Modified Murray update: good the bad and the ugly

Finally! Another update to report! Sorry for the delay!

This weekend was like a small vacation for me... Saw family and good friends, stopped by the "Last Rockabilly Rod Reunion" real briefly to see some cars, Nitro FEDs, check out Sellers stuff and take in some rays and some music... Made some good progress, I definitely have some VIP's to talk about for the weekend and overall the weekend was successful and awesome, but ended sorta BAD...

First thing was first.... go to Anaheim to stop by Moore Parts (http://www.mooreparts.com/) for some brackets. Moore Parts is a shop specializing in sand rails and off road stuff and also the place where I would find HAMBer Motorbike Mike! Since the number of hours in a weekend if pretty limited I need to find ways to work smart. I decided to buy some pre-fab tabs and brackets to mount the body secure. Motorbike Mike had EXACTLY what I needed to get the job done. A whole bag of brackets and I was off! Thanks Mike! You're a ruler!

So let's get down to business. I needed to get that body mounted. Enough of the subframe was constructed for a solid mount and the body needs to be mounted before I can put it on a trailer so it doesn't turn into a kite when I hit the highway. Here's how I did it.

The brackets and hardware:


I welded the nut to the bottom so I wouldn't have to attack it from both sides when taking the body off and putting it back on. No assistance needed to pull hardware. Sorry about the bad picture. Had a lot of camera issues this weekend.

After marking out all the locations for body mounts, I tacked them all in place. Flat tab on top and the flange tab on the bottom for the frame.



Here's the layout in the central area of the body:



I also located some at the front behind where the fire wall will be:



The back of the body was another story though. The subfloor in the rear needed some modifications before I could mount things. I didn't make the mods a priority for the weekend. Here's what I'm dealing with though...





I need to move the support that goes between the rear quarters back. I will make a jog in the 1x2 cross piece and gusset it. The gussets will become the body mounts. It's super strong and simple where its at, but I need to make access panels to get to the space under the kick up for the little storage I'll have as well as the battery, since it will also be crammed in that area. The mods will have to wait for now though. I have bigger fish to fry and the body won't be going anywhere with the new mounts.

Now that everything is tacked in place and everything looks good, it was time to gusset the flat tabs so they're strong. Cut small pieces of angle from scrap 3/16" flat bar and welded everything up.



When I make the floor pans, I will make access recesses for the mounting hardware at each point. Soon I will need to finish up this floor subframe and also the drive shaft loops so I can finalize the plan for the floor pans and trans tunnel. I can't wait to see a floor in this thing!!

Now that the body is mounted, it's time to make a run out to the Las Vegas Speedway to check out the Rockabilly Rod Reunion for a bit...


**** INTERMISSION *****

 

Okay, blew off some steam for a couple hours and got some sun... back to work! Time to build a firewall!

Looking at the old firewall, I got to thinking maybe I should see what I can do with it first. It's super heavy, has all the reinforcements I need as well as the shape. Maybe with a little cleaning up, I could reverse it and make it work for me.



My first thought was, "this thing is pretty deep! Even if I reverse it I have a whole new set of problems related to foot clerance and pedal clearance." So I decided to take some metal out and try to get some of the bulk out of it.









No good... still too deep for what I wanted. Time to start thinking about new alternatives. I figured this would be the case, but needed to at least try and use the old one. By now it was getting late and the sky had long turned dark. Working under lights and by the power of coffee. I'm sure the neighbors were starting to get annoyed at this point also....



So now that I've completely destroyed a sort of hard to find firewall with a tear drop blister, the creative section of my brain started to kick in (the upper, middle, left lower, right side next to the slimey noodle part that is seperated by the brain cloud that will some day drive me to go to an island and jump into a valcano). That blister I cut out sure was looking attractive!



Hmmmmm....



With some trimming and a flange, maybe I could make something out of that thing. Oh well.... back to fire walls! I had a HUGE amount of work ahead of me and it was time to get on it.

 

So I would build one from scratch. Thanks to the Brudwich (Andrew and Dave) I had the tools I needed to make life a little easier during the process. How about a plasma cutter to get the rough shape I needed. Also, this here bead roller will make it strong and pretty:



And this shrinker stretcher arrangement will help me shrink and stretch the flanges to get the shape I need:



So the first thing I did was take some template paper and got the shape I needed so I could start cutting out the 18 gage sheet metal.



