The Highwayman - Odds & Ends

(NARRATOR) TODAY ON DETROIT MUSCLE OUR MONSTER MERCURY, "THE HIGHWAYMAN", IS GETTING BUTTONED UP FOR A SHAKEDOWN RUN BUT SHE'S NOT READY JUST YET. LEARN HOW TO MEASURE FOR SHOCKS ON CUSTOM SUSPENSION AS WELL AS SOME OTHER DETAILS TO TIDY HER UP. ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT A LOW BUCK UPGRADE THAT OPENS THE DOOR TO A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER MODS.

(TOMMY) HEY GUYS, WELCOME TO DETROIT MUSCLE. NOW YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT WE DO AROUND HERE. OFTEN TIMES WE TAKE AN OLD BODY CAR, FIX UP THE EXTERIOR, THROW A LOT OF PERFORMANCE AT IT, AND HAVE US A REALLY GOOD TIME. NOW WE'VE GOT SOME BIG PLANS FOR THIS '69 DODGE CHARGER BUT IT'S JUST GONNA HAVE TO HANG OUT FOR A MINUTE CAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE JUMPING ON AN OLD PROJECT. (MARC) THAT'S RIGHT, YOU GUYS MAY REMEMBER THIS. IT'S OUR 1972 MERCURY MARQUIS BROUGHAM, AND YOU COULD SAY IT'S BEEN ON THE BACK BURNER, BUT IN SPITE OF ALL THAT NEGLECT IT'S COME A LONG WAY FROM WHERE IT STARTED. (TOMMY) YOU'VE SEEN THESE CARS BEFORE. EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT AS COMMON AS THEY USED TO BE, THE BIG THREE CRANKED OUT A TON OF THESE '70'S ERA LAND YACHTS BACK IN THE DAY. THIS '72 MERCURY MARQUIS IS ALL ABOUT BEING CLASSY. ( ) UMM, UMM! (MARC) BUT WE THREW CLASSY OUT THE WINDOW WHEN WE SNAGGED THIS 557 CUBIC INCH BIG BLOCK FROM THE GUYS DOWN IN ENGINE POWER. ON SPRAY IT MANAGED TO TWIST OUT OVER 1,000 HORSEPOWER. THEN WE TIED A MONSTER AUTOMATIC TRANS BEHIND IT AND PLUGGED THEM INTO THAT BIG OLE WHITE MERC. WE ALSO GOT BUSY UPGRADING THE FUEL SYSTEM BECAUSE SHE'S GONNA BE REAL THIRSTY. THEN WE LET HER BREATHE WITH A BIG OLE SET OF BORLA EXHAUST.

AS FOR THE REAR END WE TALKED TO CURRIE AND GOT THIS BEEFED UP NINE INCH. THEN FABRICATED SOME CUSTOM CONTROL ARMS THAT ARE GONNA BE WAY STRONGER THAN THE FACTORY ONES. WE ALSO PICKED UP SOME 20 INCH WHEELS FROM AMERICAN RACING THAT ARE GONNA HELP OUR MARQUIS GRAB SOME EYEBALLS. THEN WE INSTALLED SOME AIR BAGS THAT WE GOT FROM SUMMIT RACING, ALONG WITH THE TANK AND LINES. THAT LET'S US LAY HER OUT NICE AND LOW! [ air hissing ] (MARC) THAT'S IT! WELL WE'RE NOT TOO FAR OFF ON THIS THING. WE DO NEED TO GET SOME BUMPERS ON HERE, AND IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY SHOCKS OR A DRIVESHAFT YET, AND WE REALLY NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GONNA GET THE HOOD TO CLEAR THAT BIG OLE CARBURETOR. WE HAVE SOME OTHER LOOSE ENDS, BUT OTHER THAN THAT WE'RE REALLY CLOSE, AND HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE DAY TODAY WE'RE GONNA BE BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THIS OLE GIRL. (TOMMY) THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS FOR TODAY IS MOUNTING A SET OF SHOCKS HER ON THE BACK SIDE OF OUR MERCURY. NOW THIS CAN BE KIND OF COMPLICATED BUT NOT NEARLY AS BAD AS ON THE FRONT. NOW YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE TO HAVE THEM UP THERE BECAUSE THIS THING'S GOT AIR BAGS ON IT, AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE RECOIL OF A CONVENTIONAL SPRING, BUT BACK HERE ON THE BACK WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME WEIGHT TRANSFER AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DAMPEN THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. WE NEED TO MEASURE THE MAXIMUM LENGTH OF OUR SHOCK AT THIS POINT. NOW THE REAR AXLE'S AT FULL DROOP, OR LET'S SAY AIRED ALL THE WAY UP. NOW WE'RE GONNA MEASURE FROM THIS TAB THAT WE HAD CURRIE INSTALL ON THE REAR THAT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE STOCK LOCATION UP TO THE HOLES IN THE FRAME. RIGHT AT 19 AND THREE QUARTER. OKAY NOW WE'RE GONNA PUT THE JACKS UNDER HERE, COMPRESS THE SUSPENSION, AND SEE WHAT THE SHORT SIDE OF THE SHOCK'S GONNA BE.

