Funny, I have been putting hearth's on wooden floors my whole career. You just have to go by local codes and make sure the floor is strong enough.
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Funny, I have been putting hearth's on wooden floors my whole career. You just have to go by local codes and make sure the floor is strong enough.
Hey Brick, how's your car coming along?
Brickman, that's what I thought and in fact we put double joists for several rows under that end of the room to support extra weight but the brick layer wouldn't do it. Of course ProZ has the best way with added footings but after we had the room pretty well built we considered abandoning the fireplace idea but then called around and found a Canadian company who made these stainless steel fireboxes with ceramic linings and stainless chimney and so far it works and looks good. You have to ask around and that is why this Forum is useful. Today I talked to John York about installing my steering column and he was adamant that I had made a big mistake with the paint before the column was in because he would have to weld and that would mess up the paint. Then I called Borgeson, Flame River and Speedway and they all said you can install the column without welding just by using a double-d bar and two flex joints. I am learning that when you hear one story you need to check it out and cross check it. I am now confident that I can install the column without any welding and with care I won't damage the paint.
Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder
what yr. column are you going to use Don?
lt1s10, I bought it from Joe Butler who said it was from an '83 Camaro. It had some sort of slick coating on it and it wouldn't take Rustoleum until I sanded it again and again, but I made a mess of it so now the folks at Haskin's are going to strip it and paint it the same color as the body.
Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder
the one in there now is a 1983, what yr. are you replacing it with? you said you were gonna change that one out.
lt1s10, I'm going to keep it and just add amber turn signals to the rear; probably amber LEDs from Speedway in the form of 5/16" round "dots" in the bottom corners of the body. I may use them in the front too with just a simple metal right angle under the edge of the front fenders. One guy suggested using the Mr. Roadster lights down low bolted through one of the holes on the front bumper brackets but that seems behind the bumper to me. He did say that such an arrangement would light up the whole underside of the front fender at night, but I think that mount would be too low behind a bumper. You said you like a lot of lights and I considered Pontiac round lights on the rear of the body in addition to the Model A "stalks" but I think the little round LEDs will keep the car looking more original (RestoRod, remember) and the LEDs are really bright. Another possibility is to actually set up a pattern of 5 LEDs on each side in the shape of an arrow. The dots are cheap so maybe an "arrow" arrangement would be neat and yet flat on the back of the body? The patterns could be something simple like an arrowhead. On the one hand any departure from "standard" fifties equipment like Pontiac rounds, '40 Ford Chevrons, Chevie lights or the favorite '39 Ford tailights will look "strange" but the LED dots are only 5/16" diameter and very bright so I think I can have my RestoRod look with Model A stalks&teacups and still be legal with just one LED dot down in the corner of the rear panel on each side. Anybody else worked with these LED "dots" ? I know the LEDs tend to put out a straight beam of light that might not be visible over a wide angle. Can anyone else comment on the use of LED "dots" ?
Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder
DennyW, thanks, that's neat. It looks like the 50% cone would extend maybe +/- 35 degrees on each side for a total angle of 70 degrees to the rear. I think I will try using the amber LEDs and if they don't pass inspection I can add a few more nearby. I am aware that there is some controversy about LED tail lights as to how far they can be seen from the side; I wonder if 35 degrees to the side is enough? I'll have to think about this a bit and I have time since there are some other things to do first. Thanks.
Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder
DennyW, thanks for the sources. I am aware that maybe one LED is not enough for State Inspection so I will study the links you have provided. I recently found one definition of "vermillion" which contains Mercury instead of Cadmium.
Cinnabar is naturally-occurring mercuric sulfide (HgS), while vermillion is the name given to the red pigment derived from either natural or manufactured cinnabar.
Thanks for the info, the good part is that with a flat display I can just drill a few 5/16" diameter holes and push the LEDs into the holes.
