'73 Ford Gran Torino Late Model

Started by Brian Conn, July 01, 2021, 06:40:41 PM

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Brian Conn

#15
August 09, 2021, 08:49:58 PM
  I, more than likely, would not have even considered doing this build had it not been for you sending the complete car  back when you did.  The chassis has been a huge help, so far, for me in making decisions on what I want to do and how I am going to go about doing it.
  I will be taking your Super Stocker chassis to the model club meeting this Thurs. to help demonstrate what I have been doing with this build and changes that I have made.
The only heroes in Washington are buried just outside of it in Arlington

john2

#16
August 10, 2021, 07:27:43 AM
 :)  Well, Sir.  I am pleased to be of help. 
Look to the Lord and His strength -  Seek His face always.
Psalm 105:4

Brian Conn

#17
August 16, 2021, 09:45:53 PM Last Edit: February 20, 2022, 11:23:25 AM by Brian Conn
  When I first started out with this build, I had mentioned something about switching from a G.M front style steering (kit version very loosely based) to a rear steer Ford set up.



  I could not locate the kit steering linkages....been so long....could have been snagged for another build or ended up in parts unknown...who knows.....so I ended up making a Ford intermediate frame inner and out tie rods and drag link out of K&S brass rod and soldered together the 3 pieces.  Will be scratch building an idler arm and pitman arm/manual steering gear box to go with this.   
The only heroes in Washington are buried just outside of it in Arlington

David Bogard

#18
August 16, 2021, 10:49:05 PM
Rear Steer always seems to cause me clearance issues so for model building Front Steer is much preferred. As far as the racing aspect, each has some benefit depending on a list of variables.   
I appreciate people that actually build and post models.
https://public.fotki.com/DKBogard/

Brian Conn

#19
August 17, 2021, 05:25:35 PM
   With the 1:1 scale builds, if the rules allowed at least 2" engine set back we would use an oil pan out of either a Ford van or pick up as the sump was at the rear of the pan verses the front as in passenger cars.  With at least 2" of engine set back and the rear sump pan, there was just enough wiggle room for the steering linkages to have full range of motion with out coming into contact with anything.....if they started clunking on the pan, then you knew there was an issue.  After 1979 it was never an issue as the Panther platform frame (LTD's , Grand Marquis, Lincolns) had a front steer set up.     
The only heroes in Washington are buried just outside of it in Arlington

Brian Conn

#20
August 22, 2021, 10:25:45 PM
  Finished up the front end for now...shocks and sway bar will come later.





  Swapped the kit spindles Left for Right which places the steering linkage mounts to the rear.  Gently moved the steering linkage mount portion of the spindle outboard with the help of some heat.  Manual steering gear box from the parts box, K&S Brass Ford style steering linkages, scratch built idler arm and Pitman arm, added weight jack screws.
The only heroes in Washington are buried just outside of it in Arlington

Brian Conn

#21
September 24, 2021, 11:08:34 PM
UPDATE:


  The kit rear sway bar and snubber (attached to center section of the kits quick change) bears a striking resemblance to this 2nd design Howe set up from Dec. of 1975 (Date on blue print)

 

   Since this build is of that era, I repositioned the Left rear shock behind the rear axle.  Installed upper and lower shock mounts for Left rear shock and attached rear sway bar mount to Right side frame rail made from Evergreen styrene strip.

Replaced kit coil spring and weight jack with a scratch built piece.  Attached to Right rear showing compression in spring.


