fabrication

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mygasser

mygasser

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i've been here a while now and read a lot of threads about fitting a big block (b or rb) to an 'a' body. there's lots of great advice and suggested vendors for swap parts. it's occurred to me it's rare now for anyone to make their own parts, be it mounts, headers or whatever. does nobody either want to or are able to do this stuff any more? i've put a 440 into a 65 dart and a 383 into a 68 valiant and the closest i got to 'bought' swap parts were used schumaker headers for the latter (i was going to make fenderells like the 65 dart but was offered the schumakers cheap). everything else i made myself. lots of people say mounts aren't available any more, but sheet steel is everywhere and most guys can use a tape, a hacksaw or a grinder, a drill and a welder. card templates are easy to make even if you can't weld so a local welder can make them up for you. sorry to go on but we all seem to be getting lazy, like if you can't 'buy' a part it's not possible to do that any more. is it just me?
neil.
 
Are you kidding most of these young people can’t use a screwdriver! Just was at Burger King and got some 8 piece chicken and fries. No fries had to go back so I grabbed a couple pieces of the chicken, 7 pieces in each bag. wtf.
 
what did you make for your 440 installs exhaust? been there...curious.
 
Yep, big difference between an auto mechanic and a coach builder (hot rodder). And most auto mechanics just know how to replace part, not like they know how to re-line brake shoes or rewind an alternator. But don’t worry, everything will get back to basics after replacement parts eventually dry up, like restoring cars from the 20’s and earlier much like cars are worked on in Cuba.
 
LO23M8B said:
Are you kidding most of these young people can’t use a screwdriver! Just was at Burger King and got some 8 piece chicken and fries. No fries had to go back so I grabbed a couple pieces of the chicken, 7 pieces in each bag. wtf.
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Imo -If no ones showing them and schools aren't offering to teach them, then it's not all of their fault. Back in the late 60's and 70's even when that stuff was on the table many of them ended up selling vacuums and insurance because Tech school kids weren't considered elitist like the jocks who's daddies bought them cars.
 
pishta said:
what did you make for your 440 installs exhaust? been there...curious.
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sorry for the old picture quality, i made these, all 4 primaries each side went down under the inner fender near to the outer fender so plenty of tyre clearance when on full lock. they took me about 25-30 hours to make, i used 2 pairs of nearly new used headers for bends, a couple 6' lengths of tube and a rusty pair of big block headers for the flanges. total cost about $100. i could still access all 8 spark plugs too, some were tight but all doable.
neil.

dart 3.JPG
 
F, headers were cheap back then...$39 for some Blackjack headers from Supershops....Angel wing headers! enough to bake the paint under the fenders. :thumbsup:
I used a set of old ProParts semi fenderwells, modding the #5 and the passenger side idler arm location. Used a spacer to get it off the K and under the merge.
 
Boy, you nailed one of my pet peeves...
"My 440 Duster project is at a standstill because I just found out Schumacher isn't selling swap mounts anymore! What am I going to do??"
How many times have we seen that post...
1.) You obviously haven't done your homework before you dove into this project. If you did, you'd know what was and wasn't available; and what your alternative options are.
2.) You obviously had the engine built for you- if you could build it yourself, you'd be able to fab up a set of mounts in an hour or two.
3.) Get some cardboard, a scissors and a Sharpie. Cut and bend cardboard to resemble the needed mounts. Duplicate in steel. This ain't rocket science, and you don't need YouTube to hold your hand.
4.) Know your limitations! If you can't fab, have all the critical parts in hand before you start. Then there'll be one less "lost interest" half finished project for sale on Cracklist.
 
I enjoy making things for my vehicles. Having a welder, and some good air tools are a must. Sometimes I make my tools to fit the problem. I'm no coach builder, but I get alot of satisfaction from it.
 
ch1ll said:
Yep, big difference between an auto mechanic and a coach builder (hot rodder). And most auto mechanics just know how to replace part, not like they know how to re-line brake shoes or rewind an alternator. But don’t worry, everything will get back to basics after replacement parts eventually dry up, like restoring cars from the 20’s and earlier much like cars are worked on in Cuba.
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Sorry Not all of them.
 
Back in the day i made caliper mounting brakets for Versailles rear disk brakes to a ford 9 inch, i used the center from two backing plates, added some flat stock to make the mount for the forged caliper braket to mount to. Had the axles turned down to fit into the rotors. It also incorporated an e brake cable mount. They were very slick!
 
