Didn't see a "what did you do" post so thought I'd do on of my own. A fellow needed to have a Deuce K-member cut down to fit the Model A frame he's using as a foundation for a TV8 roadster he's building. He provided a perfect Model A frame and Deuce K-member to Vern Tardel's shop, and we were off and running . . . The K-member was close to NOS perfect, and I was reluctant to cut it up. {img]http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL64/2013751/7427727/95357832.jpg[/img] But I did measure and mark the crossmember and legs and them trimmed and cut them into suitable pieces. http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL64/2013751/7427727/95357293.jpg[i/img] [img]http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL64/2013751/7427727/95357310.jpg I recontoured the ends of the crossmembr floor in a press and we welded them back in place. We stitched the pieces of each of the legs back together as well. Lots of strong, deep-pentrating TIG welds -- hard as glass to cut and level. With some more time -- lots of time- the crossmember looked right at home in the Model A frame . . . . And the legs could be mistaken for original Ford stampings. {img]http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL64/2013751/7427727/97337165.jpg[/img]
Nice work, man. I always check your posts and they never disappoint. Are you doing the rest of the fab work or is the owner finishing it hisself? I'd like to see progress updates on this one. cp
Ryan, or one of your editors -- I would like to correct a couple of keystroke errors in this thread but the HAMB won't let me edit it -- "too many images, etc." Here are the corrections, first and final pictures.
Looks great Mike, all I accomplished was driving my Touring around today. Break in miles, doing the garage crawl thing. .
I was in the shop for the last two weeks, doing the K-member and lengthening a wisbone to fit the chassis. I did get to hang out at a very eclectic car show yesterday for a few hours . . . a local event where folks just drag out their treasures to share with on another and the community in general. My bone-stock original '48 F-1 was just as welome and enjoyed as the handsome '29 Lincoln V8 touring car that would have been the sweepstakes winner, had there been any awards. And how about this for a Ford-built flathead V8?
You're not wrong this time, but I was, with a typographical error. All the basic weldiing is MIG, and TIG was used to tweak little voids, and in one case to back up a long MIG weld that hadn't properly penetrated. Mike
Great post Mike. You didn't have to refer to your book to get the measurements did you? I'll bet you can so those with your eyes closed, right? Frank
Wow, that's a lot of work, but it's done the way they would have done it and it shows in the finished traditional product. Very nice work Mike. Dennis
Mike, Can you save this one? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=34202&item=4551456594&rd=1
I'm sure we could but it would cost more than the price of an excellent original or a Tardel repro K-member. For someone doing their own fitting and welding it's probably an okay deal at one hundred bucks. It's mostly about time. Mike
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