Scarab wrote:Hey Smiley, I'm intrigued with the crush tubes.....
do they fit vertially inside the box section with the bolt running through them?....whats the go??
are they intended to stop the box sectioning from 'crushing'?
Thanks, Paul
Sure is! Read below.
Well I spent the better part of the day working on my car. I wasted a few hours this morning putting a tow bar on dad's ute and wiring it up.
Measured all the holes up and drilled them out top and bottom.
Trying the crush tube in for fit.
I ground the tops down till they were flush them welded the tube in place.
Then I ground the welds smooth and ran a drill through the tube to clean out and dags and make sure there was no weld inside.
Crush tube in position.
All the boxes with the tubes in place.
Spent a good while taking measurements off the old pan and transferring them onto the new one. Drilled the mount holes and ground all the 'checks' off where the boxes are going to sit.
I dug the passengers seat out and pulled the old frame off the bottom of it. Turns of the holes are a perfect match to the ones on the drivers side seat. This made marking all the holes onto the passengers side floor and boxes a heap easier.
Cut the plates that are going on the underside of the pans to size and drilled to holes. The law states that on each bolt that holds the seat down there must be a plate with a minimum size of 75x75x3mm when it is mounted through the floors. The flat bar I have is 75 wide and 3mm thick and I'm running it the fully length under each side of the seat. Definitely going to pass.
Also made up two little plates for the seatbelt mount points. These also have to be 75x75x3mm.
Passenger side drilled and ground.
Made up 8 plates to cover the ends of the box. Continued the checkerplate theme.
I only welded one end up on all the boxes so far. Tomorrow morning I'm either going to paint the inside or fill the with fishoil, or both, before I close them up for good.
Flipped the pan over and welded both the seatbelt plates into position.
Started at 9 this morning and finished up at 10:30 tonight. Feels like I got bugger all done.
Going to try for 15 hours tomorrow
😂
Scarab wrote:smileyman3000 wrote:Scarab wrote:mate....you are an inspiration! looking good!
Scarab (aka: Paul)
Does that mean the Notch is moving forward?
😂
Smiley
🙂
Sadly no....but I enjoy reading your updates!!
😂
Paul
I enjoy making them!
Seems like your my biggest fan Paul, thanks for your support!
Smiley
🙂If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
You need to weld a cross members between those box section spacers front and rear to stop them being able to rock sideways to pass with an engineer
Also you would be better off if those plates for underneath where only 75 x75 as the long ones will provide a large area as a double thickness which will lead to rust , and you don't want that do you !!!
Don't let body work get in the way of real suspension travel
No worries mate....there will always support coming from me....its easier to watch someone elses work, than actually doing your own!! 😂
I tend to Agree with Andrew above....those seat supports are pretty tall, and even though welded on the base, it leaves it open to sideways sheer movement with the weight of someone sitting on top....a cross brace between the two supports on each seat sounds like a good idea mate.
on the whole though, a very nice job!
....and coming from a parent, don't ever feel that spending time helping them is wasted (like fitting and wiring a towbar)...I am SURE it is appreciated mate!! 👍
Paul
Already ahead of you fellas! After I bolt them in place I'm going to weld the cross braces in place. It's a lot easier than trying to line them up the correct distance apart off the car. And with the flat bar underneath I was planning on welding it all the way around like the seatbelt plates? It that ok?
Scarab wrote:....and coming from a parent, don't ever feel that spending time helping them is wasted (like fitting and wiring a towbar)...I am SURE it is appreciated mate!! 👍
Paul
I know.
They do let me use the carport, and run up the power bill with the welder.
🥷
Change of plans for today.
It just started raining so I can no longer weld the new pillar in (until it stops).
I just spoke with Andrew (oztowdster) on the phone regarding the underplates and how to run them.
I will be cutting them down to 75x75 and not welding them on.
Seeing as I'm not welding the plates on or boxes on anymore, means that there is no more welding required on the pan and I can start wirebrushing it ready for paint.
Smiley
🙂If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
so I guess you can wirebrush in the rain?? 😂
Paul
Scarab wrote:so I guess you can wirebrush in the rain?? 😂
Paul
Damn straight I can!!!
I spent a good while this morning cleaning up around the place. Sweeping out the carport and throwing out rubbish and crap that was in the way.
