Back on it
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I don't know if every builder has the same inner struggles during a build, but the anal retentive part of me wants to take every detail that little bit further. Case in point..... I want these contacts to blend in (even though the old school dome switch is supposed to be prominent) and what sticks out more than screws? Well, the answer is simple.... countersink it and use flathead allens. Later on I may put a dab of black on them to hide them or polish them to accent them.
What's the inner struggle? I am REALLY tempted to paint this car, but I KNOW if I do I'll be too paranoid to drive the wheels off it. That creates the contradiction between detail and patina. My brain is a muddled place sometimes.....
What's the inner struggle? I am REALLY tempted to paint this car, but I KNOW if I do I'll be too paranoid to drive the wheels off it. That creates the contradiction between detail and patina. My brain is a muddled place sometimes.....
P/W's won't be in until Tuesday and got bored. Opened up the trunk, had the exhaust bends staring me in the face, so...
I'll be running dumps and couldn't find ones I liked so bought a SS "U" and went at it. Anyone notice there's no thought of a sound system? Kooks race mufflers with dumps just in front of the axle..... 'nuff said.
I'll be running dumps and couldn't find ones I liked so bought a SS "U" and went at it. Anyone notice there's no thought of a sound system? Kooks race mufflers with dumps just in front of the axle..... 'nuff said.
Today was epic in an obscure way. I have been wrestling since I bought this car on how the firewall recess, steering column and brake pedal would fit. It was always the plan to have a column shift for a couple reasons. First, (and not particularly "traditional" friendly) is to have a flat floor so the cupholders were usable. Second, was so it was truly turnkey for the wife.
This morning I was staring at it (as I spend too much time doing) and had an epiphany..... where the column was to go through the floor was where the recess and floor came together (at an angle). How it would go through this angle has driven me crazy until I realized it didn't HAVE to be at an angle if the column had it's OWN recess. This will mean a little more welding and trimming when I fit up the firewall recess, but is really rather a simple solution. Everything fell in place after considering a little trimming of the column bezel is required and I accept this will be a left brake car.
I'm 6'2 and have spent a lot of time on ergonomics to make this a really comfortable car to drive. With the only real concession being the brake on the left, I can drive the wheels off this. It has a LOT of legroom, and with it being un-chopped there's a lot of headroom as well. This really is the last speed bump. Time to knock this out.....
This morning I was staring at it (as I spend too much time doing) and had an epiphany..... where the column was to go through the floor was where the recess and floor came together (at an angle). How it would go through this angle has driven me crazy until I realized it didn't HAVE to be at an angle if the column had it's OWN recess. This will mean a little more welding and trimming when I fit up the firewall recess, but is really rather a simple solution. Everything fell in place after considering a little trimming of the column bezel is required and I accept this will be a left brake car.
I'm 6'2 and have spent a lot of time on ergonomics to make this a really comfortable car to drive. With the only real concession being the brake on the left, I can drive the wheels off this. It has a LOT of legroom, and with it being un-chopped there's a lot of headroom as well. This really is the last speed bump. Time to knock this out.....
Well looky what Brown brought. :thumbup: With the switches hidden and the only outward sign something's up is the jamb contacts, let's see how long it takes people to notice there's no window cranks. Super easy to install and I feel a lot better about a lever type lift than a cable setup.
Trying to fit 2 lbs in a 1 lb bag. The brake lever comes up RIGHT next to the lower column mount, so a little trimming was required. First time the pedal arm, steering column and floor have been in the same place at the same time. A little more trimming is required as well as truing the pedal arm so it go thru the floor centered in the hole.
I guess everyone's definition is different, but I'm going to officially call it a car tonight. It's not just a collection of parts sitting on 4 wheels..... it actually steers and if it had brake fluid in it would stop, too !
If I can just get this damn firewall done.....
If I can just get this damn firewall done.....
More time in the garage knocking out remaining items one by one. Steering is done and finished the brakes. The brake lever will need to be removable in case some servicing is required in the future, so that meant no welding the pedal on.
I had some 1/4" steel strap around, so grabbed the torch, bent it in a 90 and started grinding. Got the pedal mounting bracket how I wanted it so next was countersink the pedal arm and drill and tap the bracket.
Brakes done, now back onto the firewall.
