Curious. What is HAMB ?

 

It stands for Hokey *** Message Board. It's a forum, similar to FTE, but they only like stock stuff. No mod's, no billet, very opinionated, very rude.
Daryl

 

HAMB is probably the largest and best source of info on the Internet. Some very well known fabricators and hot rod authors hang there. Several magazine editors also. World wide participation, especially from Europe and Australia/New Zealand. One Aussie is part of Toyota's R&D group.

The skills of some of those guys is totally amazing.

Yes, they can be a bit rough, decidedly non-PC and they have absolutely no use for checkbook builders. Several from FTE are also still there openly and incognito, others just didnt make the grade.

They are primarily into traditional style hot rods and customs, no muscle cars or foreign stuff altho several members dabble in a wide range of interests.

Contrary to Daryls misinformation, mods are what its all about. Engine/tranny swaps are big as well as suspensions, brakes, welding, painting and everything else it takes to build a car or truck. Yep, lots of trucks are there too.

Check it out, costs nothing to lurk. Word of warning: If you decide to join do a proper intro as your first post. Read several to get the drift.

There are 3151 registered users as of 5 minutes ago, Im #87 and have been there almost from the beginning. If an old man can take it Im sure most others can.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthre...at=&Board=UBB1

 

With 99,323 FTE members I suspect many of us would be surprised at how many engineers, technicians, and other pros you're talking to right here without even knowing it. The ones who hang out here don't tend to shove their credentials down your throat. That choice has a very powerful effect on the quality of the discussion since it tends to keep everyone honest and open. Opinions that don't hold water are very quickly exposed.

As you pointed out, Carl, many contribute to both sites. The difference is, on FTE they have to post their opinions and technical info without all the abuse. I'll have mine without the cussing, please.

 

George

Outstanding post George, you nailed it exactly. When one makes a misinformed statement on FTE, they are generally corrected in such a manner that does not send them packing forever.

A lot of guys come to the various boards to learn. There isn't any doubt that there are many highly skilled posters on HAMB. Nothing unpleasant ever happened to me personally on the HAMB, but I just cringe when an experienced individual attempts to embarass one of my FTE friends for the sheer joy of it. Sure it happens here on occasion too, to a lesser degree, but it's a very rare exception and not the rule.

That said, there is nobody forcing anyone to post or read the HAMB. We've beat this one up sufficiently here.

 

'fenders,
My installer gave the IC kit overall good marks. A couple of things he would like to see improved upon:
1. Crossmember is 1/8". He feels it s/b 3/16" or at least the boxing plates s/b;
2. the directions state to position the crossmember then tack weld the crossmember to the frame . He foresaw the trouble with lining it up. So, he installed the lower contral arms onto the crossmember BEFORE tack welding the crossmember to the frame.

Other than the other snafu's mentioned in my initial post on this thread, the rest has gone very well. Proportioning valve and all the custom twists & turns of the aluminum leads to the brakes, dual master cylinder, etc looks great. I was concerned because I recalled a post here on FTE a short time ago where someone said their crossmember didn't sit flush between the frames. Mine did, so (heavy sigh of relief...) maybe his frames were bent/tweaked or he just got a crossmember that wasn't manufactured quite correctly.

BTW, I took the liberty of repainting the firewall and inner fenders (no pun intended) to match the gloss black of the new front end. No better time than when it's all torn apart and it 's easy to get to! Ceramic block hugger headers and a Lokar floor shifter coming also, along with finishing wiper install, horn, and reinforcing the tachometer base on top of the dash (so it doesn't wobble while I drive!)....

Daryl

 

Daryl

Thanks for the info, I think 1/8 is probably quite adequate for a cruiser truck if engineered correctly at the stress points where it meets the control arms. It's natural to want everything to be extra heavy duty but it often just complicates the install (welding) for no good reason. I don't believe your frame is even 3/16. Most production crossmembers aren't either and they do just fine. You could make it out of 3/8 steel and it will still fail if not engineered correctly.

Anyway, glad to hear it's going well. You put any Ram Head stickers on your back window yet? ........................... Dodge Boy!

 

Daryl,

It sounds like there are quite a few good points to the IC IFS. I'm glad to hear yours fit well between the frame rails.

'fenders is right on with the comment about engineering something vs. just building it with thicker stock to avoid failures. One of the first things taught to engineers is that making a component thicker can actually reduce that components structural integrity and make it fail. Nuclear industry and pressure vessel/piping folks know all about that issue.


Carl,

After reading through things I see I wasn't as careful as I could have been in checking my posts before submitting them. You might have interpreted them as a commentary on you, personally. Not so by any means. The information you post on FTE is always of high quality and very welcome. I'm glad you can switch gears from the rough-and-tumble world of HAMB to the more constrained surroundings of FTE. As 'fenders said, they both serve their purpose.

