Projects Tucks AV8 Pickup build thread-----> BABE THE BLUE OX

I needed a good shift tower- mine was broke at the top- I brazed it but the shift forks were in rough shape too- picked up two of them from a local guy. They're both double detent- the one with the swan shifter came out of his 32 survivor at one point.

Started to get the body panels cleaned up-

After I finish my chassis mods I plan to work on mounting the cab and firewall- thinking of making the polished firewall stand alone like a 32.

I picked up a real deuce grill shell from stu. The rad is a 32 model B. Really nice shape-

Tuck

 

Tuck what's going on down there with your split bones? Not the old style ball joint but the taper extension portion. Is it just tacked and not finished yet?

 

@Runnin shine not finished yet- just tacked welded... (these were really pitted) going to blow it apart for finish welding soon. I want to chrome the bones and was hoping I might run across a better set which I now have so I'll swap these out.

 

Chopped the cowl today- been starring at it thinking about the chop for a year or better- I was between 3 and 4"... I ended up with 3 3/4". 3 1/2 was good but I had to push it.

 

Looks great, top job!

 

Looks awesome!

 

Been looking at this chop and thinking about it all week- I added some back in the pillar so it's only a 2 1/2" chop- I didn't really want it to look chopped... And 3 3/4" looked kinda hammered. It's amazing the difference of an inch. I also figured out my motor mounts with the help of some 34 olds parts- was going to build a dog bone but I scrapped that idea and I'm adding a small crossmember with mounts- it'll help stiffen up the rail next to the steering box too!

Found a 24 Chrysler dash at iola swap for five bucks- it's going in!

 

$5!!!!! It has to go in. Think of how many tanks of petrol that just bought'ya.

 

So I take it that your crossmember is picking up off the back of the block, or just under the adaptor?

 

Good stuff boo!

 

@Speedy Canuck man ill post pics later- I'm going to run it across the middle- so it slips right under the oil pan and bolts to the frame on each side. I might chrome it- it uses the 34 olds motor mounts. I need to make a couple parts before I post pics. I really dig it. I only really need a mount on one side but @Moriarity says its better to overbuild.

Thanks @cactus1
right?? @Runnin shine I really like the look of it. I think I'm going to make an upholstered pad that runs across the top so it'll be a padded dash... its so big on top I just had the urge to drill it full of holes and save the gauge panel for my 34 coupe!

 

Right on! I like seeing your solutions, lots of crafty ideas in that head of yours. I'll be watching.

 

Thanks man- How much did you guys chop your coupe? To me that's pretty much perfect-

 

My friend Mike Kluver found this at a local swap for the truck! Can't wait to install it this winter-

 

Nothing to see Tuck! The attachments have errors.

 

@Speedy Canuck check it dog!



Vroom vroom!!

 

Neat, Neat, NEAT!

 

I can see them now. Killer find, and great looking motor!

 

If your Buick drums with those E-T Mags is the coolest thing I've ever seen then this has to be the second coolest. That Spaulding distributor peaking out from behind those Strombergs is just so right! Looks good!

 

Got some work done today! Adding a 34 olds crossmember and motor mounts to tie in the frame next to the steering box to help prevent twist and torsional twist of the motor.

The mounts I made from flat stock to mimic the way Hurst made mounts-

I relieved the x-member to help clear the x member- it was too close-

Fixed trans mount issues I was having because of it-

Salvaged some castle nuts and modified the spring holder and was able to tighten up my rear spring for the first time without c-clamp vice grips (-;

Getting closer to getting the little odds and ends fixed so I can blow it apart for a final weld job!

Tuck-

 

Looking good my friend! I need to give you a call again from swampy Florida!

 

Thanks Jim!! Call anytime were due to catch up! Getting close to blowing it apart and final welding everything and then I'll install that wicked cam!

 

What a journey!

 

Imagine a vivid dream where three of your fine builds are finished waiting for your choosing.

 

BUT, you do have a Model 40...

 

Get on it!

 

I know man... Seems like you were just here helping with cleanup a year ago...

ha... you know I think about this. (-:

Thanks man! Grad school will be over before you know it. Seems like yesterday my wife started her masters and we have been on a single income... but now look were on the home stretch whats left of this semester and one more and she's got it! I've been taking 3 credits a semester too on top of all of this... so seems like life is just a big blur... Some days I feel like I was run over by a truck but I keep it all in perspective... pretty sure If I didn't have this shop I wouldn't have my sanity!!

I need to credit @Eyeball for the idea but I've been stopping in the shop and working on hot rods every day for a hour on my way home. You wouldn't believe the stuff you can get done in one hour! I figured it out... and one hour a day is a forty hour work week over the course of two months alone... besides working a full day here and there on weekends I've started to actually make a dent in stuff. Every day I check something small off the list. Yesterday I lowered both of my steering arms on the roadster- today I finished up the drivers side motor mount on the truck. You could prep an axle one day and drill it the next... the one hour has been magic.