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Walston, I am at the point of installing a rear gas tank and saw a post that referred to your gallery. I would really like to see how you fit the 69 mustang tank in there and how you fabricated the spring loaded behind the license plate filler.
I tried to see your gallery and it says the page isn't there anymore.
I did a little more on the C Notch a couple of nights ago. Welder wire feed motor was still acting up so I didn't get it welded in but it is tacked. The welds I did do look like poo so I am going to grind them down and re-weld with the new welder I bought yesterday.
I decided to go with the Vulcan MigMax 215 from Harbor Freight. I have a year to return it for a full refund so I figure why not? Set it up last night and did a few practice welds on the pieces of frame I cut out. Works great and weld look pretty. I'll post more pics once I get another chance to work on it.
First I tacked the plate in place so I could mark it above the axle.
Once I had center, I used a Sharpie and marked for the cut.
Used an angle grinder and cutting wheel to cut it.
Left the bottoms out a little for a better weld.
Used the plate to mark the frame (on both sides).
tacked the 2 pieces together with 1/4 overhang. Once installed, it has 1/4 on the frame side also.
Tacked the inside too to prevent it leaning when I started welding..
Welder feeder motor started giving me fits. This is a 110 welder so I did 3 passes. 1st two passes looked so nice. Third pass, wire speed was way inconsistent so it didn't turn our as nice. Gonna grind down and weld a new pass <br/> with the new welder so it looks better.
Strong welds but looks like caca. Gona grind and reweld this also.
Drilled holes in the corners and cut it out with a cutting wheel.
Post cut, pre grinder for better fit.
Ready to clean up and tack in place.
Tacked in place. Backside picture was too dark to see anything but it is tacked in 4 places to prevent movement or heat warping.
Walston, I am at the point of installing a rear gas tank and saw a post that referred to your gallery. I would really like to see how you fit the 69 mustang tank in there and how you fabricated the spring loaded behind the license plate filler.
I tried to see your gallery and it says the page isn't there anymore.
Yeah, the galleries were lost during some software upgrade. Still makes my blood boil. Here are some pics. I made the license plate a fold down and the fill nozzle goes there. No holes in the bed.
Yeah, the galleries were lost during some software upgrade. Still makes my blood boil. Here are some pics. I made the license plate a fold down and the fill nozzle goes there. No holes in the bed.
Looks nice. Is that tank too wide to fit in between the frame rails? I've decided I will probably need to move the back crossmember so whatever tank I use will sit up higher. It looks like I'm too low to have the tank hang down that far.
Had a little time to play with my new welder. Finished welding in the passenger side c-notch. First I loaded the .035 wire with a 75/25 gas mix. I used the auto setting where you select the metal gauge and wire size. It determined the wire speed. On the practice metal it did great but you need to work fast. Once I started welding on the truck and the old welds, I was having trouble laying clean beads. Tonight, I changed the wire to .030 and I am able to do a better job. This welder (220) definitely gets hotter than my 110. I think when I weld the other side the beads will look a lot better as I will be welding on fresh metal versus old welds. Here are a couple pictures.
I figure there is going to be a lot of stress on the actual c bend so I did 3 passes. I may weld in a 90 degree piece onto the plate and the crossmember to better tie it in.
Not the best looking beads I have made but plenty strong.
Looks nice. Is that tank too wide to fit in between the frame rails? I've decided I will probably need to move the back crossmember so whatever tank I use will sit up higher. It looks like I'm too low to have the tank hang down that far.
It fits between the rails, but if you do that, you have to cut a hole in the bed for a fill pipe, I didn't want to do that. The cross member that connects the rails where the rear spring mount in also in the way and would need to be reworked. The only thing I removed was the spare tire mount.
Martin, nice work. Welds look good. Don't sweat what they look like no one is going to see them. Strength is what's important. Love your thread. I'm working on a 57 and thinking about learning to weld. My truck needs lots of welds.
Your welds are plenty strong I think and we have different personal styles of welding but I would recommend burning in hotter passes on the fillet and quit trying to weave so much to make a big wide weld. If you look close you can see places where it isn't knit into the sides as well as it could be. Also where you welded the boxing plates you were going a little fast evidenced by the more pointy aspect of the ripples in the bead. They should be round. These are more just cosmetic issues in your case since you used good heavy material and it's tougher than necessary anyway.
Your welds are plenty strong I think and we have different personal styles of welding but I would recommend burning in hotter passes on the fillet and quit trying to weave so much to make a big wide weld. If you look close you can see places where it isn't knit into the sides as well as it could be. Also where you welded the boxing plates you were going a little fast evidenced by the more pointy aspect of the ripples in the bead. They should be round. These are more just cosmetic issues in your case since you used good heavy material and it's tougher than necessary anyway.
Appreciate the advice. I am self taught via the weld, grind, weld, grind... method. Also, have never used gas until this welder. Put the kit on my old 110 welder but the wire feed was having issues so I bought a 220 welder. At first it was burning through the frame so I had to turn it down. Hopefully the other side will look much better.The big wide welds were mostly covering up a real bad pass from my old welder. Learned about trying to weld with gas in a breeze too....
So while I have the bed off, I have decided to mount a 22 gallon talk. I really liked the install on 2 threads but I think I will go this way as the truck is too low to mount it under the frame rails. I'm going to forgo the tab and just have a round hole. I'm going to haul music equipment in the bed and that tab will tear up the cabinets. Ordered the tank last night..
Appreciate the advice. I am self taught via the weld, grind, weld, grind... method. Also, have never used gas until this welder. Put the kit on my old 110 welder but the wire feed was having issues so I bought a 220 welder. At first it was burning through the frame so I had to turn it down. Hopefully the other side will look much better.The big wide welds were mostly covering up a real bad pass from my old welder. Learned about trying to weld with gas in a breeze too....
It just takes practice. Good thing to go to the bigger welder. I love my 110 but wouldn't trust it for that heavier stuff either. I'm still kind of old school and tack everything up with the wire feed then go out to my old Lincoln 200 pipeliner to burn it in with 7018. I've been welding since I was 9 and now I'm 64 and still need the grinder quite a bit. Plus I can't see through a welding helmet very good so my welds need cosmetic work all the time too.
And yeah, even on a perfectly still day a gas welder will tax you welding outdoors. I have a couple pices of light plywood hinged in the middle that I use to shield the outdoors. If you can get them in close, they help quite a bit.
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