The BAD AST Project - Faze II

[astroracer]

Last post for today! Can you tell we got a hell ofa lot of work done this weekend?
The upper and lower control arms were run thru the blasting cabinet after I deburred them.
These are the upper arms... The one on the right had just come out of the cabinet. It was the guy on lefts turn next...

As the parts came out of the cabinet I would hang them on my trusty step ladder and prime them.

I got all of the arms primed Saturday afternoon. It sure was a beautiful day for the middle of November!
Here are both lower arms in their Grey coats

Both upper arms.

At this point I am ready to start a mock build. This will probably end up with the van on the chassis so I can get tire clearances established and start building the cage...
Thanks for looking, I know this got kind of long.
Mark

[linkstar69]

It's amazing how good paint feels, even if there's still a long way to go.

[wellis77]

The longer the better... Great work this weekend Mark. You definitely got a lot finished. Keep rolling man. I'm looking forward to seeing the body on the chassis.

[Martin71RS]

Wow Mark...great work as usual!

One of my favorite builds here... different and real craftmanship

keep it up...I need more updates

[twosaturns]

This is another thing I have been doing. A friend of mine has a little junkyard just up the road from me. He brouoght this down for me to strip. I pulled off the entire front end, Hydroboost setup, tilt column, overhead console (and bracket), instrument cluster and throttle pedal, the last few nights. I will get the doors for the electric windows and locks and I will strip out all of the light grey interior trim and dash along with all of the wiring. I think the light grey will look better then the beige that is in the van right now...

I always thought these vans were great, RWD, just the right size between a full size and a minivan, and durable as all get out.
I think GM should have updated them w/ a drivers size slider and one of their modern V6's, that would have been great.
seriously loving your project, makes me want to find a shorty and put a 6.2 escalade engine in it!

[formula98]

Great progress Mark. Looks like your set for a winter project. should be ready to run in the spring. glad to see your moving full speed ahead.

[astroracer]

seriously loving your project, makes me want to find a shorty and put a 6.2 escalade engine in it!

Do it! This is the route I was going to take until I fell into the 509 deal...

And thanks guys (you too Ron). I am glad this project is moving forward. We got to a point where it felt like we were just sitting and spinning but this past weekend saw a lot of that come to fruition. It sure is nice to be spraying paint. I have a few lose ends to tie up as far as paint goes but I'll get that stuff done this week. This weekend will see the chassis coming together for a first time mock-up with the body not to far behind...

[SRD art]

Let me know what you think!
Mark

I think it's lookin fantastic! Can't wait to see it all bolted together and runnin' down the road!

[astroracer]

I think it's lookin fantastic! Can't wait to see it all bolted together and runnin' down the road!

You and me both Ben, thanks.
Been picking away at the details during the week. I get home from Warren around 4pm so I have some time to spend in the shop in the evenings. Last night and tonight I worked on painting the 3rd member and UCA cross shafts and drilling and tapping the suspension bushings (8 of them) for grease zerks.
Here is the 3rd member before paint. I used the same Rustoleum Black "Hammered" that is on the housing.

and after

Drilling and tapping the bushing sleeves in the upper control arms.

After tapping

and with a zerk installed.

Same process on the rear link bars.

here are the cross shafts in R.B.H.

Tomorrow night I will drag out the blasting cabinet and blast the rack and lower rear shock brackets. They will get the same black paint.
Thanks for looking
Mark

[dusterbd13]

mark:
your project has inspired me to sign up for a welding class at the local community college in the spring. thank you.

michael

[astroracer]

mark:
your project has inspired me to sign up for a welding class at the local community college in the spring. thank you.

michael

Good for you Michael! Mig? Tig? I wish I had the time to do more practicing. Especially with the Tig. I know my welds aren't the prettiest but they are good welds with good penetration. I find the more practice I get the better they look so I WILL be working on this over the winter.

Got some more details finished up last night. I rolled out the blast cabinet and cleaned up the steering rack brackets, lower shock brackets and the trans crossmember. I shot them all with the "Hammered" black.
One of the rack brackets.

A lower shock mount.

Not a good pic of the Xmbr, but it is done and is off the list!

Here are some shots of suspension mock-ups. Just to see what it will look like. That Rustoleum primer has really gotten gray in the last day or so.

[CruizinKev]

wow build is amazing! nice fab work!!!

[wellis77]

Looking sooo good Mark. Keep at it.

[Kybosh]

Very cool seeing paint and pieces being assembled. It's going to be so much fun to drive when it's done.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Great fab work cant wait to see it done..

[dusterbd13]

looking at mig primarily. though some tig at the end of the semester.

and i cant remember if you fabbed the control arms, or bought them. which was it?

michael

[andrewb70]

Neat project, although it seems like it's a little early for paint. I would have built the whole thing to make sure everything fits and works together, then blow it apart and make it pretty.

Andrew

[astroracer]

looking at mig primarily. though some tig at the end of the semester.

and i cant remember if you fabbed the control arms, or bought them. which was it?

michael

Michael,
Mig is good, it is fairly easy to learn. Tig is better but it takes longer to learn and longer to do. Take your Mig class but I would also suggest an Oxy-atcetylene class. This is kinda of old school but it will help with Tig coordination when you get there.
I designed and fabbed the front and rear suspensions. There are no "off the shelf" components for a one-off build like this.

Andrew,
Yea, it's a little early, but it is much easier to throw on some paint just for weather protection. The hot/cold cycles here in MI PLUS the humidity changes makes for some pretty rusty parts in a short time period. The arms and links are done so I blew some topcoat on those (it can always be blasted off and redone). The frame is in primer right now which is easy to sand off locally for the cage and front body mount welding. It won't get painted till all of that work is done.
Thanks for looking.
Mark
Plus, like Kybosh said, it helps to see SOMETHING painted...

[astroracer]

Got a little bit accomplished today. The goal was to get the body and chassis married and trundled over to the working side of the shop. Got that done along with a few other little things.
We bolted the frame back in place and set the van back on the body cart.
After we pushed it outside

The back half

LOL. i just start chuckling every time I look at this one...

Lynette did a good job pulling around back.

Once we had it on the pavement we unhooked the Cubby and pushed it inside.


This is where it's going to live for a while. Cage and tinwork are comin up. I have some work to do to get it leveled up and I am going to drop the stand height a bit but this where I will be spending a few hours this winter.

Thanks for looking
Mark

[wellis77]

SWEET!!! Nice work.