A Racing Dog

And I also need to fabricate a way to attach an electric cable drum to the trailer…

Part of the fall season will be taken up with getting various vehicles to and from the shop. These aren’t necessarily race vehicles. First up is Dad’s 67 Mustang. We need to spend a few days and get it back into shape. It’s pretty good, all the parts match. Nice collector piece. Before he got sick this last time there wasn’t time to winterize the car. Drain fluids, stabilize fuel, that sort of thing. The first project will be going to the middle of nowhere (where he and his wife have retired) and bringing the ca back down here. About a 10 hour round trip. Originally we were going to do it all up at his place but I’m better equipped particularly when it comes to dropping the fuel tank, cleaning the entire fuel systems, rebuilding/cleaning the carb and sealing the tank just in case. Plus they like Vegas and it gives us a good chance to hang out.

To move these vehicles, some of them that don’t run, I need to install the 12000# capacity Badland winch I got at the beginning of the year. This was inspired from my circle track days when I would either use a come along and strap or have two track wreckers lift the car onto the trailer. The ramps that came with the trailer were rusted, 1/4″ angle iron and weighed just over 100#s each. I scrapped them with the #60 earlier this year. I’ll build a set of aluminum ramps, 8′, mild slope using 1/8″ angle aluminum for a gross capacity of 7500#s. They’ll weigh just over 30#s ea and store under the trailer. Also down the road I’ll add a tire rack and enclosed fairing and lockable tool and supply storage on the front of the trailer. I’ve got some workups of a dovetail mod to the 18′ Carson car trailer. And some new paint, tires and brake work. But first, I need the winch holder fabricated and installed.

I used 3/16″ plate as the winch base. This will be welded to the slide mount I got at Harbor Freight. That will then slide into the mating receiver, again from HF that will mount to the front crossmember and tongue of the trailer. The trick is to shift the weigh back enough not to compromise the tongue weight. The winch will be powered from the 50 amp aux circuit on my tow package.

Cut parts, ball removed from slide mount using a reciprocating saw. Plate plasma cut with a handheld torch.

Basic positioning and fitment.

Welding. MIG, .035 E70S-6, 170 amps, 330 ipm, C25 gas. The slide mount is 1/4″ thick wall. It’s a bit past the capacity of this machine with gas metal arc welding in a single pass. The plate is 3/16″ which is right at the top of this machine using gas and solid core. It’s a great little machine though. Works great on most of what I do, which is 1/8″ and under. Still wouldn’t mind having something a bit larger. It’s two passes along the long axis. A root pass then a finish pass. Somewhat ugly but you can see penetration in the tubing. Should have considered stick welding this one but it worked well. Didn’t chase the heat well enough so there is a fair amount of warpage.

Here’s the assembly view of how it will go together.

A look at the mocked up piece. I still need to source a small bit, 60″ or so of 2″x4″x.120 steel tubing for mounting the receiver to the trailer. I can get a stick for 75 bucks but I only need 5′, not a 2-’ stick. I’ll see what they have in the scrap pile at Curtis.

A Wilton drill press vise. All for 29 bucks. CPO WIlton says it’s made in the good ol’ USofA but on the box it says “hencho in China”. But to Wilton specs. Hmmm, OK. The HF drill press vise is 17 bucks but compared to my 2001 HF vise this one is sturdier. My HF vise lasted more than 10 years though I should have replaced it a year or two ago. I think I paid about 10 bucks for it. Anyway, I needed one and I’ve had a 5″ Wilton mechanics vise for 5 years and at the day gig we use Wilton Tradesman or Columbian vises so I’m familiar with the quality. I could use at least a 6″ Tradesman for the welding table so I can whack the shit out of anything I need. Can’t do that with the mechanics vise.

I even bolted the vise to the table this time instead of C clamping it.

I’ve always loved a good powder coat finish. It’s ju8st too expensive for my one off projects unless I time it right and they are set up at the coaters. Otherwise the setup charge is a killer.

About a month or so ago I found GordsGarageBlog. Great DIY fabricator. He just started powder coating himself. It’s a Hyper Smooth 02, though there are others like the Kool Koat. No room or bucks for that tool yet but it’s on the list. I do have some room for a couple of small goodies if I can find them at the right price. Not tellin’ what they are but I can use them right away to replace some less than stable HF tools I have.

Next post or two should be the fab and fit portion of the roll cart for the KRA box. After that, back to the Miata by striping and finishing the rest of the under tray, package tray, truck and rear sub frame stud replacement. Took a couple steps back in my treatments in the last 10 days or so so that’s set me back.