Preparing for Ford Nationals - Clutch Pedal Rattle

I've tried to figure out the rattle I hear down near the clutch pedal area for a while now.  The noise actually started when I was on my way back from the Goodguys show two years ago.

As I was thinking about it, I considered it might be the lower bolt which holds the bottom of the driver fender.  It was a little lose so I tightened it but doubted it was the cause.  I put my hand on the top of the fender to get up and heard it make a similar noise as the fender was not tight.  If I lightly pushed up an down on it, I could replicate the rattle/squeak noise I've been hearing.  

I searched looking around and realized I never reinstalled the bracket which accepts a fender bolt through the door opening.  I searched the attic and found that I took them off, never cleaned them up, and just threw them in a box.  I stripped them two weeks ago and painted them black.  This is one of them...

The bracket mounts as shown below.  Then a bolt runs through the square hole at the top into a J-clip on a matching bracket which is part of the fender.  This then holds the fender tight so it does not rub or tap against the molding around the windshield which is near touching the fender.  

I've not driven the car again yet to confirm but I'm quite sure now that this was the rattle/squeak noise that I would hear.  

Preparing for Ford Nationals - Headlight Relay & Firewall Grommets

Before the trip to Tulsa, I decided to install a headlight relay harness.  There are two main reasons:

1. Using a relay harness rather than routing headlight power through the switch allows for higher voltage at the light which equates to a brighter headlight.
2. Since the headlight power and draw is not pulled through the headlight switch, it is less prone to overheat.  When the headlight switch overheats, the lights turn off until it cools down.

While I could build my own headlight harness, I decided to use a RedLine LumTronix (part# EH-001) from CJ Pony parts.  The harness is well made, with proper length wiring, and insulation covering the wires.  If I could improve it in any way, it would be to make the H4 connectors for the headlights just slightly smaller.  They were slightly larger than stock and would not route through the holes through the grill brackets like the factory light wiring.  

The harness was rather easy to install but there is not much to show of it in pictures.  The relays are mounted to a bracket behind the passenger side headlight.  I'm honestly not able to tell an incredible amount of different in the brightness but they do appear a little brighter.

After the install was done, I thought the dimmer switch would not work.  Upon taking everything apart, I found the kick panel was putting pressure on the grommet in the carpet around the dimmer switch.  This pressure would not let the dimmer switch work.  After a little rearrangement, it seems to be working just fine.  

As part of finishing this project and the amplifer installation, I was able to seal up the remaining holes in the firewall.  So that takes another item off the list for Tulsa.

Remaining Items for Tulsa:
Lubricate U-Joints & Check Nut Torque
Check Air/Fuel Ratio
Fix Rattle by Clutch Pedal
Fix Squeaky Leaf Sprints
Add Air Conditioning (Includes Parts to Block Cowl Vents)
Fix Anti-Freeze Leaks
Add Fan Shroud

Preparing for Ford Nationals - Finishing Subwoofer Installation

I've worked a bit sporadically on carpeting the subwoofer box.  I covered it in carpet in two stages by covering the box first, then just the back of the divider panel, and then the front of the divider panel after the divider panel was screwed to the box.  This sounds rather simple but was a bit difficult to align the box and divider panel so that everything fit in the car perfectly.  

Once carpeted, I bolted it into place using the stock holes.  The fit was so tight that once carpeted, it almost did not fit.  It took a few taps with a hammer to get it into place.  The panel is 3/4" thick so it protrudes out from the metal some but does not cause a problem with installing the seat in place.  There are some bars on the back of the seat which run on either side of the speaker without touching it so everything went together quite well.

The subwoofer is a Kenwood KFC-XW1000F.

I ordered a Stinger amplifer installation kit with 8 gauge wire which I used to install the amplifer.  I didn't particularly like the non-standard blue power wire but the entire kit appears to be of really good quality.

The box is actually offset slightly (about 1") to the driver side while the speaker is still centered from the front.  This was done to allow enough space for the amplifer to be mounted on the passenger side of the divider panel.  

The amplifer is a Kenwood X500-1.

I'll probably work on it a bit more to have the trunk mat slide up under the box.  The box fits so snug that it will take a little work.  However, I think it will finish it up and make it look best.  For now, I just have the mat run straight up the back of the box.  

I was originally hesitant to add a subwoofer as it is just added weight and should not be necessary.  However, on the last road trip, I could not hear the stereo well so I decided to add front speakers.  With them added, I found they just can't handle any bass due to their small size (5.25").  This lead to wanting to turn on the high pass crossover in the radio but all the radios I checked would only apply the filter to all speakers.  I had all the amp and subwoofer left over from my old truck so I decided I'd install them for some better sound but also to turn on the high pass filter so the new front speakers to play loudly and not distort.

The stereo system sounds quite good now.  I'll just need to work on adjusting it so it sounds the best possible.  

Preparing for Ford Nationals - New Door Panels & Handles

I purchased a set of TMI door panels and Scott Drake handles with a few gift cards I received at Christmas.  These were obviously not really necessary but I've wanted to replace them for a while to give the interior a nicer appearance.

The new door panels (on left below) look quite similar to the originals (on right below).  The grain of the vinyl looks exactly the same.  The only very slight variation from original is the lines in the panel look slightly different but not enough that anything short of a expert would notice.  

The Scott Drake handles were perfect.  I've really come to appreciate their products as they are always perfect.  The only issue I had with installing them were the screws which should work were too large for my vehicle (door locks and window cranks).  I ended up buying a decent set at Lowe's.

This is a quick look at the part numbers on the original handles in case I wanted to reference them in the future.  

This is a quick look at the finished product.  I've already replaced arm rests so this completes finishing up the front doors.  

Preparing for Ford Nationals - Reverse Light Install

Without carpet for the subwoofer box, there was little I as interested in working on today.  I did take a few moments to install my new Scott Drake reverse light kit (KIT-ELC-7).  As expected, it was easy and straightforward.

The main reason for the replacement was the quality of the rubber plugs as I don't want exhaust fumes in the car.  The stock housings were in bad shape and the lenses were very cloudy.  They were a good all around improvement despite being rather expensive.  

As I installed the lights, I compared them to the originals I removed.  The markings on the lenses are an exact match to the originals.  The housings and rubber gaskets look identical but have slightly different markings on the back.  

The lights came with two different screws to install the lenses and two sets of nuts to install the housing.  My stock lights had two different types used also and neither matched what came with the kit.  I just picked what I preferred and installed the lights.  I tested them and they are very bright which will work out well when backing up at night.