I had some 1/4" steel strap around, so grabbed the torch, bent it in a 90 and started grinding. Got the pedal mounting bracket how I wanted it so next was countersink the pedal arm and drill and tap the bracket.
Brakes done, now back onto the firewall.
Warlock1
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In looking at that brake lever. It looks like there could be a lot of stress on that bend. While I get that the compression force when applying the brakes straight on is probably sufficient to prevent a failure of the lever. I would be worried about a panic stop situation and the foot is not square on the pad and provides a quick side force and then lever bending to the side. Hopefully that makes sense.
Fantastic work on this project and wish I had half your alent...:thumbsup
Fantastic work on this project and wish I had half your alent...:thumbsup
The curved arm itself is ungodly strong..... 1" wide by almost 1/2" thick steel and it just doesn't bend, I've tried! The bolt on bracket adds very little leverage (side load that would try to bend the arm sideways) as the bolt on the back of the pedal pad is as close to the bend as I could make it and still get a clean tap on it. This style lever was the norm in the 40's and 50's so it's a proven design and the piece I have really is overkill, it just looks smaller in the pics than it is.
The fuel tank needs to have the rear mounts bolt to the rear subrail, but if the rear feet point out it pushes the tank too far forward. The fix? Tuck the feet UNDER the tank cradle and weld a couple bolts on before finish welding to create studs. The body rake is 5 degrees, so the feet need to be bent 85 degrees so the tank is level and I get a little extra room for the seat back.The front feet will have an integrated flange to tighten down the tank straps. I've come up with a kind of cool quick connect for the straps at the rear since access will be a bit tight.
Flyinbowtie
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Car is looking good.
It is easy to see when a man who has built cars before and knows what works, what doesn't, knows what you need and what you don't need..decides to build a car for himself that he can drive, have fun with, and be proud of having done the build.
Easy for me to see anyway.
Been there.
You and I could spend hours talking cars. Hours.
Won't be long now...take pics when you bring it to life and it moves under it's own power for the first time. There is nothing like that moment...nothing.
It is easy to see when a man who has built cars before and knows what works, what doesn't, knows what you need and what you don't need..decides to build a car for himself that he can drive, have fun with, and be proud of having done the build.
Easy for me to see anyway.
Been there.
You and I could spend hours talking cars. Hours.
Won't be long now...take pics when you bring it to life and it moves under it's own power for the first time. There is nothing like that moment...nothing.
Thanks, nice to know others appreciate it. My thing is small details.... a lot of which may be too subtle or small for most to see.
I'm a bit consumed with cars, always have been. I'm one of very few remaining "car guys" at a manufacturer, build these things as therapy in my off time and don't get out much to talk cars with other gearheads. Talking cars for hours sounds good.....
rvrrun
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The only thing that's going to bend that is a hot wrench.
Rain..... we need it, but not the day the body's supposed to come off. Had some make work to do, so it wasn't a wasted day.
Got the battery access panel done, and a sneak peak at the tank straps I'm making so the tank can be serviced in tight quarters. I thought about getting all anal and bead rolling the battery cover then figured this would actually be stronger and nobody's going to see it anyhow. The carpet will be snapped in for easy access.
Got the battery access panel done, and a sneak peak at the tank straps I'm making so the tank can be serviced in tight quarters. I thought about getting all anal and bead rolling the battery cover then figured this would actually be stronger and nobody's going to see it anyhow. The carpet will be snapped in for easy access.
Been staring at it long enough...... cut the tunnel and plug welded it to the floor. Couldn't get the new recess done so we'll pull the body tomorrow, celebrate Xmas and head to the River for a week.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all RDPers!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all RDPers!
It doesn't seem obvious yet, but the way the panels are being fitted is for a certain "factory" look. Sheetmetal on production cars is tack welded with overlapping flanges, so this is mimicking that look.... my way of taking the "streetrod" look out of it. Probably would be quicker and look smoother by stitch welding and smoothing all the seams, but that'd be too easy. In the end will it matter (or even show)? Probably not to anyone but me, that's OK.
Got the other side of the recess bent and started fitting it up to the floor and firewall. There's a certain assembly order this needs to follow, so first up is finishing the recess, then comes bending up the recess around the column and brake pedal.
Carlson-jet
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Diggin the thread. She's coming along. 
OK, so let me preface this post by repeating something..... this car is a learning project for me. Fabrication, welding, fitting..... I'm learning as I go.
