Now that everyone is up to date, on with the swap.

Originally I was using a Ford 9" on the factory converging trailing arm setup. This setup is full of bind, and uses rubber bushings to contend with it. There are a few ways of upgrading, and I considered many.

One is to use Johnny Joints in place of all the lower arm bushings and on the frame side of the upper trailing arm bushings. You still need rubber on the differential side though as the design requires the upper arms to grow in length when the axle is in twist.

Another is to go with a Torque Arm, remove the upper arms, and use Johnny Joints on all the lower arm bushings. This also requires either a panhard bar or a Watts Link to locate the axle. I was seriously considering this, but it requires some serious floor surgery to accommodate the torque arm.

And then I found DAZE's webpages. I've always loved the idea of an IRS, but the price of an aftermarket frame is just too much for me. I also considered the C-4 Corvette, but that big batwing mount, is a problem. Plus, the Dana 44 version is expensive!

The Jaguar seemed like a good choice, but with a fair amount of horse power and a fairly heavy car, I was afraid of the lack of upper control arm. The thinking cap stewed on this for a few months, and slowly put together a hybrid system that I think will work well. A Jaguar center, and C-4 Corvette axles, uprights, and trailing arms.

And so we are up to date. I am in the process of purchasing the Jag center, and the C-4 pieces. I hope to have all the stuff here within the next couple weeks.

And now for the questions...

Bill are you talking OEM or aftermarket urethane?

Ralphy

Very nice start on a rag top 442!  I have seen lots of 72 hard top 442's  but yours is the second convertible so far.   Was yours originally a 4spd car? The other 442 convert I know of is owned by a friend of mine and it had 60k on it when he got it at an estate sale.  You dont even want to know what he paid for it.  It is a factory super t10 4spd car with a 455 and unbelievably clean.  The man who bought it new died over 30 years ago and his widow could not drive a stick so it sat in their garage and was forgotten about. When she passed a few years ago it went up for sale.
        Your red color scheme  is far superior to the factory metalic green paint with plaid green upholstery on my friends car.  His interior is ugly but flawless.  I guess I dont like green plaid.   I know you said the teak was custom but did it have a plastic wood grain dash originally ? I am pretty sure my friends has a green dash pad with black plastic around the gauges.  His came from GM with a tachometer too.  I have no idea how rare that is on a 442 but I know my friend is damn proud of it.   
    72,  442's are a little heavy for hard cornering but if there is a will there is a way.  Damn nice work so far

Last edited by tyrellracing (8/06/2012 5:47 pm)

Thinking about it, since the frame is isolated from the body via rubber mounts, I should be able to mount the diff solidly with little worry concerning noise.

Bill

tyrellracing wrote:

72,  442's are a little heavy for hard cornering but if there is a will there is a way.  Damn nice work so far

I dunno... It should weigh in at less than 4K. Not an absolute sports car, but in line with a modern M5, CTS-V, etc. Hell, a Ferrari 575M Maranello weighs in at the 4K mark!

Like I said, it's more of a Pro-Grad Touring car! LOL

Now, once my books sell and I get rich and famous... oh wait, that was the dream I had last night. As Rosanna Rosannadanna used to say, "never mind."

Shiny Side Up!
Bill

tyrellracing wrote:

My 67 shelby GT 350 weighs in at 3375lbs wet and that is with a spartan interior as well as  the fold down rear seat replaced with a sheet of aluminum.  The fiberglass exterior parts help reduce weight as well.
      When I competed in short course racing events like auto cross it felt a little on the portly side..  More weight means bigger tires should be employed but that only goes so far.  I am sure that your 442 can be dialed in for wide sweeping turns just fine.  Its the real sharp small radius turns that make the long wheel base seem akward and the weight seem to be more of an impediment.   No insult intended,  that is just what I found to be true with my car.
     Good luck on the Rich and Famous thing,  That is something we all aspire to!

No offense taken sir!

Shiny Side Up!
Bill

tyrellracing wrote:

Safety standards today make producing feather weight cars of  years past impossible if you plan on selling them in the US.  If you look at the new vs. old vehicle weights between the Mustang, Camaro and Charger you will find the newer cars are about 1000lbs. heavier. Some of the added weight is wasted on creature comforts however the lions share is in building a safer cage type unit body.  At least they are all on a level playing field between makes as far as safety is concerned.  I would much rather hit a phone pole at 50 in a 2012 Mustang than its 1965 ancestor. 
   My point being the muscle car with a 4K lb. weight is becoming today's norm so by comparison your 442 isnt all that heavy.

Indeed... Pretty soon, new cars will be so safe we won't be allowed to drive them! LOL

Chore for today: figure out how to pack and ship a Ford 9" housing and axles.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill

xjls7 wrote:

What's the latest on your project?

Been dormant for a bit... I hope to get back to it after the new year.

Thanks for asking!
Bill