Another Build Thread - My '32

[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...