'46 Chevy Shorty - Page 71

ol trunt · 02-06-2016, 11:29 PM

Sorry I missed the beer fest, but just as I was about to pull out of the driveway the Swedish Bikini Team stopped by to see If I'd like to head to the gym with them for a workout---------

I'll be there next time for sure---Really. Jack

Tango · 02-07-2016, 10:24 AM

There are a few things in life that really are worth breaking a sweat over.

I'm glad to hear your priorities are in order Jack.

Tango · 02-13-2016, 09:38 AM

Just came across a unit that I might seriously consider swapping my shorty for...

Made by Hill Aircraft Company of Cincinnati. First I've ever seen of this Deco liner. Nice. Very nice.

M1031A1 · 02-13-2016, 05:43 PM

I am suspecting Tango is on a mission to make me drool all over the website AGAIN!!!!!!

Tango · 02-15-2016, 02:06 PM

Just for the record --- No. I haven't gotten squat done on my bus lately. Well...not ON it...but at least I have been chasing parts & tools so I CAN work on it. Someday.

You'd think that in a town the size of Houston you could find just about anything in the world right on the shelves. Not. Since I blew up my back a couple of weeks ago I have spent an inordinate amount of time trying to source a few things I will need to complete replacing my frames main crossmember. Namely, a couple of dozen Grade 8 Flange bolts, 1/2" x 1-1/4" with matching, locking flange nuts in plain steel with a phos coating...and...a 1/2" drill bit to make the holes they go in.

First the bolts. No such animal anywhere in town. There are dozens of industril fastener supply companies but not a single one had anything in stock. Ergo...I finally gave up and ordered some. Ya...I could find them online, but with shipping they would be twice what I finally decided to pay to order 50 of each locally.

Then there is the drill bit. Trick there is the size combinations do not exist. At least not on this planet. I need a 1/2" bit...with a 3/8" shank...but the bit can only be 2" long. The only options involve having standard bits cut down. Either cut and re-grind the bit portion...or turn the standard 1/2" shank down to 3/8". I am doing the latter since it will A., be cheaper...and B., retain the original bit hardness.

Why all the trouble you ask? Well, fabbing & mounting a new crossmember turns out to be both tricky & demanding. And you have one shot at getting it right. In my case, that means having to drill critical mounting holes in a VERY tight space where only my 3/8" air drill will fit. Terrible choice since it runs way too fast for this kind of drilling, but nothing else I own even comes close to squeezing in where it needs to be.

We'll see how this works out probably next weekend. I should have all the pieces together and hopefully my back will once again allow me to bend enough to wedge myself under the bus and rain hot shavings down into my shirt collar.

Yes Jack...I know...pix, pix, pix. Should be funny.

ONWARD (even if somewhat slowly and erratically)!

JA Savage · 02-15-2016, 02:50 PM

Onward is the right way to go, even if it is slow and erratic. Most of go slow and erratic as we deal with life, but the prize of a mostly converted (they are never all the way done) bus at the end is worth it.

sdwarf36 · 02-15-2016, 04:31 PM

Oh Tango Tango Tango... been there soo many times-and I'm out in the woods.

McMaster-Carr. The gas + time you wasted is surely more than $10 shipping. And with warehouses all over-it might be 1 day away.
Too bad we weren't neighbors-I'm sure I have a couple dozen of those bolts-common size on my race car. (And I'd loan you an angle drill too.)

ol trunt · 02-15-2016, 06:24 PM

Way to go sdwarf36. Now Tango can't work because he can't see through the tears you caused him to cry. I'm sure he'd feel a lot better if he posted a few pics for us. Jack

Hvbuzz · 02-16-2016, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tango

Then there is the drill bit. Trick there is the size combinations do not exist. At least not on this planet. I need a 1/2" bit...with a 3/8" shank...but the bit can only be 2" long. The only options involve having standard bits cut down. Either cut and re-grind the bit portion...or turn the standard 1/2" shank down to 3/8". I am doing the latter since it will A., be cheaper...and B., retain the original bit hardness.

Have you thought about using a unibit, (step drill bit) I have had real good luck with using the Greenlee brand bits. The 1/2" bit has to be close to 2" long. Some of the cheaper brand bits don't work.

