I left the u joint assembled, and welded it off of the car. No trick to doing it- just set it on a flat surface so the bottom of the adapter and bottom of the u joint are even. If you need me to make you one let me know.
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I made some progress on the AC. This has been rather difficult because with the new engine in there, there isn't enough clearance for even the factory non AC air box. Like the brake box on the other side, I am doing this without cutting or modifying the firewall. Depending how much spare time I have this summer I might work on a new heating system. With the other car being a convertible theres no such thing as too much heat or too much AC when you need it. I am using a mid 2000s Silverado evaporator. I will need to make a couple adjustments but overall I'm happy with how its looking.
http://i.imgur.com/vyYe2sd.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/dXRjBJx.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/arDZmO4.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/lRyEHDk.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ltS6dje.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/4sYxLoS.jpg
Heres a later model heater core I was thinking about installing. At first I wanted to do a firewall mounted setup with both heater and AC but ran out of room in a hurry with just the AC so heaters staying in the factory location
http://i.imgur.com/10vfPy3.jpg
that's some nice work.
These pictured didn't turn out the best, but heres how I attached the trailing arms for the jaguar suspension. I used 20" threaded tubes with 5/8" threads and 1/2" eyelets on the rod ends. I welded a 2x2 bar between the frame rails. the bottom of the bar sits 1" below the frame to have clearance for the exhaust to come through the frame. The bar has two 30 degree cuts in it to fit the X in the frame. I'll put pictures of the measurements to help anyone doing the same thing on a 56.
http://i.imgur.com/i796YEQ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/tLz9Bnb.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ZsEwKiK.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/3nDkxtp.jpg
Overall:
http://i.imgur.com/KpaXbFV.jpg
Longest part of angled area:
http://i.imgur.com/WbCxKex.jpg
Shortest part of angled area:
http://i.imgur.com/fvDNemY.jpg
In front of the rear driver tire:
http://i.imgur.com/KSwDFBX.jpg
A little undercoating fire:
http://i.imgur.com/SjxZbeS.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/YWiIKbC.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/iufFGOx.jpg
Here are a couple pictures of the power steering conversion using the ICT billet kit. very pleased with it.
http://i.imgur.com/TFNDybF.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/DSLUJyC.jpg
The air conditioning project has turned out to be a lot bigger of a pain than expected. the main issue is making it so that it has clearance to be removed with the engine in place. right now it bolts together from 3 pieces, and does clear this engine, so it has a smaller profile than even the factory non ac box. I also found out that the factory blower motor housing couldnt be bolted to a flat surface, so the flange for that had to be spaced out 3/4". here are some pictures
http://i.imgur.com/zx9Ruse.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/pCKQNzu.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/sRtCGwH.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Mv8VpF9.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/58O8NUx.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/DcJ9Gz9.jpg
On the bright side, getting a new condenser in there was a breeze! Im thinking it will need its own pusher fan, maybe a thin 15"
An original condenser weighs about 40 pounds and this thing is maybe a quarter of that, and should work better!
I made a pattern from the original radiator core support, which will come in handy to make a bracket to hold in an aluminum radiator.
http://i.imgur.com/wC6iq7y.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Cil70Wq.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/vz3JQYZ.jpg
Nice Work!
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Got a bunch more work done on the Special this week. This car had one of the dirtiest frame / undersides I've seen. Not oily or greasy, but probably 20 pounds of that california desert sand from sitting for ages outside. On the bright side, almost zero rust in the trunk and floors, with the exception of the area where the rear passenger's feet would be. this will be an easy fix though. I used an angle grinder and various wire wheels to clean it up, some wax and grease remover, and then sprayed some kbs rust seal on it. I should have got some before pictures, heres after wire wheeling it and then paint.
http://i.imgur.com/IWp0FdP.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/zxrWJtI.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/iyfYW3d.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/LCIJ2JZ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/DwethwO.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/CEFlJbp.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/TI9D4UF.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Dc0Pj6R.jpg
The gas tank on the left is the original to the 56 special, and the one on the right is from a 51 Roadmaster. the 56 has been visible leaking and looks rough, so I test fit the 51 and sure enough its a match! the filler neck actually sits a tiny bit higher but with the electric fuel pump and plumbing, I will need to space the tank down a 3/8 to 1/2" anyways. Went over it with the wire wheel on the angle grinder and painted it up.
http://i.imgur.com/LxGNQhO.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/r4JX46p.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/QNDr6AN.jpg