MP&C Shop Projects

[MP&C]

Saturday we got the tank installed so we could get a good reading on where it locates in relation to the body mounts in front of the axle.

We also pulled a pattern from the body mount so we could bend the lines around it accurately.

Highly technical drawing showing our tank location...

Tank located per our drawing in relation to body mount..

The more I look at this, the less I wanted to use the braided lines between the hard line and the tank. I'm just not comfortable with another fitting in the vicinity of the tail pipes. So back up and punt, looks like we're getting new tubing and bending again. The last lines weren't long enough to make it back to the tank, so we'll chalk them up as practice pieces, learning curve, if you will...

Here the Body mount pattern is bolted up, the lines will make a bend behind this body mount, travel across to the middle, and then toward the back where it will attach directly to the tank.

The lines will come close to the passenger tail pipe, so we'll add a heat shield. I visited a local motorcycle shop and picked up a donor...

trimmed to fit...

That should do. Next, we need to finish the kick panels for upholstery, which means mounting the speakers. The trim rings from cousin JB will need holes drilled to match the speakers. We have some button head allen screws we plan on using, but didn't really care for the surface mounted look...

This would look so much better with the details of counterbored holes. Alas, the pitfalls of working on Saturdays without a local source. What's a person to do but make their own. The extended die grinder almost fits the Aloris tool holder too well, like it was made to be.

A 120 grit roloc sanding disc does well to backface the cutting edge and we are in business..

Much better, all in the details..

….and adding the tweeters to the kick panel...

 

[TimeWarpF100]

Saturday we got the tank installed so we could get a good reading on where it locates in relation to the body mounts in front of the axle.

We also pulled a pattern from the body mount so we could bend the lines around it accurately.

Highly technical drawing showing our tank location...

Tank located per our drawing in relation to body mount..

The more I look at this, the less I wanted to use the braided lines between the hard line and the tank. I'm just not comfortable with another fitting in the vicinity of the tail pipes. So back up and punt, looks like we're getting new tubing and bending again. The last lines weren't long enough to make it back to the tank, so we'll chalk them up as practice pieces, learning curve, if you will...

Here the Body mount pattern is bolted up, the lines will make a bend behind this body mount, travel across to the middle, and then toward the back where it will attach directly to the tank.

The lines will come close to the passenger tail pipe, so we'll add a heat shield. I visited a local motorcycle shop and picked up a donor...

trimmed to fit...

That should do. Next, we need to finish the kick panels for upholstery, which means mounting the speakers. The trim rings from cousin JB will need holes drilled to match the speakers. We have some button head allen screws we plan on using, but didn't really care for the surface mounted look...

This would look so much better with the details of counterbored holes. Alas, the pitfalls of working on Saturdays without a local source. What's a person to do but make their own. The extended die grinder almost fits the Aloris tool holder too well, like it was made to be.

A 120 grit roloc sanding disc does well to backface the cutting edge and we are in business..

Much better, all in the details..

….and adding the tweeters to the kick panel...

Great Progress! Nice stuff as usual.

What are the plans for final bottom of car finish? Is it going to stay as is?

 

[MP&C]

The bottom has been sprayed with three coats of epoxy primer and has been sprayed with Line-x bed liner. That's all for that portion....

 

[MP&C]

Took delivery yesterday of the 304 Stainless mesh for the speaker grills.

Just like we used different widths on the trim rings so they would be proportional to the diameter, with the mesh we used three different sizes as well..

For the bass speaker grill we are also adding a BelAir emblem. The mesh will be recessed for that so the emblem is flush, then the remaining mesh will be pressed outward so it is flush with the surface of the trim ring. (or so) Now for the unofficial poll, would you orient the mesh straight across/up and down, or at a 45 degree rotation?

 

[jimkinney]

I like the angled look.

Nice work.

 

[mopar4don]

I vote for the mesh on the 45 degree angle

 

[zmotorsports]

X3, I like the mesh angled in relation to the emblem as well.

 

[purplezr2]

Angled looks great I think!

 

[Ohmthis]

My vote is for angles too. It makes the emblem look more pronounced. Great job on everything Robert, it looks like it may be finished this year???

 

[bradpac]

45 degree for sure.

Amazing work on the details of this project. Thank you for sharing.

 

[MP&C]

My vote is for angles too. It makes the emblem look more pronounced. Great job on everything Robert, it looks like it may be finished this year???

that's the plan, we're just trying to knock out all the fabrication details like this to cut down on metal dust generation before we get too deep into paint work.

 

[larry4406]

I’m in for angled mesh!

 

[Kevin54]

45 degrees. Looks more professional.

 

[TimeWarpF100]

I like the 45 deg angle too!

 

[txvwnut]

I vote on the angle too, also what is the blue material you used to mimic the shape of the body mount.

 

[MP&C]

casting tape

 

[gofastwclass]

I saw the two options and immediately thought the 45 was the right look for this build, apparently that thought is unanimous. Nice subtle details on recessing the bolts and changing mesh sizes with the speaker grille sizes.

 

[56vette461]

I vote the angled look. I am also going to steal that look for the grill replacement in my 56. The original was damaged and needs replacement. Can't wait to do a retouch on the emblem paint.

 

[Bob Heine]

For the bass speaker grill we are also adding a BelAir emblem. The mesh will be recessed for that so the emblem is flush, then the remaining mesh will be pressed outward so it is flush with the surface of the trim ring. (or so) Now for the unofficial poll, would you orient the mesh straight across/up and down, or at a 45 degree rotation?

