Projects Introducing the Roofus Special

I played with it a little this weekend.

The inner rod ends did come off quite easily. ...no. I did not use the sawsall.


IMG_0565 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0566 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

I don't think scraper style seals will work worth a darn. It needs boots. I hope to find something that looks cooler than stock toyota though.

Did more figuring on how to get the rack inside the crossmember


IMG_0567 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0568 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

 

And then went after it with a torch.


IMG_0570 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0571 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

After a little grinding.


IMG_0572 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0573 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

 

Then I remembered I still need to trim the crossmember more so it sits lower. The rack needs to go up more to clear the inner frame rails at that height.


IMG_0575 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0576 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0578 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

The rack is not really hidden under the crossmember. This is where I stopped to think if this is really what I want to do.

 

I've seen the leather covered leaf springs.

Anybody got pics of leather tie rod boots?

 

I did a little more fitting this past weekend. I still need to make nests and clamps to secure the rack. The actual position of the rack is real close to being right. It is centered left to right, level and appears to have clearance for the inner frame rails and control arms.

Oh yeah, the crossmember is upside down in these pics.

IMG_0593 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0595 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0598 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

room for boots

IMG_0597 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

 

Got a chance to put in a few more hours this weekend (after I cut dad's grass).

Worked on mounting the rack to the crossmember. I had to come up with nests to hold the rack in the proper location.

more cop car roll bar to the rescue.


IMG_0012 (2) by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0013 (2) by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0014 (2) by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

a whole lot of grinding and hand filing

IMG_0015 (2) by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0016 (2) by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0017 (2) by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

mocked up to the crossmember

IMG_0019 (2) by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

little piece used for the other end. had to tighten up the radius to fit the rack tube.

IMG_0021 (2) by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

both ends mocked up.


IMG_0023 (2) by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

everything cleaned up

IMG_0024 (2) by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

bzzzzzzzzz


IMG_0025 (2) by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0026 (2) by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

This what it will look like on the car (I still need to make clamps to hold it in the nest).

IMG_0031 (2) by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0032 (2) by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0033 (2) by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0034 (2) by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

 

When I started this thing, the idea was to knock it out and drive it to Bonneville for speed week 2010. That didn't quite happen.

...but I am still going to speed week....and the H A M B drags .....and then Frog Follies. It will be a month until I get back to Roofus. Hopefully the heat won't be as bad then.

 

See you on the salt! Look for a blue suede stude with a huge reverse cowl scoop #4594 and have a cool drink!

 

Great work so far.
I think leather grease boots would look just right. How long, or short will they have to be?
My guess would be the longer the better, but who knows.

Jeff

 

Looks like I might be able to get something done over the long weekend. It is supposed to be nice and cool.

I really need to light a fire under my ass and get rolling with this thing so that it is functional for next season!

I am also going to put more thought into the truck of this thing so that I can pack all of the necessary Bonneville supplies in there.

 

Or add a trailer hitch with a little 4x8 trailer set up just for the salt: EZ-up, hibachi,first aid kit,12v to 110v converter, fan,fridge,bike rack,camp chairs, ladder,small rolling tool chest,cb radio/antenna, am/fm radio,extension cord. That would do it for a spectator staying in a motel. Add tent,cots, sleeping bags for the "bend-in-the-road" hotel.....
See you there!

 

I was thinking of packing "little" lighter than that. Cooler, tent, sleeping bags, ez-up, weekend bag, and some food.

I packed too much stuff into the echo this past trip. I can get by with less next time.

I am anxious to head out there again. Normal life sucks after a trip like that.

 

Actually mounting the steering rack was one of things that I somewhat dreaded doing.

The arched front crossmember looked cool, but was not a very friendly location for clamping down the rack. But it was something that had to be done. ...so I did it.

The plan was to mount it with two clamps. One clamp would control front to back and sis to side posioning. The other would just be front to back.

Once again, the raw materials were junk from the barn. I think this piece of heavy wall tubing used to be a physical therapy machine that dad bought cheap at an auction (for the metal).





I decided to use 7/16 bolts for mounting it. He I am checking to see if I have room for these nuts. I ended up welding the nuts to the underside of the mounting bracket.


Here it is welded to the saddle that the rack tube rests in.


Now the other side of the saddle is tied to the crossmember


Even though this was some pretty heavy material, I gusseted one of the sides.

 

Same thing on the other side.







Now to start fabbing up the straps.

I started on the end that I just made the bases.



The other end of the straps will be secured by nuts and bolts through the flange of the crossmember.


just connect the dots.




...and then gusset the hell out of it so that the bends in the straps stay where they are supposed to be.


Other clamp done. Guset was done differently (clamp on this side is farther outboard...less ground clearance), but should be plenty beefy.






Boots look like crap.




But they are necessary


The spring should block out most of the view


Oh yeah, the u-bolts I bought were too small. They won't work

 

I love this build
I´we always felt a bit "guilty" for using materials, other guys considers as junk.
Same goes for the welding, I´ve never been good at TIG welding, so I use the MIG, and I´m always a bit embarassed showing my welding skills.
But ther look like yours, so now there´s two of us
NielsK

 

Any weld that's strong enough and isn't just really messy is a good looking weld to me! Nice work on that steering rack mount.

 

yeah, I wan't too concerned about being really pretty with the steering mounts. I was more interested in them being very functional.

 

Time to start thinking about how to attach the spring to the control arm.

I currently have two ideas. The first is to cut the spring hangers off of the ford wishbones and then cut them apart so that the pivot can be rotated to the right orientation and the welded and ground to look like they were forged that way....and then welded to the top of the control arms. The gooseneck would be pointed up.

The ford parts look like this. The shackle part would be turned 90* or so.


The other idea is to fab up something like the t-bucket I saw at Bonneville. Not nearly as "old looking", but should be functional.



Anybody got any better ideas?

 

For those that haven't figured out what I was talking about with the ford pieces. Actual placement may be in a slightly different spot (left to right).

 

Thats just flat out neater than heck. I really like the way its coming along.

 

The trailer hitch idea is growing on me a little. I'm gonna wait until the car is on the ground to see how it sits first, but I am keeping it in the list of options.

 

"Trailer hitch"
I'm going to start looking for one of those little racks we used to see on the trunks of all the MGB's. I'll have to narrow mine though.
Greg
http://tribaker.wordpress.com/ (new blog with more pics)

 

Nice to see that you have started back on yours again.

I have kinda kicked around the idea of a luggage rack also...as well as saddle bags.

 

We're having a "slow-race" to see who can take longer to finish. Building a car almost from the ground up means a LOT of little details, doesn't it?
That Salt obsession keeps getting in my way.

My body is channeled over the frame, and I intend to use the space beneath the floorboards, next to the frame, as storage compartments with hatches. This will require fabrication of sort-of belly pans to serve as the bottom of these areas. I'll bet you could gain space that way too. Haven't noticed may builders taking advantage of that wasted space. There will be some stow space behind and around the seats. The seatbacks are adjustable (MR2) and even when leaned back will afford enough space for a small tent to be packed. With one rear wheel, I can also hang some hard-sided saddle bags on each side within the confines of the body.

 

Went to the Pumpkin run today and hit the swap meet. I bought another set of square u-bolts. Hopefully these will work.

I also bought a gas tank of unknown origin. I'm guessing teens or twenties. it has a built in gas gauge (go to the back of car to check fuel level).

And a spare tire cover that I plan on cutting into cycle fenders.

 

Pics of swap meet finds. Anybody recognise what they are off of?













This sucker is BIG!




Two pieces of trim on it.

 

The gas gauge was obviously built by someone who can't spel...

Filpper, if you're using an upper and lower control arm, why not let the spring rest on a pad on the lower arm (a la Corvette) and be done with it? There's no real reason to run a shackle. You could even mount some little "wheels" on the ends of the spring eye to cut down on friction.

 

What year corvettes had the spring resting on the control arms? All the ones I have caught myself looking at have the spring attached with "sway bar links"?

I guess the biggest reason for using shackles is that they say 1920's. That is the vibe I am trying to go for at least.

 

If you can find them, 40's Mopars used a cross and trunion u joint on both ends of the driveshaft. They provided for the shortening and lengthening of the shaft rather than a splined shaft. Used to be you could find leather lace on boots for them. They would probably camoflage your rubber gaiters on the rack. I will check on the p15 board to see if anyone knows who supplied them.

For extra stuff capacity, how about a set of "saddle bags" draped over the boat tail.

 

mopar part number for leather gaiter 870311 check Mitchell motor parts.