Dear Welder Series…

Should be receiving my 60″ crossmember today.
I was reviewing some measurements based on the video for the installation.
I’m trying to keep close to the ride height I currently have. The current spindle height with the tire is 14″. The top of the frame is 21″ and 17″ at the bottom.
My question is, what’s the max delta between the fame measurement and the top hat spring enclosure before I run out of material on the top hat to weld and clearance for the upper control arm bolts.

I hope that was clear.
Thanks,
Stephen

This is a good question, Stephen.  It is important to consider these things before cutting, as you are doing…

The maximum frame height (top of the frame) to clear the rear of the upper control arm is spindle height (14″ in your case) plus 4-3/4″;  i.e. 18-3/4″.  This will be the vertical height from the ground to the top of the frame at a point 5-1/2″ back from the spindle center line.  Aftermarket arms are often smaller at the bushing than stock arms but you probably won’t be able to go much more than 5″ instead of the 4-3/4 noted above.  To solve this upper arm/frame rail interference issue, notch the top of the frame rail.  In your case, you might want to notch the top and add to the bottom, because of the amount removed (about 2″ of the 4″ frame rail).  Add to the bottom first to make the rail stronger, then cut down from the top.  After the frame rail gets notched and boxed (and/or the bottom gets material added) these new surfaces become the top and bottom reference surfaces for the tower and crossmember notches.

Your question was very clear (I think)… I hope this answer is clear.  Let me know if, after reviewing the sheets included with the kit, you want to talk again.

Thanks for bringing up a good point.

Paul Horton

Grant Schwartz (Schwartz Welding) was installing a Ford 8.8 rear end from a Fox bodied Mustang in a frame so, naturally, he perused the Welder Series catalog (click to get a copy) for ideas.  After deciding on parts LS204 and LS208 from our LS1 motor mount kit, he trimmed, notched, and welded them to the end of a bar.  Now he has a clean, strong triangulated four link using the original mounts on the rear end!

Dear Welder Series…

Hello:
Can you tell me if the part number LS103 will work to adapt a LS1 engine to fit the standard motor mounts for a 1972 Chevelle?

Thanks!
John

John, LS150 is the kit to use for your Chevelle.  Use Energy Suspension #3.1114 insulators.  These insulators have a reinforcing rib on the engine side.  The slot in the adapter plate is clearance for this rib.  Notice that the top of the slot in the LS104 adapter plate is higher than the slot in the LS150 plate.  The rib in the GM stock rubber insulator goes higher than the Energy Suspension (ES) rib.  The ES rib is shorter so the flat head Allen bolt can be used to hold the plate to the engine block.  The stock GM rubber insulators do not work with the LS150 (and LS166) kits.

LS103 is used in the LS104 kit.  This kit is for custom-built frames that don’t have any frame mounts installed.  Frame mounts #C005 can be used to complete the installation in, for example, a ‘32 Ford.

I hope this helps you get the right mounts for your car.

Paul Horton

Dear Welder Series…

Wondering if your welder mustang 11 kit can be made to fit in a 1980 f-100 pickup. Want to lower this truck but it appears nobody make a kit to do so. this is why I’m asking it seems my only hope would be put more of car type front end under it. thanks for any help

Thanks for asking about Welder Series parts, Joseph.  The widest MII crossmember we make is about 60″ track width.  This is the distance from the wheel mounting face of one rotor to the other.  Will this be wide enough for your project?

The coil spring mounts for the Twin I-Beam will have to come off.

How wide apart are your frame rails (inside & outside dimensions)?

Can you give me an idea of  the ride height dimensions from the ground to the bottom and to the top of the frame?

I’ll get back to you after I do some work with your reply.

Thanks.

