T-Test
solid fixture here in the forum
^^^ YEP
We are praying that we can finish the car and get some drive time out of it before there is no fuel available to the public!
Just heard GM will no longer produce combustible engines after 2035.!!!
1966 Chevelle Project
- Thread starter Unforgiven
- Start date
Unforgiven
solid fixture here in the forum
I was thinking about taking one of the wifes throw pillows and removing the stuffing, then refilling with play sand
to use for hammering out some panel work.
What do you guys think. Will I need to cover it in canvas or some other material.
Just want to use what is laying around...don't want to buy anything cause at that point I would be better off just buying a
sand bag.
to use for hammering out some panel work.
What do you guys think. Will I need to cover it in canvas or some other material.
Just want to use what is laying around...don't want to buy anything cause at that point I would be better off just buying a
sand bag.
JohnHancock
Well-Known Member
Not to mention a softer wife!
Unforgiven
solid fixture here in the forum
I got the body separated from the frame on Sunday. I LOVE my new lift!!! It made life alot easier. I am going to replace the body mount bushings and set the body back down, then re-install the doors to get the gaps correct. Then I will tack weld in some bracing and remove the doors to get ready for the
ELECTIVE re-construction surgery.
Upon inspection of the frame, I found that it was 1/2" racked shown in RED below. My friend has a frame rack an is going to pull it back square for me.
I am going to open up the front body mount hole in the frame
( shown with green arrow) , and weld in a larger grade 8 washer that is the same thickness as the frame. I have already machined the washer to the correct 1 3/8" diameter to except the bushing. I will post pics when done.
I also had a delivery yesterday!!!! My AMD 1 piece floor w/braces and inner rockers in one box and a full 1 piece trunk w/ braces in another box!
Had to bring my trailer into work today so I can get them home.
There is NO turning back now!
ELECTIVE re-construction surgery.
Upon inspection of the frame, I found that it was 1/2" racked shown in RED below. My friend has a frame rack an is going to pull it back square for me.
I am going to open up the front body mount hole in the frame
( shown with green arrow) , and weld in a larger grade 8 washer that is the same thickness as the frame. I have already machined the washer to the correct 1 3/8" diameter to except the bushing. I will post pics when done.
I also had a delivery yesterday!!!! My AMD 1 piece floor w/braces and inner rockers in one box and a full 1 piece trunk w/ braces in another box!
Had to bring my trailer into work today so I can get them home.
There is NO turning back now!
Unforgiven
solid fixture here in the forum
Sure can Grumpy..
I borrowed a pic from the internet for frame dimensions and a clearer pic of what I did.
The red lines are where I took measurements from.
There are 12 total mount holes in the frame...six on each side.
I used a tape measure to get a diagonal measurement from the front mount hole on the right side of the frame to the rear most
mount hole just before the up turn on the frame on the left side.. I just hooked the tape onto the edge of one hole and measured to the center of the other hole.
Then I repeated the same process for the other side. The measurements should be the same... I came up with 78" on one and about 78 5/8" on the other .
This is how I check for racking ( out of square) on the frame.
The reason I used the inner most holes on the front is because these are unused mount holes for this model car, therefore they are in great condition.
the rear holes I used are in great shape also..
I am going to recheck tonight ... I want to make sure the frame is level front to back, and side to side. Then take new measurements.
The way my friend straightens frames is with the use of a " hydraulic porta power " ...
The frame is chained down to the floor and while one rail is held in place, the porta power will
push or pull the other frame rail in the direction that he deems needed.
I found that the factory acceptable tolerance for out of square is 1/8"...
My tolerance is "0" .... Though he may charge me extra for that!
I borrowed a pic from the internet for frame dimensions and a clearer pic of what I did.
The red lines are where I took measurements from.
There are 12 total mount holes in the frame...six on each side.
I used a tape measure to get a diagonal measurement from the front mount hole on the right side of the frame to the rear most
mount hole just before the up turn on the frame on the left side.. I just hooked the tape onto the edge of one hole and measured to the center of the other hole.
Then I repeated the same process for the other side. The measurements should be the same... I came up with 78" on one and about 78 5/8" on the other .
This is how I check for racking ( out of square) on the frame.
The reason I used the inner most holes on the front is because these are unused mount holes for this model car, therefore they are in great condition.
the rear holes I used are in great shape also..
I am going to recheck tonight ... I want to make sure the frame is level front to back, and side to side. Then take new measurements.
The way my friend straightens frames is with the use of a " hydraulic porta power " ...
The frame is chained down to the floor and while one rail is held in place, the porta power will
push or pull the other frame rail in the direction that he deems needed.
