Thread: Project $ 3 K Is Underway

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Thanks Mike, but every year I find I "cram" a whole lot less into the weekends. It is getting nice now that it is cooling off somewhat. Can't get a lot done when you are sweating into your work and fogging up your goggles.

Don

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Oh great, someone with some experience with them. So you think the small one might not have the kick I need? I could move up to the next one if I had to, but space back there is pretty limited.

Here is the one I've been looking at, Bob.


Don

You might get away with it if you've got low compression, your starter and ignition are in top shape, and there's not too much leakage in your wiring, as well as good grounds, but imho it's borderline. It'll be interesting to hear what they tell you.

I wonder what they build this particular battery for? I understand Optima also makes a compact battery, but I haven't researched that one yet.

I agree with you, Bob. This one seems a little light duty to me.

Don

As always Don, great work. I can't wait to see the finished rod. What kind of welder is your son using on that chassis btw? Looks very nice and neat.

Thanks a lot. He has a Miller Mig, not sure of the model, but it's a pretty big one. He wants to get a Tig now, and prices are starting to come down. The guy at the welding shop told him he had to drop prices to compete with the internet guys selling the same items.

I wish I could weld well. It is the one skill I have never really gotten good at, and it makes me have to impose on him when I want something that is really important strength-wise welded, or something that will show. For stuff that is not real critical I do my own welding, then grind the heck out of it to make it look somewhat presentable. Thank God for body filler. I am going to mold in most of my welded joints and smooth them before I paint the frame.

Don

Don,

I love those head lights. I am glad that you went with them.
Right now I am working 7 days a week and with the holiday season right around the corrner it aint stopping. Every night I sit down to realax and see what you've done. Thanks. Z

I, too, look forward to your updates, Don. Now that my coupe is virtually done, I am anxious to get started on my roadster and watching yours come together is keeping me inspired.

As far as your welding skills are concerned, you obviously have the basics; now it's just a matter of practice. I had a cousin and a brother-in-law (both welders by profession) who got me started arc-welding (stick) when I was 16. Then I went to two different welding classes in my early 20's to improve my arc welding skills and learn oxy-acetylene welding. At the time, MIG welders were not common because of their size and cost. I never touched a MIG welder until I was in my mid-30's because I didn't have access to one. Fortunately, you have a good MIG welder there which is much easier and faster to learn than stick or gas. The key to good welding is understanding what you are seeing through the helmet lens and controlling what is happening there (size & shape of the puddle, penetration, etc.).

Sorry if I got off on a tangent here; it's the school teacher coming out... Anyway, nice looking work so far. Keep it coming.

Jim

Thanks Z. 7 days straight is a killer. How do you do it? For the past two years we all worked 6 days a week at my job, and it just plain got to us. We only had Sundays off, and it became the day we did laundry and got ready to come back to work. Finally, one day we all sat the owner down and said we were going to only work Monday thru Friday, and that was that. He didn't like it, but he knew we were serious and would all leave if he refused. So now we work 5 days a week and are cranking out the same numbers every week because everybody is more refreshed on Monday morning.

Hope you don't have to keep up that 7 day pace too long guy. Oh, the headlights...........yeah, like I mentioned, last week I put 3 different sets on there, and these are the only ones that fill up the front and give it the look I was after. Gonna have to convert them to Halogen, but I understand there are kits to do that.


James: Thanks, I'm anxious to see your "barn find '27" when you get started on it. One thing that is hampering my welding is that I just don't see as well as I used to. I turned down the darkening on the helmet, and that seems to help, and now that I am getting more practice my welds are getting a little better. They hold fine, but just look crappy. I am going to concentrate on getting them better, and I keep asking Dan for tips when he is doing it, so I may turn into a almost-respectable welder yet.

Don

Hello, is anyone home?

That is the problem, I have been home instead of at the shop working.........that's why no updates. I plan to change that this weekend, as my battery just came in, so I can build the battery tray now. Also, I ordered a custom aluminum radiator yesterday from PRC, and that should be in within 2-3 weeks.

Everybody at work has been passing a flu bug around, and I spent last weekend laying around the house..........just didn't have the energy to go work on the T. Feeling better now, so that will change Saturday.

Thanks for keeping me working though.


Don

I just hate "SLAKERS"

Originally Posted by cffisher

I just hate "SLAKERS"

Yeah Charlie, but I want a raise, this payrate stinks.


Actually, I went to the shop last night, but not to work on my own T. It was payback time for all the time and work my Son has given me freely on my project. He was going to bend up the 18 gauge skin for the tonneau cover on his '29, and needed an extra pair of hands to help brake up the bends on this large piece of sheet metal. It felt good being able to help him for a change.

Tomorrow we are going to build a big wooden crate and FedEx it to the louver shop to have 250 louvers punched in it. I can't wait to see that, and he has me thinking I need to add some louvered panels to the T.....most notably under the round fuel tank to dress up that area. We'll see.


Here are some pictures of what the tonneau cover looks like now. He has to finish off the little pointed corners by welding these up, but it is pretty much done except for the louvers.

Pictures 4 and 5 show the tubing framework he built to support the skin, and also the hydraulic lifts he installed to help open it up.

Today I am going to the shop and build my battery box and finish up the rear end gussets.



Don

That's pretty cool! You are very lucky to have that relationship with your son!! I hope you post more pics when you get it back.

Looks like one heck of an air brake!!!

Thanks Ken. Yep, I have been blessed with two great Sons (twins). Can't imagine life without them.

Bob, he worried about that too. Was going to use two bear claw latches on the front, but has since decided to go with two hood pins. He wanted something totally hidden, but didn't want this thing popping up at 70MPH. (It happened to his Brother in his 5.0 Mustang with glass hood )

Don