Don, VERY NICE. You guys are good.
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Don, VERY NICE. You guys are good.
Soooooo Don-----
Am I forgiven??????
Jerry, I'm the one who needs forgiven, and I'm happy to see we are still friends. I truly am sorry for my childishness. :) You were just trying to help me.
Thanks Jim and Charlie. Jim, there are several parts that go between the crank flange and the torque convertor to take up that distance of about 6 inches. First you put on an inch thick spacer onto the crank flange, and then the flexplate. Next a big round spacer goes onto that (it is about 4 or 5 inches long), and finally a triangular plate that bolts to the convertor. The flexplate is way inside the extended Olds bellhousing, in it's usual spot, and all this extra stuff is just there to reach back to fit up to the new torque convertor on the TH350. I'll post some pictures later showing how all the pieces go.
I'm rethinking the chain. Won't know until I get to that stage, but it might look goofy now that I think about it. The car is changing a little as it comes together. :) I am also starting to look for a starter that will work. I have an aftermarket lower bellhousing that was sold back in the 50's and 60's to move the starter to the right side for steering box clearance. Problem is, the companies are gone and no one remembers what starter these were supposed to take. I tried my stock Olds starter, upside down, and it won't clear the pan. I asked Bob Bendtsen, and he said "nobody knows what starter will fit." He has a few of those adapters and hasn't found any starter to fit yet. A guy on the HAMB sells a mini starter for Olds engines, and that might be my way out, but I have to find out if it will mesh with my flexplate tooth count.
Dan did a nice job on those mounts. My main contribution was helping to cut the steel, and he did the pretty much the rest. I WAS pretty proud of myself that I actually was able to drill the 7/16 bolt holes right on, because usually I have to egg shape holes to get the bolts in. Either I'm getting better or more lucky. :o
Don
Do you have any of the transfer point screw punches???think they are made by Ridget??
No, but I think I know what you mean, Jerry. They look like setscrews with points on them so when you screw them in the points will contact the piece and leave a mark when you tap with a hammer ? I was tempted to grind some bolts to a point just for that purpose. I am going to have to buy some of those in various sizes.
What I did on this job was I screwed some bolts into the adapter plate from the backside and let the tip protrude a little. Then I put masking tape on the engine mount and tapped with a hammer to leave a mark on the tape. From there it was easy to mark the center, punch it, and then drill a pilot hole. But those screw punches would make it easier.
Don
when you get the transfer srews, you'll feel like slappin yourself every time you use them for not getting them earlier!!!!!
This is what I used at GE when doing miscellaneous machine work. They are many years old, but still in very good condition. And yes, they are mine, not hot:eek:!!
Attachment 50918
AMAZON (and others) still have them - and wowee did they get pricey - $119. My recollection is that I paid (from my Snap-on guy, no less) about $15-$20 bucks: http://www.amazon.com/Tru-Center-Exp.../dp/B001C1D67K
Wow you and Dan make nice stuff! I think Jim and Charlie and Jerry are right on that this will work well. The screw punches Jerry posted about would save me tons of grief. No matter how acurate I mark stuff, the drilling always seems off!
McMaster----
Transfer screw point number 3385A22 for 7/16-14---most all numbers are 3385xxx but McMaster-Carr will get you there
How do you use those, exactly ?
Don
there are usually maybe 6 that come in a tube that is the handle for installing/adjusting the depth of them. you use the size of the hole/thread for the hole you want to transfer--adjust so the pointed tip sticks up a bit above the surface and then tap the material you want the hole in over the points---gices you the center point for drilling---I will usually then take a regular center punch and wack it a little bit more so the drill won't wonder--
Ok, Jerry, I get it now. I am going to pick up a set of those. Thanks. :)
Tonight Dan and Don helped me put the engine back on the completed mounts and we must have measured right, because it went right down on all four holes........almost like we knew what we were doing. :p
Here are a couple of pictures of the bare frame and then the motor sitting on all 4 mounts. Now I can make up the transmission crossmember.
Don
yep them work nice but i am cheap so i just hand thread set screws in back wards and give the plate a blast with a hammer you can use thin jam nut on the sets if you have the room make them up before hand with a small bit of loc-tie on the nut so you can back them out or just grind two flats on the sets to back them out. more then two holes i drill some hole to size then bolt up plate to keep the lay out from moving
Lots of times I'll use a transfer punch chucked into drill chuck on milling machine to center up on the mark from the transfer screw. This allows a bit more accuratcy and if its real technical(like when I was doing some fab work on stock block Indy cars) I would use a dial circle thingie!!!( what are they called???)
