I'm Gonna Build A Dragster!

[bob w]

Going on the philosophy that "More is better", I trekked into war torn Minneapolis again and bought another round of rectangular tubing. It's all cut up and ready to weld in place. I took the channels to Jerry the Sandblaster this morning. Soon as I get them back I can weld 'er up. Then it's on to the tongue and the axle.
Here's what I want my '30 Dodge pick up to resemble, when I get to it.

 

[DozerII]

Looks like you have the trailer plan coming together nicely. Pick up is cool

 

[bob w]

Humidity

It has been raining and so humid that my garage floor has been wet for a few days.
I did get the channels welded to the frame. The tongue was cut off the original trailer. I lost a foot of length because the diagonals got too wide for the new trailer. So I added 12" to the tongue in front of the diagonals. I sure miss my Lily girl. This old man has shed a tear or two.

 

[Old Iron]

 

[soltz]

Nice trailer [cl
Sam memory

 

[bob w]

Turn the Dwarf from the North loose with an angle grinder and a couple cut off wheels and this is the result. I cut the axle out of the old trailer and started cutting it up into bite sized pieces so I can haul it to the scrap yard.
Here's my Dodge cab that will hopefully turn into a hot rod this winter.

 

[Torchie]

[cl
I put an add on FB market place for free scrap. A guy came and got it all.
I used to take the scrap in myself but no longer have any way to get it there.
[P [P [P
Torchie

 

[bob w]

Good idea, Torchie. I have a truck but no muscle to load stuff. Got a motor block and other heavy stuff. Might get someone to come get it.

 

[bob w]

Finished all the top side welding. I have a pair of NOR (New Old Rust) trailer fenders. cut out the brackets for them today. The old trailer needed 4 ramps because of the differences between the front tread and the read tread of the dragster. I welded them together to make wide ramps. Only problem is they're heavy. Because this trailer is lower the cut out in back I should be able to cut a couple feet off the ramp length. We'll see. Now, I have to figure out how to flip the trailer over for bottom side welding.

 

[Skip]

Finished all the top side welding. I have a pair of NOR (New Old Rust) trailer fenders. cut out the brackets for them today. The old trailer needed 4 ramps because of the differences between the front tread and the read tread of the dragster. I welded them together to make wide ramps. Only problem is they're heavy. Because this trailer is lower the cut out in back I should be able to cut a couple feet off the ramp length. We'll see. Now, I have to figure out how to flip the trailer over for bottom side welding.

Talk to Torchie. He can flip anything over.



BTW: That is one purdy trailer.

 

[Old Iron]

[cl

 

[bob w]

How Strange Is That?

As mentioned earlier I need to flip the trailer to do the bottom side welding and painting. Been kicking around ideas. Pretty much decided to grab it by its side with a cherry picker/engine hoist and raise to vertical. Then let it fall. It's too heavy to let it down gently as it will pull the cherry picker over.

Then it occurred to me to use the Sam Fear method. Remember, he used a mattress or something like that to cushion his car when he rolled it over.

I looked at Facebook Marketplace for a free mattress close to me yesterday. No dice. Since it was Thursday I headed to Gruber's around 4:30. About half way there I spied a couch that had been thrown in the ditch along the rural road. There they were, three cushions that will work just fine.

For six or seven years, most every Thursday I drive the same road to Gruber's and never has there been any items discarded along the way.

Does stuff like this happen to you?

 

[Torchie]

Nope....
How ever you flip it. Be careful.
[P [P [P
Torchie

 

[soltz]

What Torchie said!
They look to be in good shape, new seats [S

 

[bob w]

Nope....
How ever you flip it. Be careful.
[P [P [P
Torchie

I've got two friends coming over to help. They will be strategically placed so they will be crushed before it reaches me.

 

[BillM]

I use my cherry picker to flip things all the time. Once the trailer is verticle, I pull the bottom toward the upright leg of the cherry picker, sliding it along the "feet" while it's being lowered, that way there's no way the cherry picker wants to flop over with the weight of the trailer. Once it's upside down I just use my floor jack to pick up the trailer and move the cherry picker back out of the way. I hope that description makes sense. Either way, be careful!

 

[Old Iron]

[cl[cl[cl
[P

 

[DozerII]

Be careful Bob, but I think this whole procedure could make a good video.

 

[bob w]

Trailer Flipped!

Yes, just like you suggested, Bill, I managed to get it vertical with the cherry picker and up on its legs. Thought the trailer might be too wide but it wasn't. With Jerry and Dave steadying it, and using a farmer jack for insurance while lowering, the task was accomplished without loss of blood.

We went out for a 3 hour lunch to celebrate.

 

[soltz]

!!![cl!!!