Thread: Project $ 3 K Is Underway

Tweet

well i will post some builds. i will soon be building a set of step tube headders for a small block ford with AFR heads on it. in a old t bolt look alike and some howto on some big block chevy stuff. if i can get the photos to fit in the post maybe some block repair if there is any one that want to see this stuff????

I can't wait to see each of your projects and posts. This forum is kind of like standing around the water cooler every morning.........we all tell what we did the night before.(well, MOST of what we did the night before )

I think it was Street Rodder Magazine, or maybe Rod and Custom that had a feature every month called Garage Scene, where they featured pictures and stories about what 2 or 3 average rodders were building in their home garages. These were "in progress, not finished" rods and customs, and was my favorite part of the magazine. I would turn to that section in the back of the book as soon as the new issue arrived every month, and look at what the other guys were doing. This forum is like that for me, and has replaced TV. I love to check in every day to see what you guys and gals are up to, and when you post some pictures that is just icing on the cake.

As I've mentioned, sometimes I feel sheepish posting some insignificant little bracket I have built, but I have come to feel that each of you on here are friends, and friends share this kind of stuff with each other.

As a side note, I have to tell each of you that another member called me at work today. I won't mention his name, not that it would matter, but he doesn't know I am going to mention this, so it would not be fair to him without his permission.

He and I struck up conversations while we were both surfing/members of another auto forum, and I gave him my phone number so we could BS a little. He made a comment today that echos exactly my feelings about this forum. He said "I am so glad I turned him on to CHR." He has been on other forums and found, like I did, that the atmosphere on those is totally different than on here. We have a group of men and women on here that respect one another, are friendly toward one another, and who sincerely care about what happens to the other person.

I had to pass that along, and thank each of you for making me smarter, and for doing that in such a pleasant way.

Don

You don't need my permission Don. So I guess I can take off these glasses with the fake nose and mustache?

Folks, you need to stand up give yourselves a pat on the back.

This is by far one of the BEST sites I've had the pleasure visit.
You are true craftsmen/women who share a love for the Hot Rod.
It shows in your willingness to help others without bias or contention.
The sense of community is apparent in the replies to posts and threads started. Questions are answered quickly, not just by a few but by many.
There is a honest desire to see others conquer their challenges and inspire motivation when the project grows teeth or starts to get old.
There's the good natured ribbing that allows us to laugh at ourselves, where at other sites it would result in a Flame War only rivaled by Napalm.

I'm truely grateful to Don for inviting me and to all of you for being such gracious hosts.

So please Stand UP and take a Bow!
I'll be in the front row clapping my ass off.

Originally Posted by Supa Roosta

I'll be in the front row clapping my ass off.

You do that and you'll just fall off the chair.

I haven't fallen off of my chair since...............well..........last week.

Don

My project on the T bucket tonight is going to involve some electrical wiring. It really isn't time for wiring yet, but I want to do the underdash wiring while I have complete access to it, rather than having to lay upside down with a flashlight in my teeth, like I did on my '27. By doing it now I can not only do it easier, but neater also. My plan is to make up my own harness rather than to use one of the commercial units, like a Ron Francis, or Painless. Do not follow my example on this. The commercial kits are the way to go in most cases. They are better, easier, and end up costing about the same when you factor in what the wire, fuse box, terminals, etc. end up costing individually. Plus, each wire is marked as to where it goes, so these kits are very user friendly. They are fantastic.

So, if they are so good, why am I going to make up my own wiring harness? For a couple of reasons. First of all, I like to do wiring, and can customize the layout of the components. Secondly, the commercial kits have things I don't need on this car, like turn signal and air conditioning circuits. I am not going to have either of these, so the wiring on this car only needs to be very basic. Today I will pick up the wiring and components I need at work ( I always use marine grade wiring and components because they are tinned well and made to stand up to harsh elements. I did the wiring on the '27 about 17 years ago, and have never had one problem with corrosion or anything on it.)

Tonight I'll post some pictures of the start of this project, and show how I will begin the layout and placement of components.

Don

HE realy gets them cheaper from work so he can try staying within his budget
Though I make up my own harness also unless I'm doing somthing stock. I enjoy wiring it keeps the bugs out of your brain.

Originally Posted by cffisher

HE realy gets them cheaper from work so he can try staying within his budget
Though I make up my own harness also unless I'm doing somthing stock. I enjoy wiring it keeps the bugs out of your brain.

Cheaper heck, it's FREE. I steal it all.

Don

I didn't want to infer that. But when I was building my 38 a bunch of things came real cheap that way. I had our layout man in the weldshop make my rocker panels. Axle brg. were free from berry bearing. Stainless bolts OH yea.

In the Fortune 500 companies they call these PERKS. Some guys get Mercedes company cars, I get 10 feet of wire. Something is really wrong with this picture.