When I started this is pretty much what I was thinking...



Time to cut! Plasma cutters are officially my new favorite tool! It gave me the rough shape I needed and then I cleaned up the edges and started bending the flanges. Starting with the bottom flange and the trans tunnel flange, I used a crescent wrench to get the initial shape and some cheap body hammers to stretch the lip and get the shape.



I couldn't get the metal to stretch enough so I made some relief cuts to take the taco shape out of the potentially flat firewall.

I did the same for the side and top flanges. They needed to be shrunk and the shrinker helped pull this off. Once again, I needed to make some relief cuts in the corners to get the shape because I didn't have those handy crimp shrinkers to get the shape.



Now that I have the initial shape, it's time to go to bed. It's 1:00 AM and the neighbors are probably cringing with every hammer blow at this point.

Some coffee, some eggs, and it's time to start some fitting and trimming.



Getting close



Andrew came over and gave me a hand with the fitting process. Always great to have the extra hand around to make things go faster. I needed all the time I could get at this point. I should be on the road headed home by now! Time to get serious!



Now that the shape is where I needed it, it was time to start thinking about some strength beads. I layed out some lines and Andrew and I went to it. This was my first time using a bead roller. I think things turned out pretty decent.





Lets see how it looks in place...



I think we have a winner! It's ready to be welded in place. Just the sides will be welded and the top will be bolted like the stock firewall. The cowl top needs to come off so I can access the master cylinders and dash components. I will finish this up next time though. Time to get on the road.

Next time I will make the aluminum insert that will go over the firewall. I spent all that time making that thing and the only thing you will see is the back side! LOL! Oh well.... I know it's there!

The car was supposed to come home this weekend. I decided that wasn't going to happen before I ever left for Vegas. It will come home next time though. I knew there was too much to do and for other reasons wasn't going to be able to get it in my garage anyway. Can't wait to put it on the trailer and get it home though.

So overall this was a pretty successful weekend. Lots done and lots learned. Got to see great friends and met new people. Again, thanks to Motorbike Mike as well as The Brudwich brothers for the assistance in making it all happen!! Couldn't have done all that without you guys!

I hit the road in good spirits. It was late already. Didn't get out of town until about 6:30. Stopped for coffee along the way and the drive back was actually pretty smooth. When I got home, it was another story...

...I came home to a trashed place and lots of stuff missing!! More than a grand worth of belongings and personal items. I believe I know who did it and how it happened, but can't prove anything and the HB police are worthless. I'm trying to convince myself "it's just stuff", but it's tough when you work hard and have a big set back like that. I think I'm more pissed than anything that they stole one of my HAMB shirts and all my Mad Fabricators Society and Choppertown DVD's. I don't understand people... I never will.

So I move on! Cars are therapy and work is therapy! I will pick up the pieces and move on. All I'm thinking about is the next jam session on the Murray!!

 

the project is looking great. i'm just starting my first build and am learning a lot from this - thanks for the added detail.

very sorry to hear about the theft - doesn't look like it's slowing you down much though. i will never understand thievery. it has a two pronged effect of losing stuff that you value and sometimes the hate can consume you a bit.

 

the blister looks a little to big. enjoying the progress, keep it up.

 

I agree! I think I'm going try cutting a about an inch off and see how it looks. It may just be the wrong profile all together. With enough coffee, anything can start looking good at the moment though! LOL! I will probably end up using something else.

 

I'm learning a TON building this thing! Never had to work metal like that before, so it was like going to another planet for me. I even gave up and threw the work down a couple times thinking there was no way in hell it was going to work out in the end. Took a couple breaks and just started back at it. Biggest thing I've learned on this build is PATIENCE! It's a REQUIREMENT! I've resolved problems just by sitting around for two hours and staring at things or sketching things out on paper as I come up with ideas just to get them down and revisit later if I need to. It will all work out in the end. I'll just keep working till it does, I guess! A bunch of low-life thieves aren't going to stop the progress of this car. I've been through too much with this car and I want to see it through, no matter what it takes! I don't have time for evil people. I'll let sir karma take care of that avenue.

 

it needs to taper back into the body rather than just stuck to the side, reducing the over all print by about an 1" all the way around might be over kill, but tapering the cut (1" off the front, tapered to nothing cut off the back)

 

I was thinking it looked like a decent sized boobie, but the other is cool, too. I agree it's too big for your car, I need it for mine!

