The Fake Jaguar Thread

[Ulu]

The engine starts and runs ok, but at maybe 60hp right now. It needs more compression. I’ve only been able to push this up to 55 with two people in it, but that was with a clogged up carb.

Air cooled VW, however are no big mystery to me. I have built a few.

The body needs minor details, carpets and upholstery, but otherwise it’s pretty shiny. It’s a heavy body and not a racing body so most of it is thick fiberglass.

 

[Ulu]

The other 4 floor ledgers are now, fitted and tack welded in place. They are plug welded to every flute. Today I get to go plug weld the other side.

 

[Ulu]

I didn’t get in any welding the past couple days but I did spend a lot of time cleaning up my welding area of flammable debris. The neighbor’s trees were dropping lots of leaves. I also changed out my ragged welding curtain. They help keep out the leaves.

I started to make some frame brackets, then l changed my mind about the design. I had forgot completely about plans to strengthen the frame at the door sills.

By adding square tube atop the frame rails, I can make them over 5” tall, but there was an issue.

Some steel tube I had planned for the frame got used in the jig. Since I’m almost done with the jig, I cut those tubes out of it.

But I decided to work on the rear subframe brackets instead. They really need to be sorted at the same time as my main rear frame brackets.

I cut them from this bracket, which once kept the front of a big lawnmower together. Here I have already started sawing it up,

This needs more trimming, but they will fit about here.

But that was 1/2” too tall, so I reshaped them some more.

 

[Ulu]

I have some light channels and tubing that will stiffen the floor, reinforce the crossmember & and tie all the subframe loads up into the frame. I think it can work like this.

 

[Ulu]

…I cut them from this bracket, which once kept the front of a big lawnmower together…

No, wrongo guys. That’s the spare tire carrier for a ‘61 IHC pickup truck!

The blue paint reminded me.

 

[Ulu]

Lots of time has been spent cleaning, etching & fitting parts, and the pan corners. I think I have a plan now…

But these welds are the pits. 2 of 4 are actually missing, by whomsoever welded in these repop floor pans.

Now I gotta weld to a casting. ;( I may make a silicon-brass joint instead.

 

[Ulu]

People have told me it’s ok to weld that without preheat. This is not a big deal.

Trying to set up the subframe perches, Here I have clamped them to a tube, temporarily, for alignment.

Except, This frame is currently upside down. Those are not perches, but hangers.

 

[Oldbiscuit]

A brazed joint would be stronger at that point being as how your joining cast to tin.

 

[Ulu]

My thoughts too,

 

[Ulu]

Well that bogus weld cracked as soon as I smacked it with a hammer.

I bobbed off the remaining unneeded sheetmetal pan and carefully removed the frame doublers. I ground off all the old welds until I was left with the bare hooks.

 

[Oldbiscuit]

Were those originally welded from the factory ?

 

[Ulu]

Yes, to the frame gusset at the jacking point. That was welded to the pan assrmbly.

 

[Ulu]

This is the pulley bracket from the front of my dad’s old lawn tractor.

I clamped on some saw guides, and cut it in half with the fake sawzall.

After some more trimming that gave me two of these little brackets (left and right.)

I made little closure plates so I could weld them on to the ends of my frame.

Here’s the little closure plates sitting in a 16 ga tray that I am cutting up.

That green tray came from the old army desk, and also shown in it are two special 12 ga doubler brackets. They are doubled over on one end, and they came from some unidentifiable piece of Air Force junk.

Those brackets go into the corner of the pan, doubling it, and giving me a more solid perch to weld to the hook.

The little tray created two 16 gauge frame extensions.

In the top view you can see that they step back a little for extra clearance where a thick body lap occurs.

Here you see the whole assembly, where it will weld adjacent to the body subframe hangers.

 

[Ulu]

Yesterday I got all those parts cleaned up shiny and ready to weld, but I still have to make some closures to repair the corners of the floor pan.

I’m gonna use this piece of tin which was from the drip pan from the bottom of a small lathe.

It was practically brand-new when somebody dropped it off a truck, and I picked it up for 20 bucks. It has already contributed a couple bits of metal to this project.

I have marked it and sliced it up with the electric nibbler and put the strips into the acid for a nice etch.

Here is the bit of nasty pan that I have to patch on both corners.

It’s “lumpy”.

 

[Ulu]

After brushing, sanding, and etching, the old metal looks as good as gold.

With 4 vice grips and wooden tools, I wack in 3 bends and start on the fourth.

 

[Ulu]

OK! Both patches are fitted, and I trimmed the ragged pan corners.

Now, on to clean the laps and weld these in…

 

[Oldbiscuit]

Looks really good , nice job fitting those pieces up !

 

[Ulu]

Thank you.

I am not an ace bodyman, so I’m not making invisible seams. These patches will just get lap-seamed.

I spent all day cleaning metal, prepping to weld.

 

[Oldbiscuit]

Nothing wrong with lap seams, as long as you can seal it up on the back side as well to keep water and dirt out . Todays auto seam sealants are amazing.

 

[Ulu]

I’m afraid adhesive/sealants will play a big part in sealing the whole pan, plus mounting the body.

Today I had to do more welding prep for minor things before the real welding happens.

Happily, I did get some welding done.

I filled these unwanted holes in the hangers.

I also filled this hole in the pan, and put on 6 more tiny pan to frame welds.

I put them on the driver side too.