85 351 4door Vic **DUW**

[sly]

Helps keeping the carrier bearing caps in place.

[pantera77]

What does the girdle do?

Helps keep this from happening:

[IPreferDIY]

Yikes. It looks like a cross between a splitting headache and a pain in the butt.

[johnunit]

Yeah, the cover/girdle is about an inch thick and has two bolts that you set up to just touch the caps. That way it resists them twisting from torque, which is how stuff usually breaks.

[88Vic]

Helps keep this from happening

And what causes that to happen? I've never seen that before. Looks like something that would happen with a lot of power or with a manual transmission if you dump the clutch in 1st. I did that in my truck a few times, dumped it in 1st at about 2000 since that's where it started to get into its high torque range and it'd roast the tire. Only did it a few times when my old dry rotted tires needed replacing, hope I didn't damage it too much, sure don't want to do that.

[pantera77]

And what causes that to happen? I've never seen that before. Looks like something that would happen with a lot of power or with a manual transmission if you dump the clutch in 1st. I did that in my truck a few times, dumped it in 1st at about 2000 since that's where it started to get into its high torque range and it'd roast the tire. Only did it a few times when my old dry rotted tires needed replacing, hope I didn't damage it too much, sure don't want to do that.

Sticky tires + axle hop. It's why I tell everyone doing a manual swap they should at minimum do poly control arm bushings out back, and really should reinforce the arms and mounting points if they plan on regularly beating on it.

[88Vic]

If it happens to my truck, it'll be the excuse I need to put some 3.73's in it (up the torque a bit from the 3.42's) and a Detroit True-Trac. My Lincoln, not afraid of it happening, even with my old tires it doesn't want to spin them, and when it does in the rain there isn't axle hop.

[johnunit]

The car has been apart with what is hopefully a skipped timing chain for a while now, haven't been able to finish the job because of real-life stuff.

I did find time to throw together a compilation of it doing it's thing during my commute. I wanna emphasize that this is some of the craziest stuff I've done in many thousands of miles of driving the same roads, and not all of them are moves I'd pull again.

Anyway, it sounds badass, and you can get a sense of how much oomph it has in the top of first, which I shift out of around 50mph. Also that it has just the right combination of no bottom end + stupid sticky tires that you can pretty much mat it anytime you're pointed straight and not spin the tires.

[87gtVIC]

Nice. Just be careful out there.

[johnunit]

Still working on the timing chain stuff slowly, lots of cleaning and painting and weight reduction as I go.


Question:
I bought 200 rate 14 inch Speedway Springs and am a bit concerned it'll sit low compared to my stock civilian Springs up front. Is there a non-rednecked way of boosting the spring? Anyone have a 0.5-1 inch spring cup or something they can confirm works well?

This thing gets absolutely beaten on as my videos show so I don't wanna do anything too hokey.

[johnunit]

Oh and I'm considering these wheels to replace the light and sexy but wobbly and weak drag lites.

Anyone have experience with how big a quality or weight sacrifice these are? Price seems too good to be true but the size and style is almost perfect.

https://m.summitracing.com/parts/uwc-541-5165p

[sly]

"cast" wheels are not strong. Billet milled or forged wheels are what you want for strength. Even then, you definitely want to inspect them before and after each event.

[johnunit]

unfortunately, it looks like there's basically nothing that's either of those and rated for racing with turns in a car this big without going to big diameters and even bigger prices.

[sly]

well crap. Might have to make the wallet squeak more then. Or run steelies.

[gadget73]

The Energy Suspension upper spring isolators are about 1/2". Takes the place of the stock wafer thin rubber ones and will give you that much lift. The spring is still very much piloted in the upper frame pocket so it can't go anywhere it doesn't belong.