Third times the charm, so they say, this is the third time I've tried tonight to update my journal. Busy place, this server.
Anyway, got the body off and on a borrowed body dolly. Today mounted the steering box (it had been clamped on with some giant C clamps before), and heated and bent the steering arms ever so slightly to raise the tie rod up off the springs. Had to do that to get enough castor for the front axle. Also moved my rear hangers for the front springs back and down, thus raising the front end just enough that the axle doesn't bottom out on the crossmember, and the shackles won't go over center.
Made a really neat job of building a new alternator bracket to move it to the drivers side of the engine. It didn't fit where it was located as stock, hit the hood side. I'm happy with that, and built a wicked cool looking "V" shaped spreader bar for the front frame horns from some 1 1/4 DOM tubing I had left over. Big improvenment, as I tapered the frame horns down to the tubing and blended it all in together. Also added another crossmember under the rear of the engine, I was concerned about the frame twisting, this should do the trick.
All in all, a pretty productive couple of days, although it looks like I've gone backwards!
Brian
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OK, I'll be done soon! I took about 200 photos today, so I'm posting some of 'em!
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I'm also eager to get the Caddy 472 rebuilt and detailed. I have been tempted to fire it, as it should run OK as is, but I know if I do that, I'll also be tempted to just leave it as is. I want to have the car be all fresh as the plan is to take a cross country trip with it when I'm finished, and visit my son in 'Vegas. I don't want to have a tired old engine in the middle of nowhere!
If I get the engine and trans done in the next 3-4 weeks, that will be right on schedule. I'll finish up the frame, get the driveshaft made, make a fuel tank (plan is to make one from copper mounted between the frame rails at the rear), and get the body work done. Then, the weather will be warm enough here for me to paint without heating the shop. That seems reasonable.
I sold some extra bits and pieces on ebay last week, and got enough money to finish the car without dipping into my household income or charging anything. That's great, hopefully everybody that got my left overs is happy too! I'll add photos of what I'm doing as I go along, and keep my journal going while it's apart!
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After working all day to clean up a spot in the garage and build some shelves to store the pieces on, I'm now ready to blow the '36 Fordillac apart. I took a bunch of photos to remind me of what it's supposed to look like when I put it back together, and thought I'd add some to my journal.
I'm waiting for a box of rivets to put the seats together permanantly, and anxious to make the cushions and upholster them with the really cool fake Ostrich hide I bought this week. I was going to use a red leather hide I have, but it's too bright a color. The ostrich is a dark buckskin color, and has a lightly distressed finish, I think it'll be perfect.
It's funny, I've been kinda stalling tearing it apart to do the finish work, 'cause I just love going out to the shop and seeing it setting there in one piece! It's hard to take it from a rolling, steering, car to a big pile of parts. But, it's gotta be done.
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Here's my mock up of the Evinrude outboard control as shifter. I think that polished, with Ford blue oval or V8 emblem in place of the "Evinrude", it'll look interesting. The taller lever will be the shifter. The short one, which serves as throttle in a boat, I wanted to serve as a hand throttle, but my spousal unit thinks that is dumb. Since cars of this age had a hand throttle on the dash, as well as the pedal, I think it'd be OK. Besides, it could be a cruise control of sorts. The last photo is the newly repositioned top mount and hinge. I like the "approved" sticker. Nice to know it's official...
Brian
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All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:45 AM.
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