Been kind've quite around here! What's everyone been up to?

I finally got my shop ready to move into. It's still not "done" but what shop ever is. Last night we moved the tools, welding table and air compressor in, then moved the truck in. The shop is a mess right now, but hopefully this weekend I'll be able to start organizing! I'm kind've excited about it, cuz I'll actually have some room to work! Over the years, I've built 2 trucks from parts and worked on numerous vehicles in half of a 22x22 garage, and finally get a whole 24x24 to myself! I wanted to build a new 30x40 shop but with a kid going to college in a year and a half, I just couldn't justify the expense of a whole new structure, so I took over the "barn". Closed in the leanto and moved the stuff into it that was in the barn. In case you couldn't tell, I'm a little excited! Now I finally have the room for an 80 gal air compressor (next year) and a floor drill press, and some other metal tools. If you'd like I'll post a few pictures (once I get it cleaned up and somewhat organized!

Alan

I've seen plcs of it on some other site (man cave thread) That is going to be a cool shop when your done with it. Post the pics here.

Here is a really cool sit of garages that you might want to look at. I think you have to be logged in to see some of the pictures.


http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=586c7946b5d0e56f9453d02fa88cd7a4&f=7

I've been on that site for a while now. There are some CRAZY "Shops" in that thread. I'd like to know how they afford to build those. They have their toys AND a cool shop. I do think some of those are more than likely places to hang out and drool over their rides and not actual working shops.

I'll be working on picking up leaves Saturday (if the weather holds out) so probably Friday evening I'll start organizing the shop. I'll post some progress pics.

Alan

Congrats Alan! Yes, definately post some pics. I hope to build a shop in the next year or two but we will see. Yes the garage journal has some neat stuff.

For you too Dude. Glad you finally get your man land. I'm sure it will show in the next year or two in your truck as well.
Things have been busy around my place. Doing everything but truck stuff. We are always busy in the fall preparing for winter and of course the up coming Deer Season.
Did you happen to see the CJ heads and all the goodies that sold last night on ebay.
The heads, roller rocks and an intake went for less then a grand and they were the Crane rockers. Man that guy got a buy !
I still have the pictures of the rest of my stable I need to get posted for you. Maybe I can get them on here soon.

I know what you mean. All I've been doing the last 2 months is family stuff and working on the barn. I did have an opportunity to sell my headers, so I stopped on the barn just long enough to take them off and box them up. I also sold my carb.

Figures on the CJ heads, I watch and watch some more, then decide to buy a set, and then a better deal comes along.. Seems like that's the way it goes. Recently, I bought a 45,000 btu furnace for my shop, and then about 3 weeks later, they put the 75000 on sale for a mere $30 more than I gave for the 45! Oh well life goes on. Last night it got down to 25 deg. so it looks like I'll get a real good test of the insulation/heating in the shop. All I've got left to do for now is some organizing. I still have 7 more sheets of ox board to hang, but that can wait for a few weeks.

Alan

I do a good bit of carpentry work. But have never heard of Ox board. Are you refering to dry wall ??

Oh no. I try to avoid drywall where possible. Too much of a mess!
It's also called OSB or oriented strand board.

Alan

Here's a few progress pictures. I'm starting the process of moving and organizing.... didn't realize I had so much stuff squirreled away. Gotta sort through it as I put it away and pitch what I haven't used for a long time..
Alan

Hey I see you have the same tool box setup like I have.
I found that being 5'8" and stacking those three boxes on top of each other didn't work in my shop. I had to get a step ladder out to get in the top box .. So I opted to put the middle box on a stand all it's own.

I also went to that garage site and they make me sick. Lots of guys out there with way to much money on there hands. Now if they where Truck pullers they have shops that actully got worked in instead of just storing they pretty rides.

You show me a super clean shop/garage and I'll show you someone that spends more time cleaning then working in there shop/garage.

Here's a few pictures of things that went on in my shop. note the mess in the back ground. Not proud of it but a messy shop is a busy shop.

What mess, all I saw was a couple of sexy looking 460's. lol

The toolbox works for me, but I'm a little taller. I've still got a LOT of organizing to do, and a little later, I'll finish hanging the OSB.

Alan

I didn't have anything for either one of you guys pictures.
There was nothing there on my screen except a .
Whatsup with that ????

Must be your browser settings. Dan's pics showed up fine for me.

Dan,

Could you get me a better picture of your front motor mounts? I'm planning to go with a front and mid plates and am thinking I could buy the mid plate, and make the front plate.
Also, how thick is the aluminum on those front plates.

Thanks
Alan

Gee I made both the front and rear plates. Rear plate was made out of a piece of 3/16" Steel plate. I found my center line and then used the block saver plate from an Auto trans as a template. clamp drill cut center hole and starter hole trim angle to match block. walla your done.

Front plate was a piece of 1/4" Aluminum plate pretty much the same thing. Found center then used the front timing cover as my template clamped on drill only the holes needed, trimmed out for the timing belt set-up and dry sump pump made the necessary spacers and bolted it up. I tried to use as many bolts as I could to the front of the motor.



OK left the plate full size for the time being until I get everything I wanted mounted to it. Then I'll cut it down to size and remove all unnecessary material



Rear mount Driver side



Rear mount Passenger side



Dan

How come you guys are going with plates? Aren't plates usually for making room for headers?

Makes it easy to position the motor where you want it, and makes it easy to install and remove, AND if you need to drop the pan, there isn't a cross member in the way.

alan

With this plate system I can now remove the engine and tranny as one unit with only removing 6 bolts, 4 in plates and 2 in cross-member of tranny the 2 tranny lines and the coolant hoses.

And the rules in our clubs around here say rear of block can be no closer then 14" to center of front axle. I got to move the engine forward 2 and 3/8" so the old mounting perches wouldn't work no more, and now the engine I feel is more securely mounted to the truck as a whole.

The other cool thing about the plates is it gives you lot more places to attach things to the motor, like Vacuum pumps and over flow tanks, coils, even the dry sump tank can be mounted to the front of the plate.



Dan