4.0L Falcon cruiser project

[Kwinnie Bogan]

If you're reading and aren't already aqquainted with it, here's a brief rundown:

I picked up this pov pack Falcon for a pittance just last week (even though it's immaculate except for a few stone chips, and a small dent in the rear right door) as a starting point for a tight budgeted cruiseliner project to distract me until I have the money to start a real project. There are dozens of reasons why a 4.0L Falcon was ideal - They can look a million bucks and go hard all on a dime's budget, I'm not previously experienced with Fords (not much, anyway), etc - and naturally I've made a 10 second list of ill considered to-do's that hopefully won't see me too bankrupted (or otherwise won't see the light of day).


I don't think there's really anything there I can't do myself, especially when I'm driven by a barrel scraping budget, but I'm still after labour inclusive costs if I can track them down. So far on my to do list (not all of it thoroughly considered and explored yet):

• I will source the LSD option and fit that as well as taller diff gears for the immediate wakey and the sideways snakey, a 3.47 crown gear might do, but I may go for some 3.9's
  
  
• 2.5" catback exhaust system with flow through mufflers (done some research and 2.5" is apparently as much as I'll want on a 4.0L Falcon until I'm making quite a bit of power).
• Large tube scavenging extractors
• High flow cat
  
  
• Mild performance cam (of course I will want to lighten all reciprocating mass so the revs build quicker too)
• Upgraded bearings
• Lash adjusters
• Uprated valve springs
• Au Falcon head gasket, to bump compression up and simultaneously increase reliability (though what was that I heard about weakest links and moving down the chain?).
  
  
• 2500-2800rpm Stall converter
• Trans-cooler (badly needed)
• Shift kit
• Get the tranny upgraded with brass parts - and adjusted solenoids, cos these Falcon trannies are apt to tearing themselves apart, apparently.
  
  
• Laser wash and wax
  
  
• Rims. The AUII Tickford look is pretty good if I go for something off a later model Falcon, but could be too expensive.Requires adaptors?, may as well get much wanted spacers to do the job. I'll keep rocking the steelies for the restof the car's life if the only rims I can afford are Snowflakes.
• Wheel spacers. Requires camber kit?
• Lower it 2 - 2.5 inches. Also requires camber kit and different shocks. Method as of yet undecided but I definitely won't be cutting springs, If I go crazy and catch the fever that afflicts everyone else with an EF Falcon that didn't buy it new, I may consider getting King Springs super lows.
  
  
• Next time the brakes need new rotors I'll buy a big brake kit. Badly needed, stock brakes may as well be your bare feet for stopping this monolith. MIGHT consider upgrading to ABS (pretty sure didn't get optioned with ABS) if it's very cheap, but unlikely.
  
  
• Fix the pedal feel (easy DIY trick), which I hate so much, being a Commodore driver and Mopar man after all. Yes, it's a mixed up world.
• The darkest all way around tint level I can afford. None of that 'pitch black in the back only' look for me - there's rollin on steelies pov pack look, and then there's the inconsistent window tint douchebag look.
• Full & extensive stereo upgrade, details too lengthy, but it'll still be budget and sound good at the same time. I'll build a professional looking sub enclosure myself though, thankyou very much .
  
  
  Possibly replace the turdtastically designed seats with something else, though this is a very big undertaking and almost garuanteesno RWC.
  
  
  Possibly learn how to retrim interior, begin with material inserts like headliner then move on to the rest, or get the lot done professionally (waiting to hear back from company in Hoppers Crossing that looks like it does a nice job).

And how about the eventual addition of a late model performance head, as well as a new ignition & coil pack (so it has a coil per cylinder). I should think the head will bolt right up. These 4.0Ls respond very, very well to forced induction aye? Pity that won't be in my budget and would be a very bad move legally.



Now for a slight update: I've decided to get some lowering springs to lower the Falcon, becaus the current ride height is rediculous:



I'm looking at a range of options from King Spings (ie KFRL-27SLHDs). Even though Pedders and Lovells both offer top quality stuff too, the secondhand market is full of King Springs.

I'm still spitting chips that I missed my chance Yesterday for a real bargain - a full set (front & rear) of King Springs Ultra Lows in very good condition for $170 including matched Monroe shock absorbers & bump stops.

