Thread: Lethal Weapon, Project A-Bucket

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Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

Yeah, a couple hours work for a "lifetime" of proper look.........but then that's what attention to detail is all about. Some get it, some don't.

The frame is from Speedway; http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Garage...ome,30596.html

It's 7/8" dia, with a 3/8" channel, could be done in stainless if you've got TIG for the lower corner welds.

Here's a pic of the backside, yes, it wraps and fastens to a "tab/or stub" inside the box section that has a floating nut plate for adjustment.

If the pics don't show it's because I'm tired of the crappy server timing out, I'll post up later if necessary.

Thanks Again Bob. I'll ask another dumb question. Are all the roadster windshield frame tubular? Or just this particular one. Stock roadster frames to be more precise. I cut down sides, and it looks better. Will take pics and post later or in the am. Thanks
Charlie

Yep, the open cars are all tubular.................totally tubular man........

Well I got it cut down and mocked back up today. Cut the sides down 2 inches to 24 1/2 inches from top to bottom. The change in the front narrowed the rear at the top aprox 2 1/2 inches and it looks right. See for yourself.

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Here is the rear side view, you can see the roll that I am considering incorporating into the rear. I bought an import bead roller, back several months ago, just for this project. I liked the bead down the side of the green dodge and am thinking I might run one down the side even with the peak in the rear roll, maybe run that pannel to produce more of a bead on the peak.

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After looking at Bob's roadster, I have decided to make my own windshield sanctions. I did some measuring and made a few patterns and I think I have it figured out. I had intended on scanning those drawings, but as luck would have it I knocked my old scanner off the bench and broke the lamp.... I have another that my son in law gave me but I have to download the drivers, so those will follow later. I did cut some 3/16 steel and cut down and capped the ends of the windshield filler. They extend down about 4 inches into the cowl posts, I'll plate the inside of cowl posts with more 3/16" so they can be tied together later.

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I made one a while ago from 7/8" stainless tube, the first piece went wrong as i didn't allow for the tube to spring open slightly, what i did was to weld flat plates on the end of the tube to clamp to the milling table, i then milled a 3/8" slot a couple of inches shy of each end and then cut the ends 45 degrees, To get it right i milled a 5/16" slot and when cut it sprung out to 3/8"

Originally Posted by roadster32

I made one a while ago from 7/8" stainless tube, the first piece went wrong as i didn't allow for the tube to spring open slightly, what i did was to weld flat plates on the end of the tube to clamp to the milling table, i then milled a 3/8" slot a couple of inches shy of each end and then cut the ends 45 degrees, To get it right i milled a 5/16" slot and when cut it sprung out to 3/8"

Hmmmm Steve, I seamed to have misplaced my milling machine..... I think I'll just pony up and buy one. I started to make the posts, and looked at them this morning and tossed em into the scrap box. I'd like to think I could make a windshield frame, maybe if it was square, and didn't need to be perfectly square....... but I know deep down, with what I have to work with, equipment and personal talent it's beyond me to turn out one thats decent.

Originally Posted by dlotraf33

Hmmmm Steve, I seamed to have misplaced my milling machine..... I think I'll just pony up and buy one. I started to make the posts, and looked at them this morning and tossed em into the scrap box. I'd like to think I could make a windshield frame, maybe if it was square, and didn't need to be perfectly square....... but I know deep down, with what I have to work with, equipment and personal talent it's beyond me to turn out one thats decent.

I've also made them in the past by cutting the slot with a thin cutting disc in a grinder, a mill is not necessary but makes the job a little easier

Alright, I will retract my previous statement. After pondering what Steve said (Roadster32) I thought I'd give a windshield frame a shot. I had a piece of 3/4 EMT, metal conduit, and bent the radius to fit cowl top. After I saw how easy that was to form, and finding a similar tech article on the H.A.M.B I decided to acquire a piece of 1/2" black pipe. $10.00 at Home Depot. Although not as easy to bend, with the help of a couple of trees in my front yard the arch was formed. I thought I took pics of this but did not.

Next, probably the hardest part. Cut a 3/8" wide grove in the center of the top of the arch. I laid out the line with tape and marked the sides in silver marker to give me a good visual guide for the cuts. I clamped the piece in a drill press vise clamped to table and made the cut with a cutoff wheel in an angle grinder.

THIS PHOTO IS FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY!
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And yes I know........No Guard. I can't see with the guard. DO NOT Do as I DO. OK disclaimer out of the way. I do wear glasses and full face shield, and never put any part of my body in line with the blade. And wear welders gloves. Because I have been hit in the hand with a chunk of wheel before. OUCH....... and actually the best view of the cut is from the side anyway.

