Projects My roadster pickup project.

You are right, Glenn. I want the rpu to be something I can jump in and drive on the interstate so I'll keep the high gears in it, and keep my 27 with it's 4.30 gears for around town driving.

Thanks, Austinrod. Tires are from Coker, US Royal 5:60 x 15 on the front and 8:00 x 15 Firestone slicks on the back........bias plies all around.

Don

 

Not a lot that is post worthy has been going on with my rpu project, just a bunch of little things to get out of the way before I glue and rivit the floor down for the last time. One thing that I needed to do was get the mounting system for the Kugel Komponents 90 degree master cylinder/brake pedal mount worked out. I wanted to do it before I got too deep in and then find out I had clearance issues.

What I have decided to do is copy the system my Son Dan used to mount the Kugel setup in his rpu. It is very simple and strong as it ties the MC mount into the firewall and the underdash support. The first part I had to make was a 7 x 12 inch x 1/4 inch thick steel plate to bolt to the firewall in the drivers side upper corner. I shaped it like the firewall is in that area and will drill about 6 holes and through bolt it to the inside of the firewall.

Next, I cut two 1/4 inch thick tabs that we will weld to that plate so the Kugel bracket can bolt to it. Here are a couple of pictures of the plate and tabs, ready to weld on.







In these pictures you can see the Kugel bracket and how it will bolt to the firewall plate. Another brace will run from the back of the Kugel mount to the 1 inch box tubing brace that goes under my dash.











Once the brackets are finally bolted under the dash I can start reshaping the brake pedal that comes with the Kugel kit to make it fit my floor area layout. As it is, it is bent exactly the wrong way so we need to heat and bend it to move it further to the left, so it clears my steering column.

Don

Just for reference, here is the same setup in Dan's rpu, when he was building his mounts.

 

Woo looking great Don, I like those Kugel setups but they ain't cheap !!!

 

Thanks, Steve. I know what you mean about the cost, and I thought about simply taking measurements off of Dan's setup and making a copy, but I finally bit the bullet and just bought one. They really do clean things up by getting everything under the dash though. We held it up in place and it looks like I will have plenty of room to be able to fill the MC through the old gas cap.

BTW, you better get Stateside pretty quick. Dan and I have been drinking the cider Don had stashed away for you and it really isn't all that bad.


Don

 

While it was cool this morning I decided to run over to the shop and see how the plate I made for the pedal mount would fit. I drilled some holes around the perimeter of the plate and then through the firewall, and installed some temporary bolts to hold it in place. Looks like it will work out ok.

These two pictures will give an idea of how that plate is mounted behind the firewall. Now all we have to do is weld the two tabs onto the plate and we can bolt the Kugel bracket to the car.

Don

 

Looks good Don, hardly notice the bolt heads once painted. Oh and lay of my Cider

 

That should work out nicely Don. The under dash pedal asemblies do work well I am running one I got from ECI and it worked really nice.

 

Steve, you better hurry up, we are developing a taste for the stuff ! Don brought over a box of "emergency beer" that is not our normal brand but it will do in a pinch when we run out. In the box was some of the cider so we tried it the other night and it really isn't all that bad. It gave me a little buzz, so it at least has that going for it.

K13, that's right, I forgot they make one too. Glad to hear you liked yours.

Don

 

This is certainly a well engineered and well thought out build. I really like how it is coming out. This is going to be a killer ride.

 

The quality of your work is outstanding, build is looking good. I really dig that Kugel setup you and your son used.

 

Klean Don ... super functionable too. The button heads actually look right at home. If your plane is to chrome the firewall - use chrome one - painted - use painted ones - they will disapear that way. You knew that though.

Paul

 

Thanks, y' all. It won't be spectacular, like some on here, but it should be a solid, jump-in-and-go-anywhere kind of hot rod. I like them a little on the well used side.

Paul, I'm thinking about an off white firewall, and will either paint the button heads or maybe use polished stainless ones. I know they show up that way, but I don't mind seeing the stuff that makes a car work, like bolts, rivits, and things like that. What I really like about SS fasteners is that they never rust.

Don

 

Tonight when Dan got off work he and I went to the shop to do a little more work on the master cylinder/ pedal mount. I had the plate and the two tabs ready for him to weld up for me so he dragged out the tig and got that wrapped up.



Then we bolted the Kugel mounting assembly to it .





The next thing we had to do was reshape the brake pedal that comes with the kit because it was bent to the right and we needed it to kick to the left to clear the steering column and also to put the pedal where it would be comfortable for my right or left foot. We heated it cherry red with the torch and bent it in the vice. After a few tweaks we had it pretty close to where it needs to be, so we installed the whole assembly under the dash for a trial fit.







Just a little more bending on the gas pedal and it should be good to go. Tomorrow I am going to make up a V shaped bracket out of 3/16 steel to go between the back of the Kugel bracket and the 1 x 1 dash support.

