Projects Project 29 Phaeton

Kudos

Found a new 29" main spring leaf from Riley Automotive - Made in USA! - Good Guys - Eric helped me out with Shipping!

Also thanks Chassis Engineering - new flat top perch pins, perch cone washers & bushings - they also helped out with shipping!

Sometimes we pay more for shipping than the stuff is worth here on the rock.

 

I was going to tell you to contact some local spring shops. I have four within 50 miles and I'm in a somewhat remote area. Those guys can build anything but it would have cost more than off the shelf parts.

My '27 T Roadster build: www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t= 734383

 

My ROSS steering box isn't gonna work...

1 - Too tall (Could be shortened)
2 - Rotation wrong for pitman arm pointing up.
3 - Not enough space for starter...even with a "mini starter"

My swap meet Corvair box doesn't really fit as a frame "push pull"
or a front mount parallel steering.
The three hole bracket is at a weird angle.

Any suggestions for a suitable "non cowl" steering box?

Mahalo
Tommy

 

Just found out - the 29" main spring leaf from Riley Automotive is no longer available...

I don't like the "button sliders" on the new springs...

Anyone knows who sells a 29" main spring leaf?....
(There's no Spring shops on the island...)

Mahalo
Tommy

 

Finally found a spring (from Speedway)...Garage Sale...Made in America!..will be here in about a week....

started Drilling the bones out...get ready for the new spring to wrap the front end up!
Started with five 1" id ...added on more (6) at the last moment.

Then the Smithy drive gear broke....plastic....
Made a new one out of Steele...

 

Bones drilled...ready for sleeves.
Got a new spring....."Real USA Steel"
Not too hot on the plastic buttons...but this spring is nice...rounded corners...Nicely spaced blades...
Garage Sale at Speedway $129

Then a new project....
Hemi overheated and the valve seats "fell out"
New shit cars....I wanna see the valve seats fall out of a 392.

 

Daily driver Magnum R/T will take a while to get done....Get the heads out (somehow) / have'm rebuildt, put'em back and figure out why it's leaking water.

So I had to make the Duster my "daily driver".
Fuel pump to big , heats up the fuel...so the Hilborn had to come out...

But hey, it looks good on the 29 ...Older style chrome valve covers.
The grill shell will come back some...

 

Looking good! It's been a while since I checked out the build. You are really making progress.

 

Cool build just found it , I got one better on a hack job (make you feel a little better about yours.
Most people would get a parts car if they had the chance to get sheet metal from the previous owner of my Buick project used a swimming pool, street signs and a shit ton of rivets the lower half of the car was pool sideing riveted on and then fiber glassed over I can't belive some of the crap people do to these cars and call it fixed, but mine and yours and I'm shure many others have found good homes and are being repaired properly now good luck with your build looks cool
By the way I'm a fan of your charger too I've built a few of that body style

 

Saturday Swap Meet:
Sold a bunch of stuff at the swap meet this Saturday...$$$
& I found this killer Corvette aluminum calipers break setup...
(Wilwoods will now go on the "Faster Sedan")

Therapy:
After working on/fixing my P.O.S. Magnum for two weeks...
It was very Theraputical to get to work on real car for a change!

Decided to move the engine forward an inch and a half...got the space & it looks better!

T

 

Ground the galvanize off the pipes for the bones...don't want to weld / breathe it...makes you sick!
Got the rock hard tires off some free nice 16's ... thanks man!

 

I guess the engine's staying:
I shackled the new (real! Made in USA!) front spring, to the bone perches.
Now the cross member moved back about an inch to get the right geometry for the spring movement.
Not worth moving the engine half inch!
These Stainless "Beam Clamps" come in handy all the time...
Lifted it up tight against the frame rails for final welding...(got some cleaning to do first!)

Sideview:
Garage fianly clean enough to get a clear shot from the side.
Radiator shell 's moving back 3,or 5 inches.

 

Only time to wrench is after work....

1st.
Trying to get all the proportions to line up...
Front end looked really good earlier but didn't line up
with the main body line...
just keep moving the tape and walk around looking..

2nd.
weird how much less than an inch "does" sometimes...
yellow compaired to blue.

3rd.
I got the stance I'm looking for but i'll try raising the radeater shell
up 1 or 2 inches.

 

The car is looking good. I really like what you did with the frame, and that Hilborn is going to look great poking through the hood.

If I might make a suggestion...you might consider making the engine parallel to the hood, or close to it. It appears to be running uphill quite a bit?

It looks great, but that might be a slight improvement. I know it's tough to keep the transmission under the subrails and still keep the oil pan up off the ground.. I struggled with that and compromised on my current build.

Great job!

 

Howzit Metalman.

Thanks man....
I appreciate all feedback!

I've been going back and forth ( or up & down)...
And I'm still going...
Right now the chassis is sitting with the rear 2 deg down.
On the ground, the back will come up....

(There's a blue pick up in the brookville add....
That's kind of the stance I'm going for...A little less than that...the rear will be lower.)

Engine angle:
The engine is currently 5 deg down so final will be 3 deg...
With the 4inch kick up in the front rail, the body line will go down to small shortened grill shell...

Rear wheel wells:
Today I'm moving the rear end back 2 inches.
(Sat down and looked at it for a long time after moving the body back 1/2 inch and rear wells didn't look right.)

We'll see where it ends up?

T

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Moving the Rear Axle this weekend...?

Nope!...
1st. I had to get the bushings out of the spring..
Made a driver in the Lathe....Still No way they're moving.
Got 3/4 inch drill bit from the local Shity Mill $26....
Done!..All the bronze cam out without damaging the spring.

