rfrankb4

I am no expert I will admit, so there is a chance I am off base but I doubt it.

While there is a correlation between pretty weld and strong weld that correlation is going to be primarily in the care that the welder has chosen to take.

Saying that a pretty weld is a strong weld is a moronic oversimplification just as saying an ugly weld is = to a weak weld.

We get that you are not a fan of this body kit but with a frame mounted roll cage the body is all but window dressing (assuming seats, interior components and brake components ect are mounted to the frame.)

Just check out some ugly *** building welds or bridge welds if you think I am a dumb ***. Welds made with flux core, Arc or pure C02 shielding will not look as pretty as an expert tig weld. But the aesthetic factor is not what holds the two pieces together.

cam

iTrader: (9)

Just a quick input on the flux core welds. What machine are you using? Are you certain you have the polarity set properly? It needs to be gun - and ground + for flux core or the welds dont penetrate very well....

Marcello7x

iTrader: (10)

Thanks for the support guys.

The polarity is correct based on the directions that came with the welder. I'll recheck next time to be sure.

I have no real updates on the car. Its sat for a while since my brothers daily driver needs an engine swap, and we purchase a beater/ rallycross car that we have been prepping for this past weekends race.

Check out the vids

The car is a 96 jetta with a horribly slow 2.0 engine. But great in the dirt.

Check out the videos, and click the adds... i need to buy a second camera for some cooler screen in screen shots.

Video and pics taken of my car and runs
http://youtu.be/wgYjd64PlAI


Video of mine and my brothers runs of the day, fast forward to 15min for a different cam angle
http://youtu.be/vS6rFAyMQfA


Start line launches from my location in the pre run gridding area.
http://youtu.be/oTk8MPjlXlY

Lastly some videos of the finish line of other competitors
http://youtu.be/-sYss6zCDCM

Marcello7x

iTrader: (10)

Update on the hot rod! I figured out why it wouldn't start, battery was at the end of its life. Prob picking up a new one tomorrow.

On the other hand i took first place in my second rallycross race ever! Here are some videos of that!

Event was SCCA Wolfchase, all videos shot with GoPro Hero.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4Tiju9LDPk&hd=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b8GkpJAvOg&hd=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM7zcsDCsk8&hd=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEK1HSFgrR0&hd=1

Mike52

iTrader: (1)

Congratulations on the race win, nice job in only your 2nd race. Now quit having fun, its time to get back to work, too much work to be done on the '33.

Marcello7x

iTrader: (10)

I agree, im dying to get it running. My issue is im enlisted to put the new motor in my brothers car before i get back to the hot rod. But with the snow coming i may have to get the hotrod running so i can pull it out of the garage and push in my brothers car to finish it.

Marcello7x

iTrader: (10)

And thanks!

Adam123

iTrader: (1)

I'll have to agree with rfrankb4 about the welds! I once upon a time welded for a living. I couldn't see the welds to well in the pics, they didn't look pretty but I could see in some pics good penetration. If you were burning a little hot to ensure penetration those welds will be fine!
I like this project, my dad used to have a similar kit but no top or fenders or front lol, his was pretty much just the bucket w/350 700r4 combo. He used a beer keg for a fuel tank and glassed his on fuel tank cover using parts from the top of a semi truck. lol It actually looked good.
He just bought himself a 36 chevy coupe with top chopped and tpi motor. Lots of custom stuff done to it, real pretty car. You will have a fun car there!!

Marcello7x

iTrader: (10)

Thanks Adam. I definitely went a little extra hot so im comfortable with my ugly welds.

Got it running for a couple seconds tonight, but killed it quick since my garage door was closed and didn't want it to fill up with fumes. I may work a little more on it tomorrow.

Marcello7x

iTrader: (10)

Boy do i hate when people let life get in the way of there projects

Since my last post i bought my first house, so my hotrod will get moved into a nice shop!

the progression of my work-space in the past 2 years has been quite extreme.

It all started under here, a typical italian grape vine:




From that it went to under a canvas carport in the driveway.


For a short time it sat under this tent while the canvas carport came down, and new metal carport went up. Metal carport is in the crate:


Then it sat comfortably in its new home for one more winter, its still there, but will get moved over sometime soon. Ignore the other cars being worked on. they cut in line infront of the 33.





And its soon to be humble abode, a 3 floor, 4 car garage!




Soon after that black passat is fixed, and the blue jetta gets a few more racing tweaks[im currently in first place in season points, and my brother in a close second] the hotrod will get back underway.

I decided to make a better floor that will tie the body and frame together much better, it will also help seal off the inside from fumes!

Tig

Congrats on the purchase of your new home, thats great.
Where's the new house located?
I'm jealous, that garage is saaweeeett.

Marcello7x

iTrader: (10)

its about 10-15 miles north of boston ma

Mike52

iTrader: (1)

Congratulations!!!! Your first house AND a very cool, multi-car garage, life is good!!

Marcello7x

iTrader: (10)

Thanks mike, no i just need to figure out how to continue playing with all my toys and still afford some work i want to do to the house and garage.

The garage is getting a new roof as i type this. Then i want a new heating system in the house, oil is way to expensive and my current heating is old enough were its too inefficient, but still in good working order. Or a new second floor floor in the garage. Currently wood from when it was converted from a barn, so i want a cement slab with in floor heating and capacity to support a 2 post lift.

Hard decision, heating will save me money next winter, lift will help me make more money.

Marcello7x

iTrader: (10)

Its about time for an update, although the only work done to the car was bring it from its old resting place to its new home!

It also gained a few new friends in the meanwhile. Over the spring and summer i picked up a 1965 chrysler 300, and 1950 plymouth club coupe!

Here it is joining the rest of the family up at my house after 10 months of waiting!



Now that i see it sitting there, im motivated to get working on it again.

As for the other toys, the chrysler will be sold come spring, and Plymouth will get chopped, slammed and a 6.0 swap :-)

scaryeyes

So! Very very interesting. I will recieve my -34 coupe body by the end of this week. So the buil-off can begin! But Im using C5 parts instead of C4.... Using C4 parts is wiser, I think.
Keep it up!

Swedish guy

Marcello7x

iTrader: (10)

Been a while since an update, but worked on it a bit the past couple of days. Flushed out all the old gas, did an oil change, then added a second battery. The motor turned over just fine with out the fuel pump on, once i turned on the pump it would drain the battery trying to turn over.

With the new fluids and the second battery she fires right up. Still needs to be tuned but the tune is good enough to idle. Here is a quick video of it running, cutouts closed then open.

Marcello7x

iTrader: (10)

one more video, camera girl jumps when i rev it!

Marcello7x

iTrader: (10)

Almost street legal. Got one door mostly on. Fabbing custom hinges, then playing with fiberglass to get the doorskin and inner door to fit the cpening on the body then mating he 2 together was definitely more work than expected.

Luckily i started the inner door on the driverside right before i had to put the car away due to life. Looking at it after all the time it all just seemed to click well together and got it done much faster.

Having door bars that bank out to leave more room inside for the driver made things a little more tricky. Here some pics over the past couple of days.

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Although the door was shaped to fit the opening correctly, the angle of the body lines did not match the lines on the door. I had to remove a decent amount to adjust the angles and then extend the door skin. Drive side was extended up to 1 inch, while the passenger was lengthened almost 2. Playing with fiberglass once you make a frame to follow is easy, but its messy and not the most fun!

SpeedyMerrickan

cool build. That rear suspension setup is trick