Humber SS's 4V Century V8 powered Dyna Camper

[HumberSS]

 

[HumberSS]

[HumberSS]

Is there a minimum distance required between my fuel tank and the exhaust? I'm about an inch presently. I'm hoping a shield is the solution here, rather than moving shit...jump on my discussion thread with your opining.

[HumberSS]

Alright time for another sporadic update. Ive just had the week off with Covid and only just now feeling like Im not half dead. wah wah, its my first time so Im a bit of a bitch about it. Anyway,still waiting for that negative RAT test, have cleaned my house as much as I care to and talked to my dog more than any sane person should. Time to entertain the masses with my somewhat productive, slightly rough but achieving foibles of Dyna.

Left off last time with headers completed/near completed. Pic of other side here. Looks like it should. I became a little unhappy with my welds on header number one as I was lazy and used the mig and it was kinda playing up. So I ground back the welds and fuse-tig'd over them to make it look a little more pleasing. Passenger side was def nicer off the torch, so to speak.

My aforementioned conundrum thereafter was that my header collector was a bit too close to my fuel tank for my liking. Then it dawned on me that the original tank and tank mounts had been fucked with, so I went and revisited those. Viola, they had these bits of C-channel welded on the back side to space them off the Chassis and I actually had enough room to space the tank out this far without fouling body.. As luck would also have it I happened to have an 8m length of the exact same C-channel in one of the steel racks randomly. Fate has its ways, so I sorted that, and welded captive studs to make assembly dead easy too.

 

shitloads of room now bae.

Next up started thinking Gearbox crossmember. This is work in progress and I realise I need more pics of what I have done, but this should actually be finished soon so Ill full update that in due course along with Driveshaft Hoop, sneak preview of both below.

So the big milestone however was advancing things on the bellhousing front. Previously had got to the state of two pieces requiring a civil union. Some potential ugliness owing to much actual roughness in the cutting process, requiring potentially quite a lot of hot-melt gluing to fill the gaps. Anyway, bit of interweb research took me down the wormhole of appropriate filler rods for welding Cast Alloy. 4043 and 5356 both came up so I went and got a handful of 4043 rods from the local supplier. Ive done heaps of Ally Tig many years ago, but on clean extrusion not durty cast, so I wasnt entirely confident in this space.... My worker however was keen to have a crack though. So we set the two pieces up on the trans as a jig - there was a 0.5mm diameter difference between the two bits so in order to get near perfect alignment we cut up some feeler blades and stuffed them around the edges in 3 spots, pulled everything up with a ratchet strap and had at it. It was fucking hard, like really fucking hard, to get anything resembling penetration. It probably took him the better part of an hour to get 4 solid tacks on an man did they look like shit.

So he messaged his old work mates down at Global Stainless in Hawera - who are frankly fucking gods when it comes to welding/fab etc (look them up) and they all just laughed, debated over the alloy etc, waxed about how cunty it was, wished us luck etc. We nearly gave in and took it to them at this point. Then we remembered something....

See about 5 years ago I brought a whole machine shop, and a bunch of random tools. It was, in hindsight the score of a lifetime. I wont piss on about it, its embarrassing. But suffice to say, to this day, case in point, it still continues to deliver the goods randomly when we get in the poo. One of these particular gems that was wrapped up in the sale was this hairy old Induction welder from 1642. It weighs about 400kg. It had the plug cut off it, which we assumed was done for a reason, but on talking to one of the old fossils that worked there for 300 years, he said it was still all good. My sparky didnt want to know about it, but gave it a courtesy glance under the covers and couldnt see much scary there. In fact, on numerous occasions when talking to the old fossil over the years he always said to me, NEVER SELL THAT WELDER. About a year ago I considered it, but I am quite lazy. And I thought It would probably fetch more as scrap due to the massive copper windings in it. Anyway, by fuck was I glad I didnt. So we fired the old bitch up and endlessly twiddles knobs until it started laying beads on an old bellhousing I had laying about. A few things to note about the welder. It has a 10m long torch lead, with a really cool spool gun type torch. We checked the alloy in it, turns out it was 5356... this was used in an old toy factory that used to make cast aluminium dies (Fun-ho here in Inglewood) so, yeah shits starting to make sense. Remember to listen to silly old cunts, they might be silly and old, but they know shit and that 2 hours chewing your ear off is always full of gems. Anyway, it started a bit ugly (actually kinda a lot ugly) but we keep fine tuning the inductance and the thing started signing, and more importantly you could feel and see it burning in to both halves of the bellhousing. The end result is not what anyone would call pretty, but its 100% bonded and totally servicable, and will prob look fine once I hit it with some paint. It took 3 full laps to get enough weld that I was happy. Pics be splainin.

