1972 Dodge Colt

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Working on getting shifter working better.
I have a parts Ram Rod that had the top treads snapped off.
How that happened I have no idea!
Really, I bought it that way, no way I have that much strength in my bad shoulder.
I have a length of grade 8 bolt that I am going to TIG weld to the top.
Then I am going to put a 1 to 2 inch bend in the handle to give me more room on my leg.
The slant is a few inches further back and it puts the trans shifter right on my leg.
This should allow easier shifting in the heat of battle.
I had the t handle turn on the last 1 to 2 shift.
I will have to put a slight bend in the pull up lever also, but it "should" work.
Handle was no good anyway with the short thread so under the knife it goes.
Trans Install (1).JPG
RamRod Modifications (4).JPG
 
Is it tall enough? Would you be better off making kind of an S bent piece that bolts into the shifter mechanism and offsets the handle an inch or so to the right, and bolt the original shifter handle to that?
 
My Hurst stick is welded at the top too, it snapped right off in the heat of battle!

If it were an H pattern I would want the shifter handle more offset to the right, but for an in-line Ramrod it should be fine.

Looks good overall, but I would want to move that driveline loop a little farther back...

Grant
 
I snapped the threaded part off of my Ram Rod shifter too. It was cut down a little further into the thicker part of the handle and the threaded part of a 1/2" grade 8 fine thread bolt was welded on a few years back. I was at the track the weekend before last and I notest the pistol grip shift handle was loose, when I looked at it closer I found that the threaded part of the grade 8 bolt was bent back a hair. Most likely from 2nd and 4th gear shifts, evidently I am pulling on that shifter a little to hard.
1224150828.jpg
 
A couple of follow ups.
Here is the ram rod handle, don't want to do an S and I only need an inch or two.
It will bend.

There are 3 driveshaft loops.
Yes the first one is too close, but not going to move it yet.
And I would like a lot of different setups with the trans and shifter, but this is the deal now.
Ram Rod Handle.JPG
 
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Hi Hyper Pak, My trans is a Dr-4 Jerico, I did run an 833 with the 3.09 first gear that I slick shifted myself and when that wore out I sent it to Liberty to have the same thing you had done to yours. That trans let go on a third gear shift, and switched to the Jerico for newer and stronger gears and more gear ratio choices. The squeeze lever I used on my Ram Rod shifter came off an early Honda dirt bike( it was a short lever for cable brakes), I cut the ears off that went around the handle bars and ground, filed and reshaped and drilled and tapped it to fit on top of the bracket for the small T-handle pull lever. Then bent and contoured a length of 3/16" rod and threaded each end to fit the factory hardware. Then I cut the barrel end off the brake cable and drilled and tapped that to fit the lever end. Works perfect, and is a lot easier on the fingers than that little T-handle when up and down shifting it driving on the street.
0202121908.jpg
 
Thanks!
I used to run the 3.09, but seemed to run out too fast for my slant.
The trans I am running now is a, 2.66 - 1.91 - 1.39 - 1.00.
I had to look, I have a spare trans that has the TA gears 2.47 - 1.77 -1.34 1.00.
Launches good enough and seems to stay in 1st long enough.
4.88 Rear Gear.
 
Waiting on parts for my sons suv I started back on the Colt.
I wanted to get the fuel system and shifter changed out.
I got the pistol grip handle and it's much better on my knee.
Lifting the first gear gate is a little tricky, but doable.

I had spoken to Holley about fuel pump mounting when I was having pressure issues.
They told me the pump motor should be mounted up and the pump below.
If the seal fails in the pump you could get fuel into the motor and might have an issue.
So I remounted the pump, replaced the older fuel filter and installed a new one.

Next will be removing the single four barrel and start installing the webers.
I need to reinstall the fuel pressure regulator up front and start fabricating the fuel line.
Still in the 90's here in Texas, might can get to a T&T after I get it all done.
Pistol Grip (1).JPG
Fuel Pump Remounted (6).JPG
 
I got a half day of work in today on the Colt.
Took the water out that I put in a month ago for the Clay City Race.
Removed the four barrel intake and AVS carp.
Started the Weber install.
Thank you Mr. Clifford for making such a perfect manifold.
It fits just like a glove. NOT.

Four Barrel Intake.JPG


Weber Installation (3).JPG


Weber Installation (4).JPG
 
I spent the best part of the day trying to get the head manifold bolts tight.
I removed the intake a couple of times to grind on the Clifford flanges to get the triangle washers on.
There are a couple of nuts I still don't have tight.
It was easy with the 4 barrel intake but the short Clifford runners make it REAL tight.
The 1.75 header tubes don't help either.
I am still wondering if buying the Redline manifold might have been the better decision.
Of course the longer runners would be a data point also.
Should have a hgher RPM point with this shorter runner manifold, but man what a PITA.
 
