Projects Modified Lakester Build (THUNDERCASKET)

hey Patmanta,
Just checking in. I like the sub-frame. If you would like to look at mine? theres pictures in the link earlier in the thread. I basicly had to do what your doing. I made mine out of 1/4" thick by 2" wide strap & 1/4" angle iron.
Then lay the plyboard or wood pieces into the channel. With some rubber undercoating my last floor lasted 10 years.
Small constructive criticism, you should think about chambering the edges of your pieces to create a groove to weld your pieces together. You will get better penetration cause at the moment all your weld is on top of the metal.

 

Had ONE OF THOSE DAYS in the shop today. had to repair the subframe as the sawzall rattled a couple tacks loose. Only screamed FU#$ to the whole neighborhood once though and then fixed it.

I have it flat on the frame now and I think I'll call it a day before I break anything else.



I gotta remove a temp xmember from the frame to put it up where it's going to sit and install the angle iron frame perimeter tomorrow.

Also, these exhaust "cannons" are growing on me.

 

I think I am going to get a good MIG when I have money. I am way too out of practice with TIG and my machine is pretty entry level.

Aside from that, progress is being made today. I should have a cowl on soon.

 

Looking good Pat.

 

I got the cowl on there with a few clamps and spacers. I need to get some pieces of half inch and 3/4 inch tubing to try and make mounts for the feet. The magic number is somewhere in there. I may end up having to cut some larger tube down to get to 5/8" in the end because that's what the math seems to indicate (however 3/4" does seem to be a fit).



I laid the track nose on there just for some visual reference. It's not where it would go and I still want to make my own out of stainless or aluminum.



I took a look at my door jamb pieces. They're the repop bits and it looks like they're just a cut piece of sheet that has the right tabs and holes on it but the outer surface is as flat as can be. I don't have a good set to compare it to but I seem to think there should be a mild radius and a curve to the piece. Anybody got pictures of their T door jamb lower panels they can show me?

 

There is whats left T coupe along side the road between home and work. I will get some photos tomorrow night.

 

Thanks!

There's some intact touring sheetmetal for sale in NH too but I'm out of cash til September. it's driving me bonkers!

 

Take some pictures of the area you need pictures of. I have a 27 touring I'll take whatever pictures you want. Your cowl looks ro be a 26 but they are very similar

 

Maybe you can use these pics

 

I'll get more or close ups of whatever you want tomorrow. Parts of my jambs are repop also

 

Another angle I had in my phone

 

Someone just dragged it out of the woods, good for yard art but not much more.

 

Really? You've seen it? I'll PM you the link. There's some straight doors and other sheetmetal that's better than mine.

Thanks! Can you snag a pic of the bottom 3" up where the sheetmetal wraps around the subframe up to the door jamb?

What are the differences between 26 and 27 on the cowls? This one I'm using is probably for mockup. I have another one that's got less difficult repairs to be done to the top but rotten bottoms.

 

26 has the bump right above the upper hinge.

 

I can't get pics to load send me a email

 

Got it to work

 

Yeah, see, that patch panel seems flatter around the edge than the cowl panel. I'm thinking of running a strip down mine with my planishing hammer to put a low crown into it.

 

MIG is great, one hand on the gun and the other holding the beer- err- the piece. Point and shoot. Get a welder with gas, the flux core wire is terrible. You are welcome to the 'Double-U' garage and all its wares if needed

 

I'm picking up a 1937 Ford radiator today that I'm going to try to run ahead of the front crossmember and fab a track nose around. Depending on how and where I can get it to fit, I may choose not to deepen the channel any further (with spacers, I'd be at a 1" channel as it sits now). If I can run this 37 radiator unmodified, between the scrub line and under the firewall line, that will save me a ton of money on having it cut down, recored, or having to custom order an aluminum one. I did some loose measuring and I have a chance. I just gotta get it and see.

Thanks @wheeldog57 , I got myself a HOBART Handler 140. I compared all my options in the sub $700 range and this one came out on top, ahead of some higher priced units, in both specs and owner reviews online and here on the HAMB. Northern Tool has the best price on these currently. I found a $50 off coupon code (243938), so it was less than $500 and shipped free as opposed to over $600 from other sellers, FYI (and I used that Ebates site so I'll get another $15 back). It comes with the gas hookup and I already have a bottle that's still half full.

I'm well versed in Flux Core at this point. I got one of those 90 amp HF units when they were $80 and used it extensively to make jugs and tools in the shop and do some tacking, with mixed results. They work, but only on corner or gapped butt joints, and make a mess.

@chessterd5 , I have been chamfering where I can. It wasn't really an option with the flat and outer rim, though I suppose I could have done some grinds on the runners. I'm considering taking the grinder along the outer seams before I hit them with the new MIG now that I've got the flat trimmed up.

 

If you are talking about the B pillar the sheet metal doesn't really touch the pillar other than the top .the bottom rolls around the sub frame edge. The stock one is curved but not necessary. The sheetmetal has the door shape and it is maintained by the flange being tacked to the B pillar.

 

Right where mine is cut the b pillar rolls into the subframe but the sheet metal keeps going to the bottom attachment flange. Hope this helps

 

I was just about to recommend the Hobart. I've used both 110's and 220's and they're great.

 

@bct the door jambs are what's worrying me. I'm afraid mine will look like flat lego bricks against a curved surface.

 

I hear you. I thought when read your post that flat ones would work but now i look i see they do have quite the curve. If you click on my pictures you will see my album with some more pics of T and the patches i made using MDF.

 

BCT has model a quarter panels hanging on his garage wall

 

Chevy coupe

 

I didn't get a whole lot of visible progress last weekend. I did throw panels on it but didn't take pictures.

My main breaker panel crapped out on me Sunday morning about 5am, and I was suddenly living in a haunted house. All my breakers that carried any real load, ever, were the worst and went first. So, the shop was all haywire and I couldn't run any of my AC's let alone run my brand new MIG welder (still sitting in the box).

BUT I did get my door jambs and lower cowl spacers sorted out. I've got 1.25" tube under the jambs; they fit snug, and 3/4" tacked to that under the cowl feet, which should work out with some massaging.

I ran the lips of the door jambs through the shrinker to match the profile of the subframe, but I'm not sure I'm happy with it. I think I'm going to relax them back out most of the way and just notch the tabs before I fold them over. Still investigating this.

 

Here are the pictures of how she sits right now, loosely mocked up. That's an inverted 59 Edsel grill shell out front of the track nose I'm using as a visual aid; I'm leaning toward fabricating the track nose and hood out of Stainless.

BTW guys, I need a 37 or so Radiator, at least to mock up with. The CL lead I had on one fell through (stopped taking/returning calls/flaked out).



This is kinda along the lines of where I'm going with the nose:

 

Going OT here to spread the word to the local guys following here. @Mikel50 was in a wreck back in July apparently. He's on the mend but still in rough shape. I posted the PM I got from him on his behalf over on his build thread HERE.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/project-29-tudor-in-mass.971966/page-7#post-11147683

Let's all hope for a speedy recovery. If you ever met the man, you know he had LOADS of infectious enthusiasm for Hot Rodding and was a pleasure to be around. Maybe we can all get together and help him get his build back on track once he's back on his feet. I know I'd be going nuts in his condition, so a solid jump start sounds like a good idea to me.