Projects 31 Model A pickup (re) Build

Picked up the sheetmetal from blasting/epoxy prime and hauled it to the painter. Forgot to take a picture.

Started dealing with the ch***is, which is already growing into a bigger project than initially planned. The heavy stuff appears to be welded relatively well, although not pretty; probably with a big stick welder. The small stuff appears to be basically glued on w/ cold splotchy welds from a little wire welder (you'll know which picture I'm talking about). So basically the plan is to make things safe and not TOO ugly, but not get crazy.

Pic1- Example what I'm dealing with pretty much everywhere on the frame.
Pic2- after I cleaned up the top rear shock mounts. nothing fancy, but at least i know they won't fall off now.
Pic3- first time trying out my plasma cutter. I decided on rear suspension, which won't require the top of the old hairpin bracket, which hit the reverse eye leaf spring anyways. you can also see a good inch or more of it wasn't even welded to the axle where he just went right over the old sheetmetal brackets........

finally, a couple of nice surprises, which I needed. apparently the builder installed new P&J rear shocks, shackles, bushings.

 

Also started looking at the steering.

Found out i have the late 67-70 Mustang/Cougar box. Geometry is a bit off given that it's not a 4-link. Not only does it share space with the engine/exhaust/brake pedal, but I setup the cab and dash around the current pedal/box/engine configuration, and I'm not changing any of that stuff. I'm also not changing to a 4 links, so I'm thinking this one over............... Reversing the box and relocating would give me an excuse to redo that crude bracket though.

Tore open the box since it didn't seem terribly smooth. Old grease and some wear on the gears, but bearings and rest looked pretty good.

Pitman arm is spliced together at least 2 times (albeit well), so that will need some reinforcement or replacement.

 

This thread makes me happy.

 

Not too much progress. Actually quite a bit of work tooling up, ordering steel and parts, and reorganizing the garage to tear the ch***is apart, but no one wants to see that.

So the other night I decided I needed to do SOMETHING just to cross something off my long list. So I welded in a bung where one of the nuts in the frame was missing. Ahhh, progress...... moral victory of sorts, but I laughed at myself when i took a picture of a single welded bung, then closed up shop for the night.

Still waiting on some materials for the ch***is, so I decided to start on the gas tank. I've said this before, but I want the bed to be functional, so I decided to relocate the filler neck. I thought it would be a simple matter of cutting it out and moving to the side. Not so. I found the old neck had several holes rusted through, which wouldn't work when moved to the side. While the rest of the tank is in good shape, the metal proved to be horrible too weld: must have been some protective coating that I couldn't get completely removed.

Still have to trim and flare the new neck, and finish the patch on top, put in a vent bung, then strip and paint, but it's a start.

 

Looking great, Can't wait to see the finished project. Great work and congrats on the growing family.

 

Checked out the TRJ show just down the road Sunday.

After too many wasted hours staring at the ch***is, I've pretty much made the decision to cut out everything that bothered me (****s, but oh well), which is basically everything except the boxing plates. So much of the **** hangs soooo low, aside from being crude.

Other than that, snuck in the following:

• made k-members, or whatever you want to call them. I was concerned about the structure of the frame, plus it'll allow me to redo the trans mount, which irk me to no end (eventhough the exhaust hides them). started w/ 4x4 .120 wall square tubing.......... I'll fit and weld them in once the everything is apart.
• got a new fan (15") started on the radiator shroud (I'm concerned about cooling given the radiator size etc). No idea how to mount it yet, and I need to finish clearancing and cleaning it up.

And can I say, Plasma cutters are the ****. Just wish i had a steadier hand.

 

I want that. Man that is cool as hell. I know someone is going to piss fire and brimstone but now that I have seen that cab built from a slant windshield I want one.

 

Gas tank done, save for strip and paint, but I have plenty of other parts that need that too. Top patch welded in. turned down an 1/8" NPT bung and welded it in for vent line to top of filler neck (this is basically an exact duplicate of a 66-77 bronco setup, which I'm all too familiar with, so I don't expect any problems). McMasterCarr wants $56-156 per foot (that's crazy). I need either very flexible or w/ a 90deg bend.

