The "Whatever" Project

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

What? No comments from the peanut gallery? Never knew there was a popcorn gallery...

Just about to get out in the garage today and disassemble the front suspension so I can get at the front of the frame. Then I'll decide which way to go. More later...

[Captain]

OK,
I would put "Muffin Fans" in those cut off holes too aid in Cooling.......or to look like it was designed that way.
Save you a whole bunch of Grinding and Welding.

[oletrux4evr]

OK,
I would put "Muffin Fans" in those cut off holes too aid in Cooling.......or to look like it was designed that way.
Save you a whole bunch of Grinding and Welding.

Muffin fans?

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

Muffin fans?

You know? Those little fans in computers and the like. I like how captain thinks...

Unfortunately the holes are behind where the radiator will sit. On the other hand, I suppose I could duct them out to the disc brake rotors for cooling them.

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

So been distracted wirh a home project, repairing a BIG mail box. We'll be sharing it between us and the next door neighbor. A few years ago I made a shared stand for both of the mailboxs, and the mailman really appreciated it. One stop, two houses of mail. The big box is going between the two for larger packages, so parcel posts won't make the mailman have to walk to either house most of the time.

And there's a positive side in all of this. Patching the rusty bits and making patch panels and welding it all up without blowing great big holes in the metal was a good brush up on my welding abilities, without the fear of something failing on the Whatever project. So, two stones, one bird...

Another day for the paint to cure, and it goes out on the stand. The finally back to the garage and the whatever project

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

So been distracted wirh a home project, repairing a BIG mail box
And I finally finished it!.

So today was back to the Whatever project. Took the easy way out regarding those big ugly front crossmember holes. I just cut 3.5 inches off the frontof the frame rails. Hole be gone! I have some 2x3 left over so if needed I'll just splice little sections back on. But it looks like a better way to mount the nose and radiator will be to make a crossmember that supports the radiator like it would have been in a deuce frame, and also attach the nose to the radiator like a deuce shell would be attached.

I'll be working on that tomorrow and I promise you that I'll get some pictures.

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

Slowly working thru the home projects. Got to kill off some poison ivy. Spent a little bit of time putting clean brown cardboard over it, and then top soil and compost. Then some rain came, so that means garage!

And I have pictures to boot! 1st, I had to disassemble the front suspension so I could get to the frame rails and cut off the ugly:
I have sections of 2x3 if I need to make the rails longer, however looking at the radiator and cogitating and ruminating over the way to support it, I might have lucked out and come up with an idea that won't need the extra length.

Rummaging around in my short stock of steel, I came up with a section of 1x1.5 rectangular box section tubing, with 1/8th inch wall. Okay so I'm still not there. But I found some 1.5 inch square tubing, perfect for making a couple of uprights. Some 1/8×2×2 and a couple of flange nuts, and viola, I had a design. A little bit of time welding and here's the radiator support.
This is the 2nut plates, made by using a step drill, and leaving a step for the flange on the nut to set on. Then a little tig welding and I had 2 mounting plates. Centering them on the square tubing sections and spacing them to match the feet on the radiator and I had a crossmember. So next is drilling for the mounting bolts, and positioning the whole structure in the nose.

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

Also, while the front suspension was apart, it seemed like a good time to change from Speedway's front spindles, to a set of Ford F1 spindles. Why you might ask? 1st let me say, that the Speedway spindles are forgings, and very well made. However, they require some sort of bolt on steering arms. I have nothing against the design, we used to cut the arms off of Ford passenger car front spindles for the dirt cars. We'd either flame cut new arms, or buy the heavy steel arms that Speedway still sells. I just don't like the looks of the setup for the Whatever project.

A while back I obtained the bearing spacers necessary to work with the spindles, and the brake kit I have, designed for 37-48 Ford passenger car front spindles. The only difference between the passenger car spindles and the F1 spindles is the diameter of the inner bearing races. The spindles also have forged steering arms, just like the passenger car spindles. Even the kingpins inclination is the same for the 48 thru 50 or 51 F1 spindles. I don't know what years exactly, or when they were changed slightly.
This is the right front spindle with the bearing adapter.
Same one with all of the rest of the kit. Clearances are fine, and everything else looks good. So now I have parts that look right.

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

A tad bit more progress. I have made a crossmember to support the radiator and it fits in the nose and to the frame somewhat easily.
I left it long just because. A section of the same tubing coming forward from the end of the 2x3 to the end of the gussets on each side and some mounting tabs will hold the crossmember to the frame. The steering clears. It goes on the bottom of the pitman arm.
This gives a roadside view of the whole shebang. I'll get better pictures when it's all fabbed up.
From the engine side. I spent so much time looking for a locating punch I made, but didn't find, so I gave up and made another. Same with the hoop I have for inside of the nose. And it was right next to where I was working!

Well it's now time to get supper tonight. More tomorrow...

[Captain]

Cup Holders !!

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

Holy crap! A genius suggestion! A little grinding, slicing and welding, and viola we got cup holders!

Gonna have to do it. Just because...

[fatguyzinc]

or section/weld them into trans crossmember
as exhaust tunnels to run pipes through?

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

or section/weld them into trans crossmember
as exhaust tunnels to run pipes through?

I've already figured out how to run the exhaust system. Besides it's going to be 3 inch diameter tube. That tubing fits inside the 3 inch side of the frame rails, soit wouldn't fit. But good idea for another project, a small car maybe? Mini sized? Can you tell what I'm referring to? But that's a ways in the future.

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

So work continues on the radiator crossmember. It's fabricated and tacked into place. It fits inside the nose and once finished the 2 should be rock solid. Here's some pictures of the progress today.











I'm not going to describe the radiator support structure, it's just steel shaped to hold it up.

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

Don't ask me how I got that last picture larger, it's FM