Above 1200 Sq/FT The Warthog Hidey Hole

[seansmitty42]

Hey do you do sandblasting?

I do not. I use to. I have a bad boy pot blaster which was a waste of money unless you have a screw compressor and about 600 gallons of air on tap. Also, it took a lot of the fun out of coating. I use a local head stone engraving company to do it now.

 

[jbmatth]

Sean,
Thanks for reading along and also thanks for the offer on the powder coating offer, I've sent you a PM.
JB

 

[FlyOverStateFarmboy]

Hey man, it's been a long time since I've been on here. Your place is looking great. If you have any questions on that B, let me know. I've been driving and working with those old John Deere's ever since I was old enough to hold a wrench. We still use our '47 B and 7' sickle mower to mow all of our hay ground.

 

[jon72vega]

I'm trying a new way of uploading pictures so hopefully it works out, thanks to Grumblebum for giving me this tip.

Here is my cobra as I bought it nearly 6 years ago now:
View media item 57687JB

jbmatth.
Did I say I loved your car before?
Yes I think I did!

 

[1/2 Cup]

jbmatth.
Did I say I loved your car before?
Yes I think I did!

I second that, nice, real nice.

Regards

 

[jbmatth]

Hey man, it's been a long time since I've been on here. Your place is looking great. If you have any questions on that B, let me know. I've been driving and working with those old John Deere's ever since I was old enough to hold a wrench. We still use our '47 B and 7' sickle mower to mow all of our hay ground.

Farmboy, Thank you for the offer I've sent you a PM with some more info on the J.D.

jbmatth.
Did I say I loved your car before?
Yes I think I did!

I second that, nice, real nice.

Regards

Thank you much gents, I'm very lucky to have this car to be able to play with at my leisure.
JB

 

[jbmatth]

WARNING Mildly graphic (******) pictures to follow. (You know it is going to be an update worth reading now. )

Well this weekend didn't go as planned, I have all but one section of my S.A.S. installed, to install that I'm missing a 3/4" x 6" ******.

I turned my attention elsewhere and continued to pull my cobra apart in order to remove the body. The more I removed the more it became clear the body won't come off without cutting fiberglass and wiring. When the body was installed on the "tub" (the fiberglass that has the foot wells, all of the interior area, and the trunk area.) they used fiberglass to seal the body to the tub. Now the only way to remove the body would be to cut it off. Or I could remove all of the interior and wiring which would require me to remove all of the glued down carpet. Well darn, I cut my losses and stopped there as I've come to the realization I will not be able to alter the foot well at this time.

This was Saturday morning, my 2 year old woke up around 5:15 so we decided to go into town and get groceries, on our way back my truck started to vibrate REALLY bad as I slowed down for a stop sign. I looked at a few things and nothing seemed out of place so I just took it slow ~10mph for the couple of miles home. Once home I realized I'd lost the rear U joint. (Ok so it was still there but was in very bad shape, no pictures but I'll explain that later.) I waited until close to lunch then went back to town to get the part and some pizza. As I pulled into town there was a cop car, and 2-3 other cars all crowded around a truck and boat trying to lift the boat back on the trailer. (Old boat that apparently had the trailer come off of the truck and take out a light pole, mailbox, and stopped when the boat came off the trailer hitting a tree.) I stopped to help because that is what one does when they can. Long story not too long I was using the hand winch on the trailer while the other were trying to push, the handle broke causing the rest of the handle to whip back very fast contacting my left hand three times before I could pull it away, the ratchet didn't work to stop it. Here is the outcome:
View media item 57894
Doesn't look too bad, but required 3 stitches:
View media item 57895
I could see meat in my thumb and my hand hurt really-really bad, I have lots of tingling and it still hurts quite a bit but hopefully is getting better. They were worried it might be broken so they took X-Rays, this was my favorite:
View media item 57896Got Cha! (That was for anyone about my age who ever got punched in the arm for looking at a hand in that shape.)

I did manage to get the U Joint swapped out but didn't take any photos as I was in quite a bit of pain and could only use half of my left hand.

