64 Dodge D100 Pickup Pro Street

[AmericanMuscleFan]

1 hour ago, GoatGuy said:

Another great update and inspiration Francis. Stay safe and healthy.

Thanks again Dave!  I'm back to work (the real one...) for the next 3 days so I will post more pics next weekend of my latest (very slow...) progress!   Take care, Francis

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Hello guys!

Small update on the engine, I made the oil pan from brass in order to add some color contrast.  I wanted to make it with this material to mimic the color of some performance parts manufacturer like Milodon that are gold in color.  The color contrast will increase as the brass oxidizes over time.  Your comments are welcome!!!

Take care, Francis

Starting with a large piece of brass I did cut a small section of it to begin the machining of the oil pan.

Machining in progress.

After a lot of sanding and polishing I drilled a hole for the drain plug.

I made the other section with a 0.010’’ brass sheet and drilled the holes for the bolts. I also drilled 3 large holes to help the weld to flow between both parts and get a stronger joint.

Both parts welded together.

Oil pan final.

Oil pan final different view. I will probably drill 2 holes on the side to connect the plumbing (braided lines) with the oil pump.

Drilled holes match with the ones on the engine block. I will use RB Motion aluminum bolts as final detail.

[Claude Thibodeau]

Hi Francis!

You are happy now... but wait until you have to crawl under the truck to polish it! Might as well anodize it in Dow 7 color... (Just kidding, of course!)

Keep on!

CT

[Mike Williams]

@CT, maybe Francis will just make a plastic pan, painted gold, this way he won't need to polish it either....lol

Francis, very nice work.  Great idea also for a different metal being utilized.  Make for an excellent contrast, yet blending in well.  Satin aluminum and brass look excellent together.

Oh my!  I do believe you even beveled the edges somewhat!  Smiling now and joking.  Also, it appears as if the solder flowed all the way to the outer edges...excellent, totally sealed.

Mike..

 

[AmericanMuscleFan]

24 minutes ago, Claude Thibodeau said:

Hi Francis!

You are happy now... but wait until you have to crawl under the truck to polish it! Might as well anodize it in Dow 7 color... (Just kidding, of course!)

Keep on!

CT

Hello Claude, it's been a long time since I saw you my friend!

For the anodizing process I will leave Mother Nature doing it's magic... but I still have to put more elbow oil to finish this thing...

Have you something new on the workbench lately?  I missed you buddy...  Take care, Francis

[GoatGuy]

Great work Francis. I love seeing and learning more about fabricating parts. Thanks for the update.

Dave

[Claude Thibodeau]

20 hours ago, AmericanMuscleFan said:

Hello Claude, it's been a long time since I saw you my friend!

For the anodizing process I will leave Mother Nature doing it's magic... but I still have to put more elbow oil to finish this thing...

Have you something new on the workbench lately?  I missed you buddy...  Take care, Francis

Hi Francis!

I was preparing for the RAM we were supposed to attend together, in late march, but that was canceled.

I was packing some new builts: a Foose F100 P/U transformed into a pizza truck and a 66 Nova transformed into a pharmacy delivery truck (both for the theme), a modernized early Jaguar with a Potvin blown hemi, a 49 Ford coupe turned into a Pro-Touring (429 Boss, full scratch built chassis, suspensions and interior... and just to tease Louis Labelle: opening suicide doors & trunk ! Plus a totally scratch built 32 Ford roadster for the lakes, with 4 cyl turbo powertrain. All are now in showcases, waiting for the next event.

I'll try to make photos and post them on this forum in the coming weeks. 

To combat Covid, I'm finishing: the 48 Caddy Eldorod converted to a casket renting company delivery panel, a 41 Willys coupe converted to a roadster, a low-rider VW early van, a 65 Pontiac Grand-Prix custom, and a 36 Ford 3W dropped and air-suspended rod. Voilà!

As you can tell, I've got too much time on my hands. Never a better time to be productive at the bench! I'll be ready for the Quebec show in october, for shure. 

See you soon!

CT 

[AmericanMuscleFan]

23 hours ago, Mike Williams said:

Oh my!  I do believe you even beveled the edges somewhat!  Smiling now and joking.  Also, it appears as if the solder flowed all the way to the outer edges...excellent, totally sealed.

Mike..

 

Just a little bit of bevel on the edges as it was kindly suggested by a wise guy!  A small step at a time... I do have habits that need time to change... lol.  Thanks Mike!!!

[AmericanMuscleFan]

13 hours ago, GoatGuy said:

Great work Francis. I love seeing and learning more about fabricating parts. Thanks for the update.

Dave

Thanks Dave!  I do have extra bench time this spring (thanks to the bad weather and COVID-19) so I'll get the D100 going as far I can before I get drowned by all the home works... lol.

[AmericanMuscleFan]

2 hours ago, Claude Thibodeau said:

Hi Francis!

I was preparing for the RAM we were supposed to attend together, in late march, but that was canceled.

I was packing some new builts: a Foose F100 P/U transformed into a pizza truck and a 66 Nova transformed into a pharmacy delivery truck (both for the theme), a modernized early Jaguar with a Potvin blown hemi, a 49 Ford coupe turned into a Pro-Touring (429 Boss, full scratch built chassis, suspensions and interior... and just to tease Louis Labelle: opening suicide doors & trunk ! Plus a totally scratch built 32 Ford roadster for the lakes, with 4 cyl turbo powertrain. All are now in showcases, waiting for the next event.

I'll try to make photos and post them on this forum in the coming weeks. 

