Thread: Everybody that is currently building a car...

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Rentals are done! I rented one to my daughter and looking for a tenant for the other. It was a long year, started on one house back in March and bought the other just two months ago. It felt really good to get back to some car stuff yesterday.
This thing had been sitting in a field since 93, so the guy had no idea if it would run or not. It turned by hand and the oil looked clean, though. I replaced a starter and fuel pump that were both full of mud doubers nests, regapped the points, put on some new plug wires, and ran the fuel line into a can and she started and ran like a top! Spent the rest of the day power washing it from front to back, inside and out. Looks better just getting all the crud off of it. Here's some before and after shots.

after soap...

You going to chop it .

I've been runnin' the lathe off & on the last few days & got the V-Band clamp flanges done.



Assembled and ready to TIG together



one more check to make sure everything fits like it should.

Originally Posted by pro70z28

I've been runnin' the lathe off & on the last few days & got the V-Band clamp flanges done.



Assembled and ready to TIG together



one more check to make sure everything fits like it should.

Looks good. that should hold good

here is the beginnings of my Rat Rod project

Frame rails cut for welding

Rails welded

Frame togther for welding

Frame Welded togther

Frame perches added

Just gotta clean it up now because it was Arc welded

Looks great so far Matt! Just a suggestion...Before you start doing a lot of bracing and crossmember buildin, might want to make sure the frame is all squared up by measuring in an X fashion from corner to corner...easier to tweak it around a bit now then when more pieces are welded in... Once you get everything square, use some small pieces to make a brace for each corner and attach them with some good, solid tacks...leave them on till you have at least a couple of the crossmembers put in....

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Looks great so far Matt! Just a suggestion...Before you start doing a lot of bracing and crossmember buildin, might want to make sure the frame is all squared up by measuring in an X fashion from corner to corner...easier to tweak it around a bit now then when more pieces are welded in... Once you get everything square, use some small pieces to make a brace for each corner and attach them with some good, solid tacks...leave them on till you have at least a couple of the crossmembers put in....

Will do.. wouldn't be cool if it dog tracked going down the road

Originally Posted by Matt167

Will do.. wouldn't be cool if it dog tracked going down the road

All it takes is a 10" to 12" piece tacked on each rail at a corner to hold things in place till all the permanent bracing and crossmembers are in.... Also, don't get in a hurry welding anything solid!!!! I seldom finish welding anything till the majority of the structural pieces are all in place and I can brace and clamp everything to hold it in place for the final welding. Even then you have to scatter your welds around to different areas so that you don't get too much heat and start warping things..... Learned all that the hard way!!!!!

I'll do that. I also plan on using some 1x1x11ga square tubing right near the rear kickup and on the rear kickup, welded flush for extra support under the rear floor and bed. I'm still trying to figure out is how many inch drop my trans crossmember needs to be.. the frame was built as a longer version of the Spirit industries T chassis ( the plans are free on there site ), but I'm going to use speedway's tubular crossmembers, because Spirit has a huge bulky trans crossmember, an seperate motormounts. I'll get 2 tubular crossmembers and there cheaper anyway. just peice of mind having the full crossmember in the front.

Good looking frame, Matt. Keep the progress pics comin.

The flanges really look good Pro, should hold the pressure just fine!!!! Sure beats the heck out of rubber hoses and cheap clamps!!!!!

Those flanges are too cool, Pro. Do you custom make parts to sell? You could make a mint with quality like that.

I took the ice cream truck for a shakedown cruise before I started tearing it down. It did OK but developed a bad miss; I pulled the valvecover and found a mangled pushrod. I guess the valve stuck so it looks like a V8 is in order. I'll have to see what I can get a good deal on that's running with a good transmission. Maybe a 472 Caddy, big Ford or Mopar; just have to see what's on Craigslist for a good price. No SBC on this one.

Originally Posted by falconvan

. Maybe a 472 Caddy.

THIS one may still be available.