Part 1: Do-It-Yourself 3.73 Gear Swap How-To

One of the first hot rod tricks a hot street car gets is a set of gears.  If your ‘Stang’s 8.8 inch rearend came from Ford with a set of 3.08′s or even worse, 2.73′s, the car was pretty much a DOG!  A set of 3.73′s, 3.90′s or even 4.10′s really wakes ‘em up.  Don’t throw away those 2.73′s though, you may wanna go for a run down the Salt.  haha

Here is “Calera Kid” himself doing a burnout at the now defunct L.A.C.R. drag strip.  This was taken at the “Hang Over Nationals” in 2002.  Anyone ever hit the Hang Overs at Palmdale?

“Sally” has run a best time of 12.85 seconds at 106mph at Famoso with 4.10′s.  Eventually the plan is to replace the stock ported E7 heads for the GT40P heads and the stock cam with a higher lift unit.  For now, a set of Ford Racing 3.73 ratio Ring and Pinion from AmericanMuscle.com might allow the low revving stock head/cam “five oh” motor to utilize the good torque with a set of 3.73′s.

If you’re a “do it yourself” hot rodder, here’s the step by step instructions for the swap.  Part 1 will focus on the removal of the 3.90′s currently in the car.  Also, we’ll point out some of the home-brewed rear suspension tricks.

First, get your car up on jackstands and remove the rear wheels.  Then remove  the two rear brake caliper bolts (13mm) on each side.  You can see at one point the stock calipers were painted red.  Also, note the stock catback.  Honestly, the Ford Small Block with the stock catback and mufflers when combined with a nice offroad x or h pipe is one of THE best sounding engines on the planet.

To finish removing the calipers, remove the two 15mm bolts for the caliper mounting bracket.  Note the Lakewood 50/50 rear drag shocks.  Yep, this SN95 Mustang ran 12′s with basically the stock suspension front and rear.  The front struts are stock, just unbolted from the top to allow more travel (yikes!).

Here’s the hall-effects sensor for the anti-lock braking system.  This needs to be removed.

To remove the sensor, simply remove the small bolt on the opposite side.

Next, you’ll want to drain the diff oil and remove the rear cover.  Sorry no pics of that step.

With the rear cover off you can see the ring gear.  Remove the spider gear shaft, its a 5/16″ socket.  In this picture you can see a hint of the Eaton posi (with carbon fiber clutches) unit that has over 100,000 miles on it.  This was one of the most important parts we installed that allowed ”Sally” to use the 8″ slicks and achieve a best short time (that’s the first 60ft for the drag noobies) of 1.72 seconds.

Push the axle in so that the C-clip can be removed.

Here is a view of the C-clip removed.

Now pry the diff and ring gear reward (out the back of the housing) and save the left and right shims.  Identify the shims as left and right, you’ll need them later and will want to keep left and right separate.

Hold the driveshaft flange and remove the pinion nut.  Dig this homemade tool utilizing a long pipe welded to a piece of steel sheet with holes drilled.  “Big B” the breaker bar is also a necessity.

Now you can tap the flange off and push the pinion out of the rearend.

Pull the pinion gear out of the rearend case.  Dig the ARP studs for added strength.  Also, note here the pinion spacer shim pack that was purchased separately.  This is not a crush sleeve type, which is what the Ford Racing gear set came with.  The spacer shim pack is much easier to work with compared to the crush sleeve type.

The pinion gear assembly with its spacer shim pack for bearing preload.

Now, you can remove the 10 bolts from the ring gear and then tap the ring gear off.

It is very highly recommended that you use a gear set with the shim and spacer setup.  The crush sleeve is a big pain to get the bearing pre-load just right.  The Ford Racing gear set from AmericanMuscle.com is a quality piece.

Stay tuned for Part 2 where we’ll show you the detailed instructions and pictures for installing the new 3.73 ring and pinion in the Mustangs 8.8″ rearend.

For those who’ve done their own gear changes, let us know what helpful hints you may have for removal and installation.

Hechtspeed

Goodguys Giveaway Boss Snake…Hsssssssssssss

Had to share some pictures of this year’s Goodguys giveaway car.

I’m working on a story about last years winner. The guy was in Equador when a buddy pulled the winning key. Funniest thing is that same friend qualified to win THIS car in November at our home show in Scottsdale.