To combat Covid, I'm finishing: the 48 Caddy Eldorod converted to a casket renting company delivery panel, a 41 Willys coupe converted to a roadster, a low-rider VW early van, a 65 Pontiac Grand-Prix custom, and a 36 Ford 3W dropped and air-suspended rod. Voilà!

As you can tell, I've got too much time on my hands. Never a better time to be productive at the bench! I'll be ready for the Quebec show in october, for shure. 

See you soon!

CT 

WOW! That's an impressive list my friend... I'm a little bit embarrassed with just this unending truck project on the workbench!

You're truly a machine making machines... can't wait to see all these beauties in person on the table top!

Take care, Francis

[DrKerry]

Oil pan looks great Francis!!!!

[Lorne]

Francis, keep on machining your stuff, your right I bet that is half the fun on this build!!! That's a challenge all in its self!! GREAT STUFF!!

 

 

[AmericanMuscleFan]

7 hours ago, DrKerry said:

Oil pan looks great Francis!!!!

Thanks Kerry!  Just another piece of the puzzle in the bunch to be made... I hope I will not have sand in the gear... lol.  Take care, Francis

 

1 hour ago, Lorne said:

Francis, keep on machining your stuff, your right I bet that is half the fun on this build!!! That's a challenge all in its self!! GREAT STUFF!!

Thanks Lorne!  I still have plenty of ideas for the next ones to be made... no end in sight... lol.  The progress of your 55 Chevy pickup is superb so far.  Take care, Francis

[DrKerry]

LOL, keep the sand outta that finely tuned mill!!!

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Hello guys,

Another small update today, I decided to make the timing chain cover from brass instead of aluminum to add color contrast.  The part will be partially hidden behind the water pump housing and the engine damper but it will be still visible from under.  I will continue next with the bellhousing and the transmission in order to make the final adjustments of the mechanical aspect of this build.  Comments are welcome as usual so feel free to leave some!

Take care, Francis

Using a 1.000 inch brass rod I started the machining of the timing chain cover.

I machined the ’’V’’ shape gutter like the real part even if this section will be hidden behind the water pump.

I added a piece of brass tubing to simulate the crankshaft O'Ring housing.

Final part made from 3 parts and welded by resistance.  The base plate is 0.005" brass sheet that was manually usined. I drilled holes for the bolts as per the ones on the engine block.

[crazyjim]

So you have a chunk of brass and cut a timing chain cover on it.  How do you get the cover separated from the brass rod?

[AmericanMuscleFan]

5 hours ago, crazyjim said:

So you have a chunk of brass and cut a timing chain cover on it.  How do you get the cover separated from the brass rod?

Hello Jim, I machined the oval shape on the milling and cut it on the lathe using the cut off tool blade.  I sanded it flat and welded it on the 0.005" thick bottom shape.  Hope this make sence to you...  Thanks for the question, Francis

[Flat32]

You could save some cutting off grief by soldering a flat piece of stock to the round rod and then desoldering it loose after machining. Even the thin flange could be machined in the part as one piece.

[AmericanMuscleFan]

28 minutes ago, Flat32 said:

You could save some cutting off grief by soldering a flat piece of stock to the round rod and then desoldering it loose after machining. Even the thin flange could be machined in the part as one piece.

Good suggestion Raymond!  There is certainly more than one way to make this part and I chosen to make the base plate (flange) as a separate part to avoid the tricky polishing to remove the marks (swril) made by the end mill.  I trained myself as a hobby machinist so my way to make parts might be strange for an experienced machinist but my goal is to get the parts done and have fun to make them.

Thanks for your visit and take care, Francis

[Mike Williams]

Hello Francis, the front cover looks excellent. 

Also I agree with using here and there another metal, even as you stated later on it's barely visible.  But, this tiny gleam of brass will add tremendous depth to the entire front section of the motor, and this is what pays off in the long run. I can well imagine how the cover will be still slightly visible, while viewing the fuel pump area or whichever pulleys you will be employing.

It's posts like this that get my blood pumping up and enthusiasm awakens to get the bench dirty again!  Many thanks.

Mike..

[AmericanMuscleFan]

11 hours ago, Mike Williams said:

Hello Francis, the front cover looks excellent. 

Also I agree with using here and there another metal, even as you stated later on it's barely visible.  But, this tiny gleam of brass will add tremendous depth to the entire front section of the motor, and this is what pays off in the long run. I can well imagine how the cover will be still slightly visible, while viewing the fuel pump area or whichever pulleys you will be employing.

It's posts like this that get my blood pumping up and enthusiasm awakens to get the bench dirty again!  Many thanks.

Mike..

Thanks Mike!

Coming from an amazing and experienced builder like you, these comments are music to my ears....

The brass was not an usual media for me but I enjoy it more and more due to the fact that it can be welded and as you stated, the color contrast is a must, a subtle touch that will make the difference in a mainly aluminum machined engine.

Glad to keep your blood pumping my friend... can't wait to see your next gem, this hobby needs guys like you to keep it alive!

Take care, Francis

[mustang1989]

Very nicely done with the timing cover and oil pan Francis. Been away for a little bit and then looky what I've missed!!! 

[AmericanMuscleFan]

21 hours ago, mustang1989 said:

Very nicely done with the timing cover and oil pan Francis. Been away for a little bit and then looky what I've missed!!! 

Thanks Joe!  I was wondering if everything's fine for you... glad to see you back.  I will move to the fabrication of the bellhousing and the transmission.  I'm on a short vacation this week so I do have a little bit more bench time. ?

[Codi]

Nice pan and cover Francis.  Like everyone else, appreciate the detailed description on how you achieve each piece.  Thanks for sharing, Tim

[cobraman]

Simply amazing work !