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Projects Modified Lakester Build (THUNDERCASKET)

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by patmanta, Nov 12, 2012.

  1. Stogy
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 26,345

    Stogy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I think this wedge shape with the Swept Up Rear body work very well together...and it does have a very aggressive presence...this is something you've been chasing for a while and I would say you have nailed it...Go Pat Go...
     
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2020
    chryslerfan55 and patmanta like this.
  2. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    Thanks! I would still like to be even lower, but that will have to wait for another car. This is about as low as I can go with this car the way it is built.
    Smaller tires wold get me down a little and may be in the cards. I'm currently running 29" up front and 32" in back.
    I already know I need to do something about my pitman arm. When I picked up another 2" of drop from the flat crossmember, it dropped my pitman too low for comfort. I had it set up perfect for the original configuration; everything was parallel and on the same plane. Now I figure I need to either move the box or torch the pitman to get it up 2" if I can.

    You can see it hanging down below the axle in this pic here:
    20200217_161633a.jpg
    I had my phone against the ground so the angle exaggerates things a bit but yeah, it scares me too.

    Here is a somewhat lesser concern but still not as nice as I had it. The drag link (black) is now at an angle, where before I had it parallel. This is from moving the spring and axle up 4" ~ 5". I am not sure how much of an issue this is.
    20200217_161252a.jpg
     
  3. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    It may not look like much change, but this picture is more about what you DO NOT SEE than what you do; there are no clamps holding the rear panel to the rear quarters in this picture. It would have gone a lot quicker with another set of hands but I got it done within the allotted amount of cussing and time.

    20200222_152333.jpg
    Also pictured above is the Model A crossmember hump cover I scored on clearance through Mac's/Ecklers. This will save me a bunch of time and gives me a good starting point to wrap my head around what will become my trunk floor. I also picked up some floorboards at the same time. They came in a bit wide but I'll take that over too small. I think I may end up cutting the slots out entirely and making a steel plate for the pedals to pass through once I take about 2" out of them.

    20200222_154314.jpg

    Other than that, I cut the day a little short to go on to other things but I spent some time starting to think about a rear nerf bar and fuel tank placement. I determined that one big cab-width hoop would look stupid. I'd need to come out at least 2' from the back of the cab to clear the tires and that won't look right. So I'm thinking of a narrower bumper back there, possibly a sprint car front bumper. Other ideas are an oval bumper set vertically run about a foot off the rear end center and/or a couple T-bars run off the axle housings like the Carillo Roadster had.

    As far as the tank goes, I'd like to run it outside the cab, but I'm not sure if I want to disrupt the look of the back of the cab and the rear end. I've got a cool tank I'd run if I do run outboard though. If I run inboard, it's no big thing to make a firewall and run a spun or poly tank back there somewhere. I do have some cool aluminum flip caps if I go that way.

    20200222_153010.jpg
    ^See what I mean? That's also where I want to put the shock mounts.
     
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  4. Why not do like a modern race car, and weld stubs to the chassis and make removable nerf bars.

    You could also build a roll bar/nerf bar combo, and make shock mount off the roll bar.

    upload_2020-2-24_12-19-44.png
     
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  5. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    Read my mind there. I actually just tossed some 1" nerf mounting tabs in my Speedway cart this morning after I posted! None of the off the shelf bars are long enough to run off the rear crossmember on their own. So I would either need to make a 1' offset to mount them to (maybe the aluminum ones) or bend up my own out of some 1" DOM tube.

    As for the roll bar, I had actually given that some thought. I was going through Square Rollbars and Cool Cars the other night and saw a dragster with a 5 sided roll bar that I think I would like to adapt the shape of and make. This hoop is cool, but I want something different.