 

keep up the good work scooter. Always enjoy reading your updates, sorry to hear about the break in.

 

Hmmm.... interesting. Hadn't thought about that way.

Richard, Richard.... what am I going to do with you my friend? LOL! (snicker)

 

Awww man... the worst part was that they didn't break in. They had a key. Makes it even more hurtful.

Screw it... I have my car, my tools, my laptop and a TV. I'm all good as long as nobody steals my drive, vision, determination, and creativity from me!

 

This about sums up my opinion of your charachter, from what I've seen.

 

Hey scott, glad I could help out with the tabs and brackets... maybe next time I could be there to wrench with you too


Mike

 

id be for changing the locks and reinforcing the garage doors before you get that thing trailored home.

id come unglued if id done all that work, got it home, and some low life fucked it up

 

Locks are being changed as we speak and the garage remote DIP switches reconfigured. I'm with ya'!

It will be here soon, so count on it!

 

Damn, small world. Mike, you know the names Dean Kirsten, RK Smith, Bruce Simurda, Steve Gotoski, Linda Dill...???
Yeah, I thought you would... 8=)
(Used to work with that crazy bunch....)

 

...enough about stupid thieves...

Those of you who have done aluminum inserts, how did you do them? I was thinking of using some 1/2" standoffs and some buttonhead screws on the front and backside. Any thoughts? I need it to be a little stout because I'll have the oil filter and fuel blocks mounted to it.

 

Looks great, the cowl dimple idea is excellent, great inginuity!

 

Use long internally threaded standoffs so you don't need nuts on the inside of the firewall. Your local hardware store should have loooonnngg nuts to use for this.

 

Thanks for the update, now you've given me something else to ponder - the firewall.

Sorry some dirtbag stole your shit. Sounds like it was a fellow hot rodder if they took your MFS DVDs, which just makes it worse. Like you said though, it's just stuff and you can replace it.

Keep updating us as you go, there are alot of us rookies out there watching intently as you work.

 

This is EXACTLY what I was thinking! I saw them when I was there getting the body mounting hardware. They had several different sizes. Was thinking 1/2" or 3/4" would get it where I wanted. If I get them too long I'm afraid the weight of the insert with all the stuff on it put in under vibration conditions will only make it sag or bend the standoffs. I will probably use a dozen or so to make it nice and strong. Didn't look at sizing, but maybe 1/4"-20 x 3/4" long will do the trick.

 

Thanks druss and everyone else for the compliments!

Druss, you know your car and my car are related now! Can't wait to put that header/undervisor piece on! The old one is KILLING me with all the cancer and rust. Funny... I have that panel still in the box and it was on the shelf right next to a bunch of stuff they took. Thank GOD they didn't take that panel!!!!!

Would be great to meet you too! Maybe our cars can meet someday also! LOL!

 

...i've learned two things from reading this thread...

#1...you......are a mental case

#2...you do good work for a white boy

 

BWWWWWWAAAAAAHHHAAAA!!! I just developed new love for Larry!

I'm hoping the "good work" part will be therapy to solve the "mental case" part! LMAO!!

 

Things are looking good Scooter, I didn't have a chance to make it to the RBRR this past weekend. Things are to crazy with my work, just about have my US-95 project done. But starting my new project I-15 Design Build, is kicking my butt.

 

Ya' know Clyde... everytime I drive into town and land on the I-95 I CURSE YOU! LOL!! BWAAHHAA!! Hurry up and get that highway done man!!

I'll be around next weekend to load the car up. Come by on Saturday morning if you get a chance. Would be good to see you!

Cheers!

 

I'm definitely thinking about road trips as I build this car. Sure, the car is far from being practical, but where possible I'm doing what I can taking into account the possibility that one of these days I'm going to grab a bag, get behind the wheel, put it in gear and just GO and see where I end up. This car is to drive not to putts around or put on a trailer and take to shows. I will make it to the HAMB Drags one of these days. We will meet one of these days for sure!!

Speaking of.... haven't seen any updates on the Vicky in awhile. How's that comin?

 

Rock on Scooter! Wish I had as much progress to report, but its on the way. Did you end up using the wheel studs in the rear?

 

I did buy wheel studs, yes. Haven't done anything with them yet, but I did buy a whole box and I will drill and press in the studs. They were surprisingly cheap also. I'm just using the bolts for now to get it rolling.