With the mill operation it is possible to record the deminsions as you move from hole to hole and more easily build repeat items--
i use a 1/8 drill and watch if it hit,s the punch mark on center if not on center it will bow the drill or pop off the center mark . i move the table till it hit dead on lock it down or you can use a wiggler .yep a mill takes all the fun out of it
I didn't feel like going to bed early tonight, so I went to the shop and knocked out the crossmember that goes under the transmission tailshaft. It doesn't have to be anything special, as the two engine mounts are going to take the bulk of the load, all it needs to do is give some extra support for the transmission itself.
The first thing I had to do was cut some 3x 5 pieces of plate 1/4 inch thick, that will be welded to the insides of the frame rails. The sole purpose of these plates will be to add to the thickness of the frame in that area so I can tap threads there for my removable crossmember. The frame is 3/16 and with the 1/4 inch plates welded on it will give me 7/16 of thickness, which should be more than enough for three 3/8 bolts per side to go through.
Then I cut a piece of 1 and 3/4 inch DOM round tubing for the crossmember, and some triangular plates for each end. These will weld on and in turn bolt to the frame. I also cut a 1/4 inch thick piece of steel to act as the mount under the rubber transmission mount. That plate will weld to the round crossmember, and we will add some gussets to it before we are done.
Not a huge project, but still a little more progress. I'll get Dan over to the shop one night this week to weld it all up for me and then we can move on to the rear suspension. I was hoping to have it as a complete roller by the end of August, but since it is the 24th already, that will probably not happen. I'm really in no rush, so that is ok. :) I could have welded this one up myself, but Dan does it so much better that I might as well let him do it.
Here are some pictures I took tonight of the stuff I made.
Don
I'll bet no zingers about engine/tranny support now:LOL:
That really looks great
Looks great, Don!
Looking great pops! What are you doing up so late last night?? Geez ! Don Jr.
Thanks, guys. Don, well, I was just coming in from the nightclub and.........................
Ok, the truth is, there was nothing on TV worth watching and that little nap I took in the afternoon killed my sleep, so I decided to do something productive. Plus it is so much cooler after midnight that I got a lot more done than I would during the day.
Don
So which one of these cars will I see at Turkey Run this year.
Brad, this year I swear we are going to finally meet.:) It will be the same car you sat on the tire of last year. I think it was Bill from Lauderdale who said "I went by your car and there was some guy waiting for you there." But I didn't see him until later that night.
We'll figure something out so we hook up this time.
Don
Hopefully you will see these three :)Attachment 50946
Might I suggest that you set a time and place to meet. That way, if you all show up you will definitely connect... Maybe meet at the registration tent at 2:00PM. The registration tent is always pretty centrally located and by 2:00 everybody has had time to check out the cars and the swap meet and are probably ready for a break.:rolleyes: That's just a suggestion; you all can agree on your own time and place.;)
Don, are you guys going to the party outside turn 4 this year?:cool:
Don, are you guys going to the party outside turn 4 this year?
I think so, Jim, just to get to see you, Bill, and any others we haven't seen for a while. We usually then head over to BelAire Plaza and A!A. Where are you going to be?
Don
Well, I can be just about anywhere you like.:3dSMILE: It's less than 40 miles to Daytona from home, so I just zip up there. I usually drive my truck to the Speedway and go in as a spectator in case I see something at the swap meet that needs hauling home (not much room in the coupe). Then I come back later in the evening with my coupe for the festivities.:cool: Last year I just went to Bel Aire Plaza Saturday afternoon on my Harley...:HMMM:
Last year it took 3 hours to find Don' ride which I sat there for an hour then took 2 more hours to find Don jr ride. So hopefully after 4 years I do get to meet you guy's..........LOL
Here's hoping. Maybe we can put a tracking device on each other .:LOL:
Don
Today's project was to complete the transmission crossmember that I made the other night. Although all the important parts were cut out there was still a lot of work to do before we could weld it up.
The first thing Dan and I did was to make new plates to weld inside the rails, one on each side, so that I could tap threads into it and the frame to hold the bolts that secure the crossmember in place. I had cut some the other night, but Dan wanted them to be slightly wider so the threads would sit well inside the pieces.