Paul Horton

Welder Series’ parts are being used in lots of different ways (see index at right for tech ideas shared). If you have digital pictures of how you used our parts, please email them to us. We will put a credit on your account (against future purchases – the credit has no redeemable cash value) of $5.00 for each picture that we use on our website and/or in our catalog. (Note that we might not use all pictures sent.) Please send pictures in .jpg format. Sending the picture gives us the right to use it.

In your cover email, tell us if we can use your name in the Tech Sharing text around your picture(s). We won’t give out your email address or any other personal info.

Tech Sharing is meant to inspire your imagination. Exact measurements will seldom be given because we build hot rods, not production line cars. Tech Sharing is not to be taken as an endorsement of the application. You should decide that for yourself.

We hope you enjoy seeing what others have done and that you will take advantage of this offer.

Paul Horton
President
Big Block Chev Alternator Mount

Wes Bradburn is building a ‘40 Willys with a big block Chev/long water pump and wanted to mount the alternator low on the passenger side. Wes said in his email: “This took me less than 10 min. to lay out and the entire mod was less then 45 min.”

Wes got the following Welder Series parts:
Alternator mount tensioner #23822
Alternator mount main plate #238211S
Gusset #238213
Alternator support plate #238212

Wes' BBC Alternator Bracket

I came across these scans tonight and thought it would be fun to post them, just for you to see some of what the family’s been up to for the past 30+ years.

One of “the twins”, a pair of trick hiboy roadsters built in the 80’s by Paul Horton and Lloyd Stewart. This ‘32 is still seen at Louisville.

Paul & Dorothy Horton with me in the ‘29 in the mid 80’s.

The same ‘29 on hand formed 2×4 rails matching the contour of the body. This car had an unfortunate end in a cemetery after being T-boned during a poker run. You can call it luck if you must, but for some reason my brother and I (who ALWAYS rode in the rumble seat) asked to ride in a ‘46 sedan with friends. After the accident, the battery (strapped down in the floor of the rumble seat) was found way down the road. I don’t call it luck.

A ‘23 T Bucket that kind of started the whole parts business. This car was built in a Montreal garage by Paul and Dorothy Horton. There are tonnes of trick parts on this car!

The current (well, it hasn’t been on the road in three years) ‘40 Sedan is the car I remember traveling to events in as a kid. With over 90 000 miles, we made quite a few!

The 1935 Chev built between the cherry tree and the apple tree in Paul Horton’s parents back yard.

My brother and I before we were made redundant by pin-ups. I’m the cute blond making the bird face.A Li

Dear Welder Series…

I am looking for a crossmember kit to put in my 67 mustang I need to know which one to order for my application?.?. I was looking at your flats do these require forming? If so do they come with fab prints? I was also wondering if these are made from a-36 and are they laser or plasma burnt?  thanks in advance,  mark

Mark, the 56″ kit is the one to use on your Mustang.
The main crossmember plates (there are two of them in a kit) have laser-cut slits that go through the steel.  There are 3 “bridges” that hold the part together.  The slit makes it possible (and easy) to fold the crossmember pieces by hand.  The rack mounts are part of the main crossmember, so they will be in the right location when the crossmember is assembled.  The rack mounts are designed with laser-cut slits and can be folded without anything more than an adjustable wrench, too.  There is a video showing this at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoYOYT1iZTY .  Our crossmembers are laser cut from 44W or A569 steel.

Thanks for asking.
Paul Horton

Dear Welder Series…

Do you know which of your weld in kits are compatable with a 61 Ford Falcon?

Thanks

The 56″ kit is the one to use in your Falcon, Gord.

