Projects Jordan's 29 Ford Roadster

Next step was to get some holes drilled in the frame for my wishbone mounts. I located the holes with a series of 3D prints that helped keep the bores parallel with the axles.

 

I wasn't crazy about the way the first mounts I machined looked when placed in the bores. I rev'd the design and made a new version with a taper that matched the pinch of the frame rails

 

The front spring clamp i had didn't have enough height to grab the T-bucket spring I am using. So I designed and machined a new one. The So-Cal speed shop one is on the left, mine is on the rightAfter a half ass polish job...

 

After 5 years of slow and not so steady building, I finally cut my chassis free from the frame table.
If anyone is interested in my table, I'll give it to you for free! 6'x12' .120 wall 2x4" and 2x2"tubing. Shoot me a DM if you're interested. I'll make a classified post soon...

 

Message sent.
Just went back through your build thread. Absolutely beautiful work.

 

With the frame table out of the way (Thanks @Sandcrab !), its time to make this thing a roller again.
Front end assembly; Dropped So-cal axle, 37-48 spindles, drum brakes I got years ago from Speedway. T bucket spring. The steering arms I made back in 2012, those will probably get re-made at some point

In the process of rebuilding the 9". Center section is a new limited slip Speedway unit with 3.89 gears

Blasted and painted the axle ends and pressed on some new bearings + new axle seals in the housing


I cant seem to find the correct axle flange gaskets anywhere, so i'm in the process of making a new set. Starting with a 3DP prototype then I'll laser cut out some gasket material. I know I could use RTV but I think a gasket will be cleaner

 

I don't think you need a gasket there it is metal to metal. No oil should get past the sealed bearing.

 

I know thats the general consensus, but i get a lot of satisfaction out of silly stuff like this. I figure if Ford did it, I might as well too. Belt and suspenders philosophy, I guess.

 

Gotcha.
Looking good.

 

And viola, 1 set of unobtanium gaskets made...

 

I'd put a set of those on just to say I had them!

Did you make extras?

 

I didn't, but I've been thinking about making a run of them and offering them up

 

Its a roller! Full disclosure, I'm going to have to rework the K member a bit. The dip in the main tube hangs way too low for the stance. The driveline is going to sit so high, I wont need a dip at all. I should have seen it coming, but hey thats hot rodding. Overall I'm really happy with the stance.

 

Did a little trimming and got the body to sit on the chassis. I've got a mountain of work ahead of me to get his body all straightened out.

 

Not bad. Needs a Mooneyham blower though. Hehe.

 

Amazing fab work you do. The 3D printing is definitely a step up from my cardboard templates.
I understand your pain of the attached garage under the kids bedroom. I started my Roadster when my first one was just 2 months old( 8 years old when I got it finished). Eventually they get used to the sounds ( or grow out of napping) although a was informed by my boys a few weeks ago I was too noisy at night trying to hot rivet a 40 ford front crossmember into place with a air hammer.
Looking forward to the rest of this one

 

Rigged up a little crane to lift the body on and off

Time to start figuring out engine placement...

 

Are you interested in selling a pair of the bungs?

 

I made a few more that had a little extra length on them. Shoot me a DM and lets chat

 

Dm sent

 

I cut / drilled and tapped some angle iron to act as an engine placement tool. I can turn the bolts to adjust up and down where I want. When driveline angles / engine position are correct, I'll probably tack everything in place and built the actual motor mounts.

 

That's really cool. How come your temporary stuff looks better than my finished product?

 

The majority of my career I did all my design with pen / paper and did all the fab work manually. A few years ago I set a goal to get good at CAD and CNC machining. It has paid off big time. It seriously feels like cheating most days...

 

Mocking up the radiator . Definitely going to need a chopped version and a deuce grill (big shock I know). Only bummer is radiators are literally double what I paid for this one in 2011Rouging in the driveline...

 

Re-working the K-member / trailing arm mounts to give me the necessary ground clearance.
Welded in a new piece and chopped out the bottom...
Machined up some new tabs with a 106 degree draft for a nice snug fit...

Welded up and mounted...

 

We had a break in the rain so I took the opportunity to roll the revised chassis out, step back and take a good look...

IMG_2398 by Cali4niaCruiser posted Feb 21, 2024 at 1:12 PM

Then I got to lobotomizing the body. Chopping almost all the floors and firewall I hand made in 2012 out and putting them in the scrap pile. Theres something cathartic about hacking up stuff you took months to make.

IMG_2397 by Cali4niaCruiser posted Feb 21, 2024 at 1:12 PM

IMG_2396 by Cali4niaCruiser posted Feb 21, 2024 at 1:12 PM

 

Threw the drivetrain in and whats left of the body on. Time for a quick mock up to check things out. Missing/ hacked up panels aren't really bringing the look together but still fun. Lake pipes will not stay, but thought it would be fun for pics...

 

I've been working on sorting lots of details out. I reworked the wishbones to get the caster I needed and machined new spring perches after I galled some threads (doh!) Then I got to work on the stainless steel steering arms. They nearly worked out of the box, but the steering link just barely crashed with the front spring clamp. So I got to work extending the arms by an inch. I started by making a fixture to keep everything in alingment

Then I machined a 1" filler piece and ground some giant bevels so I could achieve full penetration.

Then I got to work slowly welding up the bevels over the course of a few days.

Once the topside was complete, I flipped them over, ground out the root pass and welded up the backside

Then I went to town grinding and sanding away until I got the shape I wanted

And finally some polishing to bring them back. They will need the attention of a poishing professional before I call them complete

 

Dang! nice work!

nothing like starting completely over, I'm about to start the same process with a roadster I started years ago for my dad, gonna cut all the subrails and floor out to build what I would have built, had I known what I actually needed.

Keep it up!