1966 Ford Fairlane Feral-lane devaluation

Weehoo!! Now that's how to save a rusty car. I hope the floor sheeting is going under the tubing? To nice to cover that up and not see it. Girlfriend should be a wife with that kind of talent and interest in the same thing. Just saying.

This is excellent!  I too moved from CA to GA, just before covid started.  I see you got one of those cool basement garages.  I'm over in Woodstock, much closer to Reformation . . .

This thing reminds me a lot of earlier stages of my Falcon, but like if I were a good welder.  I replaced a ton of perfectly good sheetmetal with tube and tin as well, except without the bitchin' bent round tube.  Square is better for incompetents . . .

That turbo will sound awesome.  My Falcon had an S366 for a while--it was plenty for a 5.3 LS.

Don't crash this at Road Atlanta.

rustomatic said:

This is excellent!  I too moved from CA to GA, just before covid started.  I see you got one of those cool basement garages.  I'm over in Woodstock, much closer to Reformation . . .

This thing reminds me a lot of earlier stages of my Falcon, but like if I were a good welder.  I replaced a ton of perfectly good sheetmetal with tube and tin as well, except without the bitchin' bent round tube.  Square is better for incompetents . . .

That turbo will sound awesome.  My Falcon had an S366 for a while--it was plenty for a 5.3 LS.

Don't crash this at Road Atlanta.

We love it out here! I'm on the northeast side of Acworth off Kellogg Creek. 
 

Good to hear I'm in the ballpark on turbo choice. It was on marketplace for cheap and seemed like enough to split a 302 in half

Ive got a few buddies that run fox bodies down at Road Atlanta. They are pushing me to take it there but I doubt I will. The amount of brakes and suspension it would need just isn't in my budget. But I guess the basic chassis will be there if I'm ever so inclined 

brad131a4 (Forum Supporter) said:

Weehoo!! Now that's how to save a rusty car. I hope the floor sheeting is going under the tubing? To nice to cover that up and not see it. Girlfriend should be a wife with that kind of talent and interest in the same thing. Just saying.

I keep saying one day... we've been together over 10 years. And yeah it's a shame, seems like my decent work always gets hidden. 

Amazing work! That tube bending and fitting is fantastic! I will be following this one!

Magna_Machine_Works said:

Amazing work! That tube bending and fitting is fantastic! I will be following this one!

Thanks!  It really is just fake it til you make it.  You'd be surprised how little measuring and math went into it all.  If anyone's interested I can go over my methods and bender setup

Anyone want to talk ECU's and wiring?

Basically I've got experience with Megasquirt from the MS2 in my last build.  I got over the learning curve and enjoyed the system.  My initial plan for this car was to do a MS3 pro evo https://www.diyautotune.com/product/ms3pro-evo-plus/

I'm trying to be open minded and can't ignore the fact that Terminator X seems to be the go-to these days.  I've played around with a few of them in some buddies cars and like the simplicity of initial start up and the closed loop stuff.  I don't like the datalogging as much as Megalog viewer, but I don't have nearly as much time with the Terminator stuff.

I realize an MS3 vs Terminator is not apples to apples, the MS3 is somewhere in between a Terminator and Dominator as far as I/O goes.  MS3 seems much more capable as far as flex table blending vs just a multiplier with Terminator x.  

So my first request is push me one way or the other.  Right now I'm heavily leaning towards an MS3, I think its a better value, I'm familiar with it, and I'd be cutting it close on I/O with a Terminator.  

Part 2 is wether or not to buy a drop-on harness vs wire everything myself.  Last build I bought a flying lead harness and wired it all myself because that was the only option.  In this build It will basically be an LS engine as far as wiring is concerned.  Which leaves me tempted to buy an ecu with a drop on LS harness.  Yes it is more expensive, but I'm buying a ton of time doing it that way.  The only real difference will be the cam position sensor which is an easy rewire from the LS plug to the explorer plug.  Thoughts?

Breakdown of the electrical plan:

LS coil packs

Explorer 1x cam sensor (no distributor)

Hall crank trigger (might even adapt a factory gm trigger), I can cut whatever trigger pattern I want- probably use a 36-1

LS IAT, Coolant temp, etc

E85 flex sensor

Boost control

E-fan trigger

In reply to mjlogan :

I would 100% be into that, I am getting ready to bend up some tube soon. I have a similar bender

Ok I'll give it a shot.  I know this is very elementary for some but hopefully it helps some that are getting into it.

