Presently in the shop

WZ JUNK · March 05, 2010, 08:36:18 PM

A new job arrived today. A Henry J gasser style street car. It is set up similar to the one I helped Hooley build. I am going to fabricate the mechanism to tilt the front end. It will slide forward and then tilt like the one I built for Hooley but I will build it differently. I plan to build a steel framework that the hinge and latch system will work off of and then attach the fiberglass front end to it. I will leave it alone for a couple of days and look at it some before I start on it. Updates will follow.

John

dragrcr50 · March 07, 2010, 05:51:08 PM

john that thing neeeeeds to race with us this yr... hooley J, my J , rons J, it will be a natural.. oh and go ahead and cut those wheelwells out while its there too. tell him i said its ok ............

enjenjo · March 19, 2010, 07:05:37 PM

How is it going John? How about an update?

WZ JUNK · March 20, 2010, 06:45:23 AM

Quote from: "enjenjo"How is it going John? How about an update?

This project is still in the development stage. (I have not got it all figured out to suit me yet) I am currently revising my first design. (The first go around worked but now I am making it better). I can say this, it is the best operating one I have ever made.

I should post some pictures later in the week.

John

WZ JUNK · March 28, 2010, 12:51:07 PM

We have the slider system worked out. The picture is a little misleading as it is not as big as it looks. It uses a couple of linear bearings. They look like small pillow block bearing but they move in and out on a precision shaft. The assembly then rotates to tilt on the round tube that connects the two sides of the lower grille opening. These sleeves have brass bushings. A splash shield will cover about all of this mechanism.

At the back of the hood there will be two plastic slider bearings surfaces. These will let that area slide and aligned it to the cowl.

The next step will be to make the inner structure for the hood with the two latches that will be inside the dog legs at the back behind the wheel opening. They will each have a cable that connects to a hidden handle inside the grille opening.

Slow progress but any progress is good.

John

kb426 · March 28, 2010, 05:05:10 PM

Anxious to see more.

GPster · March 28, 2010, 07:09:35 PM

What's the front axel out of?Looks like maybe it might be out of a 2WD Jeep something but I can't tell. Doesn't look like it's got old style spindles. GPster

WZ JUNK · March 28, 2010, 07:28:29 PM

Quote from: "GPster"What's the front axel out of?Looks like maybe it might be out of a 2WD Jeep something but I can't tell. Doesn't look like it's got old style spindles. GPster

Joe, It is an aftermarket tube axle with Ford spindles.

John

WZ JUNK · April 07, 2010, 05:59:53 PM

This is the inner structure for the tilt front end. It is just roughed together as I am still fabricating. You can see the round tube in the front that is attached to the sliding linear bearings and this tube also goes through the lower grille opening of the fiberglass front end. The tubing has brass bearings where it rotates. At the rear you see the two latches down low on the cowl. At the top you see two black plastic bearing surfaces. When the front rotates down to close it lays on two guide blocks and then allows it to slide back to the cowl and align there. The fiberglass front will attach to this frame with slotted tabs that will allow for adjustments to fit the front end to the body. As I get further along I will make two telescoping prop rods that will hold the front end open and two catchs that will hold the slider in the forward position.

John

dragrcr50 · April 08, 2010, 12:46:33 AM

loooks good john, much simpler than the 57 steel tilt we are doing , its a nightmare to go around a blowet etc and on a already painted car. ...

WZ JUNK · April 21, 2010, 06:02:22 PM

Here is the assembly with the glass front mounted to the metal armature. I had to add a lot of stiffeners. The front end is held in the open position by two gas cylinders that do not have gas in them. It was difficult to find a place to mount these cylinders so that they were in the right position when the front is open but allow them to collaspe enough for the front to close and slide back.

I am currently fitting the glass front to the cowl. The quality of the front end is very poor. It is like making a Chevy front clip fit a Ford. I have spent most of the last two days with heat lamps reforming the fiberglass to get it close to the shape it needs to be. Now I will slowly move it back and trim for the correct gap. I can also move the slotted tabs that attach the front to the metal structure to raise and lower the fiberglass to get a good match. In the end there will be fiberglass and bondo work to do but it should be close.

John

dragrcr50 · April 21, 2010, 06:21:56 PM

looks good john,l thats why im using a glass hood and fenders lift off hood and pinned fenders, this 57 we just did was a * to make slide and tilt with metal, weighed about a hundred or more pounds

WZ JUNK · May 04, 2010, 01:34:34 PM

Well I think I am done. I am waiting on the owner to tell me that I am. There were lots of little issues that took a long time. The left fender was about an inch short. I had to cut the fender apart and lengthen the dog leg behind the tire. The rear of the hood at the cowl was at least a half inch to tall on each side. I tried heating and reshaping that area but I could not get it to form. I had to make two pie cuts on each side and fiberglass those pieces back in place. It is ready to go to the body shop for the finish body work now. I will be glad to see it go out the driveway.

John

GPster · May 04, 2010, 03:20:54 PM

For a street machinewith an attitude (altitude) like that should be a terror on the streets. Watch out all old ladies,dogs and motorcycle riders. Take a picture of it and glue it on Hooley's rear view mirror. GPster