Green '71 Frame Off Mild Build

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I had to move the front axle back one inch to clear the pitman arm.

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Now I have more than an inch of clearance where before the pitman arm rod end just kissed the tie rod.

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Doors, roll bar, and passanger seat as well as seat belts installed.

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Here is a problem I had since I bought my 40. The windshield doesn't line up to the doors. The windshield appears to be leaning at the correct angle. The spacers are tight where the knobs screw in. I can't force it further back if I remove the spacers because the gasket at the base of the windshield won't compress more.

What would cause this? How to fix it?

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I'll have to pull the dash pad back off and show the spacers, etc.
 
This morning I removed the dash pad and windshield knob spacers. I was still unable to tighten the knobs further. I loosened the screws on the lower hinge half and then tightened the knobs more so that the windshield frame to door gap is consistent. Then I tightened the hinge screws. Looks like there was enough slop in the captured nuts to allow this. I had to add some washers under the knob heads because there wasn't enough thread on the bolts.

I will loosen the windshield knobs and retighten again tomorrow to be sure it goes back to this new position before I trim the spacers to fit and reinstall the dash pad. I'll shoot some pics tomorrow to show what I am talking about. I suspect that the hard top will have a gap at the top now. I'll deal with that as I rebuild the hard top later on.
 
I gotta agree with Tor, Steve. You've invested so much time, effort, money and talent into that, one has to wonder if you can afford the mental anguish you'll go through out there in the back 40 acres.

Just need to look over any vehicle that's been out there. Paint is just the beginning of where your expectations should be checked at the door.

You've got it all up to caliber for the trails, but they see you coming!!

:popcorn:
 
I had previously installed a set of bolts facing back through the cross member, but because i have flipped 60 springs this wouldn't work. The upper mount was 1 1/4" too far forward.

Fabbed and installed rear upper shock mounts. While cutting out the steel with a cutoff wheel I ended up setting my sweatshirt on fire. :eek: Put on my welding apron for the rest of the work.

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If you pull on the top of the windshield frame can you close that gap? My guess is that the hard top would pull it into position. That or the over door pieces that are on the factory soft top. The dash knobs are so close to the pivot point of the windshield frame that they really can't pull it down that hard, not to mention they are pretty flimsy brackets.
 
srgould41 said:
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I noticed that your plug wires go around the steering shaft and over the manifolds. The original wiring on many V8s that came with Rams horn manifolds went down the rear of the block and under the manifolds. I don't know if that's something you've seen before or would want to change. I can see if I can dig up a picture of the 69 Bel Air 350 that's in my 40 if you're interested.

Post #8 in this thread has some old pics of mine:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-seri...id-you-use-ramhorn-manifolds-pics-please.html
 
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If I take out the spacers I can pull it in place. Which is what I actually did. I set the gap without the spacers and then trimmed about 1/8" off of them to get a snug fit. The windshield is now back in place with a good gap. I have to really tighten the knobs hard, though. I suspect they will break in short order.

MOTOV8R said:
If you pull on the top of the windshield frame can you close that gap? My guess is that the hard top would pull it into position. That or the over door pieces that are on the factory soft top. The dash knobs are so close to the pivot point of the windshield frame that they really can't pull it down that hard, not to mention they are pretty flimsy brackets.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the pics with the plug wires, guys. Much cleaner routing for sure. Mine are in the way when I work on the engine. Next time I have to buy wires I'll look into a set for a Bel Air.
 
they dont have to be vechicle specific, but MSD ,Accell.all the top wire manufacturers offer kits that you cut and fit to YOUR specs. and they come with the crimping tool, which is just a hard pice of machined poly...
 
I've read about them, just never considered those. Not a bad idea. I don't have heat shields either, never even knew there were some for rams horns.

How do you guys with rams horns lock the bolts in place?

burnttoastburgos said:
they dont have to be vechicle specific, but MSD ,Accell.all the top wire manufacturers offer kits that you cut and fit to YOUR specs. and they come with the crimping tool, which is just a hard pice of machined poly...
Click to expand...
 
if youre referencing the actual bolt through the manifold....hardened allens

As for heat shields, they are just sleeves in various sizes check it out:

Search Results for heat sleeve - SummitRacing.com

I use this on everything that is within a few inches of the exhaust, or anything that has potential for burning. ie:brake lines, fuel lines, electrical
 
Re Bel Air wires

srgould41 said:
Thanks for the pics with the plug wires, guys. Much cleaner routing for sure. Mine are in the way when I work on the engine. Next time I have to buy wires I'll look into a set for a Bel Air.
Click to expand...

Bel Air had points distributor stock. You'll need to get some custom wires not just stock. I'm sure there are wire sets made for Ram Horn manifolds and HEI. The ones you put ends on will also work.
:cheers:
 
srgould41 said:
I've read about them, just never considered those. Not a bad idea. I don't have heat shields either, never even knew there were some for rams horns.

How do you guys with rams horns lock the bolts in place?
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The heat shields are stock, with modern wires I don't know that they're needed. The bolts on mine locked in place with a metal strip that folds up the side of the bolt... Again OE from Sept 69. As far as I know, my drivers side manifold has been on the head since the day it left the factory. :hillbilly: I had to pull the passenger side when I had a couple of studs extracted.
 
srgould41 said:
I like the custom idea next time.

Hey, next time I'm up in Victoria I'll have to look you up!
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Yeah, drop me a line if you're coming to town.:D

Hey, we should compare notes and swap parts... Some 40 stuff isn't hard to find around here.
 
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Hmmm. Not a bad idea about parts. At the moment I am selling off all the parts I won't be using. About the only thing I need now is to rebuild my hard top. I am not sure it's worth the effort as the sides are badly rusted at the bottom and top and the drip rail is too far gone to repair.

Maybe over the summer, when my 40 is trail worthy, I can bring it over on the ferry and you can show me some local trails and then vice versa. Maybe I can talk some club members (seattlecruiserheads) into it also. :)

bikersmurf said:
Yeah, drop me a line if you're coming to town.:D

Hey, we should compare notes and swap parts... Some 40 stuff isn't hard to find around here.
Click to expand...
 
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