Don

Tonight I worked on the dash wiring, and didn't get as much done as I hoped, but at least I know pretty much where everything is going under the dash.

The first thing I did was make up an exact duplicate of my dash out of a piece of masonite, right down to the gauge holes and ignition switch hole. By making it exactly the same, when I transfer the wiring harness I am going to make over to the real dash, it should fit perfectly. You can see from these first couple of pictures how much easier it is to wire the underside of the dash while it is in the open like this. I have total access to the backside of the gauges, switches, etc so that I can run wires without any problems.

Here are the first couple of shots of the front and back of the dummy dashboard.

I want to keep the dash totally clean, and only have 3 gauges (oil pressure, water temp, and voltmeter) in it, plus the ignition switch. I have built cars with the ignition switch under the seat, and in other hard to reach places, and will never do that again. It is very hard to hit the hole with the key when it is in places like that, especially when it is dark. So the only thing that will go on the dash switchwise will be that ignition switch.

The other switches are simple toggle switches that will mount under the front edge of the dash. All that I am going to have there will be my headlight switch, headlight dimmer switch, fuel pump switch, and electric fan override switch.

Rather than use a traditional fuse box, I am going to use individual panel mount fuse holders like those used in boats (surprise ) I am going to spread 7 regular sized ones across the passenger side of the dash (also tucked under the front lip of the dash) and one larger sized one to handle the higher amperage items.

To hold all of these switches and fuse holders I made up a piece of 1/8 th inch x 2 inch aluminum about 28 inches long. It goes clear across the underside of the dash, and will hold all of these items, plus 4 relays (1 hi beam, 1 lo beam, 1 fuel pump, and 1 electric fan. If I ever need to work on any of these, the aluminum panel is going to drop down with a few thumbscrews for eash access.

Here is how the switches and all mount under the dash.

I have to pick up another toggle switch and a bunch more fuse holders tomorrow at work, as well as 4 relays. Then I can start doing the actual wiring for the dash. I still haven't figured out where the cup mounted tach will go, but one place I am thinking about is the steering column support. I'll have to see when I get to that stage.

Now, it may seem out of sequence to be doing the dash this early in the build, but when building a car you have to be thinking 5 steps ahead of where you are, because if you don't, when you go to mount something you will find you haven't left room for it and you will have to possibly tear out what work you have done and reengineer it. We can't plan for every contingency, but if you are thinking ahead and sort of planning where other items are going to go, you will save yourself many redos. There have been a million times I have something all painted and realize I forgot to make a hole or space for some part, so I have to redo all of that work and start over.

Here are two pictures. The first one shows all you will see of the toggle switches under the dash, and the second shows the fuse holders. If you ever have to change a fuse you simply turn the cap on the fuse holder and the fuse pops out.

Thanks for looking, time for that late night shower and dinner I am getting used to.


Don

Last night I kinda took a nap after work, and woke up about 11PM, and decided to go to the shop and get a couple of hours work in on the T. When I got there my Son was just wrapping up working on his '29, because he had to go to work this morning. We both like working on our cars late at night because it has cooled off somewhat, and nobody is around to bother us.

Well, that sort of changed last night. Had a very weird experience. At about 2:30 I am in the shop with the overhead doors wide open, and some guy says to me "excuse me sir, have you seen someone walking or driving around here?" I said no, and he walks toward his car. Curious, I follow him and ask what is up. He tells me he has a shop down a few doors from us, and is working the night shift, and some guy walks into his shop. Somehow this escalates into him telling the guy "look, take anything you want, just get out." Then he runs into the office and locks himself in so the guy can't hurt him.

The whole thing didn't add up, and I said "did he threaten you, or what?" and he really never answered me, but he was all out of breath and shaking like a leaf. He says he called the cops, and a few minutes later they do show up. They went into the shop with the guy, and I was talking to the other cop and I asked him, does any of this add up to you? and he says he can't get a straight story out of the guy either as the guy seems to be really afraid.

So I end up back in my shop, kind of not sure what has just happened, and not real comfortable hanging around there, so I packed it in and left. I have always worried, particularly for my Son, because he stays a lot of nights until 4 or so, with the doors wide open, and he is all alone. So today I am adding a new tool to the shop.............a .38 revolver in one of the tool box drawers. With us busy grinding and the stereo blasting anyone could sneak up on us, and with some of these drug hungry dudes out there, you never know what is on their mind.

Well, time to head back over there and work on the underdash wiring. Don't think I'll be staying QUITE so late tonight.

Don

Don
You could go to radio shack and get a sensor to place across the door openings that would turn OFF your stereo if someone comes in. That should get your attension. They aren't that expensive and it could put your mind at ease about you and or your son working there late. I had one to turn on a rotating light but when your welding that won't help