Then I propped the floorpan up at one end so i could blow the tunnel out with compressed air and suck as much dust and crap out with an old vacuum cleaner.
There were a few other little last minute odds and ends to sort before getting ready for paint.
I drilled and tapped the holes in the front of the framehead for the little cover plate to bolt on. As it's a new framehead it didn't have any at all.
I also went to the old floorpan that I crashed and pulled the old brake line that runs along the old tunnel off. I was thinking of reusing it but now I'm not going to bother. Have to buy some brake line tomorrow. Also pulled the old shifter rod out.
While I was there I measured where to drill the hole for where the brake line passes through the framehead.
I also had to add a few new brake line hold down tabs where the old ones had broken off.
After that all everything was pretty much sorted. If anyone can think of anything I've forgotten to do please let me know ASAP as I intend to lay paint down within the next 2 days.
Then I started making things shiny, I love shiny things!
I still have to do some of the tight spots in around the rear torsion housing. Then flip if over and do the underside.
Tomorrow I have to source some bolts to mount the seats and the above mentioned brake line, and some paint brushes I suppose!!
Smiley
🙂If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
Weld on some bolts at your rear inner irs pivot points so as to lock off your pivot bolt once you go irs with CVD's hex key lock
Don't let body work get in the way of real suspension travel
OZ Towdster wrote:Weld on some bolts at your rear inner irs pivot points so as to lock off your pivot bolt once you go irs with CVD's hex key lock
Do you have a picture I can use as an example?
Smiley
🙂If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
smiley nice work!what do u do as a day job , if u dont mind me asking ???
cheers Todd 😀
chippy wrote:smiley nice work!what do u do as a day job , if u dont mind me asking ??? cheers Todd 😀
I don't mind at all! I'm an apprentice diesel fitter. Smiley
🙂If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
The lock tab Andrew is describing can be fabricated by welding a piece of flat bar to a 17mm bolt. The bolt is fitted into the socket of the pivot bolt, the flat bar gets welded to the bolt and has a hole in it for a M6 mm bolt that screws into a threaded hole in the pivot box. The idea is, it will lock the bolt in position and stop the bolt backing out. By the way, great job on the pan, only change I would have done is make the side rails continue foward to the lower front end torsion tube, thus tying it into the pan.
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE
good job as always mate.....mmmm SHINEY STUFF!! 👍
Paul
Didn't get much done today unfortunately, and it looks like tomorrow will be a write off cause I have firetwirling in the early evening.
Managed to get some bolts for the seats today from work, only got four and four more are on order.
Bought 6m of brake line and new fittings. Borrowed a flaring tool and tube bender from a mate.
Getting ready to trial mount the drivers side seat.
I pulled the runners off the bottom of the seat so it would be easier to check that everything lines up. I pushed the bolt in from below up though the plate, floorpan, spacer box then seat runner. As you can see in the picture it sticks out a bit far and the top half of the runner will hit it when it slides back.
I ground 10mm off the bolt and bolted it down tight. Here's a quick tip for those playing at home, always run a nut onto the thread before cutting or grinding it down. That way when you wind the nut off it flattens the burrs and cuts the last bit of thread back on.
Both runners bolted in place on top on the spacer boxes.
Turns out the bolts were still a touch too long so I ground another 3mm off all of them.
Then I pulled it all off and bolted the runners back to the seat so i could try the whole thing together. I have to say that the finished product looks good. I'm quite happy that all the holes managed to line up perfectly, everything fits and nothing went wrong. They still feel exactly the same to sit in 😎
Plenty off room underneath too! I made the boxes so that they are 1 inch higher than the seats were in the old car, just to get a touch more visibility, especially when looking down the bonnet offroading.
As I few people have mentioned above I plan to weld cross braces between the boxes. I'm going to pick some angle up tomorrow afternoon with any luck.
I also plan to completely strip the runners apart and give them a good tidy up and a regrease, they're a bit stiff.
Catch you all later!
Smiley 🙂
If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
Looking great Smiley. I think with the seats that high, I would need a sun roof to look out through :-)
Sharpbuilt V2, EJ25, Subaru 5 Speed, Falcon rear discs, Heater & A/C, Rack Steering
BlueV2 wrote:Looking great Smiley. I think with the seats that high, I would need a sun roof to look out through :-)
You must be a lot taller than I am! They're only going to be an inch higher than they used to be. And I never had any worries with headroom in the past.
