Projects My 32 5 window build thread..now chopped.

It might be a bit of a sleeper...well, as much as a chopped fenderless 32 can be with cheater slicks out back

After a lot of moving, trimming, cussing, adjusting, and more cussing, i managed to get the whole shebang under the hood with plenty of clearance between the lower blower pulley and crossmember, and about 3/4" between the scoops and hood.
Planned to use an original Hurst front cradle, but that interfered with the mechanical fuel pump, so just going to use side mounts.

Got them fab'd up, and just about done with the trans crossmember too. Pretty cool to finally see a block and trans actually bolted between the rails.
The front mounts are not finished in the pics..

Next step is the pedals. Decided to run a cable actuated clutch due to major lack of room with how i have the motor set in but it should be a pretty straight forward deal.
Also be dropping the block and crank off to my buddy this weekend to get thing's started on that, but thats a whole 'nother subject.
Thats about it for now.......

Tony

 

Yeah!!!
Nothing like the sound of a blower !!!

 

Well the pedals and clutch idea was not as straight forward as i thought it would be.
Got the pedals mounted (they are 33-34) and there was NO way the clutch fork would pull back far enough to disengage the clutch. It would hit the pedals due to where i have placed everything to clear the blower...
what to do what to do...
Switch to a pass side clutch release!
Took the scatter shield off and got to business (doing exactly what the "warning" label above in pic 1 said not to do....alter the bell) .

After taking many measurements, i had the pivot ball and opening marked off.
Lakewood uses a threaded block welded to the inside of the bell to thread the pivot into...i just cut their welds and moved it over to the pass side rather than making a new one. I'm going to block off the old hole anyway, along with the old drivers side fork opening.
Then welded it in place.
After that, just cut a new opening for the clutch fork....
Done.

It'll make life REAL easy getting the clutch set up.

Guess that's all for now..back to your regular scheduled program.

Tony

 

update time Tony!

 

Yeah, really. WTF. Equus caballus itis?

 

What the hell does that mean?! You know i barely know English! haha

Ok..update.
Well, the suspension is all finished, and welded up.
I'm not using the nice and strong 35-36 bones out back cause i just couldn't find them when i started, so i beefed up the later ones with some 1/4 gussets to added strength.
The trans crossmember is done too. I do have to make a drop out section on the lower part of the original K so i can get the transmission out when it blows up..and it will...Thats all thats left.
I decided to butcher up a set of 34 pedals i had to make them work nicely on the 32 K member too.
My block and crank are out getting machined up and parts have been ordered and hopefully on the way for that..REALLY looking forward to building that little thing!

I have to build a bell crank set up to mount the master cylinder sideways due to lack of room, and get a cable coming for the clutch.
Once that's done it all comes apart and i'll get it all painted up..

There's probably more but i'm at a loss right now. Over tired i guess.

Thanks for the interest fella's..i'll get some updated pics up soon.

Tony

 

Figured it was time to finish the firewall..
I had to move the center back a bit to clear where i put the motor, so i cut the center loose and straightened it out then added filler panels to the sides making it recessed but keeping some originality to it.
The lower section was gone from the start, so i made up all that too.
The pass toe board is crewed to a plate wended under the floor with some 10x32 screw's, and the whole panel around the pedals and column is removable being fastened the same way.
The tunnel is next, and that too will be fully removable to access the bell housing bolts and trans if needed.

Thats all for now..sorry nothing very exciting..yet. haha

Tony

 

Firewall looks good with the lower sides still bumped forward.

See the holes through to the outside in pic #1, out at the lower cowl edges. What went in there when new? I did not know so I made flat plates.

 

Thanks.
I'm not exactly sure what was there originally. I know there are brackets (for lack of a better word) that attach to the cowl and bolt to the frame which pull the cowl tight to the firewall..but that's all'z i know.
I'm going to make plates like you did.

Built framework for the tunnel tonight. Normally i don't do that, i'd just bend up the tin and call it a day. But, i wanted it to be sturdy which it will be like this, and it will also give me a nice place for mounts to bolt it to the floor rather than using the tin.
Should be able to skin it tomorrow..
just havn't decided if i'm going to just use tin, or aluminum..if i go aluminum, i'd use stainless button head machine screws to put it all together and polish everything...it'll probably never get much of an interior knowing how i am...lol

Tony

 

Freek'n cool.

 

Nice "transmission cage"... Dig that firewall man, stellar job!

 

I must be living under a rock...I don't recall ever seeing a rod type skeleton for a tunnel before. That brings up so many possibiltes for mounting it to be removable, as well as being so easy to skin it. Nice.

