Thread: Bad Ast Astro Van Build

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fiber gell works the best on smc fast lay up other then epoxy.poly glass resin just seem s not to work as good as fiber gell..I wish i did not know any of this but i do as in a past life i did alot of SMC work along with controll cables in boats last cable was over 40 feet long was in a wood boat 57 feet long with two 671 with a walk in engine bay

Intermediate flex of the cable does not affect the movement of the inner cable, provided both ends are firmly mounted. Restricting movement of the cable along the way does not hurt anything, but it also does nothing to help. Once you have the ends of the outer sheath mounted solid you're done, regardless how long, or how many direction changes or loops the cable makes. The only reason for intermediate restraint is if it rattles.

Okay, Thanks Roger. I can see that. It will get hard mounted anyway but just to keep it from flopping around. Good enough. Thanks guys!
I worked on shifter placement a bit last night. Mounted the short cable to the shifter body and started laying out where I will be cutting the cover to make the shifter pocket. I am thinking I will design a little control panel into the shifter closeout to contain the Gear Vendor switches. May as well keep that stuff close to the shifter anyway.
I also mocked up the dash and started looking at gauge placement and shifter cable clearance. The dash sits about an inch over the top of the cover so there is no issue height-wise and it comes out over the cover enough that there is only a couple of inches of cable that you can actually "see" between the shifter and dash. If I do the gauge layout I am thinking of I can hide all of this cable and wiring stuff with the dash. I'll get some pics loaded, didn't get on the computer last night.

Keeping it all in one spot is a good idea. Nice neat package.

Hey Charlie, Yea, that's the plan. I will keep all of the GV switches at the shifter. I MAY look into ordering the two button shifter handle just to simplify things even more... I don't know if I'd like having the switches on the handle though. Seems like they would be open for pushing at the wrong time...

It's been a bit hectic around home the last half of the week. My dad was in the hospital since Tuesday for an infection (his kidneys are bad and he is doing home dialysis) anyway he got an infection and had to have some heavy antibiotics pumped into him to clear it up. They took care of it though and he came home Friday afternoon, fit as a fiddle.
We worked in the garden for an hour or so this morning. He was glad to be back home...
Didn't get a lot of physical work done during the week but I did get a quick release for the shifter cable designed in my head. Because I am bolting the shifter right to the engine cover it HAS to come out with the cover for engine access. Removing the cable from the shifter seemed about the only way to make this an easy task. The cable for the Outlaw shifter actually screws into a little block that then bolts to the front of the shifter. This is why I was able to do what I did.
This morning I made a new block for the cable to thread into. A bit bigger than the original.
Here is the front of the shifter.. The old block was held on with the lower bolt and the cable went thru the slot above it.
http://images33.fotki.com/v1072/phot...MVC003F-vi.jpg
Here is the new block (1/4" plate) being drilled and tapped to replace the original. The size is 1 1/2 X 1 5/8ths.
http://images107.fotki.com/v67/photo...MVC001F-vi.jpg
Mounted on the shifter. The two holes on the right are for a couple of quick release pins.
http://images56.fotki.com/v701/photo...MVC015F-vi.jpg
Stll bolted in place with the QR holes drilled thru the shifter body.
http://images52.fotki.com/v1553/phot...MVC018F-vi.jpg
Not done yet! In order for this bracket to do it's job I have to make another piece that will "clam" over the front of the shifter. This will keep the cable from moving back and forth on the quick release pins.
Here is the little "L" bracket that slides down inside the shifter body to capture the shifter and maintain the cable alignment.
http://images52.fotki.com/v1563/phot...MVC013F-vi.jpg
From the front of the shifter. This was taken before the pin holes were drilled... Sorry.
http://images112.fotki.com/v106/phot...MVC011F-vi.jpg
I welded the L bracket to the new block and then thru drilled the pin holes.
Here is the new "Quick Release Bracket" with a couple of #10 allen screwss I used for mock-up. I will order some pins from McMaster Carr.
http://images16.fotki.com/v383/photo...MVC007F-vi.jpg
This works pretty slick. I will do some fine tuning when I get the actual pins but this will work great!
http://images38.fotki.com/v231/photo...MVC002F-vi.jpg
http://images42.fotki.com/v1319/phot...MVC004F-vi.jpg
http://images42.fotki.com/v1436/phot...MVC003F-vi.jpg
Thanks for looking!
Mark