I had delusions of being able to make the recess the way I wanted by just bending it in one piece. I found out that with as many angles and obstacles there are, I couldn't. I came up a 1/4" too narrow and could either try bending another, or working with this one. Trying to fill a 1/4" was too much for a mig, so it was cut in half and made a 1-1/2" joint to stretch it. Cool thing is I got to play with the spot welder to marry the 2 stretched pieces again with the joint. The joint also supplied the base to fill the gap (note crappy welds) as it wasn't supposed to be the main source of rigidity.
The good news is I'll be doing finish bodywork on the firewall and painting it so my learning experience won't show. I'm over the hump... time to haul ass.
I had delusions of being able to make the recess the way I wanted by just bending it in one piece. I found out that with as many angles and obstacles there are, I couldn't. I came up a 1/4" too narrow and could either try bending another, or working with this one. Trying to fill a 1/4" was too much for a mig, so it was cut in half and made a 1-1/2" joint to stretch it. Cool thing is I got to play with the spot welder to marry the 2 stretched pieces again with the joint. The joint also supplied the base to fill the gap (note crappy welds) as it wasn't supposed to be the main source of rigidity.
The good news is I'll be doing finish bodywork on the firewall and painting it so my learning experience won't show. I'm over the hump... time to haul ass.
The noticeable progress will slow for a while as the little details need to be addressed. Since the recess was notched and bent, the slots need to be trimmed and filled. Once again I'm making this more difficult than it probably needs to be, but I want the recess to meet the firewall with a flange on the inside, not welded and ground smooth. There will be a reveal at the joint so it all has to fit perfectly.
There's about a week of work to do before it's ready for the vertical panel. When that's done, this'll go together quick.
There's about a week of work to do before it's ready for the vertical panel. When that's done, this'll go together quick.
NOW I'm happy. Took the firewall to my sheetmetal guy and he sheared it to size and bent the flange. Hard to believe just that can hold up the project. When I got back, trimmed a little here, ground a little there and it's looking like a firewall! Need to trim for the column recess and then it's time to break out the mig and get this thing done. Gonna be a fun 3 day weekend.....
On to the disgusting part of finishing the floor. Gotta get the subrails pristine so I can weld the seat support channels in and notch the floor panel to fit over them. I'll wash the panels down with ospho tomorrow to prep them as well.
TomD
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Coming together nicely. :thumbup:
Seems like I'm dragging ass right now, but there's a few things that are best addressed now. First, I HATE rattle traps. I know old cars creak and make noise, but that doesn't mean I can't try to minimize it. The floors will be plug welded to the seat support channels to (hopefully) add some unibody-style strength and cut down on rattles and creaks. You can see the seat track holes that I decided to thru bolt rather than use rivnuts. Rivnuts would've been smoother looking, but it's the bottom and this is stronger.
I got REALLY lucky using an existing hole in the rear crossmember to run the fuel hardline from the tank to the frame rail. Opened it up to accept a grommet and it's protected and insulated.
I got REALLY lucky using an existing hole in the rear crossmember to run the fuel hardline from the tank to the frame rail. Opened it up to accept a grommet and it's protected and insulated.
Just a couple places to finish weld on the firewall and the floors done! Good thing the exceptional weld quality of the tacks will be hidden under the Dynamat-ish material I'll be putting down.
Next.... paint the floor, seam seal it and paint the firewall metallic black to match everything else.
Next.... paint the floor, seam seal it and paint the firewall metallic black to match everything else.
Firewall's done! Arrows are the welding I was a bit apprehensive about. Next is prime and paint and the weather's going to determine if I stay on schedule.
Let me tell anyone reading this and contemplating building your own..... your brain makes it harder than it actually is. Dive in knowing you'll find a way and build the experience as you go. 90% of the battle is getting past thinking you can't do it.
Let me tell anyone reading this and contemplating building your own..... your brain makes it harder than it actually is. Dive in knowing you'll find a way and build the experience as you go. 90% of the battle is getting past thinking you can't do it.
Not warm enough to prime and paint yet, but there's a a couple things I have to do before the body goes back on.
