Re: The Nuclear Banana...... Redux!!! Even "MORE" progress pics....

ThndrChkn May 29th 2010, 12:37 am

Well, I got most of my steering shaft installed today. Still have to finish the inside part of the column. I need to get me one of those 90* oil filter mounts from a truck, 'cause the joint on the rack end is just touching the oil filter. Other than that, it's coming along nicely.
The Nuclear Banana...... Redux!!! Even "MORE" progress pics.... - Page 7 Cid__0528002128

The Nuclear Banana...... Redux!!! Even "MORE" progress pics.... - Page 7 Cid__0528002128

The Nuclear Banana...... Redux!!! Even "MORE" progress pics.... - Page 7 Cid__0528002129

Doug...

Northwest outlaw May 29th 2010, 1:42 am

Good Job looks killer.

ThndrChkn May 29th 2010, 11:55 am

Thanks Jason. I sure wish it would stop raining here. I'm runnin' out of things to do on the Banana, and after cleaning the shop twice already from startin' it, even that's gettin' old. Laughing

I should be able to finish the column inside the cab today, so at least I can pull it out and turn it around, so if I start it again it won't rumble everything off my shelving. Very Happy

Doug...

Northwest outlaw May 29th 2010, 12:30 pm

Yea i hear you on that. Working on some more vids think about making one for your truck.

Northwest outlaw May 29th 2010, 4:24 pm

ThndrChkn May 29th 2010, 9:21 pm

Got the steering column done today. I used a piece of 1-1/2" mild steel and 2 bronze bushings to make the column itsself.
The Nuclear Banana...... Redux!!! Even "MORE" progress pics.... - Page 7 Cid__0529001326

The Nuclear Banana...... Redux!!! Even "MORE" progress pics.... - Page 7 Cid__0529001326

I borrowed my friends lathe and machined the bushings for a .003 press fit into the tube. I left a small lip on the one edge to keep it square in the tube, and to keep it from going completely inside the tube.
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The Nuclear Banana...... Redux!!! Even "MORE" progress pics.... - Page 7 Cid__0529001326a

The Nuclear Banana...... Redux!!! Even "MORE" progress pics.... - Page 7 Cid__0529001327

Got the steering wheel mounted too.
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The Nuclear Banana...... Redux!!! Even "MORE" progress pics.... - Page 7 Cid__0529001619

The brace hardware in this pic is 1/4"x1/2" steel. I'm tellin' ya, this stuff is brutally tuff. I did a wrap around the column, and the A-Pillar bar, and also attached it to the dash bar on the other side.
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The Nuclear Banana...... Redux!!! Even "MORE" progress pics.... - Page 7 Cid__0529001620

After I got it done, I drove it around my driveway to make sure there was no binding. It works smooth as butter.

Doug... Cool

res0rli9 May 29th 2010, 9:30 pm

good deal, now get them breaks fixed and lets go racing Cool

ThndrChkn May 30th 2010, 2:22 am

Got one of my new additions added this evening. I figured anything I can do to keep the air out from under it the better. Very Happy

Have to install a couple supports, but it should work well.
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The Nuclear Banana...... Redux!!! Even "MORE" progress pics.... - Page 7 Cid__0530000000

Doug...

'65 T-BOLT May 30th 2010, 2:40 am

SAHWEET!

billandlori May 30th 2010, 4:39 am

Jeeze Doug, your a multi-tallented guy for sure!! Machinist too!! cheers

How is the steering for effort compared to the old set-up?

Bill

ThndrChkn May 30th 2010, 10:16 am

The new steering setup is just as smooth, maybe a touch smoother than the factory manual setup. All I know is nothing fell off on the ground, or in my hands when I drove it around the driveway. Shocked

That's a plus. Very Happy

Doug...

69F100 May 30th 2010, 1:21 pm

Doug the new steering look good I know if I ever change the front end on my ranger it will be set up with a simple set up for the steering column man mine was a bugger to set up after move the engine back and lowering it. Looking good I like the way you did the bumper also.

Jim

ThndrChkn June 9th 2010, 1:43 am

Well, it's going to the alignment shop in the morning. She's ready to go racin' now. Now all I need is money to go. Shocked

Doug...

'65 T-BOLT June 9th 2010, 6:20 pm

That's good news Doug

richter69 June 9th 2010, 7:13 pm

So when we gonna put it on alky Doug????? I gotta keep my HerO status up and current............. Cool

ThndrChkn June 10th 2010, 1:55 am

richter69 wrote:So when we gonna put it on alky Doug????? I gotta keep my HerO status up and current.............

When ya bringin' it up? Very Happy

Doug...

