[mdula]

Whoo hoo! 185/75/15 M&H Drag radial front runners on a 15x4 wheel. Car is still on jacks. I was worried about size, wont really untill its on all 4s, but I really like it. Its a matching front runner for the rear drag radial fats. Not that light but much lighter than the ones I had on it, and should keep it more safe on the street.

 

[mustangboy]

Those are sick looking!...Did you happen to weigh them?..It is amazing how much lighter the bias ply tires are compared to street radials..In my case the weld wheels and bias tires were over 80 lbs lighter than my ford steel styled wheels and radial TAs...

 

[locksmitty]

Sick is good right

What is availiable for the rear I need 31" by 12-13" wide 15" rim

 

[mdula]

Those are sick looking!...Did you happen to weigh them?..It is amazing how much lighter the bias ply tires are compared to street radials..In my case the weld wheels and bias tires were over 80 lbs lighter than my ford steel styled wheels and radial TAs...

There are actually not bias ply. i got matching radials for the rear, these are the MH radial front runners. I wanted safe street friendly as well and liked the idea of the front and rear matching. There are lighter than my TQ thrust 15x8's but still are a little heavy, def not as light as a bias ply. And for aluminum wheels the rockets aren't all that light either.

I'll weigh if I can find a scale.

 

[mdula]

Sick is good right

What is availiable for the rear I need 31" by 12-13" wide 15" rim

The biggest they make for a 15" is a 390/45/15 since its radial its in metric but its roughly a 30x12 (14" section width) for a 15x12" wheel.

(c) 390/45R15

 

[locksmitty]

Heres my car, built 30 years ago for the strip.
Dry rotted wrinklewalls and all. These have 35 pounds in them ( not proper for sure)
I just fired it up last summer for the first time in 30 years with some emgine work.
1968 Ford Torino - YouTube

1968 Ford Torino - YouTube

 

[mdula]

Sounds killer, whats the skinny (no pun) on the motor?

 

[locksmitty]

Well it's a 68 S code car with 4 speed. The 390 had a bad cylinder wall from a missing wrist pin retainer , the wrist pin gouged the cylinder wall and I had to make a decision. I really wanted a 427 tunnel port or a 427 high riser but even 30 years ago those where had to find.

I went to Detroit to look and eventually ended up with a 428SCJ. I was single and insurance was high so I decided to put this beast on the drag strip

Top end is ported and polished,3 angle valve job.

Crane 625 lift 316 duration solid cam.

TRW pop ups 12 1/2 to 1 compression

Moroso deep pan
780 Holley
JR 2 1/8" pro adjustable headers
543 gears in the N CASE Detroit locker

No unibody all 2x3 tubing from the front OEM sub back
to the rear end is stock length (want to shorten it in the future)

This whole thing is old school, cool can and all.

Kids are out on their own and I really want to pro street it.

The 543's have to go as well as the Zoom 5 finger metal clutch

 

[PSIG]

Drive careful. My situation was the opposite, and I pulled the full driveline from an original '68 Torino CJ after the PO tried to wrap it around a phone pole. Saved everything but the shell, but what a shame. Yours sounds good for 30 years. I'd be sure to check the valve springs for set before you wing it and maybe bend a valve. I had a 427 in storage for several years and the quality valve springs were toast. Some 165# seat and others 140# seat.

David

 

[locksmitty]

David, my thoughts exactly, thats why I had new springs installed and the cam all relubed again. I figured compressed springs on some of the cylinders would weaken them, I should of released all the rocker arm spring pressure 30 years ago.

This engine only has about 6 hours run time on it 30 years ago.

 

[mdula]

Thanks for sharing those specs locksmitty. You plan on keeping it true to its vintage?

 

[locksmitty]

yeah I would like to. That clutch is no good for the street tho. You can't let it out easy its full out only, no way to let it out easy.
It has some stuff not available anymore like the cable driven tach off of the distributor. You don't see these Torino's here hardly at all.

This is tubbed out also, if there is interest I could take some pictures of the back end.

Rick "lock" Smith

 

[cornhauler]

This is tubbed out also, if there is interest I could take some pictures of the back end.

Rick "lock" Smith

Please share, I like it!

 

[mdula]

This is tubbed out also, if there is interest I could take some pictures of the back end.

Rick "lock" Smith

Absolutely. We are all pic whores on here, and I especially love seeing vintage torinos that were drag ready. I really want to keep my car as period correct looking as I can, but keep itsafe with modern parts.

BUT Not to get too far off topic though, I do need some advice on my build.

I'll make this as quick as I can. Basically Im shortening my 9" small bearing. I need NEW bearing ends as I have a leaky gouged one. Currie makes a nice 9-plus heavy duty housing that can go for 450 built to your spec. This saves me the cost of getting my shortened, ordering ends and gives me a MUCh stronger housing from this sraight tubes and thicker steel. ALSO it looks like my spring perch will need to be righton the stock axles taper, leaving one side high and one low. The currie housing tubes are straight.

I figured if I went this route I should upgrade to BIG bearing ends, but I learned my fairly new 31 spline moser axles bearing OD is 1.377 and will not accept big bearings....this will leave me to getting new axles as well.

Either way im getting a prebuilt currie 9-plus. Question is should I spring for the big end and put in new big bearing axles. Or will the small end hadle the torque of the 460 at the track. Currie is the one that advised against it.

 

[locksmitty]

Are the axles you have now able to be shortened and re-splined?

My 31's can be shortened one side and I have to get another one elsewhere.

Figure your costs to go with the axles you have and what it would cost to go big bearing and new axles.

You are only going to do this once, be happy with the end result and sleep good at night.

It looks like you are doing your project top notch!

I have seen ones that are splined the whole length and the end user can chop saw them to length themselves who makes those?

The tubbing was not done by me. Old school for sure, leaf springs and all.

When I show you the pictures I will tell you what it cost me.

 

[mdula]

Are the axles you have now able to be shortened and re-splined?

My 31's can be shortened one side and I have to get another one elsewhere.

Figure your costs to go with the axles you have and what it would cost to go big bearing and new axles.

You are only going to do this once, be happy with the end result and sleep good at night.

It looks like you are doing your project top notch!

I have seen ones that are splined the whole length and the end user can chop saw them to length themselves who makes those?

The tubbing was not done by me. Old school for sure, leaf springs and all.

When I show you the pictures I will tell you what it cost me.

Yes, they can she shortened and re-splined. I was going to send them off back to moser. Currie has been real nice to work with and will prepare everyhting I need to weld up the perches and install it.

Basically going Big bearing is going to cost the price of new axles and brakes. Which kinda stinks because I just bought the 31 spline mosers a couple years ago, I didnt think of later moving to a big bearing. So, axles are $450+ bearings, retainers, seals and not to mention new rear brakes! Which is why I went with small bearing to begin with. I can keep my rear drums, so around $1,000 extra in cost.

Not top-notch, just cant afford it, but as top notch my pocket book will allow Im keeping the leafs going with calvert mono-leafs and caltrack bars.