truckster
Well-known member
Read post #1, Sentence #1, before the first picture, at the very top, at the beginning
Finally started the roadster build
- Thread starter 2.3Turbo_T
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rods Rule:
Read post #1, Sentence #1, before the first picture, at the very top, at the beginning
Charley Davidson
Well-known member
Read post #1, Sentence #1, before the first picture, at the very top, at the beginning
Wow! there's actually words [S ..... what a concept .... kinda like Hustler Took me 15 years to realize there was writing along with pictures
2.3Turbo_T
Well-known member
Started on some patch panels today. Not to keen on paying Howell's inflated prices for their POS patch panels, so I'm making my own. Here's the donor sheetmetal found in the 'free' section of craigslist................
This is my first time welding sheetmetal. Gosh, can you tell? Began here 'cause I knew if I screwed it up it'd be covered mostly by the rear wheel. Nothing a little hammer/dolly work and a skim coat of bondo won't fix!
Made a bunch of these. They work great!
The second panel is coming out a little better. I guess I learn from my mistakes. Still gonna need hammer/dolly work but it's coming along.
A few relief cuts.
I just put a link to my build thread in my sig and will be updating it as I go along.
This is my first time welding sheetmetal. Gosh, can you tell? Began here 'cause I knew if I screwed it up it'd be covered mostly by the rear wheel. Nothing a little hammer/dolly work and a skim coat of bondo won't fix!
Made a bunch of these. They work great!
The second panel is coming out a little better. I guess I learn from my mistakes. Still gonna need hammer/dolly work but it's coming along.
A few relief cuts.
I just put a link to my build thread in my sig and will be updating it as I go along.
willierat
Active member
Like the pic of the panel clamps, I gotta make some of those! [cl
Good stuff here. Interesting about the molasses - I always wondered how well that would work. I'm an electrolysis man myself. Nice salvage on the dryer too!
As I've learned (the hard way), for MIG panel welding, keep it cool as possible. Have another part you can work on while waiting for your welds to cool and jump back and forth between the two. That way you don't get anxious and weld when you should be cooling.
As I've learned (the hard way), for MIG panel welding, keep it cool as possible. Have another part you can work on while waiting for your welds to cool and jump back and forth between the two. That way you don't get anxious and weld when you should be cooling.
rustylocke
Well-known member
Awesome! Love all of it. Keep on going.
Flipper_1938
He recycles the right way
Way easier to buy them from harbor fright
http://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-butt-welding-clamps-44751.html
2.3Turbo_T
Well-known member
Well, it's been over a year. Here's somewhat of an update. Man....it sure is slow going!
Fabbed the 2 bun panels using a Chevy van hood, Howell's patch panels and washing machine sheet metal.
Moved onto building the frame for the time being. Realized I needed some sort of frame table. A friend asked me if I wanted a custom made kingsized bed frame. It wouldn't fit in his apartment so he needed to get rid of it. There's my frame table! Made a few mods and it works like a charm!
Bought a couple of sticks of 2"x3" .120 wall and went to town.
Decided to 'Z' the front x-member 3".
Fabbed the 2 bun panels using a Chevy van hood, Howell's patch panels and washing machine sheet metal.
Moved onto building the frame for the time being. Realized I needed some sort of frame table. A friend asked me if I wanted a custom made kingsized bed frame. It wouldn't fit in his apartment so he needed to get rid of it. There's my frame table! Made a few mods and it works like a charm!
Bought a couple of sticks of 2"x3" .120 wall and went to town.
Decided to 'Z' the front x-member 3".
2.3Turbo_T
Well-known member
After splitting the bones I needed to get the spring perch parallel with the axle. Instead of heating and bending the perches, I elected to piecut and reweld the bones. It worked out.
Fabbed up the bone mounts. Bought 2 of those little shock mount buttons from Speedway, $2.99 each and welded them into the mounts. They have the correct 7* of taper.
Had to build a pretty sizeable spring perch 'cause I'm running a stock '38 front end with spring in front of axle. Found some sort of small steel door (1/4" steel) in the dumpster at work and used that. Cut it all up and came out with this.
I'm using a Suzuki Samauri box with the cross steer. I needed to move it over it a little so I'd have room for a radiator in there. I decided to notch the top half of the frame and set it in the hole. Saved almost 2"!
Here's before and after the notch.
I'm working on the steering box mounting bracket now. It'll also serve as the inside fishplate for the 'Z'd' x-member. Should be fairly stout. That's all for now.
Fabbed up the bone mounts. Bought 2 of those little shock mount buttons from Speedway, $2.99 each and welded them into the mounts. They have the correct 7* of taper.
Had to build a pretty sizeable spring perch 'cause I'm running a stock '38 front end with spring in front of axle. Found some sort of small steel door (1/4" steel) in the dumpster at work and used that. Cut it all up and came out with this.
I'm using a Suzuki Samauri box with the cross steer. I needed to move it over it a little so I'd have room for a radiator in there. I decided to notch the top half of the frame and set it in the hole. Saved almost 2"!
Here's before and after the notch.
I'm working on the steering box mounting bracket now. It'll also serve as the inside fishplate for the 'Z'd' x-member. Should be fairly stout. That's all for now.
Neverdone
He's not done yet...
Wow, maybe its slow going, but looks like you have covered a lot of ground in the last while!!!
phillip-r-s
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2010
- Messages
- 199
Looks great. Love all the other tools and projects you are completing.
2.3Turbo_T
Well-known member
Another small update. I finished the rear half of the frame. It doubles as a subframe therefore, the body panels mount to the rails. That's why the rail extension beyond the kickup.
Also, I received all 4 drums from RockAuto for $119 shipped. Sounds like alot, doesn't it? $50 shipping is included in that price. The 4 drums alone, if purchased through O'Reilly's Auto were $190! I'm running '56 F100 brakes up front. The newer (and much better looking) drums are from a '66 F150 with the 5x5.5 bolt pattern.
The rears are a different story. '74-'77 Maverick rear drums run well over $100 EACH! After much research I concluded that '81-'83 Ford F150 w/V6 drums are a perfect match for the above rear and are priced at $23 each! Gotta luv RockAuto!
Also, I received all 4 drums from RockAuto for $119 shipped. Sounds like alot, doesn't it? $50 shipping is included in that price. The 4 drums alone, if purchased through O'Reilly's Auto were $190! I'm running '56 F100 brakes up front. The newer (and much better looking) drums are from a '66 F150 with the 5x5.5 bolt pattern.
The rears are a different story. '74-'77 Maverick rear drums run well over $100 EACH! After much research I concluded that '81-'83 Ford F150 w/V6 drums are a perfect match for the above rear and are priced at $23 each! Gotta luv RockAuto!
Oldrodder43
Well-known member
Gosh, seems there's something you're not telling us! Those first pics you're showing seems to be a beginning welder, BUT after a few pages, looks like very professional.
Great work and great engineering! I thought I was the only one using old washer and dryer sheet metal-----perley
Great work and great engineering! I thought I was the only one using old washer and dryer sheet metal-----perley
RAVENS29
Active member
Lookin good turbo, didnt know you were on this site. nice to see that I know some people on here.
