Signal Single Orange 74 EG33 Swap, Gone but not forgotten Options

[mbseto]

I guess it's all about luck...

Man, you want to do what you can to stack the cards in your favor. After I nearly lost a finger last year, I read a ton on use of gloves. Many machinists recommend no gloves because you get a false sense of security, they can get caught in spinning machinery and pull your hand in, and many cutting tools will go through them like they are not even there. But there are just as many that say gloves are mandatory.

After thinking hard on it, I realize what I probably should have known from the start: you cannot put on a pair of gloves with the intent of reducing your vigilance. So these days, I concentrate on visualizing the task at hand before I do it: where's the tool going to be, where's the workpiece, where will my hands and body be. Cutting angles, direction of force and kickback, consequences. When all that gets mentally tiring, take a break.

I'm bad for getting casual over time. Working hard to start paying more attention. I REALLY want to be in one piece to be driving this car when it's done. (914forme, sorry for going off on a tangent in your build thread!)

[914forme]

(914forme, sorry for going off on a tangent in your build thread!)

Not off topic it is here the build is right now, almost ground to a halt. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/barf.gif)

[charliew]

sorry about your accident Stephen. I am almost 72. I have been hotrodding and fabbing about 55 years. Kickback has gotten me once on the nose and once on the cheek. Both times working in a tight area. A face shield will always be on your mind after it is to late. I know we need our hands to do things but my left hand hasn't had any grip for 13 years and I still manage to work with my hands. To loose sight would be terrible for me. I guess wearing glasses probably has helped protect my eyes most times during cutting jobs with different tools. I did go to the er with aluminum in my eye before I wore glasses. Tigging or welding in a tee shirt has burned me more times than I remember but it is not good. I have mashed the meat out of my left thumb with a 5 lb hammer working on a 3spd jeep tranny in about 1970. I healed up and was good till the motorcycle accident that got my nerves 13 years ago. Once I was so happy to find a knock that sounded like a main bearing only to find the flywheel was loose, I stuck a long screwdriver in between the spinning flywheel and the pan lip on my chevy while it was idling to take the endplay out, the ring gear got my right thumb real good. I didn't stop to clean it up till I had pulled the three speed and clutch and pressure plate and got it all tightened back up. I nearly fainted while my grandmother scrubbed the dirt and grease out later that evening. I will never forget that was the day kennedy got shot. A bench grinder will really grind meat so fast you will not hurt for a minute or two, always use vicegrips too hold what you are grinding like when you need to shorten a bolt. Always put the piece of metal up against the drill press post to stop the bit from grabbing and jerking it out of your hand or spinning around and wacking you. If you could keep that 1/2 craftsmen drill from grabbing on that 3 inch hole you are pretty good though. You might know most of these things. You might think I am rambling but my fingers have had a lot of close calls. I've had two operations to tie tendons back together from cuts and two operations to put metal in my fingers to fix broken bones. Neither of my little fingers will straighten out fully but the right one still grips better than most 50 yr olds. I chainsaw with one hand.

One tool you might want at the top of your list is a long 4 inch air cutoff wheel tool. It looks like the wire wheel tool you have, once you use one you will wish it was one of your first tools. hf has them and I have bought two on sale but haven't tried them yet as the expensive one I have has not quit yet, it was about a 250.00 dollar one my friend gave me after he got one for fiberglass use. I use mine mostly for metal with a 1/32 thick wheel.

Hope you heal quickly and with out problems. Not having the nail will remind you to use gloves, believe me leather is tougher than flesh. No gloves with drill presses or mills or lathes though.

We got a heat wave going on anyway right now so you can spend this time studying and price shopping.

I enjoy your hotrodding skills. You do take great pictures.

[914forme]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) Yes we all take our lumps through out life, it is your reaction to them that makes you who you are. Thank you for your kind words and taking your time to write these tips. They might help someone just getting started in this craft. Been doing this 40 years, and still learning everyday. Sometimes the lessons come the hard way (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) Sometimes I am intelligent enough to learn from others.

Way to stay in there, and keep hot rodding. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

[914forme]

Safety gear should be in tomorrow (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

Item number one Nitrel Finger Cots, keep the two open wound sites clean.