RIGHT AT 13 AND A HALF. (MARC) WELL NOW THAT WE'VE GOT THE MEASUREMENTS OF OUR REAR END TRAVEL BASED ON OUR SHOCK MOUNTING POINTS, WE KNOW HOW FAR THE REAR END'S GONNA TRAVEL AND WE ALSO KNOW THE FULL EXTENDED AND COMPRESSED LENGTHS OF THE SHOCKS THAT WE NEED, BUT IT'S A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT. WE CAN ACTUALLY USE THE SHOCK AS A STOP FOR EITHER THE EXTENDED OR COMPRESSED ENDS, AND BECAUSE WE HAVE AN AIR SUSPENSION WE DON'T WANT THAT SHOCK TO BE THE STOP AT FULL COMPRESSION. NOW OUR MEASUREMENT ON THE SHORT END IS 13 AND A HALF. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FULL COMPRESSED LENGTH ON THE SHOCK THAT WE ORDER IS GONNA BE SHORTER THAN THAT, BUT ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM WE ACTUALLY WANT TO ACTUALLY WANT TO USE THE SHOCK AS A STOP. THAT WAY WE SAVE FROM DAMAGING THE BAGS IF WE ACCIDENTALLY OVER EXTEND IT. THAT WAY SHOCK'S ACTUALLY GONNA STOP IT AND KEEP US FROM DOING THAT, AND OUR MEASUREMENT ON THAT END IS 19 AND THREE QUARTER. SO WE'RE GONNA ERR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION AND ORDER SOMETHING IN THE RANGE OF 17 AND A HALF TO 18 AND A HALF INCHES. SO WE JUST WENT TO SUMMIT RACING'S WEBSITE AND WE SELECTED A FEW OF THE PARAMETERS, AND A COUPLE OF THE OPTIONS IT GIVES YOU ARE BOTH EXTENDED LENGTH AND COLLAPSED LENGTH OF THE SHOCKS, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COLLAPSED LENGTH IS GONNA BE BELOW 13 AND A HALF, AND WE WANT TO KEEP OUR EXTENDED LENGTHS SOMEWHERE AROUND 17 AND A HALF AND 18 AND A HALF. SO WE'RE GONNA CLICK THIS ONE, ADD THAT ONE, AND MAYBE THIS ONE AS WELL. THAT'LL FALL IN THERE JUST FINE. NOW AS FAR AS THE COLLAPSED LENGTH GOES WE HAVE A FEW OPTIONS, AND A COUPLE OF THEM FALL IN THE RANGE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. WE'VE GOT 11 AND A HALF, AND THEN THAT ONE'S KIND OF ON THE EDGE OF WHERE WE WANT TO BE BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT THEY'VE GOT HERE. WELL IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S TWO OPTIONS HERE. ONE'S $26.97 EACH AND THE OTHER'S $140 EACH, BUT THOSE ARE FOR A CADILLAC. SO WE WANT TO STAY AWAY FROM THOSE. THOSE ARE AIR SHOCKS. THESE ARE THE STANDARD SHOCKS THAT WE WANT TO GET. THEY'RE JUST AN OE STYLE SHOCK. WE'LL GET TWO OF THOSE. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT A COUPLE OF SHOCKS HERE. NOW THIS BLUE SHOCK IS ACTUALLY WHAT WOULD BE A STOCK REPLACEMENT FOR OUR '72 MERCURY, AND THE BLACK ONE IS THE ONE WE ORDERED FROM SUMMIT RACING, AND YOU CAN TELL JUST BY LOOKING AT THEM THAT THE LENGTH IS DIFFERENT. NOW THIS BLUE ONE, IT'S NOT GONNA PROVIDE THE STOP THAT WE WANT AT FULL EXTENSION. IT'S ACTUALLY TOO LONG. THAT'S WHY WE WENT WITH THIS BLACK ONE, AND ANOTHER WITH THIS ONE. IF YOU COMPRESS IT ALL THE WAY DOWN, IT'S ACTUALLY STILL GONNA BE TOO LONG, AND IT WON'T LET OUR CAR LAY OUT ALL THE WAY LIKE WE WANT IT TO. SO THAT'S WHY WE ORDERED THESE. (TOMMY) WE'LL GET THE BUSHING IN PLACE FOR THE UPPER MOUNT, AND THEN ATTACH IT TO THE SHOCK. WITH IT FASTENED WE CAN GET THE LOWER MOUNT RUN DOWN, AND THEN TEST THE RANGE OF MOTION. WE'LL GO TO FULL COMPRESSION FIRST AND MAKE SURE THE SHOCK IS HAPPY AND DOESN'T STOP THE TRAVEL. WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE THERE. SO WE'LL RUN IT UP TO FULL DROOP AND MAKE SURE THAT THE SHOCK IS ACTING AS A STOP IN THE RANGE THAT WE WANT IT TOO. PERFECT! (NARRATOR) STILL AHEAD, BRAKE HOSES, STUD UPGRADES, AND HOOD HOLES, OH MY! PLUS A BOTTOM DOLLAR BOOST FOR YOUR FOX BODY.