Thanks for asking.
Paul Horton

Dear Welder Series…

I found your web site surfing and have been grinning since. I have a 1974 Opel Manta with some holes in the frame. I want to tub it out, not too much, but enough to run a 12″ wide slick.
I am not sure on how to measure the curves in the pieces I need, but I can make them out of carboard, label them, and send to you with some pictures. Unless you have an easier way for me to get the measurements to you?
I plan on getting the 58″ Mustang II front cross member kits, and more as I go.
Thanks for the great web site and the instruction videos, that helps guys like me so much. Not alot of money, can fabricate, but not sure on the technical measurements or set up, you guys make it a little easier.
Take care.
Phil

Phil, we like to see people grinning!
All of our frame curves, vertical and horizontal, are 4″ inside radius.  It will be far better to buy the curves that we stock than to have us make curves to match your frame.  You could make cardboard pieces for our stock curves and hold them up to your frame.  A 3 x 2 vertical curve will be 4″ inside radius and 7″ outside radius (4″ + 3″).  The 3 x 2 horizontal curve will be 4″ inside and 6″ outside (4″ + 2″).
I hope this helps.  Thanks for asking.
Paul Horton

Dear Welder Series…

I’m looking at your mustang II kits and I watched your video but I still can’t see if they will work with a full fendered ‘31 ford coupe.  The upper control arms can’t go very far above the top edge of the frame for the fenders to mount properly. If I would lower the whole assembly it would raise the car front considerably. Do you have any suggestions?

You’re right, Gary.  A Mustang II does not work easily in a Model ‘A’ (or late 20’s/early 30’s Chevs either).  The upper towers and the upper arms themselves, as you point out, will interfere with the fenders.  The front mounted rack interferes with the splash apron under the rad shell, too.  My suggestion?  Heidt’s Superide or Kugel or TCI custom IFS.

Thanks for asking.  I hope we can help with other parts for your project.

Paul Horton

Dear Welder Series…

Hi.  Saw your posts and great reviews on the HAMB.  I am finally getting back to work on a project that has been 14 years in the making.  I’m going to be 30 next year, and I’d like to drive my truck before then.

I’d like to  fab a custom 4-bar tube axle suspension with coil-overs.  I’m going to be running an IHC 392 and borg-warner 3 speed.  The IH engine ways as much as a big block Chev.  I’d like to get my truck fairly low running 16″ wheels.  I have a friend who is a welder that will be helping me with the frame.  I plan to stick with leaves in the back, and will likely need to c-notch the frame and install ladder bars.
I’m wondering what you can supply or fabricate to help me with my project.  Any help/suggestions especially concerning the front axle would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks very much for your time.
Sincerely,
John

Thanks for asking about Welder Series parts, John.

There are generally 2 types of tubular front axles:
1.  A straight tube that is bent a each end to “drop” the center section.  The spindle/king pin boss is then welded into a notch machined into the end of the tube.  Often the king pin is locked in place with a set screw.  These axles are made for vehicles much lighter than your truck.
2.  The “Super Bell” style with cast or forged “S”-shaped ends welded into a “smile”-shaped tube center.  These axles are designed to be used with a transverse spring.  This requires a crossmember to mount the spring.  The IHC 392 oil pan might want the same space as the crossmember.

Unless you are really committed to the front axle/4-bar suspension, I’d like you to consider a Mustang II independent.  There are several reasons:
1:  The ride height can (must) be established before the crossmember is installed.  Your truck will sit at the height where you want it.
2:  The ride quality will be better than with the axle.
3:  Steering will be more precise than with the axle.
4:  Power steering is easy to add or install later, if you want it.
5:  You can scout out and work around “ambushes” like oil pan interference before you are surprised.
6:  The rack mounts are part of the crossmember so the steering gear will be in the right spot.
7:  The cost is about the same as a finished dropped axle system.  But the truck’s resale value will be higher with the Mustang II.
7+:  There are more reasons for considering a MII suspension for this type of project, but ultimately, the project is yours.

I’m a big fan of coil-overs and air bags (conventional or ShockWaves) for rear suspension systems because they have a designed ride height.  That is, the suspension brackets get set up knowing that the coil-over or air spring will be at a designed height when the vehicle is ready to drive.  We use a piece of 1″ square tube with holes drilled at the coil-over’s ride height when building a project because there is no guessing at how much the suspension will compress under load.  We are going to use a spring (or air pressure) to achieve that ride height after all the weight is on the suspension.  Leaf springs do not allow this flexibility.  Leaves have to be added or removed, or the arch has to be changed.  Lowering blocks can be used to lower the frame, but it is difficult to raise the frame if necessary.