Next I tapped three 3/8 holes per side to hold the triangular crossmember end pieces in place, and then we welded the center tube to those brackets. Finally, we welded the piece that goes under the transmission mount, and built some gussets to strengthen it.
It seems like this would be a quick job, but it took us all day, because we had to pull the engine and transmission back out so we could flip the frame around for welding, and Dan can't just weld brackets on, he has to make them as perfect as he can. I kept telling him that only roadkill would ever see this crossmember, but he pretends he doesn't hear me. :D
Here are some pictures of the final product. Now we can move on to adding a 2.5 inch crossmember at the bottom of the rear kickup, and another just like it at the top of the kickup. After that we can start on the rear suspension setup.
Don
Looking good Don, i like them valve covers, where are they from ???
Thanks, Steve. The valve covers are stock Olds Starfire covers from 64. The Starfire was Olds "sporty" car and there were some other chrome pieces on the engine, like the air cleaner. When I saw them on Ebay some years ago I thought they would be a little different than finned ones, although I like those a lot too.
Don
Hey you better hide those rocker covers away before Steve kidnaps they back to jolly good old England Chaps. I am very impressed with your workmanship Don and you can be rightly proud of Dan's fussy welding jobs.The only thing different from Steve is he would of used stainless bolts eh mate.:D
It looks good Don, I'm really looking forward to you getting this one on the road. That motor should make it a lot of fun.
Thanks Guys. No, Steve would have made the whole car out or stainless, not just the bolts ! :LOL: You know, Whip, you have me wondering now. With all that looting going on over in London maybe I better hide those covers. :eek::LOL:
Today we're going to take a break from this one and start scrubbing up Dan's block. The ring filer comes Monday, so next week we can start on doing the gapping. Now I can start repaying some of Dan's welding labor by helping him get his back together.:)
Don
Nice progress. I think you just need to keep an eye on the the old keg, you know those Brits love their Beer!;):D
I only have two crossmembers to get out of the way, then I can start hanging the rear end in the frame. I wanted one to be at the bottom of the kickup and one at the top of the kickup, to give some support there.
We had some 2 and 1/4 round tubing in the shop, so that is what I made them out of, but first I had to drill 4 2 &1/4 inch holes in the frame rails to slip the tubes into. I used a holesaw and my big 1/2 inch drill, and that was almost my undoing. The holesaw grabbed while cutting one hole and ripped the drill out of my hands. :eek: I thought I had broken or sprained my wrists, but they are ok, just sore. For the rest of the holes I screwed a piece of 3/4 inch pipe into the drill motor to use for leverage, and that helped a lot. Bet I feel it tomorrow though.
All I have to do now is throw the tubes into the blast cabinet to get the mill scale off, and then grind some clean metal around the holes so we can weld them in place. Here are a couple of pictures of the crossmembers slipped into their holes.
Don
That all looks pretty kool,Don..I,too,am looking forward to seeing this beastie on wheels..
Ask Whiplash to get some pix from a friend in south Auckland..Steve has a shed full of cars,,including a very radically channelled r/p,with a 394(?)Oldsmobile in it..Hey,Whip..ya listening??Need some shots of that beauty...:D:D
I'd like to see those pictures, Robin. Hope Whip has some.
Tonight I got the two round crossmember tubes cleaned up and ready for welding. After Dan was done helping Don work on his daily driver he got them welded in place, so that is that last of the crossmembers done. Now we can move on to mounting the rear axle. I think we are going to modify the 3 bar setup we have by shortening it to work. At least that seems to be the thinking for now.
Here are a couple of shots from tonight, not much to see, but it is getting closer to being a roller.:)
Don
Will See what we can do,Don..The guy isnt too far away from Whips place,,and I think,is a member of the same club..If Whip cant get there,I will see if I can arrange for someone else to go and see if he minds some pix taken..This is the same guy who has the 32 5/w in his lounge..a 34 pickup in the shed,with about five other vehicles in there too..including a stripped,early Vette..(late 50s,from memory):cool::cool:
Don great progress. I'm always learning here. For three years now watching frames made and never made the correlation to the reason for the step up in the back until tonight! Yep I'm a slow learner, but I get it now, to clear the rear pumpkin! Sheeze it must be headaches and old age! It's just something I never thought about!
