Toms Custom Shop

[tom.marg]

Back on the big exhaust system on the merc tonight welding on the mounts for the rear section of exhaust. Again a little slotted tab with some gussets to locate on to a poly bobbin in compression.

[woody666]

Cracking work Tom!

[tom.marg]

Today was a mix of 2 ends of the scale, getting the exhaust centre section linked up on the turbo civic to the rear box a little fiddly and a few bends later it?s connected, next on that is move the waste gate but today it was time to add the cross member back in on the Merc.
I?m not sure if I previously posted the old cross member, it was pretty rough, it had the prop loop in it that was tube, but hammered flat against the new prop tunnel for clearance, instead of raising the tunnel that was getting put in. Don?t ask.
it was also cut out at the bottom for exhaust clearance but no where near enough baring in in mind the frame sits on the floor. So I?ve cut a length of 80 deep box section to match the original and am positioning it on top of the remaining subs. Then I am going to gusset it up and make it a string join again, likley with some brace place for extra help.

Then I?ll get on to the floor that needs work and the rear shock mock up.

[tom.marg]

I made a start on neatening up the top of the cross member, rather than just boxing off the ends I figured I would taper it down to link on to the 4 link brackets neater. Trimmed, boxed, welded, flatted back and finished up, duplicate it on the other side next.

[tom.marg]

Here you can see I measured out and drilled the holes for the hoop to sit in to, this would not fit back in the car unless some floor removed.
As you can see if any prop was fitted the car wouldn?t have been able to air out!
Keep on trucking

[tom.marg]

A pretty good day today at the workshop. First of all done some dummy drain pipe prop shaft checks with the car fully aired out. It became apparent quite quickly that the prop tunnel that had been put in waa not going to clear the prop.
I cut some floor out and extended the cuts to above the centre of the K member as that needs a little tweak aswell.
Next on to the cross member.
I bend a bit of tube, notched some other tube, welded them together to make a lower catch hoop, difficult as can?t be too low but has to be low enough that with the axle on full droop for example on a 2 poster, the prop doesn?t rest on it. We will likley strap the axle anyway, but just for precaution.

I?m not a fan of welding nuts in to things even though it?s technically the same thing, I had these m12 bungs with a top hat, chucked them in the lathe and lost the top hat, tigged them in to the box section and bolted the lower hoop in.
Then measured how high the top hoop needed to be with the car aired out fully, trimmed that up and welded in to the box section.
Marked out the cut out the centre of the cross member rounded the lower corner ready to box in and weld in to the car again.

keen eyes will notice that I did mess up the bend on the lower hoop it?s slightly offset. An annoying mess up but we discussed Itll do the same job exactly how it is, so decided to live with the 3 deg mistake !

[tom.marg]

I have boxed in the ends of the cut out now slightly curved on the bottom edge , next task is clean all the areas and weld it in to the chassis!

[tom.marg]

What a day. Laying on the floor under the car Mig welding the cross member in to the merc. Reminding me how much I love grinding and mig welding upside down with not a lot of room.
Oh the grinding the dust and sparks haha! I figure get it done!
I then cut some box section the same size as the cross member and shaped it to link to the front side of the original crossmember to the chassis boxing. This is what the 4 link brackets are on so figured it wouldn?t hurt and re enforces the push pull point that?s mainly getting the hits and my new piece becomes a link.
I would have liked to curv the triangle gussets but would be too close to the exhaust system. Either way, considerably better than what it was, the car will now air out, has an exhaust system and prop protection that isn?t hammered flat.
This is now to be parked again for a bit as got a few other bits to sort out.

[jsf55]

Excellent work Tom, lucky to be fit enough to get under there !

[BadAC]

Super work, always an inspiration.

G

[tom.marg]

I wouldn’t say fit enough but somethings have to be done

[tom.marg]

Super work, always an inspiration.

G

just winging it mate

[woody666]

Superb stuff!

[tom.marg]

Morning!
A shove around in the workshop and another ?no more exhausts? project.

[Happydaze]

Neat! Are those 'just' 45 degree cuts with the points taken away or is there more to it?

Chris

[tom.marg]

More too it mate! Specific guess work.

joking, yes as it’s just a straight forward h pipe you can notch the tube like that, just need to measure it right. Similar to a roll cage tube can be notched with cuts over a notcher just gotta cut it in the right place!!!

[tom.marg]

A few from Sunday, the forum seems to be dropping out every now and then recently.

[Happydaze]

I winced when I saw that clamp with the bar hanging down, I have the scars to prove it!

Chris

[tom.marg]

Ha! I’m a tall guy! My heads above that!

[jsf55]

Nice work Tom