Hot Rods The "Whatever" project

Yeah I know. I went down that rabbit hole a couple of days ago! But what do you think about his knobly knees?

Picked up the new plate this am. That was at 9 am, it's now 11:28 and it's still resting in the back of my daily driver, waiting for me to finish my 1st coffee of the day...

As you can see, I'd procrastinate if I wasn't so lazy!

 

I suppose if you don't procrastinate today, how could you keep your streak going? You can always procrastinate tomorrow, but today - boy, today is quickly disappearing!

By the way, whatever happened to your Round Tuit? Do you need another one for your birthday this year?

 

Lots of info out there on engine turned aluminum. we have discussed it quite a bit over the years.
Cratex Abrasive sticks are what you usually see used.
CRATEX Abrasives – Rubber Abrasive Wheels Points Cones Sticks

Some threads

Engine Turning, A new Spin (Waa Waaahh) | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com)

Hot Rods - Machine turning | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com)

want to jewel dash | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com)

Here is some I did for my lakester dash.

 

Well I picked up the new tooling plate today, and some more short cutoff sections of steel. I'm in the process of seeing how low the engine can go,, between the oil pan and the bellhousing, and which one will be the determining factor. So there's a little bit of time to keep running down rabbit holes watching videos and reading threads.

So thanks for the links. I can procrastinate and get something done at the same time...
Tomorrow the engine plate then it'll be time for fancy stuff, or maybe just learn how to do it. I'll probably scratch the plate up during fabrication so best to wait.

 

Good plan, I think it's like paint, best saved til last.

 

Paint and I don't get along too well. Maybe engine turning is what I should do to the body. Of course that means I'd have to make a body of aluminum, and I don't know how to. But it could be a new learning experience...

 

Picture a brush like this with a couple of wire ties. They held up fine for me.

Admittedly, it had been some time since I shaved my legs for the in-car glamor shot. I'll do better.

 

At this point in my life, I'll take hair wherever I can grow it. LOL

 

@Dave G in Gansevoort old school way of engine turning is a wooden dowel rod and some lapping compound like Clover. the new way is cretex rods and they come in my grits and sizes.

 

I assume that you looked at the picture of the fat old guy sitting in the Whatever getting a sense of the height of the roll bar. It's not a pretty sight... sorry!

My brother is folically challenged too. And he's really old...

 

I'll have to get one and experiment with it. Got lots of time to work out what works for me on the chea.... err, that is the thrifty side.

 

Talked with the engine builder today. Hes good with the choice of a Canton road race oil pan. It's 7 inches deep, and baffled for turning both ways. This means the bellhousing sets the height of the engine. It will hang down 7.5 inches at its lowest point. So I guessed pretty good when I set that a half inch above the bottom of the bottom tubes of the frame. Tomorrow, layout of the new tooling plate and get it cut out to match the body. My hands are already tingling from running the sabersaw...

 

Can you use your bandsaw table for the engine plate? Or do you need the infinite depth of cut the sabersaw allows?

 

Some of the cuts can be made with that tiny, tiny bandsaw. It won't be able to get to the inside of the cutout for the flywheel however. So low speed, lube with paraffin, and set the sabersaw in small orbital cutting mode. But I have to do the layout first. And I'm not feeling it today. As the weather is heading your way, you'll see why...

Maybe later today when it's forecast for the weather to change and the barometer is on the rise again.

 

Pictures first in no particular order cuz I'm lazy. That's the way they're in the file...
The 1st picture is so far the last step today. All bolt holes drilled, but waiting on the 2 dowel pin holes. Need to make a drill guide bushing.

The 2nd picture is just prior to all holes drilled.

3rd picture shows the outer firewall bolt holes drilled.

4th picture was the 1st 2 holes drilled.

5th picture was the initial layout. I don't use Dykem layout dye, only because I never think to buy it. I just use a maxi-marker. I can get them at the grocery store, so...

Tomorrow, match it to the firewall and frame rails and make the cutouts. Can you feel your hands tingling from the sabersaw yet?