(MARC) HEY GUYS, WELCOME BACK. WHILE YOU WERE GONE WE WENT AHEAD AND RAN SOME NEW HARD BRAKE LINES WHERE THEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON TO THE HOSES, BUT UP FRONT HERE WE CUT THIS ONE WHEN WE TOOK IT ALL APART ORIGINALLY. NOW WE COULD REPLACE THAT WITH AN OEM STYLE BUT WE'VE GOT A BETTER SOLUTION. (TOMMY) THE FIRST THING IS TO GO AHEAD AND UNFASTEN THE OLD HOSE, AND GET IT OUT OF THE WAY, ALONG WITH THIS BRACKET.

WE'LL PLUG OFF THIS BRAKE LINE TO MINIMIZE THE MESS. (MARC) NOW SINCE THE BRACKET WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL BRAKE HOSE, TOMMY MADE US A COUPLE OF NEW BRACKETS HERE. WE'RE JUST GONNA BOLT THESE TO THE FRAME.

NOW IT'S TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT CONNECTING THE DOTS BETWEEN OUR CALIPERS AND OUR HARD BRAKE LINES WITH SOME BRAKE HOSES. SO WE WENT TO CROWN PERFORMANCE FOR THOSE. NOW AT FIRST GLANCE THESE MAY LOOK LIKE YOUR RUN OF THE MILL BRAIDED STAINLESS HOSE BUT THEY'RE NOT. THIS IS A STANDARD BRAIDED STAINLESS HOSE AND IT DOES HAVE A TEFLON INNER AND STAINLESS BRAID, BUT THE CROWN VERSIONS HAVE A FIVE LAYER DESIGN WITH THE SAME TEFLON INNER, A KEVLAR BRAID, A PROTECTIVE SLEEVE AS WELL AS THE STAINLESS BRAID. NOW THEY'RE AVAILABLE IN A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT CONFIGURATIONS, AND LENGTHS, AND ENDS, AND NINE DIFFERENT COLORS. ANOTHER COOL THING ABOUT THE CROWN HOSES IS THAT THE ENDS ARE CRIMPED ON WITH A ONE PIECE CRIMP, WHICH IS STRONGER THAN YOUR STANDARD TWO PIECE CRIMP. WITH OUR NEW HOSE PLUGGED INTO THE CALIPER, WE CAN GET IT FASTENED TO THE STOCK BRAKE LINE AS WELL. MAKE SURE YOU USE THE INCLUDED CLIP. THAT KEEPS THE LINE FROM RUBBING AND GETTING BOUND UP.