I believe a lot of what the original poster is talking about is due to technology. Back in the 80’s when I had my first cars it was a lot of money to make car my parents let me use (1972 Dodge Demon 340/3speed stick) to go fast. Now kids go buy a Subaru, reprogram for extra ponies and run the snot out of it even though it is financed. When it blows they turn it in and don’t care about credit score because they still live at home.
Sorry,I don’t mean to pick on a certain generation. All I am saying is technology has made it “easy” for them. There is no more diagnostics… if the eye phone cannot tell them what’s wrong they are a mess. Plug into the ALDL port and go from 14 secs to 12 secs with air conditioning on. Lol! For us it was a whole weekend changing upper valve train for an extra 25 HP. One click of a key and they get 200hp(exaggeration of course) no need to fabricate- other than wild tails of how fast they are. Lol!
 
I see a couple of you talking about the young folks. They aren't the ones dismayed over the loss of Schumacher. They're mostly older folks who got spoiled with all of the parts available over the last 20 years. I started building DC k-members in the late 1980s. When parts to build a big block A-body became easy to get a lot of people decided that they wanted one. Now we are back to what it was in the early 1990s. Only those willing to build (or pay somebody to) some parts will finish these projects...
 
I took on the BIG fab challenge. I mean BIG fab crap.
Saving a 52 Dodge 3 window coupe basket case.
Forming the complete bottom of the car and more.
Custom built chassis. Custom SS headers from mandrel bends+ full exhaust system.
Made the 440 and 4 speed fit. narrowed a rear, new gears. body and paint, glass, wiring.
custom carpet, door panels and other interior panels.
Farmed out the short block and the 2 bucket seats.
8 years of learning and doing and loving the experience of driving that bad boy down the road.
I`ll probably never do that again.
Well maybe if I score a basket case 41 Willys 3window coupe:D
 
mygasser said:
i've been here a while now and read a lot of threads about fitting a big block (b or rb) to an 'a' body. there's lots of great advice and suggested vendors for swap parts. it's occurred to me it's rare now for anyone to make their own parts, be it mounts, headers or whatever. does nobody either want to or are able to do this stuff any more? i've put a 440 into a 65 dart and a 383 into a 68 valiant and the closest i got to 'bought' swap parts were used schumaker headers for the latter (i was going to make fenderells like the 65 dart but was offered the schumakers cheap). everything else i made myself. lots of people say mounts aren't available any more, but sheet steel is everywhere and most guys can use a tape, a hacksaw or a grinder, a drill and a welder. card templates are easy to make even if you can't weld so a local welder can make them up for you. sorry to go on but we all seem to be getting lazy, like if you can't 'buy' a part it's not possible to do that any more. is it just me?
neil.
Click to expand...
I'm slowly getting parts together to make my own kit to put a 400 in my 64 Valiant. I'll probably be doing the initial fitting over the winter and have it back runnin and drivin with the slant 6 again before the weather warms back up. I am choosing to do it that way because first, it's my car and I'm doing it how I want and secondly, I don't want it off the road very long. When I get to the point that the big block swap will happen permanently (and it may not) I want to be able to do it in less than a week so the car will be back on the road quickly.

We're having so much fun with the car now, I'm not convinced a big block is the way to go, but I'm going to at least do the initial fit work "just to see" what it takes to make it happen.
 
....and I'm just gonna say it. If you cannot make......or get someone to make a set of mounts to put a big block in these cars, you need to find another hobby. The spool mounts make swaps in anything dead easy. I'm having a friend make brackets to accept spool mounts for my 64 Valiant. Three pieces of 1/4" plate welded in the shape of a "U". I'll be posting pictures in my "runnin and drivin" thread as progress continues. I would make them myself, but my welder is a small 120v one. Although I have welded 1/4" plate with it, it would be a strain on it for a prolonged weld, so Freddie gets the nod.
 
Fabrication- it's a take it or leave it scenario for me. I enjoy doing the work. But I also realize that if I can buy a set of mounts that either get me there or close, I am good with the money spent. I work all the time and will just pay for it. Pick and choose your battles.....

Now headers for a Bigblock in an A body, no doubt I would take the challenge of building a set. But it would be to try and build a better mouse trap (or make a pile of recycled metal lol.)

In truth, most people can do whatever they put their minds to. Seen it my whole life now. But it's the interest and attention span of someone that's the limitation. If you like fabrication, great. If not, just have the disposable income and get the work done. No third direction.... But yes, it is becoming a lost art as is guys in the Garage all week working on cars....

JW
 
working on cars is just an excuse to buy tools and see what i can do
 
Same here i fabricate most of my stuff body interior suspension paint brakes and so on whay buy it when you can make it your self and im a black belt in recycling haha nothing goes to waste good for the inviorment and i feel sooooo green
 
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