Should I? Another redneck custom

[wallfish 15,919]

22 hours ago, WHX24 said:

Yah ...ah... well 'Fish.... we like HP! 

I forgot how you are about the kids.  LoL 

Scrub the peddle car 

[dells68 7,494]

Well, I finally got back to my creation - it’s been a long week with something to do every night.  I just finished tacking the tins together.  I’m using my new inverter welder - talk about a learning curve!  It burns much hotter and blows through much easier than my old transformer welder!  Both are flux core, but this little dude really has the punch!  More later.

[dells68 7,494]

Well, I got the front cut out for my legs and @Ed Kennell my arse barely fits between those tubs!  I’m going to have to stiffen that body up some before I go much farther.  Any good ideas?

[Ed Kennell 35,770]

Dell, when your back far enough to  to clear the shifter, can you still straddle the frame and belt guard?  

   That's where I had a problem and had to trim away the front corners of the wheel well.

I didn't have a stiffness problem as I had the floor boards to help support the fenders in the front.

 

[dells68 7,494]

55 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

Dell, when your back far enough to  to clear the shifter, can you still straddle the frame and belt guard?  

   That's where I had a problem and had to trim away the front corners of the wheel well.

I didn't have a stiffness problem as I had the floor boards to help support the fenders in the front.

 

Ed I’m going to be close.  I think I can spread enoughwith just the shifter and reach the foot rests, but I’m wondering how I’ll do the belt guard.  I’ve got one from a late 60’s or early 70’s tractor that I don’t mind dicing into.  I may have to modify some once I get to it.  Somehow it seems that this one is going to be a test of my ability to do some backwoods engineering!

[ebinmaine 63,140]

Dell when I was trying to get the mongrel 1267/87 to go I had to modify the belt guard by riveting a long L bracket to the inside of it.

 

If want that for parts or whatever just pay the freight and it's yours.

 

[Ed Kennell 35,770]

2 hours ago, dells68 said:

Ed I’m going to be close.  I think I can spread enoughwith just the shifter and reach the foot rests, but I’m wondering how I’ll do the belt guard.  I’ve got one from a late 60’s or early 70’s tractor that I don’t mind dicing into.  I may have to modify some once I get to it.  Somehow it seems that this one is going to be a test of my ability to do some backwoods engineering!

If you leave the frame right side up as you have it now, you should be able to use a stock  belt guard, cross shaft , clutch pulley, and steering assembly.

Turning the frame upside down and adding a second frame under this one to get the engine low really complicated mine.

I had to add a fixed idler to keep the belt low and moved the clutch idler and cross shaft forward right behind the engine.

With the front axle above the fame, I had to move the tie rod linkage to the front of the axle to make the steering work.

In my first arrangement, when I turned the wheel right, the front wheels turned left.   

I don't want to muddy your ideas, but if you get stuck, I can send you some detailed pictures of mine. 

[dells68 7,494]

Thanks guys.  I’m not looking for super low,  it rather a healthy stretch and hot rod rake.  I cut the frame and added 12.5” to the length.  I really wanted 16-18” or stretch and I’m too cheap to buy more angle since I had a 25” piece.  I think I’m going to have to use a steering wheel disconnect to allow easy entry and exit.  A few pics of the night’s progress.

[Pullstart 59,725]

Yeah, you’re making the right decision to go arse deep into this build!  Do you have any drill rod or rebar that you could stiffen the tub lip and grind in?

[dells68 7,494]

43 minutes ago, pullstart said:

Yeah, you’re making the right decision to go arse deep into this build!  Do you have any drill rod or rebar that you could stiffen the tub lip and grind in?

The tub lip itself is pretty stiff.  It’s the flex in the bottom of the tub where it bolts to the tranny that’s giving me trouble.  I’ve tried to figure out reinforcements, possibly a thick plate bolted or welded in the bottom, or ?  I’m open to any ideas!!

[oliver2-44 8,852]

To stiffen the pan could you use some contact cement and laminate a piece of 3/4 plywood across the bottom.  The plywood might become the bottom part of your seat frame. If you had a piece of Baltic Birch plywood you might even be able to go 1/2" thick.   

[Tractorhead 8,611]

I would set 2 angle iron outside along the fenders in lower section welded and enforced between them

with a 5mm thick steel plate between them, to stiffened the bottom where the mounting points are.

But not in the whole depth, just like a H shape.

 

So the complete bottom will be more stiffer, but it lifts at this 5m up.

 

if you do this underneath, the optics internally still can be kept as it is.

just the gap between Frame and The pan will be lifted up to 5mm.

 

Maybe that give you also enough gap for a original Pulley and belt combo without any need of idlers.

 

But it‘s hard to see on that picts.

Edited February 16, 2020 by Tractorhead

[Ed Kennell 35,770]

      I added 1X1" angle pieces under my seat pan where  there were some open spaces.     A left to right between the shifter and the tanny bolting pad and behind the tranny pad.

