Andy Tuttle

Hey!!! I got some pieces (somewhere!) that look similar to that! Looks like I can put them on as rolling chassis! Thanks for posting that pic Tony! That will give me more work to do on the front before I move further back on the frame. I am watching you carefully, as I have some issues on body mounts 2 &3 . Different from yours, and my actual body looks really good, but I will have some frame problems to work through. Keep up the good work my friend, it is looking great!

doorgunner

Yep..........I feel like the village idio.......errrrr.......village BLACKSMITH after hammering that bent extension flat again.

Time for some Aleve so I can go to sleep!

SB64

Nice to see my pictures are helping. Makes me feel good. Keep the bolts loose on the extensions. Makes things easier to get things aligned later.
RVZIO

doorgunner

NOW I remember who sent me that pic of the rolling chassis

Here are some more "While I'm at it Pics". It's been 35 years since the car has seen these parts since Bubba didn't need them/he had a good supply of angle iron!!!

Here are the repair pics....not spiffy, but stout....spiffy will happen when I have the frame "Boiled" to remove the rust inside and out.....



"Corner" and weld nut completely missing?????.............







Area above repaired..............................









Angle Iron because............................????? ??.................












Member Mercury20 gave me a good deal on the crossmember $400 (just kidding)........I bolted the straightened extensions to it.......................









I ran out of bolts (had to cut the original bolts off)........so I butted the bumper extensions against the crossmember to get a complete pic of this morning's work......whew.....

doorgunner

While doing errands for "Precious" I picked up about $30 in nuts/bolts/spare hardware/etc to hold all the parts together......







But......."While I'm at it" I MUST rebuild Bubba's radiator support.....there is no provision to connect the lower part of the support to the lower crossmember.......No Big Deal.

I need to check with Sigforty and measure his radiator support to see if the aftermarket aluminum radiator I installed last year will fit a big-block radiator support............WHEW!

Andy Tuttle

Thanks Roger! I appreciate that timely tidbit cuz I can guarantee you I would of torqued those extension bolts and had it snugged good and then struggled with it later wondering what I did wrong! Since Dad left a lot of bolts loose I tend to tighten everything except what I know not to tighten, such as the rear end when I get there. Anyway, many thanks!

Andy Tuttle

But......."While I'm at it" I MUST rebuild Bubba's radiator support.....there is no provision to connect the lower part of the support to the lower crossmember.......No Big Deal.

I need to check with Sigforty and measure his radiator support to see if the aftermarket aluminum radiator I installed last year will fit a big-block radiator support............WHEW![/QUOTE]

How much difference is there between a small block and big block radiator support? Not sure which I have but am guessing it is small block since that is the direction Dad was headed. Now I need to go look through my baskets of filing to see if I have those bumper mounts. I don't recall seeing anything like that.

doorgunner

I think the big block radiator covers most of the area between the fender wells......Experts could give you accurate info about the size.

While you are looking...if you have a spare "horsecollar"/front bumper support for a '68 (similar to the pic)----I'll buy it!!!.............




Thanks for the diagram Willcox

Andy Tuttle

I think I have one of those! But only one . Good luck!

SB64

Tony I have one that you can have. Two things , just cover shipping and I need to find it. I think it's in the POD. May take me some time.
RVZIO

doorgunner

Tell me about it!











R....."sounds too cheap to me...what's wrong with it?"

LOL.....just kidding!

Would you like a check/money order/Pay Pal/ or gold coins?




NOW........out to the garage to make Bubba's radiator support last until the body comes off this winter!

loup68

Tony, your right side front bumper outer brace is bent!!!! My company made these, and there are quite a few different one's. You really should get two new one's or two good used 68-69 one's. 70-72 have a steeper angle to them, but really make more sense to use, if you bump something. But you need different brackets that attach to the braces.Tony the shape of these are very critical, as they locate the outer front bumper and the body there. I just remembered that they quit making the 68-69 reproduction one's. Also, no one reproduces the front center bumper bracket, the horse collar. Lou.

SB64

Hey Tony, I have those also and yes I also have to find them. Sorry!
May take a little time.
RVZIO

doorgunner

Thaanks Lou....I was so tired that I didn't even compare the two braces...I'll get the hydraulic bench press out of the attic and work on the right one.






Don't worry about the bumper braces/the center bumper support will be great when you find it.....let me know what it will be to "bag n' tag n' ship it/I'll send you the $$ now so you wont have to go into the piggy bank.



I manage to lower the body onto the new spacers without pinching/breaking any thing.....I took a couple pics..........












The gap at the driver-door went from 1/2" wide to 1/32" wide at the rear.......by the time I add shims and adjust the door forward the large gap at the front of the door should be O.K. (if not I will build it out with fiberglass)










I still need to use the body alignment holes under the door sills to get the body straight on the frame/those 6" all-thread studs really made lowering the body a one-man job/I lowered each "corner" a couple inches at a time.

Rescue Rogers

I like your all thread trick.

doorgunner

I learned it from other Forum members


I also did a Bubba 2.Ohhhh upgrade on my oversize aluminum radiator....I remove his flimsy little "angle iron radiator support/crossmember" and proceeded to manufacture a heavy duty new improved state-of-the-art angle iron radiator support until I can test fit a big-block support!








I need to fill in/seal around the sides of the radiator with foam.




Now I can finally install the crossmember/brace assembly..................

SB64

Moving right along Tony. Go man Go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

R

doorgunner

Thanks R.......it's a race to do as much as I can before the PTSD hits me again (It never goes away/it just kicks-in full force at times )

Good thing you guys are keeping an eye on me..... it looked so good that I thought that it was a factory bend on the bumper brace.


Now......back to the garage.............................

loup68

Thank you for listening to me, Tony. That brace has to be very precise to locate that 3/8" hole through the body and hold the ends of the front bumper. It also with the center bracket, holds up the whole heavy nose. Like I said, there is another small bracket (extension) that bolts to the end of the "dog leg" brace. The 68-69 one is off set. The 70-72 one is like a U. Because the 68-69 brace is lower, and the extension is off set, if you hit something, Like a car bumper when your original calipers leak, the front bumper will bend upward. The 70-72 brace and extension are in line with the hole in the front bumper outer nuts. If you bump something, the force is straight back. Don't ask me how I know This!!!! Lou.

MSGT-R

Oh damn! (don't hit anything)..
I'm working on this area right now; freaking heavy so I took it out in installments.