On a recent project, notably the 1970 Mustang Mach 1 shown elsewhere in this site, a decision was made to facilitate an easier method of engine removal and installation, as 385 series engines were never meant to be put in these cars in the first place. This “enhancement” involved the removal of the upper radiator [...]
For anyone wishing to align a car in their own space and on their own time, I have a simple solution. All one needs is a set of grease plates, also known as alignment plates, to set the car on and a simple laser pointer attached to a straight-edge. This could be a piece of [...]
This particular post deals with installing a hydraulic clutch on an old Z-bar (equalizer bar) car. The old style mechanical linkage, though reliable, has one inherent problem – it takes up too much room in the engine compartment. This is explained a bit in this post which tells about the design of Mustangs in accordance [...]
With the onset of winter in Illinois, it is time to tackle some long-running modifications to one of the constants in the shop, the old 1970 Mach 1. First allow me to explain a few inherent problems with the Mach. The biggest problem (and biggest asset interestingly) is the big 385 series 429 in the [...]
It has recently come to our attention here at Bric Rods that quite a few people do not know the visual differences between four barrel Cleveland heads and two barrel Cleveland heads for the 351. To that effect, here is a quick determination. First off, if it has an aftermarket aluminum manifold on [...]
It has come to my attention that I mentioned dialing a bellhousing without ever explaining what that is exactly, necessitating this post.
To dial in a bellhousing is to center the nose-cone hole to the center of the crankshaft rotation. To do this one can either remove the flywheel and clutch of leave it on, [...]
Today’s topic differs from some of the more ‘old school’ topics normally covered, but most of the information herein can be transferred to most Dana assemblies. The 9.25″ rear differential used in 90’s era Dodge trucks has a basic assembly, though it can prove difficult to remove. What [...]
In the interim of finding something more interesting to write about, we shall look into the removal and installatin of a manual transmission on pretty much any car. It is a fairly simple procedure, yet one that most people decide not to tackle due to the daunting nature associated with transmissions. In reality all one [...]
Today we will be looking into the theory of the power behind the engine and how to get the most bang out of a given engine. There are a few things that need to be outlined first. One is that an engine that revs higher has a greater potential for power – to a point. [...]
Where we left off was the calculations of engine displacement and combustion chamber volume along with the compression ratios of an engine. Today we shall look into the efficiency of a V8. First off we must set some basic parameters. First we know that an engine creates heat through friction and combustion- a.k.a. Fire – [...]