So check out the “Boss Snake”.  We caught a glimpse of the Snake in Scottsdale for the first annual Spring Nationals where the RPM Hot Rods guys and another magazine were shooting. We snaked (haha) the picture in that sweet AZ sunset light. My man Swanee’s every bit as good as Ken’s shots below. Here’s some more info:

Goodguys 2010 Grand Prize Giveaway BOSS SNAKE

Bay Area photographer Ken Phuong (www.spotninestudio.com) stopped by the Goodguys world Headquarters last week to photograph the all mighty BOSS SNAKE 2010 Grand Prize Giveaway Car. The photos will appear in a future issue of the Goodtimes Gazette but we wanted to give our loyal web readers a sneak peak at just how awesome this car really is!

Built completely in house by RPM Hot Rods (rpm-hotrods.com) and designed by Kaucher Kustoms , The BOSS SNAKE features a 770 horsepower Jon Kaase built 520 cubic inch Boss Hemi,  Ride Tech suspension featuring Chris Alston components, PPG Goodguys Yellow Paint, Custom one off Intro Wheels, Baer 6 piston brakes with 14 inch rotors, Classic Instruments Gauges, Custom Interior by RPM, Custom exhaust by RPM and Stainless Works, Custom Flowmaster stainless exhaust, a Tremec Magnum 6 speed transmission, Centerforce clutch and hundreds of intricately fabricated parts and pieces by RPM.

How do you win this car? Click here for complete giveaway contest rules!

Shelby 350H – Unrestored and 30 Years Racing

It’s easy to like iconic muscle cars like a Mustang, especially when it’s a true Shelby. Add to that it’s an original Hertz Shelby and I’m a little more curious. Without much effort, I can see a young man strolling up the Hertz counter (long before internet reservations!) and asking for a 1966 Mustang GT 350H.  “Yes, I would like the optional insurance.”

If you’ve seen a perfectly restored 350H or any Shelby Mustang, they’re obviously valuable and visually, they’re cool. You’re likely to see one a concours show or more likely at auction. But for me, (and I hope most of you) I look twice when it’s driven! I wanna hear it run! Beyond that, there’s the rarest of rare: The unrestored racing Shelby.

The first unrestored race Shelby I saw was out of pure luck. I was invited to an anniversary celebration for Bob Bondurant at the Bondurant Racing School of High Performance Driving. A treat in itself no doubt.  We drove the Mustangs he had back then (the ‘stangs were later replaced by Corvettes) then he gave an interesting talk. After, we all went outside to see a plain white trailer had pulled up and was unloading an unrestored 289 Cobra.  When I say unrestored, I mean it probably had the original oil in it from the last time Bondurant raced, and won, in it back in 19-sixty-something.  Dented, scratch and rough around the edges describes it perfectly. It even had some in-field pea gravel in the cockpit from that last race track. It was the most unique car I’ve ever seen.  Bob fired it up and took a few hot laps. I’ll never forget it.

That brings me to the second unrestored Shelby I’ve seen. I found it at the Orange County “Cruisin for a Cure” car show.  It was parked discretely in line with a few other cars. Not much to see in the plain white 66 that could use a little detailing. Most people walked right by, but I talked to the owner, Randy Gillis, when I saw the 350H on the side. Randy’s owned the car for 30 years and he’s the 3rd owner including Hertz as the first.  For that entire 30 years, he’s been racing it.
The front calipers are aluminum not the rotors. I am using the original auto trans for the car although modified as you can imagine. The rear gear is 5.29. The car weighs 2830 in it’s current configuration. Every piece of sheet metal is original to the car. No new floor pans or any thing else. Next in line is a little bigger roller cam and a trans brake to squeeze the et into the 10’s. Then the engine will be swapped for an all aluminum 374 ci Boss 302 I am now building. Only the paint work was farmed out , I’ve done all the rest myself.

The current non original hipo 289 block has been filled with a stroker crank which gives 331 ci. This engine was first built with the Tunnel Port 302 heads but later were replaced by Edelbrock Victor Jrs. I use the Trans Am dual four barrel intake and a roller cam. The best time with this engine is 11.15@120 mph. The best ever was 10.75@125 with a stroked (351ci) Boss 302. A host of Ford experimental parts like the GT40 distributor and damper and experimental carb. There’s also some lightweight goodies like aluminum front calipers and he’s even got the original 1965 Cure-Ride 90/10 up-lock front shocks.