Then tied together with  two front to back Vee shaped pieces  that were narrow at the front and wide at the back.    After I welded it together, I had to trim some of the pieces to get it to sit down on the bolting pad. Some of the points actually are supported by touching the top of the tranny.

Very similar to  @Tractorhead s description.

[wallfish 15,919]

Here's another option to the above 2 methods. A combination of them will allow for thinner material to be used. When the wheel wells are solid it will hold everything tight and limit vibration.

 

A U joint in the steering wheel shaft will allow it to be moved out of the way if the top mounting point can swivel up and be pinned to lock it in position when driving it. Kinda like an old school BMW Isetta does. Also allows you to position the steering wheel lower and or angled different if that straight shaft isn't comfortable to reach.

 

[tom2p 2,393]

On 2/11/2020 at 8:41 AM, Ed Kennell said:

I had the same problem with the Low Rider Dell.  I pushed the seat bucket sides out as far as I could and it is still tight and getting tighter.

You may want to make some spacers to push the wheels out a couple inches.   Your "arse" will thank you some day.

 

After I had the seat bucket to this point, I squeezed in and found I couldn't get my legs apart enough to straddle the console.  I had to rework the front end to clear my legs.

 

Big Daddy Don Garlits would approve !

[tom2p 2,393]

18 hours ago, dells68 said:

Well, I got the front cut out for my legs and @Ed Kennell my arse barely fits between those tubs!  I’m going to have to stiffen that body up some before I go much farther.  Any good ideas?

thin sheet / sheets of carbon fiber would do the trick ;  attach / bond with some type of adhesive 

 

obviously not the type of material most have laying around in garage

 

 

Edited February 16, 2020 by tom2p

[dells68 7,494]

Ok, needing some help here.  Seems I have almost every wheel horse part I need except this one.  Does anyone have the cast lever that actuates the brake and clutch - mounts on the brake side with 2 holes - 1 for the brake and one for the rod running to the clutch!brake pedal?  Let me know if you have one you’d like to sell.

[ebinmaine 63,140]

I'm sure I've got one from the B and C series out there but it's likely buried in snow/ice. (Under the tarp).

I can check the workshop to see what's laying around there.

 

[rjg854 10,737]

yes I have one Dell, it's off a '68 Commando 8

[Pullstart 59,725]

And I’ve got one from a Commando 800 and maybe more   take your pick Buddy!

[Jennifer 1,872]

Hubby said he has one he will donate to the cause!  He should be getting ahold of you soon.

[dells68 7,494]

A little more progress tonight.  I made up a stubby steering column and mount.  I still want to put a gusset on each side to be sure it will be good and solid.  I also welded angle down the inside of each tub and connected with a piece of flat stock.  I then mounted u bolts over the axles up through the angle I just welded in.  I’ll eventually put a pvc pipe piece between the axle housing and the body to make sure it stays solid.  And no, don’t adjust your TV set - there’s a gap between the angle and tubs because the floor of the tub still tilts inward a little at this spot making it impossible to fit the angle iron flush.  A little seam sealer and you’ll never know it was there.

[Greentored 3,201]

On 2/11/2020 at 3:59 PM, CCW said:

 

My father always said if you enjoy doing it it is not work.  He would spend hours in the field "playing" on the Christmas tree farm. It was his WH that I inherited.

 

 

On 2/11/2020 at 5:02 PM, dells68 said:

That is exactly what I call it - playing.  When I get a chance to play in the garage, I almost feel guilty that I'm enjoying time doing something I enjoy by myself.  I guess we all need a little therapy and mine just happens to be playing with horses.

 

Since purchasing some property/weekend getaway 4 months ago, I hear this a lot.  "Hon, I got a ton of work done around the property this weekend, the Wheel Horse got lots of use! I also did some more work in the garage."  "Theres plenty of work needed inside the house, but you played on the tractor and played in the garage all weekend." 

Anytime one can be accomplishing necessary work, yet people see it as 'playing', life is pretty good!

 

However, the old saying- "Do what you love for a living and you never work a day in your life."?  Im living proof that this can bit you right in the arse. I ate, slept and breathed hotrods all my life, so opened a hotrod shop. The new saying is "Do what you love for a living and you wont love it for long."  No I do not mind most says at work, but it destroyed the hobby......

ok, back on the subject now....

[953 nut 51,690]

On 2/15/2020 at 9:58 PM, dells68 said:

 I think I’m going to have to use a steering wheel disconnect to allow easy entry and exit.

      If you cut the shaft a few inches above the new "stubby steering column mount" a piece of 3/4" ID mechanical tubing could be welded to the upper shaft and pinned to the lower shaft when driving.     

[Ed Kennell 35,770]

lookin good Dell.   If it is difficult getting in the tub, you can always move the entire steering assembly forward on the frame by shortening the horizontal shaft.