After 15+ years of it sitting there, I am finally in a position where I can restart my 64 Fairlane project. I bought the car for $125, as a non-runner, blue sedan 2 door, with a 170in-line 6, 3 speed trans, and Flintstone floorboards. It started out as fix the floorboards, and get it running as a daily driver. Then the project grew. Add a small block with some headers, a T5 trans,a posi, some bigger wheels, disk brakes in the front, etc.,etc.
When the project stalled in 2003, I had completely removed everything off the front end. Fixed most of the rust from the cowl forward. Installed Granada spindles and disk brake rotors. Boxed the lower control arms, and beefed up the point where the anti-sway bar connects. Rebuilt a 302/ Cut the shock towers down, and then it sat in storage. The biggest reason was that I was doing the work in my brother's garage, and he wanted it back.
In the last 15 years I haven't been able to do any work on the car, but was able to get some tools, toolboxes, a mig welder and air compressor. I'm currently finishing getting the insulation done in the garage so I can install a furnace next month, and then start actually working on the car. I have most of the parts need to finish the project, and am planning on tackling the floors and frame rails first. Once that's done, get the rest of the bodywork done, get it painted, and put it back together.
When I'm done, I'd like to have something I can drive daily, if I feel like it,and put around 300hp. So until the body is done, I'm planning on what to do with the rest of the car. Since the 302 has been sitting for all this time, I'm tearing it down completely before it goes into the car. If 300hp is my goal, should I be looking at a stroker kit? The 302 is bored .40 over, stock crank & pistons, with Windsor Jr heads and a mild cam (I need to see if I can find the cam card for it).
I had a pretty good idea of where I was headed with this project all those years ago, but after all this time, aftermarket vendors have come and gone, and I'm not sure that the plans I had 15+ years ago make sense now. Back then, granada spindles were your only option to ditch the front drums. Years later I see that I might have created an unwanted bump steer issue. It also has me rethinking everything else I planned, and wondering if i should be reconsidering anything else. I would love to hear your expereinces.
Hopefully I'll be able to start posting pictures in the near future.
GregG
When the project stalled in 2003, I had completely removed everything off the front end. Fixed most of the rust from the cowl forward. Installed Granada spindles and disk brake rotors. Boxed the lower control arms, and beefed up the point where the anti-sway bar connects. Rebuilt a 302/ Cut the shock towers down, and then it sat in storage. The biggest reason was that I was doing the work in my brother's garage, and he wanted it back.
In the last 15 years I haven't been able to do any work on the car, but was able to get some tools, toolboxes, a mig welder and air compressor. I'm currently finishing getting the insulation done in the garage so I can install a furnace next month, and then start actually working on the car. I have most of the parts need to finish the project, and am planning on tackling the floors and frame rails first. Once that's done, get the rest of the bodywork done, get it painted, and put it back together.
When I'm done, I'd like to have something I can drive daily, if I feel like it,and put around 300hp. So until the body is done, I'm planning on what to do with the rest of the car. Since the 302 has been sitting for all this time, I'm tearing it down completely before it goes into the car. If 300hp is my goal, should I be looking at a stroker kit? The 302 is bored .40 over, stock crank & pistons, with Windsor Jr heads and a mild cam (I need to see if I can find the cam card for it).
I had a pretty good idea of where I was headed with this project all those years ago, but after all this time, aftermarket vendors have come and gone, and I'm not sure that the plans I had 15+ years ago make sense now. Back then, granada spindles were your only option to ditch the front drums. Years later I see that I might have created an unwanted bump steer issue. It also has me rethinking everything else I planned, and wondering if i should be reconsidering anything else. I would love to hear your expereinces.
Hopefully I'll be able to start posting pictures in the near future.
GregG
