Insani-T Coupe Build

[op4wd1]

Chop saw with abrasive disc on plate steel to a little over size needed, stack 4 plates together tack each end. Drill hole for bolts for bars. Transfer pattern to top piece of steel. Take 4 1/2 grinder with cut off wheel cut around pattern leaving about a 1/16 to 1/8" heavy from the pattern. Arc on tabs was cut using 3" hole saw in drill press. Also used die grinder to blend arc on tabs that hole saw didn't get. After all roughed out the lathe I have has a milling attachment I then cut straight sides to line of pattern. Curved areas formed on bench belt sander. Then grind tack welds apart and you have your matching pieces. Simple as pie just takes a couple of days to complete.

 

[choppedtop]

Wow, that is almost the same way that I do multiple parts. I sold my mid-sized lathe and mill when I got out of the cycle business. Now I have a small lathe and small mill that can't do the larger parts, so I just do a lot of grinding after cutting the parts and tacking them together.
Lee

 

[op4wd1]

Well, its been a while since I posted anything so I'll fill you in on a little update.
Been working on fixtures to hold the front and rear axle at ride height and the frame so when I get the frame together I'll have everything set where I want it. Got all the main frame rail pieces cut and welded together. Have 3 more joint plates to weld on one then the rear mid to rear area will be finish welded. Then get the front part of the frame rails that will hold the quarter elliptic springs up inside the rails attached to the mail rails. Will get pics soon shop is a mess right now been building my Granddaughters a kid size picnic table. So soon as I get that all cleaned up I'll shoot some pics and post.

Doc Brown (Joe)

 

[rubicon]

I am amazed a how talented some of you guys are. Keep posting pictures. Very nice build.

 

[Carolina Man]

Outstanding build, I have to say your fab skills are great.

 

[op4wd1]

Hey Guys!
Sorry again for such a delay on reporting progress in my build.
Been a busy year, got the frame laid out and welded up, rear-end cut down ,new ends on, new axles, triangulated 4 bar made and all welded in.
Rear disc are in place, brake lines made up on the calipers and across in housing to the junction block.
Have mock up motor/trans in place with engine and trans mounts made.
Had the drive shaft cut down to size ,new u-joints in and ready to go.
Finishing up the exhaust as soon as I get rear muffler hangers in place.
Hopefully I still have enough room above the mufflers to put a couple of triangulating braces to stiffen the rear of the chassis some.
Then the body will come off, motor/trans out so I can set the front axle.
Need to do that so I have clear access to make sure the front and rear axles are square to each other.
Soon as front end is in place then it will come down off the chassis table and I'll have a ROLLER!!
Whooopeee....
I'll try doing a better job keeping everyone informed on the progress over the Winter long as it does get too cold to work out in the shop.

 

[EX JUNK]

Very nice! Keep up the great work and keep us posted on your progress.

Jim

 

[fletcherson]

Hey Guys!
Sorry again for such a delay on reporting progress in my build.
Been a busy year, got the frame laid out and welded up, rear-end cut down ,new ends on, new axles, triangulated 4 bar made and all welded in.
Rear disc are in place, brake lines made up on the calipers and across in housing to the junction block.
Have mock up motor/trans in place with engine and trans mounts made.
Had the drive shaft cut down to size ,new u-joints in and ready to go.
Finishing up the exhaust as soon as I get rear muffler hangers in place.
Hopefully I still have enough room above the mufflers to put a couple of triangulating braces to stiffen the rear of the chassis some.
Then the body will come off, motor/trans out so I can set the front axle.
Need to do that so I have clear access to make sure the front and rear axles are square to each other.
Soon as front end is in place then it will come down off the chassis table and I'll have a ROLLER!!
Whooopeee....
I'll try doing a better job keeping everyone informed on the progress over the Winter long as it does get too cold to work out in the shop.

I envy your energy! Nice work!

 

[bobs66440]

Nice work!

 

[Johnny]

Beautiful, Man, Beautiful!!!

 

[Bennett]

Great job! Keep us posted.

 

[AmericanGraffiti]

Wow! Like all these other hot rodders I am impressed and can't wait for the next update. Please keep us informed on your ideas as this is truly a fun build to watch!

 

[fluidfloyd]

What are you cutting you metal pieces with? Sure don't look like my cutting with a torch.
Lee

I would say that after cutting the bracket out they see a belt sander on the edges as they should. Having an engine lathe it's not a stretch to believe there might be a vertical band saw hidden in there somewhere. That's our method on one off parts. Production parts go to waterjet then the belt sander. Whatever is method is he takes his time and is detail oriented and I like that!

George

 

[op4wd1]

George
Yes I have several tools, band saw is one it is an old craftsman 12 " with a speed reducer on it. The lathe I have is a pre WWII Logan with a mill attachment for the carriage. As you said there is a belt sander one of those 1" belt and a 4 inch belt. Yes time is a factor probably way to much spent making parts. In the end I know what I have instead of catalog shopping trying to find the part and hoping it is what you want when it arrives.

Also thanks to all for the great positive comments!

