Project - Paperweight - Now The NEW Coffee Table Project !!!

[Incursus]

Quoting: Roadkill

Quoting: Incursus
I thought thats how you liked to leave your projects?

How long has your Duster taken ?

Cars are different there never finished  

[Roadkill]

Course not.

[art b]

play nicely gurls...............

[Roadkill]

That's a real shame.  I thought I'd post something to say that this project's feature is being decommissioned and realised that I never actually posted up any pictures of it finished !!!

I'll get some and update, before calling time on it . . . .

The paperweight (dining room, then lounge ornament) has been in service since 2006 but due to house refurbishment plans set for 2016, it'll be removed and stripped of parts before the remains are most likely scrapped.

The engine was a 318 Mopar (small block) so there's some useful parts on there that'll be put up for sale, plus a nearly-new Holley 600, valve covers and air cleaner etc . . .

It'll be sad to see it go, but progress is progress.  :(

[ianjpage]

due to house refurbishment plans set for 2016

Ooo what ya planning then, do tell !!

[Roadkill]

Nothing major, just a top-to-bottom repaint. 

We're also going to open up the conservatory full-time and I'm currently in the process of installing radiators out there as part of it.  We need to replace some of the carpet downstairs and I'll be replacing the old radiators downstairs, too.

A few plans for the garden, the garage to complete . . mainly just a re-fresh . . . I want a jukebox so that's on the cards and there's plans to re-do the dining room with a 50's diner booth. 

We're also umming and ahhing over the settee at the moment . . when we got the one we have we used to regularly have a house-full of visitors . . now we don't so a 7-seater is pointless.

Lots of little jobs forming a complete project . . . some I'm starting this year but the plan is to complete in 2016.

[Roadkill]

Here it is, all done, 9 years later (it has been dusted a couple of times during this period, honest)

[Jamieg285]

The engine was a 318 Mopar (small block) so there's some useful parts on there that'll be put up for sale, plus a nearly-new Holley 600, valve covers and air cleaner etc . . .

I may be interested in anything that is compatible with SBC...  Let me know when you get that far.

[Roadkill]

Jamie, nothing compatible with SBC except the big Holley Carb (and I'm keeping that for now . . . ).

Anyway.

Time has come to move the old coffee table out and make a new one . . . I had some time before a meeting on Friday so started tearing down the "Paperweight".

The plan was to save any bits that could be of use and bin the rest.

The pictures above were taken in April . . . Here's how it looked on Friday morning . . .



. . And this is the pile of stuff that came off . . . !



Ian came over on Saturday to help with the Camaro but weather meant that we spent the first 3 hours inside . . . the plus side was he could help lift the block off of the stand so the remains could be further de-constructed.

Leaving me with this -



At this stage I'm actually much much happier than I thought I would be . . . I have an idea which'll be fairly simple and should look good.  I'm not a massive fan of the engine tables you see that are just - simply - an engine block supporting a piece of glass . . . . That strikes me as lazy and pretty boring.

My plan is to have the block, heads, valve covers and intake . . . instead of having a carb, I'll make up a plate to sit over the intake but also support the air cleaner giving the look of a "complete" engine, but keeping it as low as absolutely possible.

I've (as usual) got dozens of other things on the go so not really got any definite time-line for this . . . . as and when - :up:

[Roadkill]

Not a major update, but I have got all the drawings for the new parts I need done and ready to be made . . . . just need to slot them in somewhere . . .

Got a quote for the glass (not terrible).

Sent off an inquiry regarding the 8 x pipes I need but the company are crap at getting back to me . . . so I'll need to chase them up.

I wasn't going to do much with this initially but being without a table in the lounge is proving to be a real PITA, so it's moved up the "To do" list considerably.

[FUBAR]

I wasn't going to do much with this initially but being without a table in the lounge is proving to be a real PITA, so it's moved up the "To do" list considerably.

:whistle:  :wink:

[Roadkill]

Ahh, the encouragement doesn't do any harm . . .

[Roadkill]

All the plates I need are in the workshop waiting to be made.

I've had a price back for the new pipes . . . more than I wanted to spend, but still fairly reasonable, considering they're making them to my drawing.

[Roadkill]

I've had a price back for the new pipes . . . more than I wanted to spend, but still fairly reasonable, considering they're making them to my drawing.

Very impressed !

After quoting me £109.20 for the 8 bent pipes and delivery, they call today to say they're done and to collect payment . . . . . The lovely lady said that "they've come out a little cheaper than expected" . . . the total price being £38 !!!!

:up:

The original price quoted was a tad high, but I was prepared to pay it . . . . hats off for them for being so honest . . they could've knocked £10 off and I'd have been happy but to take two-thirds off ?

Very impressed.

http://www.jpexhausts.co.uk/

[Roadkill]

Pipes arrived and look good . . . need a bit of dressing but so cheap I ain't complaining.



As with all my other projects (basically), I've been waiting to get stuff laser-cut at work.  That ain't gonna happen any time soon.

I've got a price to cut all the (metal) bits of the new table design and they should be doing that this coming week . . . . I'll probably take the pipes to them and ask them to weld them for me, rather than waiting for our workshop again.

