Thread: Roadster pickup getting closer

Tweet

That's a really clean looking shock mount, Don! The rest of the front end is very well done also! Gonna be a very good looking car when it's done. I'm still an IFS guy, but if you're going to do the traditional looking front end your setup is definitely a great way to go! As for the jig, how would we ever get anything done without good old ingenuity engineering?? Everything on the car is really first rate!!! Fit and finish is way over the top. Congrats to "the crew"!!!!!

Hey don, you guys be safe down there! looks like the weather is really coming your way, gonna get us mid week. the roadster is coming along nicely! cant wait to see it in daytona.

Thank you Dave, coming from you that is certainly a compliment. Yep, now we have one more jig sitting around that will probably never be used again ever. I was ready to heat and bend them in a vice, but noooooooooooo, we had to build a jig.

Brian, thanks, and I really miss you on the forum. I was just thinking the other day that you haven't been around much, but then you posted on some thread. Glad to see you are into other hobbies, you really were a great contributor in this hobby. I still see posts here and on other forums where someone will ask a question and another member will say " Go to Brians thread on building a hot rod, it will answer all the questions you have." You took great lengths to help out others, and I just miss shooting the breeze with you as much as we once did. Please check in often.........lots of us still need your wisdom and experience.

John, thanks. I was shocked last night when we heard on the shop radio there were hurricane warnings for this area..........last I heard the thing was supposed to head up the Atlantic. Guess I better head out today and load up on Spam and other emergency food we will never eat in our lifetime. I don't think it will amount to much, but with hurricanes you never know. Hope you and everyone else fares ok too.

Don

Looking great Don - my only comment is that I hope that you will be reinforcing that section of frame with at least a couple of gussets if not boxing under the gear.

I was wondering where Brian went - been too quiet here.

Thanks IC2. Yep, the frame is going to be totally boxed with 3/16 plate, plus he is going to run a gusset down the backside of the steering box mount to add even more strength to that area. That is how I did mine too on my T. He is also going to weld some plate under the shock mounts so the bolts run through an extra thick area there too.

I think this will be the heaviest roadster pickup ever built........we already can't move the frame by hand, and even our gantry is groaning when we use it to pick it up. Good thing he has the 455 in there.

Oh, also if you peek back inside the frame rail right under the box you will see a 3/8 inch thick steel plate fully welded inside that the radius rods bolt through. The frame is 5/8 inches thick in that area.

Don

Here, in this picture you can kind of see the 3/8 plate in front of the K member. There is one on each side for the radius rods to mount to, and they are about 4 inches x 12 inches long.

Don

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Thanks IC2. Yep, the frame is going to be totally boxed with 3/16 plate, plus he is going to run a gusset down the backside of the steering box mount to add even more strength to that area. That is how I did mine too on my T. He is also going to weld some plate under the shock mounts so the bolts run through an extra thick area there too.

I think this will be the heaviest roadster pickup ever built........we already can't move the frame by hand, and even our gantry is groaning when we use it to pick it up. Good thing he has the 455 in there.

Oh, also if you peek back inside the frame rail right under the box you will see a 3/8 inch thick steel plate fully welded inside that the radius rods bolt through. The frame is 5/8 inches thick in that area.

Don

OK - you convinced me - plus with what you've doing, I didn't think that you would NOT fully box the frame.

Now - for horsepower to move this thing, I saw a couple of surplus aircraft Merlin V-1650-3 engines a few days ago in my web wanderings............

Make sure you remember the beer don, you would not want to forget that!

Wow, thanks John...........I almost forgot!!

Don

Don,
When you are done with the 'cane, please send it back out to sea. Since it becomes just rain by the time it gets here, the swamps adjoining my property that never dried this summer will never dry with more rain and the mosquitoes and black flies will continue to breed and continue to drive me away from working on my car - which is why I'm on here so often now.

Oh, by the way, don't forget the beer and the ice to put in the cooler to keep it just right in case you lose power

Yeah, they are predicting not only us, but a whole lot of the country will be getting a bunch of rain from this. We need it here, but not all at one time.

Just got back from the grocery store.........it was pretty picked clean. People seem to get in this fog when a storm is coming and you have to watch walking in the parking lots because they are hellbent on getting a parking spot and don't seem to see people around them.

Next 24 hours should be pretty interesting, but wherever you live you have some natural disaster to worry about.......earthquakes, tornados, blizzards, big foot( ), etc.

Don

Amen to that Don! I am leaning more towards W.C.Fields nowadays.

Huddle down Don and batten down the hotrods we'll see ya on the otherside.

I like the step box, like you said it give a place to hide the wiring and plumbing.
BradC

Any updates Don, or has he changed his mind on started a 4X4 roadster pickup.......LOL
BradC

I wish there was more to report, but things have slowed down a bit lately. Like I mentioned earlier, Dan has taken over the management of another property and is working 15 hour days to get it in shape. Plus, me being back to work puts a damper on it too, as I am working 50+ hours a week. Darned earning a living thing sure gets in the way of fun stuff, doesn't it? But is sure is nice to see my bank account getting back in the black again.

We spent the day at the shop yesterday actually, Dan worked on his frame a little and I worked on my Dodge. He has a few minor things to weld onto his frame before it can be metal finished and powder coated......stuff like the gusset under the steering box, the rear four bar brackets need finish welded, and we have to notch his rear crossmember for driveshaft clearance. He got the first two things done, leaving only the notch left to do.

I got the bracket for my Moon tank done and he welded it on for me, so that is done. I also decided to mount the headlights on some SoCal brackets, and will get those ordered this week. I also revised my front perch a little to drop the front end another 2 inches.

Now that Dan has stopped shooting for Turkey Run some of the pressure is off, and he seems to be ok with it. He is more interested in concentrating on his job right now, so I understand how he feels. But the plans are to try to get a Saturday or Sunday in every week and get some small stuff done, then maybe shoot for having it done for Billetproof in March. The other thing is that it is just too stinkin' hot in the shop these days to feel like doing anything. It should start cooling off a little in October, so we can make more progress then.

Thanks for asking though.

Don