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Projects New FED project

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Dolmetsch, Dec 29, 2009.

  1. Today I started on my new FED project. I bought the metal and started building the front suspenion member. It will use 1/4 eliphtics which will also be lower suspension links. i am hoping this build will be a bit more leisurely than the last. I just tacked it together today. But I am started. I am planning on a 120 inch wheelbase. I bought the tubing for the front axle as well. So far i am in $19.
    Don
     

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  2. slepe67
    Joined: Jan 22, 2008
    Posts: 1,146

    slepe67
    Member

    you building the chassis also? Refresh my memory, what was your last build? Too many to keep track of in here :) thanks
     
  3. well now, this is one more I'll have to watch.
     
  4. slepe67
    Joined: Jan 22, 2008
    Posts: 1,146

    slepe67
    Member

    mctim, we seem to be looking at all the same threads today...somebody ELSE has the FED bug! haha
     

  5. THE_DUDE
    Joined: Aug 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,601

    THE_DUDE
    Member

    Ok I am kinda slow what is a FED?
     
  6. HemiRambler
    Joined: Aug 26, 2005
    Posts: 4,208

    HemiRambler
    Member

    It means different things to different people. But for most motor heads it means Front Engine Dragster

     
  7. THE_DUDE
    Joined: Aug 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,601

    THE_DUDE
    Member

    Ah thank you. Im a lowrider/kustom guy . Not cool enough for a fed. But I do like um, Anyone who will sit on the rearend , hats off to ya.
     
  8. Vern Christy
    Joined: Dec 28, 2009
    Posts: 44

    Vern Christy
    Member
    from Picton Ont

    Well now that we have the Mini Jeep ready to go, Don needs something to do! The Jeep will be out of the way as soon as I get the Trailer out of the paint shop.
     
  9. HemiRambler
    Joined: Aug 26, 2005
    Posts: 4,208

    HemiRambler
    Member

    You're quite welcome. BTW it's COOL having a FED, but having one doesn't make you cool.

    Now sittin' on that rear end - that there is COOL - or maybe NUTS - I'm still not sure...

    I like customs - I'm just not cool enough to have one.:eek:

     
  10. <HR style="COLOR: #e5e5e5; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #e5e5e5" SIZE=1> "you building the chassis also? Refresh my memory, what was your last build? Too many to keep track of in here"

    Here are the last 4 in order from now back. Vern and I finished last of the Jeep Altered together.
    Yes I am building the whole chassis. This is how I start. We will build everything except I send my aluminum work out if I can't do it easily in house.
     

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    Last edited: Dec 30, 2009
  11. slepe67
    Joined: Jan 22, 2008
    Posts: 1,146

    slepe67
    Member

    very cool, thanks
     
  12. Today I made the end plugs for the front crossmember using old hole saw plugs from another project and turning them in my mini lathe for a press fit in the ends of the tubing. I also drilled them through so I can thread them later for old style fricton shock. I haven't decided on the bolt size so I just gave them a pilot hole while still on the lathe. I cleaned the inside of the tubing and popped them in with a light tap of the hammer, then using my mig I tacked them in three spots and made sure they were straight. I then welded them. I quit here as I had accomplished my goal for the day successfully. This works for me as I won't get in a hurry. If this stuff seems detailed and too slow, remember every big project is just a series of tiny projects completed and put together. Set small goals for each day or week and make sure you complete them. Don't think about the end other than for planning. Just plug away on each small section till eventually the whole thing is done. I spent about 1 1/2hrs today. It was fun without being burdensome.
     

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  13. I am leaning strong to the 6 cyl jag engine idea. Had an offer to sell me one and it was reasonable, I keep thinking though that people are always putting chevys in their jags. Where are the motors they didnt want?
    Don
     
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2010
  14. Bought a complete Jag 6 engine today. He has another partial and said whatever extra i need I can get from it. Havent said anything to MRS D yet. Once it is home iwill expalin. Don
     
  15. rjgideon
    Joined: Sep 12, 2005
    Posts: 559

    rjgideon
    Member

    The old it's easier to ask for forgiveness rather than permission trick. A guy's got to have a hobby, good to see you enjoying retirement.
     
  16. Vern Christy
    Joined: Dec 28, 2009
    Posts: 44

    Vern Christy
    Member
    from Picton Ont

    Knew when I picked Don up this am to go look at an altered that is for sale that he was also on a "Mission" After we looked at the Altered, Don had to go check out the Jag engine.
    Will have to watch what I say around Mrs. D until Don lets the "Cat" out of the bag. Just trying to decide if he should be called Nigel or Clive now.
    Gotta love the sound of a Race Jag. We were talking today about when we used to work on them. I said the only real thing we did was fix oil leaks.
     
