I've got my fair share of pipe practice with stainless, but it'll be nice to get some more time in on carbon.
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I've got my fair share of pipe practice with stainless, but it'll be nice to get some more time in on carbon.
Not many people know what those are.... you get a gold star!
Cage is all reassembled, and finish welding has started.
120amps, 1/8" ER70S, single pass, lay wire technique, all position, restricted. Lol. lots to go, but making good progress.
Here, you can see my A pillarthat bolts through the dash and through the firewall to the engine cage.
Detail shot, 6 bolts per side on lower clamp bracket. Stub tube passes through front dash plate to help with shearing forces, and another removable 2 bolt clamp so the dash can be removed without pulling the cage.
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Back for another round of continued fabrication on Judy. The cage is getting closer. Added the harness bar and harness bar supports, added the door bars and the grab handles. What are the weird triangles with all the holes you ask? You'll just have to wait and see.
For as much crap as i always hear about the rogue bender, I honestly really enjoy mine. It makes consistent bends and I can easily bend in plane using two clamp blocks.
Looking a little more race car-ish and will help keep the wife and I better protected.
Looks stout without the seats in it.
What is it?
It's been a day. Phew, I'm beat. Managed to weld out the major frame tie-ins, cage connectors, cut out and weld the suspension reinforcement plates, extra gussetsand the last of the tops of the body mount tabs. Finish welded the rear top links and got them reinstalled as well. Then I moved on to the cage and finish welded everything (except the door bars, I want to re-check cage fit after full welding). The cage is done entirely in TIG, with the exception of the rear suspension/coilover top mount brackets. Only a few things left and the body and cage can go back on the frame and I can start adding the fuel, electrical and braking systems.
She smiled at me today for all the work I've been putting in lately.
72blazer
Marion Cobretti
Too many pretty welds. Throw in one popcorn weld at least. 
Ha! That's what Grinders are for. There's definitely a few on it that aren't my best. Usually when I'm twisted up, running the pedal with my knee and trying to worm the filler rod between other tubes. I call it "welding yoga" Need to trademark it.....
Need to trademark it.....
TimCubed
Active member
- Joined
- May 21, 2020
- Member Number
- 965
- Messages
- 28
Boatside the tub before ya put that cage inHa! That's what Grinders are for. There's definitely a few on it that aren't my best. Usually when I'm twisted up, running the pedal with my knee and trying to worm the filler rod between other tubes. I call it "welding yoga"
Can't. It's already been pulled and installed a couple times. It's not a dedicated crawler, more of a Swiss army knife. For as much of the body that isn't stock, I wanted it to look stock once it's done.
gt1guy
Apparently a racist
Did you test fit yourself in the seat and check for elbow clearance with the door bars?
I bent up a set for my ride and shortly realized that as soon as my hands were not holding the steering wheel, my elbow was banging on the door bar. Had to redo it to follow the side of the seat a little closer.
Everything is looking great. You've been busy and it shows.
I bent up a set for my ride and shortly realized that as soon as my hands were not holding the steering wheel, my elbow was banging on the door bar. Had to redo it to follow the side of the seat a little closer.
Everything is looking great. You've been busy and it shows.
I sat in it and it didn't seem terrible. Those are the only things I haven't fully welded out. I want to make sure they fit and nothing pulled when I welded it, but I hadn't thought about elbow clearance long term. I'll check when I get the tub back on. I'm usually single hand on the wheel with my left when I drive unless things are crazy.
Opiebennett
XJ_Ranger
I'd also leave them out if you can get to the weld site later - most buggy builders leave the door bars out until last so you can wire and plumb things inside the car easier, then weld your pre-fit tubes in at the end.
That's a great idea.
chaplinfj60
Well-known member
yes that is 100 percent a great idea.
Got all the tacos tacked in today to strengthen all my 90 degree tube unions. Thats about it for today.
Need to throw the seats back in it and make the harness bar, the door bars and the cross bars behind the drivers cockpit. And I need to add the gussets/grab handles at the front a pillar to make climbing in and out easier.