I hope this information helps with your planning.

Paul Horton

Street Rod Builder pubilshed a great little ditty about our frame curves in their April ‘09 ‘Street Rod Trends’ section.  This is a great issue - there’s a beautiful ‘32 roadster, an update on Josh Kaylor’s ‘47 International pickup with Welder Series LS1 adapters, and a really neat ‘36 Ford feature.  They also highlight 20 tools that are handy to have in your home shop.

I’ve spent a lot of time trying to explain the ins and outs of a Bear body.  The double floor, double firewall, etc.  I took these pictures in 2004 at a show, and came across them just now.  I think they do a rather good job of showing, not just telling.

Dear Welder Series…

I have a 1956 Chev truck and want to put a 4 link in the back .was thinking of a triangulated one.  would that work? the frame is 34 inches wide.or should i use a parallel 4 bar and a panhard bar and which kit # do you recommend ? thank you Dave

Dave, this is a good question… There are several considerations when choosing a rear suspension system.
An important one is frame width.
A typical triangulated rear 4-link has the upper bars mounting off of the frame boxing plates and angling back to each side of the differential housing.  The narrower the frame, the less triangulation is possible unless the upper bars get shorter.  Shorter upper bars cause greater pinion angle change.  The upper bars could be angled from wide apart on the axle tubes to close together off of a crossmember to get more triangulation.

A parallel 4-link and Panhard bar is not as sensitive to frame width.  The bars should be mounted as wide apart as practical to stabilize the rear end.

The triangulated system requires more precise installation.  It costs less because there is no Panhard kit

The parallel 4-link/Panhard system allows adjustment in any direction with a minimal effect on other settings.

Both systems can cause problems with exhaust routing.

I recommend the parallel kit because it’s easier to install and easier to set up.

Thanks for writing.  I hope we can help with your project.

Paul Horton

Dear Welder Series…

Do you make your universay sway bar in 0500 inch diameter. The 48 Plymouth Conv I’m working on never had a rear sway bar and I may not be able to use anything greater than .750 on the front.

Bob

Bob, all of our sway bars are .75″ diameter.  The outer tube, which serves as a bearing (urethane bushing) holder and a place for the mounting tabs, is 1-3/8″ O.D.

Thanks for looking at our parts.

Paul Horton.

Dear Welder Series…

Specifically I’m looking to get into a tig setup for the first time. Would a Miller Maxstar 150 be powerful enough to do the nice (and quick, I might add!) tig welding I see being done on your videos?

Thanks, Scott

Thanks for asking me about this welder, Peter.  I’m not familiar with it, but it seems light.  Here is a forum thread that I’ve been following that might be helpful: http://canadianrodder.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3206

I know Mike (Oldman) and respect his knowledge.  (He’s a heck of a good guy, too.)

I hope this helps.

Paul Horton.

A gas tank needs a vent.  Otherwise, as the fuel leaves the tank and is blown up in the engine, a vacuum is created and eventually the fuel pump won’t be able to suck hard enough.  Try this: plug your nose.  Say “wukka wukka wukka!”  No seriously, plug your nose and breathe through your mouth.  Then cover your mouth with your hand.  Not for very long though.  Now release your nose.  Your nose is like the vent valve, your lungs are the engine.  Oxygen obviously represents gas.  As your lungs try to get more air, pretty soon the reserve in your mouth runs out, but as soon as you open the vent (your nose) the engine runs smoothly.  If this experiment didn’t work, see a doctor - you’re not plumbed right.

Moving right along, here’s how I vented the tank.

