what are you using to sand in those inside corners?
CK5
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The Willomet Charger
- Thread starter AgDieseler
- Start date
A desecration to Mopar nuts everywhere, this is my protouring, LS-powered, 1970 Dodge Charger; built at my shop, Willomet Motor & Fabrication.
Like, right here in a fillet?
Usually I hit the high points with a 50 grit roloc, flexing the pad up to about 1/8" (Hammer fab radius backers are good for this), then follow up aggressively with a round file, then a used 40 grit on my 3" air sander, and then a fresh 40 grit on the 3" DA. Sometimes, there's a scotch brite in there after the 3" air sander; usually on a 2" roloc.
Since these welds won't be visible, I won't dress them down too much; probably just enough so it fits onto the unibody.
David
Finished this up last night.
Blended and ready for a small massage to get it all back smooth.
Inside corners blended
Now the front edge of the wheelhouse is as tight as possible to the unibody and meets the rear frame torque box.
The inner wheelhouse will take more work, but it was sliced to match.
I'll duplicate on the other side before coming back to this inner, and getting it to match up to the frame.
David
Blended and ready for a small massage to get it all back smooth.
Inside corners blended
Now the front edge of the wheelhouse is as tight as possible to the unibody and meets the rear frame torque box.
The inner wheelhouse will take more work, but it was sliced to match.
I'll duplicate on the other side before coming back to this inner, and getting it to match up to the frame.
David
Simply amazing watching your fab skills, kudos!
Tried something different for the other side.
The mounting flange was sliced and sectioned, while the rest was beaten into position to close the gap to the rocker. There was way less welding and finishing required.
Continuing on with the inner wheelhouses.
David
The mounting flange was sliced and sectioned, while the rest was beaten into position to close the gap to the rocker. There was way less welding and finishing required.
Continuing on with the inner wheelhouses.
David
Bossing mallets get the work done.
Inner radius adjusted, now to get that flat spot to match the profile of the rest of the wheelhouse and close up that massive gap.
"Official Mopar Replacement."
Wheeled up this 18ga filler panel.
Trimmed, and fit with some cool 100lbs magnets I picked up.
I specifically got the magnets to flush in panels like this.
Welded slowly, bumping to keep the seams aligned along the way.
For panels with a radius like this, adding filler gives a good blendable profile. Autogenous is harder to blend without taking too much out of the surrounding work.
Roughly shaped, high spots marked, and ready to go back on the wheel for smoothing.
I spend my weekends figuring out how to do this stuff, so the mirrored side can be filmed during the week. Basically, that's 20 hours to understand the process so I can do the bulk of it again in 3.
David
Inner radius adjusted, now to get that flat spot to match the profile of the rest of the wheelhouse and close up that massive gap.
"Official Mopar Replacement."
Wheeled up this 18ga filler panel.
Trimmed, and fit with some cool 100lbs magnets I picked up.
I specifically got the magnets to flush in panels like this.
Welded slowly, bumping to keep the seams aligned along the way.
For panels with a radius like this, adding filler gives a good blendable profile. Autogenous is harder to blend without taking too much out of the surrounding work.
Roughly shaped, high spots marked, and ready to go back on the wheel for smoothing.
I spend my weekends figuring out how to do this stuff, so the mirrored side can be filmed during the week. Basically, that's 20 hours to understand the process so I can do the bulk of it again in 3.
David
Mobile photo upload is a little hinky lately, so I’ll do the play by play tomorrow, but for now, this was a very nice Happy Hour.
David
David
Here's the play by play.
One light session with the high crown gets the basic shape in place, and I blend the welds as I go. Usually, that means bumping from back with the high crown, wheeling the profile, and then filing down.
I use a big half round rasp and a huge conventional half round file.
The DA clears the file marks.
Layout fluid and a light file shows where I need to work.
You can see the marks from the high crown anvil smoothing across the weld. The limit for the english wheel is 18ga (what these wheelhouses are made from), and it takes some doing to get these welds to flatten.
Blood can be layout fluid.
Working light with the low crown anvil to smooth and raise one low spot.
The 5" radius is about right, and just needs a smidge more work from the body hammers.
The remainder of the flat spots still has a very slight wrinkle. I got most of this out with bossing mallets and the wooden workbench, and then a slap hammer on the face.
As much as I file, this still is at least .040 thick (20ga). I'm just not that aggressive with the file, since most of the work is done with body hammers.
This is roughly done. There's still some reforming for the frame flange and tiny pin holes to fill, but I'll leave that for later.
Happy with how this came out for the first side.
