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This winter, the Dodge received a couple upgrades. The rear springs were too soft to do a proper burnout, so I changed to some old dirt track race springs.
In addition, she's getting suicide doors. We start right after Christmas, '09.
Getting a new rear suspension, to eliminate wheel hop while doing a burnout. This is the original front spring mount. The original rear spring mount. New mounts made from some 5" channel.
Thanks, Hoff's Machine.
No pic, but it is all in, and works!
Next on the list
is suicide doors and bearclaw latches.
The springs are from a dirt track car, and are a little shorter than the old Volare springs. Mounting it all in.
I'm starting on the right side. This is the original hinge mounting area with sheet metal removed. This is a heavy chunk of steel, about 1/2" thick. Metal removed where new hinge mounts will be. I made new mount anchors from some 1/2 x 3" bar stock. Upper on the left, lower on right. These are drilled and tapped with the original bolt pattern.
New anchor in place. Stationary hinge pieces in. I won't finish the sheet metal work until the doors are on. I scored a couple of parts doors from Steve, after I had my first door cut apart. I will cut the hinges and support structure from these.
Here's a bad shot of the door side hinge and support steel cut out. You are looking at the inside of the hinges, with the exterior hinge pointing down. The door is on. Ed was over giving me a hand. Another view, before latches were welded on.
Latch post is tacked to the door Test fit the latch to cab. Then weld it in.
Door unlatching mechanism I built. Pull the lever back to open from inside, the rod on the bottom goes outside to a knob. I don't have the return spring on yet in this picture. The knob. Push this in to unlatch the door. With the hood on, you can't see it. It is just behind the latch.
Here it is, semi finished. I need to do some grinding, and get Ed to pretty it up. I went to the other side, and finished it Jan 17th. Here's the piece I cut to fill in the roof. Here it is, laying in place.
It's tacked in. Duraglas and some plastic. An old crease was pulled out
And some rust fixed. Plastic is applied and sanded. The other side.
Ed All prepped and ready to shoot. It's in my "paint booth"
Front shot before primer. Cab and grille were shot first. then the bed and hood. It still needs a god cleaning. You can kinda see the snow falling when I took this shot. 2-19-10.
Here it is, in driving trim for this year. Goat will stripe the wheels one of these days soon.