Keep the grille. You just have to figure out how to proportion it right to the car and you're there. I'm gonna follow this thread for sure!
Ok so my 2 y/o Johnny helped me try and dismantle the body from the frame... He's a strong little bastard but we just couldn't get it. This body must be welded elsewhere. It was raining like dog piss down here so I called it quits. Arrgh this thing is annoying the piss out of me right now!
That green tool works good. Gotta get me one, been borrowing a friends. Got to get a bigger tool box for sure though.
Crawl underneath with a pry-bar between the frame and body. Where the body don't move is where more work is needed.
Hey, its raining here too... but its 35 degrees. Walk away for a little bit; you'll feel better. Nice tractor. Adam
I know its great for truck beds, tree stumps, the list is endless... I feel you on the tools. I have about 80K worth of tools last time we inventoried, and its still not enuff. I am addicted to the Snap-on truck like a crack baby... That's what its come down too. I really thought it was just the weight of the body, but this thing was completely in the air! What a damn cluster fuck. I had to relocate all the jack stands as they were off. I think I need to put the wheels back on temporarily so it doesn't risk falling off the stands after prying this fucker loose first... Yeah it was cold as fuck here too. I'm guessing we'll get snow. I almost sowed 3 pastures 2 weeks ago but it was so dry that it wasn't feasible... No doubt! Will try again tomorrow. I can work in pretty much any conditions, but lying on wet concrete is a NO-GO even for me!
I hope you don't mind me sending so many of the pictures, I'm finding as I search the HAMB, but you might get some ideas. I found this truck in a trucks thread, it has a grill like the T roadster I sent yesterday. Thought you might like to see how he sectioned his grill seeing as it is similar to your IH. Been snowing all day here, got about 6 inches. I little rain would be welcome here.
No not at all! I appreciate the help! I just want to get this damn thing apart and mechanically well so I can start the fun stuff... I love to fabricate, paint, leather work, interior etc. I have so many cool ideas right now but I am just stuck in reverse right now, you know what I mean? It's really darn frustrating... I am really not looking forward to getting under that thing after work with a crow bar, but if I don't put in the work, I won't get to the fun stuff! I think I will use my jack the whole way around at each portion of the lower body to see what the snag is...
OK so more progress... I spent about an hour cutting welds and used a jack to make sure this body was loose. I then had to put the wheels back on to have a rolling chassis... This went rather smoothly, seeing as it was only me... Ah yes, the sweet victory salute More pictures to come...
Body off... Finally Need to push it into the garage, but getting a little tired, I'll get back at it tomorrow...
Great thread, pennafxu, thanks for posting. I just stumbled on it tonight and read it from the beginning. Thanks for sharing, please keep posting. Looks like you have some good raw materials, and a positive “can-do” attitude. You have also received and been receptive to sound advice. As for your grill and chopping, “good taste” is very subjective in my mind. If you are building it to keep, my 2 cents is to please the guy who‘s gonna look at it every time the garage door goes up. That said, as for your safety, your latest post, #165 shows your chassis. Ouch! You know you have some serious work ahead of you there, take some time and plan something carefully. Others surely will chime in, but its time for that frame to be recycled into a Kia or Nissan.
got it into the garage... So what's salvageable? Ideas, opinions? rants? I will take better shots tomorrow, but the frame actually doesn't look too bad...
the body you have is just going to be alot of work, yes it could be fixed but man i think for $1000 you could have a nice coupe body, something no one else has messed with, i bought a T sedan and had a couple body thrown in for free after we made the deal, my couple body looks just as good as your body.
OK good news and bad news... Good: Frame strings out perfect Set up of rear suspension is square where it is attached to the rear end Frame has no rust and is boxed Engine and transmissions are lined up, with pinion angle of 3.5 deg. Bad: Need to change out front suspension and re-weld all mounts Need to change out and replace rear suspension and re-weld all mounts Need to box front of frame It's peanut butter plasma time! Peanut butter plasma time!
I'm seriously impressed with you dude! Thank you for taking our advice and making this HOT ROD a safe car for you, your family, and everyone else on the road. Your positive "can do" attitude, absence of fear of the unknown, and reception to constructive criticism makes you the kind of person I like to hang out with! Now consider adding gussets to the frame everywhere there's an angle. It will add a lot of much needed rigidity to your chassis. I'm still scratching my head about your tranny.... errr, transmission!
One more thing. Since you're so gung ho on this you should consider buying BOTH Vern Tardell's and Tex Smith's chassis books. Both are excellent resources of information and you'll be teaching US things in the very new future!
I am undecided as it shifted pretty smooth when i drove it... will do... Tranny is a motorcycle term or a term for a cross dresser Got them both the other day!!! I purchased $300 worth of books and DVD's on doing this the right way from Barnes and Nobles (a small investment compared to the total cost)... Lol some is coffee table art to get some ideas about stance and looks etc.. and the other books are hands on build manuals. Idk about teaching others about this stuff! I can't teach my 7 year old to go to bed on time lol... If I were to change transmission which kind would you guys recommend? I have seen guys running S-10 trans. I really like manual, with an overdrive as I like to drive long distances. I am a little concerned with where the shifter location would end up, and how to obtain the correct length driveshaft and maintaining a 3-3.5 deg pinion angle... What do you guys think???
Will do boss. Running errands and getting ready for turkey day has me tied up... Itching to get back at the Chumster...
It is two transmissions mated together backward. The second one or the one more sternward if you will is the overdrive (gears 5-6-7). I am thinking of either keeping the set-up, scrapping the second one, or scrapping the whole thing and getting an s-10 trans or a tremec... I drove this thing around awhile before ripping into it, and it shifted well, so I have a little conundrum... Any thoughts anyone?
One more thought on the chassis... I already said to gusset every angle, I failed to mention you need to fish plate every joint. Keep the updates coming bro!
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