Revision 1 was slipping a rubber hose over the barbed end of the gas tank vent.  Revision 2 was copying Cam, who slipped a short section of rubber hose over the barbed fitting then transitioned to stainless hard line.  Here’s revision 3:

The brass piece on the right is the rollover valve/ vent.  You can see the barbs on the top of the fitting where hose normally slides over.  I’ve ‘toned down’ the barbs.

The 3/16″ stainless line *almost* fits inside the barbed part of the brass valve, so I machined it down just a bit so it slips tightly in.  Remember, this line is mostly for vapors, with the occasional fuel sloshage.  The two hex fittings are threaded on to a joiner fitting which I machined the hex off, just like the front brake lines.

Here’s the final product (I hope).  You see, the tank is already in place so I had to use a welding rod to get the basic shape I needed, then transfer those bends to the stainless line.  I put the joiner fitting in place so that the fitting can be installed and then hooked up to the vent tube, since there’s not enough room for the whole thing to twirl around as the vent is tightened.

We get emails.  We reply to emails.  All of them.  Even those nice people who want to see me more satisfied.  (What’s a “male product”, anyways?  Am I a product of my own imagination?)  Anyways, I thought some of these tech type emails would be beneficial to more of you than solely the person who penned keyed the question.  Onward.

Dear Welder Series…

“Hi there,
I recently purchased one of your triangulated 4-link from Horton’s (www.horton.on.ca).  I am currently building a 28 Model A Tudor and I am building my own frame.  I’m about ready to start fabricating the rear section of the frame and I was wondering if you can give any tips on how to rig up the rear suspension/frame so I can get the car as close to the ground as possible without loosing to much headroom since the car is going to be chopped.  I will be running 32″ tall rear tires and I would like the frame to be about 5 inches off the ground (at the floor before the rear Z).  Also, I will be channeling the body.

Thanks a lot for your help!
Paul”

Dear Paul…

This will be a neat project, Paul, but will require some planning.

The rear suspension set-up depends on the tire size.  The frame mount for the lower bar should be about 5″ lower than the axle centerline (c/l), as shown in the installation drawing.  With your 32″ tall rear tire, axle c/l will be about 15-1/2″ from the ground.  We figure about 1/2″ for tire “squat” (the flat part of the tire on the ground).  Using this information and your 5″ frame-to-ground dimension, and assuming(?) a 4″ high frame rail, the lower bar frame mount will be about 1-1/2″ higher than the top of the frame rail (2-1/2″ if you use 3×2 rails).

The upper bar frame mount should be about 2-1/8″ higher than the axle c/l height, or about 17-5/8″ from the ground.  This would be about 8-5/8″ above the top of a 4″ frame rail or 9-5/8″ above a 3″ rail.

You might be able to incorporate both of these frame mounts into the kick.  Or the lower mount could be a “bump” on top of the rail and the upper mount could be on the kick-up.

I would do lots of mock-up work before cutting anything.  Then I’d tack everything in place and carry on with the build.  This makes it easier to deal with “ambushes” (things that crop up that you weren’t prepared for).  Specifically, check the angle and position of the upper bars.  This will have an effect on the frame width (or vice-versa).

I hope this helps.

Paul Horton

If you want to send us an email, it’s easy: click on these words

Dear Welder Series…

Are these (Mustang II kits) made to fit a particular frame? We have a 66 Chevy II. I would have to check if the front wheel base falls within the 56” to 60” range of these kits.

Also. We already have an Aerospace Components disc brake setup on this car, so could the stock spindles work?

Thanks for any info,

Bill

Thanks for writing, Bill.

Our MII kits are designed to be notched by the builder so the ride height is where you want it. Our installation sheets go through this process step by step. The 56″ kit would be the one to use on your Chevy II.

The GM spindles are quite different from the MII spindles and can’t be used on the MII crossmember. If the brake kit is designed for your stock GM spindles, it will not work with Mustang II spindles. Possibly some components can be used, but the spindles are quite different.