New Fabricator gloves, I ponied up the $$ for Mechanix brand fabricator glove, we will see. I also got a set of much cheaper ones for comparison.

Restocked my supply of cheater safety glasses

Bought two full face masks, and a tinted grinding shield for one of them. I got a lot of grinding to do (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

And got a new welding helmet, as my old one was starting to flake out. Maybe its the batteries, seems to have issues with welding in the sun, and picking up the flash from the welder. New mask darkens based on light wave length. So I can be outside welding facing the sun, not the best position, yet when I stick the arc, the helmet goes dark.

Up after this will be to build the TIG cart, finish the trailer work this weekend. Move the boat back to the farm for storage (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) and move Dad's flat bed back to the farm. That clears out the shop to get back to work on the 914. I also have some standard vehicle maintenance items to do this weekend, oil changes, inspections, etc....

On a 914 project note:

Got information back from Chris everything is done waiting for him to ship. Well almost everything, one piece of the front camber boxes is not done. Will not hold up him shipping the items. Guy is seriously busy, and I am extremely happy. Can't wait to see the finished products. Hopefully in a week or so. Chris switch that hat (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) I can wait on you Sir. Great workmanship is worth waiting on.

Got a three day weekend coming up, Safety gear will be here, wife has given me clearance to head to the shop. She knows I have been going stir crazy. And have a list of minor projects to complete. Have Son-in-law scheduled to do some welding for me. And hope the weather will be nice, Mid eighties with lows in the mid 60s. That is good enough for me!

Who knows maybe I will start doing things like restoring light housings, switch cleaning, prep trim and wheels for painting. You know the minor items that can hold you up, but never get done cause you always have the bigger items to complete.

[914forme]

Well got out to the shop today and got a little work done (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

First off Thank you Chris the for the plastics and coil packs. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)



Next up all my safety gear is in also gloves and finger cots, they are really finger condoms.



Face masks for grinding, cutting, sanding, and wire wheels.



New welding helmet on the left, one on the right flakes out everyone and then. And it is a Miller unit. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)



New Gloves selves, and hat for my I also got a shirt, had leathers apron for a long time.



Found the piece of metal I was missing.



it went behind the the table, and into the shield on the sander, no body pieces found.



Son - in - law came over and welded a bunch of stuff for me, while I mocked up a bunch more to keep him busy.

So back to making progress in the shop it feels good. The Mechanix fabricators gloves are very nice, flexible, and seem to do well so far, been working with larger metal today, no sheet metal, that will come latter.

[Andyrew]

I really like those face masks!!!

[914forme]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) I forgot I had one on yesterday, was working away, and stopped said you idiot where are your glasses. It was then I realized I had the mask on, (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) It was that clear and that comfortable. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

Amazon has them here, not bad for a high quality face shield.

Also carry replacement face shields

Grinder shields

And darker ones if you need a shade 5

The Unex Shield fit this Spartan mask (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

The Jackson safety welding helmet is the best one I have ever had. My son-in-law grabbed it over my Miller after his Miller would not go dark. He said his Miler was not used that much, and he had replaced the lens in it 3 times since he got it. He is a pro welder though, so not long is like years on my helmets.

Finger cots work great, able to slip my hands in and out of the gloves with out issue. keeps the wounded areas clean which is a huge plus.

And I must say it was nice having Cory doing welding, freed me up to work out fabrication details while he was (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif) Need to check the welder as last night it shutdown do to over heating. Darn pros are used to welding for long periods of time, he might have killed my hobby Mig Pro. Wife accused us of sabotaging the build by killing the welder so i could get a bigger unit. Idea had not crossed my mind until she mentioned it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif) Wonder if I can find something with a much greater duty cycle. Maybe I should be hoping it is dead. NO!!!!!! That would take $$$$ away from my tool fund, I was getting ready to pickup a shrinker / stretcher set, and some flare and dimple dies. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif) But if I have to pony up for a new to me Mig I will, I can't live with out a welder or two, or three....... Seems I might have an addiction.

Hi, Im Stephen, Im a weldoholic....

[Andyrew]

Itll come back I am sure. The boards get hot and they sometimes shut down. Mine did that when a buddy recently borrowed it, was doing a bunch of thick walled welds and it shut off. Cooled it off, put it in the shade and it came right back. Ive done a few welds at my place with it since and it welds like normal. The 110 boxes are just not made for consistant use.

