RIBS 71 convertible build JUNE 21 till??

[RIBS]

I spent the last few days making custom brackets for the aluminum radiator, it was supposed to be a direct fit but was not. So in the last few days I got the carburetor and fuel system including fuel pump done, Put in the new radiator, hoses, thermostat. Remounted fan shroud. I also hooked up all the Engine wiring and vacuum, and replace the power brake booster vacuum line. On the intake I installed new heater hose neck, put new plugs in all the accessory holes cleaned everything, painted everything and put it back together with Fel-Pro gasket.

The hardest part was actually the bypass hose and upper radiator hose, apparently the Fel-Pro gaskets are thinner than whatever was on there and when I put it together the thermostat housing and upper radiator neck was touching the water pump and I could not get the hose on, and it was too close to the bypass hose to get the bypass hose on its lower amount. My solution finally was I had another thermostat housing in the basement so I ground it down a little bit to give clearance by the water pump. It was also an inch longer which allowed the radiator hose clamp to not be in the way of the bypass hose and clamps. I’ll post pictures later! It only took five hours To get the upper radiator hose on!

 

[RIBS]

Pictures…refinished all the front frame except for areas blocked by suspension or wiring.(those are next projests)

 

[RIBS]

Various engine, cooling, carb and intake refresh pics, extra wiring ties into new AAW harness…

 

[RIBS]

More exciting stuff. Custom brackets, painted fan assembly & battery tray.

 

[RIBS]

Fun closeups of new and old thermostat cover…what a PIA, old one did not have clearance for hoses after intake remount, had to tear it out….

 

[RIBS]

I have to do a little touch up, final assembly, and attempt to start it up tomorrow.

 

[mjseakan]

@RIBS,
I have a few questions about your kickdown rod setup. It looks like you have an Edelbrock Performer 289 intake and a 1406 carb. I have the same setup but with a taller spacer between the carb and manifold. I have yet to reinstall the kickdown because it doesn't reach anymore. I've been contemplating something like what you've done for quite a while but I've never been able to pull the trigger. Your pictures have inspired me to give it a shot.

My questions are:
Regarding the extension connecting the rod to the carb linkage it looks like you've drilled a second hole in the rod to mount the extension to it to keep it from moving up and down. Is this true?
Did you have to extend the kickdown rod on the tranny end too? If so, did you use the same method?
Did you remove the bushing(s) from the end(s) of the rod?
Did you add bushing(s) to the extensions?
And lastly:
What, exactly, is the extension made from?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[RIBS]

@RIBS,
I have a few questions about your kickdown rod setup. It looks like you have an Edelbrock Performer 289 intake and a 1406 carb. I have the same setup but with a taller spacer between the carb and manifold. I have yet to reinstall the kickdown because it doesn't reach anymore. I've been contemplating something like what you've done for quite a while but I've never been able to pull the trigger. Your pictures have inspired me to give it a shot.

My questions are:
Regarding the extension connecting the rod to the carb linkage it looks like you've drilled a second hole in the rod to mount the extension to it to keep it from moving up and down. Is this true?
Did you have to extend the kickdown rod on the tranny end too? If so, did you use the same method?
Did you remove the bushing(s) from the end(s) of the rod?
Did you add bushing(s) to the extensions?
And lastly:
What, exactly, is the extension made from?

Thanks,
Mike

Hi Mike, it’s complicated. My Edelbrock is a 1405, and yes a performer 289 intake. I found Edelbrock’s parts to be lacking and not fitting, so some of my work is custom. Edelbrock makes a throttle cable adapter which is basically an L-shaped piece of metal and it is useless, they also make a linkage piece to connect the kick down rod to the carb and throttle cable and that is pretty much required. They also make a kick down extension kit which you can buy or you can hand make one. I handmade the one you see. The biggest issue for me was by the time you insert the kick down adapter into the linkage it pushes the throttle cable all the way out over the valve cover, and I have not found any throttle cable adapter designed to mount a throttle cable in that position, so I had my brother and make me one. It’s not perfect but his welding skills were adequate. The silver spring you see going forward of the throttle assembly is part of the kickdown linkage assembly, it’s included in that kit. My kick down Rod mount extension is hand made out of aluminum bar stock, I drilled several holes in it because I wasn’t sure what length they needed. Eventually I will cut off what’s not needed, I assembled it by hammering the kick down rod flat long enough to drill a couple holes in it to mount the aluminum bar. Regarding the kick down rod bushings, the transmission and it is intact and Stock.. The upper bushing is not used because the screws extend the cake downrod to the linkage, there I just drilled the correct size hole to slip over the linkage. The transmission end no changes were required, The clip used to hold the kick down rod to the carburetor linkage I believe it’s the same clip that’s used on the transmission side, it doesn’t really fit but I made it work. Due to the shape of the kick down rod, I had to be careful when designing my throttle Cable mount to give clearance for the kick downrod. Let me know if you have questions or need any additional clarification.