 

[HumberSS]

Carrying on, above pics arent quite the finished article but will get some more once the trans is all back together and happy. One of the shit things that many here will know about aluminium and welding is warpage. This thing did that shit in spades. So we ended up about 1mm oval. Enter fossil number 2, aka Wan-ye'. Wan-ye' is my business partner and a toolmaker of full dinosaur status. Showed him the shit and he decided offering it up on the mill and running a boring bar down it would sort. I was thinking lathe. Shot Wan-ye. He clocked up the top half, confirmed the 1mm ovality, then clocked the original bellhousing too and confirmed that,aside from ovality our feeler gauge trick was fucking bang-on. I was very glad to have props from him on this. We mic'd up the trans and set to with the boring bar. We figured if we got 3 points of 'low where material was removed we it would confirm we were clocked up good and that we werent removing too much. It all worked out real good. 

Pics of welding torch I missed in post above for interest also.

Last bits of this update, I yanked the diff out, made a frame to keep chassis rolling, and started toying with handbrake things further. Think I have a bit of a plan here now. Going to Disk Brake Ive decided, found some mechanical calipers from a late 70s/early80s chev that look perfect. If anyone has some of these let me know as Id rather find S/H than pay $300 out of the states... https://www.speedwaymotors.com/1978-Up-GM-Metric-Emergency-Brake-Caliper-Kit,379663.html I havent figured out exactly what model they came on...

And just because I love jumping around all over the shop like a schizo, I got back on to body-hole related matters and finished off some welding there. This bit is kinda feeling close now. I wanna finish all the detail around this, get some paint on steel bits, glue some flashings in place then get on to starting the engine cover soonish so it feels like at least on body whole is sealed up.

 

So yeah, next plans are to finish bellhousing tidy up, bolt trans to donk and then finish gbox x-member and driveshaft hoop, both of which have most bits fabbed up for - was just awaiting belhousing goodness. Then its on to diff/handbrake matters which will be a little bit of a head scratcher, and also I want to finish the exhaust. This would effectively render the entire chassis and associated bits complete and ready for blasting and painting....

There is however one major problem with that thinking. Im fucking broke. So I might delay exhaust and handbrake matters and move on to the roof of the box body itself. There are 4000 rivets to drill and replace, and all manner of gluing stuff for weather tightness which will not cost actual money. Also starting paint stripping up there too. Ill keep myself occupied.

 

[HumberSS]

Can people jump on my discussion thread with thoughts re exhausts. It's not on the immediate list but I at least want to start planning. Baring in mind this is a 3.4l v8. So 1.7l per bank, my thinking is anything that made a warm 1600 breath would be about right. My preference would be a 2 into 1 system as I don't want it loud or raspy.

My thoughts at this stage is to drop down to 2" out of the collector then go into a big chambered muffler on each bank, then merge into a single 2.5" and another muffler at the back.  I do wonder if my pipe diameters are still a bit too large though? Could go 1-3/4 into 2-1/4?

Anyone who's got an opinion here would be greatly appreciated.

[HumberSS]

So the last month has been basically busy with actual work, including being @ThePogs bitch - I was desperate, and he was clearly moreso... - The fucking project doesnt advance without the necessary lubrication to do so. Working for that cunt requires generous lashings of lube.