 

Started redoing the rear suspension (there's another thread where I was asking specific questions w/ more details).

• started top triangulated link w/ an old Speedway "rear" hairpin.
• changing from Hairpin/ladder bar to lower links, using existing mounts, and 1.25" DOM w/ weld in bungs (traditional police, fire away)

Did a little more work to the subframe for the bed. Once the suspension is done I can finish it up since it will have the battery and storage in built in whatever space isn't being occupied by the suspension and driveshaft.


I did however f'up on the bungs. Problem with ordering parts long before you use them is that I forget what I have (and sometimes where they are). Anyways, I forgot that I ordered left and right hand bungs and heims: and I welded both RH bungs in the one link that I made.

 

Small update. Finally hoisted the motor out. Chipping away at frame/ch***is, etc. Long way to go yet, but it helps since the body is at paint.

• Trans x-member: Everything about the old one hurt my eyes, but mainly it hung down so low on the side. Since I was adding a K-member (sorta), I decided to cut out the old one. Plasma cutting and alot of cleanup, and the old one was removed.
• boxing plates: They were installed already but there's alot of spots that basically didn't get welded. Of course they were filled w/ bondo so I can't really get it clean enough to TIG, so there's alot of MIGing and cleanup to do.
• Bed subframe: a little more work:
  • added mounts for front two corners (of course one of the nuts in the frame rail came loose when tapping it, so that set me back 2 hours).
  • moved the battery box b/c of my changes to suspension
  • more welding where things were only tacked or welded on one side
• K-member: finished welding the members. Cleaned up the attachment points on the frame. Got the members fitted and tacked in.

 

A couple of obstacles:

• the boxing plates of which I spoke in the previous post. Not sure what happened when PO tried to put them in, but then he bondo'd over them. I can't even think about finishing them w/ a TIG in my hand, or a big craters appear.
• split wishbones: that can't be the recommended way to do them......... plus they basically at the scrubline

last pic I just thought was interesting and telling. the only rusty/pitted areas on the frame are on top of the frame rails where the original welting was, which could retain moisture. Here you can see exactly where the welting stopped at the firewall.

 

Finally decided to redo the front suspension and steering (I'd actually decided long ago, but was in denial). The benefits should include:

• replacing Posies "Super Low" spring with their Heavy version (apparently better suited for the weight of the Cad). this would necessarily warrant redoing anything up front in my case, but it won't hurt. I can tell that the axle was bottoming out at times on the U-bolts for the spring by the marks that it left.
• Reversing the Mustang steering box and changing location. This will correct the steering geometry and hopefully be a little less offensive. Plus I basically had to relocate the box in order to change the radius rods.
• Redoing the radius rods and mounts, as they were kinda in the scrub line, the welds scared me, and the rods and frame brackets displeased my eye to no end. Steering geometry is a bonus here too.

So, I've:

• started welding in the relocated MC/Pedal bracket (move 4" back as you may recall from post #48 in order to redo the brake pedal and return to a usable ratio). i'll finish when I flip the frame over. interesting contrast between it and one of the old brackets behind it: to be removed in the coming days.
• did a little more work on the K-member
• reversed the steering box (big thanks to ELPolacko for his tech thread), but I still need the seal and freeze plug (wish part numbers were provided). And I'll notch the frame slightly (~1") to drop the box a little so it will clear the engine, also bringing the pitman arm to a better location relative to radius rods.

 

Scott, you sad something about the pitman arm being welded in two places and that you were going to do something about it.

What would you do when cutting a pitman arm? I have a 57 or so Chevy box and pitman arm in my '30 tudor and may have to shorten the arm about an inch.

 

I haven't decided yet. I started cleaning it up to see what it really looked like, and it's not bad (it's like two different welders worked on this car). If I recycle it, my plan is to essentially sleeve it in 1/8" flat on all four sides from end to end, cut to fit and fully welded. Might be overkill, but I want my son to ride in this thing so..........

I say I haven't decided yet because I don't know enough about pitman arms and boxes to know if it will be hard finding something to fit the splines on the box and the taper on the drag link; and i haven't done any searching yet.

