Gray Goats Rod and Custom

I included this one just for fun, below are the main accomplishments for the day, rear diagonal braces. Oh and I set the body in place just for fun This was more challenging than it appears at first since the side rails are not at 90 degrees.  The bottom angle is 45 degrees, but the sides are not.  I just marked it and cut it close, then ground it to fit before tacking it in place.

 All the available literature specifies a 5-7 degree positive angle compared to the frames top line with most recommending 5 degrees so that is what I will use on mine.  The question is how to hold the spring mount at 5 degrees, while being sure it is centered on the front tube.   So I found the center, double checked that the frame rails were level Then I made sure it was centered and made this contraption to hold it and have it adjustable. Adjusting the angle is as simple as turning the bolt until the angle finder reads 5 degrees.  Both the frame and mount angle were double checked with a digital level.

 So yesterday The front cross member found it's home, today I refilled the old gas bottles and bent and trimmed the frame rails around the cross member.  Double checking after all this heating and beating revealed that the frame was still square, measuring 114" from corner to corner.  A quick check with a digital level revealed the top edge of the frame is still dead level in every direction. This is how the day started  

 Brief entry today, the front frame horns were trimmed but alas, no gas in the torches so I couldn't bend the tabs down to trim and tack them.  The frame did measure exactly square and the digital level registered 0 degrees in every direction!  Not bad for a 3/4" particle board building table on an old 6' folding table.

Well progress continues on the 27 C Bucket.  Today the second bend was made in the frame rails at the firewall changing the taper so that the rails are the appropriate distance apart to allow the grill shell to fit in its design location.  As soon as time allows the front frame member will be made and tacked in.  At that point I'll be waiting for some custom cut rear frame horns I made patterns for.  Until then here are some shots of the frame as of today     

Today the front cross member went in!!!  It was a little more involved than expected but came out great. These two holes completely wore out a brand new hole cutter bit. The pipe cross member fits firmly between the frame rails and is level and square with the frame. The grill shell was placed back in the proper location and this is the result for today. It remains to be seen if the chin area of the grill shell will need to be trimmed on the bottom for sufficient ground clearance.  

 Well both frame rails are now tapered in the front and have their bends to make them follow the fire wall line While the rails now follow the cowl line by the time they reach the grill shell location they are to close together so another bend illustrated by the lines on the table will be made tomorrow