  I never was quite satisfied with the way everything from the rear axle back seemed to be confined....so I made some changes.
  Removed rear frame stub 6 mm. behind rear axle from the main portion of the frame.  From the removed rear stub frame section cut off diagonal frame sections.  Raised remaining rear stub frame section 4.37 mm. and added 10mm. of Evergreen styrene strip to tie the main frame section to the rear stub frame section at the frame rails

Removed kits support tubing between upper weight jack mount and rear part of frame

Added cross member directly in front of fuel cell made from Evergreen styrene rod


Replaced kit engine fire wall with a partial piece made from styrene sheet and widened the rear fire wall to fit the inside of the Gran Torino body with no gaps.  Also, (not pictured) attached front sway bar mounting tube made from Evergreen styrene rod

The only heroes in Washington are buried just outside of it in Arlington

Brian Conn

#22
October 20, 2021, 10:17:40 PM
looks like its been almost a month since anything new  ::)


  Completed engine fire wall...now fits up against the inside of the body.  Installed a brake proportioning valve scratch built from Evergreen styrene rod


Installed brake lines made from fly fishing lure wire between kit brake master cylinder to brake proportioning valve then to rear of chassis and Left and Right front wheels


 Moved kit radiator back 6 ½ scale inches

Installed radiator cap from Detail Master 

Installed scratch built partial fan shroud (front sides) made from printers tin


The only heroes in Washington are buried just outside of it in Arlington

Brian Conn

#23
October 27, 2021, 03:42:31 PM Last Edit: December 08, 2021, 02:18:15 PM by Brian Conn
 I thought that the wheel inside (top) looked a little too plain.

  Since I ran brake lines to the front and rear I needed something for them to terminate to.  Being that this is suppose to represent a mid 70's late model, the rear will have drum brakes.  To the contrary,however, I did find some Chrysler Kit Car (1:1 scale) information stating that the Chrysler Kit Car of this same time frame ran stock production MOPAR disk brakes on the rear.
   
  The rear drums are a couple of wheel backs that I had in the stash that show some decent drum brake detail.  For them to fit inside the kit wheel , I had to turn down the diameter of the wheel back and bore a larger center hole for the kit piece to fit thru.
  The front disk brakes where a molded on part of a rear axle out of the stash.  I removed them from the rear axle and removed a portion from each piece for the kit piece to fit thru.
  The rubber brake line is from an USB cable.

 
  I decided that I am not going to have one of those gravity defying engines that seem to float in mid air in the engine compartment.  Made a set of Ford big block rear engine mounts out of styrene sheet.  Those will mount to the forward portion of the frame"X" near where it joins the front portion of the frame. 



  The White styrene pieces are the front motor mounts


  Barrowed this idea from Tom Birky on his dirt late model build http://www.shorttrackmodels.com/index.php?topic=753.30   I needed to show some sort of access panel or door above where the battery is located, so I made this door. 
The only heroes in Washington are buried just outside of it in Arlington

Brian Conn

#24
December 02, 2021, 11:57:08 AM Last Edit: December 08, 2021, 02:18:56 PM by Brian Conn
  Had some clearance issues under the hood....air cleaner ,distributor and oil breathers.  Modified a hood that I got out of a LHS salvage bin a few years ago.  Moving the drivers seat and dash back aprox. 6 scale inches....I like the way that looks better than what the instructions call for.
  This will be next years car that will be going to the local model shows like the '55 Ford Custom Modified Street Stock did this year.  I already have a couple different builds in mind that are already starting to talk to me after this one is complete....I'll see what direction this current build takes me   :-\


Attached a filler piece between back of hood and engine fire wall made from sheet styrene


Narrowed kit dash board and added styrene sheet pieces to the top, front of dash to square it.
Filled holes where roll cage front upright tubing passes thru the kit dash board


Attached a raised hood section made from a MPC  "Rat Trap" Chevy Vega Modified.  Enlarged air cleaner opening and shortened raised hood section by removing 9.50 mm. from the rear portion

The only heroes in Washington are buried just outside of it in Arlington

Brian Conn

#25
February 19, 2022, 07:02:19 PM Last Edit: March 01, 2022, 08:48:34 PM by Brian Conn
...been a couple of months since the last update....


