Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...

[da_bears_da1]

Good progress! Hope to be seeing sparks flying soon.
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[Ta2Don]

Got the letters sprayed today, and found out the welder's circuit board is fried, don't know what caused the failure, but when I did a quick repair of the burned out circuit, then switched the welder on, it fried the repaired part of the circuit board. Apparently there is a direct short somewhere in the machine.

Looks like a new welder is in my future...

[Jmorales3181]

Sorry you aren't have the best of luck with your welder. At least when you get a new one you won't have to worry about anything for a while. On a side note the grill looks really nice!
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[da_bears_da1]

The grill looks good! Bummer about the welder what kind of new welder are you thinking about?
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[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by Jmorales3181

Sorry you aren't have the best of luck with your welder. At least when you get a new one you won't have to worry about anything for a while. On a side note the grill looks really nice!
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Originally Posted by da_bears_da1

The grill looks good! Bummer about the welder what kind of new welder are you thinking about?
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Thanks Guys... probably gonna go with a Hobart 140, it fits the budget.

Bomp sent me a pic of his Millermatic 211, but at twice the price or more than the hobart, what little welding I plan on doing doesn't justify spending that when I still need to pay for bodywork supplies, paint, wiring harness, driveshaft work, and a ton of other necessities...

Needless to say my build title "Budget" has morphed into

[da_bears_da1]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Thanks Guys... probably gonna go with a Hobart 140, it fits the budget.

Bomp sent me a pic of his Millermatic 211, but at twice the price or more than the hobart, what little welding I plan on doing doesn't justify spending that when I still need to pay for bodywork supplies, paint, wiring harness, driveshaft work, and a ton of other necessities...

Needless to say my build title "Budget" has morphed into

Know the budget feeling, I am double mine not to mention putting in a lot of money on tools/equipment.

Ton's of guys on this forum use the Hobart 140 and are very happy with it. I looked at the Miller 211 but just could not justify spending the extra money for the 110/220 option. I ended up between the 140 and 211. I went with the Lincoln 180. I am very happy with it. The 140 is a good option as well. There are usually some good deals on it. Just checked where I got my welder, weldingmart.com, and they have a reconditioned Lincoln 140 for $449. Good luck on the hunt!
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[JWheeler331]

Shame about the welder but maybe you can get the new one and continue on. Been an enjoyable read so far.

[dantimdad]

What blaster are you using?

Steven

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by da_bears_da1

Know the budget feeling, I am double mine not to mention putting in a lot of money on tools/equipment.
Ton's of guys on this forum use the Hobart 140 and are very happy with it. I looked at the Miller 211 but just could not justify spending the extra money for the 110/220 option. I ended up between the 140 and 211. I went with the Lincoln 180. I am very happy with it. The 140 is a good option as well. There are usually some good deals on it. Just checked where I got my welder, weldingmart.com, and they have a reconditioned Lincoln 140 for $449. Good luck on the hunt!
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Thanks for the input.. Picked up the 140 today!
Tools.... insert grunting noises here, read Tim the Tool Man Taylor noises!!!

Originally Posted by JWheeler331

Shame about the welder but maybe you can get the new one and continue on. Been an enjoyable read so far.

Keppin' On!

Originally Posted by dantimdad

What blaster are you using?

Steven

The friend I picked up the now deceased el cheapo welder gave me a craftsman blaster when he upgraded... Just a nozzle, hose and holding tank set-up, I use the coarse (20/40) black diamond media to remove the layers of paint...

[Bomp]

Woo Hoo.
You'll really enjoy the new welder. My dad has a Hobart and he loves it.
Get those patch panels prepped and ready for welding and go, go, GO!!!!!

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by Bomp

Woo Hoo.
You'll really enjoy the new welder. My dad has a Hobart and he loves it.
Get those patch panels prepped and ready for welding and go, go, GO!!!!!

Plans for evenings this week, set up new machine and practice...practice...practice!

