Progress Thread HeHateMe gets bent

[CarMichael Angelo]

But w/o the useless diatribe, how would we know about your dry assed feet? Or your Wife’s purchase of the miracle cream that allowed you to walk again? Or your bad culinary choices whilst on vacation that leaves you in the bathroom for days…that gives you first hand reference for what a “rats red bunion hole” is… Or your new purchase of the “cuts like butter even if the metal wasn’t rusty as hell Amico Chinee welder, So I can ask myself “ How’d you get it so quickly, when I can’t get my boots or watches from there in months when I buy Chinee sht?”

Otherwise it’d just be a bunch of pictures of the floor of your garage, partially impaired by what used to be the floor of a car.

As opposed to one other here that posts pictures of the stuff he does with no reference as to how it’ll ever teach me anything, other than to wonder how he manages so many different project cars by himself….

I prefer the words to all of the pics.

 

[droopie85gt]

But w/o the useless diatribe, how would we know about your dry assed feet? Or your Wife’s purchase of the miracle cream that allowed you to walk again? Or your bad culinary choices whilst on vacation that leaves you in the bathroom for days…that gives you first hand reference for what a “rats red bunion hole” is… Or your new purchase of the “cuts like butter even if the metal wasn’t rusty as hell Amico Chinee welder, So I can ask myself “ How’d you get it so quickly, when I can’t get my boots or watches from there in months when I buy Chinee sht?”

Otherwise it’d just be a bunch of pictures of the floor of your garage, partially impaired by what used to be the floor of a car.

As opposed to one other here that posts pictures of the stuff he does with no reference as to how it’ll ever teach me anything, other than to wonder how he manages so many different project cars by himself….

I prefer the words to all of the pics.

I check everything in my cart on Amazon for a delivery date. Here's the crazy part. For Father's day I was getting my dad a book about the psychotic European Antarctica explorers. Pretty fitting since he was on the first all jet cargo plane to land on Antarctica. When it was in my cart with my address it said 3 days to deliver. When I was checking out and changed to dad's address in Corpus Christi....boom one day delivery. WTF? I mean Memphis is America's distribution center. FedEx superhub, and Amazon is building stuff like crazy but CORPUS CHRISTI gets one day delivery.

There was another multi-process machine a little cheaper that had cool reviews on YT, but it was like 6-24 days...nope. Amico, mi new amigo was here in 3. Tubing for the sfc extension, cheaper and faster to order from Amazon than Metalmart or Speedymetals.

Maybe I should draw stuff on the floor and reveal the hidden message as I cut away the floor of the car....let it be like Wheel of Fortune. You guys can buy a vowel or guess what the phrase is.

BTW, I am 100% certain I had Covid in December of 2019. Whatever I had 2 weeks ago was 1000% worse as far as body aches and headaches go. My wife is an RN. She says it was the norovirus. Whatever. I don't want that again.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

I check everything in my cart on Amazon for a delivery date. Here's the crazy part. For Father's day I was getting my dad a book about the psychotic European Antarctica explorers. Pretty fitting since he was on the first all jet cargo plane to land on Antarctica. When it was in my cart with my address it said 3 days to deliver. When I was checking out and changed to dad's address in Corpus Christi....boom one day delivery. WTF? I mean Memphis is America's distribution center. FedEx superhub, and Amazon is building stuff like crazy but CORPUS CHRISTI gets one day delivery.

There was another multi-process machine a little cheaper that had cool reviews on YT, but it was like 6-24 days...nope. Amico, mi new amigo was here in 3. Tubing for the sfc extension, cheaper and faster to order from Amazon than Metalmart or Speedymetals.

Maybe I should draw stuff on the floor and reveal the hidden message as I cut away the floor of the car....let it be like Wheel of Fortune. You guys can buy a vowel or guess what the phrase is.

BTW, I am 100% certain I had Covid in December of 2019. Whatever I had 2 weeks ago was 1000% worse as far as body aches and headaches go. My wife is an RN. She says it was the norovirus. Whatever. I don't want that again.

Delta

 

[droopie85gt]

Delta

I only like to fly Southworst.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

I only like to fly Southworst.

Sounds to me like the only things flying was coming out of yer ass.

I’m saying most “ Stomach bugs” are not contagious.

But…..that don’t change the faxt there’s still a virus goin round …and rather coincidental that everybody that came in contact with your daughter caught it.

Delta.

 

[droopie85gt]

Sounds to me like the only things flying was coming out of yer ass.

I’m saying most “ Stomach bugs” are not contagious.

But…..that don’t change the faxt there’s still a virus goin round …and rather coincidental that everybody that came in contact with your daughter caught it.

Delta.

Nope, I had the Covid in Dec 2019, and this wasn't it. I think it was Norovirus. Evidently, it's going round round here. Plus I had the invincible Moderna vaccination.