Here is an amber LED that is pretty large without any "cup" but it has a rubber backing, maybe something like this could be attached directly to a flat surface like the rear of a Model A roadster/coupe? Just bouncing around the Internet.
http://www.wiringproducts.com/?target=dept_106.html
Of course there is a kit to put LEDs in the Model A teacup housing but that brings up the problem of using the stoplight for a turn signal again.
Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder
thats sounds like the way to go. far as I know if it don't have D.O.T/S.A.E stamped on the lens it won't pass in VA. thats for led or reg. lights.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Shillady
lt1s10, that's an important point! It really helps to have you experienced guys online; especially from the same state!
Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder
i just hate to see you put something on the car that you are going to have to change.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Shillady
lt1s10, I found this on a biker Forum; I'm learning all the time. Amber front, red rear, for turn signals. This was from a biker with a handle of "Bison" and it is probably true for roadsters as well as bikes. The question remains the same as what Bison says, what about the angular visibility of those LED replacement bulbs that are less than $10 in the Speedway catalog? The diagram DennyW found shows about 70 degrees width for 50% visibility so the multi-LED bulb replacements should be OK? A lot of new cars have the LED bulbs with 19 or so LED tiny bulbs embedded in the plastic and the Speedway 911-31020 red and 911-31021 amber do have the multi-LED surfaces, so I guess it's a good idea to ask folk on this Forum, like yourself, what small lights can be added to the front and rear of a roadster with fenders that are DOT approved (amber front, red rear)? Hey, that is why this Forum is so great because we can collect info from a LOT of experienced folks.
Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder
Registered User
Bison
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Van Is
Sportbike: 98GL B$ you spend the $$$$ here is what they must be so that the Cops will not bother you..
Turn signal devices
4.13 (1) A vehicle may be equipped and mounted with
(a) a lamp type turn signal system, or
(b) a semaphore turn signal device,
functionally equivalent to original equipment supplied by the vehicle manufacturer or of a type or make approved by the director.
(2) A lamp type turn signal system must
(a) have 2 lamps, mounted on the front of the vehicle, that are capable of displaying flashes of white or amber light which are visible to the front,
(b) have 2 lamps, mounted on the rear of the vehicle, that are capable of displaying flashes of red or amber light which are visible to the rear,
(c) be visible on each side of the vehicle at a distance of 100 m in normal sunlight at an angle of 45° from the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and
(d) include a tell-tale lamp which gives a clear indication that the system is activated.
(3) During the time specified in section 4.01, a semaphore turn signal device must be capable of illumination by light or reflection visible from a distance of 100 m.
because of th e way LEDs function (brightest when viewed from straight on) I can see problems with meeting section (C) ..and they are likely not "functionally equivalent to original equipment supplied by the vehicle manufacturer ". (B) I wouldn't want to make it harder to see my turn signals when the idiots out there in cars can't seem to see the brighter fully legal ones now!
Just a thought, courtesy lights from any '68 Mopar. The round ones were only used in '68 and I have seen them used on rods. They came in two different styles, flat and peaked in the middle.
all I know is I had a parts store, repair shop, st. insp. station all in one building at 3201 w. broad for a few yrs, and the st. police came in the shop one day to buy something, and saw some cheap non DOT approved 3rd. brake light that I sold in the store, and he got mad as hell and told me I could either give up my st. insp. station or get rid of those cheap 3rd. brake lights, as a st. inspector I should have know better ,and he didn't want to see that junk on his road. that was the last time I sold a light that didn't say DOT.
just something that happened to me, may not apply to you at all.
Thanks lt1s10, that's a good point to remember. I need to do more research on this problem, but I have already learned a lot! Apparently amber on both front and rear would be OK as long as the devices are DOT approved.
Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder
lt1s10, Here is a link to a site with turn signals for Model A restorers. This particular one is for LEDs with no mention of DOT approval but there is also a bulb version available from Brattons in Md. which is about half the price and would not require LED circuitry. Also this requires no cutting or drilling of my new paint job. I did not really want this type of turn signal but they do hide the wire underneath the bumper bracket pretty well. Look at the height of that '30 Model A, now I know why I got a dropped axle! Maybe this is the way out; I want to check with Brattons since they are nearby in MD. they should be familiar with whether these lights will pass inspection in VA and whether they are DOT approved. I looked at several lights in Auto Zone today and there are quite a few LED lights available without DOT on them and they looked to be from a Eurpoean mfgr. Some of them were for turn signals but they were very large. There was a neat set of LED "beehive" amber lights but no hint as to DOT approved design and they were listed as only for running lights. Well maybe I will just get the bumper lights with a bulb if I can find out if they will pass inspection in VA. Click on the picture with the license plate and check out how well the wire is hidden.
http://www.logolites.com/led/turn/signals/index.htm
Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder
Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Shillady
they have turn signal lights also, would look good. I emailed them and ask if they would pass a DOT insp. hope ypu don't mind, i'll let you know what they say.
Helpppp!!!
I hope I am not over my head in my project. I bought a 51 Chevy 3/4 ton and my son and I plan on rebuilding it. So far we have removed the chrome, front sheet metal and doors. We can't decide on removing the cab as we understand it is quite a job. We do want to strip the frame and remove all paint and rust. We also want to install a small block v8. We also want to install disk brakes and power steering.
I have been told a mustang II front end would work. Would something else be better or easier to find?
At this point we are afraid to do much more, not knowing the best path.
Also, which is best to remove rust etc., a chemical dip, sandblasting, plastic beads, or what?
I apologize for the large dump of questions.
jb
Hello and welcome to CHR
You may as well take the cab off I have done several of these and I beleave there are only 4 more bolts to go. It makes things much easier. I have used subframes on the ones I did, but the mustang IFS will work. On mine I strip off every thing I can from the frame and have it sand blasted the body parts are not as heavy a metal they cane be striped I just sand mine down with 60 or 80 grit and a DA or body file, then make repairs and prime. You will want to rewire it to 12 volts. One good thing all the glass is flat so its easy to get new. Door and window seals are available. You may or maynot want to relocate the gas tank to the rear between the frame rails or in the bed. Your choice of rearends is limitless justabout anything can be used. Good luck on your project and post some pictures if you can. There are many guys here that can and will help.
Charlie
Taking the cab off will make life much much more pleasant to work on everything else,I tried to wait to the last minute to take it off and after it was off realized I should have done it in the first place!!:LOL:
Thank you! I will post a picture or two when and if I can figure out how to do so. I appreciate it!
this is the email i got back from LOGOLITES Don.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Shillady
Mike,
Our LED lights have not been certified as DOT approved. The cars ours
are designed for did not have the lights we are selling and there was no
DOT requirement for the year vehicles our lights are used on. They are
not intended to replace lights on cars that had DOT approved lights in
the position ours are used.
Regards,
Ian
Sounds like if it ain't broke don't fix it.
Take the cab off, I didn't go all the way down to the frame and I had more headaches because of it. A person can do alot better detailing and working on a frame sitting up right instead of on your back.
lt1s10, thanks for checking, I also asked them the same question and got the same answer. Technically I have original 1929 title but I don't want to push that too far with a 'glass body on a repro frame (for safety since the orginal was rusted dangerously!) The restorers probably have no problem with that situation. I also asked one of the Tech guys at Speedway about the Mr. Roadster amber lights and he said they are not DOT approved either but in most cases folks get away with the lights as long as they are bright. One expensive way out is to put cowl lights on and rig them for front signals and try to find a way to use the tail lights with the Camaro column. I'll figure out something.
Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder
this is what the ST. police just told me on the ph.
1- 2 ways to register the car- title or motor
2- if you titled it by the motor and the motor had smog on it from the factory then you would have to have all smog on the motor plus DOT approved lights.
