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My Rusty L320 Build


delariva

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Main reason that I stopped researching putting a 5-Speed in mine when I rebuilt the engine. Didn't want to cut on the floor.

...or have to use bucket seats. I don't think buckets look appropriate in an old truck like a 320. Unless you find something cool like seats out of a Bugeye Sprite. With the shifter that far back, there's no way the factory bench would fit, without modifying it.

 

Also, that large cut in the floor seriously compromises floor strength. That horsecollar type crossmember is what keeps the seats from falling through the floor. Without it, the floor is going to need some strength added back in.

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Great engineering-minded observations. I think that I had it figured out that I might be able to go just to the reinforcing beam with the floor cut and re-engineer the shift rod shape to head back forward to be able to keep the original seat.

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Yeah, the transmission is bolted to an L16. The floor and original cover were already cut when I got the truck. I was working on how to repair the floor, and the transmission cover on Friday before heading out for the weekend. 

 

 

Thanks for posting those pictures of the covers wayno. That is going to give me a better idea of what I am trying to do. Right now I have a thicker piece of sheet metal already formed to fit that collar, and  move the original cut further forward. Then I am using a thinner 22 gauge to get the shape I want for the missing part of the trans cover. I will try to get a better pic tonight.

 

I have two bucket seats that look like they are from a 70's Bronco that came with the truck. I was really hoping to add a bench seat, but I am not sure if I can find one that will fit.  I may just take a frame from an old toyota, or some other small truck at the pull yard and modify the frame to fit the shifter. Then I would have a seat somewhere between a bench and bucket. I am not sure yet though. I will deal with that when I get there. 

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720 single cab 4x4 have basically the kind of seat you are talking about.

 

This is mine, pardon the fact that its trashed you get the idea at least. :)

 

20160509_132258_zpsgh9lal7z.jpg

 

20160509_132312_zpswrrk7wvz.jpg

 

The transfer case shift lever comes up through the center of the seat.

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Thanks for sharing the seat, and the pics of the cover. 

 

I guess I'll post things that aren't going so well too. My welds are ugly. I was feeling good on my practice welds, but the first attempts on the car didn't go well. I am going to try backing the 18g sheet metal with copper to see if that helps to keep me from blowing through on some of the butt joints. The main problem I am having is that I can't see with the welding helmet I have. I start most of my tack welds in the wrong spot, then have to correct where I am after I start the arc. I have an auto darkening helmet coming from Eastwood on Monday. I am hoping that helps a lot. I'll just have to keep practicing.

 

Here is a pic of the hole for the shifter that was already cut before.

shift_hole.jpg

 

I cleaned it up and bend some 18 gauge sheet metal to cover up where the hole didn't need to be cut.

prep.jpg

 

Here are my ugly welds. The really bad one on the left, I forgot to open the valve on the shielding gas. 

bad_welds.jpg

 

I ground those down, and am bending some 1/8 inch to try and reinforce where the collar (not sure what to call it) was cut. I need to see if the shifter has enough clearance to just go straight across. If not I'll have to do some more planning. I'll post more progress once the practice welds start looking better.

bad_welds2.jpg

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You need to keep in mind that you don't need to hold a arc for more than a second, you aim it by resting the trigger shield on the metal making sure the wire is aimed correctly, close your eyes and pull the trigger for a second or less, open your eyes, move a couple inches ahead at least where the metal isn't to hot to touch with your finger, aim and pull the trigger for a second and move on, if you weld to close together where it gets to hot it will warp, but the floor boards are normally a little thicker metal than a cab top like in the photo below.

DSCN0105.JPG

Every tack weld was done 4 inches apart in the photo above, and this one I used gas with 023 wire, normally I use flux-core(030) wire as I work outside.

If the metal is thin or even slightly rusty, you cannot hold an arc, it will just blow thru.

I did most my 521 kingcab without a welding helmet, I just closed my eyes.

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Wayno, I know your advice is well intentioned, but I will advise strongly against spot welding without a helmet. Your eyelids are thin skin and the radiation gets right past them and burns your eyeballs, not to mention the skin of your eyelids. It is certainly ok to perform small spot weld jobs this way, I do it all the time, but larger jobs can and will leave you lying awake at night with burning eyes. Ask me how I know... You should get yourself a new screen for your mask or get a whole new helmet. Cheap auto darkening helmets can be bought at Harbor Freight for as little as $50.