I hope we can help with your project.

Paul Horton.

Dear Welder Series…

Rob here. Mr_____v on the H.A.M.B. and some other boards.

I’m about to build a new frame for my 48 Chevrolet Pickup and since I already have a stash of M II suspension pieces I’ve pretty well decided that the most logical way to go with the suspension is to use one of your kits and the factory Ford pieces including the strut arms.

The plan is to run steel rims with a shallow reverse or offset . Basically the old 15×7 chrome reverse wheels that have been around forever.

Ride will be low but with coil springs and no bags.

My question is, Which of your M-II kits do you suggest for this application? I can figure out the outside of hub part easy enough but do you have certain kits that are made especially for the AD GM trucks?

Rob

Hi, Rob. Thanks for writing.

The 56″ MII kit is normally used with your series pickups. You would still notch the crossmember and the upper towers so the frame ride height will be where you want it.

Be sure to order the strut rod bracket & gusset kit (#108140) and, if you will use the later model T-Bird rack, order the rack mount spacer kit (#24410). The steering shaft bearing support (#219600) is another thing you will probably need.

The reversed wheels will likely still be o.k. to use as there is quite a bit of space out to the fender edge with standard wheels.

I hope this answers your questions. If not, please hit me again from another direction.

Paul Horton

Dear Welder Series…

To whom may help,

I see you have your brake pedal brackets kits available, but I was curious if you had anything to serve both a hydraulic brake AND clutch pedal kit.    (IE a two pedal design with opposite direction offsets etc)   Do let me know if you can help!  I am currently putting a 1947 Ford Truck Body on a GM 2 ton chassis with a Cummins motor and I am looking for an original looking solution to having a hydraulic clutch and hydroboost brakes.)

Mike

Mike, we do have a brake & clutch pedal set-up, but it isn’t in the webstore yet.  Please go to the catalog pdf file, http://www.welderseries.com/hardcopy/weldercat.pdf , page 21.  When people buy this kit, we usually suggest substituting, in the brake pedal/master cylinder bracket kit, a brake pedal with no offset so the pedals can be offset symmetrically to clear the steering column.  This reduces the price slightly.

I hope this helps.  Please write again if you have other questions.

Thanks for looking at Welder Series parts.

Paul Horton

update: We do have the brake/ clutch pedal assembly in the web store - click here, then check out the youtube video.

Dear Welder Series…

working on a 73 javelin with a chevy big block conversion need idea on motor mount fabrication for this application

Our C005 mounts (http://www.welderseries.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=124) are very versatile and should be a good choice for your Javelin.

The 2149 is a urethane-bushed mount that is easy to install and has a hi-tech look.  (http://www.welderseries.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=161)

I hope we can help with your project.

Paul Horton

A fellow called today and said he had seen our lower axle bracket video on YouTube and that he would like to order a pair.  I was pleased - that’s exactly what those videos are intended to do… educate the customer so they feel confident buying our parts.

To be honest, I was a little skeptical of YouTube at first, in terms of driving sales.  We started posting videos in about June of 2007, mostly to show people how easily our Mustang II kit goes together (it “practically assembles itself“) and highlighting the benefits of making your own hot rod parts.  In our instructions, we would include a link to a video on YouTube where they could see what they just bought being assembled.  It was a free place to host videos!  Soon after, we started getting comments that people had seen our videos and would like to order “that part”.

Currently, we have 46 videos hosted on YouTube.  They consist of installation videos, tech tips, how-tos, and even a few Model A frame build videos.  Almost 200 people have subscribed to be notified when a new video is posted.  In total, the Welder Series videos have been watched almost 156 000 times from the USA to Spain to Slovakia.

As we continue to release new products, new videos will always run parallel.

It’s exciting to think that right now, someone might be watching a Welder Series video somewhere around the world!

Click here to see our YouTube channel.

