JMortensen

Agreed, for the weight I think I could have done something more effective.

I took the OEM ones off and welded the Bad Dogs on. I suppose it depends on the condition of yours, but mine were pretty bent up and there was rust inside the frame rail.

Looks good! My favorite rotisserie moment was sitting on the edge of the windshield hole, fixing rust in the cowl. Just bizarre.

Looks like something I would do.

The stock rubber bushings will impart a pretty significant twisting force on the pin. Rod ends or a similarly smooth pivoting mechanism don't need to worry about torque on the spindle pin (or bolt), so no need for a hold down. It's a 5/8" bolt, so torque it to 100 ft/lbs or similar and it's not going anywhere. If you're really worried could put witness marks on the pin and housing to make sure it doesn't rotate, but it ain't gonna rotate.

Sounds like a good time, and with all of the suspension figured out might not be that much of a time suck getting it up and running. Some of us took a decade or more to get our shit together. For a Ford powered car, look up username 74_5.0L_Z Dan is a good guy, runs a 347 stroker IIRC.

Looks like I'm late to the party. From Richard Holdener's videos I learned that any cam is a turbo cam. Since the stock Z cams are PUNY, I'd suggest you go with a healthy cam and get some benefit from it. I ran a .490/280 with SUs and Mikunis, that worked great and didn't lose low end power. I'd suggest something around there, and skip all this A and C cam stuff. ALL of the stock cams are way too small. Go bigger. Ditch stock springs and retainers, get lash pads and shorter stem seals. You won't be sorry.

I don't remember the source, but I was pretty convinced by it that the goal is to get the front wheels equal. More important than getting cross weights perfect.

What Dan is describing is a known issue with Zs that are raced. The forces on the stub axle stretch out the bearing pocket in the strut housing. Had a guy on FB DM me about the same thing just a couple days ago. Now that has me thinking about putting a reinforcement ring around where the bearing is located. I bet that would be pretty easy to do, too...

One avenue I thought seemed promising but haven't pursued is to use the adapters that people sell to screw in a cheap Chinese coilover (AZC, T3, Apex) and find a really high quality strut that fits, like a Penske or Ohlins or something. I think this is essentially the route the Coffey went to get those 46mm Bilsteins in that rally car that went across Asia, but John had the adapters machined because he was way ahead of the curve on that idea, IIRC. FWIW, that guy ended up swapping those Bilsteins out for something he thought was better. Bilsteins are supposed to be pretty tunable, but you have to have someone who can do it, which is a whole nuther can of worms... I think the easy button is to fork out big bucks for the KW or similar high quality stuff.

ZX rack is mounted behind the crossmember.

Yeah, that needs replacing for sure. Think you probably found it! If you don't mind the vibrations, get a poly or plastic one. People have also drilled hockey pucks and used them, if you happen to have one.

I just remembered a clunk I had, and turned out it was the big bolts that go through the steer knuckles and into the strut. Might check those and make sure they're tight while you're under there.

You can just remove one sway bar end link and then it will flop along and not be doing anything and shouldn't make any noise outside of maybe bushings squeaking. Easier than removing the whole thing. If it stops and you think it's around the bar/frame mount, pull it all the way off and inspect the frame rails where it bolts on. Aftermarket bars tended to rip up the frame rails when these things were new and not rusty. How about the rag joint in the steering column? OG rubber, or did you upgrade that one too? Sorry, can't help with wiring part.