Anybody got some trans tunnel tech?

Hey, Im having one of those moments and no matter what I do I cant seem to get it right. Im in the process of totally screwing up making a trans tunnel and the more I try the worse it gets (its one of those days). Im totally f'n frustrated with it and Im looking for any pics of someone making one. Maybe Im just trying too hard but this one is kicking my ass. Ive built them before thats not the issue but I have to have it do three steps (like a 3 angle valve job) steep, kinda steep than flat. Ive only done the basic cone style that goes from wide to narrow like on a race car. Due to space I have to do it like this and I just cant get the pieces cut right to fishmouth into each other. Was hoping someone could come along and hold my hand a little on this one. Thanks

 

Try making it out of thin cardboard and tape first. Then transfer the pattern to sheetmetal.

I wound up making 2 trans tunnels for my car as the first didnt fit well enough and still had to tweak the 2nd to fit right.

Try doing a search for "new floors" "trans tunnel" etc and you will get a few pics of various trans tunnels that may help you.

 

There are definitely some mint tunnel shown as part of complete build threads, just need to check a few out.
Try Stripper thread 1st up.

 

Hi, Here is a tunnel that I made, it is pretty basic and take around 30 to 40 minutes to make. Your best bet is to make a poster board template and then lay it out on the sheet metal and lay out all you bend lines. I use a big piece of tubing to put the shape in it. then I use a brake to bend the edges. I use my power hammer to round off the end but you can either just make it run out to the floor or you can make a small filler piece to cap it. I hope this helps. Thanks, Jon.

 

Back when I was doing aluminum interiors I always mocked it up in poster board first. Not only saved a lot of material and frustration but allowed me to try a bunch of different approaches to covering stuff up & making it all work & look good.

 

Damn Jon, Make me one of those.

 

One for me too.

 

I wish I had a power hammer... cool tunnel,,,,,,,,

 

Thanks everyone for the comments. I don't want to hijack this thread but I was thinking about selling a kind of generic trans tunnel. I just never thought it was something that people were interested in. If it is, what do you guy's think is a fair price? Thanks, Jon.

Here is another one I did for a 32 (glass body) sorry for the pictures it is painted black.

 

Here's a few shots of mine. Just make sure to cut your pieces plenty large to start and SLOWY trim them down with your snips.Take small passes,no patience will leave you with a pile of scrap tin.

 

looks good jon can you make me one too...haha burning the mignight oil huh

 

Nice work Pete, do u live on the Sun?

 

I like my $15 construction lights!!! They keep my back warm and toasty,not to mention my shop is a cave! Thanks for the kind words tho hahaha

 

Had a few of those lights too,
but I kept knocking them over and blowing out bulbs all the time.
oh how I miss my back warmers now that its cold.

This thread has got me itch'in to re-do my tunnel, thanx guys

 

Hey Matt,
Like someone mentioned earlier, make poster board template's, make them fit as close as you can. Then you will have good patterns for cutting out your metal. It's nice if you have a roll, if not there's always something laying around about the right dia. Im posting a couple pics of the templates for the tunnel in the truck Im working on, it has four different
steps, three are shown, good luck.
Later,
Billy

 

What exactly is poster board? i'm sure we have it here in england but probably with a different name...

I'll take 10 Jon

 

Poster board is stuff for making posters. Its a little thicker than paper, not quite as thick as cardboard. Its sturdy enough to make good templates and mock stuff up with, but its thin enough that you can cut it with scissors no sweat. Its a fabricators best friend.

 

tag board

 

Thank you for that, i know the stuff and will get some when next in town.

PS: had a quick listen to your tunes...Awesome! when you touring the UK?

 

Good tips and nice work. Wish I had such talent...

 

jon has more talent in the cold he has right now than i do in my whole body

 

Thanks! Glad you like them. Unfortunately we all have day jobs so we can't really tour. Maybe someday, hopefully.

 

Well when you do, let me know cos we got a sweet little venue in Stamford that you'd go down a storm at...

 

Rite on! I'll be looking forward to it.

 

Hey Leaky.......................your avatar kinda freaks me out..

 

Here's a couple shots of mine, I finished fitting it today. My wife and I walk our dogs across the dirt road where I live and I got to looking at this old 1972 ford courier cab that sits in the desert about 100 yards from my front door. It has a nice tunnel and it clicked.....long story short its in the hot rod now. I don't have any fancy metal working tools. I just cut it out of the floor and made a tunnel to fit my truck,I think it will be ok for the rod it's going in

 

thanks for all the replies, I never gave much thought to making a wire frame to form off of but Ive started bending one up for the tunnel and I think I have a better shot at something resembling a trans tunnel. Thanks as always.

 

Try this

 

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this is the first time that i tried a sheet metal project. wire form, poster board pattern, a little stretching a little welding and voila- a transmission tunnel.

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thats pretty close to what I need to do, the wire form idea is what I was lacking. Ill keep you guys updated