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1983-92 Mustang 5-Speed Kit
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1983-92 Mustang 6-Speed Kit
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Bellhousing Ford 6 Speed Transmission
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Episode Transcript

(NARRATOR)>> TODAY ON DETROIT MUSCLE IT'S TO TIME TAKE A LOOK AT THE DRIVETRAIN IN OUR FOX BODY COBRA PROJECT, "SYDEWINDER". THEN IT'S TRUNK PAN TRIMMING IN OUR '69 DODGE "HARD CHARGER".

(MARC)>> HEY EVERYBODY, WELCOME TO DETROIT MUSCLE. TODAY WE'RE GONNA BE JUMPING ONTO OUR 1981 FORD MUSTANG COBRA FOX BODY PROJECT.

(TOMMY)>> NOW WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT '80'S ERA CARS. I'VE GOT AN OLD BUICK THAT'S OFF AT THE CHASSIS SHOP GETTING FITTED FOR A NEW UNDERCARRIAGE BUT THIS LITTLE JEWEL HERE, IT'S KIND OF THIS BOY'S BABY.

(MARC)>> YEAH, IT'S A UNIBODY. SO IT DOESN'T NEED A CHASSIS, AND THERE'S PLENTY OF AFTERMARKET SUPPORT OUT THERE TO MAKE THIS THING HANDLE AND STOP. FOX BODY MUSTANGS HAVE GAINED A LOT OF POPULARITY OVER THE YEARS, WITH BEING LIGHTWEIGHT AND THAT FIVE LITER EFI ENGINE THAT CAME OUT IN 1986. THAT THING MADE OVER 200 HORSEPOWER RIGHT OUT OF THE FACTORY. THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE ENGINES. THIS IS A 255 CUBIC INCH SMALL BLOCK BASED ON THE WINDSOR. SO IT'S BASICALLY A 302 WITH SMALLER BORES. FORD DID THIS TO COMBAT THE EPA STANDARDS OF THE DAY. PROBLEM IS IT ONLY MAKES ABOUT 120 HORSEPOWER. SO A LOT OF GUYS WILL PUT A FOUR BARREL ON LIKE THIS ONE, BUT EVEN STILL IT'S TINY AND IT'S SAD, BUT THIS STROKED WINDSOR IS GONNA MAKE US HAPPY. IT WAS ACTUALLY BUILT BY THE GUYS DOWN IN ENGINE POWER. SO WE BROUGHT IN MIKE GALLEY HERE. HE'S GONNA TALK ABOUT WHAT'S IN IT.

(MIKE)>> YOU KNOW MARC, PAT AND I WANTED TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE ORIGINAL 427, BUT WE KNOW THEY'RE HARD TO FIND PARTS FOR AND THEY'RE REALLY EXPENSIVE TO MAKE A LOT OF POWER OUT OF IT. SO THIS WAS A MORE COST EFFECTIVE PLATFORM TO GO OFF OF. IT'S A 351 BASED WINDSOR. THIS BLOCK IS ACTUALLY A DSS RACE PREPPED 20 BLOCK. ALL CNC MACHINED WITH OVER 31 OPERATIONS PERFORMED TO IT. IT'S FILLED WITH AN EAGLE ROTATING ASSEMBLY, FORGED MAHLE PISTON. CAPPING THAT OFF IS A SET OF TRICK FLOW HIGH PORT 225'S WITH A 70cc COMBUSTION CHAMBER, AND THAT GAVE US AN 11.3 TO ONE COMPRESSION RATIO. NOW WE STILL RAN IT ON PUMP GAS. OUR DYNO CARB WAS A 950 CFM BLACK DIAMOND, AND WE WERE RUNNING INCH AND SEVENEIGHTHS HEADERS, AND IT MADE OVER 610 HORSEPOWER AND 550 POUND FEET OF TORQUE.

(MARC)>> SO YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT'S GONNA MAKE THAT FOX BODY CRAZY, RIGHT?

(MIKE)>> IT'S GOING TO BE A HANDLE. YEAH, IT'S GONNA BE FUN TO DRIVE.

(MARC)>> AWESOME, THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, AND BECAUSE IT'S A WINDSOR IT SHOULD BOLT RIGHT IN.

