Dune Buggy

[Camaro Zach]

removable trans mount finished, boxed the front bottom of the console, rear of the console, did alot of welding underneath, and got the block/trans mocked up again

[Camaro Zach]

got the shifter, head unit, and speakers mounted

comments/suggestions welcome

[burninbriar]

Its really comming along nice. On post 31 in the third pic down it looks like youre useing the sheet metal for a note pad. Is that youre things to do list ?

[Camaro Zach]

Thanks burninbriar

yea that was just a quick list i made. mostly fab stuff left to do

[Firey]

Look'in good

Man thats look'in good now lets go have some fun.

[Camaro Zach]

BEFORE PAINT:
a-arm tabs
Tie Rods
spindle bracket
weld chassis
crossmembers
weld rearend
Grind center console
fuel cell
Fuel cell mount
radiator mount
Gas pedal
Cooling tubes
Gussets
Tie Rods
weld/grind floor
coilovers
coilover mounts
finish a arms
fuse block mount
brake lines
seatbelts
4th steering bearing
alternator bracket
diff cover
reciever hitch
D-Shackle hooks
Tow bar

Do brake job front/rear
driveshaft

AFTER PAINT:
Wire
run brake lines
fuel line
assemble suspension
shifter/kickdown cable
plumb radiator
plumb tranny cooler
rebuild dist.
rebuild motor
rebuild transmission
throttle cable
speedometer cable

and some other stuff..

got a late start today so all the link tabs are tacked in place just need to finish the oscillating washers *cam washers* to adjust the caster/camber not that it really matters much lol.

[Camaro Zach]

got a few more things done

and btw i didnt want to weld to the bolts but was forced into it lol.

[burninbriar]

got a few more things done

and btw i didnt want to weld to the bolts but was forced into it lol.

Looks good ! One thing I don't understand, and I dont mean to put youre freind down in any way, but why does he have you do things you dont want to do when its obvious that you are the one who knows what he is doing.

[Camaro Zach]

well really i just dont want to argue with him because he is a know it all. in the whole i have told him how everything is going to go and thats it but on the smaller things i dont really mind since he likes to learn things the hard way. BTW after removing the transmission one time he decided it was time to change the crossmember

[Camaro Zach]

started on the fuel cell today and ran into some problems on my test welds. Pic 405 shows the porosity and dullness. I dont know what it is but i tried both 2% thoriated, and ceriated tungstens (3/32) Aluminum is .090 3003 and 3/32 4043 filler i believe. Also what do you guys usually use to prep the al. prior to welding?

Thanks for the help,
Zach

[Firey]

Re

If you can get a hold of it use pure tung. or Zirconium tungsten. Is the aluminium mill as it does look like it if so you don't need to prep it.Just weld & go with it not that you need it but for a stronger weld I'd go with 5356 wire if you are painting it 4043 will work but if you get it anodized 4043 will turn black at the welds as 5356 will not.

Man thats looking good lot of work but in the end you'll be a proud man.

[Wheels]

I`m no tig guru by any streach of the imagination, but I`m sure your welds would benefit from a stainless brush and acitone . Clean both the material and the filler rod even if things look clean.

Your welds look a little on the cold side, but running a pass on a plate is much different than an outside corner or a fillet joint.

Sorry for pointing out the simple things you probably already know, but these are also the things that trip me up from time to time.

Mike

[burninbriar]

What kind of welder are you useing ? If its an inverter , you dont want to use pure tung. The ceriated or zirconium should work on a sqarewave transformer machine. I have a good link somewhere if I can find it. When I do I'll post it.

[Camaro Zach]

Thanks for the tips guys but i got it figured out.

I'm using a SW 180 and prefer the thoriated/ceriated which have worked well for me in the past. Got fed up with the practice pieces so just started welding on the cell and it turned out well aside from my lack of experience and inconsistancy.

more pics tomorrow

[atomrat]

4-link tie-rod ends

Where did you get those tie-rod ends that you used on the 4-link? They look nice and stout. Have you used them in the past in any other off-road use? Have your ever had them break on you?

I seen and heard of many people breaking the tie-rod ends off of there A-arm suspension on Dune Buggies.

Garry