Then I had to make a Spring Spreader for a model A Spring...
Should be fairly easy with some leftover stuff...?

Made it out of Rigid Conduit 1" & 3/4"..
...It started binding under load...
So I had to finish the surface and Hone the inside.
Home made Socket Hone...

...Now I can start mounting stuff!

 

That's an interesting spring spreader. Nice job. I had to make one too. I used one inch acme thread inside a heavy wall tube and an acme nut to push it apart .

You're going to end up with a really cool tub. The time you are spending mocking things up and studying the proportions will pay off. I'm anxious to see it sitting on the floor rolling.

 

Cross Member:
Got the idea for the rear cross member from the "Swedish Dry Lake Car" (this is the Model A Version)

Ol Fart:
Messed up my back last weekend. so the rear axle got some wheels...(like a wheel barrow).
I moved it 1 3/4 inches backwards.

Keep Going:
Today my buddy will be over after work to help me restle in the spring package. There's not too much room in the back of the car..(I wish I had a bigger garage)

T

 

Thanks Randy!

 

Made some gussets for the inside of the spring mounts.
I think I'll use the Kit brackets on the top or maybe modify them to fit between the drum and the bracket...They're suppose to be mounted on the outside to take the "spreading load"

Rear Cross Member is tacked in place...
Actually the whole chassis is tacked...

LOTSO WELDING!
Finally time to start cleaning all the weld areas, Weld up all the holes in the frame, install body mount nuts and welding in / modifying the boxing plates to fit the frame.
Note to self - Get another tank of Argon!

ACCESS:
I have to try to get the Bottomless Body out of here..(outside under a tarp)..it's getting old to crawling under it.

Can't wait to have a rolling chassis...and get the frame table out of here!

T

 

Lotso space for a rear seat...

Transmission mount is welded to the table so I can box the rails without it being in the way...make a cross member with a removable bracket for it.

Engine out...
Now I just have to get the body out of here...

T

 

Getting the front end welded up.
Right where the cuts were the old cross member was riveted in.
Drilled out all the "rivets" and the 3/16" fish plates will be welded through the holes
& and the back + to the crease line in the frame.
And then I'll start working on getting the boxing plates on...after some weld in nuts for body mounts.

 

I like to post here to show my progress...& now my steps backwards to...!

Allot of you guys are going to say "DUUH!"...But hey! There's gotta be a first for everything...

"Weld through" Primer works (kind of) if you blast it with a MIG.
I've used it for sheet metal in kick boxes etc...

Yesterday I tried to TIG weld in my Fish plates...I figured "it's called weld through primer" soo...
I cleaned out the holes first but the residue in the corners stuff jumps right on the tungsten.
After some attempts..I cut the crap out and I'll start all over tonight.

Weld Through Primer is good for rust but $µ©<$ for welding!

The three C's of Welding....Clean, Clean & Clean!
T

 

1929 Ford "Wheel Barrow"...Got the body on wheels so I can work on the frame..

Nice to have the Garage "wide open" ............until I roll all the stuff back in again.

Front section done - ready for boxing plates.
Fish plates welded in (I won't be posting these in the "incredible welds" section)
On the floor, between the rails, under the body, upside down, gas pedal between the knees...yadi yada.

 

Kicked out of these house....
Wifey had some girls over.

Stuck in the garage..making card board templates (not allowed to make noice).

Done...Now what....
Got RJ in the mail today.
This is a really cool read (Tom Prufer)...
He's got the "stance" down.
T

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Almost bought me a plasma cutter on E-Hay...
Got $(R#VV#) by thethreeonthemoon...they finally canceled my purchase after some threats and stuff..

Anywho, making these would probably have taken an hour or two with a plasma...
instead, oxy torch, (ran out of O2) grinding, band saw & s'more grinding.

But who's in a rush?
T

 

R&C / SSR Article:
I found the (the last?) Rod & Custom August 2014 in the store yesterday.
They had a cool story about a 32 chassis built by Scandinavian Street Rods in Huntington Beach.
Pinched (for a 29 Roadster), with a wedge cut kick up in the back...
Similar to my frame but a bit more Professionally made!
It made me think about my engine location in the chassis...
I never had it on the ground ... I think the 340 has to come up a few clicks... we'll see?

Fishing:
All the "fish plates" are welded in and the frame's dressed up.

Boxing Day:
The 3 piece 32 Boxing plates are finally going in...Sorry, I forgot where I bought them but they're really nice. (those little triangular tabs really helps holding it in place!)
I have to modify front and back kicks to fit...

MIG / TIG?
Thanks to watching a video by Steve Szymanski @ Industrial Chassis Inc and some scrap practice.
I decided to MIG weld the perimeter of the plates. (It would take me forever to TIG it..)
Lotso good little tricks in there!
Thanks Steve!...& That's what HAMB is all about...You can learn / improve your skills on pretty much anything here.

(Inspiration pic)...Back to work!
T

 

Wow...boing plates finally fitted & tacked.
Body mount bolts welded in.
I bunch of holes filled.
& I finally got my MIG running real good.
New spool of wire...old one's bad...?

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X is almost in.

Transmission mount bushings made from suspension bushings i found at Aiea Auto Swap meet last Saturday...Grade 8 bolts from Shity Mill.

Soon it's off the table, flip it and grind / touch up the bottom of the frame.

 

"Rolling" Chassis...finally!

Little more than an X.
Extended the top part for floor support.
Gotta use the steel i have as much as possible.

Tomorrow (after F1) it's off the table!
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