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There's a new one coming

106K views 1K replies 52 participants last post by  roncallo 
#1 ·
Just cleaned up a truck load full of parts that I got for my latest project.

The man cave is now up and running and its time to finish Samson and get started on a new project.

The plan is to build components that will refine Samson to a factory like build while making completely new revised 3D models for future fabrication. Alot needs to be done and in the process I believe Samson will be repainted.

First on the list is to address the limited slip differential. Then
Speedometer
AC
Windshield washers
Cold air intakes

All parts will be fabricated in two's. One set for Samson One for a future project.

stay tuned.
 

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#71 · (Edited)
Had to work yesterday but today just sucked. Nothing to speak of done.

Some bad news. I just found that one of the custom made parts was not correct. These are the parts that mount my subframe to the tooling plate. My fault I drew it wrong. $140 for what will now be my next welding practice parts. But that will be after I shim them for the moment.

Also just got in all the differential mounting hardware. Hard to believe $460.00 in parts fits in that little tiny box. And to think these are all the parts I threw out when I built Samson.
 

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#72 ·
3-3-18 Progress

I'm guessing that most of you cant figure out what these tools I'm making do. Finally got to use some of them today so now. I can show you.

First let me describe the end produce as shown in the first picture.

These are wheel speed sensor mounts required for the 722.6 5 speed automatic transmission. Two of them are required for each vehicle. I am making 4 because they are easier to make that way and really don't cost much to make or take a significant amount of time once you have the tooling and its all set up.

The outside shell of these part are made out of a 6" OD piece of DOM tube which gets welded to a laser cut flange that mounts to the differential side covers.

Ten years ago when I last did this I had to cut the DOM on a lathe and all I had was a 3 jaw chuck. It had to be done in a lathe to assure square. Parting a 6" piece of DOM, cantilever mounted in a three jaw chuck is a really scary operation. But I did it and that was when I decided that to really do this I would need a custom mandrel to hold the DOM. So I made that expandable collet out of aluminum with the steel cones to expand the collet inside the pipe. With the tube cut square The ends were pocketed with a boring bar to allow the laser cut plates to pilot into the ends of the tube so that even I can weld them.

You can see the cutting an piloting operations in these Videos.

These operations are both allot smoother when was off the camera and had two hands on the machine.






Next comes the welding and machining fixture it holds the two laser cut flanges indexed to each other and mounted in the tube for welding. Later on this fixture will be mounted to a cast iron plate shown earlier in this thread so that the whole assembly can be mounted into a milling machine for further machining.

The last picture showes how the mounts will be extracted from the tube.
 

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#76 ·
OK my age got to me. I forgot to order the long allen wrench and bolts required to mount it to the rotary table. They are on order now.

Last time this pocketing operation was carried out after the parts were partially cut out and clamped rather dangerously into a vice. see the first picture.

Next week (if I get off) that barrel will be bolted down to that rotary table. The table will be flipped over on its side and the four pockets will be cut by rotating the table in 90 degree increments.
 

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#77 ·
John, I hope you're making a few sets of these.
Or at least 2 sets.
The cost of the tooling means you're going to have to offset costs with a small production run... *wink*
 
#81 ·
RC, after sitting in your ride years ago, I hope that one day I have enough money to purchase one of your creations. Riding in Samson was truly one of those rare delights resulting from the godlike alchemy of your expertise and those in Sindelfingen.

I check in on this thread semi-weekly. You are truly a wizard amongst a simple wrencher such as myself!
 
#82 · (Edited)
So for today. Allen wrench and screws came if.

Pictures of the following will be added when I get my security token.

1) Cutting pockets for the wheel speed sensors shown with spacing block installed.

2) Testing the fit of everything.

3) Cutting lightning holes.

4) Hand job to extract the parts. Don't quite have the rotary table geared to the table yet.

5) Rough Cut

6) Ground and Cleaned

7) Whoopsi fixed

8) Set up in jig for welding.

9) Ready for paint

10) A little whoopsi with the milling machine.
 

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#86 ·
At this point I pretty much have everything to do a differential swap of some kind. But I decided to hold off until I can complete my other tooling and get that project out of the way. I also spent some time today building a welding light. Hopefully I will be able to weld better if I can see what I'm welding.
 

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#87 ·
A little more work on the welding light. I tack welded the mounting plate in place. I will leave the real welding to a real welder on this.

The rest of the parts required for that will be in this week.

More work on the subframe fixture. The mounts have been RTVd in place. I will let them cure overnight. Then I can remove the subframe and transfer punch the mounting holes.

A lot more work is required for the subframe plate. Once the plate is punched, the coordinates of the punches need to be mapped and reverse engineered to the final position. Then the plate can be drilled for inserts. Then steel plates need to be designed to place over all the areas where the mounts touch the plate. Finally four upright post need to be fabricated to restrain the subframe at the subframe mount area.
 

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#88 ·
Got a little more lathe time in tonight. These will be the end caps for the welding light. I also pulled the subframe off and transfer punched the mounting holes.
 

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#89 ·
You're building up quite a fabrication shop.
I have a small Welder too.
Never thought there was such a thing as a "Welding Light" but I learn more every day.
Certainly I could improve my welding if I could see too.
How difficult was it to make?
 
#94 ·
Not a tig fan then eh John?

is it wire feed or weld appearance that pushes you to a mig?
 
#96 ·
Todays pics

I got the welding light back from the welder.

Hopefully this weekend I will have it complete.
 

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#97 ·
Light is done except for the soldering. I need to find someone who can solder these LED chips in place.

I got the subframe LC arm mounts installed on the subframe tool. That was scary but it fits perfectly.
 

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#98 ·
I would have been able to do a lot more this weekend as I have today and tomorrow off. But the old ball and chain has dragged me off to Biltmore Mansion to see how the super rich lived in the early 1900's.

Today we toured the house tomorrow the garden. I'm here pretending to give a damn.
 
#102 ·
Work for this weekend.

The welding light is finished and works excellent for TIG welding and good enough for MIG welding for me to actually see the line I'm trying to weld.

I also completed all machine work on the subframe base plate. Steel pads were made to reduce wear where all the hardware attaches to the plate. I didn't get the threaded inserts this week so that will have to wait until Monday but they will only take about 1 hr to install all 18 of them. Good this as that will keep me from assembling it until after the paint dries. It is required to paint the bottoms of the steel pads to prevent galvanic corrosion between the steel and aluminum. They will also be screwed in with stainless steel screws.

Tomorrow I will be working on building a case for this subframe tool and general cleanup of the garage. Then when I'm ready to install the plates, I will finally be able to remove the protective plastic on the aluminum plate.
 

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