Lavron's '64 Build Thread

The Era of The Square Body Racing Comets
lavron
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Re: Lavron's '64 Build Thread

Post by lavron »

poboyjo65 wrote:I would go ahead & get the u joint so you can use it to test fit as you grind.
I already have those.

There was a discussion a few pages back about shoulder bolts, I went and looked at them and thought they were kinda spendy, so what would I do? Dig through the grade 8 bolts at the farm supply store until I found the correct"ish" length shoulder and just cut off the part I did not need.

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I did not post that I did anything yesterday but I did, I installed my limiting straps, sort of, they are too long by about 4" which is a bite because I drilled one end out 5/8" from 1/2" hole, that is hardened steel (I think they are seatbelt anchors) that was not fun and probably cost me some drill bits, I can buy some more shorter ones but I am not about to go through the whole drilling thing again :roll: If I could find someone who could shorten the ones I have without charging over about $20 I would do that, otherwise I guess I will find some shorter ones with 5/8" holes.

Got my shocks yesterday so today I started making the upper mounts, they are pretty much done, just need to test them and then weld them in solid, I am also going to add a gusset of some kind to the front side of them.

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I was able to move everything forward enough that I won't have to add any more spacer to the lower mounts than what came with the kit.

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Before you ask, the bar across the middle doesn't do anything, it was leftover from replacing the bars from the kit so I shortened them some more and welded them together, I think I will move it to the same side as the shocks and might hang my exhaust pipe hangers from it, it is isolated after all.

I made the mounts out of some scrap 1/2" steel from the tailer tongue, the 5/8" hole I drilled in them was not much fun either because I dulled all my 5/8" drills on the limiting strap end :roll:

See Ya,
Mike
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SASSY
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Re: Lavron's '64 Build Thread

Post by SASSY »

Top shock mounts look pretty good to me lots of beef , but looking at the lower mounts, have you considered welding the sleeve to the rear and welding in a gusset in the line of shock travel?
I'd rather do it myself if it's done right or not,,,isn't that what hotrodding is all about

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lavron
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Re: Lavron's '64 Build Thread

Post by lavron »

SASSY wrote:but looking at the lower mounts, have you considered welding the sleeve to the rear and welding in a gusset in the line of shock travel?
Actually I have not, probably because I haven't thought about it at all :roll: :P :lol: I will Google around and see what other folks are doing. I know the lower mount is actually made for coil-overs which would experience much more stress than shocks alone, the axle bracket has a piece of steel attached to the front side of it about 1 1/2" thick with holes drilled in it for the 5/8" bolt to go through.

I am considering flipping the bolt around (as well as replacing it with grade 8) so when a shock needs changed you don't have to remove the whole bolt and all the washers/spacers, etc. and then get them all back on, would just have to remove the nut and one washer the only issue would be the shock riding on the threads of the bolt unless I can find a really long bolt and cut off all the threads except enough for the nut to go on.

See Ya,
Mike
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lavron
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Re: Lavron's '64 Build Thread

Post by lavron »

Got out this morning and made a pattern for my gussets on the rear shock mount plate then cut and bent them out of some 1/8" steel.

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This picture is a little dark but shows where they go in front of the plates.

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The thing that looks like a shadow running down the center of the pict. I put a socket on the bolt head before I tacked them in to make sure I did not crowd the nut too much on the shock mount stud, and then I welded them in, hard to weld right there because I can't get my noggin with the welding helmet under the trunk lid hinge panel (the panel between the rear glass and the trunk lid) I crawled into the car and welded from the back seat area but it was dark and hard too see so it is not very pretty :roll:

I got it all ground and primed, reattached the shocks and cross bar, all the structural parts of the rear install are now done, I need to swap out a few bolts and get my limit straps replaced with shorter ones.

I am ready for air bags in the rear :P

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Time to get busy on the front.

See Ya,
Mike
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Rocket989
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Re: Lavron's '64 Build Thread

Post by Rocket989 »

Right-on Mike!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: You’ve been busting ass; check one big box!! :mrgreen:

ETA: I’ve got a huge noggin so I gotta chuckle every time I read about a large cranium getting stuffed somewhere. Even catch it from the twin brother whose dome, while still large, is marginally smaller. Sucks finding comfortable hats and stripping straps on cheap welding helmets... :lol: :lol: :roll: :? :roll: :lol:
'cause Johno says you gotta have a sig pic! :)
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pugs65
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Re: Lavron's '64 Build Thread

Post by pugs65 »

Mike you are moving right along man. Looking good. Keep it up and you'll be done in no time, Pugs.
302 roller
4 speed
Real cars are built to be driven and driven hard!!!

lavron
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Re: Lavron's '64 Build Thread

Post by lavron »

Rocket989 wrote:Right-on Mike!!! You’ve been busting ass; check one big box!!
pugs65 wrote:Mike you are moving right along man. Looking good. Keep it up and you'll be done in no time, Pugs.
Thanks Guys, I really started to think there would never be the day I could do this.

Is really strange to me, at times, that I went from the standard leaf spring rear to this contraption where I made a bunch of parts (and pieced it together, not a kit, mostly) in just around 2 months, I would like to see the front installed before month 3 rolls around, and hopefully rolling so I can get on to the rest of drivetrain install.

See Ya,
Mike
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bigdan
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Re: Lavron's '64 Build Thread

Post by bigdan »

It is looking good and I'm betting you're glad it's behind you! One tip I'll toss out is this - before you final assemble everything, give it a month or so then go back over it with a fine tooth comb. You may find a few welds or things you want to go back over, or "adjust" a little bit, and it'll be way easier to find them now, before everything is in the way.