 

'fenders,
LOL !!!!!!!!! No, no Ram Head stickers on back window. Heck, if I did that, I'd have to put a Chevy bow tie sticker (steering column) on too. Yep, my truck's a *******, but predominantly Ford Blue Oval Just trying to do what's best for the ol' boy...

Daryl

 

Now we're not certain that the block hugger headers will clear on the passenger's side. Starter too big? Having difficulty resolving why the wipers won't "park" in the down, seated position, but hope to get help from a schematic from Bob's F-100's tomorrow.

Today's update: 5/27/03:
Lokar 16" shifter is in; transmission cover re-shaped in the area of the accelerator so as not to obstruct full "stompage" on the gas pedal; accelerator linkage: removed one spring (too much tension on it); steering column re-angled to sit at lower angle (OEM hole covered over with sheet metal); ; alligned power steering pump with other pulleys(it was 1/2" forward of the others); Borgeson DD steering joint in; carb, fan, and belts reinstalled; new bypass hose from water pump to water jacket; engine/trans back in; axle reinstalled; new headlight switch installed; fab'd support brace onto existing dash-mounted tacholmeter to eliminate "wobble" while I drive.

Front fenders/grill fo in tomorrow if headers clear; Horn too; as do wipers and switch... should be pretty close to buttoning it all up after that. MANY, MANY PIX to post.... letcha all know when I'm done!
Daryl

 

Hey

Just saw this thread... I'm the guy who had the 'problems' lining up the crossmember. Well, I'm not moving along nearly as quickly as Daryl (how many hours per day are you working on this thing!?), but I have got the cross member installed, and painted) and have MANY pics as well (haven't really documented other than the pictures tho)

With a pipe-clamp I was able to pull the frame in on the top by about 1/4" on either side. Then with C-clamps we held it all nice and close.

I am definitely NOT an expert of any kind in structural analysis (or welding analysis for that matter ) but it sure LOOKS strong as hell!

I was fortunate enough to be warned about most of the problems Daryl mentioned, I'm just a little slower in solving them.

1. Also need a rear sump pan... for a 400 tho. I hear they were in a lot of Broncos and Pickups, so I'm hunting this weekend at the salvage yard...

2. I need new wheels anyway

3. I already knew about the proportioning valve, and got it from the DAK front clip. Should work fine.

Anyway, I REALLY want to keep up with the board more, but I'm busy as all hell with my normal job 8-6, and truck work 7-11!

cheers,

P.S. my pics have been posted as I go. got the process mostly automated

 

lokar makes flexable dip sticks

go to http://www.lokar.com/engine_dipsticks.html

good luck

 

Update:

Had to replace starter (passenger's side) with a shorter one so the block hugger headers would fit. New distributor cap & rotor, too(we noticed it was a bit sluggish). Also had to re- relocate (is that a word?) the steering rod to clear on the driver's side. Fenders, hood & front grill assembly back on, as is new horn, rewired steering column and Lokar floor shifter (single bend, not the "nostalgia" style with two bends in it). Filled all unused holes in firewall either with silicon (small holes) or welded on patches. Re-shaped tranny floor cover a bit by accelerator so it wouldn't impede upon the full range of travel (gotta be able to stomp on it, right?).

Presently have "donor" tires/rims from another rod in the shop on my '59, so we could take it off the jack stands finally(15X7 chrome smoothie's with 4" offset and a 5 on 4.5" lug pattern sporting BF Goodrich T/A Radials 225X70/15's due in next Weds or Thurs).

I'm here to tell ya'... the stance and "attitude" is completely different. The Dak IFS lowered the front about 2 to 2.5" in front. NOT a "weed-eater" by any means, but just enough "rake" (as they called it in days gone by; front down a bit, rear a bit higher than front) to make it look "cool". Well, in my opinion anyway!

I have TONS of pix, hopefully some will help or be useful to someone somewhere. Monday my "bully 302" and I go to the muffler shop for a 2.25" exhaust system. Oh yeah, wait 'til you see what we came up with for the location of the exhaust & exhaust tips! he-he-he.... my rod shop guy turned me on to the idea based on a '56 Effie he had a while back. It's a pretty slick idea... well, you'll see and can decide for yourselves!

Should be driving it home Monday, 6/2...
Daryl

 

Daryl, I want to see some photo's of that "new" truck you got! Man did you get lucky with your rim choice!

-4speed

 

4speed,
Yeah, I know what you mean. I was looking into other rims during "the transformation". I about passed out from lack of oxygen when I saw the prices PER WHEEL of a few styles I liked. Suddenly, the chrome smoothies didn't seem so bad after all
Keeping the outside meek & mild (why advertise?)...
Daryl