The Willomet Charger

[1970RT]

Frame table is pretty much built. I have a few more welds to finish and a mounting pad to build for the rear body cart legs.

Materials - 4x4x.120, heavily trussed on 1/2-13 threaded pad. Everything was level within a degree and square within 1/16" before burning in the corners. Must have measured ten times before committing.

Looking to get the car mounted and locked down this week. Then, I should be able to plate the inner rocker and add other reinforcements.

David

 

[1970RT]

Progress tonight - the car is on the table. Still much to do before it's "locked down."

I picked up a digital level, and used the 1/2-13 threaded adjusters to get front/back level with 0.1* - more than sufficient up to this point. As well, these short "wings" are for the rear legs of the body cart. I'll have them installed most of the time once I've plated the inner rocker.

At 15' 9" long, there shouldn't be any limitations to what I can brace to or build from.

David

 

[drobertson]

I just wish I could work as fast as you do!

 

[1970RT]

I just wish I could work as fast as you do!

Hey, thank you. Most of the time I feel like I work slow, taking my time to figure things out and plan. One piece of advice I received and think is pretty useful - work on your project a little bit each day.

Small progress adds up.

David

 

[1970RT]

Table level up - second iteration:
The garage floor has a 1/8"/ft slope to it, and the forward adjusters were close to maxed out, so I pulled the jam nuts on the rear adjusters to get the table 1/4" lower overall.

The relevel yielded better results than the initial - 0* variance side to side. Front to back is a little different - 0.1* on one table rail and 0* on the other, though my bubble level(s) looked smack dab in the middle of their lines. My nice 4' level is on permanent loan to my dad, so I'm going to get a new one and double check the measurements before locking anything down.

Car level up - first iteration:
The car does need some assistance getting level side to side. The front is off by 1/8" rail-to-rail while the rear looked more like 3/16". The rockers leveled out perfectly from the start (measured from the top pinch). I'm experimenting using inverted and normal quick grips and shims, moving around the car to the (presumably) level table beneath it to get uniform readings.

I left the shop with all bubbles sitting within their lines and gauges reading 0* or 0.1*. Doing the math, 0.1* over 15' 9" amounts to less than 1/32", which is acceptable given that the unibody probably wasn't flat when it left the St Louis production line. Parallel and perpendicular are more important as the reinforcements are integrated.

David

 

[conv67bdere]

Frame table is pretty much built. I have a few more welds to finish and a mounting pad to build for the rear body cart legs.

Materials - 4x4x.120, heavily trussed on 1/2-13 threaded pad. Everything was level within a degree and square within 1/16" before burning in the corners. Must have measured ten times before committing.
View attachment 421360

View attachment 421361

View attachment 421362

View attachment 421363

Looking to get the car mounted and locked down this week. Then, I should be able to plate the inner rocker and add other reinforcements.

David

WOW . . . the welds alone on that jig are a work of art . . . nice looking jig to boot too ! ! !

 

[1970RT]

WOW . . . the welds alone on that jig are a work of art . . . nice looking jig to boot too ! ! !

Thank you for the kind words.

I spend a little extra time making sure I'm in a comfortable position and the work is really clean. That always helps me.

Regarding the jig, I sized it to fit B and E bodies, dimensions that should fit a lot of cars. Hopefully it adapts easily to the next project that comes in the shop.

David

 

[1970RT]

Table Level Up - Final:
I picked up a good 4' level - turns out I'm an accidental fan of Stanley Fatmax - and made minor adjustments to the the front pegs. All is now level to the greatest resolution my instruments will measure.

Car Level Up - second iteration:
With the table adjustments, it was less of a chore to get the car to level out - the same stack of temporary shims amounted to level side to side. The rockers are parallel, and the rear was only out by 0.1*, which was easily solved by some quick grip action. I'll verify everything is the same in the morning.

Hard to get a good side shot, but visually this shows the rocker parallel to the table along with the slope of the floor.

Across the rockers.

Rear frame at the shackle hangers. Just wanted to take multiple readings.