    [​IMG]
     
  6. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    I'm not super keen on the outrigger roll bar for this car even though it might make things a lot easier in some ways (like making the tonneau cover where the back seat used to be). But, yeah, the smaller nerf bar bumper in back is the way to go I think, I will probably do a square hoop off the back and something like a sprint car rear bumper around the front since the shape is pretty damn close. I have a couple V groove rollers that I need to build a jig for to adapt my English Wheel into a ring roller to make sweeping curves in tubing.

    I went back through my book last night and took a few pictures of what I'm liking for the shape of the bar. It appears to have been a very common way to build them in New England alongside the square bar.

    20200225_225153.jpg 20200225_225312.jpg 20200225_225028.jpg 20200225_225703.jpg
     
  7. Ah, the bible of east coast hot rodding!
     
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  8. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    No metal work lately but a lot of work in wood and cardboard leading up to more of that. I got a rough template started for the floors in the back of the body. It looks to work out that I can just go up over the rear crossmember brackets I made and be at just about a perfect spot for the Model A hump cover I got to sit. I'm going to make a gasket for that and attach it with rivnuts or something so I can get to the spring clamps easy if need be.

    20200229_171328.jpg
    20200229_150119.jpg 20200228_211024.jpg 20200228_210936.jpg

    I also started massaging the MAC's wood floor kit to fit. This took me a bunch of back and forth with a marker and a jigsaw but I finally got the fit roughed in good enough to call it a day before I had to scoot on Saturday.
    20200229_171127.jpg
    20200222_154314.jpg 20200229_161708.jpg

    I was really loving the new WEN air filter I just got off the Amazon these past couple weekends. My lungs sure are too. Usually in the shop on any given day I can see dust particles in the sunbeams and it can get pretty bad in there if I grind on something, particularly in Winter when I'm trying to keep warm. Now, I run this thing and the air is spotless in short order.
     
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  9. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    I tend to use this thread as a build notebook (thanks for tagging along and bearing with me). I just wrote this list down, so I figured I should drop it in here if only for my own reference. But by all means, if you think I am forgetting something here, let me know!

    TO DO:
    • Finish body construction
    • Figure out gas tank placement
    • Mount rear shocks
    • Mount seats
    • Revise and finish steering placement
    • Cut my pedals down
    • Install the radiator
    • Mount front shocks
    • Finish up the nose sheet metal
    • Run some kind of exhaust
    • Re-assemble and test the engine
    • Get a shorter Torque Tube made up
    • Finish boxing and welding frame
    • Wiring and Brake plumbing
    • Bodywork & paint
    • Interior (seat pads and maybe some wood panels)
    • and I will need some new tires on there at some point too.
     
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  10. Six Ball
    Joined: Oct 8, 2007
    Posts: 5,777

    Six Ball
    Member
    from Nevada

    My list is much shorter
    1. Get off my ass.
    2. Build the roadster.
     
  11. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    Well I got my floor boards cut out and in the car. The trunk area still needs some thought and revision but I was able to sit in the car close to properly for the first time and get an idea of the ergonomics. Also I was able to make vroom noises.

    received_149308059574917.jpeg

    I found that I have a good amount of room to work with but a little less room behind me in the cab than I had expected. That's not really a problem but is a push to mount the fuel tank behind the body instead of behind an interior firewall.

    I discovered that I have room for all 3 pedals, no problem, but that I need to shift the clutch and brake pedals over about 2 inches. Otherwise I'll have the shift tower making the angle on the gas pedal awkward and putting my foot in a situation where it's likely to clip the brake pedal constantly. The pedals also need to come down a bit to clear the bell but the location of the F1 bracket is about as far outboard as it can be I think. I am not totally sure what the best way to attack this is going to be yet. I just know that I have room to the left for the pedals to move to where they will feel right and give me a clear shot to the go pedal.

    received_3322552294428598.jpeg

    I will also need to bend the shifter a bit to offset it to the right some. 1st gear wants to be somewhere inside my right leg at the moment. Second (pictured above) and third are good to go. Reverse is a little snug up on the wheel zone (which isn't mounted in the pic, just on my knees).

