Getting the Kaiser Running (part 1)
[or how long will my wife not post?]
I decided to get the Kaiser running before paint, upholstery and glass. First step was to finished the suspension; purchase the components from Ride Tech to finish the Air Ride System, including computer, control panel, 5 gal. tank, valve block, compressor, wiring harness, airline and fittings.
All the components are trunk mounted on a 1/4" aluminum panel with a lip and a second panel for the tank.
Both panels were mounted under the package shelf with the lip to be used for the upholstered panel that will be mounted to hide the Air Ride components. The air lines are run through the boxed frame and come up thru the trunk floor using rubber grommets in the holes.
The battery is also mounted in the trunk with the negative cable running thru the frame to the starter bolt and the positive cable runs with other wiring along the drive line tunnel (the wire way is part of the '66 T-Bird floor boards and center console).
The front suspension is a Mustang 2 from Fat Man Fabrication and I had lowered the rack & pinion 1 1/2 inches to clear the engine. While I was adjusting the "toe in" the tie rod ends were close to the end of the threaded shaft and steering shaft angled up 2" from the rack to the steering arm at the wheel.
I e-mailed pictures and a description to Fat Man Fabrication and received an answer that the geometry of the front end would be off and cause steering problems. I moved the engine up a 1 1/2" by making spacers out of 1 1/2 square tubing and in doing so the bell housing hit the fire wall, the tail shaft and the drive shaft hit the x-member of the frame so the engine had to be moved forward 2" to clear the fire wall and the top of the x-member was cut off for clearance. I will repair the frame when the body comes off for paint. In moving the engine forward the shifter brackets, fuel lines, transmission mount and radiator location and mount had to be changed.
The toe-in and camber was adjusted close enough to get the car to the alignment shop then the sway bar was installed upside down to clear the air bags with fabricated spacers under the frame and at the attachment to the lower control arm.
I never imagined that a simple 1 1/2 inch move of one component would cause so many problems, so don't mess with a pre-engineered system.
I decided to get the Kaiser running before paint, upholstery and glass. First step was to finished the suspension; purchase the components from Ride Tech to finish the Air Ride System, including computer, control panel, 5 gal. tank, valve block, compressor, wiring harness, airline and fittings.
All the components are trunk mounted on a 1/4" aluminum panel with a lip and a second panel for the tank.
Both panels were mounted under the package shelf with the lip to be used for the upholstered panel that will be mounted to hide the Air Ride components. The air lines are run through the boxed frame and come up thru the trunk floor using rubber grommets in the holes. 
The battery is also mounted in the trunk with the negative cable running thru the frame to the starter bolt and the positive cable runs with other wiring along the drive line tunnel (the wire way is part of the '66 T-Bird floor boards and center console).
The front suspension is a Mustang 2 from Fat Man Fabrication and I had lowered the rack & pinion 1 1/2 inches to clear the engine. While I was adjusting the "toe in" the tie rod ends were close to the end of the threaded shaft and steering shaft angled up 2" from the rack to the steering arm at the wheel.
I e-mailed pictures and a description to Fat Man Fabrication and received an answer that the geometry of the front end would be off and cause steering problems. I moved the engine up a 1 1/2" by making spacers out of 1 1/2 square tubing and in doing so the bell housing hit the fire wall, the tail shaft and the drive shaft hit the x-member of the frame so the engine had to be moved forward 2" to clear the fire wall and the top of the x-member was cut off for clearance. I will repair the frame when the body comes off for paint. In moving the engine forward the shifter brackets, fuel lines, transmission mount and radiator location and mount had to be changed.
The toe-in and camber was adjusted close enough to get the car to the alignment shop then the sway bar was installed upside down to clear the air bags with fabricated spacers under the frame and at the attachment to the lower control arm.
I never imagined that a simple 1 1/2 inch move of one component would cause so many problems, so don't mess with a pre-engineered system.
.JPG)
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