Inverted quick grip on the driver rail - pulled out that last 0.1* to get the rear as level as the front and center.

Right about now is when the wife comes out with Shiners and says, "we're going out."

David

 

[Superfreak]

I agree, the welds do look nice.

 

[conv67bdere]

Table Level Up - Final:
I picked up a good 4' level - turns out I'm an accidental fan of Stanley Fatmax - and made minor adjustments to the the front pegs. All is now level to the greatest resolution my instruments will measure.

Car Level Up - second iteration:
With the table adjustments, it was less of a chore to get the car to level out - the same stack of temporary shims amounted to level side to side. The rockers are parallel, and the rear was only out by 0.1*, which was easily solved by some quick grip action. I'll verify everything is the same in the morning.

Hard to get a good side shot, but visually this shows the rocker parallel to the table along with the slope of the floor.

Across the rockers.

Rear frame at the shackle hangers. Just wanted to take multiple readings.

Inverted quick grip on the driver rail - pulled out that last 0.1* to get the rear as level as the front and center.

Right about now is when the wife comes out with Shiners and says, "we're going out."

David

Images no workey . . .

Will the attachments to the table be welded down or bolted down ? ?

Also . . . did you, by chance, check to see that the chassis was square too ? ? ? ( wonder how close they were when they built them )

 

[1970RT]

Images no workey . . .

Will the attachments to the table be welded down or bolted down ? ?

Also . . . did you, by chance, check to see that the chassis was square too?

Check the images now - uploads rather than links.

I'm building stickers now that will weld the car and the table together. I have the front done, and the k member portion of the Auto Twirler body cart is removed. Working on the rear tonight once Mother's Day activities are concluded.

The car is square within 1/16". That's the first thing I checked after putting it on the body cart in 2015, breathing a huge sigh of relief. You're right to ask, because I don't think I detailed that here, and I'm headed down a path that will lock it in, square or not.

David

 

[conv67bdere]

Check the images now - uploads rather than links.

I'm building stickers now that will weld the car and the table together. I have the front done, and the k member portion of the Auto Twirler body cart is removed. Working on the rear tonight once Mother's Day activities are concluded.

The car is square within 1/16". That's the first thing I checked after putting it on the body cart in 2015, breathing a huge sigh of relief. You're right to ask, because I don't think I detailed that here, and I'm headed down a path that will lock it in, square or not.

David

Much better on the pics - thanks

 

[1970RT]

The car is off the body cart, and locked to the table. As the build progresses, these mounts will change and move, but this is what I need to get started.

Didn't get a good shot of the front, so that will be in the next round of photos. Busy weekend balancing family and Mother's Day.

David

 

[1970RT]

Solid and uninterrupted time. That's what I needed to start repair on the driver rocker.

The rocker had a pretty deep gouge that the PO attempted to repair, and it also looked like the car was lifted by a forklift since the pinch weld was folded over completely.

Hammer extension.

Drilled peak of dent and the first few hits.

Few more.

Pretty much just the PO's rorschach grinding marks.

Punch step up to build the internal rocker reinforcement.

Hole filled and smoothed out.

David

 

[1970RT]

A casualty of quarter removal.

The radius of the rocker is darned close to that of my heel dolly.

Set for tomorrow.

David

 

[Superfreak]

Your work is looking extremely organized, well done sir.

 

[daytona kid]

Your work is looking extremely organized, well done sir.

x2

 

[moparnation74]

WOW! Mad skills bro.....You weld like a robot.....Best welds I have seen in a long time

 

[1970RT]

Your work is looking extremely organized, well done sir.

Thank you! It took me a while to learn the lesson, but my work space reflects my mind space. Got to keep things clear if I'm going to be productive.

x2

Thanks. Lots of good ideas in your thread.

WOW! Mad skills bro.....You weld like a robot.....Best welds I have seen in a long time

Appreciate that. A comfortable position and extra clean work make all the difference.

David

 

[1970RT]

Finished up this one patch. Many more to go.

David