RapidRuss June 10th 2010, 5:18 am

Doug,

You have done a real fine job over the winter on the truck...some real nice fab work..all you need now is some black spray in bed liner for carpet in the cab... Smile

I'd a never belived that you could have got the truck down that far in weight, without going to some US Bodies parts..Good luck this year Bud !! Smile

ThndrChkn June 10th 2010, 10:31 am

Thanks Russ. I get that alot about how much it weighs. Or should I say, how much it "doesn't" weigh. Shocked

Doug...

RapidRuss June 10th 2010, 12:54 pm

ThndrChkn wrote:Thanks Russ. I get that alot about how much it weighs. Or should I say, how much it "doesn't" weigh.

Well being a Truck Man myself, I cant wait til you get some seat time, an see whats she got this year...She looks to be very promising !! Good Luck !

Doug...

ThndrChkn June 12th 2010, 10:10 pm

Well, I got my suspension limiters installed yesterday. I was up until midnight and was all ready to go racing today; even had the Super Duty loaded and was starting to load the Banana into my friends enclosed trailer when all of a sudden it got very small inside that trailer. I noticed that I managed to rub the whole passenger side of my bed on the rubber door gasket of the trailer, and wrinkled the wheel well a little bit as well. After nursing it out of the trailer, I decided today was not a good day to go racing, so I stayed home. Evil or Very Mad

I was able to buff out the black marks and gently get about 90+ % of the wrinkles out of the wheel well. Now there's no races for 3 more weeks! Mad

Anyways, here are a couple pics of the limiters I installed.
The Nuclear Banana...... Redux!!! Even "MORE" progress pics.... - Page 7 Cid__0611102006

The Nuclear Banana...... Redux!!! Even "MORE" progress pics.... - Page 7 Cid__0611102007

Doug...

'65 T-BOLT June 13th 2010, 12:55 am

sorry to hear about your little mis hap!

billandlori June 13th 2010, 4:57 am

You gotta hate when that happens!! I guess you have a bit more detailing time now. Cool

I have had days where I had a bad feeling and didn't go racing. Don't know what would have happened, just a gut feeling.

Is there any other tracks near you? Good luck when you get to the track!!

Bill

ThndrChkn June 13th 2010, 9:52 am

The only other track that's having a race, is Lewistown, and it's next weekend. But they're 200 miles each way. Sometimes I j ust hate living where I do! Mad

We have an annual once a year race here in town at the airport, but it's a joke! All they do is charge you $10.00, and let you make as many passes as you want. All you get there is the same guys that want to race their buddy's ' cause they know they can beat them. They won't even set it up so the real racers can have a chance to put even a little money back into their pockets. But I keep doing it with the hopes that someday I'll show up, and they'll have an actual race going on. Mad

I've already decided, if they don't have it t his year, I'm going around to all the "racers" and ask if they'd be willing to chunk in $25.00/car, and we'll have our own race. Maybe they'll see (the people putting it on) how easy it is to get a race going, instead of just having a get together where everyone with a rice burner sportin' a fart can can show up and make themselves look as stupid as they sound.

Sorry for the rant. I'm just a little p.o'd still, about yesterday and it's chain of events. Rolling Eyes

Doug...

billandlori June 13th 2010, 12:41 pm

ThndrChkn wrote:The only other track that's having a race, is Lewistown, and it's next weekend. But they're 200 miles each way. Sometimes I j ust hate living where I do! We have an annual once a year race here in town at the airport, but it's a joke! All they do is charge you $10.00, and let you make as many passes as you want. All you get there is the same guys that want to race their buddy's ' cause they know they can beat them. They won't even set it up so the real racers can have a chance to put even a little money back into their pockets. But I keep doing it with the hopes that someday I'll show up, and they'll have an actual race going on.

I've already decided, if they don't have it t his year, I'm going around to all the "racers" and ask if they'd be willing to chunk in $25.00/car, and we'll have our own race. Maybe they'll see (the people putting it on) how easy it is to get a race going, instead of just having a get together where everyone with a rice burner sportin' a fart can can show up and make themselves look as stupid as they sound.

Sorry for the rant. I'm just a little p.o'd still, about yesterday and it's chain of events.

Doug...

They had a deal like that up here years ago. A car club rented a small airstrip in Grand Bend a couple of weekends a year. They charged $10 per car and $5 per spectator. They had a single row of lights for the 'tree and a guy at the end to see who won. They split it up between street cars and race cars. I haven't had so much fun at the track as I did there. I made it to the semi's with my Fairmont.

A few business men got together and bought the place and made it into a real dragstrip, now they get national events there and everything.

It would be good if you can get the other racers on the same page and set it up more to your liking!!

Bill

72mav June 14th 2010, 4:57 pm

Looks good Doug.
If I may suggest Doug, You may have problems with the upper cable mount wearing away at the cable.
Try a larger hole and install a cable "Saddle" , or horse-shoe I beleive they are called.
Just looking out for ya buddie. Wouldnt want to see one side of your suppension "Unload"' on a run.

Thanks for the call today.
Regards.
Al

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