    Getting in and out is probably always going to be awkward but I don't want to start the body over again to make longer doors. I am kicking myself a little for not just sectioning the front and rear doors together to make the body this size and if I ever build another one like this that is what I am doing.
     
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  12. Six Ball
    Joined: Oct 8, 2007
    Posts: 5,777

    Six Ball
    Member
    from Nevada

    It's looking like a hot rod. Vroom noises are an important part of any build. They go directly to into the soul of the finished product. Steel has memory. :cool:
     
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  13. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    What a difference a week makes. So, with all that is going on, my side gig has been put on hold for an undetermined amount of time; it is not clear if the venue will survive it. So, my source of discretionary income has been removed from this equation. Fortunately I have most of what I need to keep working on the car for quite a while I think. But I'm going to have to get creative with money for this and the truck build. I have a couple things I'd sell but I am hoping I don't have to start having a firesale on the things I really don't want to part with.

    BUT, with all this time at home, I have gotten into the shop. I will be getting into the shop more. I am working from home until at least the 5th of April. I measured to run a network cable out to the shop with the intent to set up a workstation for my laptop out there. That way I am already in my shop and surrounded by my build and tools. I tend to have a lot of fown time between my work tasks so maybe I can chip away at little things while I'm waiting for my email to ding at me with more work to do. Either way I'm totally pushing to get my seats mounted this week so I can work from my hot rod as a home office (can I then write it off?)!

    Here is a picture of the small yet important thing I did yesterday. I made some new feet out of 16ga for the B pillars. I'm going to fiddle with them some today and then shift focus to figuring out how to mount the seats in there.

    20200317_143438.jpg
     
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  14. Six Ball
    Joined: Oct 8, 2007
    Posts: 5,777

    Six Ball
    Member
    from Nevada

    It's all progress. Funny how different my situation is. I'm retired and have been for years. The change now is that the bars are closed, the toilet paper sold, and only stuff no one wants to eat in the grocery stores. My nearest neighbor in a mine 2 miles away. I'm spending a lot more time in the shop cleaning, organizing and doing some work on the roadster. It feels good and I hope by the time this is over I have developed some new work ethic.
     
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  15. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    Yeah, I'm trying to check things off my list each day now. I've got a list I made of all the things I could think of that need doing. Lists are surprisingly helpful for me on a good day; days like these they help take a lot of thinking out of what to do with myself and checking off boxes is rewarding. I have everything from small household projects to minor renovations to tasks on this car and the pickup in there (I built a spreadsheet in Google Docs with working check boxes). I hope this is over soon.
     
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  16. Six Ball
    Joined: Oct 8, 2007
    Posts: 5,777

    Six Ball
    Member
    from Nevada

    I like lists too. It's funny when you find them years later and they are still up to date.
     
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  17. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    OK, so, incoming 2 months of progress here and on the truck build. I've been working from home since the middle of May and I gotta tell ya, it's been an enormous quality of life improvement on its own other than the circumstances. I actually have the energy and desire to do A LOT so that's what's been happening (even if I'm still a bit slow).

    Where to begin, OK, so, I finally fixed the steering box location to get parallel and above scrub again.
    Hacked the crap out of the motor mounts I had made in the process. I needed to be higher anyway so I used a set of @rottenleonard mounts I had that clear the steering box and sit 2" higher to eliminate the extra spacers.

    20200423_174649.jpg

    20200423_174325.jpg 20200423_174714.jpg 20200423_174657.jpg 20200423_174706.jpg 20200423_174712.jpg 20200425_180522.jpg 20200425_180531.jpg 20200426_140332.jpg
     
  18. Six Ball
    Joined: Oct 8, 2007
    Posts: 5,777

    Six Ball
    Member
    from Nevada

    Great progress! None for me.
     
