Build Thread 1978 Fairmont. I bet somebody back home’s thinkin’…I wonder why he don’t write..?

i don’t know if you’ve noticed, i have a tendency to not use ford engines in my project car. And,... the last ford engine that was there was built long before ford started using one piece rear main seals.

So,....Other than Google, how exactly would i know this?
I’ve sold enough Fel Pro parts to need to check the part numbers. The extension alone can make a big difference.
So don’t feel bad about your memory working on other brands.
 
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And on the subject of working on the car,....

Firstly,...The Electric power steering is back where it belongs..this time, “ engineered” to barely miss the homemade clutch pedal that now hangs there next to it. The dash skeleton is cut, and modified to allow me access to the front mount bolts, and cut and modified to allow the fuse box to be put in/out independent of the dash itself.
Lastly, the dash frame is significantly sanded to feather out all of the last 7 years of chips, and scratches. It only needs about 30 minutes more before i take a rattle can and repaint the thing.

( this was Sunday’s “lack of progress”, progress)

For a brief moment, I considered covering all of the Mesh in red carbon fiber rigid sheet. A .022” thick piece of carbon fiber with a peel-n-stick 3m adhesive backing with a glossy top coat. It wouldn’t be red necessarily, there’s a few other colors out there including copper, grey, and.....orange, that i was considering.
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And I was considering it.....
Up until the time where i started to wonder how the hell i was gonna cut and trim carbon fiber/kevlar sheet. Especially since i’d have to cut one piece to 2.250” wide, and 60” long, then turn around and cut the rectangles for the ac vents out of that piece that would leave just 1/4”margin at the top, and bottom of that 2.250” long piece.

On a piece of carbon fiber that would cost me 169.00.
I’m thinking....
No, said the finger.

Ill have to come up with something else there.

Tomorrow is all mine. I don’t have to go put a plate on any car, or do any other damn thing other than what i want to do. And what i plan to do is get the flywheel bolted on, the clutch bolted to it, get the trans tunnel cut to accommodate the shifter poke-through, and get the trans installed and mounted.

Once that’s done, if there’s time left, i’ll look into finishing the dash prep...Where and when to paint it will be the next issue,...Summer, and 90% humidity have returned to Alabama. I don’t want some paint reaction because i’m trying to paint something in a rain shower...even though it isn’t raining.

Im changing the carpet to black..I’m also thinking i’m gonna have it done custom, where the dash tunnel, and all of the surrounding vertical surfaces are glued or “fastened” down, ( using a snap) and the flat surfaces are seamed around the perimeter, and laid in place. ( Think....really long front to back floor mat) And,...Im going to use loop pile like they used to in the 60’s.

But that’s just another cake baking in the oven inside my head,...it may or may not turn out.
 
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I can now say that a CD009 Nissan transmission will not fit a fox chassis w/o significant modifications.

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This morning, I tell myself that I’m gonna put the tunnel in, and weld the filler strip back in on top of the tunnel so that I could seal it, and paint the underside.

But I thought better of it, and decided to wait to see what kind of a pain in the ass it was gonna be to install the trans.

*Here’s a little hint for ya...it was a GIANT pain in the ass.

Partially because the clutch came with asleeve that added support to the slave cylinder..which slides over said slave cylinder. I’m guessing it adds rigidity and increases the contact are on the diaphragm cause the is a mamma-jamma stage3+, rated to 600 ft lbs of torque.
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It’s all metal,...I’ll bet it’ll be jerky-jerky. It’s also a tiny little bitch
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Measures a whole whopping 9.5”.
I install the flywheel,....it’s got some goofy assed insert that has the pilot bushing in it that has to fit into the crank, and it centers off of that..
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It gets cocked in the crank, it won’t go in properly.
I have to remove it, fix the aluminum that has “pushed”, and redo it.

The second time solves the problem. It goes together, but that little stupid pilot hub thing looks worse for the wear after me beating on it.
Unlike an auto trans that has a flat bottom, the 6 speed is round. Trying to get it to sit, and stay on the jack proves to be a challenge..,it falls off from various heights numerous times... each time followed by me screaming at the top of my lungs, cursing the day I decided to put this thing in place of the 4l80.

I finally get it close, and It won’t go in.
I lift and lower the jack, I wiggle and yank on the trans..something is wrong.

I have to take it back out,.. it falls off the jack under the car.

I drag it out, my blood pressure probably one tick away from have a full on stroke,..it appears that the sleeve that reinforced the slave cylinder had fallen off, and gotten jammed somewhere between the pressure plate and the front of the trans.

The second time around, I greased that thing in place. I get the trans back up on the jack, and the trans falls off the jack three more times,....again I have three more conniption fits...

