No other like it.

Man, almost two months since anything much has happened.

I finished the spring semester of school, so I've got a little time to work on things. I built the driveshaft last night. I had an old used one off of my 59 that I was saving, and I bought a replacement tube from the shop. Last night I cut out the old tube and put the new one in. I just need to make sure it's nice and straight, then weld it up, and poof, I just saved $200. Yes, they wanted $250 to replace the tube on my driveshaft, and install new u-joints.

DIY = Do It Yourselfanditwillbeaheckofalotcheaper
edit: (not to mention, more satisfying)

8literbeater said:

Man, almost two months since anything much has happened.

I finished the spring semester of school, so I've got a little time to work on things. I built the driveshaft last night. I had an old used one off of my 59 that I was saving, and I bought a replacement tube from the shop. Last night I cut out the old tube and put the new one in. I just need to make sure it's nice and straight, then weld it up, and poof, I just saved $200. Yes, they wanted $250 to replace the tube on my driveshaft, and install new u-joints.

DIY = Do It Yourselfanditwillbeaheckofalotcheaper
edit: (not to mention, more satisfying)

Click to expand...

Did you reuse your yolks?
I'm trying to find somewhere to buy just the yolks ready to weld.

I buy all my drive shafts or parts from Jon. But he is local so I am not sure if he would ship stuff. I get New 3.5" shafts with 1350 joints and new yokes for $209 assembled, balanced out the door. Usually same day turn around.

http://www.shaftsandstuff.com/

jmlcolorado said:

Did you reuse your yolks?
I'm trying to find somewhere to buy just the yolks ready to weld.

Click to expand...

Here in Phoenix there's a place that you can order from. http://www.driveshaftsuperstore.com/

Otherwise, every driveshaft shop I've ever been to would sell the yokes and slip joint/stub shafts.

The way I remember it, the yokes are around 50 to 75 dollars, and the slip/stub is about the same per piece. The tube cost me about 9 dollars per foot. I always keep old driveshafts around for the yokes. Tubes are cheap.

You could also get them from a salvage yard.

jmlcolorado said:

Did you reuse your yolks?
I'm trying to find somewhere to buy just the yolks ready to weld.

Click to expand...

Drive Train Industries.
5555 Joliet Street
Denver, CO,
80239
303-292-5176
There's one in C Springs too.

Well geez guys. Guys all I had to do was ask

Thanks


Now, back on topic.

So have you got the motor all in tune yet??

Neverdone said:

So have you got the motor all in tune yet??

Click to expand...

Nope. I still haven't spent any time with it. It's amazing how much stuff gets backed up and needs to be finished when you get some free time. Birthday parties, helping people move, 6 trips to MVD for my daily driver, a ring and pinion in my 59, brakes on the Studebaker, and all the stuff I forgot.

I'll get that radiator in there soon though. I'll do it. Classes start again on Tuesday, but I'll do it.

I've just about got the simple radiator mount done.

Been wonderin bout this build

Holy smokes. Fifteen months since an update.

What have I done with my time?
I:

1. put the radiator bracket in place
2. had the crack in the radiator patched, and outlets turned
3. bought, fixed and sold a 53 Ford Ranch Wagon
4. built the major portion of the fan shroud/mount
5. built and mounted brake and clutch pedals
6. got married
7. selected and mounted a brake master cylinder
8. tack welded the driveshaft together
9. finished three more semesters in college
10. did a little more work on the floor boards
11. started making a coolant reservoir
12. replaced the silly floppy silicone hose sections of the intake, with steel elbows
13. bought, fixed and haven't yet sold a convertible 73 VW Super Beetle

So, about a week's worth of work on the rat rod, and a bunch of life stuff.

The closer I stay to this forum, the more I get done.
So how about some pictures? If I can remember how...

I left off with the radiator mount. Here's the shroud.


The pedals




Floor stuff




Whew, that was a big post.

Welcome back from the RRR basement. Congrats on #6. Might need to space out the pedals a little, it really sucks to catch 2 pedals at once.

Yeah, #6 was a surprise. Congrats or condolences - which ever applies.

Welcome back, and congrats on #6!

I'm with them!!!! ^^^^ Congrats on #6

Thanks guys. I have to say, she is one lucky girl!

Sam_Fear said:

Welcome back from the RRR basement. Congrats on #6. Might need to space out the pedals a little, it really sucks to catch 2 pedals at once.

Click to expand...

Yeah Sam, space is sort of a problem. I might put little tabs on the edges to keep my feet from sliding over to the other pedals. As it turns out, when you stick that 4-speed halfway up through the floor, there isn't much room left over for pedals. I've still gotta fit a go pedal in there.


So, on to the "more progress" section of this post. I pulled the transmission out and resealed it yesterday.

If you can move the clutch pedal over a couple inches it will make a world of difference. Having it pushed up a little close to the kick panel would be better than close to the brake pedal. Not having them the same height would help some too. No need to do it now, you can do it after the first time you mash on the clutch and lock the brakes at the same time. (been there, done that at 60mph, it sucks )

While I'm harping on your pedals, grind some grip on 'em too.

What trans is that anyhow?

I've got this little self-given gift of a nearly 7 inch frame tube under there. Then there's the body mount. I forget what the measurements are right now, but there's only about 4 inches between the brake pedal and the transmission as it is. Once I get the transmission cover on there, it'll be even closer. That's why both pedals slant left further than our president.



The transmission is a Muncie SM465. It was used from 1968 to 1991 in pickups from 1/2 ton all the way up to 2 ton, and industrial and military uses. It has a hole for a PTO on both sides. I'm sure you've heard of it thousands of times, usually with the word "granny" somewhere in the name. It has a 6.55:1 first gear.

They're short (only 12 inches), sometimes cheap (mine was given to me), abundant, and bulletproof.

Have you sat in it and tried using those pedals?

You don't need to move the pivots over, just the top part. Maybe I'm just seeing it all wrong - kinda hard to get a good idea from a couple pics.

Yeah, my 63 F100 has a granny. I put 3.5 gears in the rear and can now barely use 1st gear. Eventually I plan to put 29" tires on the rear and that should do it.

It actually looks like you have more room between the pedals and the tranny than I do lol.