 

[droopie85gt]

Not much new to post, as I have had to work a lot of Saturdays and when I haven't worked, it's been 110 degree heat index. I've cut almost all of the floor out, and fought this beotch like hell to get my rear 2x3 crossmember in. Iirc, I bought a 2x3 dropped crossmember off Ebay. First problem is it isn't bent exactly symmetrical. It's got some dihedral going on. Second is I have spent HOURS trying to get this Ho level front to back, side to side. Of course the garage floor isn't exactly level, but it would act crazy and not sit down on all 4 jackstands at once. I finally realized it's because I was placing the rear jackstands in front of the rear axle, but close to it.

I can go to the front of the car, that has 2 tires and wheels stacked on each corner of the core support and pick the car up with minimal effort. So yesterday I cut down some 4x4's and put the jackstands back at the rear bumper bracket. But jackstands don't have fine enough adjustment. So I got online and Home Depot has some RV screw jackstands for $35 set of 4. So I ordered them and my wife is kind enough to go pick them up later today. I'm bbqing, so I have to sit here and drink beer while the shoulder smokes. It's a tough job, but one I am actutely qualified, maybe even over qualified for.

When she gets back, I'll get HeHateMe on the screws, and get him level. Then I can finish the subframe connectors. Since the garage floor slopes front to back and has some low spots, I am going to do rough measurements then confirm with the level. Then start the cage and the rear frame rail replacement.

Cooler weather is finally within sight. One thing for sure, having a plasma cutter is like having 2 extra hands. It makes short work cutting what's left of the floor out. Next up I'll get my engineer at work to draw up my design of the front leaf spring perches and get them lasered out of 11 gauge steel. I'll make 3 so I have one to practice welding on...or my brother practice welding on.

The round tube above the crossmember is one of my roll cage bars. I don't have a 6 foot level, so I needed something wide enough to span the car. I used my 4 ft level and then bought a Klein digital angle finder that's magnetic. That thing drives me crazy because it will read differently every time you put it in the same place...it's almost like it sticks. I recalibrated it and it seems better....I shoulda just bout the HF one that's half as much!

Also, the El Camino was at a powder coating shop we use at work. I thought I took a pic of the 50's COE ramp truck, but I guess I didn't. It was about 2950 degrees out that day and I was helping them unload a 26' bob truck of lockers and think I had a out of body heat stroke experience.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

I think you’re crazy for not just going ahead, and tubbing, or mini-tubbing the rear at this point. Why would you wanna dick with a leaf spring and be relegated to the factory tiny assed wheel well when a set of Jegs coil over shocks and ladder bars are so…..(dare I use the word)….cheap?

 

[General karthief]

That's 'inexpensive ' Mike.

 

[droopie85gt]

I think you’re crazy for not just going ahead, and tubbing, or mini-tubbing the rear at this point. Why would you wanna dick with a leaf spring and be relegated to the factory tiny assed wheel well when a set of Jegs coil over shocks and ladder bars are so…..(dare I use the word)….cheap?

Seems like a good idea. I'll get there one day.

 

[Noobz347]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqdZUe7PUi0&ab_channel=CastlemaineRodShop

 

[droopie85gt]

Tube notcher. A blessing and curse. It does the job it's supposed to do and leave a fish mouth you can TIG weld (if you knew how...I don't yet), yet the cheap POS chinee thing is made mostly of Aluminium (as those who speak the King's English say) and you can't tighten this chit tight enough to keep it from moving. Until you grind off the powder coat/paint, drill the holes bigger and put good ole 3/8 bolts thru it. Of course by now, you've screwed up the halo with this cheap ass chit....or have you.

The halo hits in the corners of the main hoop and I think I finally got it figured out. Which was harder than it need to be because the notcher can really only lay over in one direction, across the grain so to speak. The tube has to come in from the clamp direction and I was struggling, until I turned the entire thingamabob sideways in the vice and matched the angle with my angle finder on the drill shaft. I think I have it very close fitting now. It fits better than in the last pic...it's hard to hold the halo AND the camera at the same time.

I had to run and clean up to meet the fam for dinner. If you don't have grandkids, you need some. This little guy is so cool. Hopefully by the time he gets his license, I'll have this Falcon running.

 

[Noobz347]

Dude... I've been to this restaurant. I don't recall the name but I sat at the table to your right near a window. LoL


Of course, it's a Mexican joint.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Tube notcher. A blessing and curse. It does the job it's supposed to do and leave a fish mouth you can TIG weld (if you knew how...I don't yet), yet the cheap POS chinee thing is made mostly of Aluminium (as those who speak the King's English say) and you can't tighten this chit tight enough to keep it from moving. Until you grind off the powder coat/paint, drill the holes bigger and put good ole 3/8 bolts thru it. Of course by now, you've screwed up the halo with this cheap ass chit....or have you.

The halo hits in the corners of the main hoop and I think I finally got it figured out. Which was harder than it need to be because the notcher can really only lay over in one direction, across the grain so to speak. The tube has to come in from the clamp direction and I was struggling, until I turned the entire thingamabob sideways in the vice and matched the angle with my angle finder on the drill shaft. I think I have it very close fitting now. It fits better than in the last pic...it's hard to hold the halo AND the camera at the same time.

I had to run and clean up to meet the fam for dinner. If you don't have grandkids, you need some. This little guy is so cool. Hopefully by the time he gets his license, I'll have this Falcon running.

