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1963 mgb v8

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  • #46
    Originally posted by Beagle View Post
    traction is going to be such a joke that you can pull a 3 speed toploader and 3.0x or 2.7x gears with a 27" tire and it won't matter.

    (please don't take that the wrong way, but the big chevy mill without a turbo is going to be a traction challenge. When it comes up on boost, forget it.)
    That's why I was leaning towards the automatic setup to begin with. I find it much easier to put power down with an automatic than with a manual. Traction is also why I'm leaning towards a 4-link setup, a further narrowed rear end and wheel tubs big enough for 275 or larger drag radials. BTW, those 275s will look MASSIVE back there. Just for some reason I keep thinking about manuals, but it just doesn't seem to fit the over-all vision of what this car will be.
    1970 Camaro RS - SOLD | 2000 Camaro SS - Traded in for a Hyundai...
    1966 Ford Thunderbird - SOLD | 1963 MGB, abandoned V8 project, FOR SALE/SCRAP

    1978 Cutlass - Post Lay-off daily driver

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    • #47
      Originally posted by SuperBuickGuy View Post
      I'm sure I have a bellhousing that would work and you could have for cheap, I probably even have pedals that could be made to work (or you can reimburse me what I paid for my wilwood set up and use that - it's a top hung set up that didn't work on the Spider)....

      Just say no to Saginaw - I've seen Super T-10s for 400 bucks all the time on CL
      Yeah, it's the $400 price mark that has me interested. I have a nice TH400 I can trade you for that bellhousing and pedals.... ha.

      Seriously though, I think I will be hacking the trans tunnel out tonight. Or at least start to. Plan is to cut out the entire tunnel and move it all back exactly as far as needed. Then I will add a simple flat curved to fit between the tunnel and firewall. I should have a welder within the next week so I can get started putting it back together quickly. New trans crossmember will have to be made and engine mounts welded to the front unibody frame. Looking at using something like this for the engine mounts. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/tr...FW1yQgodJHoAKA
      1970 Camaro RS - SOLD | 2000 Camaro SS - Traded in for a Hyundai...
      1966 Ford Thunderbird - SOLD | 1963 MGB, abandoned V8 project, FOR SALE/SCRAP

      1978 Cutlass - Post Lay-off daily driver

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      • #48
        Decided to get off my butt and work on the MG instead of that monster Thunderbird sitting outside. Mother Nature agreed because it was monsoon season outside today. I decided I'm going to stick with the TH400, so I started measuring things. I also decided I'm not going to cut the entire tunnel out, just two portions that aren't working for me.

        From the back of the engine to right about where the pan ends and the tailshaft begins is 20". That's where I was having clearance issues with the driveshaft tunnel being too narrow. I measured 20" back from the firewall and marked on the trans tunnel where to cut. It was almost exactly where the previous guy welded a strip to neck the tunnel down to the driveshaft area.


        I also measured the length of the remaining bit at 8" and marked accordingly on the car.


        And the width at about 7", but I gave it a plus "1 on both sides and marked out 1.5" of extra width from the existing tunnel on the passenger side floor pan and 1" of additional width on the driver's side. I can always increase this, but I want to make it all as narrow as possible because it's encroaching on the seats.


        I also measured from the back of the block to where the bellhousing transition is and marked that entire area on the car all the way to the firewall.


        This is what I ended up with as my planned cuts.


        So I started cutting, first with the cutoff wheel to make a hole.


        Then the Sawzall went to work.


        And the battery died. Then the backup battery died. So I quit for the night, but I got it started.

        Also, anyone curious what the distance between the rear frame rails is?


        34"...


        The 4-link with need something like 26" back-half frame rails.

        Car also had this neat tag on it.


        I will hit it again tommorow with fresh batteries.
        1970 Camaro RS - SOLD | 2000 Camaro SS - Traded in for a Hyundai...
        1966 Ford Thunderbird - SOLD | 1963 MGB, abandoned V8 project, FOR SALE/SCRAP

        1978 Cutlass - Post Lay-off daily driver

        Comment


        • #49
          All batteries were charged up...and this sums up how my day went.



          And this little fluff ball did this while I wasn't looking. That's a plastic plate that he figured out how to break.