Be safe,
JB

 

[BUGTHUG]

That will buff out. Glad it didn't break or take that part of your thumb off, hard to hitch hike with a short thumb. Looks like its going to hurt for awhile, damn that's a shame when youre just trying to help someone.

 

[jbmatth]

I'm glad it wasn't any worse, and it sure could have been. I have heard lots of thumbs up jokes today and it is fun if nothing else. The line I've heard most is "No good deed goes unpunished".

So a learning for everyone out there, wear your gloves. I normally have mine with me at all times but took them off to use the phone right before I left the house and didn't grab them. Would I have put them on to do this I don't know, but if they were on my I'd have been more likely to. I've gained a lot of movement out of it today so that is good, but it still hurts like the dickens.

 

[BUGTHUG]

 

[Grumblebum]

Ouchy ouchy!

 

[1/2 Cup]

I can feel your pain from here, not nice.

I hope it heals well

Regards

 

[jbmatth]

Little by little it is getting better, I don't think I'll have much feeling in it for a long time, but it looks like I'll have full use of it otherwise.
JB

 

[Grizz1963]

Ouch !!!

 

[Olinrj]

JB, glad to hear it wasn't worse! "No good deed goes unpunished" is a line my former boss used alot. Definitely true here. Best of luck on the recovery, finger and thumb stitches are the worst.

I took a look at your writeup of re-ballasting your lights and it looks like something I can handle. Thanks for the info!

Bob

 

[jimgood]

Heal fast, JB. Damn that hurts!

 

[jbmatth]

Bob,
Glad it made it clear enough, it really is pretty simple, and usually the new ballasts have wiring diagrams on them.
JB

 

[jbmatth]

Heal fast, JB. Damn that hurts!

You snuck that one in on my while I was lost in thought. (Should I drink a full cup of coffee or a half full cup, or maybe just perhaps a 2/3 full cup...)

I'll do my best, and it sure did, most of the pain is gone now other than right at the cut, and the back of my thumb knuckle that feels like I hit it with a hammer.

 

[jbmatth]

The long awaited installment on the S.A.S. or shop air system. I decided to run 3/4" (19mm) air lines from the compressor to the location where my blast cabinet will eventually be. Starting at the A.C. I changed out the existing taps on the tank from 3/8" (9.5mm) to 3/4". This is where the fun started, the taps in the tank are all 2" NPT with holes taped in those bushings. I tried unscrewing them and didn't have any luck, I was breaking the shoulders on them, next I tried welding a cheater bar onto them only to realize the bushings were cast and I wasn't welding it right so the welds broke. Luckily the welding introduced enough heat it allowed me to use a pipe wrench to get everything removed.

There are two taps on the tank I altered, the feed to the main line and the drain. I changed the drain from 1/4" 6.35mm) to 3/4" just so I wouldn't have to worry about any sludge, rust, debris, etc. ever plugging the line again. Yes overkill but I don't like having to mess with it.

Next I installed a tee at the compressor outlet with one end feeding the pressure regulator which in turn fed the hose reel on the tank. The tap on the tee led to a flex hose that is clear and fiberglass reinforced. (It is rated for 200 psi so I'm not worried about it rupturing, even if it did the tank would empty in a matter of a few second and the 2.5' (76cm) of hose won't do much in an area I rarely if ever stand.)

This then connect to the first drain on the line itself, the tank draw runs downhill to this point and the 3/4" header also runs downhill back to this point. I suspect most of the moisture collected in the system will be here:
View media item 57984
The header then runs 20' (6m) to my first take off that looks like this:
View media item 57985
It comes off of the top of the header so no condensed water will come out here, there is also a trap (6" (15cm) ****** with valve) at the bottom for more water collection before the air comes off using the barbed fitting. That barbed fitting will connect to one of my Reelcraft air reels once I remember to buy the lags to install them:
View media item 57986
I'm still missing one little 3/4" ****** and those lag bolts to have it complete to where the future blast cabinet will go. Here is where I stand now, please excuse the mess:
View media item 57983
I know I've slowed down a lot here the past few weeks but hopefully with spring around the corner I'll be able to pick back up again, oh yeah and that thumb decides to start working also.