I'm waiting on a response from a guy who'll sell me King Springs SuperSuperLows for the rear at $60 slightly used - a very good price.
Below I've done an MSpaint chop of what SuperSuperLows should make the Falcon sit:


Just look at that pimp chariot (with people in the car it should be an inch or so lower).



Once I actually get some parts I won't be posting any of this boring shit anymore, only a couple pics anda few words every now an then.

What do you rekon of the ride height?
P.S. No, I don't live in Africa.

[rideronthestorm]

im guessing your an aussie. I like your bogan hotrod. I love falcons and wish they made them stateside. good luck!

[Rocko]

Should have left the ride hight where it was and gotten stiffer springs so you can throw it over bumps and such.

[Kwinnie Bogan]

These are now mine, and I got them for $100! They're King Springs SuperSuperLows, have done less than 1000Km. They should still have plenty of warranty left too. Just waiting on some Monroe GT equivalent gas shocks, and gotta locate a cheap camber kit (replaces upper control arms, bushes, and mounts) before I can fit them. About time to fit them too, shockers on the left side are sloppy.

Also had to replace the rear tyres because they were "a little worn" , which I managed to get done at my local Holden dealership of all places. Got some no-name brand Triangle Talon TR968's for cost price. Ended up paying only $70 (~US$40) or so for each tyre, and a couple more dollars for labour and GST. Came to $155 all up.

While I'm waiting for parts to come in, I'm thinking about doing an awesome headliner, and having a go with the VHT interior dyes to update that aesthetically traumatising blue-grey plastic. Sponno, you have much difficulty doing this on the Jetta??

[Nisko]

Tad bit low for me, looks aight though.

[cronic5]

Get some decent wheels on it. Steelies look like shit.

What kind of tranny?

I don't know about lowering it 2.5 inches. That is a little low for me, but if you like it, that is all that matters.

Looks like a solid project, will be looking forward to the updates.

[ComradeAsh]

Originally Posted by cronic5

Get some decent wheels on it. Steelies look like shit.

What kind of tranny?

I don't know about lowering it 2.5 inches. That is a little low for me, but if you like it, that is all that matters.

Looks like a solid project, will be looking forward to the updates.

Low?

You're kidding, right?

[cronic5]

Originally Posted by ComradeAsh

Low?

You're kidding, right?

Well it isn't slammed or anything, but yes, it's a little low for my tastes.

[Kwinnie Bogan]

Yeah it's going to be low, but not excessively low. I'll still be able to navigate the outback roads here and carpark speedbumps without having to slow down to 5km/h and traverse them diagonally.

EDIT 02/05/09: ^Oh how very wrong I was.

I need to find out more on cams, and also how much stress/power one of these Ford 4.0L's can take at nearly 300,000kms. I'm not sure whether to get a mild billet cam from Crow Cams (~$320) or go to Wade cams for a regrind, which is ~$120, but comes out to a little more in the end because you need to new shims, rockers, and springs and may as well replace the valves as well. Better yet would be to keep an eye out for a used billet crow cam or similar, with a good profile and low mileage/great condition - because I really don't wanna spend too much. Only reason I'm even thinking of cams is because the power gains can be good - 5-30rwkW at about $10 a pony. May as well investigate the price of new heads or headwork. Also be a good time to fit a copper AU Falcon head gasket.

Also, I heard Pintara and Skyline 3.9 & 4.11 diff centres will fit right in and will only cost a 30 block of Draught.


EDIT: Forgot to mention it earlier, but I tack welded a whistle tip in the exhaust end of last week, just for shits n giggles. Woo woooooooo!

[Kwinnie Bogan]

I'm trying to source a Skyline diff for my Failcon project, and the Borg Warner unit I'm after is pretty fucken impossible to track down here on the east coast. Especially in very good condition.

So now I'm looking in the Quokka online, at parts 6000km away. I can't even inspect them and just go by the word of some obviously dodgy motherfuckers.

I totally goddamn forgot how the used car economy worked over there. There's plenty of fucking ads for old Skyline and Skyline parts, but will they take $175 - $200 for the diff? Fuck no, they want to sell the whole goddamn car for $100. All I want is a fucken set of 3.9 crown & pinion gears dammit.