I'll break it up into 2 sections- bending and notching

Bending

I'll use a simple "U" shape as an example.  Here's what we're going for:

There's 2 ways to do this.  One way is working off of chord length to figure out where bends start/stop which requires math and precision.  And there's the way I do it which is working from the centerline out, figuring out where your bends start and eating up tube away from the centerline.  

First you need to establish where the bend starts in your bender.  Take a scrap piece, make a mark on it, and line that mark up with the die or another fixed point on the bender.  Make a bend, 90 deg perferrably since it'll be useful throughout your project.  Take the bend out of the bender and feel along it to where the tube deforms at the start of the bend.  Note the difference between your mark and the real start of bend.  This way you know exactly where the start of bend is.

Here's some dimensions on our sample piece.  My method involves a little more waste vs the "math" method, but my method also gives you a get out of jail free card as you'll see.

First step is to rough cut a piece of tubing.  In this instance I'd use a piece at minimum 61+34+34= 129".  I'd probably cut it at 132 or so until you get the process dialed in.  You'll be able to sneak up on waste as you get more confident.

Now you're going to make some marks on the tube.  First mark is the centerline, 1/2 the length of whatever your rough cut tube ended up being.  From there, knowing the centerline radius of your die (6.5" in this example), mark the start of your bends measuring off your centerline (24").  Slide it in the bender (centerline towards you) and make your first bend.

Now here's where your get out of jail free card comes in, and you'll thank yourself for allowing more scrap.  Your target from centerline of part to centerline of leg is 30.5"

If you were dialed in on your start of bend measurement and you hit that 30.5" target then move on to the next side.  If you're like me and you goofed up, measured to the wrong side of the tube or something you ended up with the wrong length.  Lets say you landed at 29" instead of 30.5.  Don't worry you're still good.  First, figure out what you did wrong (mis measured, start of bend not where you expected etc).  Then simply adjust your offset on the second bend.  So you need to add 1.5" to your start of bend on the second leg to get back on target.  Erase your 24" "start of bend" mark, and re-mark at 25.5"  Now make your second bend and you should be right on the money.  Again, be sure you are feeding from the centerline out in your bender.  You want the die to consume material you will eventually cut to size.

Now its time to cut the legs to length and get to notching.  Where you cut the tube will depend on your confidence level in notching and the complexity of the notch.  This example is a simple 90 deg notch which is the easiest.  Referring to the above picture, a safe start is to cut the tube where the centerline of the intersecting tube will be.  If you nail the notch first shot it will end up long, but its much easier to chew the notch away that to scrap the whole thing and re-do.  So cut it at 31" from CL of the horizontal tube.

Notching

There's a few ways to do this, holesaw notcher or by hand as I do it.  You can hand notch with a cutoff wheel, chop saw, or bandsaw.  Lay your tube down so that you are looking perpendicular to the intersecting tube.  Make 2 straight cuts as shown by the dotted lines in this picture.  You'll cut off the highlighted triangle on both sides.  Note the offset from centerline, and despite what logic tells you, don't cut 45's.  I don't take any measurements, just say to myself  "knock 30% off on either side at a little less than a 45".  Just knock the corners off, don't get too crazy.  Youll dial it in later

And you'll end up with something that looks like this

Lay your intersecting tube in it and you'll be pretty suprised how close it already is with only 2 straight cuts.  

It may be good enough to weld as is.  But you may need to dial it in a bit.  Just hit the tips with a flap disk here

After doing that it should fit real good.  But you've reduced the wall thickness of the tube at your weld at the points of the notch.  So come back with the flap disc and grind down here til you are back to full wall thickness

Check the fit/measurements.  You're likely to be a little long still.  If you're less than 1/4" long then I usually just eat away at the profile with the flap disk.  If you're 1/2" or more long I knock the corners off again and repeat the process.

Granted this is a simple example, when you get into notches that are other than 90 degrees, and especially compound notches you'll want to leave a bit of extra to your rough cut in order to dial your notch in.  If you practice enough you'll at least be able to keep pace with a holesaw notcher on 90 deg notches

In reply to mjlogan :

Oh Man!! I am screen shotting this and taking it into the shop with me! Thank you!!

In reply to mjlogan :

Thank you for this.

While I don't weld, notch or bend tube, it is good to know that there is a way even a heathen like me might actually do it decently one day.

