Thread: Bad Ast Astro Van Build

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This past week we worked on a few things. The seat frames, the shifter cover and the instrument cluster. The seat frames are well on there way. Both are ready for welding and all we are waiting for are the front and side braces. I dug out a small sheet of 10 ga I will be taking to work to have all of this stuff cut out on the laser... Much faster and neater. I will also have them make a set for the rear seats for when I get around to building/adding those.
http://images42.fotki.com/v664/photo...MVC003F-vi.jpg
With the mockup seat brace. The front brace is laying on the floor.
http://images15.fotki.com/v588/photo...MVC005F-vi.jpg
This is a rear view of the pass side.
http://images49.fotki.com/v1510/phot...MVC002F-vi.jpg
Mel did the brunt of the work on the seat frames, After we got them bent up and designed last week he has been mocking them up and drilling holes. I spent most of my time working on the shifter cover and getting that fit and smoothed and primed. It's not done by any means but it is well on it's way.
This is after a couple applications of bondo. Starting to smooth out quickly.
http://images107.fotki.com/v71/photo...MVC003F-vi.jpg
The cleco in the lower right corner is holding the two halfs together. Just to the left of the cleco is a verticle seam between the two parts... Can you see it? I think not...
http://images60.fotki.com/v661/photo...MVC004F-vi.jpg
The upper cleco is doing the same work but that seam is more visible because it I have sanded down thru the bondo on the removable piece to the 'glass so you can see the transition... It goes away in primer.
http://images50.fotki.com/v406/photo...MVC013F-vi.jpg
http://images14.fotki.com/v218/photo...MVC014F-vi.jpg
The seat braces and gage cluster face are in for laser cutting. I took in the steel for the braces yesterday. I hope to have the parts tomorrow or Monday.
Thanks for looking
Mark

I blew apart the old cluster. This sure did bring back memories! I did the initial cluster design for these back in '83-'84... I had forgotten how much **** we packed into these...
http://images42.fotki.com/v664/photo...MVC011F-vi.jpg
With the lens removed.
http://images52.fotki.com/v637/photo...MVC013F-vi.jpg
What I am going to do is remove all of the original gauges and light pipe and replace them with a flat panel and Autometers' Pro-Comp 5" speedo and tach.
Here is the back of the light pipe where all of the gauges are mounted. Once this is removed the cluster case itself is an empty shell...
http://images24.fotki.com/v874/photo...MVC017F-vi.jpg
I took everything off the back and used the light pipe as a pattern to make a foam board blank. I used that 5 dollar saw to cut this out...
http://images55.fotki.com/v268/photo...MVC010F-vi.jpg
I used the scroll saw again to cut out some more foam core to make the speedo and tach. I used these to mock up the gage positions in the cluster.
http://images16.fotki.com/v377/photo...MVC011F-vi.jpg
As you can tell I am not going to have a lot of room for the fuel level gage so I may make a tunnel in the upper shroud so I can push the gage higher in the cluster. there is nothing up there so there is plenty of room as long as I don't block the gage with the upper bezel.
Here is the basic layout of the instrument cluster and center stack gage cluster.
http://images55.fotki.com/v608/photo...MVC013F-vi.jpg

Lots going on in the Bad Ast shop this week! I brought the tank home tonight. Should be good to go after a couple of pressure testing sessions and fixing a few pinholes. Jesse did an excellant job welding this thing up. There is a bit of warpage but it is all in areas that will not be visible so it is all good.
Sitting back in the van as a one piece deal this time.
http://images24.fotki.com/v798/photo...MVC016F-vi.jpg
After I cleaned it up a bit. Sitting on saw horses in front of the shop.
http://images52.fotki.com/v639/photo...MVC004F-vi.jpg
There is a butt-load of welding here. To do all of this and have only three pinholes is incredible in my book.
http://images15.fotki.com/v588/photo...MVC003F-vi.jpg
http://images21.fotki.com/v840/photo...MVC005F-vi.jpg
You can see a bit of warpage on this long flange. This is the upper bolt flange.
http://images55.fotki.com/v608/photo...MVC011F-vi.jpg
I will fill it with water and let it sit for a while to see if it weeps any.
I am thinking I will get the inside coated, just for piece of mind. Gas Tank Renu is right here in Swartz Creek so I think I will call them.
I am also thinking about having it powder coated black. What do you think?
http://images110.fotki.com/v1539/pho...MVC015F-vi.jpg
Mark