 

As far as welding goes, one common mistake people make is they point the wire right at the gap making blow through easy. Point the wire at a piece of metal instead and see how that turns out. Once you get a couple solid welds going, you can now point the wire at another spot weld and move it slightly after you make contact.

 

One trick you can use to weld sheetmetal together is to back the gap with a strip of steel and plug weld it in place. After it cools, you can then weld up the seam. Loo at the trans tunnel I made below and you can see the strips of steel I put in behind the seams.

 

Body_Small_018_zps2da19601.jpg

 

Body_Small_017_zpsc9bd5df0.jpg

 

Small_Pics_3_035_zps15742ee2.jpg

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I understand what you are saying Matt about wearing a welding helmet, I didn't describe everything I should have in that post that I should have even though in the end you are correct, wear a welding helmet, I always wear one these days, but I am not doing a lot of sheet metal lately either.

I left the gas shield on the trigger even though I was using flux-core wire, I rested the shield on the sheet metal work to control distance and aim of the tack welds aiming away from myself, the trigger shield blocked over 90 percent of the arc from my face, even though most the time I turned my head away before pulling the trigger anyway, I agree that 100 percent would be way better, I was less than a quarter inch from the surface when tacking the tops together.

I also found that I always have the helmet setting too dark and I could not see what I was welding, I turned it to a lighter setting and that helped slightly(not a lot), but then one comes back to how much light do you let thru, in the end if I want to see what I am welding, I either need to weld outside in the sun, or use flood lights.

Matt is correct, wear a helmet.

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Nice work, Matt

Thanks Steve.

 

I understand what you are saying Matt about wearing a welding helmet, I didn't describe everything I should have in that post that I should have even though in the end you are correct, wear a welding helmet, I always wear one these days, but I am not doing a lot of sheet metal lately either.

I left the gas shield on the trigger even though I was using flux-core wire, I rested the shield on the sheet metal work to control distance and aim of the tack welds aiming away from myself, the trigger shield blocked over 90 percent of the arc from my face, even though most the time I turned my head away before pulling the trigger anyway, I agree that 100 percent would be way better, I was less than a quarter inch from the surface when tacking the tops together.

I also found that I always have the helmet setting too dark and I could not see what I was welding, I turned it to a lighter setting and that helped slightly(not a lot), but then one comes back to how much light do you let thru, in the end if I want to see what I am welding, I either need to weld outside in the sun, or use flood lights.

Matt is correct, wear a helmet.

I do a lot of welding and have learned over the years what not to do. I now wear full protective gear and I take my helmet settings very seriously. The screen gets changed whenever it's dirty because as you and the OP mentioned, if you can't see the weld, it's not going to be a good weld. I am even now to the point that I want to invest in a welding respirator to make it possible to still be alive after 60.

 

I hate sunburn, and I like being able to breathe.

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Thanks for all of your help guys. Your welds look great. I had to come into work this weekend and didn't have much time to do anything in the garage, or check this post. I did some practice welding last night. It's getting a little better. I got the auto darkening helmet this morning, hopefully it helps me improve my welds too. I also am going to try Wayno's suggestion with the flood lights. It is pretty dark in the cab even with the garage lights on.

 

I took the trans cover out last night and when i started to grind it down, found out it was covered in fiberglass. I took that off and it looks like a 320 cover again. I'll keep practicing my welds and working on fixing the cover. Thanks again for the good discussion on welding tips. It will give me a good place to start with my practice. I am going to try a few plug welds like you used on the seam of your project tonight when I get home. 

 

practice.jpg

 

cover.jpg

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I was able to set aside a few hours and get some work done yesterday. I welded a brace to bridge the gap across the hole that was cut.

You can see in the first picture, on my first welds I had the wire feed too high, and was moving too slow so the weld built up. I adjusted the settings and ran another weld along the back to be safe. 

transWeld01.jpgtransWeld02.jpg

 

Then I started tacking in pieces to finish closing the hole in the floor. Here is where I left off for the day. 

transWeld03.jpg

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Good clean work on the tranny cover & U made a nice haul at the boneyard !!

Thanks Steve. It wasn't a bad haul at all! I got an old toyota shift lever that's not in the pictures too. I talked to a machine shop, but they want too much for the work. I'll just have to make it work with my hand tools. 

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