Projects Modified Lakester Build (THUNDERCASKET)

Just so you don't think I'm slacking. Here is whaat I'm fiddling with now. I am making a hoop to support the nose and the radiator. I'm waiting on some Dzus plates and hardware to lock it all in. I will need to re-route the brake line here once I am done. This hoop is 0.120" tubing so it should add a little structure.

 

That is a good idea. I have not figured out my radiator issues yet. The right radiator would help. Keep at it your struggles give me hope!

 

next I need to figure out how to get the coolant around the steering box, LOL

I have a bunch of tubes coming from Summit to play with. I'm hoping I can just get over it with a couple 90s.

 

OK, a couple victories to report. First, I got my torque tube put back together straight and welded up!





Then I managed to get ONE out of four radiator hoses run. I definitely did not approach my measurements right up top and I have a challenge ahead figuring out how to get around my steering box, but the lower passenger side pump went together with a couple 90s and a 3" tube! I trimmed an inch off the ends of this 90 until I got what I needed. They're 4" x 4" so I had enough to work with.






oops

 

Moving right along. It is funny how much better things fit in our heads.

 

I have actually been working on my car, just mostly doing stuff to @justa170 's build lately (that update is coming next).



I got my radiator hoop tacked up and bolted down to my satisfaction before I took off to Maryland for a couple weeks to work on and around my mom's house. Since I've been back, I managed to figure out how to use these Dzus bits to hold the nose on. I got 2 in this past weekend and I figure 2 more should go in for good measure.






Also, got my rear Firestones mounted and discovered the curb guards and that the guy who mounted them hadn't noticed either, LOL, oh well. I'll get them matching soon. I'm inclined to turn them guards in since I'm not running WWs.



The matching fronts are off getting mounted to my Wide 5's already.

You'll also notice boxes of engine parts and the new carb risers. I'm gearing up to get my block back and get my engine built finally. Haven't decided how I want to go about the port and polish but I'll hammer that out soon. Figuring out my lower radiator hose on the driver side is vexing me at present and I may need to cut and solder the port over there. I'm looking to set the pumps and belts into a 59ab configuration potentially, I've got most all the bits to do that. I've gotta set up a distributor on there and see what's going to fit. The fan clearance is what's got me chasing my tail up there since I jacked my block so high.

 

Yeah I’d just turn them around no sense making more work for yourself.

seems fan clearance is always something that bites us in the ass. I’m sure you’ll figure it out

 

Nice progress. I like the Dzus clip idea. I though if using them for all the body panels on my Chevy when I was thinking of replacing all the wood with steel. The rear quarters has 4 pieces + the trunk. There's inspiration here, Thanks!

 

I did a bunch of smaller tasks this weekend to clean up some loose ends. I got my drive shaft cut down another quarter inch to get it just right, re-welded the U joint on my steering, cleaned the car out (it had turned into a bin), screwed the backer panel into the rear of the cab, and put my 7.50-16 Firestones on finally.






Then, with that momentum going, I started on the parking brake mount. This is a F-100 under-dash handle (if I recall correctly) that I've flipped over to run like a console or floor mount lever. An earlier handle assembly would have been easier to mount but this is what I had. Hopefully I can figure out what clevis and cable I need to use.

 

Good progress! You are doing two cars at once each with their own unique issues and I can't get to one. Nice updates, thanks.

 

We mostly did some cleaning and organizing in the shop to make more room this weekend. I got to roll the car out and snap some pictures along the way.

 

Looking great! Perseverance…it’s getting there. You need to scrounge up some skinny front tires, though.

 

Oh Yeah!

 

The matching Firestones 6.00-16's are still at the shop waiting to be picked up; one of us just needs to get down there and get them. I also have to take one of the rear 7.50-16's back to get flipped around. I got a white tire marker to make them say FIRESTONE so the car will go faster also.

 

Been puttering around in the shop a bit looking for odds and ends to pick at on weekdays. I ended up making some templates for interior panels which led me to realize I needed a bit more structure to hold them. I settled on closing up the back "bench" with some sheet metal, bending some runners for the subrail to panel interface, and repairing the B pillars where the curved piece was cut away inside. I'm just going to cover all the ugly.



Also tested out some Halloween lighting for tonight:

 

Is this car front wheel drive?

 

I don't get it.

 

I think it's the tires.

 

Yea its the tires, just being a smart ass

 

If we are going to be asses we may as well be smart about it!

 

I did eventually figure that out. Yeah those are my mockup tires. they were winters off a 39 ford. I have matching 600-16s inbound.

 

I've been picking away at my car since October. And I've been awful about taking pictures but here is a photodump from Halloween for eye candy.

I've got my parking brake handle bracket a little father along. My engine is almost ready for final assembly and I'm taking my clutch and drive shaft up to the machine shop this week.

 

toreadorxltOK, UPDATES!

