Project 302 update

[robhaerr]

Rich...

I hope to have more photos/video soon...you will really like the bracket that Bobby Walden made for the steering column that bolts to the chassis...piece of artwork that uses the bracket that came with the S&T Fabrications kit, but he built onto it.

Rob

[robhaerr]

Hey All...

A quick view at some Walden Speed Shop custom artwork displayed in the wagon. I wanted to get this on video because the next time I see it, the front end will be reassembled. This shows the bracket that was made to hold the steering column in place nice and solid. Bobby and his guys added the column support to the bracket that came with the S&T Fabrications rack and pinion kit...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fy95Fx83Cdg

[512Fairlane]

Looking very good there.

[RICH MUISE]

Nice setup..thanks for the pics. I was going to fab a heavy plate to replace the sheetmetal "big hole filler", to have something to attach a firewall type column support...not sure which way I'll go now.
Rob, do you know if they kept the S & T bracket/bearing support part of it in the as-designed location, or if they altered the location.
Rich

[robhaerr]

Rich...

I believe they kept that location the same. But after looking at the photos on the S&T Fabrications site and the photos I took...Bobby and his guys may have made a whole new bracket...but I thought they just added the column support to the one pictured on the left at the bottom of this page...
http://www.stfabrications.herobo.com/index.php?page=Product

I honestly don't know for sure. I don't know if the brackets S&T shipped to me are exactly like the ones in the photo on their site. It does look like the u-joint positioning is a tad different. I hope there is no binding on mine, naturally. I am still using the 57 stock column and the location of the column coming out of the firewall is not changing. One of the guys told me that it is not all tightened down yet.

I will be gone for the next week, so I won't be able to get the progression of the new sway front and rear sway bars and assembly on video. I am also somewhat concerned about ride height, but Bobby tells me not to worry. I bought new 2" drop coils from Eaton to replace the old cut coils. Eaton got all the correct info reagrding a 302/auto/no AC...so fingers are crossed. I did like the ride height I had. Eaton said to return them if I need more drop and they will adjust. I don't really want to be shipping springs back and forth. The option of Aerostar springs and other options are around. Bobby sounds confident and he certainly knows what he is doing.

Needless to say...looking forward to getting the reassembled wagon back to my garage so my buddy and I can get the engine running. This wagon should drive "like a slot car", according to Bobby Walden. Hope that's the case with no major bullets to dodge!

Rob

[gasman826]

Nice video and pictures of the steering shaft and u-joint support.  Tough pictures to get once the inner fenders go on.  The u-joint support bracket was a very frustrating bracket to get right.  You just don't know until you mock it up and rotate the shaft to test for bind.  With the variations in manufacturering, rack placement, body placement, steering column placement, cut length of the column,  that bracket almost needs to be custom for every application.

[Ford Blue blood]

I am of the opinion the bearing needs to be moved closer to the double joint to relieve the stress on the u-joint on the column.  The end of the double joint needs to be firmly anchored to prevent binding.  If the photos represent the real location it is over center to the column side of the shaft.

I had this same discussion with RAWms (a now passed member building a Yellow Ranchero) about the location of his support bearing.  In talking with him it felt fine with the car in the air and on the ground in his garage.  Got the engine in and most of the front sheet metal and it turned into a couple of "lumpy" spots (his words) turning lock to lock.  Unfortunately he unexpectedly passed away (age 62) before we were able to get together again on the problem.  Now is the time to look really hard at this and talk to folks at Flaming River or Borgeson.

[512Fairlane]

Did they shorten the length of the column?  I thought these kits required taking some length out of the column to get the angle of the double joint correct.  Those double joints can be a pain to get right and if they aren't right you will have a tight spot.  I think 70 degrees is the maximum angle they can make between shafts.  We battled the intermediate shaft for a long time on my 64 Fairlane when we did a rack conversion.  I'm sure your chassis guy knows all about that though.  Doesn't look like this is his first rodeo.  Looking good.

[RICH MUISE]

I was curious because of the way the input shaft on the rack leans to the front of the car to me makes a smooth connection more difficult. Sparky has made a bunch of these racks for the '57's and at this point I'm 100% confident what he sent will work without modifications...in fact my application should be easier than most because the Mustang steering column I'm using has several joints on the inside side of the firewall, so I've got more leeway on where my column can exit the firewall, and at the angle it exits at.

[robhaerr]

It's great to read your responses!

I don't know if what you are seeing in the photos/video the final set-up. Bobby was not at the shop when I dropped by and fabricator Matt was busy with another customer project at the moment, so I just took my pictures and left after saying hello. He did say it wasn't all "tightened down yet"...meaning it is not done.

That angle on the double-joint looks concerning...but I am confident it will be working properly. The more I see at Walden Speed Shop, the more I am impressed. From the work I see to the people I see dropping by...and the way the treat me...someone without the deep pockets of their other clients. It refreshing to get great attention without the feeling that I am bothering them. They have slipped into having fun with my "Project 302" video series, as silly as it is.

Rob

[gasman826]

I also experienced Blue Blood's binding issue.  There must be adjustment in the shaft support.  After final assembly, added weight, the frame settles, the body shifts, the moon's gravitational pull, final adjustment may be required to the shaft support.  As far as locating the shaft support as close as possible to the double joint to relieve load on the single joint, my support bearing is closer to the double that the single joint.  I have only 10K miles on mine with no measurable joint stress and no steering column lower bearing wear.  After assembly, I adjust in once and have not touched it since.

[Frankenstein57]

One thing we learned racing is to index the universal  joints, in other words they can't line up the same.   Mark

[RICH MUISE]

Rob...Any updates?

[robhaerr]

Rich...

Yep! But...I am having technical issues with the video processing. I am stumped.

Here are a few photos from yesterday...front suspension reassembled with front and rear sway bars, drive shaft installed. Still need to install power steering pump and other details before putting the front end back on.

The car will be back at my house to get the engine running...thanks for asking!

Bobby Walden and Chip Foose are on the cover of the up-coming Street Rodder, and Walden Speed Shop is having their annual open house on June 15. I am actually sorta hoping Bobby won't be done with the 'wagon and the car stays on the lift for the open house. That would mean a few photos of the 'wagon in the background in a few magazines! We'll see...he says he really needs to start cleaning up the shop to make room for the open house....but he does like the idea of having "a late model" in his shop of '32 Fords for the event. I wouldn't have time to get the motor running to have it at the open house if I get it back beforehand.
http://www.waldenspeedshop.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walden.speedshop

Bobby is very pleased with the progress, and he is saying this thing will handle like a friggin' slot car/Ferrari. Maybe I should have stepped up the horsepower! It'll be a nice grocery-gettin' cruiser.


Cheers!
Rob

[robhaerr]

OK...figured out the video issue...so here is a Project 302 video update. It really doesn't show much more than the photos I posted above...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbTteNiObbI&feature=g-upl

Rob