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Friday, August 26, 2011
Dazed and confused
If you're in California in september ya should hit this event. Been around for a long time. Wheels of confusion is a great bunch of Vanners. They've been around since 73.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, August 11, 2011
How to shorten a drive shaft
Ok so you're making a really bitchin van but the engine, trans, and rear are all different than stock and now you need a drive shaft. Here's a quick how to on shortening it your self. I have pictures for most of it but none for the very beginning. Sorry.
Determining what to take out: slide the yoke end of the drive shaft into the tail of the trans. Then pull it back out about 3/4 of an inch (that's what she said). Now measure from the center of the eye (the part of the joint that gets pressed in) on the u joint to the center of where the eye of the rear joint would be when bolted to the rear end. you now have your new drive shaft length. Now subtract that from the length of your current drive shaft. Thats how much to cut out.
Ok here comes the fun stuff! You need to scribe a straight line down the drive shaft. This line will allow you to keep your yokes in exact factory phase when you go to weld it back together. If you get the yokes out of phase you will end with vibration. Get out a metal scribe and a long straight edge. Put the straight edge down the length of the driveshaft centering it off the same u joint centers you used to measure the desired length earlier. Now choose where to make your first cut. This is up to you. Perhaps you want to retain a factory weight or get rid of a dent. It's up to you. Remember to take your time and get a straight cut. This helps a lot when welding it back together. We used a gravity style band saw
Which made for a very precise cut. We made our first cut about ten inches from the yoke. We needed to remove 25 1/2 inches from the shaft. Here we are measuring from the first cut to the Blade. Now would be a good time to double check your measurements.
Next we beveled our edges to give the weld a little v shape to lay in to. This helps with penetration ( that's what she said).
Now we take both pieces of the shaft and clamp it between two small pieces of u channel. Make sure you line up your scribed line and of course strip the area where you are going to weld.
If you look closely you can see our scribed center line.
Now place a few tack welds around it. Then finish up with a solid bead. Make sure you ground your welder to te drive shaft and not a u joint bearing. You can ruin the bearings. Putting in new bearings you say? Well then ground wherever you want.
Now grind down your welds. Don't go nuts. Just get it pretty smooth and be done with it.
Next check the fit in the car. This is a 34 ford so we had a pretty short length. 33 1/4 inches to be exact.
She fit like a glove! Now we will take it out and put in new u joints and have it balanced. Then we'll paint it. It's up to you whether you have it balanced or not. As long as you kept your yokes in phase you should be fine. I suppose it depends on the project and your pocket book. Balancing usually costs around $150. Give it a shot first and if you don't have vibration at highway speeds you did well. Good luck and be sure to wear safety equipment when working with power tools. Work smarter not harder.
Determining what to take out: slide the yoke end of the drive shaft into the tail of the trans. Then pull it back out about 3/4 of an inch (that's what she said). Now measure from the center of the eye (the part of the joint that gets pressed in) on the u joint to the center of where the eye of the rear joint would be when bolted to the rear end. you now have your new drive shaft length. Now subtract that from the length of your current drive shaft. Thats how much to cut out.
Ok here comes the fun stuff! You need to scribe a straight line down the drive shaft. This line will allow you to keep your yokes in exact factory phase when you go to weld it back together. If you get the yokes out of phase you will end with vibration. Get out a metal scribe and a long straight edge. Put the straight edge down the length of the driveshaft centering it off the same u joint centers you used to measure the desired length earlier. Now choose where to make your first cut. This is up to you. Perhaps you want to retain a factory weight or get rid of a dent. It's up to you. Remember to take your time and get a straight cut. This helps a lot when welding it back together. We used a gravity style band saw
Which made for a very precise cut. We made our first cut about ten inches from the yoke. We needed to remove 25 1/2 inches from the shaft. Here we are measuring from the first cut to the Blade. Now would be a good time to double check your measurements.
Next we beveled our edges to give the weld a little v shape to lay in to. This helps with penetration ( that's what she said).
Now we take both pieces of the shaft and clamp it between two small pieces of u channel. Make sure you line up your scribed line and of course strip the area where you are going to weld.
