My welds look like crap, I can't seem to see what I'm welding and thus the bad looks. I'm welding hot but maybe I'll just it up another notch. Got to grind all that weld off.
Printable View
Working on the boxing of the frame and welding off un needed holes today. In this process I had to fit parts to the frame to see what holes are needed and not.
When looking at the inter fender well I wonder what are mounting holes ? The rear holes are elf explanatory its the front ones I seek your in puts.
http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps0f5d0c26.jpg
http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/a...psba7f5f95.jpg
your thoughts ?
On my '37, the section of the inner fender in front of the MII is also against the frame rail and I think that brace bolts to the same area as the radiator mounts but the 40 is probably a little different. To test it out, you could mount the other side the same as you have this one and then measure the width of the grille opening to see how close you are.....just a thought...:)
Going great great Randy can get the frame pics up for you to see . They are the so close to identical .
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Navy, I was having the same problem seeing my weld until I picked up a better helmet from my welding store. Didn't go expensive, just as Miller Pro-Hobby but the adjustment on sensitivity and darkness was sooooo much better than the Northern Tools bargain helmet.
Yep if you can't see you can't weld. I thought I was going blind and bough a new helmet WOW what a differance
I have a good adjustable Hobart helmet but I think I need to change the not so clear anymore front lens. duh.
thanks for the inputs guys
You've got a piece of strap you ask, "is this the right mount". The answer is, not exactly. In stock configuration there's a wishbone like yoke that ties both inner aprons together and then bolts at the center front of the original front cross member for supporting the fenders and allowing some body flex different from frame flex. Depending on where your engine ends up you might not be able to use that, many times that happens. In that case substitute brackets mounted similarly to your strap would do. You'll need something with more substance and a couple folds for strength. Go to Bob Drake's online catalog and look up HR-16138 to see the bracket he offers. If you don't want to spring for his you can at least see how to fab similar. Those two holes down low in front might be added by a previous owner for who knows what. They aren't on my '41, and I don't see them in other inner panels I've seen in pictures. BTW that other hole above and to the right of the strap mounting hole is for the upper radiator brackets. If you've got a stock radiator you will see some keyhole shaped holes in the side braces of the rad that the rad bracket bolts drop into. These are simple, flat straps but with a twist/step in them. Again, those can be found in Drakes catalog.
Just reading this post for the first time. Nice work and good questions. I'm learning as I read! Nice truck too. Will look cool when done. Did Tech get back to you on the engine? Keep posting, Steve.
Thanks for your knowledge Bob ! Very helpful.
I have a wish bone looking thing that came with the truck, I bet that's the bone your referring too. Thanks again.
28 April, here's today's work, same thing just the other side. Sand blasting the inside of frame and than the rest of the boxing is next.
http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/a...psf94c941c.jpg
30 April
Received my 1st new piece of sheet metal today, not impressed at all. The valleys were high and the mountains were low, to the tune of about 1/3 the original sheet metal. I won't buy from that company again.
Who do you guys purchase your sheet metal from when you need it ?
Where did you get yours from?
Didn't want to criticize anybody but now that you ask. It was from Mac's and it was a complete front floor section, runs from the seat to the toe boards. I just expected better.
I got my floorboards & firewall from these guys Direct Sheetmetal It went in without any complications.
Dave at Direct is good people and I strongly suggest you give him a try if your in the need for firewalls or floor kits. Known Dave for about 20 years now and he's a stand up guy and does a lot for the Hot Rod community!
Another source with a good reputation for truck tin/panels is Northern Classic Trucks: Northern Classic Trucks - Reproduction parts for your antique Ford truck .
Today I set the cab back on the frame to check that all holes with nuts welded to them would line up. Also to see how my wooden spacers were. Wanted to do this before I started boxing in the frame as seen in picture.
http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps1a363f9d.jpg
Should finish the drivers side tomorrow, at least tacking it in place.
Nice seeing something going on .
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A few pictures to show the boxing etc.
http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps3e923ac9.jpg
Still have to weld the whole thing yet.
Getting all the nuts welded inside the frame
http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/a...psf75b284f.jpg
Frame bracing before the plates are welded inplace
http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps5cb910dd.jpg
Cab bracing done when I had it bolted to the frame.
http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/a...pscee82ad8.jpg
Does any body know what these #'s -letters mean? Its stamped on my Firewall
MB
27Y 25b D
Thanks for the inputs.
Looking good! You're doing great work. I'll let you finish mine if you'd like. :LOL:
Well Here's an update too my 40. I got the rear installed and started the cross member section of the frame.
http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps7b60c55d.jpg
http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps999ca577.jpg
http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/a...psac81c000.jpg
http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/a...psa83efabd.jpg
Received the new radiator and it looks great, now if I only had a engine together so I could set the motor mounts and get the spacing set for the radiator and fan assy. etc. Shocks and mounting are the next thing after I finish the cross member. Any inputs let me have them please.
