Above 1200 Sq/FT The Underground Upgrade (or the opposite of The Flying Shop)

[phred]

With the bed and tailgate sealed and ready to go the underside was next. Luckily no one had undercoated or molested this bed so it was in very good condition. I had the blasters pay extra attention in getting any surface rust and grime off of the cavities between the inner bed side and the outside skins. I spent a lot of time in those tight areas with a flash light making sure everything was clean and rust free. Then 2 coats of epoxy primer was sprayed on everything. I poured primer down the sides into places I could not reach with the sprayer and hoped it would flow into all the seams and joints. Gave it a few days to cure and then 2 coats of raptor liner on everything underneath.

 

[larry4406]

Nice work!

One day I need to perform similar metal work on my 2003 F350 long box.

 

[phred]

I finally got back to the tire carrier modifications for my 78 bronco. This carrier is designed to fit a Bailie Bilt bumper on an early bronco. The latch system as designed tucks into the recess in the early bronco tailgate. The 2nd gen bronco tailgates are flat which is a problem as the latches will not allow the tailgate to be lowered. I cut the latches off and extended the sides of the carrier mount and instead of latches I chose spring pins to lock the carrier in the closed position. I added a safety hook incase the pins fail (it would be hard to imagine 2, 1/2” pins failing but just in case). The carrier uses big torsion springs as assist and allows one to easily lower load and unload a heavy wheel/tire without pulling a muscle.

 

[phred]

I don’t think I posted photos of the underside of the cab. So here are a few shots. The chain fall in the shop comes in really handy to move stuff around by myself.

 

[phred]

Since I am relocating the fuel tank from inside the cab to the rear under the bed I need to patch the hole for the old gas filler. I didn’t want to make a patch and weld it in. I wanted something different that still called out the filler hole but would be something along the lines of an old race car type patch. A piece of aluminum, a leather shot bag, body hammer and I have a patch that I think looks pretty cool.

 

[phred]

My brother being the ever diligent scrounger and knowing everyone in the county picked up a couple goodies for me that were being tossed out by a local municipality. The Big *** fan is brand new and had never even be assembled. It was a quick search on the interwebs to make sure I had all the parts and an hour later it was mounted in my welding shop.

 

[phred]

The next goody is a jet horizontal/vertical bandsaw. It had been used by the gas department to cut 2” pipe for years. It was filthy, greasy and generally disgusting. It was missing the table to convert it to a vertical saw but for free I could live with that. Here’s a before and after (32 oz of purple power, 2 cans of engine degreaser, serious scrubbing and hot water pressure wash down) pictures.

 

[phred]

After the clean up I gave the saw a test run and it cuts great. The coolant pump works and after cleaning out the 10 year old grossly thick and lack coolant I now have a good saw to cut tube and plate that will not fit my cold saw. Since I can’t leave well enough alone I decided to make the table so I can use it as a vertical saw but saw. First a CAD template to determine the correct dimensions. Then some 1/4 plate to start the new part.
I sliced up the plate with a plasma cutter and cleaned up the edges with a grinder.

 

[phred]

Now we all do some questionable things in the shop from time to time and here is mine for the week. I have a SWAG press brake that I use a lot. Here’s the rub. I failed to stack angle iron in the lower die which let the short leg of the plate being bent to slip off the back of the brake. Well 35 tons of pressure just found the weak link and bent the brake forward. 7/8” steel rod apparently can’t take that much pressure on an angle

 

[phred]

I ordered some 7/8” bar stock and I’ll repair the brake once the parts arrive but I need the brake now. No photos of the temporary repair but a torch and BFH moved the rods back to a useable condition. Once the table had the proper bends it was off to the mill to make a spacer/standoff to support the back side of the table. (A lathe would have been much faster and more accurate but since I don’t have one the mill gets used.) With the spacer welded to the table a 5/16” hole is drilled through table and spacer. Drill and tap a 1/4x20 hole in the saw frame and now the table is solid and secure.

 

[phred]

I didn’t like the fact the entire weight of the work to be cut is balanced on the band saws rear guide. I wanted something in front of the table to take the load off of the guide. Again some CAD design transferred to some aluminum plate, some speed holes and a few tapped holes on the table and saw base and now I have no worries about the table flexing.

 

[Bob Heine]

A lathe would have been much faster and more accurate but since I don’t have one the mill gets used.

@phred, I was going to let you slide but that statement demands a double YOU **** for the fan and bandsaw.

 

[phred]

@phred, I was going to let you slide but that statement demands a double YOU **** for the fan and bandsaw.

Hey Bob don’t I know it, but in reality it’s all my brothers fault. He finds all this stuff and I have more room in my shop so it always seems to find its way here. He’s the one that found the mill too. He called me on day and said I found a couple mills lets go look at ‘em. Well I ended up buying both and combined them to make one good one and sold the cannibalized one for almost what I had in both. So you see he ***** too.

 

[phred]

Well while I was trying to put the saw away I realized that it doesn’t have a steer axle so it rolls great in a straight line but making a turn is awkward. 2 casters and some more 1/4” plate and it now can be easily moved around the shop. Almost all the big tools except the mill are in casters so I can store stuff I’m not using.

 

[phred]

Well my brother and his all knowing of everyone called and said he found a junked 78 Lincoln Versailles with a good 351w and a disc brake 9”. Well I loaded up some tools and headed over to his place and pulled the 9” out. I was hoping to use it under the ‘66 pickup but it is too narrow. Swapping the brake parts over to the good housing I have will not work because the bearing ends are different. Sold it to a buddy for $500. The 351 will be pulled later and stored for future use.