I found that the factory acceptable tolerance for out of square is 1/8"...
My tolerance is "0" .... Though he may charge me extra for that!
Last edited:
Unforgiven
solid fixture here in the forum
I'll have more detailed pics of the floor plan operation this weekend. But I need to make sure that the frame is square
so when I bolt the floor down to the frame... the body will sit down on the pan and be square to the frame.
so when I bolt the floor down to the frame... the body will sit down on the pan and be square to the frame.
JohnHancock
Well-Known Member
I would think about reinstalling the doors and checking gaps in addition to putting it back on the frame. You will have some “slop” in the rubber body mounts so door fitment will be more critical.
Unforgiven
solid fixture here in the forum
yep.. thats my plan. After the gaps are re-set....I am going to weld in some bracing , then I can remove the doors and start the floor replacement
without having to worry about the body racking or folding.
without having to worry about the body racking or folding.
Unforgiven
solid fixture here in the forum
Here is my plan for fixing the mount front mount holes in the frame. The RED arrow is a mount hole that is unused.
You can see that the lower one in the pic is blown open. I will grind this open more to weld in a new washer flush.
I have already machined the inside diameter of the washer to the correct size. I am using the chart from a couple posts above to get my location
math. The pic below shows where the washer be placed. I just have to use my die grinder and open the frame hole to accept the washer...then weld in flush.
You can see that the lower one in the pic is blown open. I will grind this open more to weld in a new washer flush.
I have already machined the inside diameter of the washer to the correct size. I am using the chart from a couple posts above to get my location
math. The pic below shows where the washer be placed. I just have to use my die grinder and open the frame hole to accept the washer...then weld in flush.
Unforgiven
solid fixture here in the forum
some unboxed automotive eye candy!
I think you might have misunderstood what ORF was trying to say. Maybe ???
Before you weld the washers in and have a good size hole, would that be a good time to clean
and paint/treat the inside of the frame to stop the rust ?
Unforgiven
solid fixture here in the forum
basically I am installing new body mount bushings and bolting the body back down to the frame. I will install the doors and get the rocker and quarter gaps correct. Once that is done, I will weld in bracing.
Yes Rick... I bought a portable blaster to spot blast the frame.. was going to roll the frame out of the barn tomorrow and give it a go if it dont rain.
If it does not work well...I will send it out to be professionally blasted then put it in epoxy primer.
Yes Rick... I bought a portable blaster to spot blast the frame.. was going to roll the frame out of the barn tomorrow and give it a go if it dont rain.
If it does not work well...I will send it out to be professionally blasted then put it in epoxy primer.
Night_Stalker
Well-Known Member
Kudos on the progress.
Unforgiven
solid fixture here in the forum
I managed to get out to the barn last night!
I tried that spot blaster out ....it works OK...but it is slow.. I am definitely going to take the frame to the blaster guy. There is a industrial sand blast company
about 5 miles from us.. I talked to him a few weeks ago about doing the car.. He said he would be glad to do the frame but could not do the panels because
their system is TOO aggressive ... he said it would destroy the car.
I liked the guys honesty and his straight forwardness...he wasn't just trying to make a buck.
Anyway... I managed to get one mount hole welded in. I set the washer in place and traced around it then used my die grinder and a carbide burr bit to cut the
hole accurately. I used my body hammer to tap the washer flat into the hole so it was flush with the frame then welded it in. Then I ground the weld down smooth with the frame.
This is the stuff I used in the porta blaster .. It cuts very nice, but My compressor is just not big enough to do the whole frame.
I would not use this stuff on panels though! I bought it at our local TSC store. It was something like $9 a bag.
I tried that spot blaster out ....it works OK...but it is slow.. I am definitely going to take the frame to the blaster guy. There is a industrial sand blast company
about 5 miles from us.. I talked to him a few weeks ago about doing the car.. He said he would be glad to do the frame but could not do the panels because
their system is TOO aggressive ... he said it would destroy the car.
I liked the guys honesty and his straight forwardness...he wasn't just trying to make a buck.
Anyway... I managed to get one mount hole welded in. I set the washer in place and traced around it then used my die grinder and a carbide burr bit to cut the
hole accurately. I used my body hammer to tap the washer flat into the hole so it was flush with the frame then welded it in. Then I ground the weld down smooth with the frame.
This is the stuff I used in the porta blaster .. It cuts very nice, but My compressor is just not big enough to do the whole frame.
I would not use this stuff on panels though! I bought it at our local TSC store. It was something like $9 a bag.