  17. The Cat (A Jag is a cat right?) is out! She just grinned and said OH. Well I hope you dont want it done by next july. (Nope August will be just fine!)
    don
     
  18. Some may wonder why a JAG. Well first i am a hemi nut and a six cyl Jag is a hemi. Have had a 392 and a 426 and up till Vern relieved me of one was tinkering (and still am on one )with a pair of a 5.7 Hemis (I have one left) As Vern mentioned though, back in our mispent youth we worked on these cars at the local dealer. Later when i was working at Wilsons machine shop i built one for a friend of ours Paul Ruttan. I was astounded at the quality and design of the jag six. Paul sold the motor and never put it in the car (59 Anglia) I always wondered in the back of my mind how it would have worked. I ran accross a pair of Jag motors last year at our local auto wreckers who is also a friend. He kept them for me all year but i couldnt make up my mind. Then i got started on this new rail now that the Jeep car is done and wondered "what does it need." I already have a slant six rail. Then it hit me. It needs a Jag six. I did a bit of research and came accross this utube deal http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&hl=en-GB&v=H9jl3BbWRA4

    After that i was toast. I would wake up dreaming about the sound of one of these with a big North American style cam and a load of compression. Today i even said to Vern "I wonder what they sound like on Nitro" Of Course he just shook his head and grinned. Being retired and enjoying it I also realize these wonderful days of foolishness will not last forever. I am trying to make the most of them. It should be fun and it sure will be interesting. Malsehen as my forefathers would say.
    Don
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2010
  19. While I need my wooden jig to do the build and i cant get it out by myself, the bottom rails came today. After picking them up I could not resist at least laying out the front crossmember/suspenion mount, the future front tube axle and the two new rails. When i got back to the shop Vern had left for the day but there was a note "Your "CAT" is ready to be picked up!" Cat -- JAGUAR? Obviously! Tomorrow I will have that here as well. How is a man supposed to sleep?
    Don
     

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  20. I picked up the motor today. They left me the trans as well just in case so I have sometime to decide. Motor is not siezed but rolls over.
    Interesting deal so far to me. I bought the motor and all accessories for $300. It is not a hemi but a 4 valve per cyl pent roof engine. it has an alloy block and head and is a very exotic piece. I do not kow yet what size it is. i just know what it is not. I am hoping it is a 4L but whatever it is it is here now. I maybe have the first FED with this type of power. I also discovered it can be supercharged. They used a Eaton M90.
    I have one in the shop! Anyway tomorrow i will check the stroke. That will tell me which engine it is. So far i am in $413 on the entore FED project. I am still looking for an older Jag six nearby but this will be fun as well. A bird in the hand you know! It isnt however in the spirit of this buld so i am going to continue lookig for a vintage Jag 6. I am not throwing this one out though although I might be persuaded to trade it for the real thing..
    Don
     

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    Last edited: Jan 16, 2010
  21. Worked on the layout today for the new chassis. My old jig doesnt work for this car. Will have to make a new one. Otherwise the car will be too long. Big problem is to make the front rails close together at the front crossmsmber (about 8 inches) and yet still have enough room for the bellhousing AND STARTER (a part that often gets forgotten til it is too late) I am wanting 130 inch wheeelbase because of the extra length of the Jag engines.
     
  22. The build begins. I was able to rework the old jig slightly to get it were I wanted it. Front crossmember which mounts the 1/4 eliphtic front suspension is now welded in place. Squareness has been checked before the final weld. I need to add a crossmember upstream from the front end so nothing gets bent or misaligned. After that I will make the front tube axle which is sitting in this picture with the laypout done. I intend to fab the complete axle including spindles.
    Don
     

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  23. Jeff Norwell
    Joined: Aug 20, 2003
    Posts: 14,811

    Jeff Norwell
    MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    Your making your jig for the chassis out of.....wood?....is that going to work?
     
  24. Candy-Man
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 1,715

    Candy-Man
    Member

    Is that Tiger Maple similar to the floor in your truck Jeff ?
     
