Piddlin'
For those of you that are wondering, I have been busy. It seems like I'll never get done though. While it is no different outside from the pictures I've already posted,, I have been working on getting the rest of the stuff done that'll someday allow me to drive this thing.
The first thing I did was work on the hammered lower radiator saddle. If you look at the front end pics, you'll see the thing drooping on the passenger side. I planned to just cut it out when it came new radiator time and that time has come.
Unlike a few others, I could care less where the radiator was made. I care that it cost 149.00. Unfortunately, there were "modifications" that had to be made, and since the saddle was trash, I figured what better reason to cut it up to make the new one fit.
Your average, everyday Jegs universal fit, Ford oriented, 2 row 149.00 radiator w/ a 139.00 Jegs 16" cooling fan w/ adjustable temp driven switch.
I will have to remake the upper and lower hoses, but what haven't I had to make?
I added about 60lbs of sound deadener to the back floor and rear seat areas. (with all that foil backing in there I like to think that not only will it deaden sound, it will also keep aliens from being able to read my thoughts.)
It went on remarkably easy. You can even cut the sheets w/ regular scissors, If you have to peel it up and reposition it, it is forgiving enough to let you do so, but after its rolled into place........It's there for good.
The seat belts are a 2" 4 point harness system. I intended to add a roll bar main hoop (49.00 from Mustangs Unlimited w/ free freight)and loop the shoulder harness straps over the horizontal cross bar the runs across right about shoulder height.
So I build the pads to allow me to bolt the bar in, weld the tabs that bolt the main hoop to where the old 3 pt system upper bolted too, and fit and weld that crossbar into place.
Then I put the seat in it.
Probably should've ck'd before welding the piss out of that cross bar, because now it was stopping me from sliding the seat back far enough.
I had a dilemma.
Either I was gonna have to live w/ the steering wheel in my face, or I was gonna have to cut that cross bar back out and do something different.
I cut it back out.
In it's place, I fabbed up these goofy upper belt mounts. I hope they work, because they too have had the piss welded out of them.
Because w/ the seat in and slid back to where I'd have it while driving there was no way that regular crossbar was gonna go back there and let me be comfortable.
Unfortunately, anybody sitting in the back seat is gonna get a face full of 1.250" steel bar if I even as much as slow down. NBD, I never intended for anybody to sit back there in the first place. Besides, w/ me at my sitting position, you'd have to be an amputee to sit behind me anyway.
Despite the fact that nobody will ever be able to sit back there, I still relocated the crossbar to just below the front edge of the back seat. The structural integrity of having both sides tied together was important enough to put the thing in there, otherwise I'd left it out.
When I think of it, I told the painter in late May that I wanted to shoot for getting it done so I could make the Hotrod power tour on the first week of June.
Yeah right, Maybe I'd make the first week of June,................ 2012.