Keep moving forward,
JB

 

[BUGTHUG]

where did you get the yellow handles? they look neat. Any idea when you might make it back up?
I probably have the lag bolts you need, you can have what you need.

 

[jbmatth]

Herb,
I picked the valves up online, we use similar valves at work and have good luck with them. I know I have a lot of different materials, brass, black iron, forged steel, cast steel, galvanized steel, but I didn't have to buy too many fittings all in all. I don't have much of a stock left now but other than the pipe and valves I don't even have $100 in fittings.

I should be able to some time next week, I'll let you know when I know. Good news is I shouldn't have much trouble finishing up the lights as long as the weather continues like it was yesterday, WOW that was nice!
JB

 

[Bob Heine]

JB, I have no formal expertise in compressed air systems but I do have a little personal experience. The compressor pump gets really hot (I think mine gets close to 300 F [149 C]) and the compressed air can absorb a lot of water, which it releases when it cools. The air cools quickly in the tank and your tank drain will do a good job getting rid of that water. However, your tank will get hot, around 120 F (49 C) meaning the compressed air will still hold quite a bit of water vapor.

The flex lines on your system won't do much to cool the air but the metal ones will. Unfortunately it takes quite a bit of pipe (40-50 feet [12-15 meters]) to effectively cool the air to room temperature. My current system has a small water/oil separator at the tank and I haven't gotten two drops (not sure what that is in metric) of water from it in years of use. Likewise from the first drop after the flex line.

I get the most water from the drop that is 40 feet of galvanized pipe from the tank. That's also where my desiccant dryer is located (with its own drop). Because the water collects in the drops, my desiccant lasts a long time.

Another 15 feet (4.5 meters) of galvanized pipe back to the compressor area where the Motorguard 60 filter traps any oil fumes and residual moisture. I haven't had to replace that Motorguard filter in the past 4 years (it was totally saturated in two days when it was located close to the compressor).

My wall of cabinets prevented me from installing a vertical radiator so my 40-feet (12-meters) of pipe is mounted on the bottom of the cabinets:

As to your flex lines, they will probably be OK but you might want to double clamp them. When an air line comes loose it does so with a lot of force and even if it's across the shop, you are going to jump. If I were you, I'd get some flex lines that have the fittings swaged on the hose. When I upgraded to a bigger compressor, I bought 1/2" ID snubber hoses from Zoro and they were reasonably priced (around $10 each).

I have not come across 3/4" snubbers but I did find braided stainless flex lines in the plumbing department at Home Depot. It's used to connect hot water heaters to plumbing lines. I can't find the number of the one I used (it had NPT fittings) but Eastman makes one that uses compression fittings. Look for Eastman Model # 48259. Or, just go to Home Depot, Lowe's or a plumbing supply place and look through their offerings.

 

[jbmatth]

Bob,
Thank you for the information and pictures. Perhaps I should have mentioned this is really just phase 1 of 3 or 4 phases of the Shop Air System.

Currently I have/will have 50' (15.24m) of 3/4" metal pipe before my last 1/2" drop that will feed the future blast cabinet. At this time that is the only real concern I will have for wet/damp air in my day to day use. In one of the later phases I plan to install a drier/filter at the main outlet of the compressor tank that will handle the full CFM I'm looking for, I didn't want to spend that much just yet. I'd also like to build what is called an Franzinator, my own desiccant drier, as well as piping with low to high to low to high runs that will help drop out water before it gets into the header (Similar to what you've done with your horizontal runs under the cabinets). Lastly I'd install a full loop around the shop so no matter where I am pulling from on the line the combined distance of pipe back to the compressor is the same, theoretically this will equalize the amount of pressure an any given drop along the way.

Saying that I'll try to address some of your concerns, the clear/braided hose is double hose clamped, but is difficult to see in the first picture. I knew the compressor to the tank line built up a significant amount of heat but didn't realize it would get up to 300F (148.8C). I'd also considered using braided hydraulic hose with at least one swivel end but didn't find exactly what I wanted before I settled on the clear hose. I'll have to just go to a shop here in town that builds them and as to have one built. Thanks for the tips on the hose for water heaters, I'll look into that too.

