Hot Rods The Belly Button Bucket Build Thread

BELCOM method.

BEer, Lawn Chair and Old Music!

 

Greta job on putting together this build thread. I wish I was as disciplined as you. I get working away and never stop to document what I'm doing with photos!

Unless I missed it somehow I'm curious how you went about mounting the frog mouth scoops to your Rochester's? I also am running frog mouths on my Rochester's but I made a little bracket that is bolted on to to stock air cleaner bar but I see you machined your off. Must be something simple but if you could fill me in I would be greatful!

 

Thanks Bondo Slinger.

All I did was drill/tap a lower location for a set screw in the frog mouth scoops. I also dimpled the air horn of the carb top - that way the set screw has a divot to seat into. If you need a picture, I can try to remember taking one next time I'm out there.

 

Gas Tank, eh? Well, I do remember saying I would help.....Have to finish that highly modified Grille Shell for you first. Happy New Year.......

 

Awesome little car and very well thought out thread. I look forward to seeing it around Portland. Subscribed

 

Wow. This is one of the most thorough threads I have ever read.

Amazing build. Great job and beautiful car.

 

This build would be great if so many pictures hadn't been lost. Not sure if the fault is mine (my computer) or something else but I'm missing a lot.

Bill

 

Bill,
I don't have any issues on my end- all the pictures seem to be there. Anyone else having problems?

I've been working on the car like a madman every day, most of the day, for the last week and a half. I should have a couple things to update pretty soon, but I don't want to do that until the update will be significant. Thanks to any and all following along.

 

I, for one, am trying to be as patient as possible!

I must say that I appreciate the time you put into posting very complete and informative updates!

 

All the images are showing up for me...try it again, Bill.

 

great thread thanks for taking the time to document the details... inspiring stuff.

 

Believe I am up to date on your posts - great job. What happened to the "drilled" front axle? Many pictures without it. I was concerned holes to close together & would weaken axle - is it installed or? Did I miss it?

 

Hurry Up.......Shoebox Ford Work could be in your future....but I want to see you make progress on the car. That way there is pressure applied to the Grille rework and Tank Fab......

 

Amish Mike,

Thanks for checking out the build. I set up the thread in categories rather than in chronological order, so many of the items pictured are not in order as far as timeline goes. That's why you're seeing some things in a few pictures and finding them absent later on.

Regarding the drilled axle, I am using the minimum accepted spacing between holes: 1.5x diameter of hole. Most axles you see pre-drilled from a catalog have the holes spaced at something like 2x the diameter of the hole. Reasons behind my decision are: the car is very light, the axle is forged, the web was damn near a half an inch thick, not breaking any rules here, just pushing the limits of acceptability haha. As an aside, I have drilled a couple early Ford axles in the past, and they were half the thickness in the web, so I do not question the integrity of this axle. If it was going in a heavier car, or if I was planning on pulling the front wheels on a launch or something like that, I would not have drilled the axle at the minimum accepted spacing. Sorry for the lengthy response to a simple question; I just wanted to fully explain myself in case someone else decided to drill their axle after seeing this thread.

 

I hesitate to "like" this post as the shoebox and I are not the best of friends...

I have a very, very optimistic goal of taking the first test drive on my 30th birthday, which is just over a month away. There are many, many more days I need to spend in the garage for this to happen lol. On the bright side of your "pressure" situation, you will become Internet famous for your outstanding craftsmanship once again when I get to update this thread with your work! I'm hoping to get you a fuel tank pattern first week in February.... also, I need to call you to get your T5 rebuilder's contact info, figure out which Powergen I need to order, and I will likely need assistance heating/bending clutch and brake pedals very soon...... do you think they sell Red Bull by the gallon anywhere?

 

Perhaps I should look into a Keg for the shop.....

Get in touch when you have a minute. I`ll help when I can......PS....I`m now on Instagram.......

Good Grief.....I may have been dragged into the `Modern Age`!!.....

 

What did you do for over the transmission? Did you built a brace and then wrap with fiberglass?

 

Josh,

Good question! I have been putting this off as the transmission to be used was up in the air. I will be sure to post this as I complete that portion of the build.

 

Mines in the same position not sure if I am going to use oak 1by to frame around then wrap or what yet.

 

What I was planning to do is lay some scrap carpet over the trans loop down so the glue side is up. Wax the crap out of it so the resin won't stick, then lay the glass mat over that. It gives you a clearance barrier between the trans and the tunnel, and it's pretty simple to lay up. I learned that little nugget of knowledge from Kiwi Tinbender on here. Thanks Paul!

 

Sounds good I may have to try that would like to save as much floor room as possible

 

Suffice to say you're a detail orientated guy, huh? Good work man, it's gonna be a bitchin' T when you're done.

Not sure if you have, but post some pics in the official T roaster/bucket/touring thread. Lots of the guys posting in there may be unawares of your adventure.

 

Old-Soul,

It is a disease without a cure, but a project like this keeps the OCD at bay and prevents it from infiltrating other areas of life .

It's been awhile - like 2 years ago or something- that I posted in that thread. I will wait for the final mock up so I am getting the true proportions across... I am hoping very soon!

My fingerprints are gone from sanding... Also, I may need to find a couple new Pandora stations as my go to 5 or 6 have been cycled over and over for far too long... maybe the Rocky soundtrack will get me by for awhile.... Also, one final note, and only a few of you readers will know the back story, but the crazy lady that lives nearby has severely crippled my progress.

From catching her kitchen on fire and screaming bloody murder for quite some time (for sure until the 10 or 12 fire trucks showed up...), to requesting I take her grocery shopping, which turned into a two hour ordeal of me thinking to myself as I waited in the parking lot inside my car, "Just drive away. You probably won't see her for a couple days. It will be fine." Then there's the several drop in visits each time I'm over there where I listen to her tell me, "You will never get this car finished", and "You need to just take it to someone that knows what they're doing", then "Why don't you have a cot to sleep on in here since you're here all the time anyway", and "Oh by the way here's some punch and fried chicken I made you"... Then finally, "I need YOU to take me apartment hunting. I have to be out on the 31st and I don't have anywhere to go." She's been telling me about this move since August.... and it comes down to the final few days.... Needless to say, my next garage visits will be night missions....

 

Tim,
On your trans cover, this is how I did mine, I wanted it to be removable, and did it in 2 sections. The rear section is 18 ga steel, a friend of mine is a master with fiberglass, built the front section, to give me maximum room around the pedals.

 

A couple layers of 1/2" carpet foam wrapped w/ tape [I like the 2" clear packing tape] makes a good reasonably smooth form for the trans. tunnel..
dave

 

That does look good. Floor space is pretty minimal in these

 

The tape keep it from sticking to the fiberglass

 

I did the foam wrap just waxed it good. Worked great did two layers got the body off and and foam pulled off. Going to run another layer on top and one on bottom.

 

Ok, I can't hold out any longer. I will have to go back and update each post later, but here's a couple teaser pics.





My brother Andy and my cousin Josh Rowell (aka Money Pit) helped me get the chassis back to a roller to check clearances/proportions after being apart for a year now...

 

Excellent workmanship and thread. I really like your approach to engineering and your attention to planning and detail, well done.