Building "Thor"

[e21jason]

What about a dodge power wagon, apologies if its already been mentioned.

[AstonZagato]

Storer said:

AstonZagato said:

I walked the dog past Storers place and can confirm that the Range Rover has moved to outside a barn.

Forgot I am being watched


Paul

There's no hiding...

[Storer]

pdr479 said:

I have read your thread from beginning to end and enjoyed every word and comment well nearly all the comments, any way I rarely post or reply to anything, I just stumbled across this on EBay, I appreciate you have already toyed with various chassis and configurations and presently the Rangey is to be the beast of burden but take a look, what struck me was its tax and mot exempt on a V5 with a nice registration apparently transferable, possibly the best snow plow ever known to mankind:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/201469801095
It's in the classic American category
Listed as:
1942 ford chassis


Hopefully that link works if not I assume the number can be used to search the item or can someone more technically minded than me sort out my poor efforts.

Keep the updates coming and can't wait to see more progress.

Kind Regards Paul. Yet another Paul!

Edited by pdr479 on Sunday 22 November 08:59

Thanks for the suggestion. There are no bad ideas but some would make the build more challenging or expensive.
The problem with that chassis would be finding parts. Car parts are usually possible to find but commercial vehicles is more difficult.

Link was fine BTW.

Paul

[Storer]

JonRB said:

I think that sir might find these illuminating...
http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2014/06/cars-with-...
http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2014/06/cars-with-...

Edited by JonRB on Sunday 22 November 08:57

I would love to build one of them, but can you imagine the look on the face of the guy at the SVA testing station............

Paul

[james_tigerwoods]

JonRB said:

james_tigerwoods said:

That's a 'shop. Right?....

I think that sir might find these illuminating...
http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2014/06/cars-with-...
http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2014/06/cars-with-...

Edited by JonRB on Sunday 22 November 08:57

Sir does

[Storer]

Well the expenditure has started.

Collected these 6.1m lengths of UB from my favourite engineering firm this afternoon. They got it in for me from their supplier. They buy more so get better terms and I get it cheaper than if I went direct (not using enough for good terms!).



A couple of hours in the workshop and this lot is ready for the two lengths in the picture above.



The above collection of parts will hopefully come together tomorrow to create a 'track' for the chassis stretch process. The idea is to be able to keep everything lined up.

Trying to get to a point where I have a few things I can get on with while The Country is closed for Christmas.


Paul

[Steve_D]

What's wrong with some string, a plumb bob and a tape measure?
Worked OK for the Romans.

Not even that technical in this stretch limo video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCuxW-Ebt6c
Note the scissor jacks tack welded to each half before the cut which seems to be the only way they have kept the parts level.

How much are you extending by?

Steve

[ivanhoew]

excellent well done paul.... you will be overtaking me in no time .

[Storer]

Steve
I can't believe they build them with no real additional strengthening. Did anybody notice them check the front and rear were square before the welding???

The exact stretch is still to be determined but there is likely to be around 5ft added between front and middle axle and about 6 inches between the rear two.

Robert
There is little chance I will catch you up. I still marvel at what you achieve on such a small spend!!

Couple of progress pictures.

Adjusters for levelling


Upside down of course.


Only tacked at present and some bracing to be added. Need to be careful when doing final welding to avoid distorting the beam.

Paul

[Steve_D]

Storer said:

......Did anybody notice them check the front and rear were square before the welding???....

You see them measure down the length of the side rail which would keep the front and read square but you would also need to measure the diagonals to prevent the whole affair being a parallelogram.

Having said all that it should be possible to do it if you are careful with the measurements.
They should be able to achieve a couple of MM tolerance which even your rails will have difficulty achieving.

Steve

[Storer]

I will still be checking the diagonals but my frame should help keep everything in the right place during the stretching process.

Welded on the underside complete with bracing.



I have to make the feet and then tip it over to finish the welding. Weighs about 1/4 tonne so it is a job for my forklift.

Next job is to make a stack frame for three of the Meteor engines that are currently cluttering up half of my 'clean' workshop. It will be more 6 x 3 UB and built so that I can access any of the engines when needed. The running engine on the rig will be popped on top of my paint booth.
Current thinking is that I will use the newest engine I have. It is one of the last Meteors made and is designed to produce 700hp at 2800rpm but is good for 3000rpm. Engine modifications will be a while away as I need to get it's positioning, power shaft, transmission and rear axles sorted first.
All the components on the chassis will get refurbished or replaced with new. The chassis will be sandblasted and primed prior to the stretch and repaired if/where necessary.

I am about half way through making another front clip for my Ultima which will be receiving most of my attention once the Meteor engine stand is complete.

I have to get everything I will need delivered by the end of this week as most suppliers shut for at least two weeks............ Bah Humbug.


Paul

[AstonZagato]

Did I see you on a huge yellow cherry picker thing moving a hay bale today?

[Storer]

Possibly. That was my JCB 525-67 telescopic forklift.

25 years old and still going strong. I was doing one of my chores for Daughter (she was probably shouting at me)!


Paul

Edited by Storer on Sunday 13th December 21:47

[AstonZagato]

I did hear shouting! I might pop over and say hello now I know what you look like.

[Storer]

The alpha male theory doesn't work in our house. The female of the species is dominant in numbers here so I am used to being shouted down (or at) which is why I have a bolt hole (workshop).

Please do make yourself known (unless I am getting another bking)....


Paul

[AstonZagato]

I'll be with the dog

Paul

[ivanhoew]

great photo .

[ManFromDelmonte]

AstonZagato said:

I'll be with the dog

Paul

I think you need to work on the grouping of your ejections.

[AW111]

ManFromDelmonte said:

I think you need to work on the grouping of your ejections.

I believe the dog has to carry around plastic bags and clean up after his owner.

[Texas mongrel]

Storer, I'm about to start on my own Meteor-engined build over here in Texas. I'm building a frame as we don't have the registration problems that you have in UK. My big issue at the moment is the transmission. The engine has an adaptor that will let a Ford C-6 mate to it, but then I get into concerns about a ridiculouly low rear exle ratio, plus torque issues, and of course the low rpm and how it will affect the auto box.
I know that both the Peterson and Bloomfield Meteor builds used a 3:1 step up epicyclic box, but have been totally unable to find any details, specs, required mods, etc. can you offer any advice or ideas?
By the way, you're right about the cost of R-R parts, I just paid $800 for just the grille vanes from a Phantom 1 but I reckon I'll be able to build the shell myself fairly easily.
My plan is to make it look like the 1928 Phantom 1 prototype 16EX but with only two seats. Thanks for any and all thoughts about the transmission