I finally finished most trans related things, still have the torque converter spigot to crank mod to finish, but otherwise all else is about there. I tidied up the welds and spot faced the mounting holes to the trans and got it all bolted up. Its not super pretty, but its fully functional. 

Then proceeded to sling it on to the back of the great girthiness, and continue with the next logical pursuit, finishing the crossmember. Its pretty butty, but in keeping with general heft of all things truck-like. I am also basically using up all the scrap steel in my workshop to do a lot of fab, so basically if the shoe fits..

Whilst diagnosing issues with my corolla, which has now since been moved on in favour of vehicles that dont consume oil at a rate most consume petrol, I had the coils out. With a very, very satisfying 'pop/' I decided to jam them in the plug holes of the 4V. Its like Toyota engineers are lazy, shit designed 40 years later fits like a glove... I am seriously considering running COP with the carb using a speeduino and having mappable ignition with the carby - perhaps with the thought to future EFI options. It looks badass, and givne the price of new coils and a speeduino, its not a big step away from getting nice plug leads. Anyway, opine away.

[HumberSS]

Next mish was to fill some swiss cheese in the chassis rail on the fuel tank side. I moved the mounting holes, but also there were a lot of holes there already and it was looking a mess.

I also got a shot up the end of the collector, just cause...

I finished the driveshaft hoop also. Again butty, but functional. 

Ive really only got the diff handbrake to complete, and a few bits turned up this week for that, so I will be turning my attention there in the coming weeks.

I moved back to tidying up some of the body interface. Painted steel, put rivnuts in holes etc for mounting engine cover.

Got stuck back into Califont and battery locker, cut out some more unnecessary shite and the old battery tray, so this is kindof ready for a bit more lining and framing up for batteries etc. Will need to at least decide on a battery format before I go further here. Would like to start reinstating the skin and framing up a door for here soon too. Ive also started looking at other body related stuff, with the impending end of major driveline fab thats where my next bit of attention will turn.

I also remounted the fan on the outside of the fan shroud instead of using the shitty radiator zip ties I had previously, as suggested by someone. Hindsight is a beautiful thing, as is perhaps laying off the doobs and beers when fabbing shit. I think I should have cut the shroud back a few inches to make purdy, but its done now and space is not a constraint here so Ill live with it.

[HumberSS]

With body related thinking comes the thought of actually laying a coat of jam on this cunt sometime circa 2030. Anyway, I like dreaming and have a bit of a line of thought Id like to pursue. I think the vibe will be very Toyota, think red/yellow/orange stripe over a white body. Im stuck on the idea of the cab going either bright orange (KP60 type orange) or some sort of Cressida metallic brown. I havent exactly figured how I will tie the body to the cab with the stripe. I did a 5 minute bullshit photoshop job, which isnt it, but is worth throwing up here for the lols. I really dont want a white slug like all other campers, and the cab shape lends itself to something cool. Mood board below. comments welcome.

Oh and also shoutout to @dmulally for his very generous contribution to the cause - a lovely wing awning. Legend, and I fully owe you mate it wont be forgotten. Also great to meet another OSer in the real, absolute GC.

[HumberSS]

Prob easier to share my Pinterest board to show some further veins..

https://pin.it/7AcXv8I

Things like this..

[HumberSS]

Been a while between drinks. Looking through my photos on my phone I have been busier than I realised over the last few months. Building a lot of machines for work, all manner of kids stuff, new lady on the scene, fixing other cunce shit, gardens, cetera. Poor old Dynasaur has been languishing in the naughty corner. I thought however, what little progress I have made should be regurgitated in the interests of perceived progress, and to give me the much needed enthusiasm from the dopamine hits I get from all your likes. BTW, none of this shit is actually finished. Ive done lots of half jobs. I reckon a day or 2 and Ive have a lot of things actual completed.

First mish was to sort out my slightly warped headers on the linisher. New P40 belt. It went well.