Quick google search. Shopping

It says 3" long. But I believe that counts the shaft length that goes in the chuck too.

opus · 02-16-2016, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hvbuzz

It says 3" long. But I believe that counts the shaft length that goes in the chuck too.

Mine is 3" total length.

Tango · 02-16-2016, 10:37 PM

The real trick is getting the first set of holes started with precision. I will be using the chunk of C channel I fabricated that is pre-drilled as a guide to start boring through the frame. A step drill might work (they are really made for sheet metal, not 1/4" plate)...but locating will be best accomplished with a half-inch bit that fits into the pre-drilled component. The step drill would require about a quarter inch starter hole which I could not locate with any accuracy.

Hard to explain, but maybe some pictures (later) will help.

Thanks for the input/feedback all.

SDR76 · 02-18-2016, 01:40 AM

Awesome Bus! I hope your back stops giving you issues. You'll love that little Cummins, sweet little engine. I'm sure you're also gracing the pages of 4BTswaps with this as well.

Tango · 02-18-2016, 11:29 AM

Thanks SD --- ya...4BT Swaps has been a real help. Tons of good info & experience there. Mine is box stock at 130hp and I will likely keep it that way. I am going for reliability and MPG, but it's fun to see some of the 1200hp beasties. Especially when they explode.

And I am hoping to get back to work this weekend...carefully.

ol trunt · 02-22-2016, 09:53 PM

Hey Tango. A guy who posted about his short bus a while back has crossed my mind several times lately. If I remember correctly. he was staying at the back of a friends property somewhere in New Mexico. His last post (that I recall) had something to do with his wanting to tear out the existing conversion in his bus (a mid 50's Chevy I think) and re do it. I recall your making a suggestion that he do a little at a time since he was planning to live in the bus while he re did it. Do you recall any subsequent posts? I think he referred to himself as "The Old Man". I don't know why this guy keeps coming to mind, but I am curious as to what became of him. Jack

Tango · 02-22-2016, 10:18 PM

Have not seen or heard anything from him lately. Now ya got me wondering what he might be up to as well. Maybe a search might turn up his real handle.

Nope. Just tied it and nothing came up. But then the search function on this site is pretty lame from what I have seen.

Anybody else know him?

Scooternj · 02-23-2016, 04:13 AM

IIRC his thread was "My Baby".

ol trunt · 02-23-2016, 02:09 PM

Found it. mrtravelingman2 I used Google search. I haven't done any follow up yet. Jack

Tango · 02-27-2016, 12:04 PM

FINALLY!!! --- Been a while but I am back at it. Between wrecking my back and trying to chase down parts that will actually work and fabbing some frame pieces...well...like I said, it's been a while.

Here's one of two frame inserts that will carry the replacement crossmember. I had a machine shop drill all the holes that I will use as a guide to drill the actual frame. Gonna be a nail biter and back breaker. I'll have to position the new section inside the frame rail, then get an air drill and cut down bit up inside the two so I can mark the precise locations for the 1/2" holes. Once drilled and bolted, the flat plate will bolt to the new C-channel and the crossmember will get welded to that. Piece-a-cake.

Then there is the saga of the steering shaft...

The bearing you see here is the third try. Two from a big name hot-rod shop were total crap. This is an actual bearing. But, naturally, the shaft (which was already custom fabricated to precisely 1" O.D.) had to be turned down a few thousandths to accommodate the 1" I. D. bearing which actually measures only about 0.994". Someone in the industry or engineering please explain why things are not really the size they are advertised.

Once the bearing was mounted to the home made steering shaft, I had to cut and fit some steel with which I can mount the bearing in place (it will either bolt or weld to an as yet to be built firewall component).

Anyhow, after a couple of months worth of chopping, cutting, scrounging and massaging...I finally have a complete steering shaft. Which means I can now start piecing together the dash, firewall and doghouse.

But first...there is that crossmember thing. Lots of hole. bolts and welding still ahead.

ONWARD!

opus · 02-27-2016, 12:14 PM

Nice on the steering shaft!

ol trunt · 02-27-2016, 12:40 PM

Hey Tango. Nice job. Although the tolerances were too tight to do this on your set-up, I've found that placing the male portion in the freezer for a while and heating the female portion with a paint stripper often makes a too tight fit press on affair a simple matter of dropping the big'un over the little'un for a perfect fit. Jack

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