I also got the doghouse notched out to drop the shifter cable level with the top
http://images40.fotki.com/v1332/phot...MVC009F-vi.jpg
I started small and worked my way up to something that fits the shifter well. I will probably open this up a bit more on the sides but for right now it does the job.
http://images12.fotki.com/v531/photo...MVC008F-vi.jpg
Here is a shot of the steel bracket that the shifter bolts to. I made this out of some 20ga. sheet. It will get some reinforcment underneath before it gets 'glassed in.
http://images56.fotki.com/v541/photo...MVC016F-vi.jpg
Set in place. This locates the shifter and gives me four thru bolts for attachment.
http://images38.fotki.com/v1279/phot...MVC015F-vi.jpg
Here is the bracket all riveted in. This is plenty stout as it is but I'll throw some 18 ga. gussets in there before glassing...
http://images56.fotki.com/v371/photo...MVC002F-vi.jpg
Looking at the shifter all bolted in...
http://images45.fotki.com/v1431/phot...MVC001F-vi.jpg
The cable bracket removes very easily and I have an S clip on the linkage to hold it in. I will end up drilling a 1/16th inch hole thru the post for that.
http://images16.fotki.com/v220/photo...MVC007F-vi.jpg
What do you think?
Thanks for looking
Mark

Got a bit more done today. i opened up the clearance hole for the shifter body. It now has a bit of a taper from top to bottom. You can see my layout lines here.
http://images112.fotki.com/v682/phot...MVC002F-vi.jpg
I made two strips of 20 ga. to tie the mounting plate down crosscar. Made a couple of cardboard templates and bend them up on the 3 in 1.
This the front strip. It will get riveted into the doghouse and spot welded to the shifter plate.
http://images34.fotki.com/v1076/phot...MVC004F-vi.jpg
Here is the rear strip. This one worked out, position wise, that I could bolt thru it with the two bottom shifter bolts. I have started riveting this one in.
http://images112.fotki.com/v495/phot...MVC009F-vi.jpg
All riveted in and welded up. This is plenty strong right now and once the glass work done it'll be even better. I was kind of worried about stability of the shifter during operation but that isn't a concern anymore.
http://images54.fotki.com/v104/photo...MVC019F-vi.jpg
I also did a little mocking up of the gauges. I made a cardboard facsimily of the lower gauge cluster and taped it in just to get a feel for their placement.
http://images24.fotki.com/v831/photo...MVC003F-vi.jpg
I'll do a little more looking at this. I will probably end up moving the whole panel down a bit to close the gap to the cover. I also have to develope the closeout for the cable and switch wiring.
http://images110.fotki.com/v571/phot...MVC005F-vi.jpg
I got my carbon fiber yesterday! It looks pretty darn kool! I'll get some pics of it but I didn't want to open up the packaging until I really need to.
Mark

Looks good Mark, I like the position of the shifter, gotta have it up there where you can grab it!

Looks great! I'm confused with one thing though. I would have expected the shifter cable to be inside the doghouse, curving down to the tranny connection. How will the cable be concealed atop the doghouse? I'm sure you've got it all planned - just wondering.

Thanks Dave, we mocked up the seats and steering column and I sat in the van with the "shifter" in my hand to get best position. It's really not far off from one of my Firebirds.

Roger, yes, I have a plan. The shifter, cable and wiring will get covered by a close-out plate that will velcro on. (see post #247) I am still deciding if I will make it out of aluminum or carbon fiber. I am leaning toward the CF because then it would just look like part of the doghouse until I peel it off. It will be a fairly simple piece. It will also incorporate the wiring for the Gear Vendors Unit and that will have to unplug for cover removal also.
Thanks Guys
Mark

