Idle hands: assorted projects

[UnderControl]

First big step in the quick distraction project involves patching the collector.

 

 

It ain't pretty, but good enough for a patch job on a roached header.

 

 

Thinking I should wrap it just to hide the rusty nast.

[UnderControl]

For whatever reason I didn't take pictures of the wrapped header, but I did take a terrible quality video after putting it back on.

 

https://i.imgur.com/oGwXKRt.gifv

 

And apparently that link doesn't auto load like images. Not missing much, but click if so inclined.

[UnderControl]

Took her out for a maiden voyage. Runs pretty well. I'm sure it could use some tweaking to be tip top, but good enough while I learn how to ride.

 

 

Still need to put the new tires on before I take out beyond the neighborhood.

[]2eDeYe]

Nice bike. Should clean up with a nice dose of elbow grease. 

[UnderControl]

Pssh, clean up is hardly the ratsun way, but it wouldn't take much to actually make it nice. I'm mounting tires, rebuilding the master cylinder and finding a not duct tape seat away from hopefully being done with anything other that routine maintenance. 

 

Suggesting I get all but the seat done over the next couple of days I should be back to the mustang next week.

Edited May 1, 2019 by UnderControl

[UnderControl]

Turns out the hardest part of replacing motorcycle tires is getting the new tube valve stem in place. Otherwise the old tire came off almost toolless and the new one went on with very little effort. I did go ahead and give the wheel a shitty paint job to help disguise how pitted it was.

 

 

Edited May 2, 2019 by UnderControl

[UnderControl]

Put about 60 miles on her today. Runs/rides nice. Sounds good, but extended periods at 4k rpm lead me to think I'll pick up some helmet speakers.

 

 

[UnderControl]

Ended up replacing the master over rebuilding, which could be related to me poking a hole in the diaphragm while attempting to get it over the Piston.

 

I did manage to find an original seat locally and after slapping a new cover on it got it installed. I even managed to find a way of putting mustang parts on it by securing the seat cover with a bit of the old wind lace.

 

 

Not pictured, but I did actually get some work done on the old mustang, just got the filler panel made for the front of the inner rocker, but it is something at least.

[UnderControl]

Slowly getting myself back into working on the Mustang.  As mentioned before I made the filler panel for the driver side torque box.

 

Before

 

Super dark after.

 

Then I got to work separating the passenger side.

 

Will need to do some trimming to get it in around the inner rocker and then I can actually start getting it welded in next week.

[UnderControl]

So, the old bars were at such a steep angle that the master was leaking out the cap and getting low enough to make the brakes weak. So, style aside I decided to go ahead and swap them, very nearly regretted it.

 

 

 

Now my cables and brake lines are too long, but they're comfortable and look much better. Pic of finished product to come during daylight.

[UnderControl]

 

Ok now I'm really done with this project for a while.

[UnderControl]

After much procrastination I've gotten back to work on the 66. Passenger side torque box is in. Still need to do a little dressing of the welds, but it's in. Shiny picture to prove.

 

 

Passenger side didn't fit near as nice as driver's side, some of which may have something to do with my prep work, some of which I think comes down to the box itself. Once I finish dressing the welds it'll be on to the dreaded cowl.

[UnderControl]

So it begins.

 

 

 

After a little clean up.

 

 

I tried to save myself a 100 or so spot welds and cut the cowl along the break line under the windshield frame, but I may end up drilling them anyway to get the rust out of the seam. Just a question of how far down the rabbit hole I want to go.

[UnderControl]

In preparation for the upcoming patch panels I got myself some new toys in the form of shinker/strecthers. These are the Hazard Fraught variety so grain of salt, but they should suit my needs. First impressions are that the handles that come with them are at least 6" too short so you really have to lean into them to get any results out of them. I'm in the process of making a vice mounted stand for them which will include a foot pedal attached to my bench. Hopefully that'll provide all the leverage I need. Anyway, results from two passes on the shrinker, first at full deepth (did next to nothing) second at half.

 

 

I've also started laying out my plans for patches.

 

 

At this point I'm pretty well decided on deleting the fresh air towers. Since I'll be going with an aftermarket heater box there isn't much use for the passenger side one and all they do beyond that is attract rust. Plus side is that I'll no longer have a need for the cowl vents so I can fill those as well.

[UnderControl]

Slow progress is slow. I've finished up my stand/foot pedal for the shrinker/stretcher, it works much better when not trying to use it by hand.

 

Since then I've finally gotten around to removing the trailing edge of the cowl, the rust in the seam wasn't as bad as I was expecting, but still worth getting out.

 

 

 

I actually thought the lower section of the cowl was sandwiched between the upper and the dash. This actually should make it easier to deal with.

[UnderControl]

No car progress, but I got a little skill progress. It is nearly time for me to start putting that bead roller to use so I got some practice in.  Managed to make the most rigid piece of 22ga I've ever seen.

 

 

Still need some practice.

[UnderControl]

Continued venture down the rabbit hole this evening. Lower section of the cowl is out.

 

 

Large sections are still salvageable, however I did find some holes I hadn't previously noticed in some rather inconvenient/difficult to reproduce spots. At this point I'm seriously considering getting the shell blasted, largely because I'm tired of rust and don't want to be sweeping up media for years.

[]2eDeYe]

Blasting might be a good idea considering all those nooks and crannies. I can see a bunch just in that pic. 

 

[UnderControl]

I'm going to give my little blaster another shot, if I can actually get it to feed worth a damn I'll happily be a cheap ass and do it at home. Even just getting in all those impossible to get to with a grinder spots with it would be huge.

[Crashtd420]

Is it a little hand sand blaster with a hose to feed the material?

 

If so try shortening the hose.....

I found with the one I used having a long hose it didnt wanna feed any material....

 

 

[UnderControl]

It is the little pressure pot blaster. I've already upgraded all of the valves on it and can get it to feed if I keep rocking the tank so the media doesn't bind up. I'm thinking I just need to dump out about half of what I put in there and just deal with filling it more often.

[Crashtd420]

10 hours ago, UnderControl said:

It is the little pressure pot blaster. I've already upgraded all of the valves on it and can get it to feed if I keep rocking the tank so the media doesn't bind up. I'm thinking I just need to dump out about half of what I put in there and just deal with filling it more often.

Here's an idea that just hit me.... 

Can you possibly place the blaster next to the compressor tank then join the 2 tanks with a ratchet strap or something so the vibration from the compressor motor would vibrate the blaster tank and cause the media to settle to the bottom? 

 

[UnderControl]

Ha, that's certainly an idea. I have considered adding a pneumatic vibrator to the system, but ones large enough to run in line cost as much as a good blaster.

[Crashtd420]

Most of my ideas come from lack of money and my weird idea probably from the weed.... I try to figure out ways to accomplish things.....

 

The logical side came up with that idea.... the weed side was saying grab the wife/girlfriend's vibrator and toss it in..... but that might get you in trouble...

 

Keep up the good work....

 

 

[UnderControl]

Got to be careful with those herb fueled ideas, that's a fast track to developing a frisbee based tennis game a spending and couple hours storyboarding a comic where the main character is a mutant watermelon.  I'm plenty familiar with working as cheaply as possible, that largely why I'm making my own replacement panels for the cowl rather than buying the off the shelf stuff.

 

In other news I may have figured out my blaster problem. I went to dump out most of the media and discovered that a lot of it had clumped up. I probably should have checked that before considering its been years since I've used it and last time I did was with a shitty compressor and the world's cheapest dryer. Either way all cleaned out now and tomorrow I'll reload it with finely sifted media and see how she runs.

Edited November 6, 2019 by UnderControl