Starting with the worst, most recent, discovery here - when I added another 2" to my kick up, years ago now, I neglected to make adjustments for the subframe floor or radius rods. And now I have JUST REALIZED IT when I assembled the torque tube and tacked the relocated rod bracket tab to the tube. I feel pretty dumb and had to walk away from it and think (still am).

I am going to need to make some sort of floor hump. I figure. since I know it is 2" causing the problem, I could run a line from 2" off the top of the frame to the front of the torque tube and get an idea where I could have problems. I may be able to make an angled run back to front instead of a clunky hump all the way to or past the front subframe crossmember (which I would prefer not to cut if I can get away with it).






I think my options for the rear radius rods are:

1. Move the rods inboard on the rear end bells with a weld on tab and shorten them
2. Weld in ladder bar brackets but run the LBs to the torque tube
3. Use longer rods, torch bend them to run outside the frame like the split bones up front
4. Use the tubes from a 46-48 wishbone to sweep under the frame (I have a set but I am very hesitant to sacrifice them)

Next, not unexpectedly, the tank I love and want to run has some issues. I had to find the center on the cap and run it out with a hole saw because it was hopelessly seized. Then I poked and prodded all the pitted areas and got my finger through them.



THEN it was time to investigate the repair on the bottom. Apparently someone leaded a sheet of copper on there and used a 10 penny nail to fill the bead. It obviously worked but I am going to cook all the lead off this thing and weld in steel patches. This tank is worth the effort to me though I may run an other tank if it's not done by the time everything else is ready to go.



Next up (actually before all the other stuff in this post) I worked on my 53-56 F100 parking brake and cable some more. I got a NOS clevis and then discovered the fitting on the repop cable needed filing to fit (thanks @toreadorxlt ) but once it did and I found a clip, I got it to work. Now I need to learn how to shorten a cable and find the parts I need to tie it in to the 46-48 passenger car rear brakes. I'm also going to have to try to figure out how to mount this lever on whatever floor hump I need to make.

 

There is no way we can look at our pile of parts and see all of the ways they won't fit together. That knowledge only come as we actually assemble them. I guess measurements, drawings, and possibly some computer programs could help but the time needed for that takes away form the build. There is no easy way.

 

SO, in the interest of speed and cutting down on working 16ga hammer-braking and or bending, I am looking at a 46-48 Direct Sheetmetal rear floor set that I can fit/trim. I like the flat top hump because it is easy to section and to mount my brake handle to. The general shape looks close enough to the lines of my subframe where this would go so I am hoping to be able to straight cut the middle to adjust any sizing.



ALSO, I am ISO a F1 brake handle assembly now because I think it might be a cleaner install than my F100 lever if anyone who reads this has one to spare.

 

OVERDUE UPDATES - I decided on a build with what you got solution for the floor. I took a couple pieces of subrail crossmember and ran down the middle. This gives me a good 3" or so clearance where I need it. Seats will still fit too.


Got to use my little 8" powered bead roller to give the floor panel some strength after cutting on it.





I put my Firestones on the front and they lifted me up a bit more than I had expected. I'm no longer sitting with a rake and I had to adjust the attitude of the block to get it right again. SO, guess what! I had to cut my mounts out, chop them down, shape them to fit around the steering box, and weld them back in! YAY! Honestly, they were too high anyway but it was a bit of a chore. I'm running half inch spacers under the transmission too now. If and when I step down to a smaller front tire I can pull the transmission spacers and keep things at the right level.

 

Chasing a few things down on the Thundercasket still. The drive shaft should be ready soon and the block is about ready for assembly at Powerplay Machine. I am still fighting for room between the fan, hoses, & radiator.

I do not think it is practical to try to adapt an 8BA oil filled fan hub or the Dennis Carpenter version to a flex fan. I'm surprised there's no adapter for this or provision on the new parts so the solution I'm heading towards is using this wide belt 46 Merc fan hub that I got from Prewar & More this week. It looks like the same pulley offset and the fan mount looks like it may either fit a standard flex-a-lite or be drilled for one.



I have done a little more with the floors and gotten my passenger side header tacked up otherwise.

 

Just got caught up. Missed the updates from late last year on. Nice!

 

Where to begin... It has been a minute since my last update. At this moment, I am scratching away at the last bits & bobs & newfound problems on the way to starting my engine!

Here's what I've done along the way though:

Block height: I've had to adjust that by cutting down the frame mounts and again with spacers to fine tune (no pix).

Headers: I've tacked both headers together & put some exhaust hangers on the frame for the 3' glasspacks.



Seats: I finally made a second cushion!



Shocks: Fronts are mounted!



THE FAN: I solved the fan issue by using a Merc fan hub & drilling the fan to bolt on.

 

Where did you get the 3 foot glasspacks? They'd work on the Whatever project just fine...