Projects Fear Commitment! The Beating Goes On...

So the work on the bed is pretty much wrapped up. See it here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=394068&showall=1

Now it's time to sort out the brake & clutch pedals and steering. I started mocking up the box and column to see where the wheel should go and decided it was mandatory that the dash be in, so a couple of hours later it was narrowed to match the cab and fell right into place.


I will need to play with the lateral placement a bit, but I have a bigger problem with foot room right now. This position mimics the OE column, but the box would have been beyond the firewall, so having it here for cowl steering is killing me.
The top line is the highest point that I can have the pitman shaft without a crazy long pitman arm. I expect to work out under-floor pedals, so moving it up a couple of inches could do the trick. Moving the box up and back to let pedals swing behind might work, too. I have some experimenting to do.



I also need to work out a shifter mount that will lean the shifter to the right about 45 degrees. In the current location, it comes up under my right leg. If anyone has any examples of trick shifter mounts, I would love to see them.


And the beating continues.... I will drive it this year... I will drive it this year... I will drive it this year...

 

Scotty,

I have no pics, But the shifter in my Sports Coupe came up under my leg also.

I used a '47 Ford Big truck shifter handle, Heated,Hammered & Grouund the end to fit a HURST shifter body.

Then bent it into a "Z" at the bottom about 4-5 inches over.

Shifts fine and is out of the way.

 

Yep Dave, My size 10's are a bit tight in there. I'll figure something out.

DE SOTO, Did you play with the installed height at all? My bracket was supposedly from a T-10 and it mounts the bottom edge of the shifter just above the top mounting bolts on the tail housing. I need to look closely at the rods and see how low I can place it, but figured an extreme shift handle would come into play.

 

Nope, Mounted in the stock position on my A-833 MoPaR Trans.

Just made the shifter handle fit.

 

Don't want you guys thinking I took a weekend off.... I finally came to the conclusion that my steering gear is just not the right one for this project. I was facing terrible bump steer with my limited placement options, so cowl steering is off the table. I've listed it in the classifieds for anyone that needs it. I am officially shopping for an affordable (cheap ) Vega steering box for cross-steering.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4827496#post4827496


I also developed a plan for my pedals. I really wanted to avoid hanging pedals and also retain a mechanical clutch, so I drew up and did the math nine ways for under floor pedals. The 7/8" master cylinder I needed for the short pedal ratio was only $40 at AZ and all the linkage another $45 online from a race supplier. I sent the CAD file out for cutting on Saturday and should get them back in a few days. Here's a peek...




I also figured out that my shifter issues were more about the mock up seat than the shifter. It was a blow molded POS from the shop. I tossed it in favor of some plywood and worked out a very comfortable position to start from. Here's a teaser for that, too. Stay tuned....

 

If that's a Super Shifter I don't think you can lower it without making new rods.
May have to make an adaptor to move the handle over and do away with the reverse lock out.

Tim

 

Thanks for the update Scotty. Those seats should look great.

 

Are you going to move the glovebox over about 4 inches? Looks strange where it is. Did I miss something here?

 

Yup, but I need to make up a set with heim ends anyway, so no biggie.

Thanks Fred. I had the prototype cut today, so I have some work to do bending it, but it looks promising. I will say this is a prototype for one I may start producing. Maybe we need to work up a set for you.

No, you're eyes are just fine. It needs some visual balance. I decided to fill the guage holes and relocate them yesterday. I'll revisit the passenger side after that.

I made a new friend with a cnc plasma table today and we got to know each other learning to cut out the pedals. I failed to notice that my metals dealer loaded a piece of 1/2" instead of the 3/8" I asked for. We looked at it and decided it wouldn't make much difference to me from a functional stand point, so we tuned up the machine to cut that heavy ass plate. I like the way they turned out and they are meaty enough that I can blend all the corners and make them look like cast iron (I hope).

Look for pretty pictures this weekend.

 

Well here's the prototype seat... I need to finish weld it and work out some trim details. I can't decide if I want a cushion on the bottom or just a padded bolster at the shoulder and knee. I'll probably put tubing on the edges down both sides. It's not quite stiff enough, but acts like proper mounting and weld out will resolve that.

Give my some suggestions. I expect to tweak this design on the next one and then make a matched set. I like the flanged holes, but they are getting a little cliche'. I might bead it in some fashion. If it were aluminum, it would be easy, but 18 ga steel is a little harder to work with.

 

Looking great! Those seat look really cool.

 

The seat looks good. Will it be fixed or on some sort of track?

 

You will drive this year......you will drive this year!

 

I had the same problem with the shifter under my knee. I took some stainless flatbar and bent it over to the middle then bent int straight up. Works and looks good.

 

Are you not done with this darn ratrodzzzzzzzzzzzz yet?

I see 90 year old ladies playing cribbage faster than you build hotrods!


But seriously.........

 

You did not use the R word with me!? Man! You will be sleeping on the floor with my Basset Hound when you get out here for that shit!

I haven't gotten a damned thing done lately. I did play with my seat a little, putting tubing on the edges. I learned a few things. Good thing this is just practice.

I was sitting out there with my shifter, making vroom, vroom noises tonight. Maybe I can get motivated in the next couple of weeks...

 

I'm sorry Scotty, there was no reason for me to use such language.

I'm down with sleeping with the basset hound though, as long as it doesn't snore or have fleas.

I like this truck. Alot. The design and thought you are putting into it is really paying off.

 

What's new??

 

Wow, I guess I took some time off, huh?

Actually, I turned my attention to a couple of other things. My daughter is ready to get her DL, so we've been revamping her first car. It's a time capsule from the '80s in the form of an Olds Cutlass, literally Grandpa's car driven only to church and the doctor. It sat 10 years and I underestimated the potential of bad gas to wreak havoc on a motor. Now it has a fresh top end and is about ready for derby day. Number two is my wife's Falcon. We plan to drop in a late model EFI powertrain in the next few weeks. I've been working all the bugs out of the donor so that it goes as easy as possible.

Back to my truck, I guess it only takes an ember to relight a fire. I haven't written off my seat project, but right after the last update I was at Round Up and found a NOS set of military seats that will be much more comfortable. Not as vintage in appearance as I might like, but the were $75 for the pair, still wrapped in plastic.
I set them in to see what kind of interference I would have and it led one thing to another... I stalled when I figured out the cab and bed needed to go up a bit to get the right slope in the hood line for my grill. Not having everything I needed to finish out the '37 nose and hood, I got stuck when I couldn't find the rest of the parts.
That issue is resolved this week with a marvelous delivery by UPS from the HAMB's own RoyalShifter. He has had a grill shell on the classified for a while that I finally jumped on. To say that it was a perfect fit really understates how well it's going to work. He was unsure of the identity and none of the ideas on his ad really panned out, so my daughter and I scoured google images for hours until we pinned it down to a 1936 GMC truck. It's a fantastic match for my cab's reduced profile. The two lower mounting holes even lined up exactly with the radiator perch holes in my "A" crossmember. I taped up some hood sides for an idea of next steps. I am really stoked! It's time to get back on this.

The new seats:

The new grill:




I've also nearly finished the steering. The column is ready to finish out. I only need the column drop. I've picked out a wheel, but don't have it in hand yet. I have the pedal assembly to install and the K-member to finish and the chassis is done. I can get back to the sheetmetal now that I have a grill and then finish these things. I'll be bouncing between this and the wife's Falcon this winter.

 

Scotty.....this is looking rad. I dig the grille on there.

 

Looking good Bro!! Now get busy...the Round up is only 4 months away!!

 

Look for a Hurst shifter for a C3 Vette - they are way low to fit in the stock console. Really need only the install kit.........

 

Scotty has Space age technology for that!!

 

WAY happy to see this Scotty! Projects are funny like that, a little break & getting a new part leads to some killer progress! Looks perfect man, get back to work

Dan

 

Shell looks killer on there....glad you are happy.

 

Hip hip hooray!

 

Mr. Baccus--when are you going to finish this thing? I'm almost finished with the dart and will be showing it at the McDade watermelon festival car show in June. Hope to see you there. Maybe Cam will get off the couch and join us!

 

Here's a peek.