I have
decided to start work on installing the front straight
axle. The first decision was to use the original frame
or cut it off and start new with a tube frame. Looking
back on it that is the way I should have gone but was
given guidance to try and use the original frame. That
frame is not straight enough in a long enough section to
just weld the spring purchases to. I will need to widen
the front mount point to accept the front spring
purchases.
The first
order of business was to plan out what I would need to
build the chassis and get some parts here so that work
can start. I am also attending classes and the first two
weeks of the Hot Rod Institute is pretty much all
classes and comps (Comps are in shop tests (doing welds
and getting them graded). This will give vendors and
shippers time to get the parts ordered so that there is
no delay when it is time to start work
Boxes have started to arrive. I
paced my orders with Keith Burgan (Roo Man) of Roo Man
MotorSports, his parts company is Vintage Racing Supply
Laid the parts out just to get a
feel for what I have gotten myself into.
Put
everything aside and will now start to concentrate on
the front end.
First up was to add some strength
to the front cross member. This was done by adding some
gussets between the frame and cross member. I used a
duplication plasma cutting machine to create these
gussets.
Now to
widen out the front of the chassis so that I can mount
the spring purchases and add more gussets for more
strength.
I will never mount directly to the
original frame, but add a plate to mount to. What you
see here is the base plate for the rear spring mount of
the front leave spring for the straight axle.
First look at what has been in my
mind.
Note the addition of yet another
guest to the front spring perch
In this picture you can see the
additional perches on both sides welded in
