(Continued from my intro earlier today) As promised, here is the summary of tonights work. Did not get as far as I would have liked, but family duties call too. Here goes: - Finished installing all hardware for newly chromed front end (at least between the kingpins). - Removed all 40 year old rusty brake hardware from rear - Installed all new rear brake hardware including new wheel cylinders - Drilled, tapped, and installed p-clamps for fuel line and battery cable along passenger inside rail Ok, since I do not have much new from yesterday I decided to throw in a few pics of work already completed with a few explanations. Those explanations will be with the pics to follow. 23 days to go. Will I make it?
- 1949 F-1 pedal assembly including part of the channel that they were bolted too. I hammered out a piece to fit over the top that contours down for added strength. - Late 30's style master cylinder. - The linkage including pins was original to the F-1 mentioned earlier. - And, yes, the new part that I am not proud of, but am not ashamed of either - hydraulic throwout bearing. I took enough mechanism classes in college to know that I do not have the time or energy to figure the mechanical advantage and room for clutch linkage, so with the click of a mouse I get the equivalent to a brake caliper piston driving my throwout bearing. Should make shifting easy enough to teach my wife how to drive this thing (stop laughing, dammit!) - Hand made the bracket to install the throwout bearing, and all the original linkage fits like a dream.
1936 Banjo Steering Wheel. This was a total P.O.S. when I got it 2 weeks ago. Huge gaping holes with rusty garbage sticking out everywhere. A little 2 part epoxy, boddy filler, sanding, time, and paint with minimal polishing of the stainless and I am no longer ashamed of installing it.
1953 steering box and pitman arm - Had to modify the 3 bolt flange of the box to fit it between the rails. Redrilled holes. no big deal. - This pitman arm was originally 6 inches long. Being that it was for a truck it would have taken 100 revolutions of that new banjo wheel to get into any parking spot. So, I had to cut 2 inches out of it, weld it back together, a bit of poliching, and chrome, and now it should be like adding power steering to this thing. Significantly increased the mechanical advantage while reducing the amount of steering wheel travel to get from left to right.
Last bit of news on todays progress. - Picked up my chopped windshield glass, the rear quarter glass, and rear glass - Last of my gauges arrived (all 8 obtained on EBay from different people of a few months) Well worth the hunting, and at around $200 total for a basically brand new set of 60s Sun gauges (Oil Temp, Oil Pres, Water Temp, Amps, Speedo, Tach, Fuel Level, Fuel Pres). Don't need them all, but thought the ends of the dash looked naked without them. And yes, even the kids stuff is used as jack stands and storage in myh garage. You snooze, you lose. Still not sure if I'll make it. More tomorrow...
[ QUOTE ] - I took enough mechanism classes in college to know that I do not have the time or energy to figure the mechanical advantage and room for clutch linkage, so with the click of a mouse I get the equivalent to a brake caliper piston driving my throwout bearing. Should make shifting easy enough to teach my wife how to drive this thing (stop laughing, dammit!) [/ QUOTE ] Funny, I recently went with a stiffer clutch to PREVENT my wife from thinking she might drive mine. Good posts! Keep 'em coming and keep us updated on your progress.
You met my wife at Sherman. I ain't showin' pictures of her body. OOOOHHH, you meant his car. Nevermind.
Buzz- Actually I did meet your wife in Sherman and I was asking if YOU wanted some pics of her body... Naw... I really wanted to see what he was throwin' on that purdy frame. HC
Looks nice Blane. One little thing, if you want to brace your master cyl mount more than just the top gusset piece, run a short piece from the trans crossmember to the edge of the mount. The frame looks good, sounds like you've been burning through the money recently.
[ QUOTE ] Still not sure if I'll make it. More tomorrow... [/ QUOTE ] I think you are there! Get that frame plumbed and the engine in and you are set! Just get it running and stopping first, then worry about tidying up the little things. I'm looking forward to seeing it there!
Thanks for the positive reinforcement. I hope the light at the end of the tunnel is not a train. I'm holding the body pics hostage for a little while due to the fact that I will not be "finishing" the body. Too little time. It has been chopped 3 inches, a few body panels replaced, channeled with a good new rectangular tube supported floor and good formed sheetmetal under my feet. I will simply have to rub down the body with some good ol' oil to keep from rusting long enough to get it to Austin and back home. hope to complete the body work before the drags, but I was not going to let simple cosmetics keep me from the Roundup - I hope. Surprisingly enough, I think this whole car will be finished around $8k total. But that includes the sale of a pair of LaFrance headlights for $1750 last year on ebay (long story that is better told in person - I bouyght them for $15 and had them chromed for free). Under the little sheet on the right side sits a late 50s/early 60s 283 that was rebuilt 2 weeks before I bought it at the Arlington swap meet in Nov of 2002. I heard it run, and it purrs like a kitten. It is a fairly stock 2 barrel engine, but I have a dual quad setup from a '57 Chevy. Don't know if I'll have a free day to get that and the Malory dual point (YC) spark thrower on before Austin, but I might try if all goes together and runs smoothly for a few days first. Crease and I made 2 pair of lakes style headers (limefire style) out of '33 torque tubes and speedway flanges. I think they will look incredible, but have to get them sandblasted and painted first. Guaranteed these will be on for the Round-up, since I have no time for any other more complicated exhaust options. More pics later tonight, and hopefully can include a little more histpory of what has happened up to this last week or so. This is somewhat theraputic to present this in a day by day journal format. Hope everyone enjoys watching the progress as much as I enjoy showing it (No, Crease, I didn't mean that. Stop it). -Blane-
[ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] - I took enough mechanism classes in college to know that I do not have the time or energy to figure the mechanical advantage and room for clutch linkage, so with the click of a mouse I get the equivalent to a brake caliper piston driving my throwout bearing. Should make shifting easy enough to teach my wife how to drive this thing (stop laughing, dammit!) [/ QUOTE ] Funny, I recently went with a stiffer clutch to PREVENT my wife from thinking she might drive mine. Good posts! Keep 'em coming and keep us updated on your progress. [/ QUOTE ] To be honest, I'm not sure my wife will be able to figure it out anyway. Will it void my warrany if she drives this before having a "Wife can drive standard" exemption on her liscense???
Hey, is the Blane that has my 29 chrome parts in his garage?Man I gota see your intro. What about the 1700. headlights? Got any left... or right? no that is the headers..... Good job on the ride. Let me know if you need a hand, time is running out. Talk to you later Blane. Sandman Barons So.Texas
I'm tired of telling the story. If you feel like it, Crease, knock yourself out. Besides, I'll have to duck since people with be throwing stuff at me.
The Jalopy Journal