  Decided to go with a clutch cable set up vs. a linkage set up.  Converted the kit clutch pedal to a cable pull type.  Used floral wire for the clutch cable.  Scratch built a clutch fork 
*builder note...the Ford Pintos of the era of the this build (mid "70's) used a clutch cable instead of the bulkier linkage  set up.

   
  Gauges and tach scanned from an AFCO racing catalog.  Used the PhotoScape program along with MS Paint and copied to paper.  Used floor wax on the gauge faces to give the illusion of depth. 

 
  Corrected the height of the steering wheel by lowering it.  Cut the window net from the roll bar and repositioned it in a lowered position.  Used a small soldering iron to heat the net and gently pushed it in to position.

 
      Replaced kit piece with two diagonal bars that are attached between the upper,rear main cage and rearward portion of the frame behind the rear axle that also tie in to the coil spring/weight jack cross member mount made from Evergreen styrene rod

Attached White ribbon to kit seat belt and shoulder harness to show chassis mounting detail

Cut kit window net along the top where it joins the the roll bar and repositioned it in a lowered position.  Added net fastening hardware made from Evergreen styrene rod styrene strip

Created an ignition switch panel, gauges and tachometer using the PhotoScape and MS Paint programs with pictures scanned from a stock car racing catalog.

Corrected height of the steering wheel by lowering it from the kit mounting location using Evergreen styrene strip.  Replaced kit steering shaft between steering wheel and fire wall with a correct one and added a steering shaft between the fire wall and stearing gear box made from Evergreen styrene rod

Converted the clutch pedal from a push type linkage set up to a pull type cable set up using Evergreen styrene rod and strip.   
 
Installed clutch cable and clutch fork made from floral wire and Evergreen strip
The only heroes in Washington are buried just outside of it in Arlington

Volzfan59

#26
February 20, 2022, 10:30:09 AM
You're doing a great job. The 70's are my favorite era in just about everything, especially stock car racing, more importantly local level racing. I'm a Ford blue oval guy through and through so I've been especially interested in your build. Thanks for sharing it.
"Many men fish all of their lives without knowing it is not the fish that they are after." Henry David Thoreau

"I am, Sir, a brother of the angle" from the book The Compleat Angler. Izaak Walton 1653

Brian Conn

#27
February 20, 2022, 11:31:06 AM
 Your quite welcome  :)
   The body is starting to take shape...






Opened up wheel well openings on body for proper clearance of dirt racing tires

Cut hole in lower, rear portion of the Right side door for exhaust pipes to pass through


The only heroes in Washington are buried just outside of it in Arlington

Brian Conn

#28
February 27, 2022, 10:17:32 PM

  Since everything has been moved back in the cockpit (steering wheel, seat, pedals) including the shifter, an extended  shifter bracket is in order.  This scratch built bracket extension and linkages moves the shifter mounting location back 11 scale inches.
  I could not get a picture of this piece attached to the tail housing of the transmission due to the center frame "X" bracing and transmission mount all but obscuring it.       
The only heroes in Washington are buried just outside of it in Arlington

Brian Conn

#29
May 30, 2022, 05:53:21 PM
.....Finally got over a builders block issue that I had and found more time to spend in the hobby room......


  Finished the duct work ahead of the radiator and shroud behind it.


  Started to run out of room under the hood, so I ended up mounting the coil to the fire wall and wired it to the distributor and battery.  Upper and lower radiator hoses made from rubber cable insulation and hose clamps made from flattened wire.  Weathered the engine compartment and chassis using earth tone paints.

Duct work ahead of radiator made from printers tin,styrene sheet and metal foil. 
   Fan shroud made from styrene sheet and metal foil.
   Scratch built thermostat housing
   Upper and lower radiator hoses from cable cord insulation
   Hose clamps made from flattened 28 Gauge wire
   Mounted aftermarket ignition coil to the Right side of the fire wall and wired to the battery and ignition coil 


 
The only heroes in Washington are buried just outside of it in Arlington
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