Then my only issue is getting the stuff powder-coated.

[Roadkill]

Hahahaha ! 

Another dormant project.   :lol:

I've had bits waiting to be laser-cut for a while and not really pushed them until now.  I have a laser cutter in Luton doing the bits this week so they *should* be available next week.
Our workshop is currently quiet on the welding side so am paying them to do some welding for me.

From memory, there's not much to buy for this . . . once the welding is done, it's a matter of powder-coating, painting and assembling . . . . Then measure up for the glass.

I'm on it - again - though. :rolleyes:

[Roadkill]

Yeeaaaahhh !!!

Collected the bits from the laser-cutters earlier (eventually) . . . gonna give them a check-over over the weekend, then it's into the workshop to have them welded up !

It's all go, go, go !!!

:smirk:

(pics to follow)

[Roadkill]

Picked the bits up - all checked and good.

Need to linish a few bits off before dropping them into the workshop.   Also need to find somebody to sand-blast a couple of bits, too.  :chiny:



All will begin to make sense soon . . . . .

<EDIT> all the above, laser cut, including materials (5mm mild) and counter-sinking on the big plate was £137

[Roadkill]

It probably still makes very little sense, but I got all the bits prepped last night and dropped them in for fabrication this morning.

Most of what you see in the pic above will end up in a fabrication of some sort . . . the big plate is the base for the 318 MoPar block (with the counter-sunk holes) . . It should spread the load across the floor nicely, minimising damage and making it relatively easy to move.  It'll also add a lot of strength back to the block as all of the internals were cut-out to save weight during its first incarnation.

I'm opting to have the manifold upper flange (what the carb would sit on) machined flat, too . . . this is normally raked at around 6* but having it flat will be more aesthetically pleasing (and the manifold - despite being an Offy - is pretty rubbish anyway so I don't feel guilty).

Most parts are being powder-coated so when I get them back, they'll be ready to go straight on . . . a couple of other bits I'm opting to now paint the same colour as the block (black) as I don't want it looking too "busy".

I've ordered a set of intake gaskets for the manifold (yeah, really) so once I have these, and the manifold back, I can re-assemble the block and get it painted (although I have no idea where I'm going to be painting it, yet)

:chiny:

[Roadkill]

Lots of pictures, few words -

With stuff prepped and in fabrication, attention turned to the block itself . . . . The original format was blue, but it was decided black would go with more things . . . so it began.

There was quite a lot of minor damage / prep needed on the block so I stripped some areas back to bare metal / part primed / high-build primed etc . . .



Next I primed the whole thing, to give myself an even start-point.




Next came 3 coats of black.




And after the dust settled . . .



With it looking pimpin', I got excited and started putting bits back on . . . .



Note the spark plugs . . .



Then, with the manifold milled and the spacer-plate ready (this plate replaced the carb and basically just forms the point the air-cleaner sits on) . . . .

The intake took quite a bit of prep and I bolted the bits on prior to priming.  Eagle-eyed viewers will notice some of the items from the laser-cut pile in the photo above.




Next up is the manifold painted and on.



And the plate tapped to accept the standard air-cleaner studding . . .



All back together . . . .





Next is a break, while I wait for the next bits to be fabricated . . . these will support the glass and will be powder-coated so I get a break from painting (meaning they *should* just bolt straight on)

:smirk:

[Roadkill]

Popped into the workshop earlier, just as they were tacking the glass supports together.

I thought I'd grab a quick picture . . . the effort they are going through to ensure everything is kept "square" makes me happy.  :)

This is effectively an upside-down view . . . the plate on the table will support the glass (it's as small as possible) while the plate above will actually be below, bolted to the block (it's a copy of the header flanges that were on the motor when I got it originally).



Am hoping they'll be done and into the powder-coaters this week.  :up:

[Roadkill]

The last (metal) parts of the table are now done and at the powder-coaters.

Assuming there's no issues I'll have them later this week, meaning I can then measure-up for glass.

:up:

Here's one of the completed "headers" before paint -

[Roadkill]

Picked the bits up after powder-coating yesterday . . . .

Can I get me a "Oooooooohhhh" and an "Ahhhhhhhhhh"  :P



It's obviously not as good as chrome but still pretty good . . . certainly a match to the ceramic coating used on headers.



Here's the plate installed on the bottom . . . . the purpose for this is to add strength back in at the base and also give a nice large area to spread the load over and to make it easier to move around on the carpet.



The counter-sinking worked perfectly, leaving everything flush and smooooth.



"Headers" installed -







I need to assess whether I can just plonk a piece of glass on top and it'll be level, or, as originally planned, will need to incorporate small adjustable rubber feet.

I'll have a play . . . .

[Incursus]

Looking awesome. Rubber feet would stop the glass sliding around..?

[Roadkill]

That's the theory . . . . I'm trying to avoid holes in the glass for bolts on this one (it'll be easier to clean).

The weight of the glass will be considerable, so I'm hoping with it being spread over just 4 small rubber feet should keep it from moving about.