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Not much to report on the Colt.
Working on the fuel block for the 3 Webers.
The one I want is on back order from Edelbrock, pretty cool cast deal.
They say November or December.

Edelbrock-1285_xl.jpg


On a bright note I got the engine finished in my son's ferd escape.
I will NEVER do that again.
 
Hyper_pak said:
Not much to report on the Colt.
Working on the fuel block for the 3 Webers.
The one I want is on back order from Edelbrock, pretty cool cast deal.
They say November or December.

View attachment 1715995068

On a bright note I got the engine finished in my son's ferd escape.
I will NEVER do that again.
Click to expand...
Make one, it shouldn't be that difficult.
 
Casting aluminum and machining is something I can't really do in my little garage.
I have a few different parts to use, I just like the look of the Edelbrock part.
Old school look.
 
Getting ready for a trip to Northern VA to see my brother, then down the east coast to see friends and family. I had a little time so I jumped back on the Colt.
I worked today on the throttle cable.
My old sheetmetal techs told me you have to build 3 brackets before you get it right.
I have found that to be true more often than not.
This bracket is the first attempt, I think it is too low on the angle of the cable to the bracket.
Really going to try and make the second one, the last one!
Throttle Cable (1).JPG


Throttle Cable (2).JPG


Throttle Cable (3).JPG
 
42 PAGES! Whew. What a cool build. I have never messed with a slanty but this car is so cool and unique with it. And then there is the history of this and the fact that its a tube chassis Colt. Trifecta of cool. Thanks for sharing and I look forward to seeing it run. I followed you on YouTube as well.
 
Hyper_pak said:
Waiting on parts for my sons suv I started back on the Colt.
I wanted to get the fuel system and shifter changed out.
I got the pistol grip handle and it's much better on my knee.
Lifting the first gear gate is a little tricky, but doable.

I had spoken to Holley about fuel pump mounting when I was having pressure issues.
They told me the pump motor should be mounted up and the pump below.
If the seal fails in the pump you could get fuel into the motor and might have an issue.
So I remounted the pump, replaced the older fuel filter and installed a new one.

Next will be removing the single four barrel and start installing the webers.
I need to reinstall the fuel pressure regulator up front and start fabricating the fuel line.
Still in the 90's here in Texas, might can get to a T&T after I get it all done.
View attachment 1715990113

View attachment 1715990114
Click to expand...
A little late, now. But it is not a good idea to use teflon tape on fuel line fittings. Should use either teflon paste sealer or something like Locktite liquid thread sealer
 
Hyper_pak said:
Casting aluminum and machining is something I can't really do in my little garage.
I have a few different parts to use, I just like the look of the Edelbrock part.
Old school look.
Click to expand...
I was thinking of a piece of 1 1/4" X 3" X 4" long rectangle aluminum.

Glad you found one though. Your persistence and hard work will pay off. :thumbsup:
 
turbodart68 said:
42 PAGES! Whew. What a cool build. I have never messed with a slanty but this car is so cool and unique with it. And then there is the history of this and the fact that its a tube chassis Colt. Trifecta of cool. Thanks for sharing and I look forward to seeing it run. I followed you on YouTube as well.
Click to expand...
Thank you! There will be a video about the Webers soon.
I am just back from a long distance VA, NC, SC trip so now back on the Colt.

And I spoke to a good friend in VA who builds race cars.
He won't do the struts on the Colt, says the car has too much history.
I guess just since it's still alive that is quite unique by just that fact.

Glad you enjoyed and thanks for subscribing!
 
Charrlie_S said:
A little late, now. But it is not a good idea to use teflon tape on fuel line fittings. Should use either teflon paste sealer or something like Locktite liquid thread sealer
Click to expand...

Thanks Charrlie, yes it is late, but I am just running gas, no Acohol so I hope it does OK.
I will take your advice on the Weber fuel block.

Have you sold the 64 Valiant that you got from Will?
I saw Will last week, he is doing well.
I picked up my old Lakewood 340 bell housing that I adapted to my first serious slant years ago.
 
justinp61 said:
I was thinking of a piece of 1 1/4" X 3" X 4" long rectangle aluminum.

Glad you found one though. Your persistence and hard work will pay off. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Thanks!
Yes I have a small Weber block I bought that is a round tube part.
So I could have done something like that.
It's just hard to find raw metal around here.
When I was working Aviation, I could find all kind of stuff in the trash cans and bins.
Now, not so much.
And Tractor Supply and the big box stores around here, not much either.
 
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