If you look closely you can see our scribed center line.
Now place a few tack welds around it. Then finish up with a solid bead. Make sure you ground your welder to te drive shaft and not a u joint bearing. You can ruin the bearings. Putting in new bearings you say? Well then ground wherever you want.
Now grind down your welds. Don't go nuts. Just get it pretty smooth and be done with it.
Next check the fit in the car. This is a 34 ford so we had a pretty short length. 33 1/4 inches to be exact.
She fit like a glove! Now we will take it out and put in new u joints and have it balanced. Then we'll paint it. It's up to you whether you have it balanced or not. As long as you kept your yokes in phase you should be fine. I suppose it depends on the project and your pocket book. Balancing usually costs around $150. Give it a shot first and if you don't have vibration at highway speeds you did well. Good luck and be sure to wear safety equipment when working with power tools. Work smarter not harder.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Fool injection!
Well I'm getting my LT-1 engine ready for the 68 no door. We've stripped the block of it's accessories and we're getting it cleaned and ready for paint. After I'll figure out the bracket for the alternator. That will be the only engine accessory. I have the intake and water pump at work and I plan to start polishing those tonight. it should turn out to be pretty fancy. I also bought a wiring harness from kwik wire and a steering wheel from a 54 chevy. It's coming together!
Monday, July 18, 2011
CVM issue 2
Ok folks issue 2 is now up for sale. I have about 250 of 500 copies left. Please send payments to david@monkeydrive.net. If you are placing an international order please email me at that address first. I work full time now so I will be shipping on Wednesdays and Fridays. Sorry for the inconvenience but I've got bills to pay!
Prices for one copy of Issue 2:
USA $6.50 USD
CANADA $7.00 USD
MOST INTERNATIONAL ORDDERS $9.00 USD
It's a full size mag this time. This issue is 16 pages full color. This issue features some old vannin photos from the late 70s , how to replace the roof skin on a mid dodge, a special article on radical builders, DIY tool highlight, feature van metalstorm, and vanner art by bill Rowe.
Here is a picture of issue one and two to give you an idea on the size change.
Also here was my favorite van I saw at the nats.
Prices for one copy of Issue 2:
USA $6.50 USD
CANADA $7.00 USD
MOST INTERNATIONAL ORDDERS $9.00 USD
It's a full size mag this time. This issue is 16 pages full color. This issue features some old vannin photos from the late 70s , how to replace the roof skin on a mid dodge, a special article on radical builders, DIY tool highlight, feature van metalstorm, and vanner art by bill Rowe.
Here is a picture of issue one and two to give you an idea on the size change.
Also here was my favorite van I saw at the nats.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Well I've been real busy. I'm getting ready for the van nationals in Ohio. I leave in six days. Issue two of custom vanner magazine is on it's way to me from the printer. Hopefully it looks ok because I don't have time to deal with problems. I get the msg Friday and head to the event Monday. We've been working on new fiberglass parts. 3rd Gen chevy sunvisors are ready and
We just finished the wing mold for 3rd gens as well. We also have a mold for early econo sunvisors now. Here are some pics. Hope everyone is havin a truckin' awesome summer.
We just finished the wing mold for 3rd gens as well. We also have a mold for early econo sunvisors now. Here are some pics. Hope everyone is havin a truckin' awesome summer.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
stripin
I striped a car fender tonight for the beatersville art show. Liberty Tattoo asked me if I had anything. I don't know if they're taking stuff up to the show or if it's something they've been displaying for the month of the show. I don't ask questions. I just do what I'm told. Here's the lines. I used my coop friki tiki brush, and an ed rother White elephant. sure wish I could find my real camera.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
gullwings and no doors and hot rods
Scott,Spence and I gullwinged a factory slider for Kerry out of cleveland last night. Big thanks to those guys for staying up real late and getting her licked. It came out real nice. Odd thing was it was a window slider, so when it's up his gullwing has a sunroof. 
My 68 No door finally made it home. Gotta get the Caprice motor ready for it.
To top it all off hot rod magazine made some mention of my glass doors and Custom Vanner magazine. That was very nice of them. Big thanks to dave wallace for the nice write up. Very good people.
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