 

[ScottW]

Yeah those rearends used to be highly desired by Mustang owners before rear disc conversion kits were commonplace. These days the Lincoln brake parts are getting harder to find, and the factory gears in them are so tall you have to change them for performance anyway, so not as much demand but still not surprised you seem to have found a buyer quickly. That plus a good 351W? Good score!

 

[phred]

It’s been a minute since I really spent any time in the shop. We’ve been traveling some since my wife retired. Visiting family and friends we don’t get to see very often. Started another Bronco project. This one was a complete restoration. It went much faster than the last couple. It still needs to have the interior buttoned up but she turned out nice.

 

[phred]

Christmas arrived early. Well at least the first shipment did. All new suspension and brakes for the ‘66. I’ve been planning and researching exactly what I want to do and have now settled on a pro touring style setup. Power plant will be modern, the 390 I have on the stand will get built for something else later.

 

[phred]

While I was waiting on those parts to arrive a buddy dropped off an intake, carb and exhaust manifold for a ‘64 chevy 6 cylinder pickup. I rebuilt the little Rochester cleaned up the intake in about an hour. The exhaust manifold took some effort. All the studs were broken off flush and rusted completely together. It took some head scratching to figure out how to hold this piece in the mill. Well redneck engineering and a good straight 2x8 and some long bolts solved that problem. I cut all the studs out and retapped all the holes including the small 1/8” pin that holds the heat riser spring.

 

[phred]

Unboxing began this week and I have started to test fit a few parts. I slipped the engine cradle in place to measure for boxing plates. I fabbed up two plates and tacked them in place. I still need to make plates for the crossmember to tie it and the frame together.

 

[phred]

Made a little progress today. Talked to a friend that builds race car chassis about how to box this frame and he gave me some pointers on keeping stress points limited. More plating, welding and grinding. This is gonna take a while.

 

[phred]

Did a test fit of the engine cradle and did some CAD work for the front boxing plates.

 

[phred]

Work on the front suspension has come to a halt. A couple brackets from ridetech are on back order so I moved to the rear over the weekend. Cut out the “c” notch and test fit the reinforcement plates. Also made some backing plates for the front link bar hangers. These will be trapped once the frame is boxed so they will be welded in before the boxing is completed.

 

[phred]

Made a little more progress on the rear suspension. The c-notches are all bolted in as are the front 4-link pickups. I dropped the 9” housing off to be magged for cracks and have a backbone installed along with a few other mods. Then on to powder coat.

 

[phred]

It’s been a minute since I’ve updated this thread. I’ve got the rear c-notches finalized and welded in the boxing plates over them. Started working in the boxing plates for the frame at the engine cradle and the center section of the frame. Still a lot of welding and grinding to do on the frame to make it smooth.

 

[phred]

Worked on the doors. Cleaned up the inside and coated with epoxy primer. Worked all the dents out of the inside face of the doors and welded up all the holes from the multiple mirrors attached over the years.

 

[jarhead]

Outstanding

 

[phred]

Chopped the main crossmember out of the ‘66 truck and test fit the new engine cradle and suspension hanger assembly. Got an email from the engine builder late yesterday that the 445 should be on the dyno late next week for break-in and testing. Hoping for 625+ at the crank on pump gas.

 

[phred]

Got this photo and an update from the engine builder. My new improved 7.3 Godzilla with all new internal goodies is scheduled to go to the dyno for testing and tuning next week. Aiming for 625hp+ with no power adders. That should move the ‘66 along nicely.

 

[phred]

In effort to stay ahead of the of the engine builder I’ve been working on the the front suspension and cradle. It is now mostly complete. Rear suspension is next but I’m waiting on the 9” housing to be completed. I took a good housing, had it magnafluxed and checked to be sure it is straight. While it’s in the jig it’s getting a fill port, better venting, a reinforced drain on the bottom and all the welds redone.

 

[phred]

I’ve been traveling a lot the last few weeks visiting family for thanksgiving and then spending a week in the Everglades recovering from said family visits. While I was away I received the above video from the engine builder. Looks like they managed to hit the power numbers I wanted. 600lbft of torque from 2800-6000 should destroy tires with abandon.

 

[phred]

Added boxing plates forward of the front crossmember and over the rear axle at the “C” notch.

 

[phred]

Front suspension is complete and the big brake kit from wilwood is installed. I tossed on a 15x8 wheel just to see if it would clear. It does with about 1/8” to spare. I was planning to run a deep stock style wheel with dog dish hub caps for the sleeper look but the lack of tires available in 305 and wider in 15” has forced me to look at wheels in the 18” range.

 

[phred]

Fabbed up a couple more boxing plates, painted the moser third member (3:73 gear, Eaton trutrac, billet 1350 yoke yada yada yada) welded in the front crossmember and modified the frame horns to fit late model front bumper.

 

[phred]

Wow it’s been a minute since I updated this thread. I’ve been busy with the truck, making progress. The rear housing is back from the fabricator and I had it powder coated. In the meantime I worked on panels for the doors. The lower panels for the doors were hacked by the PO for speakers. The factory upper panels are thin plastic so I formed some from sheet aluminum that will be painted Wimbledon white with a pleated cloth insert to match the seats.

 

[phred]

Spent some time assembling the rear. Moser alloy shafts, wilwood 4 piston calipers and rotors with internal parking brake. Moser nodular center section with 3.70 gears with an Eaton trutrac.

 

[phred]

A bit more progress this week. A pair of recessed hood hinges arrived, started laying out the seat frame for the recaro seats, finished up the rear housing install with the big wilwood brakes and made patch to cover the antenna hole.