Believe it or not, this has taken 3 days to make...... 2 days staring at it and a day to bend it. I made life more difficult 2 ways..... mount the fuel block on the firewall and go for a "factory" look with an inverted flair instead of AN. Didn't want hose, and sure didn't want it just hanging out there looking ugly. Couldn't drop it down the drivers side since there's no clearance for the brake pedal or the column linkage. Had to move it 3" into the tunnel to clear the bellhousing when the body's back, too. I've bent a lot of tube and though this looks rather simple, it was one of the more difficult lines I've made.
Believe it or not, this has taken 3 days to make...... 2 days staring at it and a day to bend it. I made life more difficult 2 ways..... mount the fuel block on the firewall and go for a "factory" look with an inverted flair instead of AN. Didn't want hose, and sure didn't want it just hanging out there looking ugly. Couldn't drop it down the drivers side since there's no clearance for the brake pedal or the column linkage. Had to move it 3" into the tunnel to clear the bellhousing when the body's back, too. I've bent a lot of tube and though this looks rather simple, it was one of the more difficult lines I've made.
SBMech
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Unless you have made a few custom fuel or brake lines, you have no idea how hard it is, or how many tries it can take...:thumbup:Not warm enough to prime and paint yet, but there's a a couple things I have to do before the body goes back on.
Believe it or not, this has taken 3 days to make...... 2 days staring at it and a day to bend it. I made life more difficult 2 ways..... mount the fuel block on the firewall and go for a "factory" look with an inverted flair instead of AN. Didn't want hose, and sure didn't want it just hanging out there looking ugly. Couldn't drop it down the drivers side since there's no clearance for the brake pedal or the column linkage. Had to move it 3" into the tunnel to clear the bellhousing when the body's back, too. I've bent a lot of tube and though this looks rather simple, it was one of the more difficult lines I've made.
Slow night. When I make a line that will have hose going on it, I bead the end to help seal it (especially on the pressure side). Spent 45 minutes trying different ways of holding the line to the floor. I don't get a 2nd chance at this. The line will go on before the body goes back on the frame, so whatever retention method I decide on, it has to be from one side only. No through-bolting and since it'll be in the middle of the hump, it should be reasonably flat when the carpet is down.
SBMech
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Slow night. When I make a line that will have hose going on it, I bead the end to help seal it (especially on the pressure side). Spent 45 minutes trying different ways of holding the line to the floor. I don't get a 2nd chance at this. The line will go on before the body goes back on the frame, so whatever retention method I decide on, it has to be from one side only. No through-bolting and since it'll be in the middle of the hump, it should be reasonably flat when the carpet is down.
Running tube down the tunnel is tough, what ideas do you have to secure it? You could always weld a few tabs in for loom holders ala Toyota/GM type wire/pushpin holders.
10-24 rivnut and stainless tube clamp is what I decided on. I can secure it from the exterior with 1 hand through the battery access panel. It'll be insulated with Vulcan heat sleeve so it'll have some cushion against the floor as well.
Here's where I need everyone's feedback. I'll be drilling the gauge holes in the dash, but am undecided on how to lay it out. The two in the center are in-dash 3-3/8" speedo and tach. The 2"ers on the left are spaced so they are centered over the steering column and visible through the steering wheel so I don't want to change that.
The top view is with the gauges all on the same horizontal centerline. Having them on the same plane looks "normal", but the raised panels on the dash aren't symmetrical. That means the outermost gauges will look pinched against the dash rail.
The bottom view is with the gauges centered in the raised panels, but that means they are at a slight angle.So which way looks the least odd?
The top view is with the gauges all on the same horizontal centerline. Having them on the same plane looks "normal", but the raised panels on the dash aren't symmetrical. That means the outermost gauges will look pinched against the dash rail.
The bottom view is with the gauges centered in the raised panels, but that means they are at a slight angle.So which way looks the least odd?
rvrrun
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Here's where I need everyone's feedback. I'll be drilling the gauge holes in the dash, but am undecided on how to lay it out. The two in the center are in-dash 3-3/8" speedo and tach. The 2"ers on the left are spaced so they are centered over the steering column and visible through the steering wheel so I don't want to change that.
The top view is with the gauges all on the same horizontal centerline. Having them on the same plane looks "normal", but the raised panels on the dash aren't symmetrical. That means the outermost gauges will look pinched against the dash rail.
The bottom view is with the gauges centered in the raised panels, but that means they are at a slight angle.So which way looks the least odd?
Top, pinched, definitely. No question.
I laid everything out in Photoshop and looked at it for months before deciding.
