Thread: Bad Ast Astro Van Build

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Well, here we go again! Updates should be back on track in the next week or so. After nearly a year break I am ready to get back into the build. Mel and I got the chassis up on the rotissirie today! Had to reconfigure the brackets a bit but, once they were bolted to the frame, the rest went pretty quick. We used the engine hoist to lift the frame high enough to slide the rotissirie ends on. It rolls around real easy now.
http://images58.fotki.com/v447/photo...MVC166F-vi.jpg
This is a step in the right direction anyway.
http://images16.fotki.com/v220/photo...MVC167F-vi.jpg
I need to do some major cleaning and re-arrainging in the shop to make room to work but I am back at it and should have the chassis in the shop by next weekend. I will be re-working the K member to make room for the Gear vendors unit, running brake lines and finishing up the stab bar brackets. Once this is all done I can prep for paint! I hope to have the chassis in paint before December. I have the entire week of Thanks Giving off due to GM furloughing all of the contract people so, if I hit this hard, I see no proplem with that schedule. I will be shooting the frame with a dark graphite color to go with all of the grays and blacks I did the suspensions in.
With the chassis complete I will set it down on stands and start making it into a roller. Building the stab bars is the only real fab work left and I won't do that until all of the suspensions are in place. I hope to have it rolling by the first of the year. GM is furloughing us for the last two weeks in December so I will not be lacking for time!
I hope you will follow along.
Mark

Good to hear you've got time to get back on the van, Mark, waiting to see more updates!!!!

Ditto! Looking forward to your updates, and your progress.

Thanks guys! i am looking forward to getting back to work also!
6 hours worth of cleaning, sweeping and rearrainging and the chassis is on the working side. I am wiped out today but tomorrow I will be starting the clean up process and laying out brakes lines.
http://images45.fotki.com/v1431/phot...MVC170F-vi.jpg
It sure is grundgy looking!
http://images108.fotki.com/v1629/pho...MVC171F-vi.jpg
http://images60.fotki.com/v361/photo...MVC173F-vi.jpg

Man it all takes time.

LOL you need to visit my barn/shop to get a perspective on "grungy".

Great to see this project rolling again!

Glad to see you back here again

Good to see the frame again Mark!!! Cleaning----one of the projects on my list for next week, too!

Thanks guys! Yea, Dave, cleaning is always on my list. I have started covering everything with garbage bags when not in use. I am looking for some large size bags so I can get the mill covered up before I start sanding and painting. I am also going to cover all of my tool boxes. The big yard and garden bags cover them nicely.
I was in the shop for 4 hours today and most of the time was spent cleaning benches and rearrainging tool boxes. I picked up another Craftsman roll-a-round cabinet with a top box and side box a week ago. So I spent most of the morning splitting tooling between the old box and the new.
Old boxes on the left, new on the right.
http://images58.fotki.com/v447/photo...MVC172F-vi.jpg
Some of the non-essential stuff I moved into the new box which gave me room to re-organize all of my punches, chisels, files and wrenches in the old boxes. Some of the drawers were carrying a lot of weight so now they have a lightened load.
I should have most of my benches cleaned off in the next couple of days so that will give me work space to lay out brake lines.

I keep a roll of the paint masking plastic around. Just cut off what I need and cover stuff up! Works great! I've got to get some updates and maintenance done on my chassis table before I can get into any serious projects for the Winter.... Plenty to do around here too Mark!

So Mark, what's the status of the AstroRacer? I really miss your great progress posts!!

Thanks Roger! It's been two years since I did any real work on the van. I have been busy with other projects, the '56 wagon, building a new railing for the deck, two hot rod wagons, a brake tubing straigtener, a louver press and a bunch of other small projects.
I will be running brake lines on the van chassis but the big job is lowering the engine/trans about 4 inches to clear the inside of the doghouse. That has been the real show stopper but I have resigned myself that it needs to be done so that is my get it done job over Christmas break.
Mark

Sounds like me! But your projects sound waaaaay cooler than mine! With eight grand kids there's a lot of "Oooops! It's OK mom, Grandpa can fix it!", or a downed tree that can be hauled to the sawyer to become lumber which then leads to another project..., or my wife telling a friend, "Oh, Roger can make that for you!" Life's got too many distractions to focus on doing the same thing, day in, day out for me now that I'm free to choose what I use my time on. I enjoy variety.

Now some would say, "I need to raise the doghouse 4"..." but nooooo, let's drop the engine & tranny 4"! As I recall you've already invested a lot of time on the doghouse and associated parts, so it's the right answer, but takes a bit of work. Looking forward to seeing some pictures if you can take time for that hassle. Very glad to see you back, and hope you have a Merry Christmas and flow into a great New Year!

Too many distractions! Exactly that! I have a good time in my shop though so non of it is bad. I noticed a lot more after I got the Frankenmill.


The issue with the doghouse is sealing it up. Plus, that is where the shifter is mounted and cable routing goes right over the top of it. Hvac stuff and gauges are also up there so lowering the driveline really is the easy way out.