Volvo Amazon 1965 (Volvo 13134)

[brino]

It's looking great!

Thanks for the update.
I actually thought about this thread last week when I stumbled across some of my local requirements for automotive floor-pan replacements:




I would argue that the requirements above are BS as I could use MIG or TIG, but not "arc welding"?!?!
Obviously written by someone that does not understand the technology behind the words they are using.

Note: NONE of this is meant as any type of put-down.
You are doing an amazing job that I would not be afraid to either drive myself or have on the road with me.
It was just the huge disconnect between what you are doing and these silly local rules that made me laugh out loud.

Brian

 

[MrCrankyface]

Thanks!
Yeah, there's plenty of weird rules like that here as well, especially regarding how things are joined.
I've already been down a bit of a rabbit hole just regarding my "inner frame replacement" which is basically copying the stock configuration just with better steel and actual tubing instead of bent 2mm sheet.
Much because of like you say, someone not understanding what's the purpose of it.

Not to mention that I have to pretty much write an entire book about every little detail about this car to get it certified and legal to drive on public roads.
Hopefully it'll be worth it, if nothing else the project itself is an amazing way to constantly challenge myself.

Edit: For those into the video format, here's part 7.

 

[woodchucker]

new to this thread, rewound to beginning, and read through, fantastic work.
some cool stuff going on.

 

[RandyWilson]

I would argue that the requirements above are BS as I could use MIG or TIG, but not "arc welding"?!?!
Obviously written by someone that does not understand the technology behind the words they are using.


Brian

By the comma placement, I read that as no arc or flame welding of high strength materials, but stitch welding (either MIG of TIG) is okay.

 

[brino]

By the comma placement, I read that as no arc or flame welding of high strength materials, but stitch welding (either MIG of TIG) is okay.

...but aren't both MIG and TIG a form of arc welding?
(In that the heat is not from a gas flame.)

....or is the distinction about "stitch welding" ...and if so where's the definition for that?

Hmmmm.........
Wait, now that I read it again, it seems to say that no welding is acceptable.......

No *pop* rivets, arc welding or flame repair for high strength steel, TIG or MIG stitch welding is acceptable.

Does the "No" apply to only the first clause or both?

......and who determines what is "high strength steel"?

Muddy!
Damn muddy!

Brian

 

[woodchucker]

No *pop* rivets, arc welding or flame repair for high strength steel, TIG or MIG stitch welding is acceptable.

first clause

No *pop* rivets, arc welding or flame repair for high strength steel..... PERIOD
New Sentence
TIG or MIG stitch welding is acceptable.

 

[RandyWilson]

So you can pop rivet low strength steel?

Seriously. Body shops have "books" that tell what parts of what cars can be heated or welded, and what can't. The conflicting requirements of light weight, stiffness, and controlled deformation has led to some pretty sophisticated alloys and heat treating of structural parts.

 

[matthewsx]

I’m guessing whoever wrote the regulations has seen a whole lot of sub-standard repairs. My wife traveled your fair country in the early 80’s measuring rust holes for Ford one summer during college. Left her with quite an impression….

 

[MrCrankyface]

Slowly making progress on this, back studying full-time and working extra so energy is limited.

Let my CNC converted mill do most of the work, slow but makes sure it's accurate and I don't have to spend a lot of time measuring.
I don't have tubes wide enough so I'm using two tubes, milling half of each and removing one side.


So I end up with these shells I can then weld together and have a ready-to-test mount.


Had to drop the axle down again to be able to place it, the shell is heavily tacked together so I can still take it apart if it doesn't work out.
Now I just need to get all the angles nailed down and tack the mount to the axle before trying to figure out how much I need to cut out as I move the axle back up again.

 

[MrCrankyface]

There's no good places to measure from on the car and I've had this weird feeling that the axle isn't sitting straight.
So I thought I better figure that out before I go too far and pulled the axle out.
First I just checked some angles and measured distances on the mounts, from the wheels.
Then set the top mount in place and tacked away.
With the "custom stuff" looking straight, I started taking a lot of measurements on the axle to figure what was throwing me off.


With all my measurements I could update the CAD and draw up a new axle with some confirmed values.
One interesting problem I immediately noticed, is that the lower mounts are more narrow on the axle, than the car.
This is really bad and I need to move them out.
Secondly, this allowed me to confirm that the input of the axle, is NOT centered.
It's translated roughly 2.5cm(~1") to the left of the center of the axle, just enough to make things look weird yet not be obvious.


Probably won't move the lower mounts just yet, rather save the final move for when I'm ready to completely weld them.
But with these new measurements and confirmation that things are not skewed, I can start figuring out where to cut the body to make room for the upper mount.