I rang a dozen numbers, and of the people that picked up I got half a dozen incomprehensible people blazed out their minds. How in the fuck can you not know whether your car is a manual or an auto!? 50 year old Italian dude, what the fuck man do you even understand english? Why would you create a well written advert and then when you pick up the phone the language barrier is so thick that it takes me a solid 15 minutes and to the end of my motherfucking tether just to establish that I'm ringing about the fucken car already. I was ready to rip my cock off and throw it at the telephone.

Jesus .


I've got one number left, luckily one dude who didn't have a diff was good enough to set me loose on a decent enough paper trail to track one down.

[Irukanji]

If you find parts over here(w.a) i could check em out for you, then it's only a matter of shipping and cost, but i guess the person could ship for you.

Get a nice body kit to make it look even lower, so you dont have to get the springs that low. Maybe look for a relatively new(~120-180,000km) falcon for cheap and vulture it...

[Kwinnie Bogan]

Haha don't know about that mate, depends what I'm driving. Might beat me in the EF but it'd be close if you managed to, and in a couple months it'll be running low 14's, enough to make as fast as it will ever need to be of the line for a cruiser.

EDIT: And I don't condone unlawful hoon behaviour .

[blacklisted8]

good luck with the ride might even see you at the perth drags

[bornkiller]

You gotta coon too Kwinnie? hahaha!
This is Mopar Madness.
Crackup Valiant freaks we are, I still have my XF panelvan.

[Kwinnie Bogan]

Dammit, Insurance companies won't touch you if your car is lowered more than 30mm! That's 1 1/4 inches, which is rediculous. It means I'm limited to front: KFFL-26, and rear: KFRL-27, which is even then pushing it. If I go for the HD heavy duty versions they will sit 10mm higher and be allowable, but what in the goddamn fuck is the point of spending money to lower a car less than an inch? I may as well just throw some bags of cement in the boot, which would bring a new meaning to 'bagging it'.

[Irukanji]

http://tinyurl.com/cgkpo3

Ford. $2000, not sure on the extent of the damage though.....apparently the engine and gear box still work, but it's in W.A, so it'd end up costing about $3500, after shipping. Not really worth it, but maybe someone from w.a is in here and might be interested in getting it as a challenge to kwinnie's

[bornkiller]

Originally Posted by KwinnieBogan

Just look at that pimp chariot (with people in the car it should be an inch or so lower).

What yah reckon Kwin?

I'm still working on it.

[ComradeAsh]

Originally Posted by bornkiller

What yah reckon Kwin?

I'm still working on it.

It make me vomit and think of the harlem globetrotters at the same time.

Why is that?

[bornkiller]

Originally Posted by ComradeAsh

It make me vomit and think of the harlem globetrotters at the same time.

Why is that?

heh! ^ now you mention it I kinda see your point.
Maybe it needs an urban backdrop.

[Irukanji]

^ Maybe a Ghetto in the background...

[Kwinnie Bogan]

Put Parmelia in the background. I want a set of Pacey 4480s, but I can only get them 2nd hand from a dumy if I want to aford them.




Thinking about a Lokka 4WD diff.
http://www.4lo.com/94jeep/lock-right-d35c/install.html

[Township Rebellion]

Wey hey, an E-series Falcon! That brings back a flood of memories, I know you're not a Ford man but Falcons are fucking tanks that last forever. Love the steelies, keep rockin them.

Is it a 5 speed or a slushbox? I drove a '91 with a 5 speed and they're pretty clunky, but the Auto I had was smooth as silk, plus it's a big, wallowy car so it's not the sort of car you want to double clutch and match revs in.

Have fun with that shit man, I wish we got Falcons on this side of the pond. I'd rock one again over any yank tank.

[emag]

Originally Posted by bornkiller

What yah reckon Kwin?

I'm still working on it.

Finished:

[Kwinnie Bogan]

Update: This particular cock-a-roach got fairly fucken slammed. From this:

To this street crawler:


Kings Ultra Lows in the rear, Super Lows front and Pedders red struts etc so it rides tight, level, and without bottoming out or hitting the stops. Driving this thing is sure as hell an excercise in caution though. Believe me, it's lower than it looks. I rolled the hell out of the guards with a claw framing hammer at 6am this morning .

