What are you doing today? 2018

[Beck]

I bought a new TIG machine this week. It's a Lincoln Square Wave 200. I wanted it for well over a year. The desire was still strong after that long, so I gave in. I used the following job for the excuse.

I cut the splined center out of a transmission planet. I welded that portion to a sprocket. I am attempting to drive a planetary set with the sprocket. The sprocket center was pretty soft steel. The hub I cut from the planetary wasn't that hard but was quite different steel.

I clamped it well and made 4 tacks. After cooling I filled in between the tacks. I let it cool again and welded the other side. I added several more passes allowing it to cool between them. I wanted a strong weld so I decided to make a pass over the TIG welds with my MIG.

The outside of the weld on the opposite side of the MIG weld pulled off of the harder hub metal. I went back around that side with the TIG trying to tie it back together. The hub cracked in a couple of places.... JUNK.

I wish I would have stopped before adding the MIG weld. I think it would have held. It is going to see 150 hp at 1500 rpm.

I need to re-engineer this job. I just ordered more parts to start over.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Today I set the 1962 Morris Minor body back on to the tube chassis. I took the body off the chassis several months ago.  I aligned them up from the marks I had put in place when I took the body loose & then off.

kinda felt good to get something accomplished in the shop. Since february , for the most part:  I have not given 2 chits if anything happened in the shop.

I bought a cheapy sheet metal bead roller. Need to run some beads for strength in the firewall & floors metal I will install in the Morris & the 1948 Simca car.  I think beads make the metal look a bit better, maybe a little more sturdy.

The Morris is a build I started around 2005: buying parts & pieces.  I doubt I ever finish this car. I just piddle with it, gives me something to do when I need it.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Received a couple photos of the 429 Phord .  I have not seen the engine yet. It is 45 miles from me.

Of course the valve cover is sitting over the area where the casting numbers on the head should be.

Looks like  460 cast on the front of the block.  Although the 460 appears backwards?

From my reading: the 429 & 460 share the same basic block & heads

I received casting numbers off this engine. It is the common stuff.  

Basic 460 block & heads with 429 crank & pistons in it. I told the brother of Steve; since the long block had sit for decades it would all need to come apart for inspection.  If humidity , insects or what ever got into it, there could be a mess at hand.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Taking the 63 to JCWhitney car show tomorrow in LaSalle. My buddy is taking his 55 Austin (super hot car).

Also got my traffic light finished the other day.

That is a very bright yellow paint you found Phil.  Looks good

[idrivejunk]

Hey guys, the Biscayne will be at Goodguys Nashville, along with other friends' cars. Look for it if you go, and you liked the build.

A frame for a Model A job came in today.    And theres a convertible first gen Barracuda out back, looks like in for paint job.

The black '69 SS396 Chevelle from awhile ago is back for the standard post-assembly paint primping. If you dig Chevelles, it is candy-like in person.    Will get pics when opportunity knocks.  

Had small dramas with each of my 3 GPs last week (GP-J fried an alt wire, GT had Monday AM flat, GTP puked coolant Wed or Thurs after work) but alls well this week so far. I like this warm weather.  

Good to see your projects and progress :!:

[chimp koose]

ordered brake hoses for my 65 merc 1/2 ton . wiper control module for 92 chev 1/2 ton all from rock auto . I also started making the windshield frame for t coupe . 3/4" x 3/4" doubled over on the back edge . I will make a 3/4" plywood pattern to fill the window opening so I can weld the frame pieces together while clamped to it (thanks IDJ , great idea ). there is a little bit of a ledge in the window opening so if I need to go more than 3/4" back I can slide the frame in a bit . I am planning on making supports that come up from the cowl bracing to weld to the bottom edge of the window frame for added support of the glass weight as the lip in the stock window opening is narrow .

[Beck]

Tony,

Aluminum heads would save you 60 lb. Replacing a cast iron intake with aluminum saves some more.

Stroker kits are available.

I have some iron heads here, but they would need a cleanup and valve job. Shipping would be big $$. They have an extra hole in front of them but a freeze plug solves that problem. Their factory Mercruiser 3.7 heads, same as the 460.

