Thunder Ranch build thread

Trans unbolted...except those pesky bearings.

Those have to be persuaded, don't they?

Pretty much. Remove the axle tube boot bolts on trans end. Use the nut on the end of the axle to pound on while pulling axle tube straight outward. Use a dead-blow.

The outer bearings are about $15-30 each, I replaced mine. Should come off with a really good smack or three. I think I slid a socket over the end of the axle and let that strike the nut.

Get a long and large pair of needle nose and grind into the ends so you can get the heavy snap-rings in the diff out to get the spade ends of the axle out. I can talk you through it if need be.

BTW, your jack points look great!

Thanks, Danny. I checked-in with Sartwell and he told me to just bring the whole mess and he'll install all the o-rings and gaskets on the end correctly for me after doing the new ring dear and .93 4th. I have a whole box of new parts as well: bearings, bearing covers, all the bolts, all the gaskets. So I'll just drop it all off at his shop soon enough. Fingers crossed.

Now back to the horn pockets.

Sartwell hates Spyders, or used to. Weird. Anyway, make sure the ring gear ends up on the driver's side, not to insult anyone, but I believe his mainstay is Bug drag transmissions.

Shims, you'll need pinion and diff bearing shims to set the new ring gear. I wish I had the tools to do that!

I had not heard of his Spyder hate.

He seems to be fine with the flipped R&Ps. When I had him do Bridget's box he was looking for an earlier case for a guy with a trike. I traded mine for a later, single side cover unit. At the time he was also finishing up a 6-cylinder Beck Spyder.

The last trans he made for me is good, and so is the one he made for Cory. The one I'm giving him to work on is already built and just needs the R&P and 4th gear changed out, so I expect he can handle it. 

Trans is dropped-off at Jimmy's new shop. Lotta cools stuff there, but we were both on the move and so I didn't take pics.

914 gauges shipped to N. Hollywood Speedo for estimate. I forgot to put the note in the box telling them what I wanted, but they called as soon as they got them & we straightened it out. Those gauge jobs are like a 6 month lead time, so I'll probably set the car up with the re-pops for early sorting. The binnacle gets like a silver hammer tone finish so it shouldn't be a big deal to cut the holes later and install a plate with the new gauges in them.

Currently smoothing the inside of the rear clamshell: three skims with Fibral and a final 2 or 3 with regular filler. This is all going to be painted body color so i want it smoove, mostly, as on the originals.

That line near the bottom is a guideline for the inner brace—that Swiss-cheese-looking bit of bent aluminum that all the original 550s had and almost none of the replicas do.

What is most interesting to me is that the top lip of that piece is not bonded or welded to the clam itself. There's always a gap. I've already mocked it up in cardboard but I'm not quite sure yet how to make the aluminum version stay. Looks like maybe an L bracket, bonded in at the bottom of the V, held to the brace with a couple rivets...

Holeeeeeee sh*t.

Wow. He's doing okay, Ed? Call me, man.

Niiiice.  If the aluminum piece is non-structural maybe you could use trim tape.  I'm not sure it would withstand the heat, though.

Gonna try it with aluminum sheet, Lane. If that doesn't work I'll make it out of fiberglass. If that doesn't work then maybe I'll admit defeat. 

Well, here's one replica that has that support piece - or at least an interpretation of it:

Have you heard of 502 Motorworks ? These are high-end cars, made in aluminum, and supposedly homologated to race against original cars in historic events. They had one on display at Monterey.

Did I say high-end? Prices start at 'under $100,000'.

For a roller !

Yup. Familiar with those. All aluminum, and very nice. I thought they were more like $300k.

FYI I've been away from the garage for a while and will be away this weekend too. But by way of update, I made a press mold for the rear inner aluminum and pressed the center bit as a test. It's not quite right but I think this technique will work with a bit of tweaking.

I also splurged on a set of planishing hammers and dollies, and a couple of flangers to facilitate said tweaking.

I'll post in a couple weeks when I return to it.

Mitch, those 502'cars are awesome!  The panel gaps look big on the Spyder but otherwise, yowaza! 

The guys from 502 are amazing -- really knowledgeable, very kind and extremely helpful. I know them well and have interacted with them (last a Monterey two years ago). 

The price of under $100,000 seems to be for a body and chassis (from their website). I'd imagine that, once it is painted and fully assembled, it would be in the $200-250k range. 

