Topic: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat (Read 108561 times)

obama · « **Reply #50 on:** October 25, 2015, 06:35:12 PM »

I hate making a wasted trip.
Just had knee surgery myself, just a clean out type job, should be a lot better than it was.

Blackwater · « **Reply #51 on:** October 25, 2015, 10:46:13 PM »

I'm putting off replacement on my doctor's advice. Steady but mostly slow degeneration of the joint due to a lot of old damage and arthritic attack. Right now I'm able to get by with a steroid shot about every four months. I was doing it every three months but I'm not a big fan of steroids and I can handle the last couple of weeks of discomfort between treatments.

I'll be okay in a couple of days and I can use my knee brace 'till Tuesday when the next shot is scheduled.

Us old farts hafta' go through rehab more often when we refuse to act like old fogies. I'm finishing up successful shoulder repair and rehab now. I've found that if you do what you're told in rehab, you recover much quicker!

obama!! Do what they tell you! Get better quicker!!

I'll be back in the shop in the morning after rehab!! I got several pieces that I want to get put on and the rack is open so's I can get more finished. It's gonna' look good with the seats installed and the engine buttoned up tomorrow night.

Blackwater · « **Reply #52 on:** October 26, 2015, 06:12:51 PM »

It's been good day! I got out of therapy feeling pretty good. Stopped at the parts house for some nuts and washers and a couple of studs to finish the header install.

They were supposed to have a couple cans of trunk paint for me but it wasn't on the morning truck. Stopped by Tractor Supply for some small implement clips and some cotter keys. I managed to get to the shop before 10:30 and fell right in on installing the seat belts and seats. That took the rest of the morning, but it sure does look better to me with the seats and stuff all in. Got the shifter all adjusted and the header all tightened and ready for a fire up.

Pulled the T-stat housing back off and tapped out the 1/4" pipe holes to 3/8" pipe and installed the fan switches and reinstalled the housing. With that the cooling system is ready for coolant. I'm thinking about the new waterless cooling fluid, but I want to check it out a little more before I commit to the extra cost and the labor involved. Any of you fellers had any experience with it??

After the knee doctor visit in the morning, I'll install the new harmonic balancer and the pulleys and maybe get the alternator mounted.

Y'all don't get skeered when you see that old fart in the seat pictures. I don't know who the hell he is!! Looks a little like my dad did years ago.

obama · « **Reply #53 on:** October 26, 2015, 06:29:07 PM »

What old fart? looking good, do like the T-housing.

hotwheels · « **Reply #54 on:** October 27, 2015, 08:27:28 AM »

Looking good. Seats look good too.

Blackwater · « **Reply #55 on:** October 27, 2015, 08:56:18 PM »

I got the balancer on with a new front seal. I used to have a balancer installer tool 'til someone stole a bunch of my tools out of the race trailer. I never bothered to replace it because I wasn't racing anymore. So today I went to three shops before I found one. I get to the shop, pull the old hub, (Those old 4 bangers didn't have a real balancer, but one from a six cylinder works and improves performance.) and proceed to install the balancer and there's no threads in the end of the crank, just a center mark drilled into the end. There's not enough room to drill and tap, so I install the balancer the old fashioned way. I tap it on part way with a deadblow hammer and drive it on the rest of the way with my air chisel and a piece of half inch steel plate. Looks good and now I've got the alternator mount roughed in and the alternator mounted. A V-belt will drive the water pump and a poly-groove belt will run the alternator off of the water pump.

Gotta' take tomorrow off to take the wife for her tests and doctor's visit. I WILL get to pick up the belts and some trunk paint on the way home tomorrow.

I hope it'll be running and driving by Thanksgiving. Wiring and Doors are the big stuff that's left.

SkinnyPedal · « **Reply #56 on:** October 28, 2015, 06:01:24 PM »

Just read thru your build. Looks Awesome and I learned some more stuff I may use on mine.

Really luv the home built 4 barrel intake!!

Keep the progress pics coming.

Blackwater · « **Reply #57 on:** October 29, 2015, 05:15:37 PM »

Got the belts for the water pump and alternator trial fitted. Gonna' work just fine!! I started on picking up tools and cleaning shop and got an inspiration.