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  19. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    Around this time it got a little rainy and cold out. Having realized I needed to figure out my seating to get my steering set up right, up to the sewing machine I went to make a cushion for the seat.
    20200427_184758.jpg 20200428_150701.jpg 20200428_153704.jpg 20200428_154608.jpg 20200428_161303.jpg 20200428_165658.jpg
    20200428_172243.jpg

    It's not as nice as it may appear but I'm happy with it. I made it with scraps of marine vinyl and some pre-quilted material I got off the epay. The cushion is upholstery foam with some salvaged packing foam for sensitive instruments and the batting is from a meal kit delivery. I'm working with whatever I've got hoarded here during this period in our history.

    I had the Speedway seat frame but it was too high and even cut down would be too high so I made 2" risers out of box tube I had. That got me about as good as I figure I can get with what I've got (I have since re-drilled these to get further back without the slider being close to maxed out)

    20200505_170438.jpg 20200505_181525.jpg 20200505_181545.jpg 20200507_151701.jpg 20200507_151814.jpg 20200507_151823.jpg 20200507_152350.jpg 20200507_175530.jpg 20200507_175740.jpg

    I can sit in it now. I can step in (after detaching the wheel) and sit down without pulling a spidermonkey move. The shifter needs to be bent over to the right a bit to be functional; it wants to be in my let and the wheel in 1st or reverse. The pedals still need to come down and over to the left a bit. Might try to heat and bend them before cutting.
    20200502_173413.jpg
     
  20. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    This week's efforts have been to make a firewall in order to further develop the steering run. After failing this task twice last year with steel, I used a couple scraps of the plywood from the floor. I'm pleased enough with it for now. Maybe this is the firewall, maybe it's a template for a sheet of 16ga when I can get some, who cares, right now it makes it so the steering seems to work and I can build around it until I make that decision.

    This fits in the pocket under the bulged area on the 27T firewall and around the block to bellhousing interface area.
    20200509_180009.jpg
    20200510_174606.jpg

    I made it in 2 pieces because I had scraps close in size, I didn't think it would go in as a single piece (it does), I thought it would be easier to mirror the sides, and I expected to fail and scrap it (I did not).

    20200510_174808.jpg
    20200510_174102.jpg

    I was able to re-use a bracket I had made for an earlier failed firewall. This will probably get flipped around and over to the inside later. For now it is performing its function.

    20200510_174133.jpg 20200510_174123.jpg 20200510_174340.jpg

    Now able to get the steering shaft angles under control, I am working on the second point of contact for the steering column. I whipped this simple plate out yesterday while being lazy and having an early beer-o-clock. I opened up three existing stock holes on the firewall to mount this piece of 1/8" plate. I am thinking I will run 3 pieces of rod stock from this to the U clamp there and another to the dash.
    20200512_173018.jpg

    Feeling like I had done something, I wanted to play a bit so I dropped the triple on there with a couple hats to see how much hood will need to get cut. I'm OK with it.
    20200510_175919.jpg
    20200512_181748.jpg 20200510_175227.jpg 20200510_174354.jpg 20200510_174755.jpg
     
    Last edited: May 13, 2020
  21. Six Ball
    Joined: Oct 8, 2007
    Posts: 5,777

    Six Ball
    Member
    from Nevada

    That is a bunch of work and progress.
     
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  22. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    Thanks! Yeah, the last couple posts are what's been done over the past couple weeks or so once I spread out my efforts from the AAV8. At this point, even with all the rest that needs to happen on this car, I am considering sectioning the F100 dash I have and installing it instead of leaving that for a later build revision. I can work with the simple angle and plywood dash and make it functional, sure, but IDK how much more effort just going all the way would be and how much it would delay me getting this thing together.

    Aaybody notice the casket shaped relief for the fuel pump tower yet?
     
  23. Six Ball
    Joined: Oct 8, 2007
    Posts: 5,777

    Six Ball
    Member
    from Nevada

    "Aaybody notice the casket shaped relief for the fuel pump tower yet?"

