[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by GB SISSON

Another thumbs up to 'Pete the Illustrator' for making the woody logbook come alive! Since this thread chronicles the transformation from beater pickup to driveable woody, I suppose it's time to mention last summer's installation of a Ford 9" rear axle in place of the stock banjo type.
I found a correct rear housing with brakes and axles from a 1971 F100. I was told this would assure a direct bolt in and it almost was. If I had gotten the lower saddles from the '71, it would have. Axle tubes on the banjo are tapered, '71 straight. Easy fix though. I still needed a 4:11 pumpkin to fill that big hole. Turns out that our friend and fellow 'barner Lanny from Michigan had one that had been rebuilt as a spare for his '40 race car in the 90s which has sat unused in a big tupperware container under his workbench since. We agreed on a price and I shipped him a very sturdy, but empty plywood case. Back comes this pristine piece of machinery. I got it installed two days before our 4th of July parade, with grandkids urging me onwards. But first time I took a 90 degree turn into our gas station it chattered and rumbled back there giving me a fright! Turns out it is a limited slip differential and I had not added friction modifier. Following directions carefully I added the correct amount. Way better, but not quite smoot, so I added some more and di some research. Sometimes these 'posi' diffs prepped for competition get an added fricction disc, and or stiffer springs. Further investigation led me to a bit more modifier, and now all is well. In the old days if I backed too far outa the garage and cocked the rear downhill on wet grass I would need to pull it out with my tractor or a 4x4, but not any more.This sucker really digs in and pulls (traction plus the 4" crank). Also, any aggressive pull out onto the main road chirps the rear tires with a bit of a Rebel yell, and just for a moment I'm Billy Idol..... Maybe why a good friend of mine rolls his eyes, saying of me, "He's a legend in his own Mind".