69 FRONT END WORK with BIRD CAGE REPAIR

[Wabco40]

I'm still home , go back next wed.

I cant seem to get enough adjustment to get the body in the right spot on the original frame , its got home made body mounts that don't give enough movement (fixed nut ) , what I'm thinking is it could be better just to do all the work on the frame that its going to end up on anyway ,as this ones not rusted out and is in very good condition .

If you could possibly have a look and can see a solution either way that would be awesome .

I am on nightshift at the moment and don't get home until Tuesday, might have to make it your next break. Are you weekly or fortnightly?

For sure, if you where going to change the frame anyway definitely do all the panel fitment on the new frame. Also when fitting the panels have the frame sitting on its wheels or at least supported under the front lower control arms and rear trailing arms. There is quite a lot of flex in the frame when supporting it other then where it would normally be.

[Bazzas77]

copy that , I'm planning on putting the body back on my dolly as I don't have enough suspension parts to make two rolling chassis . get the new chassis rolling and put the body on and see if it fits (at the rear end ) first.

I'm doing a 3 weeker up there this time ,so only 1 week off when I get back , this will take a fair while to get anywhere near panel alignment stage again.

[Wabco40]

Ok cool. I am working 7 on, 7 off so will make it when our days off are in sync again.

[Bazzas77]

sounds like a plan


moving right along , I've had enough of welding , but wait there's more,







just about done all the seams ,cut this out today as well ,



not going top leave a dent in it , but mainly I want to strengthen it up a lot, also going to put a tie -down there for my trailer .

found some 3mm plate steel in the shed , tomorrow its make some gusset(s) time.

[Bazzas77]

had a late start on the vette , just couldn't drag myself away from U-Tube


made some gussets which took a bit longer than I thought ,because nothing is flat and having to shape them a bit takes time..

put them on and hold them down with some multi-grips and tack weld along , then join the dots so to speak ,






did this but couldn't go further as I want to use 5mm plate across the top and it being a public holiday ....



a bit closer look ,



I left 2 areas not welded to the chassis so any water will drain out , also welded a nut inside for a ground strap

[DOC]

looks heaps better than my rusty old frame!
Nice welding as well.

[Bazzas77]

looks heaps better than my rusty old frame!
Nice welding as well.

Thanks Doc , my cheap ass welder is not the best ,the wire speed is too fast or too slow so I chose fast and went with the wider sweeps to give more area . I'm getting enough penetration but my eyes aren't the best so a couple of lines went astray until I got a backlight to help. That's why I started on top of the frame so the first ones wont be seen

Off to work for three weeks tomorrow so it sits until then , I will have the 5mm bent plate finished by my mate down the road while I'm a way so that will get prepped and put on ,then some more gussets at the front , then roll it back over and get it off the floor so I can start with the new rear suspension mounts points , so more cutting and fabrication to come. Hopefully I can get it all done next break (only one week off ). When the welding is done I will make it all red primer again then its time to pull the body off the old frame and start removing suspension pieces from that , they will be just bolted on as is for a mock up of that rear end ....69 body on a 78 frame ????? then etc, etc, etc, etc......

[Bazzas77]

well its been awhile , still plodding along but man its cold now-days , anyway more welding ,got my centre plate on and some more gussets .











here's the plate on , I cut slots in it so the two ribs would poke up through ,welded, then smoothed them down . Also welded a big nut with some re-enforcement over the big hole , small ones for drainage.





this screws into the big nut , hopefully will be strong enough to tie down with on the trailer,



ran out of plate so cant do the other frame horn , have to find something else to do on it until I can get some more tomorrow.

[DOC]

Looks heaps stronger than stock. Looks like you don't want anything to move!

[Bazzas77]

yeah with the heavy springs going in it will rattle teeth I'm guessing

[Bazzas77]

well the part I have been looking forward to and dreading at the same time ,

has to be cut away , why didn't I find a Greenwood unit , way less cutting involved



Finally got the trailing arm bolt in , now just to get enough clearance for the top joint to move





I didn't cut a big enough section out , forgot about getting the welder in there after so had to open it a bit more , it will work though




I had it all bolted in tight ,then tacked those pieces on , unbolted everything and put more weld in.





Ran out of light, so that's enough welding for me today

[DOC]

Now this looks interesting. Hanging ta see this when it's done.

[Bazzas77]

well got it finished , I started wrong by not making a big enough cut out ,so it just never got any better. But it will do



definitely not the prettiest of welds got it on and test fitted the bracket and its tight but do-able so that will do for now .




went to fill the hole by the steering box , at least this went well (the cutter size)




could not have got a better size if I tried





welded and smoothed down then drowned in zinc primer




flip it over tomorrow and do the other side , then more cutting for clearance of the top arms

[Bazzas77]

rain so much rain, I can shut the door to the container to keep it out then I cop the fumes .

moving along,

flipped it over and up against the other wall, cut big this time !will finish it tomorrow




finished the front gusseting,

[Bazzas77]

finished the welding at the back ,




turned it over and made it all one colour again ,



so took the body back off the original 69 frame and put it on my mates body dolly (handy ) and started taking things off it yesterday ,



took the diff mount cross-member and the radiator mount cross-member and the rad support frame to the blaster as they are too big for my sand blast cabinet , then come home and got the front springs out , then the shed got too hot so I have been inside (buying car parts online !!!)



steering gear , idler arm joint was seized from sitting around so long I guess , going to re-use the drag link .



engine / box back on its tyre for a while ,