This will be long... so grab a cup of coffee... Haven't done a progress update on the Murray in awhile... probably because I haven't DONE anything on the Murray in awhile. Have a little more time lately, so been bustin' trying to get some raw materials off my floor and into a frame. So I'm building this in sort of an unconventional way. Don't have the space for a huge frame jig or to store the old leveling table that I used for the body, so I decided to combine the two and see where it got me. The nice thing is that all the points from the body are marked since it was screwed right to the table, so I was able to leverage off of that to lay out the frame design on the table. The table is being used primarily just to lay things out. I figured it was better than doing it right on the floor and I have a place to attach guides, clamps and other restraints. So here's what's going on. Some of you should remember that the body was mounted to this table which I was able to level with feet. Well, now it's used for the frame... engine/tranny mock up, mostly for reference. The markings on the table are transposed onto the table from a CAD drawing I made. laying things out.... Made some restraining blocks to help hold the dimensions while I pinch the rails to match the layout. Amazingly they were pretty rigid. (btw- the steel lengths shown were just to get things laid out. I pie cut the rails to pinch them) Next, I tapered the front of the rails... Here's some mock-up stuff. Mostly just to think and stare... So next, she needs a butt. Need a guide to make that butt. So I rigged up a way to hold my pieces in place. don't be fooled. It looks weak, but it's actually pretty stout. Not like a steel frame would be, but it's there mostly just for a clamping surface. It basically gave me a surface to check level, plumb and squareness. Took my time to keep things square and true and got real anal about keeping the cuts square. Spent several hours checking that the cuts were right on so the fit would be right. After a long day and alot of metal dust, here's the end results including the Model A crossmember tacked in place... Axle sitting close to location... End of the day.... Next will be to go through all the dimensions and check squareness to see if anything has moved. So far things look pretty dead nuts including the angles and squareness. I know that could change pretty quick if I get careless and get in a rush. Getting a crossmember in there will help things stay rigid as well. Need to finalize the motor location first. That's it for now. Happy to be moving on this again... Cheers! Scooter
Oh yeah... the CAD drawing I used to lay things out... Made some adjustments along the way and it doesn't really show engine/tranny position nor are forward k-members correct anymore. Will be doing something entirely different for those and for the M/C and pedal arrangements.
Very nice! Hope this gets put in the TECH section and you keep the pics in the same location so they don't disappear from the thread. (hint,hint! LoL) This post should be very helpful to a lot of people! You made a job thats considered tough look extremely easy with simple equipment. You sir, are officially "crafty".
Thats not a bad idea.....Ive got my first mock up to do and your timing to post this, is spot on......thanks for the ideas......i like the fact you can clamp onto lots of areas and that 2x4 aint going nowhere.......Ive seen this wooden jig setup being used on small aircraft frames too..........cheers Bert
Yeah, I'll try to keep the pics in the same place. I have them stored on photobucket and usually don't have a reason to delete or move them. Yeah, just tried to use what I had to get the job done. I have lots of levels, lots of patience and plenty of time to just take it easy and try to do it right. I know that if I start rushing though, this thing is going to get pretty tweaked. Trying to be smart about what I weld, how much and when I weld it so it doesn't pull in the wrong direction. Glad this was of some help to someone. I'll keep the posts coming. Would have liked to have made the reinforcement blocks out of gusseted angle iron or something and then bolted it to the table, but I thought I would start with the wood blocks and see how they do. So far I've been careful not to disturb them and they still place the frame plus or minus an 1/8" or so. Just being careful when I tack things that they are the right dimensions.
Yeah! I wanna' see progress on that Vicky!! Love that thing! The wheel wells will get cut out, I'll make a buck or a guide and take some 18 ga over to my friend's shop and roll a panel to fit and weld them in. Will hopefully never know there was something done after the panels are in...
Yeah! keep us posted! Also, let me know when you get that MO. I'll have some more updates on the Murray soon. I'm foreseeing a couple of very tricky spots with this frame and fitting everything in.... including my own rear! Things are pretty tight between the Hemi extended bell and the inside cowl area. Trying to figure out how to get the leg room I need AND fit three pedals in! I think I'm going to have to straddle the frame rail with the pedals... clutch on the outside and brake and throttle to the inside of the frame. Also, I'm struggling with a front crossmember/spring hanger and it's relationship to the lower crank pulley. Need to make some very carefull predictions about engine placement VERY soon so I can get the K-member nailed down and get the frame reinforced.
Maybe I should have just widdled the frame out of wood?? Sub-floor covered with plywood and then hardwood flooring! Actually, truth be had... I hired this guy for a couple days!
Actually... I wonder what the floor WOULD look like if it was covered in hardwood flooring??? HMMM... LOL!
Wood frame tables RULE! ..... as well as dirt floors and bricks Good Job.....I love the shortened Sedan
Man, I've seen that drawing a couple times, heard about this day for months and seen the pile of steel laying in you garage. It's nice to see and hear you finally started gettin that frame going. Looks like she's coming along just fine. the next few weeks are going to be real busy for me, but if you need some help after that, you know how to get a hold of me my friend!
You know I'll be calling you! At the very least you will need to come over and drink some beer with me brotha'!
The front of those rails will get some more modifications. I want the nose of the rails to match the contour of the bottom of the grille shell. They will get cut and a rounded piece of tube or something inserted so it will flow with the bottom better. Those are the fun details to worry about later. First the structure... Thanks for the props! Super excited that something is happening with this! Can't wait to get the body back on and see what it looks like with a frame under it!!
super ingenious idea. i especially like the 2x4 stops to keep it all in line. i think this deserves to be in tech archives for sure.
Nice work scooter! Keep up the progress so I can get a ride in that beast the next time I'm in Vegas! What up Brudwich bro's?
HEEEEY man!! You will definitely get a ride in this thing some day!! Let me know next time you're coming to Vegas so we can get together and get a beer or something. Good to hear from ya'!! ... now... if only we heard more from the Brudwich bro's!
After hearing all those stories about the neighborhood the Brudwich's told me----Maybe thay are just barricaded in their man-cave and afraid to come out!
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