20-JAN-2013
Prepping dash for rollgage idea
When I build my cage I want to be able to remove it for painting of the tub and the roll cage. So instead of putting a hole in the dash and running the tube through it then welding on the floor plates and not be able to remove the cage, I'm going to try and "groove" the dash and then weld a piece of tube that is larger than the 1 3/4" roll cage tubing in the groove. Also I did not want all of the bends in the cage tube that have to be in the tube to be bent around the dash. This will be much stronger because the tube will come straight up from the floor and then only have one bend where it exits the dash to follow the windshield frame angle.
As you can see the holesaw didn't work so well on this side because the pilot drill had nothing to drill into, the drivers side worked better with the holesaw because the pilot drill was able to drill into the dash.
20-JAN-2013
Radius test fit
I was going to use this 2 1/2" tube to weld in place and then cut the front open but it doesn't look like it will work. But at least the groove radius is correct.
20-JAN-2013
Drivers side cut
Both sides are cut and ready to be fitted up with the 2 1/2" pieces of tubing although I might have to change the material from tubing to a custom bent piece of steel to get the length I need to reach the angle.
22-JAN-2013
Body mount spacers
I had some garage time tonight because it was dark when I got home so I Fired up the lathe and faced off all of the body mount spacers that I had cut from some 2.5" aluminum round stock.
22-JAN-2013
Drilling the body mounts
I was able to finish all of the aluminum body mounts, I got them all faced, drilled, and the outside edges machined.
I have been putting off changing out the body mounts mainly because I needed to finish these parts but also because I hear that it is a pain in the butt to get the bolts out. I really need to get them changed out because the previous owner had used some thin wall square tubing as spacers and they are mounted on the outer edge and they don't seem very strong. I picked up a new urethane body mount kit to go with the new spacers as well.
27-JAN-2013
Made a bending jig
I was originally going to use the 2 1/2" tubing for the roll cage slot in my dash by slicing the tubing in half but after taking more measurements the tubing isn't going to work. I need longer straight metal off the bottom part of the tube to get the angle correct.
So I dreaded doing it, but I made a drawing and took a visit to a sheet metal shop to have them make the pieces I needed. (I hate having people make stuff for me that I know I can make if I just had the right tools!) He said he could make them for me but it would be after the weekend before he could start and that the radius would have creased lines every 1/4" or so from the "brake".
So over the weekend I made a jig and was set out to make the parts on my own and the above picture is my beautiful jig.
27-JAN-2013
Greased up
I cut the metal to size and greased it up.
27-JAN-2013
My bending press hydraulic system!
I utilized some modern ingenuity, a floor jack and the weight of my truck!
27-JAN-2013
My custom die lined up
Now the moment of truth to see if this is even going to work!
27-JAN-2013
The press and die are working!
A couple of strokes of the handle and it was bending like butter.
27-JAN-2013
All the way in
It actually bent perfect and very easy, now to do one more.
27-JAN-2013
Perfect radius
The tubing worked great as a die for this bend.