Chris_Collins Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 Doors done and hung. alignment is very accurate although it did require a bit of Porta Power use to move the cab here and there to provide sufficient gap. Rear tilt bows have also been formed up and fitted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Collins Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 With the engine and drive train fitted and a test run we need the radiator fitted so we can run the engine longer. This is what we have as the best example of a radiator support bracket. Attached Thumbnails Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Collins Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 Nothing to do but have a go at making some new ones. Another job for my go to tool stock- scrap railway line. Forming the top hat section is simple enough. Attached Thumbnails Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Collins Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 The trickier bit was to get 90 degree bends in the ends of the top hat. I already had a strong tool made up for previous job so I added some guides into it. Attached Thumbnails Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Collins Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 The bends could not have worked better. Now just to trim down to size and weld in the mounting plates and bolts. Attached Thumbnails 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Collins Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 All done. The side tabs are where the bracket was soldered to the bottom radiator tank but as all of these had vibrated apart from the tank I thought there is no point in rejoining them as original. I will glue some rubber inside them instead. Attached Thumbnails 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Collins Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 It must be noted that the vast majority of this work is the skill and ingenuity of John (Jack) Neville, especially lately as non-essential movements are curtailed to stop the spread of Covid-19. when i get the chance i pop down to paint things, Jack is the driving force of this project, without which this project would've gone nowhere. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Collins Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 Nothing to do but have a go at making some new ones. Another job for my go to tool stock- scrap railway line. Forming the top hat section is simple enough. Attached Thumbnails 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Collins Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Collins Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 The bends could not have worked better. Now just to trim down to size and weld in the mounting plates and bolts. Attached Thumbnails 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Collins Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 All done. The side tabs are where the bracket was soldered to the bottom radiator tank but as all of these had vibrated apart from the tank I thought there is no point in rejoining them as original. I will glue some rubber inside them instead. Attached Thumbnails 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Collins Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 Radiator in and hoses connected. Time to finish the grills. I have rebuilt two grills but we did not have one decent wire mesh as both had been smashed around the crank handle hole. Chris sourced some stainless steel woven mesh very close in design to the original galvanised wire. We salvaged the wire frame surround and reshaped it back to where it should be as they were both badly twisted. That wire is only 2mm thick so impossible to work with. I needed a frame to work with so I cut a piece of scrap to the shape of the mesh and curved it as needed. Attached Images Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Collins Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 Clamping the mesh over the template it was then trimmed and the wire ends individually folded over the edge at 90 degrees. A very slow process. The mesh then removed. Attached Images Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Collins Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 The wire frame was then inserted inside the mesh and strand by strand each wire folded over, then cut back and curved over the frame with pliers. Another time consuming job but the end result very pleasing. We just need to get specs on the crank hole insert, make that and pop it in place. Attached Images Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Collins Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 The second grill has been completed and now I am finishing off the front guards, which after a couple of repair patches and panel beating are in for sandblasting. What we don't have and Chris has been unable to source is any wing mirror mounts. They are just folded sheetmetal but the base curves to follow the guard profile and there is a small indentation that strengthens the fold. Attached Thumbnails Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Collins Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 Utilising the press block I used previously above to press up the radiator bracket I formed up some steel in a curve and notched out a groove in another block. I pre bent a piece of scrap to get the form started. Attached Thumbnails Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Collins Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 A bit of additional grinding and a few more pieces welded to the block to prevent some distortion and the final result has produced something close to what we need. Attached Thumbnails 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Collins Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 It should be said that without the help of Andrew Bloxham, Mike Shackleton John Morter and the rest of the tilly register we wouldn't have the measurements and reference photos to replicate what we are missing. Cheers Chris 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rewdco Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 Very clever tool making job! And some very nice results! 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rootes75 Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 On 4/23/2020 at 1:04 PM, Chris_Collins said: The trickier bit was to get 90 degree bends in the ends of the top hat. I already had a strong tool made up for previous job so I added some guides into it. Attached Thumbnails I love the homemade press, it looks very effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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