 

Friday and Saturday's efforts revealed: and yes both days my hands have had that tingling from running the sabersaw so much.
Inside view and outside view of the plate with cutouts and "bluing" removed. Giant magic marker...

 

I know the feeling

 

You got the reply in while I was fixing the flubup. Take another look...

 

My fat finger hit the post reply instead of the upload a file. So anyway, I am also making the old first attempt at an engine plate the inside part of Marty Strode's concept for sealing the engine from the interior. But it has my twist, as I am not too well equipped for sheetmetal fabrication. But I broke a bandsaw blade and was hot and tired, so I called it a day. I'll finish that part tomorrow.

 

Okay so start again. I hate it when I do that! Lost the first start on today's excellent adventure in the garage.

I'm mostly finished with my best interpretation of Marty's firewall solution. I don't have many tools for sheetmetal fabrication, so I used what I had, the new tooling plate and the old. You've seen the new engine plate and the cowl support hoop mated, today I finished modifying the old small one to fit inside the cowl support hoop and bolt to the bellhousing.
From the front.
From the right rear.
From the left rear.

 

Had a time out for supper. Getting back to the pictures: if you look closely you can see the 1/4-inch space between the two plates. That's the thickness of the bellhousing flange. It's also the thickness of the body's firewall. I've got a couple of ideas from Marty on how to isolate the body from the plates, and effect a seal.

The bottom of the inner plate is level with the top of the frame rails. With a little bit of effort I'll make a flange to support the front of the floor at that point. The frame rails will support the sides of the floor, and the pending crossmembers will create a surface for the center tunnel, and a driveshaft retaining strap. That's on the list of things to do...

But that's for another day!

 

Looking good!

 

Migraine day today, so sitting in the dark and looking at old pictures. These are the influence for some of the Whatever project ideas... The 2nd picture is just some hack taking some half fast laps instead of the regular driver, Jim Langenback. Ma never knew that sometimes it was me in the car. We'd explain the lousy performance on a steering issue. You know, a loose connection between the seat and the steering wheel...

Then I'd have to pull the steering apart the following week to maintain the illusion. I think it worked, because she never said anything about it to me.

 

Dave,
In the 3rd picture:
Rear hub, is that a Winters? I have a pair like that and would love to find two more. There is a Halibrand that is similar. I'll post some pics when I get out to the shop.

 

I'm not sure of the brand. I got them from Gary's Speed Shop in Watervliet (spelling? ) NY and over the years probably had 6 more. They were lighter than the ones on the front in that same picture, and I felt with the open backing plates would provide better cooling. Must have been something to it, as we never had brake issues with that setup.

 

I was hoping you would say that you had a couple of NOS ones sitting in your shop gathering dust!
Here are some pics of the hub I'm looking for:





Here is a Halibrand with a similar style

 

WOW! I'm having a flashback! Yes they are similar. When I was using them, they were not machined for discs, just flat where the studs went thru, for the drums.

 

I have had a few I have sold over the years but, I can't remember what they are. I will pick my dad's brain when I see him tonight.

 

Robert,
You were the next person I was going to contact. Will send you a message about some other stuff so as to not clog up Dave's thread.

 

Did some welding and fitting on the Whatever project today. Then cleaned up the garage. It had become a pig sty. That Vicegrip is off, the steering support is tacked into place and the steering is hooked up and works! It might be a tad slow, but that's easily fixed. Either a longer pitman arm or a steering quickener.

I've checked out the seat to steering wheel position, and it works for my old fat nonbendy body. Of course it's easy to get in the seat without the body, but with a door I should be good!

Now to get some more welding done with the body off, and the structure bolted down to help resist Mr. Shrink! Then work out a floor of some sort. And thanks again to Marty Strode and the many other people who have offered advice or just put so much good information in their threads. I'm thinking that I may use the International master cylinder like Marty has done. However there's a twist I'll be working on.

More to come on that.