Thanks for your support.

dw

Bob sent us some pictures of one of our Mustang II kits he’s made into a frame stub for a ‘57 Olds.  Thanks Bob - looks great!  There’s a $10 credit on your account for using the pictures.

We thought for a while, drew our thoughts on the blackboard, and finally came up with a much simpler edition.  Since the floor of the Bear Fiberglass body is so thick (almost 2″), and it is composed of two layers of fiberglass sandwiching a sort of foam material, it can be ’squished’, for lack of a better word.  Imagine standing on a pop can.  Or you can stand on a soda can.  Either way, unless you’re reading this blog from the comfort of the womb, you will probably collapse the walls of the can.  Imagine now that you drop a steel tube inside, just shorter than the height of the can.  The walls will collapse just a tiny bit, but then the strength of the tube will hold your weight.  Probably.

Same idea here.  We’re putting a tube spacer inside the floor so that when the bolts get tightened, they will cinch the body down but won’t be able to overtighten and crush the fiberglass.

This is one of the only pictures you’ll see of me working on the car… and it happens to be the easiest job other than cleaning.

Time to install the engine!  Here, the transmission mount is swung (my computer didn’t put a red line under “swung”, so I guess it’s a word) out of the way, waiting for the transmission.

Great!  Fits just like it did the first time!

Sometimes planning ahead can be a pain in the behind.  A long time ago, before the rear end was painted, we decided to drill a hole for the breather.  Great idea, we thought.  It looked pretty slick, right between the four link brackets like it was supposed to be there.  Fast forward to a few weeks ago (yes that makes sense if you think about it), and now there is a sway bar tab right over the breather hole.  In order of priority, the sway bar tab wins. I had tacked it in place from below, and I didn’t notice/didn’t remember that the breather hole was there too.

I removed the tab, filled the hole, ground it smooth, and welded the sway bar tabs permanently.  Then we had to choose a new location for the breather.  As it turns out, it was a good thing we waited to install it; Garth Webb, a builder from next door, brought over this mini stainless breather for us to use! The holes in the sway bar tabs are 3/8″, so you can get an idea of how tiny this little guy is.

Thanks Garth!

What exactly is a hole, anyways?  Is a hole something you can feel?  According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary… no wait, nevermind.  This is a blog about hot rod parts.  Now that I’ve said that, at first glance these don’t look much like hot rod parts.  I suppose it looks something like a “World Fake Currency Tour” or “Mini Metal Frisbee Tournament” collection.  So by now you’re begging me to answer the only question you could have after an introduction like that: “Has this guy been tuning his car with the door closed?”  No.  The real question is “What are these things, and how will they make my life easier?”

So what the heck would you call these things?  “Lunar Cycle Diorama?”  “Substitutes for cucumbers on the eyes while sunbathing?” “Really heavy, boring buttons?”

We decided to call them unholes.  They’re not holes.  They’re unholes.  If you have an idea of what they’re for, please comment with your suggestion.  We thought they would be great for filling actual holes in your firewall. You could also use them to cap the end of a tube.

Available in 11 sizes: very small, 5/8″, 3/4″, 7/8″, 1″, 1-1/8″, 1-1/4″, 1-3/8″, 1-1/2″, 1-3/4″, 1-7/8″.

A bag of 10 of one size for only $2.50.

This is a good shot of our sway bar kit installed through the frame rails.  In this case, it’s hooked up to a Jaguar IRS with some rod ends and threaded tubes.  Thanks for sending the pictures, Bill!  There is $10 in Welder Series Bucks on your account.

FYI, if we publish your pictures of our products, we’ll put $5 per picture on your account!

