because the chevy and ford are slightly different. You dont think this looks cobbled together?

 

This thread is about making a system youself, for the DIY guy who wants to same some cash. If you don't like what you see in that photo, or what others are writing here, you are perfectly welcome to look elsewhere (maybe in a truck mag. where you can buy a stainless steel kit for $1200. Myself, I love the idea of making improvements on my truck, and doing it for a fraction of the price of what the shops/kits would charge.

Do a search for FrankenSix. There is a youtube vid. about a pro engine builder who built a 312 hp inline six Ford 300, using chevy valves, 360 pistons, sbc rods, corvette oil p/u, etc. You see, people find what works and what works better than oem, and people laugh. Then someone comes along and does the same thing in a kit, and the sofa potatoes then think it's okay. Just like TSM and the caddy calipers.

 

I can make hard wire mig look like tig all day long too. Its just all in how you set up your machine. Hot, with a slower wire speed for more control and then it cools as you whip your puddle on a 45 degree angle leaving the tig look...
And those holes were hand drilled? Anyone out there should know that any steel shop has punches called iron workers being able to punch usually 1" plate with 2" holes. If you plan to fabricate something like chases bracket just lay out all your holes with a center punch then take it to a steel fab shop and have them punch it. it will cost you 20$ maybe for literally 5 minutes work vs an hour or so on a drill press cursing and swearing.
Genereal rule about punches is that you have to go size for size on punch vs plate size. Example on 1/4 in plate smallest size they can punch is 1/4" hole or the punch will snap. Anything bigger is no issue. So with big plates like the 1" heavy stuff again smallest hole is 1" but its no problem to go like 2" if the iron worker has the juice which most big shops should. If you need a hole in say 3/4 plate with a 1/2" hole its not a problem they just need to use a magbase drill (annualar cutter) which cuts the outside diameter of hole making it take a little longer and in this case maybe 30 seconds per hole. The iron worker is a simple line up and press a foot operated switch....
Fabrication 101 for those who care.

 

If the guy would have done a cleaner job of slotting the hole - no it doesn't bother me. There is just as much clamping force on the bolts holding the thing together and it's not like the bolts need to be captive to keep the mater from going anywhere if the bolts somehow get loose.


I'm interested on why you run .035 wire on everything thin (no reason for anything above 1/4" on my trucks and even then that is hardly ever used. 3/16" is "thick stuff and lap plates of 1/8" are very common). Anyways, thinner wire burns hotter and gives better penetration with a smaller machine like mine (110 MIG) so I use that. But then again the only thing I ever really MIG is gates or garden art crap I don't care about. There is a reason I never bought a bigger MIG - I don't care to use them on my builds...
As for the pulse or whip welding - these guys do it continuous bead style. No cold welds then as the cooling of the 1st bead as you release the trigger and move on forms a cold spot.

Now for an ironworker, not sure if you were pointing that at me saying I don't know what one is or what, but I know exactly what one is. In fact 3 doors down from my shop is my buddies shop. He was a machine specialist at Boeing a while back and now owns and runs a job shop - fab shop. He's got more machinery than many on here would know what to do with. Ever seen a slip roll that'll do 3/4" plate? How about a 3 die roller that'll do 6" or so I beam??? He's got tools for everything fab related and if I ever get stuck on something it goes to him.

Anyways, he has an iron worker and a CNC plasma I could cut the things on if I wanted/needed. My problem is I work 8-5 and go to my shop after hours therefore most of my design and work is done when other people aren't there and open. Instead of shutting down what I am doing and waiting to hand the parts to somebody else the next day and then wait for the shop to have enough down time to do the crap for me I just do it myself. I throw the plate on the mill and cut a hole. No big deal, and no sense in waiting for days. And if you're thinking it will take an hour on a drill press you've got one hell of a crappy drill press
As for punches I've got a Whitney Jr. a #7, #8 & #10 in my shop. With the addition of my new kick press I will soon be able to do the larger holes a little bit quicker. I got it more for the cool/fun factor though as I LOVE the look of old machinery/tools and pick up stuff when I can.

 

After spending the morning at the j.yard searching for a p/s bracket that would fit a saginaw, and buying one that would need a bit of fab. work, I found the bolt in sag. pump that A1 Cardone made for Ford. It never came in any vehicle, but is a 'fabricated' p/s saginaw pump, with an adapter to the ford bolt pattern on the front, a longer shaft that has been turned down to fit the ford pulley, and it has the ford size fitting for the pressure line in back.