          1970 Camaro RS - SOLD | 2000 Camaro SS - Traded in for a Hyundai...
          1966 Ford Thunderbird - SOLD | 1963 MGB, abandoned V8 project, FOR SALE/SCRAP

          1978 Cutlass - Post Lay-off daily driver

          Comment


          • #50
            Get your blades warm then run a candle on the sides...


            Or jam a screwdriver in the kerf to keep it from pinching...


            Best blades are by Sawzall..
            There are thicker ones but cannot think what they are right now.. Also using less teeth per inch hels unless cutting 3/16-1/4 or thicker..
            Last edited by Deaf Bob; June 13, 2013, 09:20 PM.

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            • #51
              when I was cutting the 14" I-beams under my house trailer at the lake, I tried several different kinds of sawzall blades. If they pinch at all, they'll bend / break.

              I'd probably try a 24tpi DeWalt blade on that. I had pretty good luck with the 14tpi in both the siding and the beams. The Threads Per Inch should be tailored to the job, but it was a pretty good compromise.

              The *BIGGEST* improvement I found after wearing out my elbows was to keep it lubed. WD40 is fantastic for this, about quadrupled my blade life. Some of it may have been cooling related. You might not want to stop to spray, but it is weeellllll worth the time. Your elbows will thank you.

              I'm looking at your cut and it looks like you were straightening it out, they will bind pretty quick like that. I wonder if screwing a guide (like a 1x2 fir strip that is somewhat flexible) onto the tunnel would be helpful? Filling the holes shouldn't be a big deal since you have to weld a new cover up anyway. I'm not trying to criticize here - I've busted a bunch of blades and ruined circular saw blades doing the same thing (trying to straighten out the cut). Get something to be a guide for the saw and I bet it will help a ton. If they never get crooked, they don't tend to snap as quick has been my experience.

              I've been accused of being able to break a bowling ball in a sandbox before, so I'm sympathetic to the dog. He was probably just trying to get it into the dishwasher for you and wanted to make sure it was "pre-rinsed"

              ahh- something else you probably already know but if you drill the bottom corner it's a stress relief and makes it easier to saw - they don't like turning corners. I'd use something large for a gentle radius, like 1/2" or so.

              keep after it!
              Last edited by Beagle; June 14, 2013, 05:50 AM.
              Flying south, with a flock of bird dogs.

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              • #52
                I wish my dog only killed plates.... floppy-eared terrorist would do that plate for just a warmup

                I've been using sawzall and diablo blades from Home Depot. Sawzall blades die pretty quickly. You saw the frame I cut, I used one diablo blade on that (5 batteries) - the blade is still good. I used 3 or 4 sawzall blades cutting the fluff off the front of the frame (frame horns, radiator support)....
                Doing it all wrong since 1966

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                • #53
                  Beags, you probably nailed it. Our dog does the dumbest stuff, all while just trying to compensate for not having hands. Guess I'd do dumb stuff if all I had to work with was my mouth, eh?


                  Originally posted by 1970camaroRS View Post
                  This picture is just begging for a good caption.
                  Of all the paths you take in life - make sure a few of them are dirt.

                  Comment


                  • #54
                    "Nope, I have not seen your plate anywhere!"

                    Funny thing is that he's pretty obedient when I'm in the same room as him. He sat there in the middle of his mess on command.

                    To the task at hand - I probably should have lubricated, I even thought about it as I was cutting. The blade broke after it got dull and hot AND I tried to bring it back closer to the line. Sad fact is that the lines are merely suggestions and I could have let it wander a bit more before correcting it, I mostly just want to make it as parallel to the firewall as possible. Got most of the after section cut before it broke cutting that forward area, so that's a silver lining. Started to cut out the crappy transmission mount that's welded under the floor in the rear section too. Probably finish that tonight. Then I'm gone for the weekend and won't be able to finish cutting and doing a test fit until sometime next week.

                    And yes, the corners on the firewall will be 1/2" radius using a drill even though the new sheet metal will probably lap over it.

                    In other news, I found a 24" wide Jegster back-half 4-link with coil-overs and an empty 9" housing that I found on CL for $500. I will beg borrow or steal whatever I need to get that deal. Waiting for a reply e-mail...
                    1970 Camaro RS - SOLD | 2000 Camaro SS - Traded in for a Hyundai...
                    1966 Ford Thunderbird - SOLD | 1963 MGB, abandoned V8 project, FOR SALE/SCRAP

                    1978 Cutlass - Post Lay-off daily driver

                    Comment


                    • #55
                      Originally posted by 1970camaroRS View Post
                      "Nope, I have not seen your plate anywhere!"