I now also know that a cd009 weighs about 100 pounds, because I’m able to lift it. ( numerous times) I couldn’t lift The 4l80 to save my ass.

I wrestle the trans back onto the jack and finally get it into place. I put a jack stand under the tail shaft, and use the jack to get the thing into place. I get it close enough to start bolts, although the thing still won’t go. But once the bolts are in, and I start snugging the up, I hear a “ click”. The trans had found the pilot bearing. I’m able to tighten it up from there.

Installing this thing required that I cut the hole at the top of the tunnel even bigger, as it sits way high in the tunnel. none of this would have happened if that tunnel piece would’ve been in place.. The shifter will sit further back that a stock fox shifter, as I guessed awhile back, right about where I’d reach it from a seated position with my arm bent at 90degrees.
 
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I cut about 4 pieces of all thread, and use them as guide studs to install a transmisssion. It reduces the process by about 10 swear words. That Spec 3+ is a full face clutch and is going to be very smooth. It's the Spec 3 puck design that is jerky. I have a 4+ in my car right now, and it's not jerky at all. The clamp pressure on the + sets is considerably higher than stock. That's probably why it needs the extra rigidity. You can skip your left leg on leg day at the gym from now on though.

Kurt
 
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Video camera in the corner, documenting the conniption fits, would probably pay for some of this conversion should you decide to Utoob them. I know I’d watch. :shrug:
 
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Experience has taught me 2 things about getting trans on to engines....make and use guide studs. 2ndly for manual trans that are round like you describe I made a u shaped plywood cradle to go on my motorcycle jack that I use as a trans jack.
 
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I'm pretty sure it is a 'Garage Rule' you are not allowed to video tape swear'n, throw'n of objects, skin or fur removal (even if intentional)while in 'the garage'.
Just say'n.
The late George Carlin would only take seven choice words to disagree with you. But I noe wot chu mein.......and agree with your rite two seay eet Mayn....
.
 
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Ive been buying piddly sht in anticipation of my next garage day. i bought my shifter knob, ( black leather/red stitching) and some boot kit ( black leather/red stitching) that I’ll have to make a trim ring for. I bought the new piece of perforated steel that’ll replace the one currently on the console.

I need to put the jack under the rear end, and get it up to where it would be at ride height so I can measure for the replacement driveshaft. Then one morning next week i can make the 30 mile drive to my driveshaft guy so he can make me one ( the last major purchase in this swap). He quoted between 300-400.00. Back in my younger broke days, i’d be going to a JY looking for something else that i could find to work instead, and just swap yokes...It’s just that at this juncture, i’d rather not be laying under some junk car/truck trying to measure and unbolt a driveshaft from some unknown vehicle hoping that there would be a u-joint out there to make it work with my front nissan yoke, and rear 8.8 flange.
But there is still the notion that there may be some 50.00 JY driveshaft out there just waiting on me to find it.

Once DS length is determined, I have to remove the rear, so that I can get it to the mechanic at BMW that will set up the new 3.31 gear set. That is one thing where i’ll gladly pay his 100.00 swap fee instead of going through the hassle of attempting to do it myself,...but then again,...There’s the hassle of dragging the thing out from under the car, loading and unloading it into the truck to get it to the guy, then loading and unloading it after he’s finished...and ....

Why after all of the sht I have done/can do, that I can’t seem to figure out how to go about setting up a ring and pinion?

I called my old upholstery guy..Told him what i wanted to do for carpeting,...He was skeptical that it was gonna work the way I see it in my head..( It’s cause he can’t see inside my head). I‘m concerned that i may not want to glue carpeting onto the tunnel given the monumental task of installing this almost too tight to fit transmission. I think what he knows that I’m discounting, is that the tunnel tapers from front to back, and that loop pile carpet will not follow the change in the tunnel w/o bunching, or wrinkling. All I know is...If I decide I wanna make something work, I usually make it work.

Which brings me back around to setting up a rear gear set.

Ill have to have a talk with the guy in my head about that...I mean there is Youtube after all...
 
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After setting up a couple different R&Ps, I'll tell you it's really more time consuming than it is hard to do - as long as you have all of the right tools and such.
 