(TOMMY) HEY Y'ALL, WHILE HE'S TIDYING UP THE BRAKE LINES, WE RUN INTO A LITTLE BIT OF A PROBLEM WHENEVER WE WAS MOCKING UP OUR WHEELS. LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. TAKE A LOOK AT THE LUG STUDS. YOU NOTICE THAT THEY'RE NOT STICKING THROUGH VERY FAR, AND THAT DOESN'T GIVE US ENOUGH THREADS FOR THE WHEEL TO STAY ON PROPERLY. WE NEED TO SWAP THESE OUT FOR SOME LONGER ONES. SO WE WENT TO ARP AND GOT US ANOTHER SET OF STUDS. NOW THESE ARE SUBSTANTIALLY LONGER AND QUITE A BIT STRONGER THAN THEM OEM'S. NOW TO GET THE OLD ONES OUT YOU COULD DRIVE THEM OUT WITH A HAMMER AND THEN DRIVE THE NEW ONES IN WITH A HAMMER AS WELL, BUT WHENEVER YOU HAVE A PRESS IT'S JUST EASIER TO DO IT THAT WAY.

(MARC) LIKE TOM SAID, YOU CAN DO THIS WITH A HAMMER, BUT IF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO A PRESS IT MAKES THE JOB A WHOLE LOT EASIER.

(TOMMY) WELL YOU CAN SEE THOSE STUDS CURED OUR SAFETY ISSUE. NOW WE'RE ONE STEP CLOSER TO TAKING THIS BIG OLE BOAT FOR ITS MAIDEN VOYAGE. (NARRATOR) UP NEXT, OUR HOOD WON'T CLOSE. NO PROBLEM, WE'VE GOT A SAW TO TAKE CARE OF THAT!

(MARC) HEY EVERYBODY, WELCOME BACK. NOW WHILE YOU WERE GONE WE WENT AHEAD AND GOT OUR BRAKE SYSTEM BUTTONED UP ON OUR BIG OLE MERC HERE, GOT THE WHEELS AND TIRES BACK ON IT, BACK ON THE GROUND, AND WE'RE GETTING REALLY CLOSE TO TAKING IT OUT FOR ITS MAIDEN VOYAGE, BUT THERE'S A FEW THINGS STILL MISSING. (TOMMY) ONE OF THOSE TOO IS GONNA BE THESE NEWLY REFURBISHED BUMPERS FROM ADVANCED PLATING. WE'RE REAL LUCKY THAT JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM US IN NASHVILLE, IS ONE OF THE BEST CHROME SHOPS IN THE COUNTRY. ADVANCED PLATING CAN STRIP, REPAIR, AND RECHROME JUST ABOUT ANYTHING. WE USE THEM FOR ALL OF OUR CHROME WORK BECAUSE THEY NEVER FAIL TO KNOCK IT OUT OF THE PARK, EVEN WITH SOME OF THE RAGGEDY STUFF WE BRING THEM. SO OF COURSE OUR MERCURY BUMPERS WENT STRAIGHT TO THEM. I HAVE TO SAY THESE BUMPERS LOOK LIKE JEWELRY NOW, AND THEY'RE REALLY GONNA SET OFF OUR MERCURY. HECK, THIS FRONT BUMPER IS ABOUT 50 PERCENT OF THE NOSE OF THIS OLE CAR. CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE INSTALLED. (MARC) FIRST THINGS FIRST, WE'VE GOT TO GET ALL THE GOODIES REATTACHED TO THESE BUMPERS, LIKE THE LIGHTS AND BRACKETS.

OF COURSE WE GOT A FEW PIECES OF NEW HARDWARE TO KEEP FROM BLEMISHING THE LOOKS OF THE NEW BUMPERS.

