The lower control arms are...
The lower control arms are next. Old bushings and flimsy arms are a recipe for bad suspension manners, especially when increased power and torque figures are applied.
With us launching the car at about 3,500 rpm and our short times off by about a tenth of a second, we knew there was more in the car, but we also needed to address the suspension before we headed to the track again. The car didn't go straight on any of the most recent passes, and our drivers reported that the Capri wanted to dart right on every shift.
To remedy our suspension woes, we called up Lakewood Industries and ordered 90/10 front drag struts and 50/50 rear shocks, as well as upper and lower rear control arms. Lakewood also sent us a driveshaft loop, which we actually should have installed long ago when we started running the car on slick tires.
Pivot the axle assembly down...
Pivot the axle assembly down and remove the coil spring.
To help with weight transfer, we called up Moroso and ordered a set of the company's legendary Trick Springs for the front. After cutting out two coils, we stuffed them in and then got to installing our Hurst SST billet shifter for the T-5 transmission. The SST shifter (super short throw) comes with a chrome retro stick and white shift knob, and features very short, and precise, shift throws.
To help us dial in our carburetor without resorting to reading spark plugs, we installed Holley's wideband air/fuel meter. It's a pretty simple installation and provides accurate, real-time air/fuel metering so you can make accurate carburetor changes for increased performance.
The new lower control arms...
The new lower control arms relocate the antiroll-bar mounting points slightly. The new urethane bushings are much stiffer than the stock worn-out pieces, and thus should keep the rear axle located properly.
Holley also sent us a jet kit, rebuild kit, and a trick kit for the 4160 Holley carb we're using. We also got a copy of Holley's carburetor installation and tuning DVD, which should be a must-watch item if you're going to start tuning the four-barrel fuel mixer and don't have much experience with a carburetor.
With our latest round of tweaks, we went to Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Florida, where we unloaded the Capri and made ready for some quarter-mile fun. Until this point, we had been worrying about the increasingly bad shifting issue with the stock T-5 transmission. It appeared to be a bad Second gear synchronizer, but it was really only a problem when driving the car in a normal fashion. At wide-open throttle, it was more or less fine. This was not to be the case for our last test session, as we managed to find Second on a couple of occasions. Furthermore, the stock 8.8 Traction-Lok differential was throwing in the towel, and the vast majority of our runs featured just one wheel with traction.
The rear Lakewood drag shocks...
The rear Lakewood drag shocks come with an assortment of spacers and bolts to mount them. We used the appropriate spacer to fit the stock hardware.
That being said, we finished the day with a best e.t. of 12.56 seconds at 108.79 mph. On one pass, we logged our best 60-foot time, which was a 1.72-second effort. On another, we hit 109.35 mph-the first and only time we ever got past 108 mph.
There's definitely more in the Capri as it sits, and adding an electric fan and a set of race pulleys has to be worth a couple of tenths as well. There's probably a solid 12.2 performance in the car-and this is a fully loaded and equipped Mercury we're talking about. That being said, the scale at Gainesville did show the Capri to be a svelte warrior at 2,940 pounds without a driver.
The Lakewood control arms...
The Lakewood control arms feature grease fittings that must be tapped into the arm. We used a brass hammer so we wouldn't damage the fitting.
We'd like to thank Summit Racing Equipment and all of the other companies that helped make our Mercury fly. They made it really easy to go fast. We also need to thank the car's owner, Dave Bohnsack, for letting us whip on his 5.0L, as well as George Xenos, Brian Bohnsack, Rob Baldwin, Mark Johnson, and Chris Crosby.
We don't necessarily like going out with a fizz, as opposed to a bang, but next month, we will debut our new NMRA True Street project car. It's another early Mustang that should have the foureyedpride.com guys all excited, and it's going to be another carbureted build as well.
Do one side at a time and...
Do one side at a time and you'll have the rear suspension completed quickly and easily.
Lakewood's Fox-body driveshaft...
Lakewood's Fox-body driveshaft loop has been around for a long time and works flawlessly. It's a custom-fit, bolt-in piece that offers plenty of clearance for stock, as well as aftermarket aluminum, driveshafts.
Six screws are all that holds...
Six screws are all that holds in the factory '85 console. Once removed, there is easy access to the shifter boot bolts. With those pieces out of the way, take out the four shifter bolts, and clean the mounting surface with a razor blade and some brake cleaner. Our Hurst Billet Plus shifter came with a new plastic cup bushing to replace the old factory piece that can sometimes break over time.
Once you have the new shifter...
Once you have the new shifter in, you'll need to adjust the shift lever stops on the base. Hurst recommends putting the shifter in Second and Third gear to make the adjustments. While holding the shifter firmly in gear, run the bolt up to the lever and then tighten the jam nut. Use some thread locker on the nut as well.
You're ready to bang some...
You're ready to bang some gears now with a short and tight shifter that even Cole Trickle would be proud to use. We think the classic styling goes great with the vintage four-eyed Fox-body platform.
An ailing Traction-Lok (as...
An ailing Traction-Lok (as you can see) and a troubled T-5 transmission conspired to prevent us from achieving our maximum e.t. The suspension worked great, though an airbag or antiroll bar should probably be the next modification. Our stock passenger-side strut was locked up and would help prevent the car from rotating too much at launch, but with the new 90/10s, the front end and chassis was free to move, hence the bodyroll. Most important is the fact that the car goes straight down the track now, without sideways-lurching drama during gear changes. It's time to say goodbye to our 5.0L Capri project though, as we will be starting a new four-eyed project. Check back next month for all of the details.
Holley set us up with a bevy...
Holley set us up with a bevy of performance products for its Holley 4160 series 600-cfm carburetor we are using. To make sure we're getting enough fuel to the engine, we ditched the factory fuel pump for this Holley mechanical unit (PN 12-833), which flows 80 gph. Holley also sent us a TricKit, a tuning/installation DVD, a Jet Kit, and its wideband O2 controller with gauge.
Since we were planning on...
Since we were planning on moving our Holley wideband controller to another project, we fabricated a quick gauge mount for the Holley unit and used a dash screw to secure it. Its location is excellent for viewing while going down the track