That should have been a tech week thing

 

I've seen stuff fabbed up using a skeleton before but never done it myself.
Wherever i've had to build a tunnel it's always been welded in so simple tin bending works perfect.
Being i wanted this one to be removable, i figured i'd give it a shot.
For THIS particular thing it worked perfectly, and it's nice and sturdy.
Well, i ended up skinning it in tin rather than aluminum. It would have taken too many pieces for me to do it in aluminum and i'm not very proficient in welding that stuff yet...so..
And the only tin i had on hand was 16ga, so it's probably a bit stronger than needed.
Now just have to make a nice flange to mate it to the floor, weld it all up and it's done.

Thanks guys.
Tony

 

Firewall looks great.
Now that the tunnel is done in 16ga, do you really need the inner framework, can you just pull it out and be strong enough?

 

At least you won't have to worry about denting it!

 

I could. It'd be plenty strong and certainly wouldn't move. I thought about it honestly, but the saved weight isn't going to make any difference so i'm gonna just leave it as it is.

Andy, you got that right! haha


Tony

 

It looks like there is room to sink a couple cup holders over the trans.

 

Looking good, Tony! Good progress and nice work all around...


Malcolm

 

You're right. There's a few inches or so ( actually about 2" at the transmissions highest point) between the transmission and tunnel. Unfortunately, there was no choice. I had to cut the top of the K member out to get the trans in place, and built a truss from one side to the other out of 1x2 11ga rec tubing to regain the lost structure. The cover is 1/4" off that.

Malcolm, thanks.

Hopefully i'll have some real progress to post soon, the thread's been pretty boring lately.
It's about ready to be blown apart to start body work....and i should be getting all the motor parts back from the machine shop too so i can build it..THAT, i'm looking very forward to.

Tony

 

Well this is done....
Now the body comes off (again) to finish the brake and clutch stuff...
Then is all get's blown apart and ill start smoothing the frame etc for paint.

Tony

 

Rebushed the spindles, machined the Buick drums and changed the bolt pattern..finally able to put that all together. Just need to make some front shock mounts and bend the steering arms to clear the bones and it's done up there.
Had an issue with the master because of how i built the X member. In other words, no room for it.
So, i built a bell crank set up so i could locate the master in an open area.
It's equal distance from center pivot to both outer holes so the ratio isn't changed. And by doing it the way i did, the stock pedal lever stays too.
It pull's one side of the bell crank, which in turn pushes the other side into the master cylinder.
It's overkill like most other crap i do. 3/8's plate for the crank istelf, and the upper mount. The lower is 1x2 11ga that ties from the X member to the frame, and the pivot for the bell crank is 7/8's DOM that i bored to fit bushings in.
And it's help in place by a 1/2 bolt.
Should be strong enough.
Also made the plate to mount the master as well. I do have to add one more gusset to it though to tie it to the 1x2 in front of it.










Aside from the front shock mounts, just the clutch cable fab work remains, then i can blow it apart and get it ready for paint.

Tony.

 

Doesn't sound nearly strong enough

 

Hmmm, maybe you're right? haha

So today i got the rear rubber...I'M STOKED!
Radir Cheater's!!

I want to say thanks for the crew at Hot Rod Chassis and Cycle. Great service, excellent communication AND an Alliance discount.
Thanks guys, it was a pleasure!

Tony

 

Today was the first time in the close to 12 years i've owned this body that it's held itself up on it's own rollers!
I had found a pair of magnesium 15x6 American 5 spoke fronts ( looked for the skinny's but couldn't find crap i could afford), and had a pair of 15x10 mag 5 spoke rears for this..
But, got a call from a friend who offered me his set of 5 spokes from his race car............
Today i went and picked them up.......

Magnesium American 15x4 fronts with 165-15's, and 16x10 magnesium American D spoke rears with N.O.S 11x16 Goodyear Blue Streak Dragway Specials!
Unfortunately i just bought cheater slicks for my 15x10's, so i probably wont be running the 16's..but i have no idea yet.
I'm just STOKED this thing actually rolls on it's own and has the look i was after! It looks sinister and i love it! hahaha
May not be a major update, but after all these years it's major to me.







Tony

 

Looks great!

 

Lookin' great...Can't wait to see you usual awesome work when done !!
Cheers.....

 

Very nice, those rears will be hard not to use. How much shorter are the 15 inch cheaters ?

 

Glad it worked out for you........cant believe he came off them. As always-nice score!

 

Oh good LORD that looks great Tony!!! LOVE the rubber combo!!

 

Both 16's and my new cheaters are 30" tall. The only difference is the 16's are 11" wide vs the 10 of the cheaters....
BUT, the big problem is the dia cause i just spent a shit load on the cheaters.
Honestly, the 15x10s i have will look the same as these, only they are the straight spoke design and not as nice, but they are still original magnesium..
They are the ones i've had on the back of my truck for the past 2 years.

Thanks a lot guys!

Tony