I think the far end was welded on because they needed a tapered bung for the tie rod end on the drag link. I think the other cut was made either to shorten it or clear the steering box bracket.

 

Holy Cow: I found out the boxing plates are 1/4" thick, when cutting the notch for the box. This explains why they are a little rough on the install: b/c I can only imagine trying to work that stuff. Also explains why I could see material inside of some of the holes that were close to the inside edge of the frame rail.

Got the frame notched for the steering box. The sector shaft housing of box is ~2" OD. So I TIG'd in half of a 2.063" ID x .15" wall piece of tubing.

While I was there, I started cleaning up the frame and one motor mount. There was a Other than a little cleanup and finish welding, I'm going to leave them as-is.

 

Vast improvement over what you started with. I think those are the scariest wishbones I have ever seen in my life !

You are doing a good job on it all.

Don

 

Thanks Don. agreed.

Well, made up a little cross member for the trans (from 2" square tube w/ like .175" wall; pic is from it's initial configuration, so it did get a little more refined). Put the motor and trans back in to check things (I'll admit that I was prepared for things not fitting or unexpected problems, but things turned out great):

• I found that the old trans mount was ~1" off to one side. And I found out why (oil filter).
  • now I need to find a smaller OD filter than PH25, notch the frame, relocate the oil filter, or machine up a spacer.
• Steering box fit better than I hoped. And I met my goal of being able to remove the box with engine installed: I always like to make things as easy as possible to work on.

Things are actually really coming together. Other than finish&cleanup work, the only real "project" remaining on the ch***is is the front radius rods.

 

• steering box bracket. the one was welded b/c I'll have to put a bolt through from the other side since there's not enough room above the frame rail
• got my new heavy duty spring from Posies (replacing 1005L w/ 1005H), and there's quite a bit of difference in height.
  • so now that I know the ride height, I can start getting those nasty radius rods sorted out.

 

• OLD shock mounts and headlight brackets REMOVED: pics speak for themselves. Although it looks like they all would have removed themselves in the next 100 miles.
• NEW shock towers and the headlight mounts on top INSTALLED. I added some adjustability for the shock, but it was an afterthought which is why my holes aren't really evenly spaced. oh well.

 

Split wishbones (re) done:

• I gained an inch or more of ground clearance, they look better, and should be way safer, or at least I won't have to worry about them.
  • I was already redoing the frame mounts
  • I notched them at the yoke, then cut out all of the nasty, and spliced them back together.
  • I am confident about my welds at the splice, but I decided that a little fish plates were the prudent thing to do.
• lower shock mounts.
  • i didn't love those lower shock mounts on the perch pin. They seem to move, they hung too low, and I didn't like the way they looked.
  • since I was redoing all the mounts anyways, and the split bones had a big lug remaining from the old spring mounts, I decided to go with it.

 

Good work,
Im still watching.
Thanks for the updates

 

cool project

will follow

 

Glad someone is. Thank you. At this point its like a a hate **** (sorry for the profanity). I'm just grinding away (literally in some cases) trying to stay focused on the light at at the end of the tunnel, which sometimes is hard to see.

Most days I wish I'd let sleeping dogs lie like I said I was. Although ill admit that whenever I take a few minutes to look back through the some of the posts and pics I realize that I've actually made some progress.

 

Nah, your making great progress.
Truck has come a long ways.
I still dig the metalflake dash though.

 

you have came along ways.nice work.sure gives a good reason to just start fresh,instead of getting a "driver" thuogh. good luck

 

some truth to that but its had definite advantages too.

 

Been grinding away, literally, for a couple of hours each night on the frame. Lots of cleanup to do, and even more welding for both old and new stuff on the frame. I will have filled no less than 60 holes in the frame when done, if I had to guess. I've already posted pics of some of the welding that had to be dealt with, so here's a little progress. This frame is no virgin, and some things cannot be undone; but she should be sturdy, safe, and presentable.

 

It's gettin' there!!! Keep up the "Good Work"!!!

 

Your initiative is of strong moral turpitude.
It looks great and give a shout out to keep going thru the tunnel of building despair!

 

Friggin killer man!!