The Elephant In The Room: unloading the load from a B-body.

[fullmetaljacket]

Here's the single bridge welded into place on the ring with the extracted three legged original sitting aside.
The task of fabricating add on parts for this bridge to look like factory was the hard part. More to come.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

The pieces here are more or less just covers sitting in place after much hours of bending, trimming, filing and beveling into place before receiving the heat. This is one side of the single bridge leg complete with the factory air hole.
An old school welder cat who is a military grade welder by trade was besides himself with this one. He would step out of his contracted classified work to amuse himself with this madness. He carefully and patiently laid some of the most prettiest and cleanest beads.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Here are the covers welded into place making for a very sturdy strong piece. Sharp eyed guys might get a sneak see at the horn ring starting to take shape in this image. More on that monstrosity later.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

After much filing and sanding, here's the wheel in the rough before doing some final primer and wet sanding. It was still weighing in much less than the stocker. IIRC 1-1/4 lbs.
For the last year or so, I've had it off the car and reinstalled the stocker because being that it is a hair smaller and deeper, I'm using it as a jig/mold to construct the horn ring. The original horn ring which is a combination of polished chrome, dull pot metal, stamped CORONET letters and paint is quite a task to mimic, but the aluminum one will be quite a doozy and expected to to look like the original. That's a whole other planet made up of many delicate and interlocking parts. I'll post up as it gets some traction later this winter.

 

[dvw]

The lug holes themselves don't need to be perfect. Thwy are just clearance. The drum is captured by the clamp load of the wheel. The drum centers on the pilot. I've drilled A body pattern to 4 1/2" with no issues. If the drum surface and rear edge were machined off the pilot correctly. Then the pilot could be machined by chucking up on the drum surface. Pretty easy. The only concern would be axle flange spacing to the backing plate.
Doug

 

[fullmetaljacket]

The lug holes themselves don't need to be perfect. Thwy are just clearance. The drum is captured by the clamp load of the wheel. The drum centers on the pilot. I've drilled A body pattern to 4 1/2" with no issues. If the drum surface and rear edge were machined off the pilot correctly. Then the pilot could be machined by chucking up on the drum surface. Pretty easy. The only concern would be axle flange spacing to the backing plate.
Doug

DVW, A smile always comes to me when you get on board because I know that you know what you know and beyond.
A few questions if I may.
*What is the Pilot? Is that the protruding flange nipple on the axle where the drum centers itself?
*When you say "drum surface" are you indicating the rear surface of the drum that plants against the axle flange or the drum surface inside where the brake shoes make contact?

 

[dvw]

DVW, A smile always comes to me when you get on board because I know that you know what you know and beyond.
A few questions if I may.
*What is the Pilot? Is that the protruding flange nipple on the axle where the drum centers itself?
*When you say "drum surface" are you indicating the rear surface of the drum that plants against the axle flange or the drum surface inside where the brake shoes make contact?

When drums are machined they locate on the pilot (center hole of th e drum) and the face of the drum that sets on the axle flange. Once that surface has been trued up, then I'd trim the back lip of the drum stopping surface. That way thereis a known 90 degree square edge to set against the lathe chuck. (it would have to be a good sized lathe). Then the center hole could be acurately opened up to Mopar size. Without knowning the axle offset of both makes I suppose it may even need a spacer between the axle flange and drum with the correct size pilot. Or a spacer between the housing end and the backing plate itself.
Doug

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Here's the main horn ring in the rough stages as it was cut from a solid piece of aluminum 1/2 of an inch thick.
The cuts themselves, on both sides had to have a tapered edge to mimic the original. To achieve this, the jigsaw was basically set on the angle needed and carefully cut out leaving some rough spots but nothing harsh that a good filing and sanding couldn't correct.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Here's the main horn ring in the rough stages as it was cut from a solid piece of aluminum 1/2 of an inch thick.
The cuts themselves, on both sides had to have a tapered edge to mimic the original. To achieve this, the jigsaw was basically set on the angle needed and carefully cut out leaving some rough spots but nothing harsh that a good filing and sanding couldn't correct.

View attachment 1523089

Here one can see the tapered angle after the first cuts.

 

[Badvert65]

By the way, FMJ, your mailbox is full.
OK, so I may have found something that is a 'near' bolt on. I don't know what size cylinders you have, but I was originally looking for 3/4" bore cylinders. Recently, I did run across a 7/8" bore unit that looks promising. I ordered a pair of them and I also ordered a pair of 7/8" bore wheel cylinders for a Mopar. My basic plan is to use the Mopar guts in the aluminum cylinder. I will let you know how things go.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

By the way, FMJ, your mailbox is full.
OK, so I may have found something that is a 'near' bolt on. I don't know what size cylinders you have, but I was originally looking for 3/4" bore cylinders. Recently, I did run across a 7/8" bore unit that looks promising. I ordered a pair of them and I also ordered a pair of 7/8" bore wheel cylinders for a Mopar. My basic plan is to use the Mopar guts in the aluminum cylinder. I will let you know how things go.

Let us know. Enquiring minds want to know.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Let us know. Enquiring minds want to know.

Not sure how to empty my mailbox. Simple instructions? Never did it.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Not sure how to empty my mailbox. Simple instructions? Never did it.

In the meanwhile, here's the main horn ring bridge taking shape by using reducer step down aluminum tubing, aluminum flat stock and an excellent welder. There was a complicated part which is strictly ornamental, but it had to be included just to have the stock look. Stay tuned.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

One has to ask themselves, what are those half moon semi elliptical voids underneath the cone head for?

 

[Badvert65]

Horn Pad?

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Horn Pad?

No horn pad. The whole ring and the bridge as a unit is the horn activator. I'll post flicks later and it should be self explanatory.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

The Apollo 11 Luna module has landed.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Houston; The luna Module is descending from flight onto LPD.
Roger.
Houston; All systems are a go and green for final approach.
Roger.
Houston; Altitude control is good - Manual altitude control is good.
Roger.
Commence landing mode.
Roger.
Into the LPD at 47 degrees.
Roger.

 

[MarPar]

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Houston: The Eagle has lodged onto the host. I repeat, The Eagle has landed.