Hot Rods The Belly Button Bucket Build Thread

Yeah, that seems awful tight (overlap a' plenty) but I couldn't carry that man's wastebasket out to the dumpster. Rollers really open up stuff that's not possible with hyd flats and would be flirtin' with disaster on solid flats.
I'd guess that somewhere out in web space there is a program that can guesstimate traction/tire needed for TQ to vehicle weight and speed. I'd guess Ts are at the sharp end of the scale! Another 10 HP or TQ
just means more slip.

 

This is the current cam in the T (LT4 Hot Cam).



This is the cam I got for the cross ram build (Howard's 180325-08):


The main appeal of the Howard's cam is getting the intake valve closed earlier with a few more degrees duration, at the expense of overlap.

My plan is to more or less replicate the magazine build, with the exceptions of the cross ram intake and AFR Enforcer 195s instead of the Vortec heads. I'll find a way to hide the fact they are aluminum heads when I get further along. This is a relatively speaking (minus the cross ram setup) inexpensive build. A benefit of these heads is they will accept either a Vortec intake or standard SBC intake, as well as perimeter bolt or center bolt valve covers. This was my main reason to go with these over the Trick Flow DHC 175s (new heads that look like camel humps). I'd like to be able to swap intakes/valve covers over if necessary, and the Trick Flows are only perimeter bolt valve covers and standard SBC intake, so that killed that idea lol.

For the tri power engine, I think I will de-tune that engine by putting in the Ramjet cam. That cam will be better matched power-wise to the tri power than the Hot cam, and will go in the 32.

For the Hot cam, in my endless pursuit of spiraling madness, I bought some GM Fast burn heads on close out, then got all the parts necessary to assemble them. My plan is to replicate the ZZ430 crate engine, with the exception/option of using the Vortec dual quad air gap intake in place of a single 4 Performer RPM. Thinking this will be the square body engine, or something along those lines. These heads are a raised runner intake port, so you can't use a standard SBC intake unless you weld up the intake ports and port match. I learned this the hard way, and didn't feel comfortable welding/having someone weld on the cross ram to fit, hence the AFR 195s mentioned above for the T engine.

 

Anything new, Tim?
This time of year means shorter days and other commitments. Just wondering if you've had a brainstorm to share or a cleaner shop.

 

Hey, thanks for checking in. I’ve been busy cleaning up the clutter (which looks like a bomb went off) and beginning the garage renovation.

The first project is to relocate the compressor outside and improve the airline routing. Previously, I had black pipe surrounding the perimeter of the garage about 4’ off the floor mounted to the walls. Pic below shows compressor near top left:



The plan is to route the line up through the ceiling, then have 4 drops placed in various work stations:
1. At work bench near the “x” above.
2. Above the peninsula work station.
3. Through wall just above personnel door for a hose reel mounted underneath the peninsula work station - from there, a pop-out to the outside wall will allow me to drag an air hose more easily out into the driveway.
4. Final drop just above the rectangle representing the T - this will be a fold out welding table mounted to the wall. Planning to do all my welding/grinding near the door to keep the mess inside at a minimum.

Here’s some pictures of progress - at some point planning a garage journal thread for this - when time allows.

First few pics are airline inside the stud wall - plan is to be able to fully pressurize the black pipe and trap the moisture here. There's over 50' of line in this section. Compressor will be on the other side of this wall, with pipe poking through wall. Shutoff, regulator, and rubber hose will connect to bottom of this ladder rung. Top of ladder rung pokes through the top plate, up, over and across the rafter.









Across rafter:





Tee's off to go to the peninsula:





Drop above work bench:



Drop at peninsula:



Continuing on over to welding station:



Welding station drop:



Peninsula run continues to front wall, where a hose reel will live under the peninsula work station:



After this, I started cleaning up the various crap in the rafters, preparing for some increased bracing so I can make a small attic for storage. Plans are an attic ladder and an attic winch/lift basket, similar to how I had my rental garage.







Next, comes electrical. I managed to get all the misc crap out of the sub panel, except for one circuit I'm using for lights/working, and will demo/update that later. Yellow sleeves are 120v, Orange are 240v. I've got the NEC 2023 code book, so I'm armed and dangerous.





I've got about 75% of the wiring for the compressor done - I just need to get that wrapped up then I can turn the panel back on and get some pictures of that. All this to say, I've been busy. I'll probably start a garage journal thread and link it here, when time allows. Hoping to get back on the T when the garage is a little more online.

 

You have a hot tub in your shop?

 

You don't?

 

LOL. It's easier to run power from the sub panel in the garage for a future hot tub than power from the panel in the house as the garage is adjacent to where I'd like to put a hot tub. Wet PNW winters call for a place to warm up!

 

Commonly called "The Great Wet North"!

 

Thanks for the update, Tim! You have been busy!
The 'hot tub' is just an all-inclusive parts washer, right?
I would have suggested having the drop drain routed outside the wall, but it looks like that would require poking a hole through the footing.

 

I have easier access to drain the drop from the garage side vs outside, but I get what you're saying.

