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Must be nice. My wife retired at the first of the month. We've both been working from home for the last 2 years, but now that she's not working, things are getting tough. I might have to go back to the office to get a little peace....LOL
My time is not my own these days. It's rare when I can spend a few hours in the shop. Most of the time I'm doing chores at Dad's house, or mom-in-law's house, or pop-in-laws' house, or a buddy's (he's 87) house, etc. that I never seem to have time to keep up with my own chores... ...let alone old truck stuff.
No worries. Old trucks are patient. they'll wait for you.
I'm glad to see that you are able to make such good progress
Bobby
I had some time today, in good weather to fiddle with lining up the motor and transmission in the chassis. I am trying to find the sweet spot, with clearances for the ex manifold, steerng box and frame rails as well as the tailshaft to cab floor. I currently have the motor set 1.5" offset toward passenger side to accomodate the driv side exhaust manifold. I am also lower in the engine bay to clearance the transmission yoke to cab, currently roughly 1". This puts my engine motor mounts 1.25" lower than the frame mount height.
More head scratching to do.
I have been spending my garage time on measuring and positioning the motor and transmission in the chassis. I think I finally got to the point where I can check my rough in with the motor back in.
Weld in the brackets. then it will all become clear as to what's in the way....LOL
Pretty much Bobby. I was going to bolt the mounts in but plan changed on the fly. They are tacked enough to hold the motor for now. I'll weld in the rest of the boxing plates tomorrow.
When I was boxing the front of my frame (way back when), I worried and stressed trying to think ahead for all the mounting points, threaded holes, through holes, etc. I finally welded in the plates. Within a week I found several things I should have done differently.
It's just the nature of things, especially with Murphy ridin' shotgun.
You're making good progress!
Well I "welded"" the boxing plate in place..I abandoned my original plan to bolt the motor mounts to it and welded them instead. Not happy with my bird****** welds on the motor mounts so may grind them out and do again. I prettied up the plate welds with filler and with the lights off at night they look ok.
One thing I dd do was notch the pass side rail to clearance the exhaust manifold. This of course was right where I had welded nuts for the battery tray. Time will tell what other things I missed.
I cleaned up some welding and painted the firewall and frame to ready for dropping motor and trans back in. I need to mount the steering box first, as it is a tight fit. Maybe
tomorrow.
Did you ever lookdown when welding and see your tarp on fire.....Me neither.
I finished the steering box rebuild and installed it and the steering shaft today. I also roughed in the front brakes to location. Going to get the motor and trans set in in the next couple days. Hauled my scrap metal to recycle to clean up the garage a bit.
I had to install.a crossmember to reinstall my gas tank on this original frame. It is welded in to support the belly straps I used to hold my tank in.
I will be roughing in my fuel lines this week.
I picked up my upper motor mounts today from the metal shop. I had them plasma cut out of 3/8 steel from a template I made.
The driver side clears the steering box by about 1/2".
The passenger side exhaust manifold lines up with the frame notch I made. My endless measuring paid off as they fit good, and no clearance issues that I can see.
I may have to gusset the drivers side as it is longer than the passenger side mount, but I'm happy with the overall look.
I received my AN fittings so I also started plumbing the fuel lines today. Edit: I need some adapter fittings, but getting close.
It never fails, I make the best welds in those areas where no one will ever see. The areas that are exposed to everyone seem to look like a flock of buzzards flew over my shop.....LOL
It never fails, I make the best welds in those areas where no one will ever see. The areas that are exposed to everyone seem to look like a flock of buzzards flew over my shop.....LOL
That about sums it up Bobby, lol. I wonder about my welds on the lower motor mounts. I may try to beef them up with motor in place. I originally was going to bolt them in. We'll see. Progress is being made lots of little loose ends yet.
Tip, It's looking good. Just an ideal for you. I too put the mustang tank in my 49 in the rear. After I had the bed on and off many times I took the tank back out of where I had it likes yours and mounted it just under the frame for if I ever need to take it back out. I have a roll pan on my 49. It will be very hard to get to the bed wood bolts where it is at now. By moving mine I now can get my hand under there to get to the bed wood bolts. Just an ideal for you. I always try to look steps ahead of what I am doing.
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