  25. Not "making" ,I made it a couple of years ago. Because most cars use or are built to accomodate a V8 at some point in their life dimensions are fairly similar. Biggest bugggaboo i have dealt with is making sure there is room for a starter on a V8. Even though this is being built for a six I want to be able to put say ,a early Hemi, in it if I want as well. Also because i am wide myself I have to make sure there is enough width for me to get in and out. By building and using this jig i know those items are going to be ok. This build is a bit longer than my other cars and I wanted the narrow front end set up like the old FEDS so I had to come up with a plan. A couple of shims made from 2x4 fastened properly at the right spot on each side gave me the design I wanted and I can hold it all secure while I weld it. How do I hold the tubing in place? I thought you would never ask. With wide elastic bands.
    Wood is more stable than steel temperature wise.
    Yeah it will work . This is the third car I have built on it. I use the jig to keep eveything lined up. I know there are a hundred guys who need a surface plate and a dial indicator.
    I have an engineer friend who built telescopes.He built an aligment fixture for fine tuning the mirror from Maple. Works to a millionth of an inch he said. He taught me to use wood for things you only need for a while. The Ontario Science Centre borrowed his wooden tool too because it was more accutate than their exotic one.
    I have to come clean though. I have made parts of intake manifolds (2X4 top) from wood for testing and have run them (without problems too) as well as engine break in stands for running in Race engine that was being shipped to Europe from my shop here. Noahs Ark was made of wood. The Titanic was made of steel . And then there are the Misquito Bomber we made here during the war. All wood . Two Rolls Royce Merlins of humunguous HP hanging on them and top speed of 400+mph. Would and did accidently carry heavier bomb load the a Flying Fortess. The Cesna Crane was wood (US has a different name for it. T50 maybe?) and there was another plane whose production in Canada only was all wood fuselage. Miss Supertest was wood as were many many very very fast race boats. Even my homemade fiddles are wood. Wood is good stuff , cheap, stable and easy to correct mistakes on . I often build things in wood first to see if it will work then copy it over into metal. Anyway It works well for me. Strong cheap and stable. No good for a production shop I am sure but for a hobbyist like myself tis fine.
    Don
     
    Last edited: Jan 18, 2010
  26. Jeff Norwell
    Joined: Aug 20, 2003
    Posts: 14,811

    Jeff Norwell
    MODERATOR
    Staff Member

  27. Sorry, perhaps I said too much in my answer.

    Worked on drilling the axle tubing for the king pin bosses today. Here is the spot to spend time getting it right. The bosses will be welded in at exact right angle then the axle drop bent in giving the desired KPI. Havent tried this before but i think it will work. Mocked up the springs in paper today.
    I also worked for an hour on the lathe making a prototype injector body from a scrap carb casting. I will need six of these if it turns out I like the result.
    Don
     

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    Last edited: Jan 19, 2010
  28. iagsxr
    Joined: Aug 26, 2008
    Posts: 239

    iagsxr
    Member

    I'm really interested in watching this come together.

    I have an old frame table setup from my circle track days, but have jigged many things like bumpers w/wood. It's all in the guy reading the tape and how you control the heat during final welding anyway.

    That's not mainly why I'm interested, think the car'll be cool. Just a vote of confidence for your jig.
     
  29. Thanks for the vote of confidence. I am really an engine guy (and a door slammer racecar builder as a hobby.) I had though for thirty five years the desire to try snowmbile carbs on a slant six. Never could convince any of my customers to try it and so since it was one thing I never got to try I built the manifold and looked around for a car. Decided just to build a vintage style rail and some of the jig here was used to set that car up. I have had a ball with that rail and then decided to see what a jeep altered would look like. I reworked the jig and added to it as as you will understand once you have built one you realize what would be better for the next one. The jeep project is done and will leave for a car show in TO tomorrrow. I sold it to Vern my old chum and mitarbeiter from the late 60s. I wanted to do another rail and a Jag six since both Vern and I were Jag mechanics in our mispent youth. The local wreckers sold me a complete engine for $300 which i will redo and hop up to a resonable level. I wanted to try a longer chassis and bit narrower front spread. I spent a lot of time thinking and came up with a minor mod that let me do that on this jig. I never planned ever to be building chassis. I just sort of got into it accidently but I like it a lot. My health is all but shot so i dont think there are many cars left in this ol fart but I think i can do this one and the wood jig will get the job done for me again I am sure. But like I said i never intended to be doing this. Otherwise i probably would have built a proper surface plate long ago. Anyway it works for me and suits my thinking. I am almost anxious too to see how the Jag six does in my FED. It will take a while though. I am trying not to get in a rush. I am trying to enjoy my retirement.
    Don
     
  30. Worked on the front springs today making them up from a single light duty trailer spring. Fitted it up today. I will leave them like this till the car is assembled then i can finesse the spring rate and number of leaves. I may also rework the bottom plates so they dont show. Tomorrow i will work on making the front tubular axle. As you can see I have already started.
    Don
     

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