Need Caltrac pics quickly

[its back]

I have a 66 coupe with a 347 and clutchless Jerico 4-speed running on E-85. The car had ran for atleast 3 years launching with a C-4 on the brake and 5 leaf spring setup and no bars. This spring I converted to the Jerico and it was working well, until I had to tighten up the clutch because it was slipping on the dyno while tuning the new carb. To make a long story short I tried my luck launching without adding any type of tration bars unfortunately it was the same week they prepped the track better that any time I've been there. I ended up ripping the pinion and 3/4 of the third member out of the housing.

I'm going to make my own set of caltracs to use until I can afford to narrow the rear, mini tub it and hang it on ladder bars with coilovers.

My question is how do you mount the bellcrank so that you have clearance with the leaf spring being mounted to the side of the frame rail?

I'm needing to do this with in the next week or two because I'm hoping to be in the E-85 shootout that 5.0M&SF is having in mid Oct. So I'm trying to avoid having to relocate the spring mounts.

Any tips trick or pics will be greatly appreciated!

 

[mrmustangman357]

using carriage bolts would fix your clearance issue. make the bellcranks like the picture, cut a little off the rubber bushings on each side and mount it so they rotate OK on the inner bushing of the leafspring

 

[its back]

Thanks, I did not even think about useing carrage bolts. I will take a look at how that'll work as soon as this midwest down pour lets up a little.

 

[its back]

Just looked and the actual leaf is right at .125 away from the frame rail. Its also only about .200 away from the tire, so shimming the spring over is not a very good option either.

At best all I could do is cut the heads off the bolts and tig the shanks onto the plate. That way if I remove all the rubber from the sides of the bushings I'll just barely have any clearance between the spring, plate and frame. Does anyone see any issues with this beside making sure I get a good strong weld?

 

[mrmustangman357]

The quality of the weld is not as important. Its a pure shear load so all the force would theoretically transfer to the bellcrank. I had that issue before when I fabbed up a set and used either method to get around it. if you get the bellcrank as close to the leafspring as possible, you will have clearance to fasten it. I was going to take the carriage bolt and grind on it until a thin (1/8") od head was left. That particular bolt doesn't see and tensile load so you would be alright

 

[Decurion]

Will this help?
• View topic - traction bars made em myself

 

[its back]

Thanks for the help, but unless my luck changes now, the car is done for the season. I took a closer look at the drive shaft and saw a couple places they it look as though it might be slighly bent. Also the right axle shaft looks like it could be tweaked from how it looks, looking into the rear as best as I can without removing the rest of the third member. Granted it could be the way the light is reflected.

I think I'm going to let it sit until I can set it up the way I want it with ladderbars, coilovers, minitubs, 28x10.5 and a slighly narrowed rear end to get the wider tire tucked under the fender.

 

[washMO66]

Sorry Chad - Looks like my old car finally found its limit on traction..... We always knew it was on the edge. Thisismy old 66 still sporting the same freshened up 347 that I put in it.

Chad has found some more untapped power in this combo. Before I sold it I was running on pump gas and had it dynoed at 370HP to the rear wheels and through the C4 it was putting down solid 11.2X runs all motor with no power adders.

Chad took it to the next level;

He changed the mechanical water pump and fan to electric, had C&S build him a custom E85 850CFM carb, put in a clutchless Jericho 4 speed, fuel cell and new fule system and also added some nice lookin little tricks here and there. In other words this guy knows what he is doing. He sent me his new Dyno #'s last week and it put down 437HP to the rear wheels!! This is all on a 89 5.0 roller block with no juice, no blower, no turbo. This little car amazes me. I had the pleasure of watching some runs a few weeks ago and hearing it bang through the gear with open corks was very cool.

It is a legit high 10 second car now.

You should see the pics from the track when he blew up the $2K + currie 9" that I had put in the car, major carnage to the 3rd member...

Bravo man - sorry you'll miss the E85 shootout, I was looking forward to seeing it in a magazine.

Next year you'll get it right...

 

[1320stang]

Traction

But apparently, this is the proper plate design....

Here's the link on home made Cal Tracs.

So Chad, after you get it lined out, you selling it back to Todd?

 

[its back]

I'd sell it today, the way it is, to anyone who'll pay me what I have in it.

JK. No I plan on keeping it and modding it to how I want it. Basically I want to keep the same ride height but on 28" tall tires. Changing to ladder bars and coilovers, Mustang II or a drag front suspension that will make room for a windsor. And eventually a wild na 430+ ci sb that put it in the 9s and still cruise through town.

Sorry but I'm to cheap at this time to buy the pic. So here's the link to the reminder of my most expensive trip to the track to date.

Racing Perspectives : GIR 2008-09-10 WEDNESDAY : BKD8-09-10_048

 

[10secgoal]

ARP studs for teh win. That's the problem with 9in's.