I brought home a bunch of steel tonight. Four sets of seat frame reinforcements, the center stack gauge pane piecesl and a little box full of my Dzus handles.
The reinforcements mocked up on the frames and a box of parts.
http://images55.fotki.com/v648/photo...MVC004F-vi.jpg
I think these will look real good when they are done.
http://images57.fotki.com/v139/photo...MVC005F-vi.jpg
The fit on the front pieces isn't quite right as I have to do some trimming to get them where they need to be
http://images14.fotki.com/v384/photo...MVC006F-vi.jpg
http://images54.fotki.com/v461/photo...MVC008F-vi.jpg
Tomorrow will see smoe complete seat frames.
The gauge panel will need some cleanup and a good polishing but it will work great.
http://images57.fotki.com/v256/photo...MVC011F-vi.jpg
The small piece gets overlaid onto the bigger piece to give it a 3D look.
http://images59.fotki.com/v420/photo...MVC002F-vi.jpg
I am thinking about making CF panels to fill the "cutouts" and add some interest. I haven't decided about finish yet. Polish it, scotchbrite it or powder coat black... Have to wait and see what happens with the rest of the interior.
http://images57.fotki.com/v1614/phot...MVC003F-vi.jpg
That's what I worked on tonight.
Mark

Looking good! Having access to that laser is a real blessing. I especially like the gauge panel, with the 3D overlay. Seats should look good, too.

Good looking work ...It just keeps coming ..What is your ETA for driving it??

Nice work, Mark! Worst thing about a polished panel is having to keep it polished!!!!

i would never seal a alum tank there is no need . if you seal it you can never weld it . the sealer in steel tanks are a pain in the ass. i have fixed many and put sump s in some as well. you never know if any more sealer will come loose . alum has to be clean on both sides if you fix tank with a tig you have a hell of a time with alum. stuff looks good

Originally Posted by cffisher

Good looking work ...It just keeps coming ..What is your ETA for driving it??

yep i like to know that to i here some guys has your engine ... i think i may know him? what color on the block ????

Thanks alot guys! I really appreciate the comments and the interest you are taking in the project!
ETA for driving? Probably not till next year. I would like to have the engine and trans set in the chassis and actually running by the end of September. Finishing the chassis work and getting the suspensions bolted in are high on the list after we get the interior usable. Note I said "uasable" not finished...

We are well on our way with that. We have seat frames! Got all of the laser cut pieces fit in and tack weled today. We sure were digging that A/C unit this afternoon! Made it bearable to work out there.
Here is the seat frame all clamped up and ready for welding.
Side view.
http://images54.fotki.com/v77/photos...MVC001F-vi.jpg
Front view'
http://images51.fotki.com/v303/photo...MVC002F-vi.jpg
Everything went together great!
We decided to tack the frames up while they were bolted into the seat... I had an issue with that but Mel assured me he would keep the seats safe from spatter...
http://images56.fotki.com/v702/photo...MVC007F-vi.jpg
He did..
http://images50.fotki.com/v1570/phot...MVC011F-vi.jpg
All tacked up.
http://images46.fotki.com/v1483/phot...MVC016F-vi.jpg
Sitting in thr van. They are very sturdy just tacked. I sat in this and jimmied around a bit. No movement at all.
http://images50.fotki.com/v1527/phot...MVC018F-vi.jpg
http://images16.fotki.com/v368/photo...MVC019F-vi.jpg
Both seat frames tack welded. We were pretty well wiped out by this time. Called it a day. I needed a shower.
http://images42.fotki.com/v664/photo...MVC004F-vi.jpg
http://images51.fotki.com/v282/photo...MVC008F-vi.jpg
Tomorrow. Final welding and we put in that stupid left front wheel well!
Mark

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

yep i like to know that to i here some guys has your engine ... i think i may know him? what color on the block ????

Yea, a good friend of mine has it held hostage in KAWKAWLIN of all places! He is building it into a runner... And I think it needs to be painted a hammertone med silver. Will look real close to aluminum if we do it right. I have three cans of it here at the shop. When do you want me to bring them up?

