MACKAZs 22 Buick model 45 Rat

[MACKAZ]

Have had the pipe bent, body is to be 1255mm outside edge to outside edge. The shop also swelled up a whole lot of scrap pipe to brace the joins internally and it will help the lines to keep straight. I sold my old dirtbike and Ive been distracted by a new dirtbike (Honda SL230) for a couple of weeks but it will be back together next week.

 

[bowatjr6969]

That will make a nice little ride right there!! Looks Good!!

 

[MACKAZ]

Just won these sideplates for the engine, $20 Been looking for some with the right patina for ages

 

[rainman]

Can't wait to see more, please keep us updated!!!
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[MACKAZ]

Hmm one step forward about 60 backward... Started to fabricate body and have discovered the spring shackles are outside of the bodyline, dammit. So instead of going down the whole 4 link conversion, we are going to get a custom main leaf made 150mm shorter, reset 3 inches lower, and reverse eyed for a total drop of about 4 inches. So now having to get these done has put the brakes on for a couple of weeks, also the top mount is being removed from the top of the chassis and put back on UNDERNEATH the main rails, then shorter shocks.....Bit slack on the photo side as nothing is really noticeable

 

[MACKAZ]

Todays effort was to remove springs to find bushes absolutely shot. Taking springpack to local springmaker to see what he can do, ideally 200mm shorter would be awesome but 100-120mm will suffice. Also hoping we can do it with a single parabolic spring,depends on what the man says. Anyway a couple of boring pics, also removed the rearmost deck mounts and cleaned em up nice.

 

[MACKAZ]

Just had a call from the springmaker, stoking his furnace tomorrow, should be all go for Friday, apparently single leaf is gonna do it, 510mm to centre of locator on front and 480mm on the rear, reverse eyes both end, cant wait to see the height reduction....

 

[MACKAZ]

Woo hoo!!! Just picked up the springs! $300 well spent (most so far ) Compared to the originals I think we got the length spot on. Ill take a couple of pics tonight with them sitting in place. Things back on track now! Thanks to the old boy for putting up the money.

 

[MACKAZ]

Got the springs back until we get load on them we dont know whether we need the 2nd spring. The new ones are the shorter of the two.

Removed the old shackle mounts and cleaned em up nice

Old boys into the crossmember with the gas axe!!!

General mockup of the new hanger position, more grinding of chassis required

Apologies for poor picture, only off a crummy cellphone at night....

 

[MACKAZ]

God those pictures are terrible!! Meh. Anyway small crap update. Put the rusty sideplates on, they look hot!! Ground the hell out of the back of the chassis where Dad took to it with the gas axe. Springs ended up being 230mm shorter, pleased as punch. Have decided on using two springs and leaving (pun not intentional) the overload spring out of the equation. Going to reassemble the springpack after buzzing 100mm off the second spring. Waiting for new front spring eye bushes to come on the courier to go with the rear eye and shackles purchased yesterday. Dads going away next week so no major work will get done. Ill probably prep and paint the diff housing and straighten out the backing plates that got all munted when the truck was moved around up at the scrapyard with no wheels on it..

 

[blacksheep]

Well, from what I can see you got it goin on there. More photos!!

 

[MACKAZ]

As requested!!!!
Got hanger position sorted! Still a bit more chassis to get whacked off. Commencement of building the body imminent!!!!! Finally...
Couple of pics of end result.

God need to get some decent lights sorted!!!!!!!

 

[Sam_Fear]

Well, I'd be watching this build more if I could see any of it!

 

[MACKAZ]

well dads off on holiday for a week so there goes some progress. Poor old bugger needs a rest though. Anyway the bushes cost a grand total of $106.90, not far behind the front.
So far
Cowl,$150
Motor and box $240
Chassis $90
Springs $300
Front bushes $140
Rear bushes $106.90
misc $50
Total to date $1076.90.
Well on the way to the under $3000 club, and thats the intention.

 

[MACKAZ]

Found a chunk of box section floating around (its the blue piece at the rear in the photo)and decided to install it as the rear spreader bar, did the job nice. Finally started fabrication of the body, shown here( in the standard of photographs I seem to take) is the beginnings of the "sills, rocker???" (for lack of a better word) that will form the base of the body

Unfortunately I havent got enought clamps to form the base properly, so its off to get/beg/borrow/steal some more tomorrow...

And one of the motor with the rat bling on

Ive got a few things happening in my life at the moment, If everything goes to plan, sadly, not much will happen in a hurry with this

 

[MACKAZ]

guess what Ive found a camera with a flash!!! decent pics on the way./....

 

[MACKAZ]

I got hold of a camera last night and took a couple of pics. The angle irons Im forming at the moment form the base of the body. These get joined onto the cowl, which then gets braced internally so that the steering column and pedals can be mounted (all L200) Anyway...

 

[MACKAZ]

Went around to dads to chip away at some more, got all the welds on the body base angle irons cleaned up, (they seem to be pretty good at following the chassis) and had put them aside. I hammered the base of the cowl straight and clamped an angle iron onto it when got called home due to family emergency. Everything is ok now.

 

[Oldrodder43]

WOW, decent pictures now! You got a lot of courage in tackling a project like that! perley

 

[MACKAZ]

This sort of stuff is second nature to us. The photo attached is a racecar that I bought bare, converted from a V8 to an inline 6 and rebuilt. The red car behind it (number 48) myself and my dad built that completely from the ground uo. Both cars were extremely competetive.I actually got 2nd for the season in my car, missing out by one win. That was with missing half the meets too.