I made a piece to hold up a bare block (non Y block) such as a chev or sbf/chry out of some 6 x 2 in channel iron---cut 3 pieces ,welded middle one reverse of two end pieces----it will set on top of frame and hold block with crank centerline at level with top of frame rails----and get a cheap lazor to put on trans tailshaft tp point at differential--
Cross member is done except for the trans mount and maybe one more cross brace. Shocks will be done tomorrow.
http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/a...psd9dc3ab2.jpg
Good help is hard to find so I take any I can get.
does the dog watch you weld??????
Navy,
I'd say you need to add a pair of cross bars at about the point where the side members start angling back. Your tranny mount will only tie the bottom bars together, and you need both the top & bottom connected for rigidity, IMO. You might want to consider a drive shaft loop in the layout, and think about exhaust routing, too.
My dog can't weld good at all, Jerry!!! He sez it's because he doesn't have thumbs but I think he just doesn't like welding!!!!!:whacked::whacked:
To be expected, I guess, he's a security dog, and belongs to the security dog's union, I suppose he doesn't see it in his job description so he won't do it!!!!!:mad::mad:
Navy,
I went back through my build thread and found this picture of my center cross member, which is similar to yours, done by the guys at N&N. Note that they boxed the center on top, added a tranny mount up front across the bottom with a removable center section, and then added a bottom brace in back that acts to hold up the driveshaft if the front u-joint happens to blow. I think most commercial frames have similar cross bracing.
http://www.clubhotrod.com/attachment...mbly-2-006.jpg
http://www.clubhotrod.com/attachment...sembly-011.jpg
I'm sure Roger is referring to something like this ...It dose make a difference
Roger got back first :LOL::LOL::LOL:
Yeah Charlie, something like that but mine's much simpler, made from 1/4" plate steel. About 6"x6" with a 1.5" flap folded down at 45 degrees, welded to each side, bottom tube. Then a mating piece, tapering in to about 4" under the tranny with the 45's folded up. Two holes in the outers, two slots on the inner give fore & aft adjustment, about 2" as I recall. When the bolts are tight it's solid as a rock.
The important thing is for the center section to be removable and wide enough to let the tranny drop for maintenance. Also, I don't like anything riding on the top of the frame where the body sits - just another interference to deal with.
All good stuff coming forward to help you here and some funny comments about the dog too. I personally would like the driveshaft safety hoop mounted towards the front more and incorporating a full hoop which the driveshaft passes through but still has suspension travel space. The safety hoop on my Bucket is made of a light tube which is then bolted to the frame but passed our strict certification laws and means that if the front universal does give up the driveshaft is still retained up of the road.
More work on the Forty brought more questions to my mind. 1st one is about ground clearance with things like the trans oil pan. I blocked the tranny up too about where I think it will sit . It seem to hang low under the frame.
http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/a...psd06516b3.jpg
http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/a...psdbafcb67.jpg
Can't really go any higher without having the motor mounts raised to the upper limits of the front cross member. As it is their 1/2 inch from the top of the Mustang 11 front end {by measurement, not yet welded in}.
http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps5d81d25d.jpg
The last thing is the help, always goofing off.
http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps0696b6bd.jpg
http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps7c29d19a.jpg
How low does your trans and engine hang below your ride ?
Well unless you intend going off roading and having 4 wheel drive, that looks like you have a heap of space between terrafirma and the pan. I think from memory my T Bucket only has 6 " between the ground and the lowest point at the fly wheel cover.
Navy, you really need to get the engine involved as opposed to guessing with the tranny alone. Like Jerry said up in post 106 above, set the crank centerline at about top of frame with motor mounts fabricated as necessary to get that height. If you're running a carb set the intake level with the frame at ride height. If you're running injection then set a downward slope toward the back of two to three degrees, and your rear end pinion angle will be upward at that same angle for proper alignment. That will determine your tailshaft position. You may have to put a bit of bow or fab some angles on that cross member brace you're working on, but you really don't know without the engine in place. You can't see the detail on mine, but I had to cut out a section of that top brace and replace it with 1/4" plate for E-brake cable clearance, something that was totally unexpected, but mandatory once the E-brake was mounted to the floor.
X2, you'll need the motor & trans "package" to set / verify heights and alignments. Even it the motor is empty, you can still calculate the centerlines using a dowel if needed. But you must have the intake, basepan and block with a tranny to get your height(s) and angles correct.
Plus, once you rough in the mounts then you can check header fit with steering linkages and brake master/booster clearances, etc. etc. etc..