Cage is all reassembled, and finish welding has started.
120amps, 1/8" ER70S, single pass, lay wire technique, all position, restricted. Lol. lots to go, but making good progress.Here, you can see my A pillarthat bolts through the dash and through the firewall to the engine cage.Detail shot, 6 bolts per side on lower clamp bracket. Stub tube passes through front dash plate to help with shearing forces, and another removable 2 bolt clamp so the dash can be removed without pulling the cage.
How do you make the tacos?
And is there a stub tube that slides into the engine cage side from the a pillar side? I can't see what's going on in there
chaplinfj60
Well-known member
i built my own but you tube taco gusset
I ended up just buying the tacos to save fab time. But they could be easily made with a piece of sheet metal and formed around a piece of tubing. You'd just have to make a cut guide out of some card stock and then sharpie em out on your sheet.
No stub through to the engine cage, that tube shouldn't see a vertical shear like the a pillar (there's a stub in that one) so I left the firewall to engine cage a bolted connection. The 4 3/8 bolts have a higher shear factor than the tube anyway.
No stub through to the engine cage, that tube shouldn't see a vertical shear like the a pillar (there's a stub in that one) so I left the firewall to engine cage a bolted connection. The 4 3/8 bolts have a higher shear factor than the tube anyway.
Best part with your setup is you can form about any shape taco you want, to fit odd angled junctions. I've only ever seen commercial tacos for 90* joints.
chaplinfj60
Well-known member
any shape for sure
gt1guy
Apparently a racist
I bought a couple pieces of the Blackfish Fab pre-bent taco material. Seemed like a easy way to knock out the odd sized/shape taco's.
blackfishfabrication.com
Saddle Gusset -SHIPPING INCLUDED
Also called "Taco Gussets" these are the lightest, strongest way to beef up a weld node/junction. Heres the kicker: Usually these are only available individually for around $12-$15 each for a 3x3 Saddle Gusset that is generically cut for 45 and 90 degree intersections.... Those really arent...
blackfishfabrication.com
chaplinfj60
Well-known member
Definitely a good resource. Looks like 10ga sheet too.
That's definitely an odd one. Solid work there.
chaplinfj60
Well-known member
thanks.
i am no engineer but i felt like that joint could use extra help it was at a odd plain compared to the rest. plue i did have a shitty notch. (it happens)
i only had the three in red connections going the distance to the rear and i felt like i needed more so i did the yellow.nodes too
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You have really good triangulation throughout your cage. I would have just plated that entire junction both sides if you were concerned, but that taco definitely does it's job there. Any place there's a 90* tube junction it's a good idea to throw a gusset in, as it's the most likely area to have a load moment and bend or kink a tube. Yours is turning out slick.thanks.
i am no engineer but i felt like that joint could use extra help it was at a odd plain compared to the rest. plue i did have a shitty notch. (it happens)
i only had the three in red connections going the distance to the rear and i felt like i needed more so i did the yellow.nodes too
Managed to knock out the rest of the roll cage work today. All the tabs for the overhead console are in, all the comms antenna tabs are in, lighted whip tabs as well. X brace closure/reinforcement plates are manufactured, dimple died and welded. All seat belt tabs are installed. Only thing left ithe removable rear seat belt harness bar for the rear seat and closure plates for the coilover towers. Looks solid. I'm very happy with it.
All the tabs are completely flush with the tube line so i can do the overhead console inside and have a sheet aluminum roof and all antennas will sit flush and seal well for weather protection. Here's how i cheated. Heavy aluminum solid bar to act as a heat sink and to make sure everything was flush and flat from tube to tube on the O.D. plane.
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gt1guy
Apparently a racist
Looking good. That's a lot of work.
I think the X brace closure is a great idea and looks pretty slick too. Well done Sir.
I think the X brace closure is a great idea and looks pretty slick too. Well done Sir.
Thank you. It was at least 10 hours just yesterday. Phew.
Mike Honcho
Red Skull Member
Damn nice!