3- if you tittled it using the old title then you could use the none DOT lights, but the motor would have to have the smog hooked up. he was reading the book while we talked so i'm still not sure. he said at first if it had a V8 then all lights had to be DOT approved, and then he changed that. it comes down to is if he don't know I surely don't know.
DennyW and lt1s10,
I already have the registration and plates as a 1929 Ford 2 door convertible (when they changed the title from N.Y to Va they did not know what a "roadster" is) so I will go ahead and make my own turn signals. I found I can buy the stainless steel plates sold by the company sited above and I found 4 inch long x 1 inch wide LED amber running lights that work off of 12v and will fit into the slot between the bumpers; they should be brighter than a bulb and the stock bumpers turn out at an angle anyway so that should give some side view. Actually the lites cited above run on 23v and require their power unit so with the lights I will assemble I think I will get LED brightness at 12v and solve the problem. According to what Mike found out I probably will have to use the Edelbrock Performer 2101 EGR manifold since my engine is a '76 Corvette engine. As far as I know it only needs a PVC valve and the EGR valve to bring it up to 1976 smog requirements and no exhaust cats were used in '76. I was going to sell the Edelbrock Performer RPM manifold that is on there now anyway because it does not match my small street cam which is basically the same as the 327 300 HP cam ground by Crane. The shop that had a better crane than I do put the trans on the motor and mounted the motor when they made up the drive shaft to the 8" rear. I had an Edelbrock 2101 EGR manifold and they were to install that too but they said the Performer RPM would be better and swapped in my 2101 EGR manifold for a Performer RPM but it is non-EGR. Now I have to put on a 2101 EGR manifold anyway because I live only about 1/2 mile form a Va State Police HQ just off of I-95 and there are patrol cars all over the place all the time in my area as they come and go to the HQ. Well anyway today I got the tab for the "PARK" lever cut off and welded in a fixed position on my '83 Camaro column and now they can paint it the same color as the body. I also got the 1"D-3/4"D steering flex joint for the bottom of the column of the column from SPEEDWAY and I had to use a small body grinder to dress the end of the Camaro column to get the fitting on, but it fits snug and has two set screws which go into holes in the Camaro column. I also bought the 3/4"spline-3/4"D fitting for the Flaming River Vega box at the front. I reviewed the old thread by Brian on his RPU where he used a rams horn exhaust manifold and wonder if I will have to use a third flex joint with a eye-ring pinion as he did. I am using 1 5/8" diameter shorty headers with a 2" collector pipe so I will just have to mock up the collector and header on the left side and scope out the steering to see if I can use a single length of 3/4"D shaft. Surprisingly I talked to three places about the steering, Flaming River, Borgeson and SPEEDWAY and they all use set screws on the shaft as opposed to some static I was getting on the idea that the whole steering line had to be welded. Actually the guy at SPEEDWAY said welding the fittings would actually weaken the flex joints, so I will just put some loctite on the set screws and use the stop nuts that came with the set screws and then I won't have to worry about welding near the new paint. I realize that telling this stuff up front on an open Forum exposes my inexperience, but then several of the folks on the Forum have been very helpful in correcting my potential errors. Thanks very much for all your help! Suggestions are welcome, Thanks DennyW and lt1s10!
Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder
yes have done them like denny said and have a spade drill bit just for the spot facing:)Quote:
Originally Posted by DennyW
I guess this is the right thread so here is a picture of the '29 body mounted on the fender-floor with the "merlot" paint all around. It looks dark here but it is sort of a dark wine color. I found out it is Dupont "Diamante" with three coats of clear on top, but the formula can't be traced back to any particular car or model. Now I really have a LOT of finishing work to do on the body and the wife says it has to have air conditioning (in a roadster!) so I am looking over various mfgrs. and have that complication and expense to look forward to. We recently took a trip to Florida in my Sunfire which has AC as well as being a convertible and at our age I guess I will have to find a way to "keep her cool" or else! I guess If I had AC I could take the belt off after September and leave it off until the next spring? I hate to add that bog to a mild 350 but if I don't use the AC when I drive it alone it should only have the drag of the belt when the AC compressor clutch is off.
Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder
Nice Don, she's coming along very well huh? One good thing about it being a roadster is the smallpassenger compartment, it shouldn't take a very big unit to do the job. Got to keep Momma Happy, if she ain't happy no one's happy!
Lookin' Good Don. Gettin' closer all the time.
I had a couple questions about the NHRA cert. for the "Z". I had a chance to have an IHRA tech double check the chassis. I need to add a forward cross member under the front of the trans. I'm glad to know that now. It's an easy addition on a bare chassis. Gettin' anxious to get back at it.
10 thumbs up for both u guys,progress is always nice to see,kinda motovates everyone!!!! Lots of work....but it pays off!!!!!!
Well done, Z!!! That's a couple of the most sought after decals in the world of drag racing. Sure am anxious to see the Z come together.....Even if it is a chebbie.
Don, the roadster is looking great! Been awhile since I've seen one with fenders, dang near forgot what they look like. Far as the A/C thing, maybe you could just buy here one of them little Japenese fans or something????
Dave, I already tried that with one of those collars with a little fan in it that uses a wet sponge inside for "evaporative cooling", but it didn't fool her! Now I know I made a mistake tooling up for a '29 grill; if I had used a '32 grill shell I could hide a condenser inside the shell, but on the '29 it is not so easy to find a place for a condenser. I am surprised that there are several vendors making AC units for older cars. I wonder if anyone makes a long narrow condenser that I could hide under the driver's side apron? I have the trans cooler hidden under the passenger side apron, but in addition to a deeper trans pan with cooling tubes so I am not depending in the hidden trans cooler for all the cooling of the trans fluid. It may just turn out that I will have to convert to a '32 grill shell or buy a more expensive radiator.
Shawnlee's motto is oh so true. I had a high school idea of a stripped down fenderless roadster with a radio being the only accessory, but first we had to have fenders and now maybe an AC, so it looks like these women are expensive creatures. Should I mention we had to finsh adding a 16'x20' family room to the house before I had a clear OK to spend on the car? ProZ28 really is a pro welder by now, that's amazing work! DennyW, thanks for the diagram on the steering coupler. I got the coupler from Speedway and it has two set screws which are slightly offset on opposite sides and the end of my Camaro column has a hole in it where the stock flex joint had a bolt clear through the end of the column and the D-shaft. The set screws also have a lock nut on the outside. I am waiting for the paint shop to match the body color on the steering column but I should get it back soon to start installing the column.
Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder
THATS GONNA BE NICE RIDE!:)Quote:
Originally Posted by DennyW
Don, you might want to check with Vintage Air for such a condensor, they do offer a good selection of A/C components...... I've always had real good luck with their stuff, great quality and appearance...
keep in mind don, you're working with 300 lbs. of pressure and you need a fan blowing across the cond, when the ac is on, to keep the head pressure down. :HMMM: **)
I've hear a lot of talk about how early Ford type radiators suffer from the need to have the fan up high at the top while the standard SBC fan is down low. What if I have a shroud with the fan at the bottom and the condenser inside the shroud at the top of the radiator? Another way might be to have the condenser down low with an electric fan up high. I would like to avoid the electric fan but I am aware that the '29 style radiator is small. It sounds like I am talking myself into an electric fan up high to cool the engine coolant and have the condenser below the electric fan in the inside bottom of the radiator. Which is preferable in your practical experience? DennyW's idea about a junkyard condenser from an import is worth considering. Dave I have talked to a tech guy at Vintage Air and they rate a remote condenser as unworkable; while Hot Rod Air in Texas says it can be done. Maybe the idea of a high electric fan and a low condenser inside might work.
Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder
Hey guys, look what i found in my garage!!!!!
Now what am I gonna do?????:LOL: :LOL: :LOL: