A 429 cui  385 Lima series with Offenhauser Port-o-Sonic

Reversed Boyd Coddington wheels in rear fenders

All pictures Craig MacGregor

Soon to appear in an australian TV detective series 

Denise and Craig MacGregor from Australia have showcased this unique and electifying RHD 429 Mach1 for quite some time at national custom shows. Now (in 2004) it will become quite famous in an australian detective series called "Stingers" starring Pether Phelps (don't say you don't know him). The Car was orig a grabber orange M code 1970 4 spd Mach 1 with A/C and P/S. 
The car was built to its own style and with originality well in mind as only NOS  parts were used and attention to detail rather than modification was  paramount.
 
ENGINE
The 429 conversion is the only one in Australia that’s all legal, in this case Dept of Transport Qld approved. The engine is a 429 big block 385 Lima series, not stroked small block. Block bored .030 with torque plate not open bored. Inlet manifold is a fully polished Offenhauser Port-O-Sonic unit and quite high.

In fact for the original look an air filter had to be designed to fit  in the shaker so the whole setup maintained its external height as original. Heads are the sort after DOVE-C quench type,  flow 580hp exh/630hp inlet. 

Craig Haystead (also Ex Prostock Champ and owner cragar performance engineering) did the work. He builds the V8 super tourers engines under contract.
Sealed power pistons w. 9.8:1 compression for pump gas (optimax with additive for lead $1.90 per 20 litres) , Ford Power Part stainless steel valves, Crane dual springs with FW damper, Moly FPP pushrods, sealed power rockers, screw in studs, guide plates, standard tappet covers (by design),Crane Cam, Crower special hydraulic lifters, remanufactured 780 holley, (all braided line and aircraft fittings), custom pipes, one off from the best guy in this country 2inch primary and 3.75 inch collectors.
Tilton Super Starter (original tilton), these things will start under salt
water and when red hot and are NASCAR legal. They are very expense but are one of the keys to this conversion and friendly running.

GEARBOX/CLUTCH
45lb Hays steel billet flywheel grub screwed ring gear (to prevent spinning it
off at large inertia changes that a manual can give),
Mcleod 11 inch race only clutch (power assisted with separate VH44 power booster and Phase 3 vacuum canister hidden beside radiator)
Lakewood racing one piece pressed steel scattershield bellhousing to keep everything including your legs in place.
Gearbox is a Bull nose close ratio toploader 31 spline extended housing
built for NASCAR  commonly known as the Talledaga (nascar) toploader
Original Hurst Shifter (new but the same as original)
Tail shaft loop hidden in tunnel and a work of art and custom made Hardy Splicer tail shaft

IGNITION
MSD6Al II with limiter, Mallory unilite distributor. Many hand made billet alloy clips and clamps for hosing etc.

RADIATOR
CT row special radiator made to look like original. Has 200% more cooling over 4 row and is hand made, about $2500 worth. Its NOT alloy so we don’t have electrolysis problems or over heating. Stainless fan and original shroud. Heating pipes all connected with new heater (under dash) radiator to prevent leaks and hot spills as this is commonly forgotten or just deleted. Inline filter(removable)

HANDLING
Export brace
Monte Carlo bar re cut and properly prepped for a perfect finish over original Inner shirt brace (like convertibles and shelby's...under front guards)
Original 26mm sway bar
KONI adj shocks all round (Oil filled)
Extra leaf lowered rear, xbgt front stock. Teflon and neoprene leaf separation. Stainless leaf custom clamps

DIFFERENTIAL
Shortened Nine inch 2 inches, big backing plates 3inch ventilated Drums
larger bearing housing and axle studs (not stepped down housing, as requested by DOT)
Nodular centre
Richmond 3.89:1 gears (as close to original 3.9:1 as possible)
Detroit locker centre, no spin

LINES
All new steel fuel lines and copper coated steel brake lines for original look.
Holley blue top fuel pump with protected filters mounted on HJ vulcanized
radiator mounts to drop noise level and hidden from watchful eyes
 
EXHAUST
Polished Stainless throughout incl huge sport mufflers to make her as quiet as possible
Mounted with rubber rings and full polished hand made marine alloy covers to
disguise the extra flanges for easy removal.
Alan of Custom exhaust 2 inch with 3.75in collector extractors, (and yes
plugs are easy to change)
All polished stainless steel hardware used under car except if engineered for stress areas where original engineered fasteners are detailed and re-used
Original NOS rare Ford MACH1 exhaust tips.(stamps still in steel and rechromed)
 
WHEELS
Boyd Coddington 18x9.5 reverse, 18x7 T6 6160 Billet,
Faulkin Tyres New ZE515
Centreline Turn 4 Indy 8.5x15, 6.5x15 (Convo Rim), Custom made by GM of
centreline Racing for this car
BF Goodrich Comp TA. All new
 
BRAKES
Kelsey Hayes front DBA rotors
Kelsey Hayes rear (three inch ventilate drums)
Silicone brake and clutch fluid only

BODY
Legendary NZ body GURU Colin Chapman, Customs Rods and Relics, Toy worx
File finish, hand made panels incl engine bay and firewall, frenching, double skinning, Original factory look wheel tubs (made up of 15 individual but welded pieces each side)
Cast alloy Mach 1 moldings (between wheels) repaired/renewed

Billet alloy MACH1 molding strips remanufactured and hand finished and hand polished and shaped to be identical to original tin items but better
Additional bracing and support(NOT seem welded or anything unoriginal)

Paint by Mike Brandt MZ Custom whose clients are the whose who of people and cars.
 

INTERIOR
Original Black Mach1 , Seat upholstery is original and not replaced, Console
Rim blow wood grain steering wheel, Original type Hurst Shifter (purchased remanufacture), Deluxe group interior

Hood lining and carpets also new
Original Molded door trims door felts and original rubbers

All chrome by A1 Quality Chrome, the whole body is sealed and tectile rust proofed inside and out. Only the finest quality Glasurit products have been used. All original panel marks and creases have been removed , in engine bay, bonnet, and boot inside and under, including floor. Expensive exercise but  necessary for the look and edge over another car. People know it looks better but don’t understand why it does.

Need we to say more:
It’s hard to talk about the whole car because it is so much more than this.  It is our personal triumph and means a lot to us. To give you an idea of quality here, because the paint is Glasurit, if you  purchased the materials to paint the car only (paint primer filler, paper etc) without labour or any other costs you are well, well over $10000.00. However stone chips become less of an issue and the paint is very tough and  easy to maintain.

In total the cost of building a quality car is very large due to attention to detail, and the commitment enormous This project has half my life and my family in it, so exploring the possibility of selling it is not an easy task but one that will happen none the less. We have owned the car nearly 20 years.  

RHD Conversion 
Im sure you realise that standard conversions chop, overlap weld, fill, screw, plate, drill etc.

Now Queensland has very particular rules. The story began along time ago when Dept of Transport, want A1 size drafted plans which we submitted. These changes included the conversion (reconversion cause it was RHD already), the engine conversion, the wheels width (I used to had 10 inch wide but they looked silly and would scuff due to the extreme offset and hence DOT wanted a special axle setup) etc.

Now all the panels inside have also has the pressing marks removed, so no wrinkles in the metal. Its expensive but separates the men from the boys at shows.

As Colin Chapman was the body man I could get anything done I just had to find the money. So I wanted everything. The engine bay panels for and aft of the shock tower, double skin on the radiator support panel, firewall, etc are ALL hand made. In places there is a third triple skin area that is contoured to be invisible under the export brace and allows even further strength here.

All panels are thicker than standard gauge used in the car. The panels are made to delete the battery add more bolted area to the flanges and support without looking showy with a good surface to paint but not abnormally unoriginal. In fact people are pretty gob smacked I must say.

Anyway the firewall has been DOT inspected disassembled. The Blue Plate is by John Keen who is known throughout the country. He got may cars through and had legislation changed that helped many original cars stay original. It is heavier gauge, swaiged throughout and butt welded and folded as a complete one peice new unit as is the original. It is welded totally and dressed so well it looks far better and stronger than new.

 The power booster and clutch master cyl are frenched in radiused cornered boxes that were made by Colin as well and part of the design for this huge engine to fit like factory.

 The steering box is xbgt and non power (PS is ram below). It is mounted where it should be inside an untouched chassis rail with pressure pipe infills of cause, (to prevent squashing the rail (standard). Commonly people who have tried this conversion mount the steering box out of the rail (illegal) and/or chop or recess the rail (illegal) or buy a chain drive (was illegal but I think an approved one now exists).

The car is quite standard. No seams welded no non factory stuff. It has a monte carlo bar, export brace, shock tower strengthening plates and front apron firewall to apron bracing. All this stuff is factory from different models, some Shelby some convertible but it is extensive and made for longevity. The firewall has even an 8mm "Z" bracket to support the firewall from the heavy clutch. DOT dont care be at that sort of money I do. Have a look at a V8 manual firewall when the clutch is depressed. Its a crack waiting to happen. We installed this 100% hidden bracket and it works.

I would clarify this conversion as 100% standard. As proof a simple example is needed. We have power steering and its the original ram type. On a LHdrive car the ram mounts to the LH chassis rail (im remembering it upside down of course) with what is in fact shock rubber mounts either side of an original cast iron bracket. Fine

What DOT and the conversions dudes dont tell you is they dont care if your power steering groans or leaks. And this is also a safety issue.

What happens is the the LH bracket will fit the RH side but the geometry works against the fabric and structure of the car.

Can you buy a RH side bracket......NO, whats the fix, well installed the rubbers and drive it for 2500mi and wait for somthing to break. In fact the support wont break but the rubber dont last and the pressure needlessly imposed on the vehicle is bastardry.

We got and Australia ZD falcon type, BUT the bolt holes are different. So we cut and welded and dressed and check and painted. So now with not to much stuffing around we have an original chassis rail, and a ford part numbered bracket with ALL the corect geometry and the power steering doesnt leak or gran, in fact you dont know it there. 

 reported by Craig and Denise Mc Gregor