    I hadn't noticed. Are you going the build it back into the passenger side and line it with red velvet? :rolleyes:
     
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  24. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    HAH, Hadn't though about that! About as far as I've gotten is "I should close that up with something eventually"
     
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  25. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    Cut up the old radiator mounting cage I made years ago to press back into service on the #thundercasket the other dayyy.

    Remember this wonky old thing? Well I liked the part that actually came in contact with the radiator, so I liberated it.
    [​IMG]

    Tacked it in and surprised at how well it MIGHT work though it is going to be TIGHT. Squeezing a fan in will be a challenge but the numbers seem to indicate that I will clear. Going to need some flexible hoses for the water and vapor to this old sprint car radiator for sure.

    20200521_180046.jpg
    20200521_165944.jpg
    20200521_183456.jpg
    20200521_181144.jpg 20200521_180813.jpg 20200521_180733.jpg 20200521_180609.jpg 20200521_180055.jpg

    I am also planning to get myself a 3D printer. I can make almost anything on one including small car parts and positives for molding/casting. I'm pretty excited. I'm hoping to get one that will do ABS and Nylon nicely. There are wood, kevlar, and carbon fiber impregnated materials as well I am interested in. The materials melt between 350º for the basic stuff and closer to 450-575º for some of the more exotic stuff, so I can probably make some engine approximate parts easily without having to cast them in aluminum. I am planning to make some finned carb risers and maybe try to make some finned return lines for the radiator if I can get the high temp stuff to work. I should definitely be able to make tooling for my bead roller and for my shop press when it shows up too. I've seen that done already and it works. If I can get or generate the model, I should also be able to make speedo gears on demand too. I know those can be a pain to find. One of my first things is going to be a powered respirator filter for my neighbor with COPD though.
     
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  26. Six Ball
    Joined: Oct 8, 2007
    Posts: 5,777

    Six Ball
    Member
    from Nevada

    I'm interested to see how the 3-D printer works out for you. I have considered one too.
     
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  27. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    Milestone hit on the #thundercasket this weekend. Finally have my driver seat actually bolted into the body using some 1/4" rivnuts. I can actually slide tje seat back and forth to get dialed in and comfortable. There is still a bit of room to slide back just in case I have a growth spurt too!

    20200524_170515.jpg

    Unfortunately I could not get comfortable and I also discovered I need to shift the column over an inch or so. Plan is to make a 3" wedge under the seat cushion for that. I have the column drop moved but I need to reposition the middle shaft now too to get it straight again.

    20200524_165858.jpg 20200524_165842.jpg 20200524_164409.jpg

    There are so many out there now you can take your pick. You can get a decent starter unit for under $200-300 now depending on what you want to do. I want to be able to do everything so I'm spending up a bit but not into the "prosumer" level. I'd say figure out what you want to do with one and start watching youtube videos about it. PM me if you wanna dig deeper and I will share what I find.
     
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  28. Six Ball
    Joined: Oct 8, 2007
    Posts: 5,777

    Six Ball
    Member
    from Nevada

    The seat looks good. Why is it that the hot rods we build in our heads never fit together in the shop? o_O
    Just casually checking on 3D printers for now, Thanks.
     
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  29. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    Egads, it's been since MAY that I updated! Wow, ok, well, I've gotten a lot of ground covered in that time despite getting a 3D printer and getting sucked into that for a couple weeks near solid.

    I will start back here where I finished up the back "seat" area using the cast-off seat frame pieces from my neighbor's 34 pick up build to close up the frame kick and crossmember in the back of the tub. It's not something I would want to sit on but it works great to tie up the floor and doesn't look out of place. I figure with a strap or netting back there it will keep a hold of overnight bags just fine and I can put the battery box under the "seat" which is going to be an upholstered piece of plywood with that hump cover and a coat of paint.

    20200626_143726.jpg

    20200626_143807.jpg 20200621_150701.jpg 20200621_150622.jpg 20200621_150552.jpg
     
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