On another note I've shipped off the break parts to the builder I'm using for the new 9" rear for my cobra. Also I've put another order in for an aluminum crank pulley to match the water pump pulley as it didn't jive with my stock crank pulley, they both tried to occupy the same area. Hopefully I'll have that in soon and actually have photos of that to show. Other than that I'm reinstalling a lot of the parts I've removed when trying to remove the body, I'm going to abandon that one for now along with changing the foot box.

JB

 

[NedNorton]

JB,

I just had a chance to catch up on your activities. First, Happy belated B-day! Second, ouch! I hope the finger is healing up and you are getting some feeling back. Third, I'll be rereading the SAS system post for more detail. The old Quincy in the shop needs to be rebuilt and the shop plumbed. Lastly, more pictures of the Cobra!

Cheers,
Chris

 

[jbmatth]

JB,

I just had a chance to catch up on your activities. First, Happy belated B-day! Second, ouch! I hope the finger is healing up and you are getting some feeling back. Third, I'll be rereading the SAS system post for more detail. The old Quincy in the shop needs to be rebuilt and the shop plumbed. Lastly, more pictures of the Cobra!

Cheers,
Chris

I'm glad you were able to get caught up with me, luckily I've been dragging my feet and thumb for a while now so very little seems to be getting done. Also thanks for the B-Day wishes, it was fun other than it meant I am now an old man according to my wife and daughters, I'm 30. Oh the horror The thumb is much better and other than being tender around the actual cut/tear it isn't really holding me back. If you have any questions on the S.A.S. feel free to ask, I'll explain my reasoning whether or not that is right I'll have to let others decide. Since you asked here are a few photos of my cobra.

These first few were when it was advertised to for sale before I bought it.
View media item 58183
View media item 58184
View media item 58182
View media item 58185
Here is from when I was replacing the interior a few years ago, the old style was diamond stitch on the seats and the dash, I like this much better. Sadly I don't have any of it completed.
View media item 58186
This one was from Christmas morning a few years ago when my oldest daughter got her Cobra Powerwheels, she still loves driving that thing:
View media item 58187
Lastly a little goofy photo with some cartoon editing done to it:
View media item 58188
That is all for now, I have a little update I'll get to shorly,
JB

 

[jbmatth]

First of all an update on the cobra project, I'm in a holding pattern right now, the new Ford 9" is on order and is expected to be delivered in 3-4 weeks if all goes well. I'm fighting the alternator right now, so far everything is working how it was designed, I'm just not using it as it was designed. I'll explaing later, but am waiting on some long socket head cap screws to be delivered.

I'm officially done with phase 1 of the S.A.S. I actually had the lab bolts I needed in on of my storage drawers on T.B.W. I installed the Reelcraft reels into studs and connected the hard lines to them with the same braided clear hose as I did at the compressor only this time it is 1/2" rather than 3/4".
Overview of T.B.W. and the S.A.S. from the back end of the shop:
View media item 58189
The reel closest to the bench:
View media item 58190
One thing I noticed was the last reel doesn't have the ratcheting mechanism working on it. Sadly I didn't check this until I'd already installed it so I'll have to go back and work on it at some point.

I also started tearing into the Ol' Model B a little bit, FlyOverStateFarmBoy nudged me into it. I'm determined to get this thing started sooner rather than later now. I've decided to try and make my life easier by cleaning all of the grounds and connection points from the battery to the starter as well as the magneto. The negative side of the battery connects to the box under the seat which bolts to the trans-axle (I don't actually know what that is called on tractors sadly.) before connecting to the starter. I used a wire wheel to clean the grounding points, here is where the seat and batter box bolt down:
View media item 58192
Connections cleaned up:
View media item 58193
Seat/battery box ground points cleaned:
View media item 58194
I ran out of time this morning to get it all back together but hopefully in the next day or so I can get this end of the connections complete and start working on the starter and magneto end.

JB

 

[Bob Heine]

Also thanks for the B-Day wishes, it was fun other than it meant I am now an old man according to my wife and daughters, I'm 30. Oh the horror
JB

JB, I love your Cobra. I like seeing the kit cars on the road now because they really are brutal looking. I don't recall ever seeing any of the originals on the road in the 60s. I saw one like yours the day before yesterday.