[ impact drill spinning ]

(TOMMY) WELL WE GOT OUR BUMPER ON AND NOW THE NEXT TASK IS PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT OUR HOOD'S NOT GONNA CLOSE. SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIND A CURE FOR IT. THIS AIR CLEANER IS STICKING WELL ABOVE THE TOP OF THESE FENDERS. THE NEXT PROCESS IS GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT PRIMITIVE BUT I THINK IT'S GONNA TURN OUT JUST FINE. SO THE FIRST STEP THAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS MAKE SURE THAT THE ENGINE IS SETTING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CENTER, IF YOU WILL, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, AND TO DO THAT YOU JUST SIMPLY MEASURE FROM THE AIR CLEANER STUD TO THE EDGE OF THE FENDER. LOOKS LIKE WE'RE AT 32 AND AN EIGHTH. WHENEVER YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU MEASURE IN COMMON POINTS. (MARC) ALL RIGHT, THIS IS 31 AND FIVEEIGHTHS, WHICH IS A HALF INCH DIFFERENCE, WHICH MEANS IT'S ONLY A QUARTER INCH OFF. TAKE A QUARTER INCH AWAY FROM ONE SIDE, ADD IT TO THE OTHER, BE IN THE CENTER. (TOMMY) NEXT THING WE'RE GONNA DO IS MEASURE FROM THE FRONT OF THE HOOD ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE CARBURETOR. I'M SETTING JUST TO THE SIDE, AND I'LL DO THAT HERE, AND WE'RE 34 AND A QUARTER. (MARC) NOW WE NEED TO ACCOUNT FOR THE GAP AT THE LEADING EDGE OF THE HOOD. SO WE'RE JUST GONNA TAKE ABOUT AN EIGHTH INCH OFF OF THAT MEASUREMENT. WE'LL MARK IT AT 34 AND AN EIGHTH, AND WE'RE GONNA USE THE CROWN OF THE HOOD HERE AS A GUIDE. NOW WE JUST NEED TO GET THOSE LEFT AND RIGHT MEASUREMENTS THAT WE TOOK EARLIER TRANSPOSED HERE ONTO THIS LINE. THAT'S 32 AND AN EIGHTH, RIGHT?

THEN THAT'S GONNA BE 31 AND FIVEEIGHTHS. NOW WHERE THESE LINES INTERSECT, THAT'S GONNA BE WHERE OUR STUD'S GONNA COME UP THROUGH OUR HOOD. SO WE JUST NEED TO MAKE A MARK HERE, DRILL A HOLE, AND THEN WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT OUR RADIUS IS GONNA BE SO WE KNOW HOW BIG HOLE NEEDS TO BE FOR THAT AIR CLEANER. (TOMMY) NOW THAT ALL IS GONNA BE DETERMINED, BY LIKE HE SAID, HOW BIG THIS AIR CLEANER IS. NOW WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE IT PLENTY ENOUGH ROOM BECAUSE THAT BIG BLOCK LIABLE TO MOVE AROUND A BIT WHENEVER WE ACTUATE THE THROTTLE, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING. SO WE WANT TO GIVE IT TWO INCHES ON THIS SIDE AND TWO. SO WE'LL JUST ADD FOUR INCHES TOTAL TO THIS OVERALL MEASUREMENT. OVERALL IT'S 16 AND A HALF PLUS THOSE FOUR INCHES OF CLEARANCE, IS 20 AND A HALF.

[ drill spinning ] (MARC) NOW WE'VE GOT THIS PIECE OF CARDBOARD HERE, AND THIS IS GONNA BE OUR TOOL THAT'S GONNA ALLOW US TO MAKE THAT BIG CIRCLE. SO WE'VE JUST GOT A STARTING POINT HERE, AND TOMMY'S MEASUREMENT WAS 20 AND A HALF, WHICH IS THE DIAMETER. SO WE'RE GONNA CUT THAT IN HALF TO MAKE OUR RADIUS, WHICH IS GONNA BE 10 AND A QUARTER. SO MARK 10 AND A QUARTER.

USE OUR CENTER PUNCH HERE.

ALL RIGHT, SO I'M GONNA USE THE DRILL BIT THAT I USED TO DRILL THIS HOLE AS THE PIVOT POINT HERE IN THIS CARDBOARD. THAT'S GONNA GO THERE, JUST TAKE THE PENCIL TO THIS HOLE THAT I MADE WITH THE CENTER PUNCH, AND THAT'S GONNA MAKE OUR MARK.