As the car goes back together, we’re finding little things that we’ve wanted to get done which have made their way to the bottom of the proverbial pile.  We had talked a long time ago about making some sleeves so we could put 3/8″ button head bolts in the spreader bar holes instead of the 1/2″ bolts that came with the spreader bar.  The thought was brought up again during reassembly, and instead of trying to machine some spacer/ washers so the 3/8″ bolt wouldn’t be sloppy in the 1/2″ hole, I made a pilgrimage to the lathe and removed some metal.  Here’s the result - a smaller, thinner head.  This is a before/after shot, with the before bolt in hole on the right.

Well, you can now show your support for Welder Series by becoming an official fan!  I don’t think I’ll have T-shirts made or anything, but it’s still fun.  Click on the logo above for access.

I’ve gone ahead and added t shirts in all sorts of sizes in our web store.  While you’re there, you can check out our chassis parts too!

I'm not being snarky, as my mom would say...

There are a few blisters on my lips after working on the lathe yesterday... I had a big chip fly off the cutter and pucker up for a big smooch right on my lips.   I'm not talking about a little grade school peck - this was a blue chip that embedded itself halfway between my upper and lower lip and stuck there until I flicked it off.  

It's a good thing I make a funny face when I machine, otherwise I probably would have swallowed it.  

What I'm leading up to is a plea for safety goggles at least.  Don't play games with body parts that don't grow back.  Sure, blisters on my lips will heal, but if I had a sore back and was leaning over a bit more (for example), this flying chip would have ended up embedded in my eyeball.

I can't count the number of times I've seen guys working with no safety glasses.  Hopefully I won't hear of any of them not being able to work at all because they can't see half a foot in front of their face after an 'accident'.

Till next time, I'm milking the "can you kiss it better" line for all it's worth.

dw

I see a steel part and I want it painted black...

This powder is supposed to be one of the most durable powders out there.  I don't know anything about powder coating (PC from now on) so I'll just be happy with the way it looks for now.  I should be getting the bars and other parts in an hour or so.

WOO!

If you haven't heard, we'll be at Syracuse this weekend for the Syracuse Nationals.  It's a great show, with tonnes of 'extras' like entertainment at night, and lots of stuff to do during the day.  If you're the tech sort of person, you may enjoy Paul Horton's bracket seminars.  Check out the program for more details.  I'll also be welding Welder Series parts periodically through the day in the Haun Welding Supply booth. 

I hope I can get some time to walk around and take pictures for a little feature, too!  

If you're there, be sure to stop by our booth and say hello, check out our new products, and enjoy the show.

DW Horton

yup, still waiting for the powdered parts.  They had to order a custom black because the "matte" they were given was really just 25% semi gloss or something like that.  

We went back and forth a few times on whether to powder or paint. 

Powder:

+ highly durable.

- very difficult to add new parts to the frame if we want to test something.

+ even coverage

- more expensive than hand painting

Paint:

when I say paint, I mean Zero Rust roll-on paint.  It flows out very nicely and it's hard to tell we did it here.

+ cheap

+ control over finished product... done in house

- prep work

- can be messy

+ easier to remove for new product testing

So... we decided to paint.  I haven't started the frame yet, because I won't be around next week and I didn't want to prep it and then have surface rust on it when I get back.  I did start painting some parts though.  

Yesterday, the owner of the shop next door to us (RPM Motorsports) came by to tell us about a new service they'll be offering... powder coating!  They're going to have a huge booth right next door to us.  How convenient could it get... to promote their new service, they offered to coat all the removable parts - bars, batwings, adjusters, brake pedal, etc.  I started to think about all the time it would save, plus we'll be giving credit to them at shows and cruise nights, so I loaded up a box and they should be done in a few days.  The frame and frame parts are going to be a matte or semi gloss black.  I think this will be a nice contrast with the bit of shine we have - drilled aluminum axle, polished brake stuff, etc.  I can't wait to start assembling!

Frame curves!

One time it's ok not to be kinky! So smooth!

^ this is how they come in the box.

 http://www.welderseries.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=22_125

click for more details, or check out the home page for an assembly video. http://www.welderseries.com