                      Funny thing is that he's pretty obedient when I'm in the same room as him. He sat there in the middle of his mess on command.

                      To the task at hand - I probably should have lubricated, I even thought about it as I was cutting. The blade broke after it got dull and hot AND I tried to bring it back closer to the line. Sad fact is that the lines are merely suggestions and I could have let it wander a bit more before correcting it, I mostly just want to make it as parallel to the firewall as possible. Got most of the after section cut before it broke cutting that forward area, so that's a silver lining. Started to cut out the crappy transmission mount that's welded under the floor in the rear section too. Probably finish that tonight. Then I'm gone for the weekend and won't be able to finish cutting and doing a test fit until sometime next week.

                      And yes, the corners on the firewall will be 1/2" radius using a drill even though the new sheet metal will probably lap over it.

                      In other news, I found a 24" wide Jegster back-half 4-link with coil-overs and an empty 9" housing that I found on CL for $500. I will beg borrow or steal whatever I need to get that deal. Waiting for a reply e-mail...
                      hmmmm... I could sure use a backhalf for my 50 Buick

                      but let's add it up - rails $250, coil overs $250, links/rods/ends $200 - Honestly, that's a great deal?
                      Last edited by SuperBuickGuy; June 14, 2013, 10:50 AM.
                      Doing it all wrong since 1966

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                      • #56
                        Originally posted by SuperBuickGuy View Post
                        hmmmm... I could sure use a backhalf for my 50 Buick

                        but let's add it up - rails $250, coil overs $250, links/rods/ends $200 - Honestly, that's a great deal?
                        That's what I'm saying. Don't forget the empty 9" housing too. Then I would need a center section, axles, bearings, wheels, tires, tubs and I would be set. It would give me another 5" on either side for wheel well space...or another 125mm of space. I figure the 225s on there now could already grow to 245s with correct back-spacing and rolled lips and existing wheel wells. With the car back-halfed I should be able to use something close to 325mm tires with a little bit of extra space to keep them from rubbing. Something like these guys: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mtt-3757r/overview/
                        1970 Camaro RS - SOLD | 2000 Camaro SS - Traded in for a Hyundai...
                        1966 Ford Thunderbird - SOLD | 1963 MGB, abandoned V8 project, FOR SALE/SCRAP

                        1978 Cutlass - Post Lay-off daily driver

                        Comment


                        • #57
                          I've had good luck with the blades that are white with red lettering "TORCH" on them - but - without any oil or a prone pinch area - nothing is going to work as good as a plasma cutter.
                          ;-)
                          There's always something new to learn.

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                          • #58
                            Originally posted by milner351 View Post
                            I've had good luck with the blades that are white with red lettering "TORCH" on them - but - without any oil or a prone pinch area - nothing is going to work as good as a plasma cutter.
                            ;-)
                            If I had a plasma cutter I would have been done by now! I'm lucky to have a Sawzall and an air driven cut-off wheel as it is. I don't even have a welder in my hands yet...but that should change soon.

                            Forgot to add, I posted the broken blade picture on Facebook. One of my friends asked, "Why would you be using a Sawzall on a car?" I just had to laugh.
                            Last edited by 1970camaroRS; June 14, 2013, 01:50 PM.
                            1970 Camaro RS - SOLD | 2000 Camaro SS - Traded in for a Hyundai...
                            1966 Ford Thunderbird - SOLD | 1963 MGB, abandoned V8 project, FOR SALE/SCRAP

                            1978 Cutlass - Post Lay-off daily driver

                            Comment


                            • #59
                              Originally posted by milner351 View Post
                              I've had good luck with the blades that are white with red lettering "TORCH" on them - but - without any oil or a prone pinch area - nothing is going to work as good as a plasma cutter.
                              ;-)
                              Those are the ones I use.
                              I'm still learning

                              Comment


                              • #60
                                Back a few years ago, I bought one of those counter-rotating blade contraptions that Sears touted as the best thing since sliced bread. Didn't last half way through the Mustang that I was quartering to take to the dump...

                                I'm partial to the cutoff wheel for what you are doing.
                                I'm still learning

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