(TOMMY) WITH OUR CIRCLE MARKED OUT, WHEN CAN MAKE A HOLE TO GIVE OUR SAW A PLACE TO START. THEN IT'S TIME FOR THE SOOTHING SONG OF A BODY SAW. NOW WE ARE CUTTING THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF BRACING HERE, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO COMPROMISE THE STRENGTH OF THE HOOD TOO MUCH.

(MARC) WELL TOM, WHAT DO YOU THINK? (TOMMY) WELL WE CAUGHT A LITTLE BIT OF GRIEF OVER THIS RIDE, BUT I DO BELIEVE WE DID ALL RIGHT. (MARC) I LIKE IT! (NARRATOR) AFTER THE BREAK IT'S OUR MERC'S FIRST CRUISE, AND A THRIFTY MUSTANG MOD.

(MARC) NOW YOU KNOW WE'VE USED YUKON GEAR AND AXLE IN THE PAST FOR NEEDS FOR DIFFERENTIALS, AND AXLES, AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING DRIVESHAFTS NOW TOO, AND WE NEEDED THAT DRIVESHAFT FOR OUR MERCURY. SO WE JUST TOLD THEM THE DIMENSIONS WE NEEDED, AND WHAT OUR POWER LEVEL WAS, AND THEY MADE UP THIS FOUR INCH ALUMINUM PIECE FOR US RIGHT HERE IN THE USA. NOW THEY DO OFFER SOME THAT ARE READY TO BOLT IN, SAY FOR LIKE MUSTANGS AND JEEPS LIKE THAT, BUT IF YOU NEED A CUSTOM ONE THEY CAN DO THAT TOO.

SHE'S ABOUT READY TO FIRE. SO WE'LL FILL THE FLUIDS INCLUDING THIS ROYAL PURPLE EXTREME PERFORMANCE MOTOR OIL, WHICH IS GONNA KEEP THAT GNARLY BIG BLOCK NICE AND HAPPY. [ engine revving ] (TOMMY) WE'LL TAKE HER FOR A SHAKEDOWN RUN, WHICH IS GONNA INVOLVED PUTTING HER THROUGH HER PACES BUT NOT BURYING THE THROTTLE. YOU NEVER DO THAT WITH A FRESH BUILD. ONCE SHE'S GOT A FEW MILES ON HER, WE CAN GET HER BACK TO THE SHOP AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS KOSHER. NEXT TIME YOU SEE HER WE'RE GONNA OPEN THAT THROTTLE UP. (MARC) HERE'S SOMETHING YOU DON'T SEE IN OUR SHOP VERY OFTEN, AND THAT IS A FIVE POINT ZERO MUSTANG, BUT THERE ARE A BUNCH OF THEM OUT THERE ON THE ROAD. THEY REALLY LIKE BOLT ONS, AND YOU COULD PRACTICALLY BUILD THIS CAR FROM THE GROUND UP WITH ALL THE PARTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. NOW THIS ONE THAT WE HAVE HERE IS AN '86, WHICH IS THE FIRST YEAR THEY CAME OUT WITH THAT FUEL INJECTED FIVE LITER. NOW THAT'S SEQUENTIAL PORT FUEL INJECTION, AND FROM THE FACTORY THEY MAKE A LITTLE OVER 200 HORSEPOWER, BUT WITH SOME BOLT ONS YOU CAN JACK IT UP TO ABOUT TWICE THAT, BUT THERE ARE SOME LITTLE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO THESE CARS TO MAKE THEM A LOT MORE STREET FRIENDLY AND ACCEPT THOSE HIGH POWER PARTS A LITTLE EASIER. NOW ONE OF THOSE SIMPLE UPGRADES IS CHANGING OUT THIS FAN. NOW THIS IS A MANUAL CLUTCH FAN AND IT'S CONNECTED RIGHT TO THAT WATER PUMP, AND IT'S ROBBING PROBABLY ABOUT 15 HORSEPOWER FROM THIS ENGINE. SO YOU CAN JUST GET RID OF THAT AND INSTALL AN ELECTRIC FAN, BUT THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS IT DRAWS TOO MANY AMPS FOR THIS 75 AMP ALTERNATOR. SO YOU'VE GOT TO UPGRADE THAT. WE'LL ZIP TIE THIS RADIATOR HOSE TO GET IT OUT OF THE WAY. THEN WE CAN WORK ON GETTING THIS STOCK ALTERNATOR OUT.

WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT FORD ALTERNATORS FROM THREE DIFFERENT ERAS, BUT AT THEIR CORE THEY'RE ALL VERY SIMILAR. THEY'RE JUST ELECTROMAGNETIC POWER GENERATORS THAT CREATE ELECTRICITY. THEY'RE SPUN BY YOUR ENGINE'S BELT, AND THAT CREATES THE ELECTRICITY THAT'S SENT BACK TO YOUR BATTERY. NOW AS SIMILAR AS THESE ARE, THEY'RE ALL A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. SO WE'RE GONNA GO OVER EACH ONE OF THEM INDIVIDUALLY. NOW THIS ONE HERE CAME OFF OF AN EARLY '70'S CAR, AND IT'S GOT ITS OWN LITTLE WIRING HARNESS HERE THAT PLUGS INTO THE FIELD AND THE STATOR, AS WELL AS THE CHARGE WIRE THAT SENDS THE VOLTAGE TO THE BATTERY, BUT THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN THAT. YOU HAVE TO USE THIS VOLTAGE REGULATOR HERE TO REGULATE THE VOLTAGE BEFORE IT GETS SENT BACK TO THE BATTERY THROUGH A CONNECTOR THAT PLUGS IN HERE. NOW THAT'S A LITTLE COMPLICATED, AND SO THEY DECIDED TO MAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER. AS TIME PASSED CARS PROGRESSED, THEY SWITCHED TO SERPENTINE SETUPS, AND THEY SWITCHED OVER TO A LOT MORE ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS, RAISING THE DEMAND OF THE ALTERNATOR. SO THEY UPGRADED TO THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR BEING BUILT INTO THE ALTERNATOR. NOW THIS ONE PRODUCES ABOUT 75 AMPS COMPARED TO 70 AMPS ON THAT OLD ONE, BUT EVEN AT 75 AMPS, ON SOME OF THESE CARS, IT'S NOT QUITE ENOUGH. NOW BY THE EARLY TO MID '90'S FORD HAD SWITCHED TO THIS THREEG STYLE ALTERNATOR. THIS THING WILL PUMP OUT ABOUT 130 AMPS, ALMOST TWICE OF WHAT ITS PREDECESSOR WOULD DO. IT'S INTERNALLY COOLED, BUT IT'S GOT SIMILAR MOUNTING POINTS TO ITS PREDECESSOR. IF YOU WANT TO UPGRADE FROM THIS REALLY OLD STYLE WITH THE SEPARATE VOLTAGE REGULATOR TO THIS THREEG, IT'S REALLY NOT THAT HARD. YOU JUST NEED THIS LITTLE PIG TAIL HERE, UPDATE YOUR HARNESS, AND BOLT IT IN PLACE. NOW THIS THING ISN'T REALLY TOO SPECIAL. IT'S JUST A STOCK REPLACEMENT FOR A '94 MUSTANG GT THAT WE GOT FROM ROCK AUTO DOT COM.

WELL THAT DOES IT. NOW THIS THING HAS COME A LONG WAY WITH JUST A LITTLE BIT OF WORK, AND NOW THE OWNER OF THIS MUSTANG CAN INSTALL AN ELECTRIC FAN, ELECTRIC WATER PUMP, OR JUST ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE YOU COULD THINK OF. HECK, YOU COULD EVEN INSTALL A STEREO SYSTEM, AND YOU WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT UPGRADING THAT JUICE.

(KATIE) WELL THAT'S A WRAP FOR TODAY. IT WAS SO COOL TO MEET ONE OF OUR VIEWERS AND SHARE THEIR BUILD WITH YOU. THAT'S WHAT POWERNATION'S ALL ABOUT. I'M KATIE OSBORNE, I'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.