David
One light session with the high crown gets the basic shape in place, and I blend the welds as I go. Usually, that means bumping from back with the high crown, wheeling the profile, and then filing down.
I use a big half round rasp and a huge conventional half round file.
The DA clears the file marks.
Layout fluid and a light file shows where I need to work.
You can see the marks from the high crown anvil smoothing across the weld. The limit for the english wheel is 18ga (what these wheelhouses are made from), and it takes some doing to get these welds to flatten.
Blood can be layout fluid.
Working light with the low crown anvil to smooth and raise one low spot.
The 5" radius is about right, and just needs a smidge more work from the body hammers.
The remainder of the flat spots still has a very slight wrinkle. I got most of this out with bossing mallets and the wooden workbench, and then a slap hammer on the face.
As much as I file, this still is at least .040 thick (20ga). I'm just not that aggressive with the file, since most of the work is done with body hammers.
This is roughly done. There's still some reforming for the frame flange and tiny pin holes to fill, but I'll leave that for later.
Happy with how this came out for the first side.
David
Steady daily progress.
The lines are the frame shape, and I’m going to try bending the flange using the bead roller. If that doesn’t work, I have a separate flange already made and ready to weld in.
David
The lines are the frame shape, and I’m going to try bending the flange using the bead roller. If that doesn’t work, I have a separate flange already made and ready to weld in.
David
The iron block was snagged with the full intent of giving it a pair of Nagasaki noisy bois. I still like that idea.
I’ve since then had the notion to make a very well balanced NA 340 (Callies makes a really slick set of 8 weight cranks) with velocity stacks and a cam with that moves peak torque up above 4,000. That’s old-style racing traction control, and an 8,000 rpm LS would sound nice through the 180* headers I’m planning. It’s a bit of the the 5th gen Z28 and C6 Z06 formula, with a track-oriented powerband.
Truthfully, there’s time to change my mind one or two more times. The Fab9 and most of the rest of the suspension is inbound from Chassisworks (handful of back orders), and it’s all tin work for the next few months.
David
The crank I was referencing.
www.callies.com
Just over here bench racing.
David
Catalog - Callies Precision Engine Components
www.callies.com
Just over here bench racing.
David
Bench racing is one of the things I do best. I’d think destroking it will be a fun projectThe crank I was referencing.
Catalog - Callies Precision Engine Components
View attachment 433204
Just over here bench racing.
David
Are you going to check casting numbers on the heads and match the higher flow ones to the Charger?
Pulling it down to a 340 is my version of trolling, and it's just not done very often.
The LQ4 has the low compression 317 heads, and while there are several porting services available for those, I'll probably build that engine with GM flat top pistons, a fresh hone and rings, cut the heads .010, give it a bit of cam, and call that engine good to run on 91 or 93. My dad wants to balance the stock rotating assembly, and I can't disagree with him there. From there, it will probably be a shakedown powerplant for the car, and transition to the waggy once I can build an all aluminum LS3 block with square port heads, pulling another 75ish lbs off the front of the car.
More engines is the answer.
David
By the time you're ready for it you might be able to find a wrecked one of these...https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a38044152/2023-chevrolet-corvette-z06-revealed/
I enjoy the “This is not the 340 you’re looking for”
A flat plane crank and 180 degree headers would probably be one of the nastiest exhaust notes known to man.
Though the 180 degree headers sound wicked without the flat plane crank. The guy that I helped circle track race had a full tilt bored out 400 block on alcohol making 700 at least with 180 degree headers and it was downright angry sounding when he snapped the throttle.
Though the 180 degree headers sound wicked without the flat plane crank. The guy that I helped circle track race had a full tilt bored out 400 block on alcohol making 700 at least with 180 degree headers and it was downright angry sounding when he snapped the throttle.
Purposeful with a dash of petty. That’s what I’m going for.
Absolutely this and because I like to weld are the reasons for an absurd header design.
David
I don’t have a tipping die, but I made do.
Stretcher putting in a bit of work.
Light pressure with the flat anvil.
Not a lot of daylight there. I’m very satisfied with the fit.
Making the extension so there’s a solid vertical flange mount to the torque box.
Just have to get the front edge cleaned up, and I’ll be out of the woods on this one.
David
Stretcher putting in a bit of work.
Light pressure with the flat anvil.
Not a lot of daylight there. I’m very satisfied with the fit.
Making the extension so there’s a solid vertical flange mount to the torque box.
Just have to get the front edge cleaned up, and I’ll be out of the woods on this one.
David
You've really grown in your skill/ability over the last few years.
