Projects My GN Cycle Car tribute build

very interesting. Never would I have thought they could be fixed. I’m always worried about ******ing the one that I’m using now.

 

Starting to get ahead of myself as usual. Started thinking about the fuel tank. I have two potential candidates. One is fairly rusty on the outside, but it would look nice once cleaned up leaving the natural patina. Not sure what it looks like on the inside, but will remove a fitting and plug to see if I can see inside. Then maybe cut one of the ends off to see better. The other is in better shape with little external rust, and is still filled (3/4) with some liquid. Picked it up from the curb like that years ago. Haha! I had thought about adding a complete separate tank and placing it inside the tank, but now I’m thinking of just cleaning up the inside, and coating it with something appropriate for a fuel tank. We’ll see. Did order this vent fitting.



Also ordered these clamps for the brake lines. Haven’t decided yet on the method to secure the clamps to the ch***is/axles.



Also started thinking about how I’m going to move the shifter for the trans sideways. Dug up the Chevy AstroVan shifter gizmo for the T5 which did just that. It’s super bulky and seized at the moment, but I think it would be perfect for what I need. Sprayed it with PB Blaster hoping that gets it freed up a bit. Will pick up the brake hose tomorrow. Also found the clutch and pressure plate for the second flathead in my pile of parts. It seems smaller than the 11” one for the first engine, but need to confirm. So much to think about…

 

While looking at a flathead overheating thread on the Barn, it got me thinking of my own overheating issues I experienced while breaking-in the cam. Think I’m going to have to redo the entire concept. I’ll need a much bigger rad, but seems there is a 3 or 4 row version of the Dakota rad with the same “footprint”. I should have known a tiny single row rad would not work, even though it should work on a 200 hp plus V6 in the Dakota. Of course, there are the ripple affects, like a more powerful fan, which means converting to a 12V system, which means new battery and a Powermaster alt capable of supplying the 20 plus amps needed to power the fan.
I’ll continue for now though with the brakes, pedals, clutch, steering, and fuel systems. Aah, the joys of tinkering with a hand-built speedster. Haha!

 

Arc lengths will give you approximations; unfortunately no more. I say unfortunately because if arc lengths gave exact ratios the steering would be perfectly linear and a lot of geometry would become moot. The displacement of the Pitman arm end is 2 x sin(half of rotation angle) x Pitman arm length, which for 90º of rotation works out to √2 x 6.5" = 9.19". The same for the steering arm end is 4.29". How the former translates to the latter depends on the geometry of all the links involved, so 1.07 turns lock to lock is still very much an approximation.

The math to calculate all that accurately isn't really anything onerous but it's just so much easier to plot it out on paper or in CAD.

 

Started working on the AstroVan shifter. Was hammering on it at 8:18 this morning. Of course, my neighbour came over to complain. Probably was only hammering on it 10 times as I decided it was seized and then threw it into a bucket of vinegar. Told him to never come over again to complain about anything.

 

A little detour…Someone went to a lot of trouble to McGuyver this thing. Lol!

 

You'll have to be careful with that Ontario plate over there on the dark side .

 

Did you get it done at Ottawa Driveshaft and Steering?

 

Yep.

 

Was able to pop the cover off of the voltage regulator. Hard to believe based on the crusty exterior, it looks brand new inside. It has the weirdest electrical smell on the inside of the cover. Haha!

 

Did a bit digging, and that company is still around in the Toronto area. Some history from their webpage.

https://allanson.com/

Allanson started as a re-builder of automotive generators and starters. Mr. Harry E. Allanson, founder, was virtually the “father” of rebuilding in Canada. During the 1920s, Mr. Allanson, traveling on a bicycle, picked up burned-out armatures from various garages and carried them to his ba*****t. There, he rewound them by hand and delivered them back to the garages, making this the country’s first rebuilt product.

From these beginnings, this operation grew and progressed steadily into a company that employed over four hundred employees in two plants, manufacturing hundreds of products and serving customers in approximately 20 countries of the world.

During the Second World War, our manufacturing and technical facilities were devoted almost entirely to our war effort, but soon after, we were the first to introduce an exchange generator program, followed by exchange starters and voltage regulators, ignition transformers, neon
transformers, and fluorescent ballasts. In 1964, Allanson again pioneered the field with Canada’s first exchange alternator program, also supplying technical information to ***ist the mechanic to get his share of the market.

During these formative years, the quality of our products and our reputation for consistently fine service permitted our volume to reach such proportions that we achieved having salesmen and a stocking warehouse from coast to coast. Although we had the oldest name in the rebuilding industry, we still maintained the newest approach.

Our warehouse in Tonawanda, NY, has been serving customers with same-day service for almost a quarter of a century.

It has always been a Canadian-owned company. At first, it was maintained by the employees of the company until the 60s when it was bought by Jannock Ltd. Then, in 1993 returned to private ownership.