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With the cut made in the arched portion and the remaining piece of straight pipe, I clean the groove with a disk and check the width with a piece of 3/8" scrap. Making sure it slides along the groove. This needs to be straight, or the glass may crack when installed.

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I made a pattern for the windshield frame out of 1/4" ply. The dimensions were acquired from Speedway. This is based on a 2" chop from stock.

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This is my pattern. I'll use this to make sure the frame is square to the pattern when final fitting is done and when welding.

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The next step was to cut the pieces to length. I cut the ends at a 45deg angle. The angle is actually slightly less, but this will allow me to finish fit by slight grinding with a disk. Another reason to do it this way was as I have no chop saw the cuts had to be made by hand and therefore may not be as accurate. I'll take some scrap 3/8 aluminum and insert into the corners when I weld the bottom corners to make sure the groove stay aligned.

Here is the pieces mocked together. Final fit not done yet. I also need to tweak the groove in lower right corner as it's off slightly.

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Here you can see where the angle needs to be ground for proper fit. Again I'll do this with a disk in my angle grinder.

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We'll that will do it for today. In the next installment I'll show the finish fit, and welded.

I also found some dodge roadster posts, on the way, that when cut down should work perfectly with caps I made to attach to the cowl posts. I also have to figure how I want to attach the frame top. I need to go back and look at that tech post to see how he did it. I also have a couple ideas in my head. The deciding factor will be what will work and what am I capable of doing.

Good old American ingenuity at work. Couldn't have done a better job with my mill. Great work.

Jack.

Very nicely done!

First, thanks jack, and stovens. It's those small words of encouragement that help to keep going and to try something I'm not sure I can pull off.

Well today I fit and welded up the frame. After looking at it for several days, and looking at other roadster windshields, I decided I did not like the shape. I think the wider at top kinda looks goofy. Just MHO. So I squared it up and so now the width is the same at 41" top and bottom.

Here's what it looks like all welded up.

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Nice....... But Wait! How am I going to put the glass in............

I decided to take a slightly different approach to attaching the top of the frame. I do know my limitations. And miter joints are definitely one of them. I was afraid I'd never get it to look good, and also the attachment method. So to get a good clean fit. I welded the frame solid. After it was smoothed I then cut the frame top off, square with upright, just below upper portion of frame. This way I would have a flat butt joint, NO miter.

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I found that the EMT I had would fit snugly over the 1/2" black pipe frame and was thin wall. I fashioned some pieces that would slide over the uprights 1 1/2" and can then be attached via a couple of machine screws on each side. I welded the sleeves on and smoothed the welds

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Here's what it looks like assembled.

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Oops that obviously was not assembled. One should preview the entire post first. I'll spank myself later. Unless Roadster32 gets one of his smilies after me first.

Now these pic's will show the frame assembled, less screws. I also want to wait to attach the 3/8-24 pivot bolts until I cut down the dodge roadster posts I found on ebay. Should be here Monday. That way they will be in the proper location. I do believe that will still be the same dimension as the speedway frame though. Bob was kind enough to measure for me. I believe it was 10 5/8" from bottom corner to center line of pivot.

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This shows a closeup of the corner. I think the EMT is thin enough to not be unsightly. Let me know what you guys think. I always value your comments and suggestions.

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Now I think I'll monkey around with a steering box, that may be a candidate for the build.

Finished the frame today. The windshield posts arrived yesterday, and I cut them down and attached to the lower mounts. They still need some finish work. I may use some steel epoxy to blend in the radius's or maybe fill in with some bronze rod and finish sanding. The pivot's ended up slightly lower than a standard 2" chopped windshield frame. But since you couldn't use A stanchions anyway, I don't suppose it matters. Once I get some A pivot's I will make a bushing to weld into the current pivot pockets. The dodge posts have slightly larger pivot pockets. All in all I am relatively pleased with the end result. It's a little crude by some standards, but it won't be a show rod either.
It may seam a little premature to do this now, as there is no real body yet. But I get a pretty good idea what that will look like now. And wanted to figure out the windshield before I got too far and maybe at that point it would require reworking to make it work. I thought my frame was off, lower arch, but after checking several times with a template, the arch is symmetrical, the passenger side of the cowl top is flattened somewhat on that side. It will be easy enough to get back in shape, I will have to fill the holes anyway.

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Until next time..............

lookin good!

Looks as good as any store bought! Nice work!