Frame repair and repower

[cult45]

Your work is amazing, and I both love you and hate you for it

 

[73fj]

HA! Thanks man. Hoping to get some painting done today, then final welding.

 

[73fj]

So I took some pieces over to my favorite fab shop to have some holes cut out, hopefully done tomorrow, then measure a fuel tank. I also final welded the spring hangers on both ends and coated the frame and the inside of the box with a coat of primer and then a rubberized rock guard product, going to wait until everything is in place and then final weld the whole works in one shot. I hope it's cool that day, +. 29 c here today, warm day to be welding. Just a couple pics of the spring hangers and the coating I applied

 

[Pauciflora]

Nice welds man.

 

[73fj]

Thanks PF, I should have slowed down a little bit on the down passes, but turned out ok I think.

 

[73fj]

Went camping with the family and got home this afternoon and mocked up my last few pieces, also decided to use an old Reese hitch that I had in the garage. Plan is to put the box back on tomorrow to see how it all fits, then glue it all together with Mr Miller.

 

[73fj]

So.......................I put the box back on today and something was amiss. Seem's I am 4 3/4" to long on the frame...? WTF? over. Hmmmm, turns out that 4 3/4" is the distance from the first box mount to the front of the box, it would appear, hypothetically, that I forgot to carry the 1, and made a mistake converting back to metric. So I took the box off and cut off the offending extra material. Thank the sweet baby Jesus I hadn't final welded and measured and ordered the fuel tank.

 

[Varty Yo]

Oy!!!! That was a close one haha

 

[PG45er]

Damn, Hate it when stuff like that happens. I guess that'a why a guy checks stuff though.

 

[73fj]

Yeah, ate a little grinding dust last night but it could have been worse, oh well, lesson learned and loaded to the Matrix for next time.

 

[73fj]

Well I fixed it and reset the box on the frame, seem's to be pretty much bang on, couple small tweeks and its 100%. Need to make some mounts for the bed too.

 

[73fj]

And I have a final and definite measurement for my new fuel tank, should hold aprrox 25.5 gal or about 98 litres plus or minus. I plan on putting the fill neck at the back on the passenger side, I got the filler from a local wrecker for $20 Canadian Pesos, off some Dodge product of some kind.

 

[73fj]

Got the tank today and it is perfect, tacked it together and put it in place for a look, also drilled the holes to mount the hitch, then eyeballed how it all looked, checked some measurements and decided that was good

 

[73fj]

Tank is 14 gage and welded together nicely, pressure test tomorrow. My eyes are getting old, it's getting hard to see the work, and having had my eyes surgically fixed does not help I think, still turned out ok I think. I'm gonna go shoot my bow tonight, that's enough for today.

 

[Varty Yo]

So sweet man!!!

Making me regret selling my 45 daily now haha

 

[73fj]

Hey Varty, next time you get one, get some steel and fix it, it's a very doable project, if I can do it anyone can.

Not easypeezylemonsqweezy, but doable.

I put the box on again to get some measurements for mounts and to eyeball it, decided where I wanted it, called it good. Got my tank pressure tested tonight, few pinholes, mostly where I stopped and started and for some reason around the fill neck...? Dunno. Got the inside of the frame sealed up and proceeded to welderup. Switched over to 0.35 wire because I ran out.....again....on a Sunday night.....on a long weekend here in Canada. Forgot how much nicer it is to weld heavy material with 0.35

 

[73fj]

And of course a few gratuitous weld shots and I'm going to mount these old Chevy tow hooks I've been hoarding...........what? Nobody else hoards parts?........whatever. I'm going to mount them as shown where the frame is over lapped, theoretically a strong point, frame is 3/8" thick there.

 

[Pauciflora]

G'day 73FJ, It's coming along really well. What are you thinking of doing in terms of the repower? I also like your little gantry for the block and tackle. It looks like a good weekends project........I hope you don't mind if I pinch your design. Cheers, Ben

 

[73fj]

G'day Ben, pinch away good sir, it's a very handy item to have in the shop. As for the repower, I have 8 happy cylinders configured in V shape, also known as a Chevy small block, 350 cubic inches of peace and love, and I am happy to say that it looks like my 2F is going to be transplanted into another 45 here in Alberta.

Chris

 

[PG45er]

Looks bang on and stromger than new.
I assume the tow hooks will be for pulling out Jeeps?