Hot Rods Cheatin' The Reaper

Around Christmas last year (2015) I found this on a local auction site:

409580162 by Legendlives posted May 28, 2016 at 9:09 PM

409579558 by Legendlives posted May 28, 2016 at 9:09 PM

409578847 by Legendlives posted May 28, 2016 at 9:09 PM

409580351 by Legendlives posted May 28, 2016 at 9:09 PM

It's a 1938 Ford 7Y. Essentially the fore-runner of the Pop, and I've always wanted a Pop.
$310 changed hands and it was mine!

Then came decision time - what was I going to build it into.
Road-legal Gasser was the answer, but this time without too much compromise, so I sat down and designed my own chassis for parallel leaf springs at the front and (possibly) a Jag IRS.

Here's the making of the main chassis rails so far:

26322568c4ca3998bb by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:45 AM

26322568c4c81e3551 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:45 AM

Front spring rear mounts are double-reinforced:

26322568c4c8799c7e by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:45 AM

26322568c4c8e69202 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:45 AM

26322568c4c95b8586 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:45 AM

Front spring shackles are 5mm steel (as are the rear mounts) with seamless tube spreader:

26322568c4c7ada65f by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:45 AM

Frame material is 40x75x3 steel. All of the gussets are in 3mm steel. The front bush tube is 1"CDS.

Front axle is a nice aftermarket drop-tube which came with Holden vented discs and 5-stud hubs (all for $100!).

413151973 by Legendlives posted May 28, 2016 at 9:26 PM

Unfortunately it was too wide, so I cut it:

26322568c4c3251ee7 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 5:18 AM

Sleeved and welded it:

26322568c4c49cd573 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 5:18 AM

Then smoothed it all off:

26322568c4c503f89b by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 5:18 AM

Fuel tank was found the perfect size at the right price ($100!) so I made the crossmember to fit. This was again from 40x75 box with 3mm gussets. No compromise!



I'm going to run a fully integrated 8/10 point cage, and have bought the main tube components already.

 

Snotty $50 axle as bought:

2632256a28dc1812c1 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 5:55 AM

And about an hour later, reduced to the important bits:

2632256a28dc85504a by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 5:55 AM

Just have to narrow it by about 225mm per side and it'll be perfect!
I'll strip & check the CW&P and add a spool whilst I'm at it!

 

Progress on the chassis in our secret fabrication den hidden deep in the Auckland mountains.

IMG_20160123_130721(1) by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:45 AM

IMG_20160123_130738 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:45 AM

IMG_20160123_130744 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:45 AM

Here's the position of the tank.
The small square crossmember behind the tank will be the rearmost body mount.

2632256a2c6d30e9ac by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:51 AM

 

Here's the engine for the beast.
It's a Ford 5.4 litre quad-cam 'Boss' engine. The first time I saw it was when I collected it, so I hadn't realised that it came complete with Alternator and headers.
It also came with AC compressor, PAS pump, Throttle body, COP coils, Injectors & rails, engine mounts which can all be sold-off to help fund the next stage.
...
To say I'm chuffed would be a huge under-statement. I think it's going to be a great engine for the little car.
I know it's not really 'of the era', but it will be run with carbs and disi, and the cam covers do look a bit Hemi-ish!

 

Back on the chassis:

Welded up the rear crossmember

2632256b0353068d21 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:51 AM

The steel is all 3mm thick. The prop hoop is full box-section. I wanted it solid as I plan to run one of the rollcage mounts at the top of it.

The two cut-outs at the top of the box section are for these channels which are fully seam welded to the chassis,

2632256b0353733b63 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:51 AM

Which will allow the two fuel pipes, brake pipes and wiring loom to run along the main chassis members without any unnecessary bends.
The threaded holes will ultimately take 'C' or 'L' section alloy panels which will cover all of the exposed pipes/hoses/wiring.

2632256b034b459bc7 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:51 AM

2632256b034bbc94c8 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:51 AM

And here it is welded in place.

 

Chassis side members.
Made from 25x50 3mm box and just ever-so-slightly bent to echo the original chassis:

2632256bd35f5b7f18 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:51 AM

I'm also quite far through the manufacture of the diff mount front crossmember and the 'K' member:

2632256bd35fd81303 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:51 AM

Diff mount plate is already made, so once the gas bottle is refilled :roll: I can get on with the fitting of crossmember & mount.

The seatbelt mounts were made for a previous project but never used. These were made some months ago. They will need to be modified to do the job, but the funky drilled panels will stay:

2632256bd362bab568 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:53 AM

2632256bd361d9fa8d by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:53 AM

2632256bd360d80140 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:51 AM

 

More progress.

Diff mount is now in. The underside of the front member is exactly the same angle as the mount plate.
You'll notice the cut-throughs on either side of the crossmember for hoses etc again.

2632256be7230a5357 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:53 AM

The top mount will have a logitudinal member at the centre of it for more strength, but also to take the mounts for the brake hoses.

