Any tips before i start the build?

[mickmate]

Seam seal the heck on the inside of the firewall while there's no gauges, cables etc in the way. If the fender padding isn't fitted put some in. Dimple the front of the drivers rear inner fender for seat clearance. Submarine strap.

[4pipes]

I agree on dimpling LR fender well.

[RodKnock]

Don't forget the center console with built-in stereo. Oh and the self-park wipers too.

[RestoCreations]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Don't forget the center console with built-in stereo. Oh and the self-park wipers too.

What do you think this is, a factory five? Was that below the belt?
BTW, according to their website they are now making the most accurate replica body available.

Seriously though, i plan on keeping it pretty simple. I am currently building a restomod 67 mustang with all the bells and whistles, but i think these cars should be kept as original-at least pertaining to the kirkhams. In my opinion, that is the way they were built and for me personally, that is the way i want this car to be. Minus that i will most likely attempt to quiet down the sidepipes if at all possible.

[RodKnock]

On a serious note, the back panel of the interior (bulkhead panel) can/may vibrate at low spedds like at idle. After I carpeted my trunk, including the trunk-side of that bulkhead panel, the vibration went away.

[Excaliber]

Well, as long as were going internal throw out bearing let's not cut any corners. A solid roller cam should be interesting. Between those two items you will never have to worry about what to do with your weekends. You'll either be swapping out the distributor gear, fishing out a broken roller lifter or pulling the trans!

[Three Peaks]

I'll give you a gift I have referred to many times during my scratch build- the Kirkham build manual

Kirkham Motorsports Assembly Manual

Most helpful single item I've had during my finishing stages, which is basically where you will be starting. Good luck.

Did you get the suspension parts yet?

Bob

[Mark Thompson]

I agree with the key points made earlier in the thread. There is no reason to use the internal throwout bearing; the Kirkham unit is easy to set up and serviceable. I am running Avon tires and they work extremely well with the chassis. They have great grip and track well in a straight line. I really like the TKO600. I would look at the oil cooler as an insurance policy, and with braided lines should not represent a reliability concern. I don't know why you wouldn't want the mini-starter. They work great, weigh less, and give a little more working room in a very tight engine compartment. Plus, brushless DC motors are just awesome technology. The decision of hydraulic vs mechanical for the cam & rollers is a personal choice of how you want to spend your time, how technically true to the original you want to be, and how high you want to rev. I went hydraulic to give me more time to play with other things.

I love my Kirkham; it is one of the best cars I have ever owned. Jamo once described his as "perfect", and that about sums it up. Have fun.

Mark

[RestoCreations]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

Well, as long as were going internal throw out bearing let's not cut any corners. A solid roller cam should be interesting. Between those two items you will never have to worry about what to do with your weekends. You'll either be swapping out the distributor gear, fishing out a broken roller lifter or pulling the trans!

After reading the above and several other threads on different forums, i am not going to use an internal throw out bearing on the kirkham. I have purchased one for a t-56 that is going into a 67 mustang, but now i think i will send it back and get the slave cylinder system. I dont care to drop transmissions out after a build.
Also, i have already purchased a hydraulic roller cam. I use them in all of my builds these days and i have not had a distributor gear fail yet.
Thanks

[BT SNAKE]

Just what I would expect from an Alabama boy. Listen to the advised and make the right decision from that advise.
I was born and raised near Tuscumbia. I have a lot of relatives there and in Cullman.

Hersh

[RestoCreations]

Nice to hear from you Hersh. Ive been in Birmingham more or less my entire life. I wish i could say that i have always taken my time, absorbed the knowledge that others have to offer, and then moved forward with a plan, but that has only come with age.

[BT SNAKE]

You gotta be doing something right to get to our age. It's like John Wayne said "Life is tough but
it's really tough when you're stupid.
I sure do miss those southern nights. When the evening comes and the kids are running around in the yard catching lightening bugs. My Dad and uncles playing the fiddle, banjo and guitar on the front porch. And the smell of honeysuckle everywhere.