Getting this pedal assembly in was a pretty good step and it is nice to know everything fits ok. It was also nice to see that the lid for the MC ended up directly under the gas fill cap which will make filling the MC pretty easy.

Don

 

This looks like a lot of fun. Ive always wanted one of these rpu's. nice job

 

Thanks, NV. It is a lot of fun and I couldn't wait to get started on this one. The body has been standing in the corner of our shop for the past 4 or 5 years and I kept looking at it, knowing some day I would build it. I'm pretty excited about it.

Don

 

Fits a treat Don, good job.

 

Nice job on the pedal assembly. I also used the Kugel set up and it's the perfect way to hide it all. I may have missed it, but you are not using a brake booster? Love the build so far!

 

Thanks, Steve. BTW, two more ciders bit the dust tonight ! Starting to like em.

Thanks, Farmer. No, not using power brakes. On a light hot rod I have never seen the need. Dan's rpu is heavy for the type of car it is as he overbuilds everything, and it doesn't have a booster either and it stops great. With the wicked cams we like to run we probably wouldn't have enough vacuum anyway.

Don

 

Here in NZ you are not allowed to have the steering column between the gas and brake.
I guess being RHD makes a difference though.
They reckon it intefers with changing from gas to do braking if an emergency.

 

You guys really have a tough time down there building a car, I know they have some very strict regs. It is amazing that you guys still carry through and get so many nice rods on the road.

I went to the shop tonight but it was so hot and humid I didn't want to get too serious working on my project. I was also sweating so much I didn't want to get the inside rusty all over again, so I just worked on the little brace I needed to make to tie the Kugel bracket to the underdash support.

I cut a piece of 1/4 inch plate into a triangular shape and drilled some holes in it to bolt it to the Kugel bracket and one on the backside to go to a tab we will weld to the underdash brace. I could have used 3/16 but didn't have a big enough piece of it, but it doesn't show once the dash is in place, so 1/4 will be fine.

So that I can pass wires through it I holesawed a 2 3/8 hole in the brace, and got it mounted for a trial fit. I'll get Dan to weld the tab on for me and that part will be finished.

Next step will be to get all the subframe cleaned one more time and then glue the floors down with the panel adhesive. I have decided to just go ahead an epoxy prime the whole interior once the floors are glued and rivited down. I am tired of continually cleaning surface rust off the bare steel, so the primer should put an end to that nonsense.

Here is a picture of the brace I made tonight........nothing spectacular, but any progress is good progress.

Don

 

Looking good Don ... hot & humid didn't seem to slow you much.

Paul

 

Hey Paul, thanks. It was like a sauna in there tonight, but I wanted to get something, anything done , just to make some progress. If it wasn't for having some of Steve's cider there to drink I wouldn't have made it.

Don

 

Don, don't you have air in your shop? I couldn't live without it when I lived down there, up here in the Missouri I still need it and heat, your build is coming along, looks good, do you have a want it done date. Keep up the good work!

 

Thanks, Toddster. I did have a finish date in mind, but I now see that isn't going to happen. I planned on having it at least running by October for the BP Drags, but there is too much to do yet and too many things to buy that will stress my budget in such a short period of time. But that is ok, I'll just run my 27 down the 1/8th again.

No, not air conditioned. The offices are air conditioned so we turn those on and go in for a cold drink and to cool off during the night. When we get into Sept it should (hopefully) start to see some slight dropping in the temps, then the winter months are our favorite.

Don

 

Don, I always love February, it seamed the best moth if I remember correctly.
The best thing is, you do have another ride!
Have fun.
I'll be down in the Winter Haven area this coming weekend, (at least it will be cooler than here; 106 yesterday 108 they say on Monday thru Wed., Yuk!) to help a friend in picking up a old corvette, at least it's a 62 and not a later one.
Later

 

Hey Don,

I smell what you're stepp'n in. I just spent almost an hour changing a HID bulb on the wifes car in the driveway. I think I just lost 5 pounds ...

Paul

 

Me too, Paul. I just went over to the shop and scrubbed up a pet carrier we are loaning to someone. I was there 10 minutes and had to come home and shower again. It doesn't even cool off late at night any more.

We all laughed at Al Gore and global warming, but I'm not so sure now.

Don

 

SOOOOO it's hot come on up ta maine about the mid point in feb. you'll get all the cool ya need! YOU can even take some home with ya. put a big old smile here.Like your builds Don.

 

I whine a lot about Alberta in the winter when the snow is here, but we had our 4 or 5 days of 85- 90 degree weather for this summer.

We may get some more like that but generally summer here means 70-75 degrees and when the sun goes down it cools off nicely with a cool breeze most evenings to sleep without AC.
In fact most homes here don't have AC although all the big stores etc do.

My garage is nice and cool, just from the concrete and also does not need AC.

It's nice and comfortable year round, cool in the summer and warm in winter when I turn on the radiant tube heater.

There are advantages to everywhere, beautiful livable summers are ours.

 

Don regarding that panel bond I use Fusor and I epoxied my panels first, bonds very well.