 

[fletcherson]

George
Yes I have several tools, band saw is one it is an old craftsman 12 " with a speed reducer on it. The lathe I have is a pre WWII Logan with a mill attachment for the carriage. As you said there is a belt sander one of those 1" belt and a 4 inch belt. Yes time is a factor probably way to much spent making parts. In the end I know what I have instead of catalog shopping trying to find the part and hoping it is what you want when it arrives.

Also thanks to all for the great positive comments!

Hey, You do what you need with what you got! Not everyone has access to a waterjet. You can't always order what you need, so you need to be able to make it. I do it when necessary with whatever it takes... You obviously have worked through many issues and it shows through your talent! The price, however, is time...something we never seem to have enough of.

 

[fluidfloyd]

George
Yes I have several tools, band saw is one it is an old craftsman 12 " with a speed reducer on it. The lathe I have is a pre WWII Logan with a mill attachment for the carriage. As you said there is a belt sander one of those 1" belt and a 4 inch belt. Yes time is a factor probably way to much spent making parts. In the end I know what I have instead of catalog shopping trying to find the part and hoping it is what you want when it arrives.

Also thanks to all for the great positive comments!

fletcherson...Nothing wrong with old tools for sure. I have two big lathes wit one being a Monarch built in June 1941. I'm betting that one got diverted to a war effort plant immediately. The other one is German with no known date and a very unusual chuck spindle. Sent pictures to Cushman and Buck chucks trying to get an adapter but they had never seen one before. I was told it was probably built in the 40s but not sure so I just tell everybody it came out of the German sub pens! Here in the Kansas City shop we just bought a old Cincinnati Flat Top 15" lathe and an old 16" DoAll vertical band saw that runs great. I also have a small 15" x 40" DEAN SMITH & GRACE engine lathe that weighs 4000lbs. One you buy now will be in the 1500 lb range due to sheet metal pans etc. Old is always good for manual machines if taken care of. Keep on making parts!

George

 

[fletcherson]

fletcherson...Nothing wrong with old tools for sure. I have two big lathes wit one being a Monarch built in June 1941. I'm betting that one got diverted to a war effort plant immediately. The other one is German with no known date and a very unusual chuck spindle. Sent pictures to Cushman and Buck chucks trying to get an adapter but they had never seen one before. I was told it was probably built in the 40s but not sure so I just tell everybody it came out of the German sub pens! Here in the Kansas City shop we just bought a old Cincinnati Flat Top 15" lathe and an old 16" DoAll vertical band saw that runs great. I also have a small 15" x 40" DEAN SMITH & GRACE engine lathe that weighs 4000lbs. One you buy now will be in the 1500 lb range due to sheet metal pans etc. Old is always good for manual machines if taken care of. Keep on making parts!

George

The new tools are cool and have their place, but definitely not made to last like the old ones. Old ones took human talent and interaction, not so much with the new ones, at least not hands on physical talent. My best friend is a life long machinist, it is the only thing he has ever done. He now runs CNC mills and lathes, or should I say writes and inputs code, because that is what his employer requires for production work, but he misses and prefers to make parts with the old manual machines, Doall, Cincinnati, etc.. I can't personally run any cn stuff, I never used it after sort of learning the code in school.

 

[fluidfloyd]

First off I think I confused fletcherson with op4wd1 and I regret that so i"ll just blame it on my dog.

As for use of waterjets...We don't have one but we do have several shops in the Kansas City area we use. When doing complete cars that you build on a continuing basis it is truly a time and money saver. Personally I prefer laser cut parts due to tolerances and cost but they had already started using the WJ company. The big negative to water jet is rust. If you don't get those parts blown down and oiled they will rust. If the humidity is hi they will rust just looking at them. Also, if the WJ operator isn't checking his hole tolerances you can get big holes making your parts unserviceable. WTs will wear the nozzle oversize causing tapered cuts. So the top side of the hole will be within spec but the underside will be to big. I have been specifying the maximum cut diameter to be .010" under final finished reamed size. Lasers just don't seem to have that problem. Now if you are building a new R&D piece and it's Saturday night then it's to the vertical band saw and mill. I build most everything the first time by hand fitting. If everything is good we create a cut sheet and send that to the WJ shop. Big continue running production jobs almost require you to go to outside sources due to time, cost and consistency. One off jobs are hands one every time. Hope this explains my thoughts on the water jet use. Now, everyone get back to work. The week's not over yet!

George

 

[fluidfloyd]

The new tools are cool and have their place, but definitely not made to last like the old ones. Old ones took human talent and interaction, not so much with the new ones, at least not hands on physical talent. My best friend is a life long machinist, it is the only thing he has ever done. He now runs CNC mills and lathes, or should I say writes and inputs code, because that is what his employer requires for production work, but he misses and prefers to make parts with the old manual machines, Doall, Cincinnati, etc.. I can't personally run any cn stuff, I never used it after sort of learning the code in school.

I'm not a machines by trade or school. I just kept acquiring machines to do a specific job that we needed to do in house. Kind of like "Well. I have a scapel so I must be a surgeon!" I just get by for sure.

 

[op4wd1]

Well made my goal to have the car off the frame table and on the floor by Christmas.
Still a long way to go but hopefully some more progress can be made this Winter.