damned gm welding monkeys
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damned gm welding monkeys
Ugh...what a pita, I've been at this forever and still am not finished. Grinding out all those poor welds and laying down fresh beads (short sections to allow frame to cool and not warp)... I thought I was nearly finished but sure enough found some more fine examples of the welding skills applied to our cars.
Nice splatter, misses and porous beads. What happened to quality control, I can't believe this left the factory that way.
I laid down some new beads
another day wasted...fixing stuff that shouldn't need fixin' at all.
At least I got some other stuff done as well
Nice splatter, misses and porous beads. What happened to quality control, I can't believe this left the factory that way.
I laid down some new beads
another day wasted...fixing stuff that shouldn't need fixin' at all.
At least I got some other stuff done as well
Last edited by Twin_Turbo; Apr 30, 2005 at 02:51 PM.
Thread Starter
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it's missing most of the components, still needs the toe rod and upper camber rod (the toe rod is lying on the diff), just slapped the thing together to position the shock and figure out where it needs to go.
Race Director
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by Twin_Turbo
it's missing most of the components, still needs the toe rod and upper camber rod (the toe rod is lying on the diff), just slapped the thing together to position the shock and figure out where it needs to go.
Is that your shock positon?? If so I am not crazy about it.
I need nice weather, my car is sitting finished and ready for it's maiden voyage.
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No LOL, the shock will sit almost vertical, I had nowhere to put the upper mount so I put a long allen head bolt through the shock eye and pushed the bolt into a hole in the frame there, keeps the shock in plce while I'm messing about w/ stuff around it
I can get the surface pretty clean, a little wire brushing to remove the coating and other grime, then I use some nasty alkalyc cleaner and wipe off w/ isopropyl alcohol. That leaves a nice clean surface, no contaminations and a single pass will be perfect.
It was nice weather here, will be tomorrow also.
I can get the surface pretty clean, a little wire brushing to remove the coating and other grime, then I use some nasty alkalyc cleaner and wipe off w/ isopropyl alcohol. That leaves a nice clean surface, no contaminations and a single pass will be perfect.
It was nice weather here, will be tomorrow also.
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Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,608
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From: Canberra AUSTRALIA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
TT,
I keep kicking myself in the *** everytime I look under my frame at the crappy GM welds. I had the frame down to bare metal and I didn't reweld it (or even finish what the factory half started).
I think you will have a nice rigid frame when that is done. I am not convinced that mine is rigid right now.
Are you putting in any cross-braces or just doing the gussets near suspension areas?
Cheers,
Pete
I keep kicking myself in the *** everytime I look under my frame at the crappy GM welds. I had the frame down to bare metal and I didn't reweld it (or even finish what the factory half started).
I think you will have a nice rigid frame when that is done. I am not convinced that mine is rigid right now.
Are you putting in any cross-braces or just doing the gussets near suspension areas?
Cheers,
Pete
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Canberra AUSTRALIA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Originally Posted by Twin_Turbo
I'm doing a full 12 pnt cage so flexing shouldn't be a thing to worry about
I guess you need a nice rigid frame to handle the power of the two high speed engine bay heaters you have
Pete
Drifting
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From: Manchester, Dead Center in the Middle of TN 25 miles to Jack Daniels,10 miles to Geo Dickle, and .8 mile from the Liquor Store at I-24 Exit 114
St. Jude Donor '05
TT have you completed the frame mounts for the Six Link yet? I'd like to see pic's of them if so. jim
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Prosouth, six link? You mean the upper camber rods like what norval has? Not ready yet. see the big beam in the lower pic (w/ the gloves lying on it?) another beam will run in front of the batwing and it will mount the upper shock mounts, I'm going to run 2 bars lengthwise (front to rear) between those 2 and mount the camber and toe control rod inner mountings off that.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 958
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From: In the Beautiful Shenandoah Valley of VA
Twin Turbo, it's funny you should mention GM's poor welding techniques back in the 70s. I had just started sandblasting the trailing arm from the drivers side of my '74 and stopped because I thought that I was blasting through the metal. As this picture shows, it was simply a case of "damn, I can't hit the right spot with the welder".
While I would imagine that this part like most came from outside GM"s actual plants (subcontractor), it sure does show the level of quality that was going on back in those days.
Steve
While I would imagine that this part like most came from outside GM"s actual plants (subcontractor), it sure does show the level of quality that was going on back in those days.
Steve
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by Twin_Turbo
I'm doing a full 12 pnt cage so flexing shouldn't be a thing to worry about
The problem with a welded in cage is the body is no longer going to come off. You are stuck. It means you have to finish the body completely then start on the cage with all the welding problems within the limited space between the floor pan and the frame.
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I have to figure that out, still have to go pick up the cage (it's in a storage facility somewhere). I'll probably weld it to baseplates on the frame, tack it to the baseplates and finish welding the cage, remove it from the frame, powdercoat the frame, weld cage back on and finish the welded sections w/ paint matching the powdercoat. The cage bars are bent to be welded to the inside of the frame next to the a pillaars and on the frame in the rear and the front, I won't use standoffs I'll probably will weld in a section that functions as a reinforcement and as part of the floor...hard to explain, but I still have to figure it out. Limited space between floor and pan? Just cut open the floorr, I don't see the problem. I already removed a good bit of the floor as it is.
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
You have to commit the body to the frame before you can weld in the cage and you seem to be able to take it off and put it back on at will. One of these days you are going to have to say enough and put the body on for good so the cage can be installed and there goes you easy acces to frame modifications.
Really a car like a mustang is alot nicer to work with, no decisions on when to work on the body and when can I install the cage.
I am anxious to see how you do on the cage.
Really a car like a mustang is alot nicer to work with, no decisions on when to work on the body and when can I install the cage.
I am anxious to see how you do on the cage.
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I can install the body in 15 minutes, I'll drop it on when I have the cage, then I'll tack in the cage and will then probably weld the cage to the body and seperate body/cage from the frame. I will make sure all the frame modifications are done when I take that step. Should have that suspension tied up pretty soon.