Plans for upcoming days off... sandblast fender and make some sparks melting patch panels in place...

[Ta2Don]

Home with the new machine...
Me making sparks, need to practice, practice, practice...
The boy trying his hand, first time ever, next time he decided he needs better footwear for making sparks...

[Alan's Classic]

Nice to see sparks flying.

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by Alan's Classic

Nice to see sparks flying.

Oh Yeah!!! but, lots of practice in the very near future... gotta get my sheet metal welding back on track so I'm not blasting holes versus melting metal together...

[da_bears_da1]

Any updates??? Hope your new sparky is working out for you!
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[Ta2Don]

New "Sparky" is working great... More practice and some moving in the near future, so, if all goes as planned, there will be a fender update in the near future... Also I'm about ready to mate the new trans to the 350 and mount those as soon as I get off my backside and paint the frame...
Cheers to all you guys and gals out there making progress, one step at a time!!!

[Jmorales3181]

Glad to see you got a new machine! Go get em man!
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[Ta2Don]

Not much to report, got another wire feed wheel ordered for my new Sparky...

While waiting on the above mentioned part, I installed the pilot bearing and Flywheel... Cleaned up the pressure plate bolts... Gotta pick up a Clutch Alignment tool tomorrow and then I get to mate the tranny and engine, then drop on the frame so I can get the Trans crossmember sorted and figure out the difference for the Driveshaft.

Keep Rockin' fellow Truck Nutz, thanks for the continued encouragement and ideas...

[Ta2Don]

Another small update...

Got the Pressure Plate bolted up, gotta pick up a Throwout Bearing tomorrow so I can finally mate engine and trans...

Also, just for fun, here's a pic of the stickers Grizz hooked me up with as a thanks for sending him a 1960 Illinois License Plate...
Thanx Grizz!

[McMurphy]

I really like that Ace Club one, I really dig the people on this site !!

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by McMurphy

I really like that Ace Club one, I really dig the people on this site !!

Me too, contemplating on saving that one for the truck, Thanks again Grizz... Hoping to get the trans mated to the engine and mounted this weekend as long as life stays outta the way... Enjoy your leave Murph, looking forward to seeing what crazy updates you have in store for us...

[Ta2Don]

Got the new Wire Feed Wheel in so I now have the .024 wire loaded and ready to start practicing... but today was a ton of yard work, and in-between I was able to mate the Tranny to the 350 and then mounted to the frame. I know, I posted earlier that I was planning on painting the frame first, but since the front end is in great shape paint wise, I mounted the Engine and Tranny because I could...

Seriously though, I mounted it so I could sort out the Tranny crossmember and see how much the Driveshaft will need to be stretched, 3" will do the trick, amazingly enough, the 5 speed is 3" shorter than the TH350 that the PO had...
Now I get to patch the hole in the floor where the PO had mounted a floor shifter for the Turbo 350... then cut a hole for the shifter for the 5 speed...

Here's a couple of Pics...

[McMurphy]

Sure is coming together Don !!
I bet that tent will come in handy too this summer

[da_bears_da1]

Motor looks good! Time for some n sparks.........
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[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by McMurphy

Sure is coming together Don !!
I bet that tent will come in handy too this summer

Thanks Murph... Your mods are awe-inspiring
Keeps the sun off the bald spot... but, gotta have a good fan to move the air or it can get pretty hot inside there... Mounted the 350 and 5 Speed solo, Thank the Good Lord for Hydraulics...
Had a moment after a quick trip to the parts store for the bolts to mount the Tranny to the crossmember... pulled a trans mount to trans bolt to get the correct hardware, then bolted to the crossmember before remembering the bolt I had pulled to match, One of those get in a hurry and forget my name times...

Originally Posted by da_bears_da1

Motor looks good! Time for some n sparks.........
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Thanx Man!!! definitely time to melt some metal and send some sparks flying...