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The "What Did You Work On Today" thread

3M views 36K replies 388 participants last post by  cerial 
#1 ·
4 hour work day for me at the shop. Used the time to do a valve body swap on a '01 Jetta 1.8t auto .... I successfully installed a transbrake on the car .... that however wasn't my intention.

Its in 2 gears at once in park, all other gears (R/N/D/2/1) are forward gears.... they all seam to be first gear.

I have it torn back down most of the way. Tuesday I'll actually get the VB back out and see whats up.... but part of me wants to take it out for a test drive the way it is just for the fun of it.
 
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#15,881 ·
Yes, you simply have the long side tube shortened @2 7/8" (don't remember the exact length?) and then drop the short side axle into it and it's the right width. It will also require the spring perches to be cut off, and a pair of $8 perches welded to the tube. Then bolt it in!
If you want 4 wheel disc brakes, buy a '94 or newer Explorer rear axle, as they are disc brake! I did this swap in my buddy's '69 Nova. Converted the front to 5x4.5" disc brakes, and dropped the 8.8" disc rear in the back. It's got fantastic braking! We tried it without a proportional valve, just to see how it stopped, and figured we'd add one later. But it stops so well, and straight that we never needed to add a prop. valve.

PS-The shortened axle ends up at around 56.5" to the overall width to wheel mounting surface. You'll also need to have a driveline built, or find one the right length. On my Falcon I am using a Super T10 4 speed, and I used a driveline from a 1st gen. Camaro with the HD front yoke, and an adapter u-joint for the Ford flange at the rear. It was the perfect length with no modifications!
That is some good stuff! Thanks :thumbup:

Brian
 
#15,883 · (Edited)
OMG this bike is looking so damn good! How is this for an amazing tidbit. My brother was going through photos of our uncles bike that used the license plate he is running. He found a photo of our uncle on the bike just a mile or so from my brothers house! Now the wild thing is, my brother lives about 175 miles from here in our home town where our uncle lived too!



Brian
 
#15,884 ·
OMG this bike is looking so damn good! How is this for an amazing tidbit. My brother was going through photos of our uncles bike that used the license plate he is running. He found a photo of our uncle on the bike just a mile or so from my brothers house! Now the wild thing is, my brother lives about 175 miles from here in our home town where our uncle lived too!



Brian
That is just too cool Brian. I want it, I want it, I want it!!!





Got one rocker welded in today. Only had a couple of hours to work.:(

John




 
#15,885 ·
Next up is the Ford Explorer rear axle swap! The short side axle and tube swap makes them the perfect fit for a early round body Falcon! I have a spare sitting in my shop in 3.73 posi, with an extra short side axle. Our local Pick N Pull has half price holidays, so got one for $104, plus $10 for the spare axle! Just in case the BBC tears up my existing 8.8 Ford!
What is the width of that rear end axle flange to axle flange once the long axle is swapped with the short axle?

Brian
 
#15,887 ·
We had our first car show of the season today. A small show usually, but great weather bumped it up to around 200 cars I'd guess. Next Saturday is the big Portland Transmission show, and weather is supposed to be good for that also; so expect 700-800 cars on the street around PT!
It's always good to see old friends I haven't kept up with since last summer! Spent 2 hours before the show cleaning, and waxing the Austin! Forgot how dirty it gets just sitting in the garage!
 
#15,888 ·
What is the width of that rear end axle flange to axle flange once the long axle is swapped with the short axle?

Brian
One thing to consider is all Explorers ran OD Transmissions. Your available axle ratios will be numerically higher. I suspect 3:50 or 3:73. That may be fine for a performane car but might hit Nick's wallet with less fuel mileage.

John
 
#15,890 ·
One thing to consider is all Explorers ran OD Transmissions. Your available axle ratios will be numerically higher. I suspect 3:50 or 3:73. That may be fine for a performane car but might hit Nick's wallet with less fuel mileage.

John
But then the plan is a five speed. :D I found one with 3:73 and one with 3:08.


Brian
 
#15,891 ·
John, you won't believe what my brother did. He towed the bike to a show today. When he got back home he found that his original Indian dashboard was gone. The dummy had left it on the gas tank where he has sat it for the show as it wasn't screwed on! So somewhere along the trip home out in the road is a vintage Indian dashboard.

This getting old sucks.

Brian
 
#15,893 ·
John, you won't believe what my brother did. He towed the bike to a show today. When he got back home he found that his original Indian dashboard was gone. The dummy had left it on the gas tank where he has sat it for the show as it wasn't screwed on! So somewhere along the trip home out in the road is a vintage Indian dashboard.

This getting old sucks.

Brian
There is a nice custom painted side cover for a HD somewhere on the road. Tell him he is not alone..

Sam
 
#15,895 ·
But then the plan is a five speed. :D I found one with 3:73 and one with 3:08.


Brian
LOL, That is perfect. Nick needs rhe 3:73 for his 5 speed and you can ship me the 3:08 for my 4 speed. I actually would not have expected them to make a 3:08 in the newer rear. I may keep my eye peeled.

I have a Lincoln Versaille but with the funky brakes and a 2:50 gear, the narrow width is it's only real attribute. :D

John, you won't believe what my brother did. He towed the bike to a show today. When he got back home he found that his original Indian dashboard was gone. The dummy had left it on the gas tank where he has sat it for the show as it wasn't screwed on! So somewhere along the trip home out in the road is a vintage Indian dashboard.

This getting old sucks.

Brian
Oh man, That does suck. Do they at least repop it? :drunk:

John
 
#15,896 ·
LOL, That is perfect. Nick needs rhe 3:73 for his 5 speed and you can ship me the 3:08 for my 4 speed. I actually would not have expected them to make a 3:08 in the newer rear. I may keep my eye peeled.

I have a Lincoln Versaille but with the funky brakes and a 2:50 gear, the narrow width is it's only real attribute. :D



Oh man, That does suck. Do they at least repop it? :drunk:

John
I don't believe so.

Brian
 
#15,897 ·
One thing to consider is all Explorers ran OD Transmissions. Your available axle ratios will be numerically higher. I suspect 3:50 or 3:73. That may be fine for a performane car but might hit Nick's wallet with less fuel mileage.

John
I did see quite a few 3.56 and 3.73 units in positraction, but in open axles I saw higher gears like 3.23 too. I wanted 4.10, as they also offered those, but couldn't find any.
But I believe the 6 cyl. Falcons often had lower gear rear axles to allow for better take off with less HP.
 
#15,898 ·
We did a little measuring for tire size and rim offset on the Falcon tonight, he is going to be making a few more changes and looking forward to it.

Today I took a little girl who is the daughter of a friend of my wife's for a ride in the Gran Sport. She is staying with us because her mom is in the Hosptial. :( Say a pray for Cindy would you. :(

He little girl is a sweetie and this was the first time in a convertible, she was wild with excitement waving at people and crazy smiling the whole time. It was really cute, Nick drove us through a nearby Canyon for a beautiful drive.

Brian
 

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