me for rebuilding but it was waaay cheaper then new ones. If they'll work and you're interested, you can have em.

Btw, your tach is crooked:lol:

Thanks for the kind words. As for the CO's that sounds perfect! I really appreciate that. Where are you located?

Rob

haha!

I'm just east of Seattle. I'll go out and get some details/measurements and let you know what they look like. Have you got a picture of the rear set up?

10-1/2" C-C compressed
14-1/2" C-C extended

The second picture is one of the fronts, looks the same to me other then the top mount which can be changed.

No pictures at the moment. It is the TCI 4 link for the Falcons. Those look like they'll work great. Let me take some measurements.

Second picture showing one of the fronts.
:thumbsup:

12.5 center to center at ride height. Those should work great.

I'll send you a PM, you want the fronts as well? Haha!

Nice work Rob!

Thanks, Jarhead!

Should have some finished pictures here in a couple hours. I have in-laws in town so I only get a few minutes at a time haha


Rob

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...C224F1FE44.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...8651D3B657.jpg

I screwed up the right side panel. While drilling one of the holes, I let the check touch the panel. Didnt notice it until it was to late. I may make another right side panel. Or I may not... This is a driver after all. I used 3M strip caulk everywhere the panels touched the grill or the core support. No rattles. My car probably have 5lbs of this stuff on it.


-Rob

Cool panel--that really cleans things up! Next thing you know, you'll be figuring out how to put an Audi V10 in the back of that thing. Beware the slippery slope . . .

. . . because people with Falcons must always keep the hands busy.

You asked about pictures of mine (when it worked). I think Sieg took the best ones (former dents included) at Sonoma Raceway last year--they're floating around the site somewhere. Dan (DBasher) took some cool ones at Thunderhill earlier this year (see his thread in the Race Car section--it became a Falcon mashup). It's a good thing, because I suck with the picture-taking.

ill dig around for the pics. Thanks for the kind words.


-Rob