The "Rice Rod" - '31 Model A pickup with a 2JZ

whats the heat tolerance of ABS? I agree the parts look great. (also don't try and tell me you're not going to 3 wheel this thing around the occasional cloverleaf). I'm guessing your wheels could get pretty hot.

In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :

It's definitely better than the normal PLA. This ABS prints at 230C and melts around 105C (220F). 

I do plan to autocross the rod. It shares a lug pattern with Datsaniti  This thing should be compliant with CAM-T or XS-B. 

Edit: I just read the SCCA rules and my car is too old for CAM-T (1948-2000 only). However Xtreme Street does NOT have a model year limit. I can't find any other appropriate class for this hot rod.

Those center caps are awesome.

This car IS Compliant with CAM-S though!   And as a plus, you can make it weigh EVEN LESS!!!!

You are welcome.....

In reply to Thinkkker :

Oh I missed that - you're right! Min weight for CAM-S is 2500. Min weight for XS-B is 2150. We'll just see where this car lands and run with it.

Now, you can run National events and have a heckuva time!

I look forward to seeing it on 335 at all corners ;P

So now, You're 3D printing parts for your Rat Rod. What's next Titanium and Carbon Fiber?

Love it!

Thinkkker said:

Now, you can run National events and have a heckuva time!

I look forward to seeing it on 335 at all corners ;P

Put me down for $20 for the national fund!

In case you all were wondering, yes the Jeep 15x8 wheels will clear the Lexus twin-piston calipers, but only due to the 15mm spacer. 

This means I can share autocross tires with Datsaniti. Ride height will be SIGNIFICANTLY lower though. Like, frame-scrapingly low.

And by the transitive property, the white walls should fit on Datsaniti.

The finishing touch to the front brakes - the hose mounts. I found out Rustoleum "Almond" spray paint is darn near a perfect match to IH White.

On to the rear brakes. To work on the parking brakes, you have to drain the diff and pull the axles because Ford.

Some back-story on this part. It's a Ford 8.8 with 3.73 and LSD, out of a Ford Explorer. It was "made symmetric" by the previous owners, by narrowing one side and putting two "short side" axles in. It was also converted to a 3-link setup, with the 3rd link mounting to the pumpkin via a custom bracket that slips under the diff cover. There are also two tapped holes on top. Why did the PO do all this work only to sell it to me? 

Well, the previous owners were Georgia Tech's Wreck Racing team. They sold it to me at the 2016 Challenge for $50 while cleaning out their shop. This axle was on the 2JZ-powered MG Midget. The same car I helped build way back while I was on the team  This car:

So this same axle has been in and out of my life for almost 10 years. I brought it from junkyard to campus in the back of my El Camino. And because of that 3-link bracket, it means it has two sealing faces. Neither of which were sealed with gaskets, but rather a generous heaping of orange RTV. What naive, young gearhead could have possibly done that... PO's, amiright? To be fair, it didn't leak.

With the axles out and my garage smelling extra fresh, I'm able to work on the parking brakes. Or rather, add the parking brakes. That same PO decided their racecar didn't need parking brakes due to weight, complexity, budget, yadda yadda so they removed them along with the dust shields. Which I quickly figured out are required to make 8.8 parking brakes work after getting about this far.

So 10 years later, here I am buying the dust shields for this axle.

Much better. Some cleanup and fresh caliper paint make everything look new again.

I still haven't resealed the diff (can't decide between 2x gaskets or another big smathering of RTV), but I thought you all might appreciate this bit of $2000 Challenge history.

I have good sucess with "The right stuff".

Had to seal an oil filter housing at the track (Sears Point), worked so well we

never took it apart to replace the seal. Well up until we hit the wall on the final hairpin. End of car and story.

Looks awesome! I'm much less along the path (have the 8.8, not symmetrical yet), but hay, at least I have the dust dhields!

Small victories.

I went with gaskets and a good smear of Permatex grey RTV in each face of each gasket. We'll see when I fill it up tomorrow. I figured the gaskets would help fill any waviness from the bracket not being perfectly flat. 

Also the rear brakes are fully done, including these hose brackets and a brake line connecting them. I'm going with galv steel lines and stainless fittings. I love nicopp but it's not the aesthetic I want.

Dude I haven't checked in for a couple months, what a change! Looks seriously fresh.

Super inspiring

This thread is the number one reason that I have a recurring craigslist search with the price capped at $2500 and the max year at 1940.

That frame color with the bits being bolted on is like an antidepressant for my eyes. What a great look.

I can tell it's not the first time, you have bent brake lines.

Very clean.

In reply to maschinenbau (I live here) :

Great progress and work on all the little details.

If you get a chance, can you take a measurement of the overall width for the axle? ( wheel mounting surface to wheel mounting wheel mounting surface)

Considering one for my TR4.

Thanks.

Such nice bends. Makes me think I should redo some of mine.... 

In reply to Indy-Guy (Forum Jock Strap) :

58" at hub faces 

I'm loving the way this is going. So glad to see all the refinement and paintwork on the frame. 

One question though, do you have drain holes in your rear coilover mounts?

maschinenbau (I live here) said:

In reply to Indy-Guy (Forum Jock Strap) :

58" at hub faces 

Thanks 

In reply to Crackers :

There's drain holes in everything. I kinda went crazy with the drill before painting. 

Looks like the diff is sealed. No leaks after filling it up this morning with warm oil and spinning the wheels a bit. Hopefully it stays that way. 

More brake line progress. I absolutely love bending and flaring fresh clean brake lines on an empty frame. You can also see the old fuel lines. I call them the old ones because I plan to re-make them completely. I've learned a lot since the first time.

I'd also like to relocate the fuel filter. I think I can mount it under the pickup bed hinge. 

Jumping around to the front

I missed something...

For all the locations with bolts into to the frame, are you welding in nuts? Using Rivnuts? Tapping the frame steel itself?

This is such amazing work. Looking really great!