I then moved on to matters of body hole. Made some plywood pieces to reinstate the areas where I had to oversize the hole to make all the framing for the engine cover to mount to. Am now trying to figure if Ill lay another thin sheet of ply over all of this to tidy it up, or maybe a piece of lino. Not sure yet. Probably whatever I can scavenge..

 

[HumberSS]

Next was onto making a trim for the front of the hole. This still isnt finished but consider this a note to future self to stop being a useless cunt.

 

Next up replacing a bolt that was identifying as a rivet in the chassis. I did not make not an actual rivet but with some heat and persuasion and the welder it is achieving said goal, and looking legitimate in the process.

 

 

Onwards to things gear shifting things. I had to make basically two levers to act as a 'double negative' in order to translate the movement to where I needed and it still shifting in the normal pattern. 1:1 levers and I will be using a factory supra shifter so ratios should all be legit. A lot of little machined bushes and bracketry to achieve the desired result. A few rivnuts in le chassis to holed one of the brackets and the other welded to the gbox xmember. Also made a tricky little bush for the linkage adjustment at the gearbox as per Sheepers intel as to how they work. You will have to imagine that piece though, because I havent taken a photo.

 

 

[HumberSS]

 

need to order a few rod-ends from China to finish this off but I think it should work.

[HumberSS]

Most recent events have been to make some little alloy disks that sit under the rocker covers around the spark plug tubes and hold an oring that seals up against inside of the rocker cover.

I had a fun day last weekend on the CNC making these as it was arse outside. Wacked a feature into the soft jaws then went at it from both sides. Threw them in the concrete mixer with a few rocks to knock the sharps off them.

Toyota originally cast some rubber in-situ but after 50 years its turned to bakelite and chipped away, so the plan was to make these a mild interference fit, and being ally they should expand/contract accordingly with other things around them. Im planning on also wicking some loctite into the back sides of them to ensure permanent location. Will try and find a seal of appropriate shore hardness in due course.

Id actually like to get the engine fired up in a few weeks as there is really not much stopping me now. I have a lot of little jobs like finishing some water pipes and finishing the alternator bracket, and just some clearance holes and slots here and there. Really after this about the only thing stopping me from sending chassis stuff off to get painted, aside from the benjamins, is the handbrake setup on the diff. Feeling like progress, but goddamn slow at the mo. Anywho, Ill just get my fix watching you lot finish your projects

 

[HumberSS]

[HumberSS]

Carved out a bit of space to get stuck into engine and trans related bits. 

Started off by finishing off the shifter adjuster bush thingy. Works a treat. 

 

[HumberSS]

Next up I got involved in the plug tube seals that I had previously machined up above. It was a bit of a cunt measuring up the plug tubes initially and my intention for a good fit was not quite met. It was more of a slide fit, so I devised a plan to ram a mandrel down the tube to flare it out a little so that the seal perches I machined would be a press fit. As luck would have it I found a scrap of round bar that was perfect for the job, and just machined a little taper on the nose to ease it down the tube. It even had a little bit on the back for my shitty home built slide hammer to grab on to pull it out. I had some old plug tubes from a parts engine to try the theory on and it worked a treat so I proceeded to the main event. Had to chisel the old seals off and clean up with some p240. They were truly fucked.

 

[HumberSS]

[HumberSS]

Gave inside of heads a thorough clean from any potential debris that may have gone wayward. Blocked off oil return gallery prior and removed manifold afterwards to ensure nothing made its way into the valley through the pushrod tubes. Took a pic of some of the porting on the manifold and headsfor brags. Gasket was overlapping a couple of ports too so sorted that. 

[HumberSS]

Tonight's mish was to try finish off the cradle. I made some braces for the engine mount box sections, as recommended by someone here. Good call, looks more appropriate. Ran out of Tig gas, and was hoping to have the water pipes mounted too, but after finishing my alternator mount I think I need to throw motor back in to double check my intentions as it's all a bit tight trying to route bottom rad hose to water pump.

Progress.