If you want people scratching their heads put some Mercruiser 3.7 aluminum valve covers on it.

[58 Yeoman]

Taking the 63 to JCWhitney car show tomorrow in LaSalle. My buddy is taking his 55 Austin (super hot car).

Also got my traffic light finished the other day.

That is a very bright yellow paint you found Phil.  Looks good

It just about matches the insides of the lights, but then, the outsides were faded before being painted white.

Did I ever post pix of my buddies '55 Austin that he turned into a pro-street? Is that what you're planning with your Morris?

[WZ JUNK]

I met a semi hauling gravel yesterday afternoon.  Gravel was raining out the back off the truck.  Broke the new windshield in the 54 Chevy and damaged the paint all across the front.  I followed him for 45 miles while he damaged other vehicles, and I was taking pictures and talking to the police on my cell phone.  I remained calm through the ordeal.  We will see how this drama plays out.  The car will fix, hopefully the trucking company or their insurance will pay the bill.

John

[416Ford]

I met a semi hauling gravel yesterday afternoon.  Gravel was raining out the back off the truck.  Broke the new windshield in the 54 Chevy and damaged the paint all across the front.  I followed him for 45 miles while he damaged other vehicles, and I was taking pictures and talking to the police on my cell phone.  I remained calm through the ordeal.  We will see how this drama plays out.  The car will fix, hopefully the trucking company or their insurance will pay the bill.

John

That sucks John.
I had this happen once also to a daily and the gravel company sent the glass people to my shop and had the windshield installed. My incident did not damage the paint.

[58 Yeoman]

Years ago, I met a dump truck coming towards me (from a local paving company), and he was dropping gravel. Broke both headlights and the windshield on my Ford van. I turned around and followed him to the site, and talked with the owner of the company, whom I knew. He asked me how I knew it was his truck that did the damage. I said because I followed him here. His insurance paid the damages.

Five or six years ago, I met a township dump truck, and his truck was dropping rocks. Broke the w/s of my Ranger. I followed him till he came to a stop sign. I got in front of him and told him about the rocks. He tried to deny it was him, until he looked at the back of his truck, and saw the small pile of gravel on the road, from a hole in the bed. He gave me his phone number (he was the road commisioner). He said to have the w/s fixed and send them the bill.

I had a local place replace the w/s while it was parked at work. That was a Thursday. The following Saturday, I met a car that kicked up a rock and chipped the w/s again. I sold the truck last year with the chip still in it.  I would think that they will fix your car, and I hope you can find another w/s.

[idrivejunk]

I met a semi hauling gravel yesterday afternoon.  Gravel was raining out the back off the truck.  Broke the new windshield in the 54 Chevy and damaged the paint all across the front.  I followed him for 45 miles while he damaged other vehicles, and I was taking pictures and talking to the police on my cell phone.  I remained calm through the ordeal.  We will see how this drama plays out.  The car will fix, hopefully the trucking company or their insurance will pay the bill.

John

This is awful, you have my sympathy. Hope they do more than point at the "stay back, not responsible..." sign. This is why we can't have nice things.  What color is the mood tooth now (grille)?  :cry:  :x

[UGLY OLDS]

Hang in there John....While not good news , you guys are OK ...I know that the original painter was pretty good at what he does, BUT, he is kinda expensive ....    

Bob...

[kb426]

Sorry to hear that , John. They don't stay new in my part of the world either. We have tremendous truck traffic because of the ag and cattle industries.

[idrivejunk]

We have a lot of quarry and recycling facility traffic out by work. Many hazards. I watched a bolt fall off a truck once and divoted the then-new windshield on Ptour. Watching it hit square in front of my face and leave a little spray of glass powder was the injurious part and the insult was watching the drop of oil run up the glass.

So John, is it time for a flame job  :?:

I welded up a hole in my H pipe at lunch today and the air deflector finally broke in half so I ripped it off. Better quit looking at my ride because theres a fix needed everywhere you can look.