It will save me 3-4 hours work, and bolt right in!! The hoses I got for a 90 s.duty are a drop in too, attach directly to the hydro unit, and the s.box! Man, it doesn't get easier. Part #: 20-6244. The only place I could find it was Kragen/O'reilley's, $78! It comes with reservoir, cap, and adapter on the front.

My shop is a couple of 4" angle grinders, a vice, drills, wire feed, and a lot of elbow grease!

 

Dang - and I was going to ask you to grab an extra econoline Sag. pump bracket if you found one. I will need one at some point, but not yet so I haven't made the effort to hit the yards.

 

The V8 brackets are plentiful. I saw many of them. I could have grabbed one easy. Of course mine, being a 4.9, is few and far between. You might want to look for the sag. that came on the 79 Lincoln Mark V. It has dual return lines, came oem with the hydro, and has the 'canned ham' type reservoir, which is what you see on all the super clean engines.

I just rechecked all my tools and lines for the install tomorrow. I was reading that the disc/drum masters have a built in residual valve. The article said that you can feel it with a paper clip inserted into the fitting at the drum side. That was the first I had heard of that. Has anyone else heard this?

Well, I may go with the 1980 corvette disc/disc master. For $20 I might splurge.

 

I wish someone would give me some tips on getting a nice bead/good penetration with my wire feed. How much of an angle do you hold the gun? etc.

 

To the guy that decided to enlarge the holes on the stock ford master cylinder no way no hell would I do that. I tried that to be cheap and guess what?? The master cylinder was pushed right off the hydroboost after the cast iron mounting flanges cracked. I had to stop from 40MPH with my parking brake.

F-250 restorer, skip the corvette master cylinder you won't like the pedal feel or stopping performance. It will not push enough fluid if you have dual piston caliper brakes up front. I tried it and hated it go with the GM J8 master cylinder go with part number M1982 from autozone or cross reference that number. It has a huge 1 5/16'' piston and the ultra thick mounting tabs for the increased hydroboost pressure. It is a direct fit onto your unit.

 

You may have just saved me some serious trouble, since I don't have a ebrake at the moment...but am working on it. Since I have 4x discs, I think I will take my master back to O'reilley's, and get the s.duty master. It goes for $48, but with the $20 I'll save from the refund, that makes it very attractive, and designed for a 4x disc system--with hydroboost. When safety is involved, I would 10x rather spend the money than go cheap.

It also has a 1 3/8" bore. That should work well. And something else comes to mind: I see the 2000 s.duty masters are aluminum. Dang, if there was so much pressure as to break a cast iron flange, you would think the aluminum would break easier. But now I realize that when you hit something with a cutting wheel, you create a multitude of weak points.

Thanks again. I really appreciate it.

 

I'll help you out. First tell me what machine you have ( a 110 buzz box I assume) and what wire you use either hard wire(copper coloured stuff) or gasless. I'm going for dinner now with the old lady but I'll give you some pointers on wire choice and gun angle after you respond..
O what size wire do you run as well

 

I thought I already mentioned the fact of the bigger bore pushing more fluid for less pedal stroke??? Anyway I got a good cheap fix on a park brake for you too it's a swagelok mechanical ball valve plumbed into the rear brake system. Not a "emergency brake" but will use your brake pressure to hold on any hill and there's no problem leaving over nite unlike a line lok which is electric and cannot be left on for long periods... Anyways gotta run

 

Thanks for the Swedgelok (sp?) tip. I'll look into it if I can't get the ebrake cables sorted out.

I use the .035 wire on a lincoln 110 box. The biggest problem is I need a good hood. All I have now is the one you hold up in front of your face, and a lot of the time it is difficult to hold the visor and the gun when you're in an awkward position. Anyway, I learned on gas, then stick, and then the box, with years in between each, so the lessons were lost. Some good basic tips would be appreciated.

 

gas or gasless wire?? I would for starters suggest a .030 for that machine unless its one of the bigger models. Whats the model. does it blow breakers? if it does its the bigger model which you could use .035 but you need a 30 amp outlet. We run generetaors for our little 110's that have bigger power with a 30 amp breaker..
A good cheap lid is a Sigweld $30. Last a long time for the price. Alot of guys use them. I use a Sellstrom with a standard size lens. About 65$
I have a elite series miller auto tint at home too.
Get a good lid.

 

heres my swagelok


Imounted it behind here so it was easy to pumb in lines



part # b-42f2 for brass 60$ this is what i run
part # ss-42f2 for stainless . dont know cost



This valve is awesome!! I use it offroad alot. I park on a steep hill, put on line lock, then with foot on gas and clutch i apply gas letting out clutch then twist the valve and NO roll back just straight up!!

I got all these pics saved I'm just digging them up