Thread: Roadster pickup getting closer

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Thanks 32. If we had an English wheel and planishing hammer, we could probably form the tunnel out of one or several pieces, but since we don't, this is the next best way as we see it. Dan did the same thing on the first body (that I inherited ) and it came out pretty well using this method. No one ever sees the underside of the tunnel anyway, so the skeleton showing isn't a problem, and it does add a lot of strength to it.

Brad, we actually did talk about those fasteners, but Dan is using button heads all over the car to fasten down stuff like the stake pockets, rear body section, etc, so he wanted to keep the theme going everywhere in the car. When they are painted body color they will look like rivets pretty much.

Just for comparison, here is the tunnel Dan built the same way in the first body. The main difference is that the first tunnel was much larger because that version was airbagged and was going to sit on the ground when laid out. So the engine had to be mounted a lot higher so the pan would not hit the ground. This new tunnel is much smaller as is the driveshaft tunnel.

Don

Hey Don,

Is there a Harbor Freight store over there? I was in the one in Melbourne, FL a couple of weeks back and they have English Wheels for $279 complete! I was driving my coupe and it wouldn't fit in there or I would have brought one home with me...

Here's a link to their online catalog. It shows the price as $299...
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=97050

Yeah Jim, we have looked at those in the store. I understand that while they aren't professional quality, they will get the job done.

Before we buy those though we have a couple of other tools on our wish list. One is a true upright metal cutting bandsaw (ours is a horizontal/vertical and is fine, but it would be nice to have one with a thinner blade to cut tighter corners) and the other thing we want is a big sandblast cabinet. Ours is a Harbor Freight and although it is their biggest one, it leaks sand like a sieve. I have caulked and taped up the holes and gaps, but it still leaks, and is too small for big parts.

Oh, and we also want a big belt sander, sort of a commercial unit. We have two 4 inch ones, but we would like something with a 6 inch wide belt on it and lots of HP so it won't bog down. That's the problem with tools, you always see something you don't have that you just want to own for the heck of it. Then there is the paint booth, the water jet, the...............................

Don

Check craigslist for used local stuff, ive found a few good toys lately on there for decent prices. The truck is looking great! Makes me want to start on mine again,

Thanks John. That's a good idea. We also talked about going to the Tampa Machinery Auction sometime down the road. Not sure what they have, but I hear it is all kinds of commercial stuff from tools to trucks.

You need to get back on the truck John. We miss your updates.

Don

BTW John, only 127 days till Daytona!!!!!!!!

I would definatly hit the auction don, the few ive been to had great deals, but i never had money when i went. i went to one a few months ago and they sold a industrial blast cabinet for $150, i only had 75 on me. This thing was huge too, easily four feet wide.


Hopefully i will be back on the truck soon, ive had alot going on, but things are slowing up a bit now. I also stocked up on some much neede tools, and working on cleaning and orginizing the shop, so i should be able to hit it pretty hard soon, not in time for daytona though, but i can save some money for parts,

Are you guys planning on the garlits trip next month?

Don, you guys are really doing top-notch work, and taking the time to add the information as you go. I think I read about maybe a magazine wanting to do a story, I hope I read that correct, you guys are sure deserving, working with out unlimited funds or so that’s what I believe. Anyway I hope it happens you, Dan, and Don deserves it. Please keep posting, you can tell by the views that people are really enjoying this as not all of us are as talented as you, and your son’s. If we pick up one little tip all of this reading is worth it.

Richard

See John, that's the kind of deals I hoped they would have. I imagine with the economy the way it is that lots of commercial type equipment is being sold off. Not that I like to profit from other people's misfortune. As for the Garlits thing, yep, still thinking about it, what is the exact date you have settled on?

Richard, thanks for the very nice words...........something I have come to expect from you at all times. As for the magazine thing, yeah, someone did mention to an Editor that they might want to do a little thing on a home type garage, and our names came up. I was very flattered by it, but we really don't have anything to show, most of our cars are only partially done. As for our shop, you know those neat, well organized ones that you see in the magazines.........well, that ain't us. Ours is more like the old machine shop where the guy had to blow an inch of dust off of whatever he was working on and had to dig through box after box until he found what he was looking for. So, I don't think we are magazine ready quite yet.

After Dan's RPU is running we plan a major cleaning and organizing party at the shop. I started already by going through all the bolts and stuff and am getting them into cabinets where we can actually find something we know we have. Just in the last couple of days I have sorted probably $ 1,000 worth of grade 8 bolts we couldn't find. We would keep buying more because we didn't know these existed.

Now, if a magazine ever wants to do an article on how to build a car in spite of yourself, we are good to go.

Don

Don, you are being too modest, look back through Tex Smith's career in the hobby/ sport business his books were all down to earth he didn’t show high dollar garages. Tex just had the know how from what I saw. I was talking to him at a Goodguys show, and bought one of his books there. I didn’t even think to ask him if he would sign it, he asked me if I would like for him to sign it. Remember the book Hot Rod Mechanix, and Rodder’s Digest those were working people in home garages mostly.

Richard

I loved Hot Rod Mechanix and always enjoyed Tex's articles in the other magazines too. He is (or was......is Tex still with us?) one of the true grass roots hot rodders. He came across as just a good old boy who could take the most common parts and turn out a nice, running car. I envy you for meeting him, I would love to have been able to shake his hand.

I was sorry to see Hot Rod Mechanix go away. I know it merged with Rod and Custom for a while, but then that stopped too. I still have almost every issue of HRM, and love to go through them occasionally. I think it was my very favorite magazine of all time.

Don

The 16th of august don.

Ok John. That is a Saturday...........if Dan and Don aren't playing that night we will be coming. Dan took the month of July off, and Don plays every Saturday, but maybe we have enough time for them to make some arrangements to get someone to cover for them.

Don

Gee, only 127 days I wonder what I'm going to do...........LOL
BradC

Originally Posted by BradC

Gee, only 127 days I wonder what I'm going to do...........LOL
BradC

Brad, you took the movie "Around the world in 80 days" waaaaaaaaaaay too seriously!!!!!!!

Don

Who needs an english wheel, that tunnel turned out great the way you did it. That is looking very solid, whats next firewall maybe?