CTS Spider

[SuperBuickGuy]

Jet tools, NICE! I thought they only made wood working stuff.

I've migged iron cracks with standard steel mig wire - very scientific method - start engine, let it warm up cracked manifold, grind, weld some, start engine again, grind, weld some more... repeat until no more annoying exhaust leak is heard. It held for years!

I like your method much better. What size tungsten were you using?

I made enough mistakes over the weekend that I need to buy more 1/16" red tungsten... I kept either getting it into the puddle or flinching with the filler rod and touching the tungsten.... DOH, cut off contaminated portion, grind to a point, resume. I'm out of practice, but the last welds looked much better than the first ones, and we have columns to hold up the new mantel, all is not lost.

When I mig'd the holes shut on the Buick heads, I trusted there was enough nickel in the heads (Buick 455s are renown for that) so that steel wire would hold.... so far so good as well. But it was like your situation, not structural - just metal bondo.

I use 1/16" 2% I'd have been better off with 3/32 or even 1/8", but that would have required finding an open welding store on Sunday....

I dunno about Jet, I was using the machine within its tolerance (20 ga.) when it broke - wasn't even 32", was 16" of material. However, my dad has a mill from them that is pretty tough.

[Bob Holmes]

We have the same machine, but we're usually bending aluminum. I hope we don't run into the same problem.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I've not been terribly impressed with the machine, but since I'm used to machines that started at 60 tons - I might have a bit higher standards. Back to my comment awhile ago about all-in-one machines - they do nothing well - describes this one as well... however, for what I paid, it's still a good deal. Hopefully something in the 48" flywheel or hydraulic (yeah, I'm a dreamer) will pop up for a reasonable price before I completely destroy this thing.

[Huskinhano]

Last year at an antique store I bought a book from the 1920's on auto repair. They had a big section on welding cast iron with oxy acetylene. They were welding everything. Gear boxes, I beam front axles, you name it they were welding the cast iron. They even were showing about welding a cracked cylinder wall. The actually cut the external part of the block away to weld the cylinder then welded the section of the block back in! They were even showing the latest new fangled type of welding....arc welding! This arc welder was huge, was about the size of a new Fiat 500. LOL. Interesting book, obsolete but yet current.

[SuperBuickGuy]

It's amazing what processes were developed for the war effort of WWII, prior to WWII airplanes were wood, steel was riveted, and cast iron was heat formed... I honestly think the way I just welded (I learned it from a Miller rep) was done by someone who got tired of listening to the "you-can'ts" and started saying WTF. My dad fits into that first group - the miller salesman was talking to him about welding up a cast iron block, and my dad is (still) convinced that you need special arc welding rod to properly weld cast iron. I'm that annoying person asking the self-appointed expert "why"... fact is most don't have a clue, they only know because someone told them an old wives' tale about how it should have been or used to be... That said, I must say that you need to enjoy the spectacular results (aka, the spectacle) when they did actually know what they are talking about. I've done a scientific study on that phenomena, and found that they're right about 10% of the time, and I'm irritated 90% of the time (okay, maybe gloating a bit too).

anyway, a bit more progress today











firewall is roughed in, next up is the transmission tunnel (the true test of my weld).

[milner351]

what gauge sheet metal are you using? Looking good so far, man that thing is a tight fit!

[SuperBuickGuy]

what gauge sheet metal are you using? Looking good so far, man that thing is a tight fit!

20 ga

[SuperBuickGuy]

a bit more metal work


brake works fine

[Beagle]

I sure hope you aren't going to fill in the neato 5 1/4 holes for the Kracos! haha. j/k.

I saw this today milling around the webs, thought of your project...

not sure if you're gonna fill that gap or what but it might save some fab time for ya.

http://www.fiatconvertibletop.com - Bob's 3.7 Mustang plant had me thinking Fiat but I would have to have a top if I were to un-mothball mine.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I might have even saved the Kracos

I could still use the convertible top on the car, but my first choice is finding a hardtop (found, not quick enough)... that said, I'm not sure I want to encourage my wife to drive this in the rain.

If I don't put any top on it, that boot thing is to cover between the back of the rear seat and the boot for the convertible top (apparently you could actually sit in the back seat with the top up or down).... there's no need as I've eliminated the back seat.

The 3.7 is too wide

[Beagle]

I sat in the back of one when I was six, and whined about it being too small... they aren't seats, they're grocery bag and beer shelves. ;)

okay, I was really thinking 3 cylinder yanmar. You got me.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Well, I needed to clear space on a bench so I chopped out the firewall that I laid out



and my new lay-out room

[milner351]

Looks like the Jet sheer is working just fine, your repair must be holding.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Looks like the Jet sheer is working just fine, your repair must be holding.

funny you should mention that - it is working (although, I've completely given up on the shear). Last night I needed more leverage, and the purchase price didn't include both handles.... It really is on my list of things to go get.... anyway, I was casting about looking for something to put on the other side, and noticed the "holder" for the shear had the same basic dimensions as the arm.... I'll take a picture later today, it worked, but it does look pretty funny.

I'm going to go look at another brake today - I need something with more umph.

[silver_bullet]

Improvise...Adapt...Overcome...not just the byline of the USMC!!! Hot Rodders and Shade-Tree-Engineers have done it for years! I do get the big-power/small-package idea, and I'm not a drag racer, just another gearhead!