(MIKE)>> YEAH, YOU KNOW WITH THE HIGH PORT AND THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET A DIFFERENT SET OF HEADERS BECAUSE YOU KNOW THEY SIT HIGHER. YOU DON'T WANT TO BUMP THE FLOOR PAN WITH THE COLLECTORS, AND THERE'S SOME OTHER LITTLE SMALL THINGS, BUT AS FAR AS MOTOR MOUNTS AND EVERYTHING, AND THE KMEMBER YOU'RE GONNA USE, DROP RIGHT IN.

(MARC)>> NICE, THANKS A LOT!

(MIKE)>> YOU'RE WELCOME!

(MARC)>> WE'RE START BY GETTING THE PERIPHERALS OUT OF THE WAY, LIKE THE COOLING SYSTEM AND FUEL SETUP. WELL I'VE GOT OUR MUSTANG IN THE AIR NOW BECAUSE WE NEED TO GET SOME STUFF DISCONNECTED UNDER HERE IN ORDER TO GET THE ENGINE OUT. NOW MOST OF THE TIME WHEN WE DO THIS WE UNBOLT EVERYTHING REAL NICE AND STACK IT IN THE CORNER IN CASE WE NEED IT LATER, BUT WITH THIS CAR PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING'S GETTING REPLACED ANYWAY. SO I BROKE OUT THE SAW. [ saw cutting metal ]

(MARC)>> THE DRIVESHAFT NEEDS TO GO AWAY FOR NOW. SO WE'LL GET THAT UNPLUGGED. THEN WE'LL START WORKING ON GETTING THE TRANNY UNBOLTED. [ drill spinning ]

(MARC)>> WELL WE'VE GOT JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING DISCONNECTED HERE UNDERNEATH. THIS TRANSMISSION'S FREE HERE. TOOK THE NUTS OFF WHERE THE MOUNT ATTACHES TO THE CROSS MEMBER AND WE TOOK THE NUTS OFF OF THESE BOLTS HERE TO HOLD THE CROSS MEMBER TO THE UNIBODY. NOW I NEED TO GET THE MOTOR MOUNTS DISCONNECTED FROM THE KMEMBER UP FRONT AND GET MY CHERRY PICKER HOOKED UP, AND ONCE IT'S DOWN ON THE GROUND I CAN SLIDE A FLOOR JACK UNDERNEATH HERE, PUT SOME PRESSURE ON THE TRANSMISSION, AND THAT'LL ALLOW ME TO SLIP THAT CROSS MEMBER OUT OF THE WAY AND PULL EVERYTHING OUT UP TOP.