The most elusive aspect of the Spyder is the rear fenders. It is a tough shape to get right. Even with the variations between bucks within the Wendler plant, many of the replicas are still a bit different. 

The best I've seen is the one from Rusty Tubs. 

Anand

Been away from the Spyder for a couple weeks: trips to see the eclipse and then the inlaws. Today I bought a couple sheets of 22 or 24-gauge aluminum sheet to do the inner clam panel with, when final. I've bent some scrap this thick and also some flashing, which is about half as thick (and wrinkles quite a bit), working out the shapes and planning. Here's the center section from that first try with the thin metal.

I think the thicker metal will look better and also be a lot stiffer. I also think I'll be able to braze it together rather than relying on rivets and body filler.

Looking good Ed

Pete

Spent about six hours today bending the heavier aluminum sheet. Here's where we stand now.

I don't thinks holes in that tin foil will make much of a difference.

Impresssive work, Ed.

Looking good Ed. I was over Bill's place in Potomac MD last Monday his 550 is now up and running. He's done some really slick mods to add more cool air from the grills toward the engine. Basically he designed sort of a wing under his puller fan that's attached under the grills with SS sip ties. It pulls the air in then blows it on the wing which then moves it to the engine and carbs. Also built in the wing is his oil cooler which receives the fan air as well. It works really well and when kicked in without the motor running sounds like a turbo-jet. You gotta see it. Unfortunately I've got a pretty good oil leak going since my engine pull in July not sure where it's coming from but every time I drive it I'm cleaning up oil. So I have to take the engine out again what a pain.  Makes me think about doing something similar with a smaller fan under the spare wheel. I like the look of having the spare. Bill is not using his. 

Pete

Can't even picture this wing thing. I do have to see it.

Meanwhile, still plugging away at this aluminum cladding. Getting close now in the clam shell. After that it's down to the floors, underpan, firewall (both sides) and a whole bunch of interior bits. Easy and fun!

Looking great Ed! I especially like the way you flanged the lightening holes.

Continuing. Gonna start final smoothing and paint on the inner clam this weekend (fingers crossed). Here's a selection of inner clams (all oriented similarly) for comparison purposes:

550-0090 (the one Spyder Factory, Alloy Cars, etc. all copy):

Here's one from a UK-based high-end replica maker:

from Rusty Tubs' $4,500+ fiberglass "clam correction" kit:

And Ed's homemade Crinkle Clam (TM):

I like Ed's solution!  Very neat work.

Ironing-out the wrinkly bits.

(Because I'm working without a lot of light), first guide coat shows a lot of 80-grit scratch.

Wow! Looking great Ed.

Pete

Dayum Ed!  That's coming along nicely.  

Got the transaxle back today. Now back to block sanding.

Excellent progress.  Loving that transaxle too..

Sunday: Shop Life

Only got like an hour and a half in today. Block sanding with 120 still. Also made the little boxes to cover the hinge bolts. 

Looking very good, Ed!

Looks awesome, Ed!

So I reengineered the shifter linkage in order to mount the spare tire properly.

@edsnova Hey Ed! You got some mad fabricating skilz, my brutha. BRAVO! 

Thanks, Jim. They're pretty modest, but I'm working on them.

Ditto MUSBJIM.......   Welcome to the Spyder version of the Madness....

Ed,

Thanks for chronicling this project. "In process" pictures are hard. Nobody wants to stop to take pictures. Thanks for doing it.

The shifter is going to move quite a bit when you go over bumps, just so you are aware. It will also move when throttle opens/shuts with changing engine loading.

DannyP posted:

The shifter is going to move quite a bit when you go over bumps, just so you are aware. It will also move when throttle opens/shuts with changing engine loading.

What is the preferred hot set-up with these cars, Danny? Is it a solid linkage, or cable?

Danny's got a Jamar that he modded. Bought good heims and booted them.

I'm curious to know why the shifter would move more with a cable rig than a solid linkage. I hope it's not because of my linkage mods. 

Spent six hours today on the spare tire rack. Yes, that is a bent Spyder-style tail brace, and yes, I do also plan to make Spyderesque forebraces for it, with hidden bolts so it's removable.

The shock-tower brace will also be reformatted for extra strength.

(previous identical post deleted to correct faulty link)