 

Garagejournal thread started for the garage. Link below, and also in my signature:
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...ilding-a-pnw-1-5-car-garage-from-1946.541019/

 

Oh cool!

 

Late Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. I have no belly button progress to report unfortunately. I farmed out a couple small things a couple months ago now, thinking that would save me time and grief. I seem to have better luck waiting for paint to dry while I test my hypothesis of whether or not I could drown i a puddle of water, and that may have been a better use of my time and resources, but I digress.

I am truly blessed in that I got to spend Christmas in Hawaii with my gf and her family - although I got pneumonia on the flight over and spent Christmas night in the ER (can’t wait for that bill). In all seriousness though, it was an amazing trip. I’m more of a wildlife experience person, and Hawaii was a massive over delivery in the animals I hoped to see.

I got home and more or less recovered from being sick - starting to feel close to 100% again and working out in the garage, which can slowly be seen over on the garagejournal. As a personal aside, there’s been an ongoing debate in my relationship of whether I would move to Olympia (100 miles North) or if she would move down here, and in December she announced she wants to move down here. She managed to find remote receptionist work for a law firm up there and will be moving in next week! All that to say, lots of things to be thankful for, despite being frustrated with the belly button being sidelined. I WILL FINISH THIS CAR. I just don’t know when lol.

 

I would suggest putting filters in your air lines. Black pipe has a lot of crap in it.

 

Glad to hear your update. I went over to GJ and read your post over there, Jonesing for more Tim content. Good to hear that all your efforts digging dirt isn't going to be traded off for a new set of issues.
Sucks that money and health took a hit, here's hoping it is a minor bump in the road.

 

Thanks! The digging days were simpler times I long for - I still go back and forth with hand digging a basement under the house…. I’ve reasoned that should take place if/when I finish all these other projects piled up before I take on something like that. But I’ve calculated the dirt removal from the yard- easily already dug a basement by hand. Three to five times in fact - because I dug it out of the ground into a wheelbarrow, from wheelbarrow to pickup bed, pickup bed to gravel yard, replaced dirt with gravel and sand from gravel yard from pickup bed to wheelbarrow to yard again, plus all the pavers and retaining wall blocks I loaded/unloaded by hand from the pickup. So who knows… I’d like to trade some hard manual labor for a seismic rated foundation and a studio apartment we could Airbnb. Gotta get this other stuff done first though.

 

Just got @Tim_with_a_T and @BigJoeArt garage journal threads read. Joey I never even considered what the other side of your house looked like lmao

 

Can you post a link to those?

 

Scroll up a few posts for Tim’s but here is Joeys partial build thread on the house/ shop

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/wag-tag-rod-shop-fabrication.533327/

 

Thanks, I appreciate it.

 

oof. now I feel extra bad for letting that thread sit dormant... lol

 

I got to the end of it and was like "What the Hell"

 

I got to the end and was like “there’s a back side of the house? Wait have I been looking at the back side the whole time?” Lol

 

Small update actually!!!

Been working on the garage like it’s going out of style- finally managed to finish the attic, which means all the household car parts storage totes now have a more permanent home. A couple pictures of that:




I also got one of the farmed out pieces for the belly button back from a friend. Here’s some details on that.

I wanted to come up with a better way to vent the fuel tank besides the gas cap, especially since the in-tank pump has provisions for a vent. This also gave me the opportunity to figure out how to raise the fuel filler outside the pickup bed, which is something I’ve wanted from the beginning - I just couldn’t see that far ahead.

Without further ado, here’s what I came up with. I adapted a fuel filler extension piece to the existing threaded filler bung, using the same cap on the extension piece. The extension piece has two tubes- one will connect to the fuel tank vent provision, and the other will route underneath the car to a charcoal canister. I haven’t fully figured that out yet, but figured I could at least share this part.

 

Every drop in your air system needs a ball valve to allow draining the line. Remove the elbow at the quick disconnect . Replace with a Tee and a nipple with ball valve for drain. Open the valve and blow down before hooking up your airline, the way it is shown in these pictures you air line and tool will be filled with water immediately when hooked up for use and operation.

 

I get what you’re saying but I’ve used this system for several months now without a drop of moisture. I’m nowhere near done with the garage build but this system works great as-is. If I experience any moisture I’ll make changes, but for now they will be in the way of planned cabinetry.

 

Yep. I hear you if it is working for you don't mess with it. Your looking good with your build.

 

Is there a reason you raised the cap that far above the bed? Is there a peice I'm not remembering or that you haven't built yet?

Knowing you, you probably have a plan.

 

There was upholstery before, but that's been changed.
Just looking at it, if the cap was tight to the plywood, the cap would limit the amount the rear section can tilt up.
I'd guess it's also to keep the vent tubes above the top of the tank (and fuel level), too.

 

The main reason is somewhat arbitrary. My thought was to leave it a little tall, so when there’s luggage strapped to the bed, I can still get to the fuel reasonably easy. Also, the vent/canister lines- in order to make the bends I wanted, I had to be on the taller side to make everything work in my bender. I’m planning a padded tonneau cover (1” foam stitched in vinyl pleats), so that should cover the hose clamp bit, but yeah, the main reason is to allow access with luggage strapped down.