The Roofus Special

[UGLY OLDS]

Flipper ...Don't look now but I think the wagon's R/F  wheel may have an alignment "issue " ......  

Maybe too much tree in too little wagon    :?

Could that be the reason it's sooooooo hard to pull  :?:    

Bob ...

[Flipper]

Yeah that wagon has been beat on for 15 years or so.  The tree fell on it too (under some of the upper branches).

I've been thinking about the car some more.  I was impressed with how well the firewall brace worked out, that I am thinking about using more cop-car roll bar.  I was thinking a hoop behind the dash would be good.  I want to mount it on top of the next node back from the firewall.  It should do a good job of keeping my outer frame rails from ribboning(flexing side to side) and give me a covientent place to mount steering column stuff.

[Mac]

Yeah that wagon has been beat on for 15 years or so.  The tree fell on it too (under some of the upper branches).

I've been thinking about the car some more.  I was impressed with how well the firewall brace worked out, that I am thinking about using more cop-car roll bar.  I was thinking a hoop behind the dash would be good.  I want to mount it on top of the next node back from the firewall.  It should do a good job of keeping my outer frame rails from ribboning(flexing side to side) and give me a covientent place to mount steering column stuff.

I've been looking at where your rails connect to the tube frame section and wondering if it could use more gusset. The 3 rail connections, on each side, are basically just butt joints. I could see a bit of sq. tube from the top of the firewall/footwell frame down and forward to the top of the rail ( right behind the chain fall in this pic).
Maybe somebody else can give an opinion. I'm no engineer. Just figure that as long as your changing things in that area... :oops:

[Flipper]

I've been looking at where your rails connect to the tube frame section and wondering if it could use more gusset. The 3 rail connections, on each side, are basically just butt joints. I could see a bit of sq. tube from the top of the firewall/footwell frame down and forward to the top of the rail ( right behind the chain fall in this pic).
Maybe somebody else can give an opinion. I'm no engineer. Just figure that as long as your changing things in that area... :oops:

Thanks for the input.  I have something along those lines planned.

That area is about 50% done right now.  The inner front frame rail will get trussed like the outside of the body and diagonals run between the inner frame, outer frame, and firewall.  

I'm waiting on nailing down the steering shaft path before I go much farther with the front structure.

Also, at the very least, there will be a continuation of the outer sheetmetal plating that is used on the front outer frame rails that will run from where front sheet ends to the second verticle of the "body".

Where the front and rear halves join will probably be the strongest part of the car once all is said and done.

[Flipper]

I found new Rally pics.  I think this thing is going to lean towards being Rally inspired ....again.

[Flipper]

I went to dad's house for the long weekend.  It took me quite a while to clear out a path to get the 48 out and free up some work room.  My dad is pretty darn productive for a 73 year old....he tore down the wooden deck that was on the back of his house and built this (brickwork, iron railings...all of it)!

The new deck is impressive, but he left a heck of a mess in the shop (it is his shop after all).

I finally got around to my project.  I am a little baffled about how to make the transmission tailshaft mount area beefy enough yet still have room for seats. I stuck the seats from the Dodge WWII ambulance in for mock-up.  I think these are the same seats as went in the airplanes.




Insert your favorite racecar noises here.
Actually, I was really trying to figure out steering column placement so that I could make motor mounts.



It was not nearly as perfect for the 6' 6" 15 year old.

[Flipper]

I cut up another cop car roll bar for a dash support.  Lots of stuff will be tied into this piece.

Here it is being mocked up.
straight up

angled forward



I figured out that I really needed to know what I was going to use for a steering shaft before I could do the motor mounts.  I went to pull-a-part and found a shaft from a toyota four runner for the front u-joint and collapsible section and a 70's GM big car for some double D material.

The double D will go in the section next to the exhaust.  * that is an ugly mock up!

In this picture, the motor is 1.5" too high.

The 2x4 got replaced by bailing wire once the dash support was welded in place


I have plenty of room below the shaft for a motor mount.


The barn was filled with racecar noises

I also dug out the cockpit mock-up pieces that I made a while back.

[Flipper]

This is the new version of the "thinking chair"

and the views



It is a pretty nice spot to just chill and think up strange * like this.... a floor buffer grill and wind deflectors (it is cast aluminum).

The center portion would be cut out for the grill shell.

The round part would be cut into semi-circles and mounted on the cowl.

...along the lines of this

I may end up saving this for a single seater build,  That way the wind deflector could wrap all the way around the cowl.

[jaybee]

You come up with some of the most imaginative sources for parts...I love it!!!

[Flipper]

You come up with some of the most imaginative sources for parts...I love it!!!

I find inspiration where I can,

If I was building a 32 Ford, I'd know what I was looking for.  I'm making * up as I go.  

[Mac]

I'm with ya. Keep on goin and showin.

[Flipper]

This was one of those one step forward, two steps back kinda weekends, but I think the car will be better because of it.

I had planned on trying to work a quick disconnect into the jag set-up (I had ruled out the speedway parts because they looked like "new parts").  When I tore into the jag column, I discovered it was a cheezy design that used felt bushings top and bottom and the shaft was 1" bar stock.



I decided I needed something with bearings.

I dug through my stash and pulled out what I think is a Dodge column and wheel (cheap swap meet raw material).  The wheel is kinda generic with a smooth horn button that can be customized.



While mocking up the new coulmn (and exhaust routing), I figured out that the path I had previously picked for the steering sector was too prominent.  It needed to blend into the background.









The sector needed to go under the exhaust.

[Flipper]

To pull this off as simply as possible, I decided I needed a really long steering column (column to sector junction as far away from the firewall as possible).



I did not cut the outer tube.

For the lower bearing, I used an off the shelf part from Tractor Supply Company (TSC).





I needed a splined end to connect to the toyota u-joints, so I hacked into a 1991 Celica column.





It was stuck together with plastic that acted like shear pins

plastic removed


Trying to figure out how much dodge shaft to trim.  The double-D coupler needed to be completely inside the coulmn, above the lower bearing.


a little snip here


a little grinding turned the round shaft into a double-d.  It is a snug fit in the coupler (it goes from round to D on the dodge end)




welded with plug welds


assembled.

The new column is 46.5" long

[Flipper]

I didn't have time to do anything more than mock up a torque tube exhaust pipe in two different positions.

Above the frame rail/ angle down





And down low/ through the frame.  I think I like this best.

[chimp koose]

Through the frame looks best,my  $.02.