 

Was having chest pains around my left peck and numbness in my left arm for the last 4-5 days. Would come and go, but got worse yesterday morning. My sis convinced me to go to emergency. So off to the local hospital. Ran EKG, blood tests, and x-rays. Was there for almost 5 hrs. Everything was normal except slightly elevated white cell blood count and something to do with my lymph count. Doc said might have some sort of virus, but made an appt for me to see a cardiologist just for good measure. Learned my doc is retiring, the clinic he worked at is also closing, so will now go on a waiting list. Geeze!
Had two employees who had similar “pains”. One ended up having to get an emergency stint, and the other ended up with quadruple byp*** and was off work for 9 months.
Picked up some 5/16” brake line which I use as fuel line. Seems no one sells fuel line anymore unless you want aluminum. Got some 5/16” hose, and picked up the rest of my tube nuts. The hose brkt arrived as well as the proportioning valve, but it says for disc brakes. Not sure if that makes a difference. Also got that clamp for the exh. Was only $3.79. Would look much bettter than the ones I have on it now with the long threaded section.

 

Glad not to have to welcome you to the club! I had my heart attack in 2005. I picked the most traumatic possible way to stop smoking.

 

Thanks! Glad to hear you’re ok. Smoking was still common in the 90s. When I started working in 93 IIRC, folks were still smoking on the office. Haha! I remember my driving instructor smoking a cigar in the middle of winter driving with the windows open!. Sadly, my employee who had the byp*** surgery p***ed away a few yrs later. When he came back to work, we got a doctor’s note saying he had no limitations or accommodations required, but his right arm was partially paralyzed. He could not use a keyboard or even sign his name. He was declared unfit to work and had to retire. Very sad situation.

 

The clips arrived. Went to check to see if brake hoses were long enough on the front. Probably could have used another 0.5” - 1.0”, but I should be able to make it work. Need to find some of those horseshoe clamps.

 

Got the first tab welded onto the front axle. Had the scare of my life as I almost tipped backwards coming up the steps from my ba*****t workshop into my garage. Got to the top, and lost my footing as one of my sandals started to come off.
First attempt failed as it didn’t penetrate through those tiny holes. Knocked the tab off and made the holes biggest and cranked up the welder. I also bent the tabs to fit the curve of the tube axle. At first hose was rubbing on the wooden wing, but when I tightened up the fitting/hose going into the backing plate, the hose cleared the wing at both extremes.




Short vid.

https://youtube.com/shorts/JXEJZ7eawi8?si=WFjxnP5tU3cRGSRZ

 

Got the other hose tab welded in place as well as the tee. Even though the two hoses are the same length, and the weld tabs in the same respective positions, the hose on the PS is closer to the wing and touches it. Thinking of screwing the weld tab for the hose that goes back to the ch***is, to the lower axle brkt on the DS.

 

Heading back into town to see if I can sort out these issues with the brake fittings. Created this thread about the fitting issue.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/brake-line-hose-fitting-question.1355029/

Started on my first brake line using a 6’ pc I had lying around. With the crude hand bender, I can’t get tighter bends, so it protrudes more than I would like beyond the front axle. Going to get a 1” x 1/4” bar and cut it into 3/4” wide pcs that I will drill/tap for a screw to attach the tube clamps. Then will weld them to the ch***is/axles.

 

Yeah I don't think I'd be mixing 45* and 37* fittings either.

A loan of the flaring tool can be arranged.

M

 

Wow! That sure beats my Rigid tool. Haha! Thanks for the offer. Maybe next time I’m going to Montreal we can arrange something. I’ll bring the lines.
NAPA had nothing on the fitting. Likely NAPA USA had it. It’s turning into a total farce…

 

Stopped at the hydraulics shop. Ended up cutting off the crimped fittings with the female flare and replaced them with another crimped fitting that has the typical male tube swivel nut. These were the two hoses running from each tee fitting on the axle to the ch***is. I’ll have to cut the one off that I just welded to the front axle and relocate it closer to the axle brkt. Had no luck tracking down the WH-1441 fitting for the handbrake cylinder outlet port. Might go back to the hydraulic shop next week and see if they can make hoses that will fit both ports. Also had no luck tracking down those horseshoe hose clamps, so ordered some off of Amazon that had dimensions listed in the specs. Also ordered wheel lug nuts from Amazon as a local parts store didn’t have the correct ones. Bought these tube bending pliers as well. Everything is arriving tomorrow from Amazon. Hoping those pliers work on making tight bends.

 

Finally got this vintage heater coil coolant port all apart. The two lower pcs are made from some soft metal.

 

Got the AstroVan shifter to rotate using my 3 lb br*** hammer. Still can’t get it to budge axially even after heating it up with my oxy torch. I guess it’s back into the vinegar bath.

 

Picked up a couple pcs of 1” x 0.25” thk bar yesterday. Will use to make weld pads for the brake line clamps. That will take a while.

 

Cut up 14 pcs on my horizontal band saw. Now drilling and tapping. Think this is where the front hose will go. The horseshoe clips, and plier style tube bender are supposed to arrive today.

 

Slow down a bit.Listen to your body.

 

Yep. Will be taking a break from the speedster for a couple of weeks starting tomorrow. Have to finish up some other house related projects.

 

Good idea.Be a little cooler then also.Take care bud.

 

Tried the horseshoe clips, and they fit but seem a little loose. Bent the tabs a little more, and fits a bit better, but not so sure how tight they are supposed to be.