A belated happy birthday! Definitely a milestone and I do remember the days when 30 was ancient. Now that my oldest grandson has turned 24, I have a different view of ancient.

Enjoy this time in your life and your family because it slips away faster and faster.

 

[jbmatth]

JB, I love your Cobra. I like seeing the kit cars on the road now because they really are brutal looking. I don't recall ever seeing any of the originals on the road in the 60s. I saw one like yours the day before yesterday.

A belated happy birthday! Definitely a milestone and I do remember the days when 30 was ancient. Now that my oldest grandson has turned 24, I have a different view of ancient.

Enjoy this time in your life and your family because it slips away faster and faster.

Bob,
I'm quite fond of the look of the Cobras as well, the first one I saw in real life and really noticed was my neighbors at the time. It sounded wicked, looked great, and just had a really sinister look to it. I rarely see any driving around maybe one a year if that but it is always nice when I do. I doubt I've ever seen a real one driving but did stumble across one in a display at an old gas station 30 minutes from me. The owner of those cars that reside there could rival any of the collections on this board. I'm sure you will see more running around in your neck of the woods than I will, it is usually too hot or too cold around here to see them, not to mention there may only be a couple others here in town.

Thanks for the B-Day wishes, I realize time/age is relative, I try to make the most of it with friends and family when possible. One day I know I'll look back at 30 with fond memories. I guess it is time to go make some of those.
JB

 

[PurdueSD]

I really like your shallow shelf/ cabinet creation over your workbench... consider the idea stolen

 

[Lyndon]

Bob,

Thanks for the B-Day wishes, I realize time/age is relative, I try to make the most of it with friends and family when possible. One day I know I'll look back at 30 with fond memories. I guess it is time to go make some of those.
JB

Heck yes to that! My little girls are 25 and 20 now, and I'll be darned if I know how they got from 10 and 5 to that age so quickly.

Live it, love it, and enjoy the livin' be geezuz out of the time you have. It's gone before you know it.

Lyndon
Still 30, but going on 57......

 

[jbmatth]

I really like your shallow shelf/ cabinet creation over your workbench... consider the idea stolen

Steal away, I am glad someone likes something I've done enough to consider it stealable.

Heck yes to that! My little girls are 25 and 20 now, and I'll be darned if I know how they got from 10 and 5 to that age so quickly.

Live it, love it, and enjoy the livin' be geezuz out of the time you have. It's gone before you know it.

Lyndon
Still 30, but going on 57......

I've heard before life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer to the end you get the faster it goes. I just hope my life is one of those jumbo single ply rolls that will last forever.
JB

 

[jbmatth]

The Alternator that Won't Stop Fighting

I would have never guessed that when I switched from the Ford alternator to the GM alternator that I would cost me so much time, money, and cause so much frustration. When I'd installed this alternator a 3.5 years ago it seemed easy enough, unbolt the old alternator and bolt this one on, do a little wiring and go on my happy way. In a way it worked just fine, it spun, charged and all in all worked just fine. However, it would eat belts over time and the back of it hit the engine, or the side would hit the frame if it cleared the engine.

I decided it was time to fix the fitment issues and clean up the front of the engine a little at the same time. I wanted to move the alternator forward one grove on the crank pulley, to do that I needed to get a short water pump pulley and while I was at it I decided to also buy a nice alternator bracket. This is where things went down hill. I ordered the alternator bracket for a 302 by mistake which meant one of the bracket bolts wouldn't line up with the hole in the head. Also the water pump pulley hit the crank pulley. Simple enough I'll order a new smaller crank pulley and build a bracket for the alt. bracket to head bolt. Also the alt. bracket didn't line up with the now forward belt location. I bought longer socket headed cap screws and made spacers 1" longer than the ones that came with the kit. Here it is all mounted up:
View media item 58269
Here is a photo of the alt. bracket and in the upper left you can see the bolt which doesn't line up with the head:
View media item 58270
A better photo of the gap:
View media item 58273I have yet to finish that bracket as I just made a design and template this morning.