[914forme]

Well that last post for July

Fingers are healing nicely, been out working in the shop trying to get the trailer finished up.

Go see the hand doctor on Tuesday.

[jd74914]

I really like those face masks!!!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

Definitely going to pick one of those up! Thanks for the links!

[mbseto]

There's something weird going on this summer because I've been getting at least one text a week from buddies getting fingers lopped short. Oddly enough, they've been mainly cooking related. If you find it at all encouraging, I'll send you a pic of a 90-lb rock-climber girl with a finger that looks like yours doing 2-finger chin-ups... :-)

[Chris H.]

THAT'S what you caught your fingers in??? SHHEEEESHH man. Keep those super clean! Take care of them like George Costanza the hand model:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZxX3-rJoNI


Hey did you see my post on the temp sender gauge? You can put the Speedhut gauge sender in place of the stock temp gauge sender. Makes it SO much easier. If you ordered that aluminum fitting you can use that as your air bleeder like this:



The upper coolant pipe will probably be your high point like mine, so you can connect it there, or just tap that pipe for a fitting. I just didn't trust my Harbor Freight tap set to make a fresh tap in the aluminum engine pipe.

[914forme]

Chris thank you for information. No hand model for me I like to work to much to worry about keeping my hands pretty. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

Update on the fingers, they are getting better every day.





Looking great, actually it really is looking great. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif)

I have not been doing much work on the 914, I have been working on Dad's trailer.

I have been gathering a few parts. Met white1975 at the Dayton British car day. Some very cool cars in attendance, we also did a trade for some parts.

Set of great Hella Euro turn signal lenses.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

Also picked up a 20mm HH swaybar with some very interesting hardware in a coffee can.





And now for a depressing and exciting item.



Yes I purchased a set of Speedhut gauges.



Yep quad gauge, oil pressure, water temp, fuel and volt.

8K Tach with lights and memory.

160MPH GPS speedo with high beam and turn signal indicators.

I need to get this car together (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif) a whole lot more (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif) to do on this one.

[914forme]

We this weekend came and went that is not such a bad thing.

My Shereline Mill has been getting a work out.



I made this tool to release pressure on hydraulic lines. Sometimes the implements will move a bit, and pressurize the line, and you can't get the quick disconnect back together. Easy enough, Lathe, Mill, Welder, and Bandsaw all got a work out. As did the finger eating monster. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)



I went over to Scotts, to drop off a tool, and do a quick bushing install, and strut damper install. He got rid of the KYBs (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)


Came back and did some work on my 914, its about time.

First I drilled out spot welds on the floor piece Bruce sent me. Thank you Bruce, very nice piece.



Then I started cleaning things up a bit. Cleared out the grease and removed a fuel pump mount off the 911 alloy cross bar.



Then started taking the front rack apart for some R&R

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) 32 mm wrench to big to fit on the turbo tie rods. So whats a guy to do (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

Make your own!!!



Works like a champ



Disassembled



Note the difference, that bigger gear, makes a huge difference in lock to lock. Hopefully I don't need a ships wheel to turn this thing.



And did not get to re-assembly because I launched the clip on the end of the gear. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

I need to invent high speed garage cameras to track all the little parts that fly around garage.

Oh almost forgot, I restored these body hammers and dollies that I got from a friend that died this year from a brain tumor. He was diagnosed on a Wednesday, and forgot who most of us where by the following week. Was dead two weeks after. Ken you made a huge impact around here, your deeply missed. So in honor, I cleaned up your hammers, I fell privileged to have them.



I also heard from Chris, some of my parts are in the post (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif) Weld on suspension bits should arrive tomorrow. Struts, and trailing arms should be in next week or so. I have a set of JRZ shocks showing up thanks to Bobby. Ordered a set of Koni front Sport inserts, and 22mm torsion bars from Paragon. Thank you Jason (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif) He also check to make sure I did not order the wrongs stuff. 914 Koni Sport inserts with 911 splined torsion bars. Top notch service as always from him. I would love to have a set of JRZ front strut inserts, they seem to rare as hens teeth.