A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU'RE WORKING ON OLD CARS, PARTS AREN'T AVAILABLE, YOU HAVE TO MAKE THEM YOURSELF. THAT'S THE CASE WITH THIS PIECE RIGHT HERE. THIS IS ACTUALLY THE BOTTOM OF A REAR GLASS WINDOW FRAME, AND IT'S A PRETTY COMMON AREA FOR OLD CARS TO RUST OUT, YOU CAN SEE, LIKE THIS ONE DID HERE. SO I WENT AHEAD AND CUT IT OUT. NOW SINCE THIS ISN'T AVAILABLE I'VE GOT TO MAKE SOMETHING FOR IT. I'M GONNA SHOW YOU HOW TO DO THAT TODAY. NOW I'M NOT GONNA MAKE THIS WHOLE PIECE. I'M JUST GONNA USE THIS LITTLE PIECE OF SCRAP METAL TO SHOW YOU HOW TO DO IT. I JUST TOOK THE SAME GAUGE STEEL AS THE PIECE THAT WE'RE REPLACING AND I PUT IT IN THE SHEET METAL BREAK, AND I BENT IT INTO A 90 DEGREE BEND. NOW IF YOU LOOK HERE, THE WAY IT SITS, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S FLAT BUT IT'S NOT. YOU CAN SEE IT ROCK HERE, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THERE'S A SLIGHT BEND TO THIS PIECE THIS WAY. SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THIS THING MOLDED TO FIT THERE. I'VE GOT THIS PIECE RIGHT HERE THAT I'VE ALREADY MADE AND MODIFIED. IT ACTUALLY STARTED OUT MUCH LIKE THIS, BUT I MADE AN EXTERIOR BEND HERE AND AN INTERIOR BEND HERE. NOW THERE'S A SPECIAL TOOL THAT I USED TO MAKE THIS PIECE HERE, AND THAT'S THE SAME TOOL THAT WE'RE GONNA USE TO MODIFY THIS PIECE TO MAKE IT FIT, AND IT'S RIGHT BEHIND ME. THIS IS THE SHRINKER AND STRETCHER TOOL COMBO, AND ALTHOUGH THESE TOOLS CAN ACCOMPLISH SOME PRETTY INTRICATE JOBS, THEY'RE PRETTY SIMPLE ACTUALLY, AND DEPENDING ON WHICH ONE YOU USE, ONE SHRINKS METAL AND ONE STRETCHES METAL. THIS IS THE SHRINKER TOOL, AND AS YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A GAP HERE, AND THAT'S WHERE YOU WOULD PUT YOUR SHEET METAL INSIDE, AND AS YOU PULL THE LEVER DOWN THE UPPER AND LOWER JAWS WILL CONTACT EACH OTHER, AND THAT GRIPS THE PIECE OF METAL, AND THEN AS YOU CONTINUE LOWERING THE LEVER IT CLOSES THE GAP IN THE CENTER AND THE METAL THAT'S TRAPPED IN BETWEEN THE JAWS RIGHT THERE WILL GET SHRUNKEN, AND THIS IS THE STRETCHER. AS YOU PROBABLY GUESSED, IT WORKS OPPOSITE OF THE SHRINKER. YOU JUST PUT YOUR SHEET METAL IN HERE, AND AS THE JAWS COME DOWN IT'LL GRAB THE SHEET METAL, AND AS YOU CONTINUE PUSHING DOWN THE JAWS GET SPREAD APART, AND RIGHT IN THERE IS WHERE THE METAL GETS STRETCHED. NOW LIKE I SAID EARLIER, EACH ONE OF THOSE TOOLS HAS A JOB TO DO. THIS IS THE JOB OF THE SHRINKER, AND THIS IS THE JOB OF THE STRETCHER. NOW SINCE WE HAVE TO GET THIS PIECE FIT IN HERE WE NEED TO MAKE AN EXTERNAL BEND. THAT MEANS WE NEED TO USE A STRETCHER ON THIS HERE. I'M GONNA SHOW YOU HOW TO DO THAT. NOW SINCE THIS ENTIRE PIECE HAS TO BE STRETCHED I'M JUST GONNA START AT THE END HERE, MAKE SOME STRETCHES, AND JUST KEEP WORKING MY WAY DOWN.

NOW I'M GONNA GO FIT IT. LOOKS LIKE IT FITS PRETTY GOOD. NOW WHAT'S COOL ABOUT THIS TOOL IS THE MORE PRESSURE YOU APPLY THE MORE IT'S EITHER GONNA SHRINK OR STRETCH. ANOTHER COOL THING ABOUT THAT TOOL, IT DOESN'T TAKE UP MUCH ROOM IN THE SHOP.

(NARRATOR)>> COMING UP WE'VE GOT TO PICK A TRANSMISSION FOR "PROJECT SYDEWINDER", AND THEN IT'S TIME TO CUT SOME TIN WORM OUT OF THE OLD DODGE.

(MARC)>> HEY EVERYBODY, WELCOME BACK. WE GOT OUR ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION OUT OF OUR FOX BODY MUSTANG. THIS THING'S BACK BY A CFOUR, WHICH WAS THE ONLY TRANSMISSION OPTION IN '81 IF YOU GOT A VEIGHT. THIS THING'S NOT GONNA HANDLE THE AMOUNT OF POWER THAT 427'S GONNA PUT OUT. SO WE DECIDED TO GO A DIFFERENT ROUTE. BESIDES THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DITCH THAT AUTOMATIC FOR A MANUAL. SO WE GOT ROBERT HERE WITH AMERICAN POWERTRAIN. HE BROUGHT SOME GOODIES WITH HIM. ROBERT, WHAT DO YOU GOT HERE?

(ROBERT)>> WELL THESE ARE OUR THREE MOST POPULAR MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS FOR FORD PRODUCTS. THIS IS THE TFIVE, WHICH WAS THE QUINTESSENTIAL MUSTANG TRANSMISSION FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS. GOOD TRANSMISSION, GOOD FOR ABOUT 300 FOOT POUNDS OF TORQUE. SO NOT THE RIGHT TRANSMISSION FOR EVERYTHING, BUT IF THAT'S YOU'RE POWER RANGE NICE BOX, SMOOTH SHIFTS.

