10-18-2017, 04:29 PM | #841 |
Drives: 2SS/RS L99 BLACK Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Franklin , MA
Posts: 6,696
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I've got a few cool ideas that I will be working on as soon as I finish the metal work on the headlights.
I got a good start on them today. Cut out some of the cancer on the headlights, trimmed them back to a point where the metal is close to its original thickness. Then I cut out a couple of patch pieces and formed them with a hammer and forming dolly. Got them all trimmed down and fitted so they follow the contour of the headlight. When I have time tomorrow I'll weld them in, and clean up the welds them move on to the next area. When I finish that, I will put small tack welds on all the factory seams. Due to the way the headlights are formed and assembled they are very tinny. By putting the tack welds on the seams it makes them much more solid and these details are what makes for a quiet, solid ride on these old cars. I really had my fun with the Camaro and enjoyed all the fabrication I did but this is more in line with what I grew up doing and it sure feels good using a hammer, dolly and tig welder rather than glue, heat guns and epoxy. lol. |
10-18-2017, 05:51 PM | #842 |
'It's an experiment'
Drives: [COTW 2/09/15] '11 GPI LSA SC Z/LE Join Date: May 2014
Location: Dallas TX
Posts: 8,688
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Nice! Nothing like hand made...
-Don
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747 RWHP 794 RWTQ
"Horsepower sells cars, torque wins races." - Enzo Ferrari See My Build: http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=385577 |
10-19-2017, 04:59 PM | #843 |
Jan
Drives: 2010 Camaro 1LT Red Jewel tintcoat Join Date: May 2010
Location: Springfield, TN
Posts: 16,225
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Cool.
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10-19-2017, 05:00 PM | #844 |
Drives: 2SS/RS L99 BLACK Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Franklin , MA
Posts: 6,696
|
Got the pieces welded in. One thing I really like about these new inverter tig welders is the arc control. Even with very old rusted metal I was able to get a good solid weld with maximum penetration, this makes the repair piece very strong because after contouring the outside for cosmetic purposes you still have weld on the inside for strength. On the bottom portion that was repaired before and full of holes rather than cut it all out, which would have been more work than is realistic, I cut a piece to reinforce it from the back and using a mig welder filled the holes then contoured it as well. Then I put a few small tac welds on all the seams to take the tinny sound out of them. Now I have to decide on what type of bulb I will be using and fabricate a housing and trim ring for it. They do sell conversion kits but that would be to easy.
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10-20-2017, 05:54 PM | #845 |
Drives: 2SS/RS L99 BLACK Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Franklin , MA
Posts: 6,696
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Didn't have much time today to work on the headlights but did decide to cut the headlight bucket back, I then took a few measurements and tomorrow I will cut out a piece to weld to the bucket. This will give me a clean slate to start with. I will most likely machine a bulb retainer out of aluminum, still undecided if they will be frenched, flush mounted or bug eyed.
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10-20-2017, 08:09 PM | #846 | |
'It's an experiment'
Drives: [COTW 2/09/15] '11 GPI LSA SC Z/LE Join Date: May 2014
Location: Dallas TX
Posts: 8,688
|
Quote:
-Don
__________________
747 RWHP 794 RWTQ
"Horsepower sells cars, torque wins races." - Enzo Ferrari See My Build: http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=385577 |
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10-21-2017, 06:59 AM | #847 |
Drives: 2SS/RS L99 BLACK Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Franklin , MA
Posts: 6,696
|
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10-21-2017, 05:56 PM | #848 |
Drives: 2SS/RS L99 BLACK Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Franklin , MA
Posts: 6,696
|
Got a lot done on the headlights today. Decided to go with quart halogen, this way in a jam I can use a standard 7" sealed beam. Wrote a small program for the headlight flanges and machined a pair. Got them positioned and clamped and are ready to tack in place for final fitment. I then cut some stock to machine the bezel/retainer from. Wrote the program for it and I'm hoping to machine them tomorrow. The design calls for 1" stock, the .750 I had on hand will work but will not have a full taper on the inside dia. When I get the right stock these will be a good back up pair just in case.
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10-22-2017, 07:45 PM | #849 |
Drives: 2SS/RS L99 BLACK Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Franklin , MA
Posts: 6,696
|
Got more done on the headlights. Machined the bezel/retainer. Then I made a few threaded sleeves and tacked them to the flange. This gives me a good amount of threads so I don't have to worry about stripping them over time. Tomorrow I should have time to tack it all together and perhaps finish the welding then I can move on.
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10-23-2017, 04:55 PM | #850 |
Drives: 2SS/RS L99 BLACK Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Franklin , MA
Posts: 6,696
|
Got the flanges tacked in place then mounted them on the car to make sure they are lined up right them finished welding them. Tomorrow I will grind down the welds and finish the metal work. I will also wire them in and I will then have working head and tail lights, one step closer to having it road worthy.
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10-23-2017, 06:09 PM | #851 |
Jan
Drives: 2010 Camaro 1LT Red Jewel tintcoat Join Date: May 2010
Location: Springfield, TN
Posts: 16,225
|
Lookin' good.
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10-24-2017, 06:28 PM | #852 |
Drives: 2SS/RS L99 BLACK Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Franklin , MA
Posts: 6,696
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Thanks. Something new to play with.
Had a chance to finish the metal work on the headlamps. Got them primed, installed and wired. Also got the tail and brake lights wired in but dummy me dropped one of the tail light lenses, they are glass ,needless to say ,I need a tail light lens. lol Tomorrow I may wire in a horn and there's a good chance I may install the windshield glasses, if I do I'm going to drive it around town while I play with it. |
10-25-2017, 05:40 PM | #853 |
Drives: 2SS/RS L99 BLACK Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Franklin , MA
Posts: 6,696
|
Ran into a couple of problems with the front windshield. The glass has been wrapped up since 2004, when I opened it all was good, when I came to the windshield it was also tinted glass which is not legal here in mass. Not a big deal it will serve it's purpose for now. Then ran into a couple of more snags, the windshield seal, although still in an unopened package tore quite easily on installation, also from 2004. Once the glass was installed it seems the inside edge is off a bit. Regardless how much I tried to reposition the glass it tends to find it's own home. The top edge is touching in the center and has a larger than normal gap on the bottom. There is enough pressure where it makes contact that it cracked. Again not to big of a deal because I need new glass that's not tinted. I made an accurate template of the glass so when I have the new pieces cut the correction can be made. It is secure so it will make the car drivable
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10-25-2017, 06:36 PM | #854 |
S1N1STR
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This ride is going to be pimp daddy when it’s done.
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