Robert, I vote for the 45-degree orientation as well. It may just be the photo but I think the emblem pops with the 45-degree. Also, with the 90-degree anything near the grilles that wasn't a perfect 90-degrees could draw attention to the mismatch.

 

[PugetDude]

Robert, you nailed the angle of the dangle with the 45- it really sets off the emblem! Love this thread.

 

[22george]

45 degree. Straight just looks like a screen door

 

[larry4406]

Very rare alignment of the stars when the collective GJ mindset is in full agreement on something (45 degree)!

 

[TimeWarpF100]

Very rare alignment of the stars when the collective GJ mindset is in full agreement on something (45 degree)!

45 deg was the temp here this morning . . That fits.

 

[MP&C]

Thanks to all for their input on the speaker grilles, the owner has decided on the 45* rotation. Our other choice to ponder was whether to use chrome, polished, or brushed finish. We clamped some of the rings in the lathe and gave it a brushed finish, others were polished so we can compare..

Here it was decided to go with the polished over brushed, and for ease of maintenance, we opted for chrome plating. So all the holes were drilled, counterbored, and transferred to their respective mounting location. The tweeter trim rings will be held in place with 6-32 hardware, the mids use 8-32, and the sub uses 10-32. Rivet nuts were installed where needed..

With the trim rings ready to send for plating, we turned our attention to the fuel lines, where we wanted a direct run all the way to the tank. Our bending efforts found Mike in a bit of a stretch..

The fuel line passes behind the body mount, we have a heat deflector in place where it passes over the tail pipe, and then it will connect directly to the tank. They will be secured with adel clamps fastened to the floor braces from underneath. Return line in place, supply line to go:

.

 

[BORING HOP YARD]

The fuel line looks great Robert!
For what its worth, when I did my frame, I used a short sections 2" - 3" of nylon split loom for wiring to protect the tube or the frame in tight areas. Not the plastic type but the braided type of loom. I wanted mine to fall into the background and not stand out.
I have seen others use rubber or vinyl hose but I didn't care for the look. My fuel lines are held firm with the same type of clamps your using, hard to even flex the fuel line. My concern is down the road after I a few thousand miles on the truck, I have found these tight areas are the ones that rattle or click or rub through the paint after they have been vibrated over the road for a few years.

The fuel line looks kind of close to the frame under the casting tape is what made me think of my frame.
Hope this helps.

 

[MP&C]

Thanks for the input, I do have some of that sleeving in stock. At the area of upslope on the rear frame rail the two fuel lines will be tight together. One thought I had was to use heat shrink in this area to inhibit any movement between the two lines, to help prevent vibration/chattering. I do have some heat shrink with glue inside..... where this may not help during replacement efforts, it should take care of the other issues. Although a tight squeeze where the lines were routed, we felt this better than routed in front of the body mount, as the muffler is a much larger heat source.

 

[shortykorte]

Looks like the will have a killer sound system. Tubing bender another crafty solution of yours I’m sure. I’m curious what the blue patch is. Is it to protect the finishes when checking body to frame?


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[MP&C]

I tried to get the owner to leave out a stereo system. Told her if she didn’t like the music to roll down the windows and it would sound different.

With a 383 stroker and 40 series mufflers, that’s got to be music, right? Look back a page or two, that is casting tape that was used to pull a pattern off the body mount so we could simulate body clearances. Given the layers used, our “sample” should be slightly larger than actual so we’re hoping for just a bit more clearance.. :fingerscrossed:

 

[xtremek]

As usual, your attention to detail is incredible.

 

[Ohmthis]

I tried to get the owner to leave out a stereo system. Told her if she didn’t like the music to roll down the windows and it would sound different.

With a 383 stroker and 40 series mufflers, that’s got to be music, right? Look back a page or two, that is casting tape that was used to pull a pattern off the body mount so we could simulate body clearances. Given the layers used, our “sample” should be slightly larger than actual so we’re hoping for just a bit more clearance.. :fingerscrossed:

That would be music to my ears!

 

[gofastwclass]

I love the details and the use of rivet nuts. I honestly can't believe I didn't own one of those tools until spring last year. How did I live all these years welding nuts to the back side of panels?

 

[Divcod]

Robert,

Would appreciate info, pictures / supplier, for the tail pipe hangers. Think they would work well for my truck.

Thks

 

[MP&C]

Dave, the rubber pieces, pegs, or both?

 

[Divcod]

Picture of the pipe clamp would work.

 

[MP&C]

The V-band clamp?

 

[MP&C]

More progress on the fuel lines, with both lines now routed, we opted for glue lined heat shrink as an abrasion resistant covering where it passes closely to the body, and regular heat shrink to keep the two together.

Mike installs an anchor point for adel clamps in the shock crossmember

Test bends at the fuel pump..

Next to add some AN fittings..

 

[Divcod]

Following pictures show what I was interested in seeing. Earlier pictures looked like the clamp was incorporated into the hanger.

Thks

 

[BORING HOP YARD]

Looking good Robert, that heat shrink should work great.

 

[MP&C]

Our vent/check valve for the fuel tank will get mounted up behind the driver's tail light by the filler neck. We bent up a piece of stainless tubing last night for the vent line. The glue-lined heat shrink works well to provide a cushion/vibration dampener up against the tank.. For our stainless bends, we had also bought a roll of copper tubing to use for test bends. Inch increments were marked, bends made, and then these marked "starting points" could be transferred to the stainless for more accurate bends.....and less of a scrap pile.

Video version..

.

 

[gofastwclass]

Top notch Robert!