1969 Short Wide

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by my67chevytruck

I can store the boat and one camaro here, so it helps you with shop space....

You must have a big shop buddy! Yes I need to get rid of all the junk that is filling up space in my shop.

Originally Posted by JohnC

Hey if you do some boat repair you may want to talk to HighPerf4X4. He was having an issue with his boat, and could use some advice. The place that worked on it for him didn't help him out much.

John,
I only do boat repair when I tear it up ...dang it! I would be glad to offer my 2 cents to help if I can. I hate to have people wrenching on my stuff if you know what I mean....even oil changes.

[my67chevytruck]

I can store the boat and one camaro here, so it helps you with shop space....

[my67chevytruck]

not a big shop just helping you gain space

[highperf4x4]

I shelled the gears in my lower and upper unit last summer. It's a Mercruiser Alpha1 outdrive. Got any tips for that repair?

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by highperf4x4

I shelled the gears in my lower and upper unit last summer. It's a Mercruiser Alpha1 outdrive. Got any tips for that repair?

I'm not too sure about that one, if the case isn't damaged you should be able to do it yourself. I'm not too sure about whether or not it requires backlash or shimming with the gear sets. That is probably like setting up a rear differential. You may be able to pick up an outdrive complete and just bolt it up and go? Really depends on what you have for a budget.
This is where I buy my parts:HERE
There prices are about as cheap as you can get. I really hate dealing with H and H. Baats are bottemless money pits and they really never pay you back.

[highperf4x4]

Check this out. Complete Alpha1 replacement drive by SEI with 1.47 V8 gear ratio with 3 year no questions asked warranty for 1200.00

http://www.sterndrive.cc/Merchant2/m...lphaSterndrive

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by highperf4x4

Check this out. Complete Alpha1 replacement drive by SEI with 1.47 V8 gear ratio with 3 year no questions asked warranty for 1200.00

http://www.sterndrive.cc/Merchant2/m...lphaSterndrive

CHEAP! go for it!

[nuke1]

Holy crap, i can not believe that i have not posted in such a long time, anyways, glad to see so much work done on the truck, and good choice on the copper primer, that is the best stuff on the market to this day, i know, i tried everything out there, worth the money trust me,. I know all about the boat thing, i tore the leg off of my silver line, hit a rock pennisula on the lake, ouch. anyways, just have to let you know, everything looks great and remember aftermarket is aftermarket for a reason, you have to FIT it, not them. Also i sure could use a camaro, let me know if you got a spare, or a 70 chevelle, Later.

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by nuke1

Holy crap, i can not believe that i have not posted in such a long time, anyways, glad to see so much work done on the truck, and good choice on the copper primer, that is the best stuff on the market to this day, i know, i tried everything out there, worth the money trust me,. I know all about the boat thing, i tore the leg off of my silver line, hit a rock pennisula on the lake, ouch. anyways, just have to let you know, everything looks great and remember aftermarket is aftermarket for a reason, you have to FIT it, not them. Also i sure could use a camaro, let me know if you got a spare, or a 70 chevelle, Later.

Thanks Nuke! Sorry to hear about you messing up your boat too. How's the projects going? I just got the prop and the prop shaft back from the shop. Supposed to be straight less than .002" runout and the prop looks new. Still
waiting on the rest of the parts to come in next week to rebuild it.

Hope to get back on this project next week, we are going to some salvages tomorrow to find a radiator and some other parts for my kids 86. I'm also going to the scrap yard to try to find some 18-20 sheetmetal for the firewall. I have been working with 22 gauge and it's too thin for the angle detail. If I decide to sell one of the Camaros you will be in line too.

Got most of the parts for the lower unit

[nuke1]

nice shiney parts, and ya, 22 gauge is way too thin, you should use 20 gauge normally and 18 also. I use both on my things. Sure wish my prop was that shiney. Did you change the pitch on it, more torque or speed? With mone i needed the torque.

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by nuke1

Did you change the pitch on it, more torque or speed? With mone i needed the torque.

No, It was set up perfect before, the prop was worn and had some dents alon the edges...you know how they get beat up on rocks. Anyway, they welded the whole perimeter and made to the oem specs. We'll see how it runs next week hopefully.

[mcbassin]

Well, I'm still waiting on parts to come in for th outboard so I took one last stab at making the wire channel angle detail. I picked up some thicker sheetmetal at a the scrap yard, I think it is 18 gauge. Anyway, I got tired of making templates and taking them to work to cut my sheetmetal so I made a little table for my bandsaw. Now I can cut sheetmetal at my shop! I then started fabbing the pieces for the angle (2 left and 2 right). I was able to roll the inside radius around my argon bottle to get the shape close. I then tacked it all in, then staggered my welds about every 2-3 inches till it was done, then ground the welds and primered, it will still require some hammer and dolly work but that can take place on the frame. It took around 4 hours total. Hope to get my lower unit parts in tomorrow or thursday so I can get that out of the way. Next on this will be the cab corners, they need straightened and possibly some rust repair, even though I haven't found any, that doesn't mean it's not there.....on to the pictures:

Bandsaw before the table added

Plate cut for table

Table welded and installed

Tacking the angle detail

More

Ready for welding solid

More

Completely welded

Welds ground smooth

Primered

[mcbassin]

[ripdog28]

Welds turned out great on the firewall. I wish i would have spent more time on mine. Looking good man.

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by ripdog28

Welds turned out great on the firewall. I wish i would have spent more time on mine. Looking good man.

Thanks! I hope to get back on it pretty soon. We are covered up with snow and ice right now and I don't have heat in the shop. I was looking at the cab the other day and found a little rust spot on the lower part of the driver side cab corner. I wasn't planning on doing anything to them except knocking out a few dents. Now it looks like I may be cutting and welding. I wish I could have sand blasted the whole thing to find all the thin areas. Maybe I will on the next build.

[0331grunt]

At least I have a small heater... not much, but it does allow me to get out in this weather. We have about 6" of snow. I really need to get my cab inside soon to start working on it, now that my frame is almost done. I am still nervous about the welding... practice makes perfect, right? (or is it practice makes work for someone else ) Keep it up! Maybe you will be driving it to the Spring meet?

[rob32472]

looks great keep up the good work!

[my67chevytruck]

SHOWOFF! Looks good.....

[0331grunt]

Looks great! now that you know how, you wanna come do mine

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by my67chevytruck

SHOWOFF! Looks good.....

Thanks Heath. I tried to do it 2 other times with 22 gauge and it's just way too thin. It didn't turn out as good as I would have liked but I think I can tweek it here and there and it will be fine.

Originally Posted by 0331grunt

Looks great! now that you know how, you wanna come do mine

I'll pass on that right now, maybe after a few weeks..... months....after I forget how frustrating it was.

[0331grunt]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

I'll pass on that right now, maybe after a few weeks..... months....after I forget how frustrating it was.

Maybe by the time I get ready for it, you'll have forgotten

[JohnC]

Looks good Mike. Great job!

[VA72C10]

Looks great man!!!

[highperf4x4]

Dang, that is alot of work. How did you manage to keep it all even?

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by JohnC

Looks good Mike. Great job!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by VA72C10

Looks great man!!!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by highperf4x4

Dang, that is alot of work. How did you manage to keep it all even?

Yep, it is a lot of work. As far as keep it even, I set my angle protractor like this one here at 45deg. and scribed a line all the way around the edge then held it in place and tacked it. then used vise grips to force it to the
line. It was slow going. BTW, it isn't close to perfect, but I have it close enough a skim coat of filler will smooth it nice.