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'58 F100 drag truck, or: thumbing your nose at aerodynamics!

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by DirtyThirty, Jan 14, 2008.

  1. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    [​IMG]


    this is how the weekend began...a $500.00 truck, and a pile of parts.
     
  2. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    [​IMG]

    And this is right before before we got freaky with the cut-off wheel and sawed the fenders in two...now we like to have easy access to a racing mill, on account of all the terrible things that may go wrong, and need to be addressed QUICK! , also, to make tuning life a lot easier...so:
    we are going the pin-on front clip, and perhaps we will get crazy in the future, and make her tilt, but for now...this is simple and quick...we like simple and quick: its efficient.
     
  3. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    [​IMG]

    side view...
    this thing has a 109" wheelbase, it should be fun!
    the motor was going to be mounted with a mid-plate, and front plate.
    the mid plate is going to be a pain-in-the-arse with the steering box, so I am going to use standard mounts, but, I may keep the aluminum front plate...we shall see...without an engine setback, space is limited, and with a 10% setback, we are interfering with a lot off things, and basically putting the motor under the cowl...not easy to access, either, and thats what we want! If it was a tube chassis or whatever, the motor plates, ( mid-plate especially ) might have saved work, because of the availability of chassis struts/kickers to attach to. In our case, it will be less work, and less fuss to remove the motor leaving it in roughly a stock location, and using standard mounts.
     
  4. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Then there is this guy!
    talk about a pro...If you don't recognize him by the back of his head, this is Regis, Jersey's newest member, and a VERY particular body guy...
    he is why my cab corners don't need 10 gallons of plastic...
     

  5. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    [​IMG]

    Mike from P.A. and I also repaired the front cab corners/rockers...
    the rear 3rd of the fender is attached to the tab on the front of the rocker by a stud on the inner fender brace.
    These front corners tend to rot, as well as the cab brace.
    they could not be found as re-pops, so, a set of re-pop rockers were cut to utilize just the front tab.
    once welded in place, the remaining rust-out on the corners was cut out equal on both sides and blended down into the rocker tabs.
    the cab braces will be cut back where they are rotted, and the roll bar will attach to whats left of them ( on its way to the frame rail ) , towards the cab end...the area around the cab mount ( the other end of the brace ) was not rotted...
    in the case of the removable nose/clip...it was not nessesary to do anything other than weld the rear third of the fender ( the part that stays behind when clip is removed...) to the rocker tab, and the cowl...the bolts were put back as well...
     
  6. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    [​IMG]

    here you can see where the mid-plate interferes...it would relatively easy to work around, but...not as easy as just using the factory-type mounts...we are not making ridiculous power, so the extra stiffness of the plate type mounting, and reduced torque roll should not be worth the trouble...
    if we need to, a solid link can be added to the torque side.
     
  7. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    [​IMG]

    finished cab corner, courtesy of Regis Christ!
     
  8. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    [​IMG]

    The old frame mounts were cut off, and replaced with pins...
    the radiator support part of the mount ( the bracket that goes over the stud on the frame ) were cracked, so they were drilled and plug welded back to the support...each side of the support where the radiator formerly mounted was cut back ( just the flat lip on each side ) so that the clip can be removed easily around it.
    the radiator will now be mounted via brackets on the frame, so that the clip can be removed without opening the coolant system.
    In the pic you can see the rubber cushion and plate that is mounted under the pin...these are just the rubber cushions and hardware from a set of old shocks.
     
  9. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    [​IMG]

    tacking and fitting the tabs...this required a lot of f**king around to get all the panels that meet up here to fit right...( or even close to right...)
    the open space btwn. the tab and cab corner was rotted and replaced with new sheet metal...

    note that the doors have not been addressed as of yet...the cab was relatively solid, and straight.
     
  10. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    [​IMG]


    Larry, a good friend and the current owner of Sean's old Mainline, checking the fit of the fender thirds that remain on the truck...later, these will be boxed on both sides, and provisions for fastening the clip will be added...
     
  11. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    [​IMG]

    The bottom of the cab corners...after the drilled holes are filled with weld, the bottom edge was trimmed...
    the panels we used were not very accurate reproductions, so...we had to stretch, shrink, bend, pull, trim...pain in the ass.
     
