Used Race Car fun

You really need to go to a Drive Shaft or Driveline shop. Those people should beable to reconize the U-joints, and get you fixed up in short order.

When you get a used race car you do not know what parts have been replaced or repaired. Your best friend should be the guys at the local bone yard. They can be very helpfully in identify parts. As well tell you what other parts may interchange. They may be able to tell you better parts you can use in the place of some..

When I worked at AtoZ Auto Salvage, we did this for the local round track guys.

You should also make pals with the people at your local Real Parts Houses. If you do, you will find them very helpfull. Charles

Charles Bendig spilled my beer when they jumped on the table and proclaimed in

As an addition, a lot of the boneyard guys have access to an interchange book. (I forget it's name, but remember that Bigjfig has mentioned it at times)

NOI

Hollander. I owna set of the 65th Edition. Mitchell used to, and might still make some. But as far as I am concerned APD Hollender products are the only way to interchange parts. Charles one greasy thumb print will cost you 2 fingers.

I'm trying to make friends with helpful people. It's just frustrating when the part looks stock, the replacement part looks like it'll fit, but it won't and you realize you don't know why because nothing is stock or is it... argh. and you realize this when you're under the car and it's 10:30pm....

Ray :)

my biggest problem has been trying to replace broken parts like wheel studs based on what was in the car, not what's stock... and most of the local parts places are lost without their computer telling them what it is... stuff like valve cover gaskets for a 70's 305... do you REALLY need to know if the car had air conditioning? But, I'm preaching to the choir here... you get good at making it up as you go along when you KNOW what you need...

Ray

You need a machinist square, a dial caliper, and a good ruler. armed with tose and the old parts, you should get what you seek. Charles

There's a drive shaft/Drive line shop:

In Sunbury, Pa. The name is MAPCO, call 1-800-222-FORD to get the correct number for the shop, they are owned by the biggest ford dealer in NEPA. They've helped myself and many guys with odd sized U-Joints out a number of times. Especially the Turbo 350 to Turbo 400 joint, that Lakewood wants $80.00 for.

There it's $28.00.

I hope this helps?

Refinish King

PS They make custom made drive shafts and replacement 4WD drive shafts, and ship all over the world. They even made me a few PTO Shafts for wreckers.

I learned this from the school of economy drag racing:

If it can mess up, it will, when it does mess up, it will cost you twice to three more times more than expected. When you go to run it again, something else that you never expected to break will break!

750 horsepower aren't little hobby horses, they are monsters under the hood, and they control you, you never control them!

Refinish King

The Hollander Interchange Manual:

The salvage yards Bible.

Thanks for that recommendation!

Refinish King

Get Moroso Wheel studs!

They have a Rockwell hardness a bit harder than stock anyway.

I hope this helps?

Refinish King

PS As far as valve cover gaskets, a sharp parts guy will ask the amount of holes.

Plus:

Many component flanges have different U-Joint cap diameters, but the same spline count and pinion diameter if it's in the dame differential size group.

Refinish King

Charles Bendig spilled my beer when they jumped on the table and proclaimed in

Yep. That's the name I couldn't remember. (Damn my FUBARed brain)

LOL!

NOI

Ray spilled my beer when they jumped on the table and proclaimed in

Been there myself...

"But there is no listing for that engine in that year..."

NOI

Refinish King spilled my beer when they jumped on the table and proclaimed in

Amen bruddah.

NOI

Is ok. Got the right one. I don't know what it fits, but it was in the catalog... it's 1/2 67 Camaro ("small" caps external retainer) and 1/2

70's Camaro ("big" caps internal snap rings.) Only took three tries to get the right UJoint and I have the PN for when I bust it at the track again...

Ray

That's next on the upgrade plan - 5/8" racing studs. These are 1/2" and longer than stock, the problem is they need to be welded in as the pounding pops them loose. 200 laps on a "dirt"* track does that.

*it's dirt, but it's like badly rutted concrete, that's some serious hardness there... of course it's been raining non-stop for a week so I'll need mud bogger tires for the next race...

Your local to Dayton correct? You should stop by and check out the books. Ill show you how to translate the data. And don't worry, after cars, beer, women, and customers my brain is beyound fubar. Charles

All 262 thru 400 CID Small Blocks use the same valve cover gaskets untill center bolt valve covers. Go to your local speed shop and get a good set of Mr.Gasket reuseable valve cover gaskets.

If you need a set of stock car valve covers, I bought a set this weekend. 1 has 2 high vents, the other no holes at all. One of the high vent breathers is missing (a $10 part). Im going to sand blast them (they sat outside for a while from the looks of them), weld up the push rod exit hole (the reson I got them so low priced), and paint them.

If your interested Ill sell them to you for $50 plus shipping. Charles

I'm glad you got it!

Refinish King