Tonight I cleaned up the column then primed and painted it. I removed the Zbar and the drivers side header without dropping the R&P (Yay!). Applied UltraBlack RTV to header and am letting it cure overnight per Sanderson’s recommendation. Reconnected the wires I cut to pull the column (these were circuits I added for fuel injection). On the road tomorrow so I’m done tonight after getting some dinner. Spacer bushings arrive tomorrow but I have customer dinner plans. Wednesday!
Lifted the engine 1” with spacers from McMaster Carr. Great header clearance now! Reinstalled the Zbar and had to lift it as well. Got all we Zbar pieces (lube felts, plastic spherical bushings, and clips) from my local NPD as well as a new clutch rod rubber bellows. Tonight I’ll lock down the rack, reinstall the column and torque the rack to spec. Tomorrow after local C&C I’ll reinstall the driveshaft, plumb the PS lines to the PS pump and rack, and eyeball the tie rod ends. I also need to pull the passenger side long tube and reinstall the new shorty header. A final review of all front end fasteners then get her to the shop for custom exhaust work Monday.
You are a busy guy, & will be cruising in style in no time!
Well two steps forward and three steps back. I installed the column and the now lifted Zbar hit the steering shaft. Took some tine to think of options and today created a bracket to lower the engine mounting point the 1” I lifted the engine. I need to get some fasteners and scuff and paint it before I mount it but it will lock in place around some features on the block to keep it from rotating. I made it out of Unistrut steel channel so it is plenty rigid. Once it is in place I’ll finish the steering column mount after cutting the shaft down slightly. Passenger header is in and I got the 90 degree hydraulic fittings I need to finish the PS line connections. I’ll fill the trans and rear-end tonight and work on brake line replacement tomorrow after taking the kids to the water park.
As always pictures to follow.
Well, almost a month later and I HOPE to have the car back tomorrow from the shop that is doing the alignment and exhaust work. Sanderson shorty headers went in and fit after raising the engine. New aluminum MC, proportioning valve, and brake lines went in with some work. Steering column went back in and the car was taken to the shop. I’ve got two weeks to the Woodward Dream Cruise and once this work is done, it’s detailing and bits and pieces kind of work. After the driving season is over I’ll drop the trans and original rear end and make that swap.
I’ve been enjoying my new-to-me 1973 Harley-Davidson custom bobber a bit with the good weather too! 
Pics as promised
Motor mount spacers
Header clearance to steering shaft u-joints after lifting engine
Lots of traffic at this inersection-clutch linkage, steering shaft, exhaust. I cut the shaft before reinstalling.
Z-bar drop bracket 1
Z-bar drop bracket installed
Master cylinder and proportioning valve shots
I finished up my spare tire mount as well.
To the exhaust shop!
Exhaust done. Brakes done. Alignment done. Picking it up tonight for first drive since last fall. New suspension-front and rear, steering, and front brakes. Drive it until snow flies then do trans and rear-end swap (with rear disc brakes). Then move on to my Exomotive Exocet project. 
My son and I put some miles on tonight and it felt GREAT to be behind the wheel for the first time in 10 months. I need to tweak the clutch linkage to bring the pedal up off the floor, figure out why I lost LH turn signal sequencer and front turn signal, and do some brake bedding. Suspension is amazing compared to old sloppy stuff, steering is tight and responsive-no more tiller and hope! I need to pull the upper arms and make some adjustments to them (adjust heim joints) to relocate the wheels within the wheel wells as I have some tight turn rubbing. Know what I have to do just gotta make time to do it! Never finished, right?
Had to tweak the clutch adjustment a bit and remove and center the steering wheel. Was still a bit off but went out for a few laps of Woodward Ave tonight. Crowds and cars are out in full force!
Wow been awhile since I did any updates. I drove the old cat until early November. I lost a rear brake hard line coming off the freeway one day mid October. I had a Code Brown moment but downshifting, climbing the off ramp, and luckily no traffic enabled me to bring her to a stop. Customer is a car guy so he understood me missing the meeting. Got a flat bed ride home and plumbed a new rear line I place that night. I love using NiCopp lines! Bends easily and flared nicely with my flaring tool. Easy bleeding and back on the road.
Last week I dropped the original, leaky, open diff, 28 spline, drum brake, 1310 u-jointEd 9 inch and replaced it with a Silver powder coated, N cased 3.70 Auburn diff, 1350 U joint, Currie boxed spring perch, ARP extended studs, drain and fill plug equipped 31 spline, Wilwood 12” 4 piston rear disc brake equipped rear end. I found the housing and FoMoCo 31 spline axles local to me here. A customer had the 31 spline N case 3.70 diff for a good price. Had the diff and axles checked by an old school rear end shop here in Detroit. They welded on the perches as the stockers were busted up. They also installed the Currie fill and drain ports then put it all together. I installed the parking brake assembly which is inside the rotor like a modern car then placed the rotor on the hub and set up the caliper. Since my ride height in the rear was too high and you can’t recurve a composite leaf spring, I flipped the eyes (bolted on) and installed a 1.5” drop block. I need to run parking brake cables and plumb the lines then bleed the system. Hope to have it done later this week and back on the ground to check rear ride height.
OK lotsa words on to the pics!
Old and busted!
New hotness!
Nnnnnnnn!
31 splines of goodness
Going in
After the rear end is done I’m dropping the shorty headers and mid pipes from the car to get them ceramic coated in either black or dark grey then move on to the clutch, flywheel, and TKO install along with new AL driveshaft after this is all in place. I plan on swapping Zbar to hydraulic clutch with external slave cylinder probably from Modern Driveline. I plan on using a Ram clutch and aluminum flywheel. I was concerned about highway revs but a buddy with ‘68 Mustang and same trans 0.64 OD 5th gear and 3.70 final drive thought it was perfect.
That’s a cool upgrade. Glad you are still making progress.
I’m running aluminum flywheel & driveshaft in the race Cougar. That setup is going to hurt you getting the car moving off the line and it won’t be a good burnout car until you get it going. From a rolling start the motor is going to rev faster then you can shift, but you’ll get use to it. Get the over center clutch bracket with the hydraulic setup from Modern. That clutch pedal setup is the best.
Thanks for the feedback. Never been much of guy to do burn-outs. Good tires aren’t cheap and the corollary is true too! I’m not in to drag racing but want to do some autocross with her. Mostly street driving however. The MDL hydraulic clutch is the system I’ve been eyeing. I want an external slave cylinder not the internal.
Oh, BTW shout out to Shaun at Street or Track. I needed a part for my rear brakes and he had it in stock and agreed to a non-contact pick-up as we live close to one another. Thanks again!
I listed the old rear end on my local Craigslist and it was sold within 2 hours! Going to be rebuilt and stuffed under a '55 Chevy gasser.
Nice work! Hopefully I’ll see your car around this summer… I’m from the same area. I’ve always had good luck selling parts on Detroit Craigslist… lots of car guys around here
Jim
Thanks Jim! I drive this thing all over for sales calls-Auburn Hills, Macomb Township, Warren, Howell, Westland, Troy and more. I’ve also driven it to Eyes on Design, Belle Isle, all over downtown Detroit. Plus I live two miles from Woodward so out there a ton too every summer.