  12. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    [​IMG]

    A spare 460 block and heads with the ultra-bell, as well as a th400 core, with no guts, was used to mock the motor/trans.
    A string, ran along the main saddles, through the trans case, and out to the rear yoke was used to establish a rough idea of the driveline angle.
    the factory trans/rear motor mount cross member may have to be removed in order to make clearance for the th400's pan removal...a new crossmember, w/ the th400 mount provision will be made.
    carbs were set on to check cowl clearance...
     
  13. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    [​IMG]


    More to come for the 7 of us out there that actually like these trucks...
    I'll continue to document this...and we will see where it goes!


    This is on the way to a friends shop, now...for the roll bar installation...
     
  14. unclescooby
    Joined: Jul 5, 2004
    Posts: 4,993

    unclescooby
    Member
    from indy

    very cool. there are a bunch of us 57-60 guys out here...
     
  15. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...


    ya' know...they are gaining in popularity, huh?...
    I've always liked them, myself.
    And: they are still relatively affordable. A nice thing when your drivetrain has to cost so damn much!:D
     
  16. AstroZombie
    Joined: Jul 17, 2006
    Posts: 1,788

    AstroZombie
    Member

    right on man, looks like you had a fun weekend! i like the truck, and the $500 price tag is a good start! thanks for posting pics
     
  17. Destralo Roach
    Joined: Mar 27, 2006
    Posts: 521

    Destralo Roach
    Member

    Dam, that reminds me of a buddy long dead from cancer! he had a 57 with the frame in the rear shortend and a small flatbed on it, with a 312 Y block with two fourbarrels on it, no hood, four on the floor, Efing fast!!!
    ....Roach.
     
  18. Big Pauly
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 434

    Big Pauly
    Member

    Damn Mark, That thing will be at the track by spring if you keep it up.
     
  19. Revhead
    Joined: Mar 19, 2001
    Posts: 3,027

    Revhead
    Member
    from Dallas, TX

    awesome project. My brother has a '57 he'll love this build
     
  20. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    Thanks for the interest, and good words!
    I s'pose I'll keep this one goin', then...I like the idea of having a record of it.
    Not to many of 'em actually set up to perform the task this one will be performing, so: I expect I/we can maybe learn something or...maybe it will be an utter disappointment!:eek:
    ehhhh...either way, it might be helpful to someone else someday...

    next:

    The bar installation.
     
  21. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    Well...Its nice when things move in accord with your great designs, and today they did:

    dropped of the Agony Wagon @ 11:00 a.m. Monday.
    got the call tonight to stop down and see what Mr. Jeff Mazzoni was up to.
    If you are in Southern Jersey, or the surrounding area, he can bang one O' these out for you too...

    The rear kickers: they come through the roof above the window, and tie into the frame just above the stress point that is the rear.
    not ever expecting to go 9's in this so: it was all constructed of mild steel, and is not a full cage, only a bar...will be good to 10.0...



    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  22. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    nice welds...

    the bed is being gutted, and will be reinforced w/ Aluminum struts, instead of steel...there is a LOT of weight we can lose here, since it never has to contend with payload again!
    the floor will be removed, and the front panel will also be removable, to allow the bed to clear the kickers, and then be attached.
    [​IMG]
     
  23. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

  24. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    these will have to be seam sealed...gotta use spit to smooth it like caulk, NOT water, it will stick...
    [​IMG]
     
  25. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

  26. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

  27. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

  28. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    where the bar goes through the floor in the front cab corners, it was rotted...so, the bar itself passes through the area where the cab supports were. They were rusted out, and so, we cut them out, and left the cab mount end, but, removed the end that affixes to the outward ends of the cab...the bar itself now joins cab edges, frame, and floor, via the plates welded in around the kickers as they pass through the floor...this cures the holes in the floor, the rusted supports, and unitizes everything...its not a restoration...we are trying to make it stout.
    the bar attaches to 2x4" outriggers underneath that continue to the frame.
     
  29. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    [​IMG]

    plates on rear where hoop passes through floor.
     
  30. DirtyThirty
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,396

    DirtyThirty
    Member
    from nowhere...

    [​IMG]

    with the ladder frame, and the large overhang of the cab, outriggers are used to span the distance btwn. the ends of the kickers, and the frame.
     

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