Also included in the kit was this spacer used for attaching the alt. to the adjuster rod:
View media item 58271
As you can see the holes don't line up, I ended up reshaping the radius by alt. and also reaming out the hole to make it fit:
View media item 58272
Another issue was the way the kit was designed I had to rotate the alt. 180 degrees from its original mounting location, but this made the wiring connectors on the wrong side. I solved this be taking the alt. apart and rotating the case. The last issue so far was now the bolt hole in the alt. on the pivot side was too small. Sigh, break out the drill and make the hole bigger. Now finely after 6-7 tries I should be able to mount all of this up once I have the new little bracket completed. Sometimes I wonder why I bothered in the first place. Then realize I love doing this stuff even it is gets frustrating at times.

Even though everything is disgustingly dirty and in need of cleaning and paint I'm not messing with it. The days are numbered for this engine and if I clean it I'm ensuring I'll either spring a leak and spray oil everywhere, or simply blow it up.
JB

 

[madoc1]

jb, I have the same kit on my sbc but luckly had no probs. I do like the look of the mid mounts on an engine. I have the same type kit on the other side for the ps pump as I think it looks cleaner. and your shop is looking great. keep up the posts and pics , especially on the gjd. (gramps john deere).

jim

 

[jbmatth]

jb, I have the same kit on my sbc but luckly had no probs. I do like the look of the mid mounts on an engine. I have the same type kit on the other side for the ps pump as I think it looks cleaner. and your shop is looking great. keep up the posts and pics , especially on the gjd. (gramps john deere).

jim

Jim,
Sorry for the delay in replying to you, I'm in no way knocking the kit, it has been wonderful and I feel it would fit perfect for the designed application. However, I'm not using it as it was designed and even ordered the wrong alt. bracket kit so that is shame on me. I'm loving the way this is coming out but is taking a little time fiddling with it.

As for G.J.D. I have some big news...




















IT RUNS!!!!!!! I was able to get it to fire up last night, it ran on the second compression stroke. I was over the moon when I finely figured it out. So what was the problem? Well somewhere along the line when it wouldn't run this past summer the mag was removed and installed 180 degrees out. I ran over the entire ignition system checking everything I could think of until this was all that was left to check. I'll put the seat back on soon and take it for a little spin in the next few days and post pictures/video when I do.
JB

 

[jabin]

That's great news!!! I hope it warms up for you soon.

 

[NedNorton]

Congrats on getting the Cobra alternator all fixed up! How is the John Deer coming along? My wife was looking over my shoulder while I was reading your thread and the tractor was on the screen. She said, "Don't even think about it!"

Your thread is always entertaining. Keep it up, JB.

Cheers,
Chris

 

[jbmatth]

Jabin,
It has been great the past few days but sadly I haven't been able to do much as I was out of town for a wedding. Well I say not much but I did manage to visit my first Pick N Pull type junk yard in Kansas City on Friday. I am "glad" I didn't have much time or I could have spent hours playing around in that place.

Ned,
Sadly the cobra alternator is not solved just yet, but it is getting closer I have everything I need except the last bolt I bought is about a 1/4" too long. I expected this to be the case but the only other option would have been too short. Also I haven't made any more progress on G.J.D. other than starting it a few more times just to make sure I wasn't dreaming when I had it running last time.

In other news this is what I picked up from the Pick N Pull:

It is the silver and black servo at the bottom with the cable coming out of it, here is a better picture:

To be more specific I was actually after the bracket that it mounts on. I couldn't find any in the area or online so this project was almost dead in the water. I also grabbed this, the blue brake switch:

Then I installed this:

Which gives me cruise control in my commuter car, now I don't have to worry about maintaining the speed limit. It is the little things in life that make you smile isn't it.

Before I left I picked up a trailer load of lumber:

Oh what ever could that be for?
JB

 

[BUGTHUG]

Looks like some nice wood. If you want to bring up that bolt, I might have the right size you need? Or we could cut the other one down?

 

[jbmatth]

I'm planning to cut the other bolt down tonight when the kido's go to bed. I'm ready to get this alternator back on, it has taken me way too long to modify it. Thanks for the offer though Herb, hopefully I'll get a chance next week to come up and finish those lights finely.
JB

 

[BUGTHUG]

OK