I set in on finishing the cowl/windshield posts. I love the cutting and fitting and welding, but sometimes a project just doesn't call out to me, and I usually do these things in a binge like manner. I should be able to finish the windshield frame and inside of the posts tomorrow. Most of the worst part got done today.

hotwheels · « **Reply #58 on:** October 29, 2015, 11:17:32 PM »

Looks awesome

Blackwater · « **Reply #59 on:** October 30, 2015, 06:22:59 PM »

I almost have the windshield/cowl posts finished. I put bottoms on the outside of the posts and got the driver's side post boxed in from roof to floorboard. All welded up and capped the back side under the car, I ground and sanded all the joints and made a piece to go inside the windshield frame for a sealing flange on that side too. It all fastens to the dashboard frame as well.

I did all the patching and welding on the passenger side except for the piece inside the windshield frame. I'll make that in the morning, get it welded in and then grind and sand all the joints on that side. I'm using a rust killing paint on the old steel inside and then coating the whole thing with trunk paint.

I won't get to work on it again after that 'til Tuesday. I have a band gig tomorrow night and I ain't likely to get home before daylight Sunday, then I have to meet the guy who has the canvas for my roof on Monday!!

Blackwater · « **Reply #60 on:** November 01, 2015, 07:24:43 PM »

So I went to the shop Saturday morning and finished welding and grinding the passenger side windshield post. It was all done before noon and the shop cleaned up and all of the tools put away. Tomorrow's plans have changed and I'll go finish the alternator brackets and maybe start on the driver's door. We ain't even talking' about the passenger side door!! That one will take a couple or three days at least.

While I took a break on Friday, I made a list of all of the things that still need to be done and it came to fourteen, I think. I got two of 'em done by lunchtime yesterday.

hotwheels · « **Reply #61 on:** November 04, 2015, 04:38:49 AM »

Awesome, getting really close.

TIC · « **Reply #62 on:** November 04, 2015, 02:40:32 PM »

i wish i new you needed a fuel sending unit, i ordered one from summit, it was shipped from factory, they shorted me the float and float arm. when i called they said keep it we'll send another one. well again from the factory, this time they sent me a whole case of them, i tried to call and tell em, they acted like i was accuseing them of something, got real defenceive. so now i got 6 extra. if you were a little closer i would love to lend a hand .

Blackwater · « **Reply #63 on:** November 04, 2015, 04:35:08 PM »

The new unit for that specific tank was less then $50.00 shipping and all. They have a gauge made for it as well.

I got a good start on the driver's door today. I repaired the front frame and removed what was left of the old hinges. The guy who cut the door down got the window frame all crooked and apparently he cut it too small as well because there was a piece welded in where he cut it too short. The back end of the window opening was more than 1/4" smaller than the front and the uprights were offset so badly that the top of the door was 1/2" farther back than the lower half of the post. I've got most of it squared back up, but the welder broke this afternoon and I'll have to go to Nashville in the morning for parts.

I got inner panels drawn up and sent to the metal shop to be bent and shaped. When I get back to the shop I should be able to form up and finish the door itself and maybe even get it hung tomorrow.

I lost an hour or more trying to repair the welder and I worked to the point where I can go no further 'til it's fixed.

lowboy · « **Reply #64 on:** November 04, 2015, 06:56:34 PM »

Get me a tank of Argon while your in town LOL

Blackwater · « **Reply #65 on:** November 04, 2015, 07:20:49 PM »

I broke a piece on my MiG gun. It's an old LINDE 160 that's been totally discontinued. There's a machine shop that repairs welders and the guy says he has the stuff to fix it. I'll have to leave here about 6:30 in the morning to get there before the guy goes out on a service call.

obama · « **Reply #66 on:** November 04, 2015, 07:32:41 PM »

Your making progress, good luck with the welder. Iv'e done the need to do list before, it helps, but it also grows sometimes.

Blackwater · « **Reply #67 on:** November 05, 2015, 03:14:05 PM »

Thanks for the thought!!

It took a couple of hours, but we got parts made up to fix the welder. $45.00 ain't bad. He ordered me a new complete MiG gun but it'll be a couple of weeks because they have to custom make one for this old unit. I HATE the gun that's on it and a new Tweeco style gun will be a treat to use!!

It took about ten minutes to get it all put back together and I stopped on the way home and picked up the metal for that raggedy driver's door. It ain't raggedy now!! I fixed the rest of the window frame and filled in where some idjit cut it up trying to make suicide doors and failed miserably!! Then I added a bottom inside panel and an inside piece to mount a door latch and a window strap, replaced all of the reinforcement that the door wizard hacked out and put some new metal in where the window had been butchered. I still need to put in a vertical brace between the top and bottom inner panels, but I ran out of time this afternoon.