My wife seems to be killing car batteries this week. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) Truck is dead, about to go out and pick one up, get a call, and she killed the one in her EOS. Man she is rough on batteries this week.

[mbseto]

Good to see you back on the horse!

[914forme]

Well it has been a long time since I updated this thread. I have been doing many things 914 related except working on my 914 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

First off I made it to Okteenerfest - 914 less, but had a great time. Roads where great fun, even in a VW Jetta TDI!

I meet some great people and saw some great 914s. My wife was the lucky one and got some great stuff which she promptly handed over for good use.

I spent last weekend meeting Doug and helping to move his 914. it is now getting some work done, and I am glad I could help in a little ay to get the 914 running.

So that brings us to today:

First day of Build Off Challenge 2017 I am in the part Duex group. So if you don't wish to read the whole I'll get you up to speed.

Parts have come in from Chris.

Rear Trailing Arms are converted with 911 e-brakes, stiffened the Chris Foley way. Powder coated, and Elephant Racing Poly Bronze Bushings installed.

Front Spindles have been raised, thus lowering the front. Which then brings us to the top of the strut, where we will find new strut tops. We will have spherical bearings, and camber and caster adjustments.

The rear suspension pickup points will be raised by 2” using one of Chris’ kits installed. He does great work, and glad to have them on my car.

Brakes parts are here, and well they should stop the car.

Lots of work to do on this car to make go again.

GOALS:

Chassis Work and Welding Done. Yes I actually plan to finish welding the car. I calculate another 75 pounds of welding wire will be used. And most likely another 40 pounds of TIG filler.

Install the Engine

Get it running / driving

Finish body metal work

Make it one Color

Drive to Okteenerfest 2017

[914forme]

Here is how the 914 sits as of 7:30 am yesterday: Day One of Part Duex Challenge Build.











So that is where I begin the second round from.

[914forme]

Now for yesterdays progress October 15th, 2016 Day 1 of Build Off Challenge Part Duex.

First up finished my rebuild of the steering rack.

Had to mill the inside of the housing to accept the Quaife Gears, bolt in affair my .....

Not sure where all the pictures went of the rebuild and boring process (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

So you get to paint your own based off my description. I disassembled the rack, started the reassembly to find the a Quaife gear hit the housing. It was just to big to physically fit. So my limited arsenal of tools to the rescue. The steering rack housing was to big to go into my Sherline Mill. So I made a Guide on my Lathe. The guide fits into the opening of the housing and allowed me to use my Rotator and my drill press to bore the housing to allow the gear to fit. Times like these I need a Bridgeport! But hey it worked perfectly.

Here is the assembled rack (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)



And shaft bolts safety wired up. Don't want to loose a steering bolt. Over kill 100% YES (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)



You may bore I got ride of the steering donut and went direct drive, I did that 20 years ago, after a discussion with Jon Lowe. When you raise the rack with bolt on bump steer kits they can hit on some chassis. Mine was one of them. So return the geometry back closer to normal, I took the spacer out. Never looked back. Just don't put your fingers in the spokes of the wheel, it might hurt.

Rack is done, Quaife installed, Turbo Tie rods installed, standard tie rod ends removed.

[914forme]

Day 1 still, October 15th, 2016

Built the front struts: And my damn Sony camera lost the build shots (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif) So here are the finals.

Oh I did find one (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

This is almost how I got them back, I did a test fit of the Koni to see if I needed any parts.

Last year I sent these off to Chris at Tangerine to get the spindles raised, and have the arms reset, and the Rebel Racing Bump Steer Kit installed.



Chris' work is stunning (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

Thrashed on them and this is the final installation: Been a long time coming to get it here.



Detail shot of the back side.



Front shot for you all addicted to brake porn



I would like to thank Chris at CFR and Tangerine Racing it was well worth the wait. And Also the guys at Rebel Racing for making the caliper adapters and the massive rotor. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

Other parts not seen in the build.

Brake cooling ducts, with the hub seals to get more of that air down the rotor vanes. 996 calipers. Koni Yellows, custom valved, advantage of being in southern Ohio, I have two Koni rebuilders with 100 miles. These went to the factory. New bearings and seals. They will come back apart for touring and lubing before the final assembly. Need them for other work on the car. Should have done before I removed the old stuff. Hind sight is 20/20 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)