Projects Straight 8 RPU build thread

Well, I finally got all the parts that I ordered, now I don't have the time....ugh. Story of my life.
I did get the brake assemblies put back together and back on the axle. It was after I got things back together I realized that I didn't even consider the emergency brake. I don't have any of the hardware or cables for the E-brake.....oops.
For now, It's going back together and I'll deal with that sometime in the future.

For the record, the early Jeep/Willys brake shoe anchor bolts were indeed identical to Ford parts.
I took a few minutes to fab an anchor bolt adjusting tool to help get this dialed in once I get drums back installed.

I was going to turn the drums but... ...I'm not sure how to mount them on the brake lathe. I haven't had a chance to run by my buddy's place and eyeball his lathe but from what I remember the main shaft is at least 1". The Ford hubs taper down to approx 3/4" diam. How in the heck did they mount these drums on the lathes back in the old days?

 

I put my rear drums on the axles and turn them together.

 

I can't believe that it's almost August....sheesh!
Well, since March my progress has been, well, I'm not even sure it would classify as progress. Up until last week the most I got done was to install the rear drums.
I finished up a few house projects and my schedule has loosened up slightly. I managed to get a few things done on my 49 F-1 and then turned my attention back to the roadster.
I've located my old brake lines and made sure they were usable. I had to shorten them up a bit and reflare one end but I got them installed (with the exception of a hold down clip along the wishbone) I got the rubber line installed between the wishbone and frame and managed to bend up a bit of hard line to connect to the master cylinder. I was able to get some linkage fabbed between the brake pedal and MC.
I think that I'm just about ready to fill the system and check for leaks...woohoo.
I also managed to drill the rear axle tube and add a vent. With that little chore done I think I can call the fabrication of the open driveshaft conversion done....finally, something done.

Sorry, no pics. But still, it feels good to finally have some time to mess with the roadster.

I hope everyone else has had better luck with their projects.
Bobby

 

Thanks for checking in Bobby....was beginning to wonder. My project is dang near at a standstill as well.

 

I haven't made much progress, but I was heading out to the 4 Corners area of NM to the San Juan Chapter of the ATHS show in Aztec, NM this past weekend and decided to take the roadster. I at least got to blow the dust off of it out on the open road. While at the show I fired the engine up and ran it for a bit.

 

hey, at least you put some miles on it! Is that a beer fridge in the back of your truck? Always go prepared..............

 

LOL!
You're very close. It's a RV refrigerator that I picked up from a buddy to replace the one in my travel trailer. Lord knows it's had its share of frosty beverages in it.

 

No pictures to post, but I did make some progress (some very little progress)

I discovered some clutch issues when I was trying to fabricate some linkage. I have way to much free play between the throwout bearing and the pressure plate. So, I pulled the body back off the roadster, pulled the tranny and bell housing and started making measurements. I'm using a GM bell housing, pressure plate, clutch disc, and throwout bearing. From everything I can find I should have 5" from the rear face of the engine to the back side of the throwout bearing. I have 4".
Story of my life... ...I'm an inch short.
From poking around the internet I see that GM had a long and a short throwout bearing. I have the short. It measures 1.25" in length. OK, no worries, I just need one that is 2.25" in length. I finally found specs on the long throwout bearing. Well, it's only 1.93" in length.....ugh. I eventually found a Timken catalog that showed specs for different throwout bearings. The closest I can find with the needed 2.25" length is a Ford unit but the center bore is 1.30" and I need 1.375". Dang

I went ahead and ordered the longer GM throwout bearing and an adjustable clutch fork pivot ball. Maybe between the 2 I can get everything working like it should. If that doesn't work maybe I'll try the Ford throwout bearing and see what I can do to have the center bore honed out a bit.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Bobby

 

Pray that the long GM throwout bearing works! Trying to hone the Ford throwout bearing that much sounds like a recipe for disaster!

 

No pictures to share (I forgot to take any...and, not very exciting stuff to see) but I have made a little bit of progress.
When last we left off I was trying to figure out clutch stuff. So, I had ordered an adjustable clutch fork pivot ball stud and the long GM throwout bearing. After several times of pulling trans and bellhousing I finally got it together. I basically made the pivot ball as long as I could.
After several attempts I was able to cut, bend, cuss, thread, weld, cuss, etc some linkage to connect the pedal to the clutch fork. I think it's going to work. It feels pretty good from the perspective of pushing the pedal by hand and spinning the slip yoke.

Speaking of the slip yoke. Mine was a little long. So, I made some measurements; overall length, length of slip area, length of splines, etc. I determined I needed to cut 1" so I laid it out, hacked it off, and rounded over the edge a little bit. All is good.

Next step? talk to my local driveshaft company and see what kind of measurements I need to order up a driveshaft. I'm getting closer to see if all of these parts are going to work together.....