If you don’t want to sort of rig it like this the other option apparently is row car cable adapters to replace the kick down and the throttle. I priced it out and with all the required parts and required gas pedal replacement it was over $500.

 

[mjseakan]

Thanks for the reply.

I've got all of the linkage and spring already hooked up just waiting to have the rod connected to it. I had issues with the Edelbrock supplied throttle adapter and fabricated something that works pretty well. The cable doesn't come out over the valve cover as far as yours does but it is mounted a little taller I think. It might interfere with the kickdown rod but it has enough meat to trim it down some. I priced out the Lokar throttle and kickdown cables, they are pretty pricey.
The additional pictures you sent helped quite a bit with answering my questions. I think I'm going to give this a shot.

Thanks again,
Mike

 

[RIBS]

Thanks for the reply.

I've got all of the linkage and spring already hooked up just waiting to have the rod connected to it. I had issues with the Edelbrock supplied throttle adapter and fabricated something that works pretty well. The cable doesn't come out over the valve cover as far as yours does but it is mounted a little taller I think. It might interfere with the kickdown rod but it has enough meat to trim it down some. I priced out the Lokar throttle and kickdown cables, they are pretty pricey.
The additional pictures you sent helped quite a bit with answering my questions. I think I'm going to give this a shot.

Thanks again,
Mike

Should be as easy as cutting and drilling some aluminum bar stock and hammering flat enough of the kick down tube to secure the extension. And securing the rod to linkage…

 

[RIBS]

Should be as easy as cutting and drilling some aluminum bar stock and hammering flat enough of the kick down tube to secure the extension. And securing the rod to linkage…

I would love to see pictures of yours, maybe you have a better setup than me!

 

[RIBS]

Purrs like a baby after work. The only problem is brand new petcock from rock auto is defective and leaking. I’ll have to replace that.

 

[mjseakan]

I would love to see pictures of yours, maybe you have a better setup than me!

I don't think it's better, just different.
I managed to use the original throttle cable mount with an extension similar to what you did with the kickdown rod.

 

[RIBS]

I don't think it's better, just different.
I managed to use the original throttle cable mount with an extension similar to what you did with the kickdown rod.

Thanks, I think I tried that once and my kick down was binding.

 

[mjseakan]

Worrying about the kickdown rod binding is what's been stopping me from putting it back together. I've considered getting a custom rod made one from kickdownrods.com ($115.00) but they're not taking new orders until April.

I'm hoping adding an extension the way you did might push the drop down back far enough to where it doesn't bind. Maybe that and a little grinding down of the throttle cable mount could do the trick. Hopefully the weather here will get above freezing soon and I can see what happens.

Thanks for your input.
Mike

 

[Sheriff41]

Have you looked at Lokar kickdown cables? https://www.lokar.com/assets/instructions/INS0007-FordC4C6-KickdownKit.pdf

 

[RIBS]

Have you looked at Lokar kickdown cables? https://www.lokar.com/assets/instructions/INS0007-FordC4C6-KickdownKit.pdf

For me, too much $$$ for now…it was about $500 to get kickdown, throttle cable, brackets and required gas pedal. Maybe a future upgrade…

 

[mjseakan]

I ordered (and returned) just the kickdown cable from Lokar. I couldn't get it work without replacing the accelerator cable and all of the brackets. That was more than I wanted to do since it's pretty pricey and everything else was working fine.
If I can't modify the existing the existing kickdown to work I'm going to order custom one.
Mike

 

[RIBS]

I am starting to strip the front suspension and rebuild with new parts this weekend. Wish me luck!

 

[timachone]

I am starting to strip the front suspension and rebuild with new parts this weekend. Wish me luck!

Good luck Hope all will go off well !