Das Auto Gasser build . Slant Six VW bug

[Dolmetsch]

I made the rear brackets today. Got some hardware and test fitted. Still undecided on locator bar design. Tempted to work from the old pinion snubber bracket to each ladderbar bt will think a bit. have to final drill the front hole in the frame rail and make the spacers to centre the heim joints. That is all ok. Steady progress is steady progress. I always build my chassis with a taper front to back. In this case the rear frame section is pulled back in but the ladder bars are in line with the main frame rail allowing them full swing without hitting the framesection at the rear.

[Dolmetsch]

Spent a couple of hours on small stuff. Mostly reworks of initail set up. Not much fun but necessary. Still no spindles. Would really like Dodge A100 or Chev handi-van. Today I would like to fab the locator bars and brackets.
Don

[GlennLever]

Spent a couple of hours on small stuff. Mostly reworks of initail set up. Not much fun but necessary. Still no spindles. Would really like Dodge A100 or Chev handi-van. Today I would like to fab the locator bars and brackets.
Don

You have too much energy.

[Dolmetsch]

Not really. I have a severely damaged ribcage so I have to get done what I am doing in the morning because by about 2 PM work is almost impossible.
I have been working on it though. Ladder bars are DONE. Locator bar brackets are made and installed.  Rebuilt the crossmember completley. Built gussets for all the stress points and tacked them in place. The frame is essentially done to the point the engine and bars and brackets must be removed. I will spend a morning going over all the welds. Finishing welds  in different positions and the flap wheel the whole deal and paint it.
Once that is done I will bolt the body on and I will have a large portion of my shop back and can work at a more liesurely pace.
Don

[Dolmetsch]

After a relaxing Canada Day yesterday at Centennial Park on Trenton for the annual Canada Day Car show I awoke this morning ready to go. I finished all the welding on the frame. I even added some extra braces as I dont want to ever have to repair this one. I bought a new flapp wheel for the angle grinder and it took only an hour to removed the old silver paint and get it ready for a new coat. I used Tremclad  (not unlike Rustoleum) in a flat black very close to chassis black and applied it to the bottom and sides of the frame by hand. I will flip er over in the morning and finsh the top side. Then probably in  the afternoon will begin assembly
Don

[ricardo1967]

Spent a couple of hours on small stuff. Mostly reworks of initail set up. Not much fun but necessary. Still no spindles. Would really like Dodge A100 or Chev handi-van. Today I would like to fab the locator bars and brackets.
Don

You have too much energy.

X2!

[Dolmetsch]

Frame is Done. Body is on , engine and trans are in (for now. ) Lots of room. May be abe to sit in stock location.  As much as all this takes the worst will be fixing this old VW body but time is the cure for everything.
Don

[Dolmetsch]

Finally I got the spindles. They came from a Ford 1/2 ton and are 5 on 5 . I believe the jeeps are as well so I am looking for a set of those cool alumum Jeep wheels with the 5 large holes to fit to these spindles. I will machine and narrow then for front runners if necesary.
An old racer whom I built a lot of experimental stuff for came over and donated a good, in fact perfect set of front tires.  My friend Mike lent me a set of old 15 X 10 cragars with MT posi tires for rolling the car around and fitting mods.
Don

[Dolmetsch]

Things are coming together. A couple of people were teasing me about just joining the two Ford I beams together. because of the big brakes on the Ford 1/2 ton spidles i became concerned about using the tubing I use on unbraked frant axles for this axle. During the night I got an idea how to join the tow independant I beams properly and have it look right. Here is the result. It took about 3 hours in all. Cost about $5. I made it with a 52 inch track (stock bug) kinda wish I had gone for 50 or even 48 . I will think it over and if I think it warrants it will shorten it some more.  Here it is with body now bolted to the frame and front axle in a trial fit of rear wheel.
Don

[296moon]

Looking good Don, I have joined front beams useing solid shaped to fit the back then plug welding through the front, show us how you did yours

[Dolmetsch]

I cut it clamped it with a pair of rims only (no tires)  and set the camber at zero by making sure the wheels were flat on the cement floor before tacking. I butt welded it. I used AC and 6013(because I am good with it and believe a good weld beats a fancy iffy one everytime ) I welded the bottom first the both side veeing and chiping to be sure it is a good weld. I left thetop unwelded  and took my angle grinder and a thick cut off wheel and sliced back 6 inches on both sides of centre just below the top part of the upperI beam. I then wedged this now somewhat flexable pieces up about 1/2 inch giving the I beam and more normal appearance instead of the extreme taper it was born with at the narrow eng. I then carefully built the centre section back chipping grinding and checking all the way. It turned out far better then i thought. I have made a few axles before , even from scratch so I knew what would work strengthwise. I just wasnt sure about appearance but figured if it wasnt up to parr all I had lost was a few hours and some rod. No big deal. I gave it the "Ring" test and it passed. Here is what I removed . I dint take pics before because I didnt really expect it to turn out this good. I am off to the shop to install the ladderbars and axle now.
Don

[Dolmetsch]

I have it up on its rear wheels now. Full suspension compression (as in no coil overs installed. ) I drew in the locator bar design. It goes to the pinion snubber bolts , one bar per side, and connects to  brackets I built on the ladder bars. Trans and diff line up perfectly (how'd that happen?) I will find the average angle and then glue it together permently. I figured absolute max rear spring compression at 4 inch with no more then 3 inches under 99% of circumstances.  The tires look like they will clear. These are just some old push arounds borrowed from Mike and have a huge offset but it looks like all will be well.  Car will have a bit of a wide stance and I would like to keep front and rear same averaged track. (55 inch currently for both.) It  looks like it will work with the right wheel choices.  Ride height is about the same as my 63 Dodge and my slant six FED allowing for the 4 inch spring rise. That is measured from the frame to ground.
This is getting to be a very interesting project for me.
Don

[ricardo1967]

Don, you're both an inspiring and highly motivating man.

[Dolmetsch]

No I just hate sitting watching TV.
Anyway the budget for this month ($100 per month for hot rod hobby)and next has been murdered. I will have to walk on Tiptoes for awhile while it recovers so I will be working at whatever can be done with what is on hand.
Don

[ricardo1967]

Good for you Don. I don't care for TV either. I bought a new (old) house last December, didn't care to buy a TV yet...