Thread: 1929 Essex Highboy

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Remember in post #116 I told about the shock angle and the steering difugalty? How the steering arm hit the shock? And then too the mount was tipped back a little in relation to the grille shell, (which I didn't show or tell you about) heeheee. Well, I cut them off the frame and trimmed the angle some, then welded them back on (straighter) and then bored new holes for the shocks up higher for a steeper shok angle. Then just bored out the lower (original) holes bigger to make for some visual interest So that made for some clearance with steering arm, although with the ball stud and mating end on the drag link, I found it still not clearing in a hard left turn. Solution, NO HARD LEFT TURNS!

Here I am fixing to shorten my own driveshaft * I didn't think I could do it, but my Mentor insisted that I could!* * So give it a go.* I figured the worst would be that I'd have to buy a whole new one!* * First I drew a straight line on the shaft from the front yoke to the opposing rear yoke, for whatever reason!* * heehee.* Something about angle of the dangle, or vibration or lack of it, OR ------* And then I made a line on shaft that was representative of where the lower balance weight was and where it needed to be after section cut off.* Then I took a grinder with a cut-off wheel and cut (somewhat carefully) around the end of the shaft where the end was attached (?) hopefully!* Then after some tinkering I got the old end off.* Then ----- oh yeah, first I measured REAL careful so I would know how much to cut off, heeheeee.* Then put shaft on my chop saw and CUT it.* uhhhhh, hope it's right!* * Then dressed the cut up, filed up the end piece, and pounded it in to the cut end.* whooooeeeee.* Fun or WHAT?*

looks great! I went with black too for the same reasons!

So----------I couldn't find rear shocks that were short enough to go in the coils and still have length to compress and expand enough for the rear end movement. So following Brian's lead (from his RPU build) I determined to make towers on top of the upper mount to extend the shocks. Seeing as how I now had a 12 inch piece of my driveshaft tube available, and it looking to be a nice size for it, I cut off two sections to make the towers.
Then I had to drill a hole down thru the upper mount plate with a hole saw. WOW, the waste piece from this operation was perfect to use as a cap for the riser! Then I found a couple of pieces of flat stock about a quarter inch thick, bored holes in both of them (same hole saw), voila! Perfect. Then I drilled some holes around (4) and tapped the ones in the upper mount plate to accept bolts. I figured if need be, I could unbolt these 'hats' and remove the shocks without having to lift the body clear of the axle. ugh. So, there ya have it. Simple, like me!

Just a short while ago I told you I had the driveshaft cut and fitted back together! So here is a picture of the end all welded up. Of course I had to buy two universal joints so I could assemble it in place. Then in order to make it concentric I put a block on the floor next to the cut end, then laid a straitedge on the block and pushed up against the shaft. Then I turned the shaft slowly a couple of revolutions. This was with the axle sitting up on jacks mind you! This showed a slight misalignment. So I gave it a whack with a hand maul, then turned it again a couple of revs. Again I tapped it. After two or three tries I got it to turn true with the straightedge. So then I tack welded it on opposite sides, then turned it again. It was still true so I tacked it in two more places. Again I turned the shaft, and still it was true. So then I completely welded the joint. Hoooorrrraaayy! You were right Jim. Piece of Cake! haahaaa Then I made up two driveshaft safety loops, attached them to two pieces of 1 inch square tube and welded these assemblies in place. Then I borrowed a slide hammer puller from a friend and pulled out the old axle bearings and seals. Then with a seating tool, borrowed from same friend, I inserted the new bearings and seals. Then with the brakes all done, put on the new drums and then the wheels. These wheels came on an old S-10 truck I bought, they are American Racing 15 x 7. The tires are old and worn, and I will have to scrounge up some better ones later on, but won't worry about that now. Got plenty of more immediate needs. Actually I jump around a lot. I work at something until I need a part, then jump on to something else. Then when I am able to buy the part, I jump back to that---------- Perley

Here are the new axle bearings and seals and the seating tool I borrowed to put them in with. Slick!

Here is the wheel.