Real deka 80s are a good injector, but plenty of fakes. I usually jump to a bosch 1000cc or 2200cc past that unless someone wants to pay for something fancy like an injector dynamics set. I source the dekas from ballenger and bosch from usually sideways rally team

X2 on the Deka 80s--I have them on my Falcon's LS3.  I have used them on two different engines, with two different computers (GM and Holley), and they always run good.  The Holley Terminator has built-in data for them.

I got a deal on some used but never ran deatschwerks 88's that I couldn't pass up. Hopefully I don't regret that 

Still making progress on the car but there isn't much to show. Got the pedal mounting finalized, steering column locked in, and threw a couple tubes from the dash bar to tunnel. I'm 50/50 about putting the factory dash back in or leaving it racecar.  I built the cage and tubework so that the stock dash would only need 2 reliefs in the corners to slide over the cage A pillar bars

also note my swing and a miss trying to run a factory p71 Vic driveshaft. About 1.5" too short.  Need to put a couple crossmembers in and that should wrap the interior tube work up forward of the seats.  Then I'll jump back and get some exhaust started so I can mount the wastegate

mjlogan said:

I'm 50/50 about putting the factory dash back in or leaving it racecar.  I built the cage and tubework so that the stock dash would only need 2 reliefs in the corners to slide over the cage A pillar bars

It depends on what you want out of it once it is done. Retro or racecar?

For me the design of the dash is a huge part of the charm of the cars of that era, and the only thing you can see while driving it, so it gets my vote.

If on the other hand you prefer something more akin to the character of the car...

Piguin said:

mjlogan said:

I'm 50/50 about putting the factory dash back in or leaving it racecar.  I built the cage and tubework so that the stock dash would only need 2 reliefs in the corners to slide over the cage A pillar bars

It depends on what you want out of it once it is done. Retro or racecar?

For me the design of the dash is a huge part of the charm of the cars of that era, and the only thing you can see while driving it, so it gets my vote.

If on the other hand you prefer something more akin to the character of the car...

Initially my plan was 100% to put the factory dash back in.  Remove the stock gauge cluster and replace with an aluminum panel with aftermarket gauges.  

In case it isnt obvious I am totally aimless with the intention of this car.  It is evolving organically.  Some call that lack of planning, but I call it fun since my day job is nothing but thinking and planning ahead.

I figure either way with 3 pedals a V8 and boost it'll be at least fun

"I figure either way with 3 pedals a V8 and boost it'll be at least fun" .... I would agree with that!

Wastegate plumbing in progress. 

and I'm finally making some improvements on my stainless tig welding. This is the first time I've been able to get some color out of it. Usually my stainless welds are chalky grey. Not pretty by instagram standards but it's a big improvement for me

In reply to mjlogan : I would gladly claim that! I have paid people that claimed to be good and was very disappointed with their performance. That is professional level work in my opinion!

madmrak351 said:

In reply to mjlogan : I would gladly claim that! I have paid people that claimed to be good and was very disappointed with their performance. That is professional level work in my opinion!

 

Thanks I appreciate that.  I'm nowhere near quick and consistent enough to be professional.  Its hard to improve upon something you do so infrequently.

Here's the final layout tacked up.  Just need to pull it apart and finish weld.  I'm going to try backpurging for the first time ever.  Well its also my first time using stainless for a project like this.  Its awesome how affordable doing stainless exhaust work has become.  Granted it is cheap 409 stainless, but 3" U bends are just a little over $20 and a dual regulator setup for my TIG was $40.  

I see a cam synchronizer, not a distributor. Are you going to stick with that? Explorer ECU?

You can use Solar Flux to back up the welds ...

Will said:

I see a cam synchronizer, not a distributor. Are you going to stick with that? Explorer ECU?

I specifically took out the distributor to put the cam sync in.

I'll be running megasquirt with LS coils

TurboFource said:

You can use Solar Flux to back up the welds ...

I read about that stuff.  I've got around $60 into my backpurge setup.  Tested it last night and it works great, limiting factor is the operator.  Cap the ends of the tubes with aluminum foil, punch a couple small holes in one end and shove the tube from the 2nd regulator through the foil on the other end.  Even with me overheating the material zero sugaring on the inside

I appreciate the direction your going with this, most cars that haven't been built from the 60’s are in similar shape and frankly restoration is impossible due to parts availability or so financially foolish that they will never get done. Cool seeing this car getting a new lease on life.

Super jelly of all the engine bay room you have. My 66 is so cramped with the fe that i dont have room to do anything.