Thread: Project $ 3 K Is Underway

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wow, this thread is awesome! im new to the forum and just wanted to say awesome job so far. I cant wait to see it complete and if it will end up being around budget! cool idea!

Thank you, and welcome. This forum is gaining members daily, and we love it. The more the merrier.

I sometimes worry about posting some dumb little bracket I made for the T, but then I remember how I love looking at other peoples posts of what they are doing. So I guess it is ok.

I know some of the old timers on here (in experience, not years ) probably fall asleep on some of the stuff I have posted on this build, because they have done this and so much more, but I hope some of the younger or just starting out builders can learn something from it. I know I am learning from it, because I haven't built a ground up car it a lot of years, and my approach was always to get 'er done. My work was far from show quality, but the cars generally stayed together and were fun drivers.

Ever since my Kid has gotten involved doing the welding and helping me with this car, it has taken a slightly different directiion. He drives me nuts with his perfectionism, but he has a great eye, and has corrected me on some of my thinking about what this car should end up as. He actually had me nervous the other day as he was watching me cut stuff with the cut off wheel, and he thought I was going crooked. So I try to sneak over the shop like at 1 AM when he isn't around.

But thanks again for the encouragement, and if it gets boring at times, just hit the ignore button.


Don

PS: I stopped over at the shop tonight after work, and he has made a lot of progress on his '30 roadster pickup. I can't wait til that car is done, it is really something beyond what I could ever dream up or build.

FRONT SPRING PERCH GOT BUILT TONIGHT.


After work I went to the shop and started cutting out the pieces of steel for the front perch . I used a section of C channel for the top, and cut off one leg, and then I cut two side pieces that cradle the tubular crossmember. My Son showed up, got involved, helped me prep the parts, and then he did the final welding.

We still have to weld it to the crossmember, but since it is 2 AM and we just got home, that will have to wait until tomorrow night. It looks pretty good, and is really strong, so it should work fine.

Here are a couple of pictures. The first 2 are of the cut out steel pieces, and the other two are shots of the perch mocked up on the crossmember.

Since I get up at 6:15, morning is going to come really early tomorrow, but at least one more step is done on the T.


Don

In my last post, that got wiped out when the forum was down, I mentioned that the front perch we spent a day building ended up setting the car too low. That's rod building, clearances and things change as you go along, so you just have to salvage what you can and move on. So I ordered a front perch from Total Performance because I have one in the shop on a frame, and it looked perfect for what I needed. Plus, I really didn't feel like spending another day building a new one. (Sometimes easier and quicker to buy something off the rack that fits.)

The perch came in, and it is just what I need to get the front low, and yet still put the frame about 5 inches off the ground in the front. I am not going to weld it on until the motor and trans are hanging on mounts, because I want to see how far the frame settles before I commit.

So today I started on the engine mounts and transmission mount. I picked up a 1961 Chevy stick transmission mount at Advanced Auto Parts. They had one in stock (go figure) and it was like $ 4.50. It is exactly what I need for the '61 3 speed trans I am using, and I like to use off the shelf parts when I can, so if I break down 300 miles from home I can get parts easily.

For the transmission mount and also two other rear crossmembers, I am using 1 and 3/4 inch DOM tubing .125 wall. I have two that will reinforce the rear kickup, and one more under the rear of the transmission. I cut some flat plate to use as a perch to weld to the tube and this will be where the trans mount goes.

On the front, I cut 2 triangular shaped plates out of 1/4 inch flat stock, and drilled 3 holes in each of them to bolt to the block. I had a spare 350 empty block that I used to make the mock up. From that, I cut a section out of tubing that is 2 x 3 and will have this welded to the triangular plates. Then I will mount early Ford biscuit type rubber mounts to the ends of that and build a mount from the frame to join the two together. I ordered the rubber mounts from Speedway, and they will be here Tuesday. The engine mounts are nothing special, and have been used on thousands of cars. They are simple and easy to make.

All I have to do now is get Dan to weld the pieces onto the frame, and I can finally get the engine supported without all those concrete blocks and pieces of wood.

Here are some pictures of what I did today.


Don

Once I had the triangular plated bolted to the dummy block, I needed to cut the arms that come off of them to hold the Ford mounts. To get the correct angle, I put a piece of flat stock across the machined surface where the oil pan goes, and then used an angle finder to plot the angle. I then put it into the bandsaw and cut some 2 x 3 rectangular tubing to that angle. I then cut the outside part of that piece a little rounded to give it some detail. The first picture is of the flat stock to give me a straight edge. The second is of the bandsaw being set up, and the third is of the finished mounts.

Don

And finally, here is a picture of the 3 tube crossmembers I built out of 1 and 3/4 inch DOM tubing. When these are welded into place, the frame should be really rigid. I considered making the trans crossmember a drop out, but decided I would never pull the trans that way, but would pull the entire engine, like I do in my '27. So we will weld it in solid, just like the other 2. I used a 1 and 3/4 inch holesaw, and put holes right through the inside of the frame in all 3 places. The tubes are slightly longer and pass into the frame.


Don

I also got one of those "freebie, nada, zilch" items like Jesse James gets all the time on Monster Garage. Dan bought me a set of Cal Custom finned aluminum valve covers for my Birthday a couple of weeks ago, and they just came in. These things are really nice, and will give the Vortec the look of an older Chevy engine. Cal Custom is making these now, and they even come with some trick little nuts to go on the four studs that hold the cover on.

So I guess since it was a gift, I don't have to claim it in the $ 3 K figure ?? My other Son gave me a couple of gift certificates from Advance Auto Parts, so I can get some of the other parts I need to get the car running.


Here are a couple of shots of them. I hated to put them on the grungy engine that hasn't been to the machine shop yet, but you know how it is when you get some new chrome goodie...........you just have to put it on.


Don