86 Elky "Junk Yard Refugee"

[igasem]

After a couple of years in outside storage, my Elky finally made it into the garage for demolition. I've bought a lot of suspension parts and that I'm anxious to install, but the frame needs to be mocked up for my T56 gear box mated to the 350 I built last year and have yet to crank.

I initially hadn't planned on doing a complete frame off at this time, but as I've gotten more and more involved I've decided to proceed with getting down to a clean frame and moving forward from there. I don't have the luxury of being able to transport the pieces to a media blaster, but could send the frame out.

I'm looking for some feed back on powder coating the frame vs a POR 15 finish.

[igasem]

In the Shop
Spohn Upper and Lower A arms, coil over mounts
Spohn adjustable 4 link
QA1 coil overs all around
Fresh 357inch SBC, headman 1 5/8" headers, pypes and flow masters
T56 6spd gear box
AFX spindles, back ordered

On Order
Currie 9"Ford, Trac Loc, 3.70

Coming Soon
Wilwood discs 14"F 6P, 13"R 4P
Wheels (?) 18 x 8 F, 18 x 9 R

Wish List, too long to reproduce and subject to change.

[85GPLEf41]

nice! If I can't find a 2dr mali, then a elky it is!!I like builds like this!!

[igasem]

Thanks Ernesto, it works for me, part sports car/part truck. It's kind of the best of both worlds.

[igasem]

All in all the cars is in great shape. I need to get to the frame to make sure I don't have any real structural problems.

[igasem]

We added support both in the attic, rafter reinforcement, and below, and were able to get the body off the frame to assist in working on both.. I'm still debating on finishing the frame with POR 15, or to have it professionally powdered. I have a little work to do on the frame prior to paint anyway. I need to mock up the engine transmission to ensure the crossmember is properly placed. Hope to get to it soon.

[igasem]

Today the frame went out for blasting and powder. I expect it back in a couple of weeks. I continue preparing the bottom of the body for undercoating which will include enlarging the transmission tunnel. Mock up and some measuring proved, what I suspected, that the tunnel is to tight for the T56. I plan to open the tunnel down the middle spread it and add a couple of inches between the sides nearest the firewall and taper to the end of the tail shaft.

[jlcustomz]

Tunnel is too tight for a proper fitment. Can't remember how much I split mine, but a couple inches up front should suffice, Shifter area needs a bit more room also to sit high enough.
Looks like a pretty decent base for a project that you picked up there. Glad to offer any advice I can. Pics of mine in links.

[igasem]

Thanks Joe. I remember seeing the youtube video of your ride a while back while surfin'. You do some awesome work and are very creative. Do you have any pics of how you opened the tunnel? I was thinking about splitting it down the middle with some relief cuts at the top and bottom and separating the sides like a lobster tail.

[igasem]

I mocked up the engine/trans to make sure my Spohn Gbody T56 mount would fit, it does. The tri color, I painted the engine over a year ago, and just got the T56 and bell. The tranny tunnel will have to be opened up a bit.

[Bonehead]

I came VERY close to building a 84 Elk instead of the one I'm tweeking on now. My plan was to do the drive train and suspension but leave it the doo-doo brown color and all the trim and rock out! Subscribing to this thread! Best of luck on your build.

[jlcustomz]

My LS!/5-56 install was done 11 years ago , back in the 110 camera era, sorry no pics. I didn't give it a concours quality treatment like an external project. I just sawzalled down the center & beat it up while fitting trans, then lapped back over the top of it. 2" sounds about right up front, rear was tight around the reverse solenoid area if I remember right. Look at the driveline angle/vibration thread in suspension, I think it was Carl's chassisworks here that has a premade part if you prefer nicer looking .

[igasem]

Thanks for the info, I've been at it a bit, but heading out for vacation and doubt my mother-in-law, age 88, will work on it while I'm gone. I haven't done any metal work in quite a while and mane never on light gauge steel so this is a challenge. My little Lincoln wire welder burns a little too hot, I think I'm going to have to use acetylene.

[jlcustomz]

A little Lincoln mig set properly with .023 wire should be no problem, you pretty much just spot weld on sheet metal anyways.
Also you could consider cold welding a lap joint patch. Products like 3-m 8115 automix are ridiculously strong when done correctly. Could use a few self tapping sheetmetal screws to attach patch strip, then unscrew, glue & rescrew till dry. Then remove screws & fill holes.

Your mother in law may have trouble squeezing the automix gun though.

[igasem]

I have a small Lincoln, but i've never used mig, my machine doesn't have a solenoid to turn on and off the shielding gas, just has a 1/4 inch male nipple near the out feed. In this set up do I have to hook gas to this nipple and turn it on and off manually when I weld, or is my machine not able to mig?

[jlcustomz]

You called your Lincoln a wire welder, I assumed mig, which has a spool wire feed. Some are with or without the extras to use gas. Some migs are flux wire use only. Wondering if ya meant stick welder, which is a 220 volt only machine? Google your model number.

[igasem]

Nope, mine is a wire feed welder with a spool. I'm out of town so I can't look it up right now, but I will as soon as I get back home. Just before I left, I did get my frame back from the powder coater, It is awesome!! I can't wait to start to assemble some new parts.