If I do run into hassles, convertible Baja anyone?
Smiley
🙂If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
smileyman3000 wrote:I ground 10mm off the bolt and bolted it down tight. Here's a quick tip for those playing at home, always run a nut onto the thread before cutting or grinding it down. That way when you wind the nut off it flattens the burrs and cuts the last bit of thread back on.
Spoken like a good mechanic mate!!
Another good tip is to give the end of the thread a quick lick on the grinder after cutting but before you remove the nut, giving the thread a slight chamfer around the end. This will help stop the nut from stripping out when you try to wind it off your newly shortened bolt....and it gives the nut a nice start point on the thread when it comes time for re-assembly.
Keep up the good work mate!!
Paul
You should make conpartments under the seats.
Its the only thing i wish i had along with cupholders, heaters and aircon.
Fitted the passengers side seat this afternoon so I could weld the cross pieces under the seats.
Tacked into place with the runners still on. I initially had the seat bolted down firm before I tacked the angle in place so the distance between the boxes suited the seats, and I made the angle to suit.
Fully welded cross braces in place.
I started wirewheeling the final bits around the frame horns and rear torsion tube with my die grinder. I ran into a little trouble with a bit of hard scale and rust where the springs plates slot in. The wire wheel wasn't putting much of a dint in it so I'm going to see if I can borrow a needle gun from work tomorrow.
I'm hoping for my first coat of paint tomorrow evening.
Also ordered a few seals for the front end and gearbox from Mick's on express post. Fingers crossed they arrive tomorrow ready for the long weekend.
Smiley 🙂
If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
Rock on mate! You are making great progress doing little bits .... regularly .... something that I should try doing!! 😂
Keep it up!
Paul
Scarab wrote:Rock on mate! You are making great progress doing little bits .... regularly .... something that I should try doing!! 😂
Keep it up!
Paul
I don't have much time for anything else.
I told all my friends that I'd see them again in 6 weeks or so, with a new car
😂
Smiley
🙂If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
good on ya dude...
so still looks like ur driving down south when tafe kicks in hey?
(ô_!_/ô) (ô_!_/ô)
69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
New engine in process: 94mm p&bs, 74mm C/w chomol Crank, 35.5x39 SP heads, turbo. Wierd combo, hopeful torque monsta!
Dont think those seat bases will be going anywhere soon :-) Nice work.
I wouldn't get to carried away when cleaning out the torsion bar groumet housing.
Sharpbuilt V2, EJ25, Subaru 5 Speed, Falcon rear discs, Heater & A/C, Rack Steering
BlueV2 wrote:I wouldn't get to carried away when cleaning out the torsion bar groumet housing.
I more want to get all the scale out of there so it won't chew the rubbers to pieces.
Does anyone know what the best lubricant to put on the rear torsion bar splines and rubbers is?
Graphite powder?
Grease?
Rubber grease??
Smiley
🙂If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
I think I just used copper grease on the splines and as I understand it you dont put anything on the rubbers. However if you use urethane then they will squeek unless you use urethane grease which you can get from 4X4 shops.
Sharpbuilt V2, EJ25, Subaru 5 Speed, Falcon rear discs, Heater & A/C, Rack Steering
Graphite powder for the torsion end rubbers and as V2 said copper coat or similar for the spline ends
Don't let body work get in the way of real suspension travel
OZ Towdster wrote:Graphite powder for the torsion end rubbers and as V2 said copper coat or similar for the spline ends
Would Nickel Anti-seize do the trick?
Smiley
🙂If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
Nickel anti sieze is perfect for the torsion splines, and rubber grease for the inside and against the spring plate of the rubber grommets, or graphite powder or even talc if you dont have any rubber grease, heard they don't make it anymore!!!
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE
matberry wrote:Nickel anti sieze is perfect for the torsion splines, and rubber grease for the inside and against the spring plate of the rubber grommets, or graphite powder or even talc if you dont have any rubber grease, heard they don't make it anymore!!!
I have red rubber grease from work. And graphite powder. Which is the best to use?
Smiley
🙂If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
dont use grease, use talc
vwrallycar wrote:dont use grease, use talc
Graphite?
Smiley
🙂If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
