F-2 Stang

[earthman]

Thanks for the update Dan

Just remember you are going to make the day for a lot of motorheads they see this thing out and about.

 

[truckster]

I'm in, big time. Thanks for the invite.

The pictures of the grill don't do it justice, it fits and flows with the frame and body much, much better than the pictures might indicate. Maybe the perspective/closeness/angle of the lens makes the grille appear larger and blockier (is that a word?) than it really is.

Actually, the pictures don't really do any of it justice. It has to be seen to fully appreciate.

 

[DJ3100]

K

I think you're right about the grille - the perspective seems off in the pics.
Most of the photos were taken about 24" off the ground, so the whole truck looks bigger in the photos.

I'll try to set up a better photo shoot when I get it together.

 

[DJ3100]

Progress

With the frame on the rotisserie, the welds are much easier to reach and position. I currently have almost everything welded and the welds I didn't like ground out and rewelded. Most of the frame has been Scotchbrited with a 4 1/2" grinder and Maroon pads.

Photo 2 is a stiffener that shows with the cab on. Photo 3 is the pattern. Photo 4 the clamps and spacers used to locate the panel in the center of the tube.

 

[DJ3100]

Brake line bracket

Photo 1 in the location where the front flex line needs to be. Rather than just make a tab, I decided it should look like it belongs.
Photo 2 is the pattern
Photo 3. I decided to make both sides at once. I didn't have the proper size punch for the fitting, so I punched it undersize and opened it up with the step drill.
Photo 4 is my method of laying out the lightening holes.
Photo 5 the bracket with the beginning of the hard brake line.

 

[DJ3100]

Battery box

After a month of indecision about the battery location, I finally decided to mount it on the firewall under the dash. The battery is an AGM and weighs 18 pounds - it will balance the weight of the 90 degree master brake and clutch assembly. I didn't want to hang multiple cables off the 1/4" screws the AGM has for cable terminals, so the battery jumper lugs will double as terminal junctions. I think they'll add a "race car" look to the firewall and make it easy to keep the battery charged.

The firewall will be be Aluminum held in place with 10-32 button head screws.

The lugs are DD shaped. I drilled a hole to the dimension of the flats; used a 3/16 diameter end mil to extend the flat to match the lug and used a 1/2 round file to clean out the corners.

Photo 4 is the tunnel cover welded in place.
The last photo are rear bulkhead panels welded in place. the rest of the panels will be aluminum.

 

[Bonehead]

Great details.

 

[earthman]

I'm remembering that old ketchup commercial "anticipation"!!!
It's exciting to think how close it is getting now

 

[DJ3100]

Thanks Bonehead. That's all I've got is details - from 10 feet away it has looked the same for months.

Earthman, it seems so close, but yet, so far away. At least, the frame should be ready for paint next week.

 

[truckster]

DJ, thank you for getting some updates on your thread. I've been going through withdrawal symptoms.

Detail is top notch, as always.

 

[DJ3100]

Painting the frame

The plan: No black paint. I bought a gallon of gray Zero Rust. Painted a couple coats of gray - didn't like it. I realized it would not work with the aluminum panels. It looked like the paint was unsuccessfully trying to match the color of aluminum.

So, I ran out to buy a quart of black Zero Rust. They were out. Had to pick it up at the warehouse. That was Friday, 3:00 pm (warehouse colsed for the weekend). Of course, one quart wasn't nearly enough. So here's the photo of the black -sort of- frame that has been roughed with Scotchbrite, waiting until Monday afternoon when I can buy 2 more quarts of black.

I decided to use Zero Rust -because it is a rust converter and I knew I'd never be able to get it all de-rusted. Cheaper than epoxy, too. Also, Zero Rust is availabe in quarts, gallons, and rattle cans (for fixing changes.)

Maybe I should mention that this thing is impossible to paint and black is twice as hard as gray for me. I don't have enough light in the shop for black.

 

[DJ3100]

Oops fix

The gusset/ brake line holder I showed a couple posts ago has an issue.
It is welded from the opposite side with a nice little TIG weld.

I used a die grinder and an 1/8" cutter and carefully cut out the fillet. Then I used the tip to score a line at the weld.

I used a radiused punch and reformed the gusset to allow clearance for the cap screw head.

I tried to get a pic of the punch, but the camera wouldn't focus on it, but you can sort of get the idea. It has a radius in the plane that is 90 degrees to the photo, also.

The last photo is the fix .

 

[Bonehead]

Isn't that the way it goes building a rod? It is those little things that eat up a lot of time. Good job on the fix.

 

[truckster]

This needs to be back up there where newbies will see it. It's too good to miss.

Thanks for the input on the quarter ellipticals and steering.

 

[DJ3100]

Well, just so you guys don't think I have been goofing off, here's the latest struggle.

I have been making the aluminum panels that fill in between the tube structure. This panel has to jog around the E brake. The tunnel is narrower at the top, so the panel leans in, while the brake handle is vertical.

Photos 1 and 2. Day 2. The panel is oversized on the top and both sides. I used the hydraulic press to put the tapered offset in the bottom 1/4 of the panel. It looked like a Pringles chip. Later, I used a hammer and wooden dolly to form inside the orange line.

Photo3. After a couple hours of goofing, which included planishing and wheeling and making it worse, I finally did this. The gap at the top is how much I needed to stretch the metal. I wheeled it until it got almost flat. Then worked on it with a hammer and blocks and finally it fit and was pretty flat. But there were lots of scratches, hammer and wheel marks. Some of were there when I started and most, I added.

Photo 4 after sanding and Scotchbriting. It looks like it's going to work.

Photo 5 A sample of a possible finish. Is it too busy?

 

[Gastrick]

Nice work...and I vote yes for the engine turned look in photo number 5.

 

[chipper]

I'm with gastrick on the machine finish always have liked that look

 

[DJ3100]

Thanks guys.

 

[international rat]

WOW... I dont know how i've missed or overlooked this build for so long but man that is absolutley some awesome work! I'm enjoying this build! [P

 

[Flipper_1938]

Photo 5 A sample of a possible finish. Is it too busy?

Personally think the patterns on the panels will be too much...and distract from the killer tube work.

Have you thought about sand blasting the panels? It might give them a little something (cast aluminum look?) without being overpowering.