2632256be722ab39fd by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:53 AM

'K' member components are made and just clamped into place to check fit. These need the hose/wire cut outs at the top of them and the 'C' sections welded into place before the members can be fitted.
There will be a 50x25x3mm box section welded in flat across the very front of the 'K', and ultimately it will have another prop-hoop as soon as I can mock-up the gearbox (which I haven't got yet....)

2632256be72391de75 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:53 AM

2632256be72391de75 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:53 AM

 

Got these today:

DSC02727 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 5:45 AM

DSC02728 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 5:45 AM

They are 15x15 Weld Pro-Stars with 32x18 M/T ET Drags. Tyres are relatively fubar'd but will do for initial set-up and a few shakedown runs.
Cost was $550NZ


They'll do. Nice and old school.......

 

I have managed to get the rear diff-mount 'gusset' made and in place:

2632256c503a206367 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:53 AM

Which you will notice has a captive nut welded into it which is for this:

2632256c503a9490b3 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:53 AM

Brake pipe Tee. The feed will come in as a hard-line to the front, and short flexi's will then go out to the calipers from either side.
I've now got the rear 'K' member in place with the cross-strengthening. That's the main frame done then (once I've turned it over and finish welded the underside).
Mounts for rear suspension, gearbox etc will be fitted at a later date, but for now I'm well chuffed with it.

2632256c6881757d8e by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:53 AM

2632256c6881de5727 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:53 AM

2632256c688258741f by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:53 AM

When it's finish-welded I'll take it home and start making the body fit (it's going to be channelled by about 4"), and then mock-up the cage, engine mounts etc.

 

Although this isn't a new idea, I thought I'd flip it round from the way it is usually mounted on solid rear axles, and put the adjustable bits on the chassis.

The mount is made from 3mm steel with 3mm gusset and a 3mm box section internally to give support where the bolt-holes are. So there are 6mm thick side panels with effectively two 3mm vertical blades either side of the hole-line.
'Moveable' brackets are in 5mm steel.

2632256cfdc0b78128 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:56 AM

These give 75mm of total adjustment in 15mm increments from this:

2632256cfdc0442ac1 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:56 AM

To this:

2632256cfdbf73e91b by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:56 AM

Welded on to the chassis:

2632256cfdc1222b2e by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:56 AM

I'm only using one pair of coil-overs which will be mounted in front of the axle.

And a couple more bits done.
The first is a bracket for two -8AN bulkhead fittings where the fuel hard-lines running forward will meet the flexible lines from the tank/pumps.
This is mounted underneath the rear diff mount crossmember:

2632256d346d403137 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:56 AM

The second are these gussets which are fitted where the rollcage will meet the chassis. They are not there for strength (though they will add some) but to provide a solid base for whatever flooring I use. I hate those open gaps around roll cage bars:

2632256d346db00e01 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 4:56 AM

And that's the chassis ladder just about done.
The next step is to clear some space in my garage at home so I can sort out body mounts and rollcage height.

 

Whilst the chassis awaits it's marriage, I thought I'd start with the axle.

2632256d62a8aa0727 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 5:45 AM

The point of no return........
So having chewed through one of my lower arms I thought I'd better sort out a way of getting them back together, and came up with this tool:

2632256d67232acdb1 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 5:45 AM

Which has a solid boss at one end, and a sliding sleeve at the other end, both machined to fit the holes at the ends of the arm.
When bolted together looks like this:

2632256d67239ced88 by Legendlives posted Jun 4, 2016 at 5:45 AM

The ends will be set up level on the bench before I weld them together, but this will hold them solid and at the correct length whilst I weld them together.

 

holy cow, you are a craftsman !! nice work !!
please don't use those ugly ass wheels though : )

 

Unfortunately, the project is a real budget build. I'd have loved to run slot-mags but the prices here in NZ for wheels that big are more than I've spent in total on the car so far. For the time being, the ugly ass wheels stay

 

I guess you have! Nice job. PS I think I've seen some (probably pricey?) valve covers that can help disguise your motor as a SOHC cammer. Gary

 

Wow!

 

Awesome!
Looks like tight quarters too.

 

That chassis could handle a blown hemi. Very nice work!

 

Very nice work!

 

Amazed at the craftsmanship. Keep going!

 

Beautiful work, and that chassis is stout as hell! Very nice indeed.

 

love it! Very nice work, cant wait to see it finished.

 

Wow. Thanks for the nice words guys. I was worried that the use of a modern engine and not strictly 'gasser' rear axle would mark me as an outcast. I'll keep posting updates then!

 

Great fab work. If most of us could even compare it would be an improvement. Great project.

 

DADGUM! you've got some incredible skills!

 

Incredible work, I'm watching!!

 

very nice work.

 

WOWx2

 

You will be an out cast for it, but it's still freaking awesome.
Just don't say too much about the engine or post a bunch of pics of it and you'll be great.
However that's my opinion

 

Great stuff.Your work looks top shelf.

 

Could always run some screw on moon discs on them wheels haha. Looks great man