MAKING HOLES AND NOT IN MY HEAD [GOT ENOUGH ALREADY]

Frenching the light housings.

Been a good while getting back to posting anything on this blog,but I have been making progress. I had had these Nerf bars for a good while now. they are made of billit aluminum and were a little too tall. I cut 2 upper holes off and polished them down a bit. they look alot better and bldend well with the lower body

The tail lights are from a 59 Cadillac and are "frenched" into the lower pan. I had to use a 3- 5/8" hole saw to make the initial cut,and a lot of filing and shaping to get "that" certain look I when going for. Welding was a long process due to the curves and shape,didn't want to warp the body,as the body metal was thinner than the light housings.

I found the light housings on "Speedway" they weren't cheap but were a time saver.Being a dumb ass,I forgot that I had a  sheet metal curving tool.It would have saved me a few bucks,by making them myself. they would have been of thinner metal though cause the tool can only round out up to 18-20 gauge and the Speed way housing were 14-16,much thicker,heavier material.

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The third brake light is a Hagan product.It's an led unit,and when its finished the lense will be flush with the body and look like part of it. It get sanded down the same time as when the body gets blocked off,making a super smooth fit. coll huh?

The third brake light I started by centering the whole thing up on the roof line and centering it up on the trunk/rear window.Used the provided template,marked and cut out. Used a drill to drill a few starting points and a a saw and file to finish the hole. You have to be careful doing this cause you want the lense to fit nice and tight,with minimal gaps.

Masking tape works well when you are trying to keep straight lines.Just be careful to run measurements to make sure Nothing is perfect,not even when it looks good and true.Chances are it won't be.,believe me.

Paisano

I cut 2 of the top holes out which left 3. 

1959 Cadillac Tailights

8" third brake light.About 3/4 " wide

Inside of third brake housing. Had to modify to fit contour

Had to cut a 3  5//8" hole to work on fitting. 

Play Ball

And the start of April is in the works,and was getting tired of running the propane heater and kerosene job.
Also tired of the headaches that they bring from using up all the clean air.
The brake lines,fuel lines,return lines are plumbed.The fuel cell and related parts are mocked up. All parts are are stainless including the line brakets and screws.

Wilwood Master cylinder with vaoum booster

As the brake system is starting to be mocked up,I haven't figured out how much compression the motor is gonna have.I am taking a small precaution as to power brakes .I've installed a vacum resivior.It will be close to the booster/master cylinder system.I will hope for the best and if it doesn't work,will take the booster out.
Not enough vacum to operate a booster,gives a supper hard pedal.
Paisano

Closeup

 

Running out of room as where to fit things before plumbing lines and hoses. spent a long time trying to figure as where to put the NOS tank.After consideration,it will fit under the passenger floor board and accessed from the bottom.Two clamps placed at about 30 degree angle will hold it up.I made another brace that will keep it stationary so it won't slide back. Comes loose with a clevois pin.
No room in the trunk as 20 gallon fuel cell,storage box and 

battery system. 

Rear Drive shaft loop

Front Loop

A  Happy New  Year to all.Been working out in the shop with with a propane heater.Seems ok,stays around 55- 60.Cant't complain. I made this front drive shaft loop ,with some 1" tube for the loop and 1 1/4 for the lower brace and welded up to the center crossmember.It will sit about 4-6 inches from the u joint.
The rear loop I had bought several years ago from "welder series"
out of Canada.Paul Horton and son "DW" are good people and will work with you.
The rear one will be about 4"from the pinion snout when the 9" inch goes in.Centered everyhting and double checked before the welding was finished.
Paisano

Got it up on its side so I could do some finish welding.could not have done this without Panhead Phil's cherry picker. I tell you what,this sure to me anyway is the best way I know to do this when you are by yourself without another hand to help out.

Up on its side for finish Welds

 It sure helps getting decent welds on which not only is safer and better,they also come out real pretty good looking also. I must confess,that while bringing the frame back down on to jack stands when I was done,that it slipped on me and got the top of my foot.Yeah,the damm thing fell on my foot,and really swelled up for a couple days.What can I say,man,it was worth it and do it again if needed too.
Thanks for looking & comments always welcome.
Paisano

Using an angle engine locator chain system really helps with leveling and securing frame on jack stands.

"Moving", Stopping right along!

Started to install the brake pedal & master cylinder brackets.Had tacked them on first so to make sure that they stayed inline to each other.The angle looks right,so I will be finishing up the welds on this soon,when I put the frame up on its side.

Paisano

The master cylinder and booster brackets mounting

This one shows the pedal swing arms in relation to the booster.

Strike 3 and Yor' out!

I can't tell you how many times I had to move and reposition the battery box and the fuel cell mounts. Considering that the car does not have a trunk,I got the bright idea that I could use some storage space back there.So I bought an Army surplus motor box that about 2' long and about 7" wide. Then I modified the  can's opening so the lower part of the door would stay on without falling off. This worked great and it protects the fuel cell from possibly any contact from the battery.

Damm,am I  smart or what?

I can't tell you how many times I had to modify this $%#^&*^ fuel tank support system. 

Once the body was removed it was time to really  concentrate on the frame.First I decided to do was make a removable rear spreader so I can later weld some brackets for the "nerf" bars.This is made from 1x1-1/2 tubing with 2 ends welded on and drilled for 2 3/8" bolts on each side

.It's made with the wide end parallel to the top of the frame for strength. 
This should be ok and serve as a bumper support and tag plate holder for later.

Well haven't had a whole lot of time lately to do anything.Had some health issues and been taking it slow.It's a bitch getting old,but here goes.I have been able to do a little work on the car.Here's a couple pictures of the finished floor and trans hump area.

Did it by hand,roller,tire, hammers and lot of "CUSSING"

All this is hand formed and hand made.I used things like a tire, bead roller to make a radius and make slight lips in the metal.Later I will cut out a hole for the trans linkage and shift handle.

After that,I had to wait a few weeks for my son and his strong friends,to come over and pull the body off again.Now made a body holding fixture on caster so i can move the body around with ease.it makes it real easy now to roll and get to other parts of the shop quick.Used  some 1x 1-1/2 tubing and welded it up almost like a lazy wedge shape so I can access things like body mounting holes and the rocker panel my father had made.33 Fords didn't have these,and without fenders you can see part of the frame rails.That was a nice touch he did back in 65-66.I didn't recall anyone having these back then when they ran without fenders.

Any pros or cons about this blog are appreciated.Maybe we can all learn a little bit by it.Till next  post.

Thanks,Paisano