Another Build Thread - My '32

[stovens]

Ditto 34_40. I like your approach to projects and your ability to adapt parts to work for you and your budget

[J. Robinson]

Driver50x - To fabricate a caliper bracket I would probably need access to a machine shop. The bracket has an offset in it to clear the rotor and it would be difficult to duplicate it without a milling machine.

I went ahead and ordered the Ford spindles today. If the kingpin inclination angle is different when I get them, I will order the Speedway forged 4" dropped axle and this old Jeep axle will become a wall decoration... Meantime, I will proceed with fabrication of the batwings and front radius rods.

[firebird77clone]

I've got the original exhaust from my 01 Indian chief adorning my kitchen wall, but each to his own.

[J. Robinson]

Just to clarify the difference... Here is a pic of one of the rear tires sitting next to the rear tire of my coupe. They are both 15 x 10 wheels. The 31-10.50 tire is 3 inches taller than the 275-60, but they measure the same width across the tread. I wanted the taller tire for the Deuce because the body will sit a bit higher on the frame and I want the tire to fill up the wheel well on the Deuce body.

[J. Robinson]

I start fabricating the front axle batwings by cutting out the shape from 1/4 inch plate steel with my oxy-acetylene torch. I didn't take a picture of that step because it's pretty common. After cutting, I grind the slag off the faces of the parts so I can clamp them together and drill the two 1/2 inch holes. In this case, the holes are 6 inches apart, center to center.

[J. Robinson]

Next, I replace the clamps with a couple of 1/2 inch bolts so the parts will stay aligned. Then I grind all the edges to their final size and shape. Using this method assures that the finished parts will be virtually identical. (I haven't cut the notch for the axle yet because I still have to determine which axle I'll be using.) I have used this method for years and have made up to 4 pieces at a time. When I am able to finish these parts (after I cut the axle notch) I will round off the edges slightly with a soft grinding disc and the wire brush on my bench grinder.

[firebird77clone]

You and I should get plasma cutters so we'll spend less time grinding.

I usually cut my steel with a cutoff disc in my 4 1/2" grinder. It seems to be just about as fast as using the torch, then grinding it smooth.

[J. Robinson]

To fabricate the radius rods I need some threaded bungs to insert into the tubing, but I have never found any 1/2 inch threaded bungs. The logical solution is to make my own. I found these "coupling nuts" at the local hardware store several years ago and have used them on the last half-dozen chassis I've built. They are designed to link pieces of threaded rod together, are available in a bunch of different sizes and threads, and they proved to be the solution to my problem...

I made a 1/2-20 threaded stud by simply cutting the head off of a 1/2-20 x 2 1/2 inch bolt. I ran a nut up to the end of the threads leaving the unthreaded part accessible. I stick this assembly in my drill press, thread a coupling nut onto it, and now I can spin the nut while I grind it to fit inside my tubing. Just a couple of minutes per piece and I have my threaded bungs.

[J. Robinson]

Hi Firebird. I have a plasma cutter, but it's a small one and doesn't like 1/4 inch plate. It's great up to 3/16, but after that it doesn't always cut straight through and it's slow. I wish I could afford a more powerful unit, but... I've used cut-off wheels on my 4 1/2" grinder, too. It seems like the total time comes out about the same, so it's six of one and a half-dozen of the other, if you know what I mean. Over the years I have made a bunch of patterns that I can clamp on a piece of plate and drag my torch around the edges while cutting. It's crude, but I can duplicate a piece as many times as I want. Then comes all the dreaded grinding...

[stovens]

Nice work Jim. You always seem to find a way to fabricate parts, out of what's available, using tools most of us have. That's one of the reasons I like following your builds, the other is you make cool projects!

[40FordDeluxe]

I had an old friend show me this exact procedure and it's cool to see other people use it too. We used it a lot to make 4 link brackets for rear ends and stuff. I do prefer my plasma cutter to a cut off wheel but each has some benefits of the other so a guy needs both.

[J. Robinson]

The main part of the radius rods is, of course, made from tubing. I use "black iron" pipe available at any home improvement store (Lowe's, Home Depot, etc.) or plumbing supply. If you followed my Track-T build you may have read about it, but for those who are new to me and my methods, here is what I wrote for the T build:

If anyone is considering doing some of these things, let me give you some common sense warnings. First, never use ordinary galvanized water pipe for any structural member or for any steering or suspension component. The zinc coating on galvanized pipe contaminates and crystalizes the welds guaranteeing that they will fail eventually. Second, the fumes emanated from welding galvanized material can be deadly!

Black iron pipe is just mild carbon steel tubing. The coating on it is a shellac-based paint that burns away completely at the weld, so it does not contaminate the molten weld puddle. Later on, the remaining coating can be removed with lacquer thinner or by sanding it off. I have many times just given it a light sanding and primered right over it. I am yet to have it lift or create any kind of painting problem.

In the town where I live (Titusville, Florida) there is no place to buy round tubing. I can get rectangular tubing, flat steel, or solid round stock locally and have it delivered, but if I want plain mild steel tubing I have to go to Orlando, order it, and wait. Unless I order a big quantity of it, I pay a premium price for it and I have to pick it up because they won't deliver! I was complaining about this very thing some years ago and an old sprint car racer asked why I didn't just use black iron pipe. He went on to explain that it's just heavy-wall mild steel tubing with a coating to avoid rust; if the weight isn't a problem it's just as good as any mild steel tubing. I did a little investigating and found two other guys who actually built sprint car chassis from the stuff! They said yes, its a little heavy for its size, but it's very durable.

OK, I begin building the radius rods by making a fixture to hold the pieces. I want the radius rods to be 36 inches long, center to center, between the rod ends. I found this piece of 1/2 inch plywood scrap that was a useable size. Near one end I drilled a 1/2 inch hole approximately centered between the sides. Then I measured 36 inches, laid out and drilled two holes 6 inches apart near the opposite end. I put three 1/2 inch bolts through from the back side. Now the rod ends, with the lock nuts and bungs I made earlier threaded on, are put on the bolts. With the rod ends in place I can measure the actual length of tubing needed to fit between the shoulders on the bungs. If this seems confusing, maybe the picture will help...

[Driver50x]

One quick tidbit about the coupling nuts. I was not able to find any fine threaded coupling nuts locally. It seems that Home Depot, Ace Hardware etc. only carry the coarse threaded ones. I finally found the right ones on mcmaster.com - The part number is 90977A034 if you want the grade 5, 1/2"-20.

[J. Robinson]

I forgot to tell you all - I'm using 1/2 inch black iron tubing (pipe) which has a 7/8 inch outside diameter.

For the bottom tube I have to put a bend in one end. I dragged out my trusty old Harbor Freight pipe bender and put a 45 degree bend in one end of a piece of tubing. Next I used my Harbor Freight tube notcher to cut the curved end where I wanted it. At that point I could lay the notched tube on the fixture, position the notched, curved end where I like it, and mark the length on the other end where I needed to cut it off. I also put some marks on my fixture so I could duplicate the bend position on the second radius rod. I can now trial-fit everything, but still not ready to weld the tubes together. there is one more important series of steps...

[J. Robinson]

Driver50x - My local Lowe's didn't have them either, but the local ACE hardware did. I guess different stores in different places...

Before welding the tubes together, the thread bungs need to be welded in place. I cross-drill the tubes near the ends so that I can plug-weld the bungs through the sides of the tubing as well as welding all the way around the shoulder. After welding, the welds are ground smooth. then I run a tap through the threads to clean out any slag that may have gotten in there and also to take car of any shrinkage from welding. Now, finally, I can weld the tubes together.