...stay tuned

Bobby

 

Finally, a little something to report....
After receiving a ridiculous quote on fabbing up a drive shaft (~ $300) I decided I'd try my hand at putting one together. I dug around my parts piles and found a decent candidate that had a matching rear yoke to my differential. Even though I have to shorten this quite a bit I went ahead and used a cut of wheel and carefully removed the front yoke. I took my tranny slip yoke and the tubing dimensions over to the drive shaft shop so I could get a front weld in yoke. The drive shaft guy had a good used front yoke that he let me have for $10...woohooo. I picked up a new rear "U" joint for another $15.
I then make dozens of careful measurements, re-measurements, etc and cut my drive shaft tube to size. I think my game plan will be to fully assemble the driveshaft; "U" joints in the yokes, weld in yoke pressed into the tubing, etc. Then I'll mount it into my roadster so I can use a dial indicator to get it straight. Once straight as I can get it I'll tack weld it in several spots. After that, I can remove it from the car and weld the tar out of it.

Worst case scenario is that I'll have to bite the bullet and have one made. I might also have to have this balanced once its welded up but I'll wait on that until I'm driving the thing to see if it actually needs it. Best case scenario is that it works as it should without any vibration.

 

Looking good Bobby! I built the DS for my COE, not that difficult. Just make sure your u joints are perfectly in phase...

 

I have shortened driveshaft and rewelded without any need for balancing. Just make sure it all lines up as accurate as possible. I left a little gap between the tube and the yoke so the weld could penetrate down in. I left the factory balance weights, as i only shortened it about 4 inches, but it seems to be fine.

 

Thanks guys! I appreciate the vote of confidence. Hopefully I'll get a chance to work on it this weekend.

Once this driveline is in place I'm almost at a point where I can fire this thing up and see if all the parts will work together and it will move, steer, and stop.....I'm getting anxious

 

I know its been awhile. My progress is slow as other parts of my life keep my crazy busy. I have managed to squeeze is a bit of roadster time here and there.
So, I dug around my piles of parts and came up with an old driveshaft with a rear yoke that matched my open driveline conversion. I carefully cut through the weld on the front weld in yoke and removed it. This way I could get a good measurement on the tubing thickness. Next I measured, and measured, and measured. Then I measured a few more times and then measured, and measured, and measured, made some calculations, measured again, and then cut the driveshaft down to size. I was able to pick up a front weld in yoke from a local drive shaft shop. The guy didn't have a new one in stock but had a used one that he let me have for $10....woohoo.
I installed the front "U" joint and my slip yoke into the new weld in yoke. Installed a new "U" joint into the rear yoke. I then lined everything up and banged the new yoke into the driveshaft tube. After that I mounted it in the chassis and rigged up a dial indicator so I could see how much run out I had.
After a frustrating couple of hours and not being able to get the run-out less than 20 thousandths I took a break. After a frosty beverage I realized that as I was leaning over and against the transmission I was inducing movement into the dial indicator. I then stood back where I could see the dial indicator and rolled the tire with long stick. Much better and it didn't take me long to get the run-out down to about .005...I think I'm good so I tacked it in a few places. Hopefully next weekend I can get it welded out. I won't worry about balancing until after this thing is up and running. Who knows, it might not need it (yeah right...LOL)

 

If it were me I'd tack it in place and get the driveshaft mob to weld and balance. Save you chasing a vibration later on.

 

Good advice
I probably won't follow it, but good advice all the same. Thanks

LOL

 

I had a few minutes so I welded up the driveshaft. I won't have a chance to try and get it installed until next weekend.

 

Well, It's been a little over 2 years and I've made zippo, nil, nada, no progress at all.
Life sort of reared its ugly head and relegated most hobbies to the back burner. It's been so long that it'll take a team of archeologists spending about a gadzillion hours excavating through the garage to bring the roadster back into daylight.
Some of my obligations are easing and I've almost got the engine back in the Studebaker Champ truck so hopefully I can get back to work on this thing.

This is a bit embarrassing, but here is what I'm up against right now: ;

 

Yup, life happens. At least you still WANT to work on it!

 

Thanks Scott
Yea, a long string of handling elderly parents and their associated issues. In the last 3-4 years I've lost step-mom, dad, and just recently mom. Now that I'm an orphan I can maybe get something done(if I can get caught up on house chores that I've been putting off for the last 6 or 7 years....gotta try and keep the wife happy).

 

It's amazing how quickly our projects turn into shelves and tables when the available project time drops to zero. Been there, done that as well. Sorry for your losses. Lost both parents in the last two years myself.

 

I hear ya. I don't know where all that stuff comes from...
...and I don't know why I can't throw any of it away.....lol

 

Bobby...
Howdy and good to hear where you are with your project...no embarrassment allowed ....elderly folks whose plan was 'let Bobby (Larry) take care of it'...sure can suck the time and life out of you...Mom passed in late February and I handed dad off to a brother...
Sorry for your loss and hoping you can find time for some fun stuff again....
carry on

 

Bobby, sorry about your loses. Time to get cracking! I would LIKE to see this job on the road before my kids lose THEIR Dad.

Ben

 

Thanks guys!!
I appreciate the kind words and condolences. It does help the motivation...
Larry, sorry for your loss as well.