1975 Plastic fantastic aka Corvette

[Bob Holmes]

Can you weld the swaybar without embrittling the metal?

As one who has experienced an "off" due to a broken swaybar, I sure wouldn't want to experience the same in a car capable of a much higher speed. It was truly a moment. I ended up in a ditch so far away from the course that they black-flagged the race.

Careful.

[SuperBuickGuy]

brittle comes from cooling the metal too fast, usually by using water or compressed air

but still, good advice, thanks Bob

[Deaf Bob]

brittle comes from cooling the metal too fast, usually by using water or compressed air

but still, good advice, thanks Bob

Ironworker knives, punches and dies were heated cherry red with a torch and dropped in a coffee can of oil and lid put on until the next day, Slight grinding on a surface grinder and they punched holes in 3/4 inch plate.. A-36 to A572...

[SuperBuickGuy]

Ironworker knives, punches and dies were heated cherry red with a torch and dropped in a coffee can of oil and lid put on until the next day, Slight grinding on a surface grinder and they punched holes in 3/4 inch plate.. A-36 to A572...

you're right, the reason to quench is to get surface hardness - don't quench, fully heat the material you're working, and let cool down as slow as is reasonable. I had a friend show me several materials that he'd welded together - stainless/aluminum, copper/brass, stainless/brass - and while it looked really neat - it's so weak that if you look at it wrong, it'll break. The why is what applies here - the crystal structure of the metal is dissimular - thus there's no bonding between the materials. Seriously, you could weld wood to lead by heating the lead and pouring it onto the wood, but it'd have no strength and the moment you moved it it'd break.
That issue is less pronounced in steel or cast iron, but it's the same issue - when you realign the molecules through heat processing, but don't realign all of the material, you can stress fracture at the weakest point - which is the point where it was the hottest v. the coldest since the molecules aren't in tension at that point.
Nice thing about sway bars, you don't want shear strength, you want compliance strength - so cooling it slowly is best. Of course, the law of diminishing returns is what I'm counting on - that the strength of the bar where I heated it is far above what the car could possibly break.... that said, I may be going stiffer springs and either eliminate the sway bar, or go to a much lighter one....

[Deaf Bob]

In a derby, they either break or get bent into the lower pulleys, thus they get removed.

[SuperBuickGuy]

In a derby, they either break or get bent into the lower pulleys, thus they get removed.

I try not to crash my cars

[Deaf Bob]

I try not to crash my cars

That, I'd reccomend..

Merely pointing out it could either bend or break...

[SuperBuickGuy]

driving it today is awesome. Just sayin'

t-tops off, rumble of the thumpr cam through side pipes... yeah, you can diss all you like, but I'm STILL in a Corvette

[Deaf Bob]

driving it today is awesome. Just sayin'

t-tops off, rumble of the thumpr cam through side pipes... yeah, you can diss all you like, but I'm STILL in a Corvette

I bet! Wish I didnt let the Harley tags lapse... Sure is nice bike riding weather!
Win for me today.. Got son's 65 Skylark registered with perfect old plates as SP!! only took me 4 visits! No more renewals!

[SuperBuickGuy]

so this last weekend I made the pilgrimage to Portland to go to a past favorite swap meet.... and picked up this thing for 12 pack of coca cola money


and while I was down there.... I formed up this for the Corvette

[Deaf Bob]

Fuel cell/tank?

[STINEY]

Homemade Ricer wing?


Nice score on the RC plane.......wish I could find my old remote setup, we finished the Grasshopper but can't find the radio now. Grrr...


PS - your "bench" in the background seems to be bowing a fair amount from the Buick on the stand?

[SuperBuickGuy]

Fuel cell/tank?

bingo - one of my dad's friends asked him why I was building it out of stainless.... then answered his own question with "because he can"

Homemade Ricer wing?


Nice score on the RC plane.......wish I could find my old remote setup, we finished the Grasshopper but can't find the radio now. Grrr...


PS - your "bench" in the background seems to be bowing a fair amount from the Buick on the stand?

that bench is a frame bench - nope, not bowing, just the boards on top aren't thrilled about the added weight.

[milner351]

I still can't believe you don't have that garagemahall insulated....

Your fuel tank will be prettier than any kitchen counter I've ever seen - but wouldn't aluminum have saved you on weight.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I've considered insulation, and may do it soon, but it doesn't stay bitterly cold for more than a week. The stove gets the shop up 5-10 degrees and that's enough

aluminum - yes, but stainless is tougher