Lou's 65 Comet Build

[CALIFORNIA CALIENTE]

Lou;I like it,I do not see how guys can use connectors that only tie in at the ends! ROY

[Boss/Cyclone]

Nice work, I like moving the frame rails. My car just put in a second set of frame rails inside of the originals and left stock ones out there, I like the way you did it.

[CALIFORNIA CALIENTE]

When we built mine we left the outer rails and trunk floor intact until we had the new back half welded in then cut out the existing stuff.I wish I had known about guys needing good clean stock rails! ROY.

[tweaked]

Welcome Lou, great work your doing. Never thought of moving the stock frame rails, cool idea. I backhalf my car with 2X3 tube and I ran my connector thru the floor and added tubing out to the rocker. Keep up the pics as it is great to see someone else project and ideas.
Roger

[Lou's Comet]

Lou;I like it,I do not see how guys can use connectors that only tie in at the ends! ROY

Thanks Roy, I really didn't want anything hanging under car.and think it will be stronger this way.

Nice work, I like moving the frame rails. My car just put in a second set of frame rails inside of the originals and left stock ones out there, I like the way you did it.

I wanted to do that, Get second set weld them in then take out first set. But I couldn't find any rails.

When we built mine we left the outer rails and trunk floor intact until we had the new back half welded in then cut out the existing stuff.I wish I had known about guys needing good clean stock rails! ROY.

Boy I would have bought them. Found them for Falcons but not Comets.

Welcome Lou, great work your doing. Never thought of moving the stock frame rails, cool idea. I backhalf my car with 2X3 tube and I ran my connector thru the floor and added tubing out to the rocker. Keep up the pics as it is great to see someone else project and ideas.
Roger

Thanks Roger, My Connector should come thru the floor like yours when done. What did you do to get carpet to fit???

[Lou's Comet]

Started making my connectors today built rail for one side. I bought 10"x60" 16 gauge sheets to have bent up into "U" channels to piece together for rail. Found out no one local can bend it to the size I want so I bent it myself with hammer, angle Iron and bunch of clamps. I took one sheet cleaned it, Hit it with 80 grit on DA, and marked it for the first bend



I used 2.5x2.5 angle 6 foot long 3/32 thick. Laid one across work bench. placed sheet on top of it, then put 2nd angle over piece. Positioned piece so line was on edge of angle and clamped everything together. I use a lot of clamps. Don't want metal to move while hammering it



After A lot of hammering with a plastic dead blow mallet here is what first bend looked like



I took piece and turned it 90% so the bend was under bench facing in. I didn't have to measure this bend because angle is 2.5" and that was the measurement I needed. I slid piece up tight against angle. put a tack at each end and clamped 2nd angle on



After A lot more hammering here is what piece looked like after 2nd bend, Rail on left. The piece on right is going to fit over first piece. So I had to put a spacer on the angle iron before second bend



Here is what pieces look like after bent and trimmed, One on left is 1/8 taller and wider ID to fit over other one



And here is what it looks like together.



Seams will be on top/inside car. The bottom will be straight and smooth. Here is pict of bottom



Rear of rail will fit inside frame rail front will have to be cut to fit around front frame rail. I made a templet for front but will wait until rear frame rail is welded back in before slicing the floor. would like the extra support.

[CALIFORNIA CALIENTE]

WOW,that made me appreciate the sheet metal brake!!! ROY.

[Lou's Comet]

Wanted to post picture of templete for front subframe connection. Last post started acting weird so thought I would continue with seprate post. I am going to fit the subconnector over rail in front



The Tongue part will be inside car and welded to floor something like this. Frame connector templete clean white paper. floor yelow/black.



Hopefully start welding back together this weekend.

Lou

[Lou's Comet]

WOW,that made me appreciate the sheet metal brake!!! ROY.

A lot of hammering with plastic dead blow. I looked for 2 days for someone with a brake that could bend 16gauge 5ft long. couldn't find no one. sucked. LOL

[tweaked]

Wow Lou, that is alot of work forming a 5' long strip of metal. Looks good.

I have not put carpet in yet. I just got a used carpet from Joe(comethead) leftover from his switch to a manaul trans. My floor has alot of patch work and not stock plus the roll bar will make for a custom fit. If I have to cut and patch I will. That is a spring project as I'm recovering from shoulder surgery. When I do I will post pics or add pics to my build thread.
Roger

[b.guggenmos]

I wish I had even a little bit of talent you have. I look forward to watching your build. Keep us posted. Brian

[CALIFORNIA CALIENTE]

Lou;I was a sheet metal worker for 37 years and had access to all the cool shears and brakes! I didn't realize how good I had it until I had to pay to have big stuff bent up!! I like your plans on the subframes,should be plenty strong! I wish I had taken photos during construction on my Comet,Rogers[Tweaked] looks a lot like mine though! ROY.

[B_Hix]

Wow - what a great thread. I REALLY appreciate the time you guys take to post this stuff, let alone do the work. I hardly qualify as a beginner where it comes to metal work and I find this stuff VERY informative and even educational.

Thanks for taking the time to post this - I learned just from reading it!

[tinnocker]

Roy, I was a sheet metal worker also and it was so frustrating after I retired and would start to build something in my shop and it would take me 3-4 times as long as it would when I had access to all the shears, brakes, and punches. I had to cut all my metal with a die grinder when it would take about 1 second for the shear to come down. On the heavy 1/8 - 3/16" I would have to score it about half way thru with a die grinder and then clamp it down and hammer away for my brake. I worked in a shop that didn't mind if I used the equipment for my "guvment" jobs and they always had scrap metal laying around. Do I miss it enough to want to go back to work......nah!

[CALIFORNIA CALIENTE]

tinnocker;I hear you! I have different lengths of angle that I clamp in my vice to bend up yo 18 ga.,heavier stuff I take to a buddy that has a 4 foot brake.Anything longer I have to go to a shop and pay to have it bent!! I miss having access to all the power sheet metal tools! ROY.