Keep it up!

Dan
Long time search complete, 65 Cyclone project in progress!

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lavron
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Re: Lavron's '64 Build Thread

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bigdan wrote:One tip I'll toss out is this - before you final assemble everything, give it a month or so then go back over it with a fine tooth comb. You may find a few welds or things you want to go back over, or "adjust" a little bit, and it'll be way easier to find them now, before everything is in the way.
Thanks Dan, I totally agree with your advice, certainly need to do some grinding and checking with some bright light :roll: Need to get the die grinder set up to get into some of the corners and clean them up.

My intention is still to get the car rolled up so I can get to the bottom for some final welding and clean up later on but I am going to try and get all the stuff done from above that I can first.
bigdan wrote:It is looking good and I'm betting you're glad it's behind you!
I am even though, like you suggest, I will have a little final tweaking to do the major stuff is complete. I haven't bought my air bags yet (I have chosen them) so that will be fun when I finally get those installed, can't wait until I have a roller again.

See Ya,
Mike
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lavron
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Re: Lavron's '64 Build Thread

Post by lavron »

No more shock towers, I cut them out today, I couldn't wait to go borrow the plasma cutter so I used my trusty "Rotary Non-Plasma Cutter" :roll:

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I wasted some time cutting the spot welds but wanted to see how difficult job it would be to remove them complete, when I got to the bottom I noticed some rust so thought it was pointless to save them so I just cut them out. I still have some remnants to remove but will try to do that tomorrow.

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If you look on the right side of the picture (the left frame rail) there was some rust through on the frame rail, I cut some out but need to cut back to around where the tower was spot welded to the frame and patch it. I will be plating the frame rails anyway with 1/8" steel but will go ahead and repair the rust first.

Next after I get the rest of the brackets off (suspension and sway bar) I will weld and grind the outer edges of the frame rails where I cut the pinch weld off and start cutting out plates to strengthen the frame.

OH! and a rodent has used my frame rail as nut storage at some point, they are pretty dried up so I will have to figure out how to remove them before I do too much welding there :roll:

See Ya,
Mike
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gmsnowball
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Re: Lavron's '64 Build Thread

Post by gmsnowball »

Looks like your making progress on your 202. Just got mine back from the interior shop today. All new interior, carpet, headliner, seats, door panels etc. Just need a new rear window and trim. Would you know where I could find them? Thanks
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Gary
Oklahoma Somewhere
Just Outside the Neutral Zone
64 Comet Calentie Convertible

lavron
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Re: Lavron's '64 Build Thread

Post by lavron »

gmsnowball wrote: Just need a new rear window and trim. Would you know where I could find them?
Thanks Gary, sorry haven't seen any about, pretty sure you can use the rear window from a sedan 60-65, of course including Falcons as well.

I got the rust repaired on the left frame rail, I cut out the rusty chunk that was pretty pitted, the bottom looked good however, not sure I needed to replace the whole thing but did it anyway.

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Got it welded and ground down, that stinking galvanized frame is really hard to weld on, even after having ground off the coating.

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It is not perfect but will be wrapped in 1/8" steel anyway so I guess it will be ok.

The right frame rail has some pitting but not going to worry about it.

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I have a little grinding to do on the bottom of the frame rail to remove the spot welds from the lower control arm bracket and the sway bar mounts then I will get to making my frame plates.

See Ya,
Mike
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bigdan
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Re: Lavron's '64 Build Thread

Post by bigdan »

Looking good, nice to see you making progress at the other end!

On welding previously galvanized material - I've noticed, even when the coating is ground off and using shielding gas, it'll still spit and sputter and throw that green flame occasionally. Now, i turn the heat up just a little, then make short (1/2" or so) welds spaced apart. I'll let it cool, then wire brush the weld and get that white residue gone before I touch off again. Last, once I have a few welds in progress, I make sure to arc off of the last weld, and not the material, and it really seems to help keep the popping and spitting to a minimum. Hope that helps -

Dan
Long time search complete, 65 Cyclone project in progress!

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lavron
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Re: Lavron's '64 Build Thread

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bigdan wrote:On welding previously galvanized material - I've noticed, even when the coating is ground off and using shielding gas, it'll still spit and sputter and throw that green flame occasionally. Now, i turn the heat up just a little, then make short (1/2" or so) welds spaced apart. I'll let it cool, then wire brush the weld and get that white residue gone before I touch off again. Last, once I have a few welds in progress, I make sure to arc off of the last weld, and not the material, and it really seems to help keep the popping and spitting to a minimum. Hope that helps -
Helps a lot, I noticed sometimes it welds ok, other times nothing but popping and spitting, I guess you can't get all the galvanizing off there. I tried turning the heat up a little but maybe too much because I burned through so I turned it back down :roll:
bigdan wrote:Looking good, nice to see you making progress at the other end!
Thanks, hoping this end will go a little faster, lots of information out on the web for doing the M2, so I am not in mostly uncharted territory like the rear 4 link, also I don't have to make as many parts (I hope).

Tomorrow marks the end of two months :? since pushing it in the shed.

See Ya,
Mike
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lavron
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Re: Lavron's '64 Build Thread

Post by lavron »

Not much to report today, I had other things going on :roll: but I did get out a few minutes and make the pattern for the frame boxing (plating).

See Ya,
Mike
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