Originally Posted by astroracer

Yea, a good friend of mine has it held hostage in KAWKAWLIN of all places! He is building it into a runner... And I think it needs to be painted a hammertone med silver. Will look real close to aluminum if we do it right. I have three cans of it here at the shop. When do you want me to bring them up?

there was a sale on deer green i pickup 3 cans of that just for you ??? . short block will be ready for paint this coming week end

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

there was a sale on deer green i pickup 3 cans of that just for you ??? . short block will be ready for paint this coming week end

LOL! That would go great with all of the Chevy engine orange parts! I will call it the JastRO-Lantern!
That's pretty funny Pat! I will bring something with me when I come up to paint the block Saturday... You will get a kick out of it.

Originally Posted by astroracer

LOL! That would go great with all of the Chevy engine orange parts! I will call it the JastRO-Lantern!
That's pretty funny Pat! I will bring something with me when I come up to paint the block Saturday... You will get a kick out of it.

hey a chunk of ply wood abit of body filler could tastefully craft up a stem to mount on the roof???

Haven't done an update for a while. Didn't have a lot to post until this past weekend. McCarthy performance completed the engine build last week and I went up there Saturday morning to pick it up... Quite a story there... Just a hint. I had a ride in a 606 HP CTS-V. I can reiterate if anyone is interested... Pat, your secret is safe with me...
The 509 is home and ready to rock! It looks a little different too. It's not Chevy engine orange anymore.
After Pat had the short block together I went up and painted it. Used a self-etching primer then layed on a couple of coats of hammer tone silver. Kept the coats light to limit the "hammer" effect.
http://images9.fotki.com/v120/photos...MVC017F-vi.jpg
http://images61.fotki.com/v665/photo...MVC016F-vi.jpg
http://images51.fotki.com/v628/photo...00_1514-vi.jpg
http://images54.fotki.com/v461/photo...00_1513-vi.jpg

Pat did a lot of work to this dude. I bought the engine assembled and was uncomfortable just firing it up without knowing what "exactly" I had. Pat told me to bring it up, he would check it out.
The engine was purchased with a set of rectangular port 124cc heads on it that had been ported and were WAY to big for what I wanted this motor to do. It also had a solid roller cam and a set of Crane stud girdles. I did not want to be adjusting valves two or three times a year and I wanted the motor to be drivable.
SO, we pulled off all of the "race" stuff we didn't want and I sold it all on eBay. I made enough to get a set of Brodix 270 Race Rites and a new intake. The issue with the new heads was the biggest chamber available was a CNC'd 119cc. Pat calculated the compression with the old heads was around 11:1. The smaller chamber head would put us at 12:1 or more. To much, which he fixed by milling the domes on the pistons.
Some of the things he fixed were not show stoppers but he didn't like the way they were done. The biggest thing was an oil leak he found in one of the main journal feeds. It got nicked when the engine was bored in a previous life.
Here is a list of things he did. Make any corrections you see fit Pat.

1) He smoothed off the bottoms of the cylinders which were left sharp after the bore.
2) We decided to put in new ARP rod bolts because the torque was low when he checked the rods. Didn't know how many times these bolts had been torqued so, replacing them was a no brainer.
3) Resized the rods to get them back within tolerance. New bearings of course.
4) Fixed that oil leak.
5) Milled the tops of the pistons to bring compression down to 10.5:1 with the new 119cc chambered Race Rites.
6) Assembled the heads with all new valves and springs and did some work to those when the factory work wasn't done right.
7) Hot tanked the block TWICE! Once after he smoothed down the bore bottoms and again after he fixed the oil leak.
8) Assembled the short block. I went up to his shop and painted the block when this was done.
9) Stuck in the new Erson hydraulic roller cam.
10) Finished up the motor build. Sprayed the RPM Airgap with Aluma-Blast and was going to install the distributor but saw the bronze gear was worn. I ordered a new steel gear and will replace that and stab in the distributor before I fire it up.
We are expecting 550 horse and around 650 LB/FT out of this guy. Should be plenty to get Bad Ast moving. I can always add some spray down the road if I need more.
Mark
I want to thank Pat for the work he did. A lot of it was above and beyond, but he is meticulous and I recommend his shop to everyone.
We will be starting a build on a Pontiac 455 next year.
Can you see the HUJAZZ smile on my face?
Mark