I live just north of Bedford in England. Been looking in on the HAMB for a while now and joined early in the year. My project is a fair way on and I said on my intro Ill post a continuation tread on here, so here goes Currently building a 1955 Sit Up 'n' Beg Ford Popular (Anglia) its an ol skool build mostly second hand parts and as much done by me as possible. Front end is the original "I" Beam on a 4 bar set-up converted to Volvo Hubs, Disks with 4 pot Callipers. At the rear is a Volvo 244 GLT axle on a 4 bar set-up. Power comes from a Rover SDi 3500cc V8 (Baby Buick) with a 5 speed manual box. Steels on the front and Alloys on the back. I'm working outside, got no garage so progress is very weather dependant. If you fancy some background theres a 7 year build up thread on the UK NSRA Forum... http://www.nsra.org.uk/newforum/showthread.php?t=19068 This is how it stood earlier on in the year. Been doing odds and ends where I can, Had issues with the steering wheel, I like the original but at 16 inches its a wee bit too wide, been using a 12 inch deep dish but I cant see my gauges Dilemma is Fancied a banjo type but 14 inch deep dish !! How hard can it be? Ill make one. As usual I start with a CAD drawing of the wheel and a detail of the spokes Cut some lengths of 4mm stainless steel rod and off I go. Mean while the laser cut parts arrive. Start drilling and reaming the spoke holes. And before long its assembled ready to weld Cleaned it up and tried it for size, looks cool and I can see the gauges, result. Happy with that I painted it. The good(ish) news is Ive finished the steering wheel, please remember Im a Project Manager not a Trimmer, Ive struggled with this done it three times and this one is the best one, of course this is the first time Ive attempted something like this so if I was doing another naturally I would do a few bits differently Wrapped it up in pallet wrap. And fitted it where it belonged. On to the Gas Tank next. That's it for now. More when I do more. Cheers. Tim W.
Right then, on to the Gas Tank I developed the tank out and got the pieces cut from scrap CR4 at work. Im making it in two U sections and I was able to get the bottom U creased and pressed at work, but forgot to take a photo! Firstly I sorted out the gauge sender mounting plate Then I drilled the baffle plates Because I was going to pressure test the tank I made a little air inlet that would be welded to a plate and fitted on the gauge sender mounting. Then I cut the 2 diameter filler neck and made a mounting flange for it. Then I laid out the hole positions on the top U prior to folding. Happy with that I pressed it on the workmate. Next job was to weld the flange on the filled neck and the fuel pick-up pipe on the boss. Then I welded the baffles in, yes I remembered, theres enough room for the sender. You can just about see the crease in the bottom U. Then I welded all the component parts into the top U and I tacked the two together and started welding it up. Because I was using MIG and its more prone to pin holes I left a good penetration gap and pulsed back into the hot pool, almost like a gas welding technique. And there it is done. Next job was to test it... Cheers. Tim W.
So Pressure test time, had my safety valve/indicator rigged up on the filler neck. All looked good but by the time Id drunk my well earned cuppa tea, the glove was flat on the tank. I went round it all with a candle looking for a leak but to no avail, then had a penny drop moment. Grand children can be quite useful. Sat it all ways round in Reubens paddling pool and eventually found it, on the filler neck, two leaking pin holes. I marked them ready for the next time the welder was out and turned my attention to getting the tank fitted in the Pop, I trimmed and folded the inner boot floor where the original tank sat. And in she goes, sitting on a couple of axle stands. Sorted out the side mounting angles. Whipped the tank out and tacked the main mounting angle down the length. And re-welded my leak Put the tank back in on some rubber mounting strips, lugged the welder out to the car and tacked the side angles in position, then all back to the shed to finish weld. Slipped her back in place, jobs a good un. Ive just got to mark the fixing holes and thats that tucked away. Thats it for now, more when I do more. Cheers. Tim W.
Terrific work. I spent more than 19 years with the Army in Europe and a lot of time in the UK on leave. The skills that rodders there and in Europe tend to have are amazing. Beautiful car!
I've got a Dolphin 6 gauge set for the Pop but if you saw the photo of the steering wheel in situ you may have noticed I only have the speedo and the 4 ancillary gauges in the dash. That's because I intend to have a pod mounted Taco, as usual I can't find/afford what I'd like so I've made it... I started with a disc, a ring and a strip of 1.2 Zintec. Tapped and rolled the band around a bit of thick wall pipe. Tacked the disc to one end and the ring to the other. Welded it and cleaned it up. Now I also added some mounts for the support and made the support but for the life of me I cant find the photos, so moving on heres the pod in primer. In colour. And here it is all assembled. My girls bought me a striping kit last birthday so I thought I would (after a lot of practice) give it a go. Thats it for now, more when I do more. Cheers. Tim W.
The last bit of inside work I wanted to do was to make a cover for the indicator stalk. Drew out what it felt would work on a bit of cereal box Looked like it would do the job Transferred this to some 18 gauge Zintec to make a top and bottom and rolled a body for each Welded and cleaned those. And there we have it, a nice little box It needs a tube to carry the wiring It slips on the column a treat Couple of slots for the arm and were in business. Next is the support for the cable tube and the fixing plates to hold it on. All welded in place Continued on the next thread...
And on we go again Back on with the cover and lid. Drill and Tap for the fixings, it will be fitted with button heads but Id only got sets in the shed on Sunday. Add Avdel at the back of the cover for the lid. Thats it bolted in the Pop (Anglia), all done. Next job for me is sorting out that boot lid. Thats it for now, more when I do more. Cheers. Tim W.
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