Hi,
I started this project over 2 years ago and am getting close to being finished but still a lot to do.
I started with building my version of the rotisserie.  It was made from 2" 11 gauge box steel.  The gears are from a ww1 navy  metal lathe. I will be making post as often as possible and will try to answer  any questions you may have.  
Thanks for looking.
Phil Crawford

I lifted the body off using these holes in the body and it worked well.

I have a trolly system in my shop to move stuff around.  I live in a rural area and don't have much help moving things. I lifted the body off of the new frame several times during the build, it was nice to just do it and not have to wait for help. .

I don't think I could have done this job with out the rotisserie.  I am too old to be crawling around on the ground.

Replacing a little metal and I guess dirt dobbers like TR's too. I cut out the old metal and welded in some new.

There is no shortage of rust on these old cars you just have to deal with it and cut back the bad metal and weld in new.

I am welding the seam on the rear fender and this is part of it.

Took the rotisserie off to do a little work on the rust around the lic. lights.

I am building a complete frame and this the platform I intend to build it on. I squared it and leveled it and bolted it to the floor with anchors in the concrete. You can see the motor and trans. in the back ground. It is a 4.8L lsx out of a 07 chevy truck that a tree fell on it.  It has 23k miles and its drive by wire with a 4l60e trans.

Welded plate where the wheels go.

Started to mock up the front end.  The front edn is a mustang II after market from speedway with a generic cross member. I bought the generic cross member because I new I would have to cut it no mater witch one I bought.


Set the body back on to check clearance with the wheels.  The wheels came off of a mustang. Got them on craig's list.  They are 245/45 R17.

Had to trim a little metal but very little. The after market Mustang II after market are really good front end that are reasonable to purchase, repair and handle very good.

Once the overall with was figured I cut the excess out of the cross member about 5 inches.  Put the pieces I cut off on the inside and welded them in through 1/2" holes in the member then I butt welded it up.




Once the cross member was welded and aligned on the platform just the was it sits at ride height it was welded to the platform.

Starting to look like a front end with a motor.

Laying out the frame rails.  They taper towards the front.  They are 2" x 3" 11 gauge about 1/8" thick and they are very strong.

Making these compound cuts took a lot of grinding and fitting but came out well.

Just another view.

Had to narrow the rack the same amount as the cross member.  The alluminum ends are pressed on the tube and are not real hard to remove but the area where they sit is a smaller diameter than the rest of the tube.  Also had to shorten the rack shaft and rethread the ends.  My lathe is the same age as I and like me it doesn't look real good but it still works ok most of the time.

Put the body back on and making body mounts.

Extending frame forward and looking steering.  The steering was a night mare.

Cutting some rusty metal out and getting to make the hole a little bigger.



Had to kick the frame up and reduced it is size to 2x2".

Making sure everything fits.



Upper body mount and upper four link mount.

You can see the upper four link mount.  I drilled a 3/4" hole then took a piece of 3/4" bar and drilled a 1/2" hole in it on the lathe.  Slipped it in the hole and welded it in place. Makes a strong mount that won't collapse when tightened..


This is the removable trans. mount done the same way as the four link through bolt.

Thankyou for this detail. It needs a lot of knowledge and tenacity.

Over here in the wet, I'd be thinking about painting the frame with POR15, and coating it internally with wax. Likewise the shell.
Perhaps not an issue for you. Hard to imagine living where it never rains. As I write, the water is dripping into the sump of our drainage system in the basement of our 400 yo cottage...

Ivor

Awesome work Phil.  Looking forward to  watching your progress!

Hi Ivor,
I live in south louisiana and know all about rain and heat. I spent 2 years in Banbury I think it is in Oxffordshire many years ago and know about your weather. I am past the painting stage but thinking about foam filling the frame but don't know much about it.  The car is painted and I am wiring as we speak but I have a lot more photo's and post to come.
Thanks for looking
Phil

Rob,
Thanks for looking.  Just finished gluing veneer on the dash have to take some photo's.
Phil

Going to be a very sweet ride! Nice work!

Phil welcome to British V8!  I have seen all this stuff on the Six-Pack forum and it is so good that It is worth a second viewing! Phil I like your shop, you definitely have the space and right tools to get the job done.

Cheers
Byron

I live not too far from you. I know there is a V6 mgb in sela I see sometimes, and my V6 alpine, Glad to see another one in these parts.

Don
It has been a growing experience and have learned a lot.  I believe my wife will be happy when I finish.
Thanks for looking
Phil

Byron,
Good to hear from you and how is your car comming.  You must be close to finishing. I have been wanting to post on this site but just haven't had the time but finally decided to just do it. How is the weather?  I wore short pants in the shop with the doors open.
Good to hear from you.
Phil

Robbie,
Thanks for looking and where do you live?
Phil

Started making the motor mounts.


Before the body was lifted off of the old frame I cut a piece of wood that would fit the shape of the underside of the hood along with a lot of dimensions which allowed me to make a pattern and weld it to the spring support. I knew everything had to be under the piece of steel.


This saved lots of time and second guessing what will fit.  The motor could have gone lower but the oil pan would have been hanging below the frame.




Left side motor mounts.  A lot of welding and grinding.

When ever I but welded I always weld a gusset on both sides of the but weld.  I am not the best welder in the world so better safe than sorry or worse dead.


Welding the body mounts to the frame.  I had tacked them when the body was last on the car.  I made them out of 1/8" flat bar.

Looking at the steering and where to run it.  I did it 3 separate times with the lost one after the body was on and everything bolted down.  What a night mare.

More steering.  The ear with the hole was removed and relocated.  Had to cut the ear off of the motor to make the steering work.  Had to go between the 1 and3 cylinder header.  Tight fit.

This steering mount didn't work either.

I am installing a 9" ford diff. and this is the third member out of it. Getting ready to narrow the axel.

I narrowed the axel about 6".  Cut the old bearing end off cleaned it up on the lathe and welded it back on the tube.  There is a bit more to it than that but that is another story.

Test fitted the brakes.  They are supposed to bolt right on but ended up welding them because of clearance problems. These are 11.5" gm metric brakes.

Another look at the narrowed diff. housing.

Test fitting the diff.  The horz. bar behind the diff. will be the top coil overs mounting.

Once the diff is in the correct position I tack it into place and it will stay there until everything is attached to it.

Another look at diff.

Test fitting the body over the diff. Had to make the hump bigger in the car for the diff.

Replacing  some rusty areas and making room for the engine and trans.

One floor board tacked into place. Really didn't loose much room by the pedals but more to the rear and even more on the passenger side.  The shift lever on the side of the trans had to be shortened.

Wasn''t much metal left down here had to replace it.  I used 16 gauge for the floors and other stuff.  I had a 4' x 8' piece and used all of it.

Had to make room for the header on both sided of the car.

Replacing the right floor board.  The wooden arc is my pattern for the trans. cover and transition piece.

Different views of the firewall and replacement of the metal where the battery used to sit.  You can bend this metal easily by scoring it with a cutoff wheel on a side grinder then bending it over an edge.

The lokar shifter is supposed to sit on top of the trans in front of where it is now.  Had to modify the existing bracket and arms.

Had to make a new trans. tunnel cover.  Used bubble wrap that is used for insulation in campers as the mold. Laid it over the trans. and taped it into place and tapped everything I didn't want the resin to stick to and sprayed everything with furniture polish.  Laid 2 coats of fiber glass cloth and saturated it with resin.  Allowed to harden and then I pried it up and trimmed it.  Like magic a trans. tunnel cover. It's a pretty blue and translucent.



A little primer and it looks great.  Light and strong.