(MARC)>> I GO UP ABOVE THAT, I NEED TO GO TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS?

(ROBERT)>> SO THE TKO WAS DESIGNED TO BE A REPLACEMENT FOR THE TFIVE. THE TFIVE HANGS IN THERE THOUGH. SO THIS IS A TRANSMISSION. IT'S ABOUT THE SAME LENGTH, HAS THE SAME SHIFTER POSITION AS THE MUSTANG TFIVE, BUT IT'S A 600 FOOT POUND RATED BOX.

(MARC)>> I NOTICED THE INPUT SHAFT'S DIFFERENT, MORE SPLINES HERE?

(ROBERT)>> YES, SO YOU HAVE A LARGER DIAMETER, PLUS IT'S 26 SPLINE. SO THAT GIVES YOU MORE HOLDING POWER THERE. IN THE BACK END, SAME THING, WE'VE GONE UP TO A 31 SPLINE INPUT ON THE BACK FOR THE TKO.

(MARC)>> AND THEN THIS ONE, I KNOW WHAT THIS IS. THIS IS THE MAGNUM RIGHT?

(ROBERT)>> SO WE'VE GOT THE MAC DADDY. THE MAGNUM IS A MATING OF THE 60-60, WHICH IS THE CURRENT PRODUCTION SIX SPEED. IF YOU WENT OUT AND GOT A GT-500 YOU WOULD HAVE THE 60-60, BUT THEN WE TOOK ALL THE BENEFITS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE IN A TKO THAT MAKE IT FLEXIBLE IN THE AFTERMARKET INCORPORATED INTO THAT. SO YOU HAVE DIFFERENT SHIFTER POSITIONS, ELECTRONIC SPEEDO OUTPUT, MECHANICAL SPEEDO OUTPUT, 700 FOOT POUNDS, 7,000 RPM SHIFTS.

(MARC)>> BUT YOU DO HAVE TO DO SOME OTHER THINGS TO GET THIS ONE IN COMPARED TO THE TKO RIGHT?

(ROBERT)>> BIGGER TRANS, THE MOUNTING POSITION IS FURTHER BACK. SO YOU NEED A NEW CROSS MEMBER. THE SHAPE OF THE BELL IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THE WAY IT ENGAGES THE FRONT OF THE SIX SPEED THAN FROM A FIVE SPEED OR A FOUR SPEED. SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO CHANGE THE BELL HERE, AND SINCE IT'S LONGER, COMPLETELY NEW DRIVESHAFT.

(MARC)>> AND THE CROSS MEMBER WILL BE IN A DIFFERENT SPOT?

(ROBERT)>> YES.

(MARC)>> SO I GUESS WE'VE GOT IT NARROWED DOWN TO THESE TWO SINCE THAT TFIVE CAN'T HANDLE THE AMOUNT OF POWER WE'RE GONNA BE MAKING. HOW DO I DETERMINE WHICH ONE OF THOSE I GO WITH?

(ROBERT)>> WELL IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE A BUDGET CALL. MAGNUM, FANTASTIC TRANSMISSION, GREAT POWER, HOLDING GOOD SMOOTH SHIFTS, BUT IT'S A MORE EXPENSIVE GEAR BOX AND YOU HAVE TO BUY A FEW MORE PARTS TO PUT IT IN THE CAR. SO THE TKO WILL SAVE YOU ABOUT $1,100 DOLLARS AND DO EVERYTHING YOU NEED IT TO.

(MARC)>> I LIKE TO HEAR THAT. SO BEING THIS IS A FOX BODY AND I WANT TO SAVE AS MUCH MONEY AS I CAN. I WANT TO KEEP BUDGET MINDED THROUGHOUT THE BUILD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, I THINK WE'LL GO WITH THIS. NOW AMERICAN POWERTRAIN HAS EVERYTHING NEEDED TO INSTALL ANY OF THESE TRANSMISSIONS, AND TOMMY'S BACK THERE. HE'S GOT A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PARTS FOR OUR APPLICATION. GO CHECK IT OUT.

