Reassembling 57 AGIN

57AGIN · 2012-01-20 01:45

Some of you may have had experience with a failing Z-bar. Here is what Rick fabricated for me before he retired and had access to a lathe. There are two photos:

Photo #1 shows an overall shot of the Z-bar with an emphasis on the added strengthening to the arm that connects to the clutch pedal (an angled gusset that is welded to both the barrel of the Z-bar and the pedal arm). On the other end of the Z-bar (the side that is mounted on the engine block) is the clutch actuating arm, it is also strengthened with a gusset welded to the arm and the barrel of the Z-bar (this was harder to photograph, but you can see it is thicker than just the arm itself).

Photo #2 shows the barrel of the Z-bar that is hollowed out on each end to the diameter of the ball that is mounted on the driver side frame and that bolts to the rear of the engine block. The barrel is gun drilled from end to end and with another hold in the middle that the zirc fitting is attached to for greasing the internals of the Z-bar. Note how thick the barrel of the Z-bar is compared to that of an original.

geraldchainsaw · 2012-01-20 07:42

just to add my 2 cents, i had the same problem back in 1959 with my first 57, at first i didn't know what u guys were talking about when u said Z bar, anyway, what i use to do when i had a problem with the Z bar, 1st i boughjt a new one, and made and welded a brace that wrapped all around the pipe and arm, like a horse shoe, maybe 3/4's wide or so, that always worked for me. now that i know what you swere talking about i rremember it well and all the problems i had with the clutch etc, jerry

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JimNolan · 2012-01-20 08:06

Jerry,
The correct name for a Z-bar is an Equilizer Bar. But, equilizer bar sounds like something you'd hit a bigger guy over the head with. Jim

57AGIN · 2012-01-20 22:41

Well Guys Things Were Going Just Too Good:

Rick and I finally found a problem in reassemblig my 57.. Seems like when we shifted the motor mount around and straightened the Z-bar hook-up vis-a-vie the frame and the engine block, has caused an unanticipated problem, the Doug's Headers don't quite clear the steering box now. Apparently when I took the car to have the headers fabicated and installed in 2004, The engine was in a slightly different relationship to the steering box and they made them to fit that configuration. Tomorrow I'll get some photos of the problem and what we do to fix it. The thought right now is dimpling one of the header tubes will correct the problem. So much for the new powder coating on the headers. Oh well, best laid plans, etc...

I ordered a new drive shaft today, as apparently the TREMEC

57AGIN · 2012-01-20 22:52

Continued:

I'm using a lap top for this post and apparently I touched something I shouldn't have and it posted an incomplete reply. As I was saying, the TREMEC is a bit shorter than the old T-10 I had before. I need a drive shaft about 4 inches longer than my old one.

Bob
57 AGIN

JPotter57 · 2012-01-21 09:51

You must have had a Galaxie T-10, as the Mustang-Fairlane trans is roughly the same length as the Tremec....

57AGIN · 2012-01-21 12:23

James:

I surely don't know, as the T-10 was in the car when I bought the car in 1998, along with a very tired 302.

Bob
57 AGIN

57AGIN · 2012-01-21 22:41

Well Everyone:

As I indicated last night, we hit a slight snag in the reassembly, a Doug's Tri-Y header tube hits the steering gear box. Seems like when we readjusted the motor mounts to better line up the Z-bar, we also shifter the position of the headers in relation to the steering gear box. 2 steps forward, 1 step back. lol Here are a couple of shots showing the problem.

57AGIN · 2012-01-21 22:47

Steering box & header tube fix:

Rick got out the trusty hammer and a bar of rolled steel and went to work on the offending header tube. After about 4 or 5 attempts to dimple the tube, fitting everything back in the car and taking it all apart again. We got sufficient clearance. So one tube may run a little hot & the engine may lose a few horses. We'll see. See the photos & results.

Custom300Madman · 2012-01-21 23:08

What kind of master cylinder is that? It's great looking.

57AGIN · 2012-01-21 23:15

The next issue we had to deal with was the height of the TREMEC. It bolted onto the engine without problem but it was way too far down in the rear and had to be raised a bunch for the headers to go over the top of the Transmission X-member like it did before we started all this non-sense about changing transmissions. Note: We had referred to the January 2008 Newsletter re the TREMEC install in Jim Nolan's Fairlane before we started. He had not mentioned any transmission & tunnel clearance problems, other than having to cut a hole in the proper place for the shifter to come out. The only thing we can figure out is that he was mating the TREMEC to an FE and I'm doing it to a 351W small block. Rick believes that the FE's sit lower on their motor mounts than does my 351W, at least using the Butch's Rod Shop tri-angular motor mounts. We solved this issue by getting out the trusty cut-ofrf wheel and making a hole for the TREMEC to sit where it has to in order to retain the proper relationships with all the other parts. Photos attached.

JimNolan · 2012-01-21 23:34

Bob,
My transmission where you cut yours is right up against the floor. But, if I'd have brought it up as high as you did my driveshaft would be eating a hole in the rear tunnel. When I got through with the installation my fan blade was about a 1/4" closer at the bottom of the radiator than at the top. I considered that negligable for a 20" fan blade span. Your engine must surely sit higher than mine. Jim

57AGIN · 2012-01-21 23:44

Custom300Madman:

Both Rick and I have the ABS Electric Hydraulic Master Cylinders for our 57's. Primarily due to a lack of vacuum in both our engines. The master cylinder is polishe aluminum and sits in plain view, while the electric hydraulic booster pump & its accumulator are mounted out of site (Rick's under his fenderwell headers on the frame, mine on the frame under the driver seat.

We saw the ABS people in their booth at a car show in 2007 and they did look great. With no big vacuum booster and a vacuum accumulator required. They make for a very nice installation, but cost is a consideration (Mine was $700 for the system and Rick and I installed it). Here are a couple of photos.

Bob
57 AGIN

57AGIN · 2012-01-22 00:00

Jim:

My engine still slants downward toward the rear of the car and Rick & I are wondering about hood clearance issues. I didn't have any problems before doing this and haven't changed the height of the engine motor mounts, but we're still concerned. Without the fenders mounted yet it's a little too soon to tell. Tomorrow we're planning to reinstall the carburetor blower enclosure box and that may tell us something.

Here is a shot of my old Hurst shifter installed onto the TREMEC, there's plenty of clearance from the dash and I believe it will clear the bench seat, too. It looks like it will stick up higher than it did when mounted on my old T-10.

Every day we're getting closer and it's pretty exciting. Rick is already planning on how he's going to fabricate a new rounded tunnel plug and hole for the shifter mechanism to protrude. We've checked out the rear transmission mount and he's going to do mine the same way he did with the C-6 he's got mounted behind his 427 FE.

Bob
57 AGIN

512Fairlane · 2012-01-22 00:23

This car is beautiful. I hope mine turns out half this nice.

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Reassembling 57 AGIN