Hersh

[car4jim]

I have a permanent tool that I built to dimple the LR fender well on a Kirkham. It's a wood buck that has a perfect indentation to get the drivers seat back as far as possible without hitting the tire. If anyone is interested, I've been threatening to mail it to Nick at Acton Customs so he can support this modification. To form a proper dimple, the aluminum piece must be removed from the frame and a small cut and weldment must be made at the bottom of the sheet metal piece to complete the dimple mod. I've got pictures if there is interest. The buck takes the guess work out on the hammering part of the job!

[car4jim]

I have a mini starter in mine...works great. No oil cooler. My oil actually warms up. I bought the external clutch slave from Kirkham. Works great. I would avoid the hyraulic throw-out bearing set up.

[Lew Ledyard]

Have you selected a rear end ratio? I have a TKO with a .82 5th gear behind a big block Shelby motor with a lot of cam. My rear end ratio is a 3.31. If I had to do it all over again I would get a shorter (numerically higher) rear end ratio. The motor is happier above 2200 rpms, but most of the back roads (when there is traffic on them) where I live keep the motor just under 2200 rpms in 3rd and just a little too high in 2nd for comfort.

[pusherfans]

I would "de-cam" it and use a street carburetor. Working on the latter now.....

I would get the .64 5th gear on the TKO 600 (contrary to what all other recommend) makes cruisiing at 75-80 more relaxed

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by pusherfans

I would "de-cam" it and use a street carburetor. ...

I would get the .64 5th gear on the TKO 600 (contrary to what all other recommend) makes cruisiing at 75-80 more relaxed

That advice doesn't sound "cool," but it's right on the money.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

That advice doesn't sound "cool," but it's right on the money.

There are probably a dozen threads debating the 0.64 versus the 0.82 5th gear ratio for a TKO. Do we really need another one?

(Get the 0.82 5th gear. It's better.)

[Z-linkCobra]

I am building a 90's era EM kit. When I got it I got nothing but the frame and body. WIth basicly no support from EM cause they wont answer the phone...lol.. I have had to spend alot of time on figuring out things. I met some really nice guys on here that had EM's of the same era and that helped alot( thanks Ralphy).

I have a list of things that need to be done. I found that spending too much time on one particular things was making want to try and cut corners so to speak. I wanted to get it done so I could move on to the next thing. I split up my list and now have 2 or 3 things going on on the car at any one time. Tonight I might work on the body...tommorow I might work on suspension...next week I might work on plumbing and wiring..you get my drift. Dont be scared to stop work on one particular thing and go work on something else...seeing a little progress makes the whole build process alot funner.

Just my advice, but what do I know...mine aint done yet...lol. 14 months into it right now...hopefully a 12 months to go. Out of money right now...taking donations..lol.

[pusherfans]

Let me explain:

1) de-cam. I have a 633 lift and 242/252 duration cam on a big, big block. It's cool for showing off and racing. Not so cool for cruising, which is where 99% of my driving is. If it was a track car, it would be just perfect.
2) carb. I have the "matching" drag race carb, so again cruising has not been easy. But great for drag racing
3) when I am on the highway, if I cruise with traffic, it's turning 3000 + rpm and it has enough torque to pull a house at 1500, so why turn some many rpms? around town, I don't need to go into 5th, so why not cut back the revs in 5th. The first 4 gears are just fine.

All of this is my opinion; others may want different things from their car. I don't think any of the above is a matter of better or worse, just a matter of how the car will be used. So since the guy was asking what we would do differently, this is what I would do, he can take what I said and my reasons and decide he wants a drag race motor and is willing to live with the down side and that's fine. I plan to live with it, I just want tit cruise better and maybe a street carb will get me there. At shows, I am always asked the tech details and it is cool to say 683 HP!

So yeah, these changes are not cool sounding. Who knows, if this carb would get destroyed and I were to replace it, I may just build it's replica, no pun intended . . . Just because it's so cool…..