Projects My GN Cycle Car tribute build

Solved issue with the solenoids. Working properly now. Battery is still weak. Will see if keeping it on the charger another day or two helps. I created a separate thread on the solenoid issue below.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...r-solenoid-in-a-6v-neg-ground-system.1331628/

 

Going to weld up something to the dash frame support to hold my old Lawnboy fuel tank. Thinking I need a proper in-line fuel filter. lol!

 

Fuel tank mounted. Couldn’t calculate 90 minus 78, and cut the brkts at 22 degrees. Oh, well, tank will not sit level. lol!

 

Ordered a new radiator from Amazon. Had punctured the one I have now which I got from the wrecker. Think I paid $60 - $80 for it. Think I’ll start soldering up the copper piping next. Will need to also buy a coolant system pressure tester (or get one using a tool loan program).

 

Made a trip into town for hardware, fuel filter, solder, and flux. Watched this YT vid the other day. Probably the best vid on how to solder large diameter copper pipe. Had no idea MAPP gas is not much hotter than plain propane since 2008. Also, never heard of tinning flux. Hope to start soldering on Sunday. Also, did some more welding/tacking to attach mounting tabs for the master disconnect switch and a clamp for the inlet copper pipe to the radiator. Scalloped the reinforcing plate to clear the radiator outlet house. So much little detail work.

 

Getting closer to finishing up the fuel supply line. Got to flare the copper pipe and add something to support the filter. Just need to run the engine for 20 mins or so to break in the cam. Not sure if that small tank will last. lol!

 

Nice progress!

 

I did go ahead and order a coolant system pressure tester yesterday. Figure I’ll need it longer than I could get it via tool loan program. Amazon says it should arrive today. lol! I doubt that as it’s Sunday, and we had a good snow storm yesterday, and now it’s a balmy -22C.

 

Rad and test kit already arrived. Crazy fast! I have the stuff shipped to my daughter’s place as my driveway is too steep for them to get up in the winter. She just got a Corgi pup a couple months back, and the bugger likes to chew on the packages.

 

Haven’t had a chance to start on joining the copper as I had to get the crazy amount of snow off of my garage roof which is almost flat. There was a drift about 3.5” - 4’ high in the corner where it meets the peaked roof of the house. Rest was about 2’ - 2.5’ high, and it is warming up and supposed to rain later today.

 

Flat roof, lot of snow, add water - you better shovel fast

 

Yeah. More snow now falling. Probably another inch or so in the last two hrs.

 

This is kind of crazy! Hope it has everything I’ll need. lol!

 

Fuel line done. Flared the end going towards the filter. Was a bugger to slide onto the hose.

 

First solder joint. Cut a 1/8” NPT tee to get a female boss to solder to the pipe for my air bleeder valve. Next to see if I can pressure test it with the new pressure tester kit.

 

One of my wife’s friends from work just passed from cancer. Almost 5 yrs to the day after my wife passed from breast cancer. They were about to retire and had bought a condo in Mexico to spend their winters. Cancer sucks big time. Enjoy every minute you can…

https://ottawacitizen.remembering.ca/obituary/susan-kulba-1092720647

 

Calling it a night. Got a few more joints done including the bung for the coolant temp sensor. The MAPP gas seems to be enough, so that’s good news. Have 38 more joints to do, and two more of if I include two bungs to add coolant hoses for a heater which I think I’ll really need. Will have to see if there is room for the heater up behind the dash. Also want to stick the remote oil filter hsg behind the dash. We’ll see if there is enough room for both.

 

Just a point about soldering the 2" copper tubing. A few years ago I made up downspouts for the house with this stuff and tried soldering it with a regular propane torch. It worked fine, there was ample heat.

 

Forgot to mention that I had a look at the coolant pressure tester kit. Seems that most of the adapters are for the coolant overflow bottle as they are threaded. There are three conventional style radiator caps and one fits the Dakota rad as stated in their manual. Guess I won’t be able to use the kit to test individual copper sections. I need the proper size plug to test it in sections. Will have to do some more digging.

 

Found these on Amazon. A lot harder to find something that I thought would be “commonplace” for testing plumbing. Lots of plugs, but nothing almost to allow one to plug and pressurize. Even stopped by one of the largest commercial plumbing supply stores in town, and sales counter guy had no idea what I was talking about. They won’t arrive for quite a while. Could probably McGuyver something on my own, but just don’t want to spend the time. ID on the pipe is 38 mm, do hope it works. On the expanded pieces, it should be ok.

 

Radiator shops use those plugs all the time, should not be hard to find.

 

Wasn’t sure if just soldering the copper plate to the tee was going to work, but it did. They always say you need a tight joint, and the solder will flow due to capillary action. Should be strong enough. That section coming off the heads is now very secure. Need to fab up a wood spacer to go between the vent stack and copper plate.
Still have two joints to complete on that section, but debating the order since that whole piece is one “solid” section to the tailshaft of the trans. Did a few more joints as well. For sure I’ll need more solder.

 

Good looking job on the pipe.

 

You can get Schrader to 1/8 or 1/4 NPT fittings like this to screw in to one of the bungs, with adapters if needed in your system:



Then just plug all the openings and pressurize with a bicycle pump.
I think these fittings are used on well systems to pressurize the reservoir tanks so should be available at well supply, or industrial supply houses.

 

Haha! Might be an option. Good idea!

 

Decided to pull out the heater I bought a while back to see where it could sit. Don’t want it between my knees. It’s too wide to go under the seat and to clear the driveshaft. Only place might be behind the dash on the right side since the steering shaft will need to shake down the left side. Only three more joints to finish on this section of pipe.

 

Moar soldering. Thought I would be done with the two pipes coming off the heads and into the rad tonight, but the section along the trans needs to be tweaked a bit. Adjusted it once already, but went too far I think. Made the wooden spacer for around vent tube. There is almost no forgiveness in this thing. A couple degrees off and no good. Part of the issue is my “permanent” markers are not so permanent when I make the alignment marks. Need to really scribe a mark into the copper. Slop between the joints also plays a factor and during mock-up there is some forgiveness between the joints, but once soldered together, the joints are fixed and any “forgiveness” is gone.

 

Yeah…not looking good. Might have to cut some new pipe.

 

After 4-5 adjustments, finally got the alignment of the one section correct so the one pipe is parallel to the trans, but still major misalignment at the rear where the hose goes. Also, the rear section is now hitting the mtg brkt attached to the trans.

 

Finally! Now to tweak alignment so the two hose bead pieces align better for the hose.