EDIT: Oh, and 30% tint all round. I've documented the entire thing with photos and that, found out a few nice little surprises in the process . Got them sitting round if anyone else wants a walkthrough. Not that interesting otherwise though haha. It's coming along slowly, but that's because it's a budget build. However I've got a bigass exhaust system and race extractors sitting here to go on it when I've got free time.

Needs a wash.

[slm33d]

Looks good kwin. Are you from qld or vic?. I wouldn't mind doing a minor front end conversion to the fairlaine with me xf. Something about that chrome grill lol. Mate what else besides her gattin slammed has been done now?

[ratfrink]

Originally Posted by KwinnieBogan

However I've got a bigass exhaust system and race extractors sitting here to go on it when I've got free time.

Post vids when you've done it. Going from airport taxi to midnight at Le Mans!

[Kwinnie Bogan]

^^ Will do. Definitely a before and after, maybe a little more . Can't wait to get a lumpy cam in there either, thinking a Wade 977b and if I can afford it a High stall.

@Bornkiller:

I'm still working on it. .
Looks a little gaudy in a ricey kinda way, but apart from the front bar and if tamed a little it's not bad for an E series. Still, not for me, see below - I like my Falcons pretty conservative. Uhh.. ..apart from being in the weeds. The rims are what make it look overdone, but if that was put into real life and in context it would be pretty decent for a Falcon. I'd want something crazy under the hood, massive stereo and worked interior. Like your average money-sucking done up (it's a process!) Falcodore, but a huge step further. Street Fords front cover material.

I have nowhere near that kinda money though haahaha. If I did my project car wouldn't be an E series Falcon!


@Slm33d: Ahhhh, I'm in New South here, brother. Speaking of conversions I kinda wish I had have started out with a Fairmont.

This Mont is a nice clean cruiser, but even that (as a conversion, anyway) is very likely too much dough for me. Looks like it's on 19's too. We can't roll on 19's here in NSW IIRC, but in Victoria you can have whatever you want..
I could flip my rego very easily, but it'd be another $400 to do the transfer just to run 19's instead of 17's.
Your Fairlane front end conversion shouldn't be too hard, I've seen them after they've been done and I don't think it'd be hard, but everything costs money. I'd help ya but I'm kinda in the middle of nowhere..


@Township: Yeah mate it's a cruiser - it's got the same 4sp slushbox that yours had. You're right too, it's shifts are damn smooth for something of it's time and section of the market. Fairly strong box for the moment too, even though it's been thrashed on the dirt roads, dragged off and done burnouts at the lights, and been thrown plenty sideways on the streets of estates - industrial and close-gated alike - dozens of times. Those days are more or less over now that I've moved on with dumping it for a nicer stance and ride though. Ride's pretty decent now, I hated the shit out of it (though it was buggered to be fair) and the seating position as it was before.

I still maintain/ed it extremely regularly though, in a way this makes up for some of that wear and tear of thrashing it (within bounds, I've never put that much stress on the engine or much on the trans, never fully pushed the envelope even when creatin billowing clouds of burning rubber and when throwing the big fat tail way the fuck out around the odd corner.. ...apart from stretching it out to near redline in top gear to eat up the highway ashphalt quickly, something you no doubt can relate to). Hell I'm giving it a trans service this very week.

The torque is nice.

Still a Mopar man though . Want some ROH Drift Rs.

[slm33d]

I mopar/commo fan I just can't afford either lol. Your in nsw? We don't have an rwc I don't think just a bluey an pinky?. Oh me mates got to xf 'laines in his yard but on both the bonnets are fucked an the gaurds are full of rust. I just saw fast and the furious holy fucking shit that was intense. I definatley gotta own a blown an injested muscle car someday haha. Looks nice kwinnie.

[bornkiller]

Originally Posted by KwinnieBogan

@Bornkiller:

I'm still working on it. .
Looks a little gaudy in a ricey kinda way,

lolz! funny you should say that considering the front & rear bumper are of a Q Sylvia.
And I agree, it is over done.
Like a decent bloke dressed in drag.

[Sponsored Link]

Originally Posted by KwinnieBogan

I think we should have an intervention for Kwinnie.

[ratfrink]

Looks worse than my JDM Corolla.

[Kwinnie Bogan]

Originally Posted by Sponsored Link

I think we should have an intervention for Kwinnie.

..Say what. That's not the look I would go for, this is (like I already said):

But I don't have a Fairmont.

