Thread: Bad Ast Astro Van Build

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Nice work on the chassis and rear suspension. Lookin good.......Im watching this build with a close eye....Im also learnin a few things from watching you too.

Originally Posted by RadRidesByDan

Nice work on the chassis and rear suspension. Lookin good.......Im watching this build with a close eye....Im also learnin a few things from watching you too.

Thanks Dan, it is Dan, right? I appreciate the kudos very much!. It is funny you say that about learning a few things. I don't think a day goes by when either Mel or myself says that little phrase. I am glad you appreciate the work we are doing.
Thanks

Well, today was another good day. We got a crap load of "little bits" done. Capping off and reinforcing the upper shock crossmember, capping off the body mount brackets and getting the support tubes made for the lower shock mounts and panhard bar mount on the rear end. I also did a LOT of welding today. The housing has some to do yet and the chassis is probably about half way there.
One of the caps... Man, these little bits take a lot of time.
http://images15.fotki.com/v2/photos/...MVC002F-vi.jpg
You can see the some of the other pieces we made today already welded in.
http://images51.fotki.com/v94/photos...MVC003F-vi.jpg
The passenger side.
http://images109.fotki.com/v146/phot...MVC010F-vi.jpg
I will be using these areas to carry the roll cage down bars so we plated it in with a flat area for the tube to sit on and weld too.
Fitting the lower shock mount support bars.
http://images53.fotki.com/v249/photo...MVC011F-vi.jpg
http://images56.fotki.com/v1298/phot...MVC012F-vi.jpg
The panhard bar support.
http://images51.fotki.com/v628/photo...MVC014F-vi.jpg
I tied the lower shock and panhard bar supports into a small plate welded to the housing.
It's hard to see here but the plate welds in over the lower shock tube and bottom edge of the housing and the panhard bar tube sits on it. It also very effectively spreads the load over a larger area.
http://images51.fotki.com/v94/photos...MVC016F-vi.jpg
One of my welds. I am getting better.
http://images44.fotki.com/v301/photo...MVC018F-vi.jpg
Body mount weld.
http://images51.fotki.com/v628/photo...MVC019F-vi.jpg
We got a ton of work done this weekend.
I will be plugging away at the finish welding this week. I have a few early welds I need to grind out and re-weld so that is what I will be working on.
Thanks for looking
Mark