1970 Ford Fairlane - Project Car - Making Smoke

Next up was mounting the solenoid to the shock tower. The kit didn't include screws for this, so we had to purchase them separately. We ran the ground to the top screw-it was as good a place as any, and it meant we didn't have to lengthen the wire.

For streamlining purposes, we picked up a Summit installation kit (PN, SUM-G3904, $26.95). It contains four pre-flared lengths of brake line (with fittings), and a bag of assorted fittings. Nothing is worse than stopping in the middle of a project to hunt down a part. It's well worth the extra cash, and when planned right, provides enough left over for another car.

We then picked one of the wires from the solenoid to run to ground (it doesn't matter which one). Wire connectors aren't supplied with the kit, so we got some ourselves.

We took measurements in the engine bay so we could accurately make our new brake lines. These measurements were then transferred to our new tubing.

The brake lines from Summit came pre-flared with fittings, so if we didn't care how the install looked, we could have used them as-is. We didn't want a bunch of extra line, so we cut ours down to size using a cutting tool (after double-checking our measurements). Cut the tubing square, then deburr the inside with a reaming tool. Chamfering the outside with a grinding wheel or a file would also have worked well.

Most of our installation work for the Launch Control involved the brake lines. To get nice bends, we used a tubing bender. The one pictured here is available at any auto parts store, or at Summit for about $10 (PN, SUM-900675).

Double-flaring a brake line is a two-step process. We won't bore you with the details, as instructions are included with any flaring tool kit. Since the tubing comes with one end already done, we only had to do the other end on each of the two tubes.

Here is the B&M solenoid, with the fittings installed and ready for brake lines. One handy feature is that the end of the solenoid rotates (on the left), so we could get the right angle regardless of how it is mounted.

Now for the wiring. There are two wires from the solenoid: we ran one to ground, and the other through the firewall to the interior. One wire from the button attaches to the wire from the solenoid, and the other wire from the button goes to 12V power. We chose to tap into switched power using extra 18-gauge wire, and the four-amp fuse is wired between the button and the power source. Then we soldered the wire, using heat-shrink tubing to insulate the connection.

We then installed the correct adaptor fittings for our ports. (We just picked the right one out of the Summit tubing kit.) We needed one for the master cylinder, one for the distribution block, and one on each end of the launch control solenoid.

All of the brake lines we installed are visible here, and the solenoid is mounted between the front brake reservoir and the distribution block. When activated it blocks off this line, and when released the brakes will work normally. Every application is going to be a bit different. Just remember, the solenoid should be placed before the split to the right and left caliper. Next, we bled the brakes and checked the fittings for leaks.

At the dragstrip, our fast-looking Ford turned in a lethargic 17.64 at 77 mph. Ouch. Traction was not an issue, since the peg-legged, 3,460-pound Fairlane barely chirped the Nitto street tires on the launch.

The finished installation inside the car is very clean. Total time was less than two hours, and the cost (with supplies), was about $100. Mash the brakes, press the button, release the brakes, and give it gas. We found that tapping the brakes a couple of times before pressing hard yielded the best results.

The kit includes this indicator light, but we chose not to use it. If you want, just wire it between the button and the solenoid. When the button is pressed, the light comes on to show that the system is activated.

In preparation for the eventual boost in power, we ordered these Mickey Thompson ET Street rear meats (27x10.5-15LT, P/N 3758, $157.95 each), and Sportsman fronts (26x7.50-15, P/N 1572, $93.95 each). For rims, these aluminum wheels from Summit are a great deal (15x8-inch rear, P/N SUM-531-5865PS; 15x4-inch front, P/N SUM-531-5465PS). The set costs $419.80, plus shipping.