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I'm so lucky. Salisbury differentials are all I've done. My first ring and pinion swap was when I was 17. Our family 1958 Vauxhall sedan was born with a Aston Martin/ AC Cobra/ Mark II Jaguar/ CF Bedford/ Chev IRS style Dana 44, which ment I pulled out the old 3 speed gearbox three on the tree 3.90 gears, did a close ratio Four Speed gearbox and 1973 Cresta 3.45 gears, all on the sidewalk. The important thing is that if it is an oem supply, you can use a steel spacer I stead of the crush ring and preload process. With the right tools and no bearing changes, it's a Let's Drop In Delite. It depends on how loose you wanna run it or how much your gonna lean on it as to hoe much bearing and set up you do. The old 9 bolt 82-93 Chevy F car was an Aussie made BTR Salisbury, which was used on a lot of 5 liter Holden and 318/340/360 Mopar stuff down here. Same dealio.Fords 8.8 is so danged tough,everyone looks at other new stuff when swapping. I dont like renewing crush ring and the preload process. I measure it, and get someone to make a spacer out of good steel. Then it's an easy swap for anything from 2.47 to 4.88 gears. There are no carrier break size variances to force you into other Size bearings or Traction Lock carrier changes like they do in the ratio sweeps in Danas or Jag IRS. Fords 8.8 are just great.

We All Know your going to toast it's center like Axle Rose on a Drunk Bender. SO get a guy with all the tools to do it with a crush ring and have him set up the breakaway loads to spec and check the contact pattern with Prussian Blue.
 
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Ive been buying piddly sht in anticipation of my next garage day. i bought my shifter knob, ( black leather/red stitching) and some boot kit ( black leather/red stitching) that I’ll have to make a trim ring for. I bought the new piece of perforated steel that’ll replace the one currently on the console.

I need to put the jack under the rear end, and get it up to where it would be at ride height so I can measure for the replacement driveshaft. Then one morning next week i can make the 30 mile drive to my driveshaft guy so he can make me one ( the last major purchase in this swap). He quoted between 300-400.00. Back in my younger broke days, i’d be going to a JY looking for something else that i could find to work instead, and just swap yokes...It’s just that at this juncture, i’d rather not be laying under some junk car/truck trying to measure and unbolt a driveshaft from some unknown vehicle hoping that there would be a u-joint out there to make it work with my front nissan yoke, and rear 8.8 flange.
But there is still the notion that there may be some 50.00 JY driveshaft out there just waiting on me to find it.

Once DS length is determined, I have to remove the rear, so that I can get it to the mechanic at BMW that will set up the new 3.31 gear set. That is one thing where i’ll gladly pay his 100.00 swap fee instead of going through the hassle of attempting to do it myself,...but then again,...There’s the hassle of dragging the thing out from under the car, loading and unloading it into the truck to get it to the guy, then loading and unloading it after he’s finished...and ....

Why after all of the sht I have done/can do, that I can’t seem to figure out how to go about setting up a ring and pinion?

I called my old upholstery guy..Told him what i wanted to do for carpeting,...He was skeptical that it was gonna work the way I see it in my head..( It’s cause he can’t see inside my head). I‘m concerned that i may not want to glue carpeting onto the tunnel given the monumental task of installing this almost too tight to fit transmission. I think what he knows that I’m discounting, is that the tunnel tapers from front to back, and that loop pile carpet will not follow the change in the tunnel w/o bunching, or wrinkling. All I know is...If I decide I wanna make something work, I usually make it work.

Which brings me back around to setting up a rear gear set.

Ill have to have a talk with the guy in my head about that...I mean there is Youtube after all...

I'll be watching to see how the interior comes out. Gear setup is boring and time consuming and I want to see how this carpet deal is going to work.
 
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Well for better or worse, I’m going to try and tackle the rear gear change myself.
( One more thing that I pile on myself that’ll consume an entire day or more to do)

Ive made the cover plate for the rectangular cut at the top of the tunnel. It’s painted on the bottom in bed liner just like the rest of the floor. I figure i’ll rivet it in place as opposed to welding it for the sake of being able to remove it if i ever need to.
That’ll leave a round hole in the floor where the shifter pokes through. And Ill have to come up with some rubber-ized foam surround to seal that hole from heat and fumes. Making the shifter fit so tightly into the floor has its own “ bad idea” downside though, as being able to remove that shifter may now be impossible, and not being able to remove the shifter will not allow the transmission to go back any further.......( See what I just did there?... I just talked myself into making part of the larger plate removable to be able to unbolt the shifter. It’s good to think things through out loud before fcking things up silently). :rolleyes:

I called Spec about the Sleeve that is now installed on top of the Slave cylinder, that is now between the pressure plate and the front face of that slave cylinder,......trapped inside the J3 bellhousing. The tech guy had no idea. His advice was that if it was in there, it was probably intended that I use it.

” Unless it causes a clearance issue between the slave cylinder and the diaphragm on the pressure plate...”

Great. And how exactly am I supposed to know that?

It’s a “ If Kate‘ll let me“ day again, so I don’t know what if anything i’ll accomplish. There is soooo much to do.
 
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