I took a set of barn door hinges and bent 'em to match what the original hinges kinda' looked like and I've figured out how to jig them up so they hang right and swing freely. I figure I can have both doors hung by first of the week if I don't get sidetracked this weekend too much. I gotta' make a run down to the gun range tomorrow to help a friend move his trailer and take down a tent. Most of tomorrow is shot, but it looks like I got nothin' the rest of the weekend!!

obama · « **Reply #68 on:** November 05, 2015, 07:46:38 PM »

Nice job on the doors, lots room left in that shop.

hotwheels · « **Reply #69 on:** November 06, 2015, 04:27:51 AM »

Wow, those look awesome.

Blackwater · « **Reply #70 on:** November 06, 2015, 05:46:36 AM »

Quote from: obama on November 05, 2015, 07:46:38 PM

Nice job on the doors, lots room left in that shop.

Thanks for the encouraging words!!

The shop HAS to stay somewhat cleared out. The owner is a friend of mine and he lets me use the shop for free so long as I keep it cleaned up and secured. He wants somebody there kinda' regularly so's he don't get broke into and ripped off. His stuff takes first priority, but I can do most anything that we can move aside if needed. The space I'm using IS dedicated to my projects!!

Blackwater · « **Reply #71 on:** November 06, 2015, 07:21:59 PM »

Well, I got the driver's door hinged and rough hung. My run to the gun range got postponed because my buddy's truck sprung an axle leak and he won't get it back 'til Monday. I lack a few gussets and some filler pieces on the hinge side and I had to cut the frame on the back edge of the door. It has a little too much bow in it from top to bottom. My jig to line up the hinges really worked better than I'd hoped. The door swings free and there's no bind in the hinges.

My volume gauge on the gas regulator is messed up and I didn't know I was about to run out of argo-mix. When it ran out I had just finished tacking in the bottom hinge. I'll pick up a fresh bottle in the morning and finish up that door. Gonna' get a fresh roll of wire too!!!

When I discovered that I could no longer put stuff together, I cut the passenger door apart. It was unmolested and in need of a 4 3/4" chop and it needed to be shortened 1 3/4" to fit the door opening. It's all cut down except one piece of the door frame. It will also need about six inches of new skin on the bottom, but I may let that wait for a while! The door looks just about gnarly rat enough to do! This door doesn't match the other one. It's a '28/'29 Model A door. The other one apparently isn't a Ford door at all!! It ain't a '30/'31 and it ain't a later model either!! The original hinges don't match up to the original Dodge hinges on the windshield posts so I'm wondering what the HELL it is!! The pics I have on this post probably won't help. Like I said the back edge was too curved to match the '28 Ford door post and I had to straighten what was a fairly intact inner frame.

Blackwater · « **Reply #72 on:** November 07, 2015, 07:01:41 PM »

I got the wire and the gas for the welder and met my lawyer at his house to follow him to the shop. He has a hot Mustang that needed some rear brake line repairs. He fell in on the 'Stang while I put the welder back together and back to work. I got my pass. side door all cut down, the window chopped, the entire door narrowed front to rear, and all reassembled and welded up. I still have to remove and replace the door hinges and hang it. I'll have to finish both front door posts with a nice finished edge and I gotta' come yup with a pair of latches, but I jigged it up tonight before I came home and it fits pretty good!! First time ol' Lockjaw has had a passenger door since I bought it!!

It'll swing tomorrow!! Pics below.

zpi28 · « **Reply #73 on:** November 08, 2015, 01:00:08 PM »

Very nice work on this. I really like that intake and sideways holley sitting up there. It makes me think of my edelbrock spider intake on my 402. I know its hard to keep taking pictures while working. I was doing that on my 52 Chevy build but thank you for sharing. Its inspiring to see all these cool builds.

Blackwater · « **Reply #74 on:** November 08, 2015, 09:08:00 PM »

Thanks! I got the old hinges removed and the new ones built and ready to install, but the guy that owns the shop had to help another of our friends fix his Nissan SUV and had the gas tank out and open. Not a good time to be welding and grinding!! I cleaned up my stuff and took the rest of the day off!!

I got medical events the next two days and probably won't get back to it 'til late morning Tuesday. You never can tell though. I might try to get a little work done tomorrow night. The DVR works and the wife will be busy at school tomorrow night.

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AuthorTopic: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat (Read 108561 times)