I had one. The same HF unit you have pictured there. And for the same reasons that you are now coming to terms with, chose never to use it except only on easiest of joints. A compound twisting intersect point like the one you have pictured is a sure fire opportunity to completely ruin some steel tubing real quick. It takes a lot of experience building a roll cage to be able to use a tubing notcher and get good results every single time. And for those guys that build a roll cage once every few years/ decade…better off using an angle grinder. It’s gonna force the halo backwards towards the main hoop to correct the bad joint if you want to salvage that piece. Youre gonna have to correct the fishmouth angle with a grinder on the bad side, and then remove material from the good side to even it up. It’ll probably move the halo back a half inch from the windshield.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

I like seeing pros like Jared Zimmerman or one of the Ian’s do metal work. They make it look easy, and with TV editing, quick. I hope you end up with the tools and skills as painlessly as possible.

 

[droopie85gt]

I had one. The same HF unit you have pictured there. And for the same reasons that you are now coming to terms with, chose never to use it except only on easiest of joints. A compound twisting intersect point like the one you have pictured is a sure fire opportunity to completely ruin some steel tubing real quick. It takes a lot of experience building a roll cage to be able to use a tubing notcher and get good results every single time. And for those guys that build a roll cage once every few years/ decade…better off using an angle grinder. It’s gonna force the halo backwards towards the main hoop to correct the bad joint if you want to salvage that piece. Youre gonna have to correct the fishmouth angle with a grinder on the bad side, and then remove material from the good side to even it up. It’ll probably move the halo back a half inch from the windshield.

Yeah, it's not great. My problem actually was I was so excited, I forgot which way the tube needed to go and cut the first one 90 degrees off. I eye balled the center of the radius, drew a line down it then did the same on the other side. My free hand lines were within .5 degrees of each other. Set the notcher to that and it worked great. The Halo is tacked in. It as you say is about 1/2 - 3/4" further back than I planned, but wgaf? The bigger concern is the pizza sized hole I ended up cutting in the passenger side of the dash to get the down tube to line up. I was planning on making a sheet metal seal plate anyway...just a bigger one. I bought one of those pin tube profile tools for Centurial...it was like $25. The A pillar down tube is going to meet on an angle at the curve, so pretty certain you a correct. No way I could that cut with the notcher.

Dude... I've been to this restaurant. I don't recall the name but I sat at the table to your right near a window. LoL


Of course, it's a Mexican joint.

There's no winders in this one. It's about 1/4 from my house. I've been going here 16 or 17 years. I've seen all the owners kids grow up and one has his own kids. I may or may not have slept here on more than one occasion and that almost led to the owner's divorce....

 

[droopie85gt]

Got the first down tube tacked in. I'm not sure I like where the bottom ends up. At first glance it will be hard to get a 2x3 in there between the rocker and frame. I may get some more 1.75 tube and use round tube at the front. I am also thinking about getting my brother's tubing bender and putting a little more bend in it. I wish the halo was an inch or two longer, but this rust bucket will just have to get what it gets.

And it is hard AF to hold this in place, one handed and tack it one handed, and I am surprised that it seems to be pretty damn parallel to the a pillar. If I can get my brother or son to come help, I may cut it back out and play with the placement...which would probably mean an even bigger hole on the dash, but I want to get this side exactly how I want, then hopefully a much smaller hole on the driver's side.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Got the first down tube tacked in. I'm not sure I like where the bottom ends up. At first glance it will be hard to get a 2x3 in there between the rocker and frame. I may get some more 1.75 tube and use round tube at the front. I am also thinking about getting my brother's tubing bender and putting a little more bend in it. I wish the halo was an inch or two longer, but this rust bucket will just have to get what it gets.

And it is hard AF to hold this in place, one handed and tack it one handed, and I am surprised that it seems to be pretty damn parallel to the a pillar. If I can get my brother or son to come help, I may cut it back out and play with the placement...which would probably mean an even bigger hole on the dash, but I want to get this side exactly how I want, then hopefully a much smaller hole on the driver's side.

How are you gonna weld around the top of that a pillar bar?

 

[droopie85gt]

How are you gonna weld around the top of that a pillar bar?

The main hoop is on 2x3 outriggers that are just tacked in. When the A pillar bars are correct, they will land on outriggers as well and when the rear down bars are in, I'll cut it loose and drop it down to get the tops welded. Then put it back up and weld the outriggers in.

 

[droopie85gt]

Well, I've been busy, but when I have free time getting some work done on HeHateMe. I ended up not liking how the S&W a pillar down tubes fit. So I got the JD2 tubing bender from my brother and ordered a 1 5/8" die for it. I messed up a tube getting the hang of it but made a down tube that fits good.
Then I tried making a dash bar. Again messed up but ended up getting it tucked in just under the dash top. It's just sitting in there and won't get final welded until the entire cage drops gets welded and gets put back in. I'll probably have to cut a flap in the dash top to weld it but it's worth it since it's above the glove box.
Then I made the bars from the down bar to the firewall and from the firewall to the fender apron.
Not much going on here for Xmas eve so I am about to go out fire up the plasma saw and cut the back out and start laying out the rear frame.