Did a little bit of work today, and a lot of sweating! My lord it is hot here! I would go out and work for a half hour or so and then go back into the house to cool off.
Probably not the best time to be working with fiberglass but it's got to get done. I started by cutting some thin cardboard to line the sides of the shifter pocket. I then layered in strips of glass on either side,
inside
http://images28.fotki.com/v977/photo...MVC006F-vi.jpg
and out
http://images9.fotki.com/v177/photos...MVC003F-vi.jpg
After a cool down I went back out and started glassing the outside of the cover.
I got a layer added to the top. Here it is before I mixed the resin. You can see how I cut it to snuggle down into the shifter pocket.
http://images45.fotki.com/v1200/phot...MVC008F-vi.jpg
After a bit of resin it is all very clear...
http://images15.fotki.com/v587/photo...MVC009F-vi.jpg
I added a layer to the inside. I had to do it it sections because it was so hot the resin was kicking very fast even when I shorted the hardener by 25%.
http://images39.fotki.com/v1234/phot...MVC012F-vi.jpg
That's where I ran out of resin... I will do a bit of clean up on the inside. Other then adding some glass to the seal edge I won't do any more inside until the insulation is glued in. I will ten add another layer of glass and paint it.
Tomorrow I am running up to Kawkawlin to talk to my engine guy. He has the 509 apart and wants to do some work to make it more tractible for the street.
I will pick up more rsin on my way home...
Thanks for looking
Mark

Mark,I know your working on the shifter.Please excuse this question.It is kind of related to the doghouse.Did you do something to eliminate those dreaded inside screws that attach the cover at the top??.

Hey Gary,
Go back to post #237. That illustrates what is happening with the front half. That half will basically stay in place unless I have to do any front of engine work. Same goes for all of the removable floor panels. I can remove the two side panels easily enough for plug work but they will ALL come out when it's time to yank the motor.
Mark

Yeah Mark.You know long threads sometimes details get over looked or lost.Thanks.

I also did a LOT of work on the shifter housing this past week.
Last Sunday I made an aluminum "spine" to mimic the shape of the housing. I used the aluminum cover I got with the shifter as a study but ended up changing the shape a bit to get more closure on the handle to housing gap. The aluminum piece had a HUGEJASS hole in it so it couild be dropped over the handle... My cover is removable so I designed it to split around the handle slot which allowed me to close up that gap, aLOT.
http://images35.fotki.com/v1170/phot...MVC008F-vi.jpg
I also made up a plate to carry the Overdive switches.
http://images42.fotki.com/v664/photo...MVC009F-vi.jpg
The aluminum is a scrap piece of 20thou I got from a trophy shop. They scrap out a lot of this stuff...
http://images36.fotki.com/v1155/phot...MVC010F-vi.jpg
After I got the switches where I needed them I laid down a layer of duct tape on the doghouse to start laying up the mounting flanges
I didn't get any pics of the flange build... Things were going to quick and I didn't take the time, sorry.
After the flanges cooked off I hot glued more of that beautiful t-shirt material to the flange and the "spine". Once that was allresined up this is what I had...
http://images40.fotki.com/v1238/phot...MVC015F-vi.jpg
I laid this all up as one piece. Much easier to get things smooth and flowing. Once it cooked I added a few layers of glass and cut out the switch window.
http://images60.fotki.com/v661/photo...MVC016F-vi.jpg
The cover was then cut into two parts. The right hand side is the biggest. I will attach the left hand (switch) side with screws from underneath so the switches will be servicable.
http://images33.fotki.com/v1141/phot...MVC019F-vi.jpg
Here is the cover with the shifter bolted in.
http://images51.fotki.com/v731/photo...MVC003F-vi.jpg
And the bolt on piece removed...
http://images59.fotki.com/v255/photo...MVC005F-vi.jpg
This is coming along nicely. I have glassed in flanges to support the removable piece and to close out the gap between the two pieces.
One other thing I did was a mod to the shifter itself. I plan to use a small key to make the cable removable so I drilled a small hole thru the cable pin to insert the key into.
This is the key before I drilled. It just snapped around the groove in the pin.
http://images46.fotki.com/v1492/phot...MVC008F-vi.jpg
This is the fixture I made to drill the pin. A piece of 3/4 in scrap aluminum. I bored a hole in the end to slide over the pin and then drilled a hole down thru it to guiide the drill bit as I drilled the pin.
http://images55.fotki.com/v268/photo...MVC009F-vi.jpg
Worked slick and the pin drilled a lot easier then I thought it would.
http://images61.fotki.com/v52/photos...MVC011F-vi.jpg
Now I have positive retention for the key.
http://images31.fotki.com/v1052/phot...MVC013F-vi.jpg
Well, that's about it... Thanks for looking.
Mark