(TOMMY)>> FIGURING OUT WHICH UPGRADED TRANSMISSION TO GO WITH, THAT CAN BE THE EASY PART. WELL TRYING TO FIND ALL THOSE LITTLE BITY PIECES TO MAKE IT ALL WORK TOGETHER, THAT CAN BE THE HARD PART, BUT LUCKILY FOR US AMERICAN POWERTRAIN HAS DONE ALL THAT HARD WORK FOR US.

(ROBERT)>> WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A TYPICAL BATCH OF PARTS THAT A FOX BODY OWNER SWITCHING FROM A TFIVE OVER TO A TKO IS GOING TO NEED. HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE THE BELL TO GO FROM THE TFIVE TO THE TKO. HE CAN GO WITH A TREMEC ALUMINUM BELL, WHICH IS A DIRECT REPLACEMENT, OR HE CAN UPGRADE TO A QUICK TIME SCATTER SHIELD IF HE'S GOING TO BE DOING SOME RACING. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THAT 26 SPLINE INPUT IS GOING TO REQUIRE NEW CLUTCH DISCS, AND ALONG WITH THE DISCS YOU MIGHT AS WELL GO AHEAD AND GET A PRESSURE PLATE BECAUSE YOU'RE ALREADY IN THERE. YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO NEED THIS STRONGER 31 SPLINE YOKE TO ENGAGE THE 31 SPLINE OUTPUT SHAFT ON THE TKO. IT USES THE ORIGINAL UJOINTS AND ORIGINAL DRIVESHAFT, AND IF YOU DON'T GET QUITE ENOUGH YOKE ENGAGEMENT WE HAVE A BILLET SPACER THAT GOES BETWEEN THE REAR END AND THE BACK OF THE DRIVESHAFT. MOVING ON TO THE PRETTY PARTS, YOU'LL NEED A DIFFERENT LEVER FOR THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. THIS IS ONE OF THE FINCH MODELS. VERY COOL, BILLET, A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT STYLES, OR YOU CAN GO WITH SOMETHING MORE TRADITIONAL LIKE A CHROME LEVER AND ONE OF THESE WHITE OR GUN METAL SHIFT KNOBS.

(TOMMY)>> WELL THAT PRETTY MUCH COVERS IT IF WE WERE WANTING TO GO WITH A TKO, BUT LET'S SAY WE WANTED TO GO WITH THAT T-56 MAGNUM.

(ROBERT)>> WELL YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AT BASICALLY THE SAME SHOPPING LIST OF PARTS EXCEPT FOR THE BELL HOUSING IS GOING TO LOOK VERY DIFFERENT WITH THE SIX SPEED. IT BOLTS UP AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE TRANSMISSION. VERY DIFFERENT STYLE FROM WHAT YOU WOULD SEE WITH THE FOUR SPEED OR FIVE SPEED, BUT THOSE PARTS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE WITH THE MAGNUM BUT NOT WITH THE TKO, CROSS MEMBER. MAGNUM IS LONGER, MOUNTING PADS FURTHER BACK. SO WE HAVE THIS BOLT IN BILLET ALUMINUM CROSS MEMBER. IT PUTS EVERYTHING WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE, AND SINCE IT'S A LONGER TRANS, DIFFERENT OUTPUT SHAFT, YOU ARE GOING TO NEED A NEW DRIVESHAFT.

(TOMMY)>> WELL I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT HERE AND SHOWING US SOME OF THE GOODIES THAT YOU GUYS HAVE, BUT IT'S TIME FOR ME AND MARC TO GET BUSY, YOU KNOW, BOLTING THAT MOTOR AND TRANNY IN. SEE IF WE CAN EVEN DROP IT IN THE HOLE, BUT YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF HERE? YEAH, FOLLOW ME.

(NARRATOR)>> AFTER THE BREAK WE'RE MOVING TO METAL WORK AND OUR '69 CHARGER COULD USE SOME.

(MARC)>> HEY EVERYBODY, WELCOME BACK. I'M BUSY WORKING ON GETTING THIS OIL PAN OFF OF OUR 427 WINDSOR HERE. THIS IS THE ENGINE THEY BUILT DOWN IN ENGINE POWER, AND TO PUT IT ON THE DYNO THEY JUST PUT A FRONT SUMP PAN ON HERE. WELL WE NEED TO SWAP IT OUT TO A REAR SUMP PAN, THAT ONE I GOT THERE FROM SUMMIT RACING, TO GET INTO OUR FOX BODY MUSTANG. SO I'M GONNA BE WORKING ON THAT. IN THE MEAN TIME MISTER TOMMY'S OVER WORKING ON OUR '69 CHARGER. GO CHECK IT OUT!

(TOMMY)>> HEY GUYS, WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING TODAY IS REPLACING THE TRUNK PAN INSIDE OF OUR OLD CHARGER HERE. NOW WE'RE NOT GONNA BE REPLACING THE WHOLE THING BECAUSE, WELL THAT'S EXTRA WORK AND IT'S REALLY NOT ALL THAT BAD. WE'RE GONNA DO JUST PRIMARILY HERE IN THE CENTER BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE MOST OF THE RUST IS AT. WELL WHEN I SAY MOST, WHERE THE HOLES ARE, AND FIRST THING WE'VE GOT TO DO IS MARK THIS THING OFF AND THEN WE CAN GET TO CUTTING.

WHAT I'VE MARKED OFF HERE MAY LOOK A LITTLE ODD TO YOU, BUT LIKE A MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'RE NOT REPLACING THE ENTIRE FLOOR. WE'RE GONNA CUT THIS PIECE OUT AND THIS PIECE HERE. WHAT I'VE MARKED OFF RIGHT THROUGH HERE IS A BRACE THAT GOES ACROSS THAT SUPPORTS THE GAS TANK. NOW WE'VE GOT TO CUT OUT THAT SPARE TIRE BRACKET BEFORE WE CAN GET ANY OF THIS OUT OF THE WAY. SO WE NEED TO MAKE SOME SPARKS. [ saw cutting metal ] [ air chisel vibrating ]

(TOMMY)>> NEXT WE'LL DRILL A FEW STARTER HOLES FOR THE BODY SAW. THEN IT'S TIME TO START SLICING. [ saw cutting metal ]

[ saw cutting metal ]

(TOMMY)>> NOW WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF THE BIG CHUNKS CUT OUT OF THE WAY BUT THE NEXT STEP WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO IS TRIM THIS LIP BACK TO THE TOP EDGE OF THIS FRAME RAIL. NOW ONCE WE PUT OUR PANEL BACK INTO PLACE AND WELD IT INTO POSITION IT'D BE HARD TO TELL THAT WE EVEN MADE A REPAIR FROM THE BOTTOM SIDE OF THE CAR. NOW OBVIOUSLY FROM THE TOP THERE WILL BE A JOINT THAT RUNS FRONT TO THE REAR OF THE TRUNK FLOOR, BUT ONCE WE PUT SOME SEAM SEALER ON IT IT'LL LOOK REAL NICE. [ saw buzzing ]

(TOMMY)>> WITH IT CUT WE'LL TAKE A GRINDER AND MAKE SURE THOSE TWO SURFACES ARE NICE AND FLUSH. WITH THAT DONE, WE CAN START CLEANING UP THE AREA WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE WELDING THE NEW PANEL IN. THAT INCLUDES SCRAPING OFF THIS OLD COATING, FOLLOWED BY SOME GRINDING. [ grinding metal ]

(TOMMY)>> WELL WE GOT THE PERIMETER CLEANED UP, AND THE NEXT THING WE NEED TO DO IS REMOVE THIS TOP PIECE OFF OF THE BRACE. WE'RE GONNA SLICE IT ACROSS HERE AND ON THE OTHER SIDE. NOW THERE'S SOME SPOT WELDS ON THE TOP OF HERE THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REMOVE TO GET THAT PIECE OFF, AND WHAT I'M PLANNING TO USE IS THIS GRINDER. NOW YOU COULD DO IT SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS. YOU COULD USE LIKE A DRILL BIT, OR A SPOT WELD CUTTER, BUT THIS PIECE IS PRETTY FAST BECAUSE I'M NOT TRYING TO SAVE THAT UPPER PANEL. THE THING YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IS USE ONE OF THE LITTLE THIN CUTTERS. THIS THING'S DESIGNED SLICE, NOT REALLY GRIND, AND IF YOU TRY TO YOU MIGHT NOTICE THAT THAT BLADE WILL START FLEXING, AND THAT THING'S FIXING TO SHATTER ON YOU, AND IT'S GONNA HURT YOUR FACE A LOT. SO DON'T EVEN TRY IT.

WITH THAT EDGE SLICED OPEN WE CAN START PRYING UP THE METAL AND WORK TOWARDS THOSE SPOT WELDS. THEN WE'LL BUST OUT THAT GRINDER WE TALKED ABOUT TO CUT THE WELDS. [ saw cutting metal ]

[ saw cutting metal ]

[ saw cutting metal ]

(TOMMY)>> ONCE THE TOP PIECE IS REMOVED WE CAN USE A GRINDER TO CLEAN UP THE SURFACES IN PREPARATION FOR SOME WELDING, AND WE'LL ALSO CLEAN UP THE CHANNEL WITH A WIRE WHEEL JUST TO GET RID OF ANY RUST. TADA!

(NARRATOR)>> UP NEXT IT'S TIME TO PUT SOME NEW METAL INTO THE CHARGER AND GET IT SEWED UP.

(TOMMY)>> HEY GUYS, GLAD YOU MADE YOUR WAY BACK. NOW WE'RE JUST ABOUT READY TO BURN SOME WIRE ON THE TRUNK PANEL REPLACEMENT ON OUR '69 CHARGER PROJECT. NOW WE GOT THIS PANEL FROM STEPHEN'S PERFORMANCE, AND I'VE GOT IT TAPED OFF WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE CUT DOWN TO.

(MARC)>> HEY, I'M SICK OF WORKING ON THAT MOTOR FOR THAT MUSTANG. CAN I GIVE YOU A HAND?

(TOMMY)>> SURE, IF YOU'LL GRAB A BODY SAW I'LL LET YOU CUT THIS THING UP. ANYHOW, NOW I HAVE THIS THING MARKED OFF QUITE A BIT BIGGER THAN THE HOLE THAT WE CUT, AND I DID THAT FOR A REASON. THIS ALLOWS ME TO PUT IT IN, KIND OF FIT IT, AND THEN TRIM IT DOWN IF I NEED TO. IF YOU CUT IT A LITTLE BIT SHORT WELL YOU'VE GOT TO BUY A NEW PANEL. SO DON'T SCREW UP.

(MARC)>> OH, INSIDE OR OUTSIDE?

(TOMMY)>> OUTSIDE.

(MARC)>> ALL RIGHT, COOL. [ saw cutting metal ]

(MARC)>> WITH IT SLICED DOWN WE CAN TEST FIT IT AND SEE HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO NEED TO BE TRIMMED. A COUPLE OF RELIEF CUTS NEED TO BE MADE FOR THESE BRACES AT THE REAR. SO WE'LL MARK THOSE AND GET THEM CUT. [ saw cutting metal ]

(MARC)>> NOW THAT THE PANEL SITS DOWN WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO, WE'LL FIGURE OUT WHERE THE EDGES NEED TO BE TRIMMED AND GET SOME MARKS LAID DOWN. THEN PULL IT OUT OF THE CAR.

[ saw cutting metal ]

(TOMMY)>> WELL WE TEST FIT THE PANEL AND IT FIT LIKE A GLOVE. NOW WE NEED TO PUNCH SOME HOLES IN IT SO THAT WE CAN PLUG WELD IT INTO PLACE.

THIS HOLE PUNCH MAKES THE JOB A SNAP, BUT YOU CAN USE A DRILL IF YOU NEED TO.

WE'LL BUST OUT OUR LINCOLN POWER MIG AND MINI FLEX FUME VACUUM TO GET RID OF ANY BYPRODUCTS IN THE AIR. THEN IT'S PLUG WELD TIME BABY! [ welder crackling ]

(MARC)>> HEY TOMMY, THAT LOOKS GOOD. BETTER THAN PUT THE WHOLE PANEL IN, HUH?

(TOMMY)>> YEAH, IT SAVED US QUITE A BIT OF WORK, AND YOU KNOW WE'RE GETTING PRETTY CLOSE TO THE END OF THE ROPE WHENEVER IT COMES TO THIS SHEET METAL REPAIR. ABOUT ALL WE LACK IS, YOU KNOW, FITTING THAT FRONT STUFF.

(MARC)>> SEND IT TO THE BLASTER.

(TOMMY)>> THAT'S IT MAN.

(MARC)>> WELL FOR MORE TECH LIKE YOU SAW TODAY GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT POWERNATION TV DOT COM. WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.
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