Randy sent over an update for the story and added this:

I am using the original auto trans for the car although modified as you can imagine. Next in line is a little bigger roller cam and a trans brake to squeeze the ET into the 10’s with the 5.29 rear gear and the car’s weight at 2830 lbs. Then the engine will be swapped for an all aluminum 374 ci Boss 302 I am now building.  Every piece of sheet metal is original to the car. No new floor pans or any thing else. Only the paint work was farmed out, I’ve done all the rest myself.

Yea, this Shelby was a outta place at the car show. It didn’t belong in a museum or tucked away in a private collectors garage. It belongs at the track and I bet that’ll be the next place I see it, if I’m that lucky again. Thanks Randy! This car is, My Ride is Me!

Please leave your comments on this story below.

How-To: Bullitt Gas Cap On A Late Model Mustang

Leave a comment below… Why should you win? That’s all there is to it!

Want to add a little “Frank Bullitt” style to your late model Mustang?  AmericanMuscle has just the accessory for you!  The slick looking aluminum Bullitt gas cap is the first modification you need before you start jumping your ‘stang on the streets of San Fran’ a la Steve McQueen.

MyRideisMe.com provides the installation guide of a Bullitt gas cap on a 1994 Dark Green Mustang GT (McQueen would dig it!).  The Mustang you see here might look subtle but it packs a punch at the dragstrip, with its horseman banging the gears to a best of 12.85 @ 106mph on 8″ slicks and stock motor and cam.  This Bullitt gas cap will let those Camaros know this is no ordinary pony.

Follow along as we take you through the installation.  It’s very straight forward and can be done by a novice with simple hand tools in about 30-45 minutes.

Step 1: Open the box and make sure everything is accounted for and in good shape (nuts, studs, lock nuts, washers, magnets, cap and ring).  AmericanMuscle is pretty good about getting you a good unit if yours happened to be damaged or missing a component (ours was missing one of the magnets).

Step 2: Here’s the tools you’ll need;  T-20 Torx bit, 7mm wrench and socket/ratchet, allen set and a file/sandpaper/dremel.

Step 3: Remove the 2 Torx head bolts from the stock cap which attach the cap to the body and you’re ready for the Bullitt cap.

Step 4: Using the allen wrench, remove the investment cast hooks from the bullet cap.  They’ll need to be turned around 180 degrees and reinstalled onto the car/cap.  Our hooks required very minor deburring of the castings where the pins eject the part out of the mold.

Step 5:  Remove the “bumpers” with the T-20 torx bit, trim the bumpers just above the bolt head as seen in this picture (cut or grind about 3/16 ” off the end).

Step 6:  Slip the unit into place, put the studs in stock holes and re-attach the cast aluminum hooks and tighten with the allen wrench.

Step 7:  Install stock gas tank cap plastic lanyard first, then a washer, followed by the nut, then the lock nut using a 7mm socket /ratchet.

Step 8:  Finally tighten the lower stud using a 7mm wrench.  This takes a minute or two because there’s limited access.  Just take your time here and patience will pay off shortly.

The install is short and sweet and gives your Mustang a slick, purposeful look.  Steve McQueen would be proud!  Get your Bullitt gas cap at AmericanMuscle today.

Hechtspeed

Small Town USA Car Shows: The Future of Hotrodding

 

 

The Bountiful, Utah “Coats For Kids” Car Show was just another example of small town USA and the car nuts that make up this great hobby/pastime. 

Personally, I think its crucial that towns big and small keep hotrodding alive and passing the automotive genes onto the next generation by supporting and putting on car shows and cruise-ins like this one in downtown Bountiful, Utah. 

 

 

 

 

Looking over these pictures again, I thought about how events like this create a sense of community and make family memories for years to come.  Nothing more american, or human, than a good car show with your friends and family. 

 

Here are some of my favorite pictures I took while hanging with my family.  How else can you teach your kid to hang his arm out the window like a true hotrodder than by owning a ’32 roadster?  How else will he know what a 4bbl carbed big block V8 sounds like unless he can stand next to it and feel the ground shake! 

Shoot me an email at hechtspeed@myrideisme.com and I’ll post up your “small town USA” car show pics and info.  Let’s keep this hobby alive and growing.  My sons should be restoring a 2005 Mustang GT or a 2008 Challenger in about 25 years as long as I keep taking them to car shows and working on project cars in the garage with them right?!  Right! 

When is the next car show?!

Hechtspeed

« Previous Page — Next Page »