@Frinks: Yeah.. curvature of the earth hahah. Portishead - Machinegun.

[slm33d]

Are you just sticking with steelies?

[Kwinnie Bogan]

Pretty much Yes, even though the steelies look was way better before. I'm thinking about chrome trim rings and centre caps and a fresh coat of matte or more likely satin black paint.

If (or when) I have the money I'd like to get this thing on some 18" ROH Drift Rs, 18" FPV SSAs, or anything like the Koyas in this auction:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....m=130300076266 ...But custom 18 inch steelies that look just like the ones already on it but larger would be the ultimate shit. Any decent rims'd take me to the absolute max I'd be willing to spend on the car, and I'd rather be running low to very low 14s instead with an LSD or Lokka, cam (cheap as hell), leads, some headwork, a hi stall, and a dynotune.

Then again, it's supposed to be a cruiser, and I won't be pushing the needle round the speedo very sharply with this ride height.

That eBag Falcon is one hell of a clean low mile car too. I'd even think about bidding on it on the off chance that guy hasn't got a rediculous reserve price on it. Problem is the rims I like are always the very hard to get limited release ones which also cost an arseload more than this car is even worth, and anything wider than 245 will scrub.

[ratfrink]

Originally Posted by KwinnieBogan

..Say what. That's not the look I would go for, this is (like I already said):

But I don't have a Fairmont.

@Frinks: Yeah.. curvature of the earth hahah. Portishead - Machinegun.

Hehe I was just thinking out loud, I deleted it when I realised how stupid it made me sound. Good song. Good album actually

[slm33d]

Originally Posted by KwinnieBogan

Pretty much Yes, even though the steelies look was way better before. I'm thinking about chrome trim rings and centre caps and a fresh coat of matte or more likely satin black paint.

If (or when) I have the money I'd like to get this thing on some 18" ROH Drift Rs, 18" FPV SSAs, or anything like the Koyas in this auction:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....m=130300076266 ...But custom 18 inch steelies that look just like the ones already on it but larger would be the ultimate shit. Any decent rims'd take me to the absolute max I'd be willing to spend on the car, and I'd rather be running low to very low 14s instead with an LSD or Lokka, cam (cheap as hell), leads, some headwork, a hi stall, and a dynotune.

Then again, it's supposed to be a cruiser, and I won't be pushing the needle round the speedo very sharply with this ride height.

That eBag Falcon is one hell of a clean low mile car too. I'd even think about bidding on it on the off chance that guy hasn't got a rediculous reserve price on it. Problem is the rims I like are always the very hard to get limited release ones which also cost an arseload more than this car is even worth, and anything wider than 245 will scrub.

thats nice but not worth 6k

[ratfrink]

^ I don't like the wheels. Far too big for the car. 16" at absolute most on this car, I'd say.

[Kwinnie Bogan]

16's? It's already rocking 15" steelies and they look fucken tiny mate.. Besides there's only one set of 16" rims I like.




Pity the rest of the car's appearance is rat shit. 20's are just the kind of absurd I'd go for if I had the money, didn't give a shit about haemmerhoid inducing ride quality, and didn't think I'd ever want to go anywhere faster than 10km/h.

But yeah I won't be going very large. I need that sidewall. Better reschedule that intervention.

EDIT: 20 minutes ago, just because the opportunity arose.
[img]DELETED[/img]
Fuck the shit ISO noise, European constrast & light interpretation algorithyms, and autofocus bullshit. I want my old camera back .
That's a really shit sunrise by local standards, but like I said, I happened to need to pull over in the middle of the main road for a slash.

[ratfrink]

Do you live in the middle of nowhere? It looks really fucking cool.

I live so close to my neighbours that I can actually listen to their conversations (that's the house next door, not just my housemates (who I can literally hear breathing in the dead of night))

[Kwinnie Bogan]

Lulz. Yeah man, I live not just in the middle of nowhere but in the middle of fucken nowhere. Not fully bush though, as you can see by the existence of trees, fences, 'proper roads' and if you look really carefully a the top of the fenceline, sheep.

I used to live in the city too up until a couple of years ago. Central western 'burbs in various capital cities at that. Long story. I live within only a few hours drive of a city though, so it's all good as far as clubs and shops and girls and shit go.