Desert Dynamics Sand Car - Backhalf Rebuild

[ZTFab]

looks good,

i have 2 questions, how tight is your fit up on the tubes. i try to make mine so that a 1/16 filler rod wont fit in any gaps. and about how many hours do you have in this, planing and fabbing.

Thanks.

This pic of the tube fit-up is without clamps holding them in place. I go for no gap on the fit and bevel the tube depending on wall thickness and process.

You can also see where I've started to "knock-down" the point of the tube on the right where it will meets the top and bottom tubes. That's to allow some clearance for the weld underneath as I removed that tube completely, welded the bottom tube to the top tube 100%, then re-fit the tube that tube and welded it to the other two.



Here are some tube fit-ups form some other roll cages I've done showing how tight I get them.








I have approx 90 hours in design and fab so far.

[ohmthis]

Awesome looking work!!! The holes on the the radiator support, is that done with some type of round die? I have seen them before and I believe I've even seen the tools to make them just dont remember the name.

[gfmoul]

A supercharged 351 in a 1500 lb.car. . . . . you guys better HANG ON !!!

Awesome build, thanks for sharing,

George



Fire all your guns at once !

[Venom]

Awesome looking work!!! The holes on the the radiator support, is that done with some type of round die? I have seen them before and I believe I've even seen the tools to make them just dont remember the name.

Dimple Dies

[Mario428]

Some awesome work. The sheet metal bulkhead is a very nice pc of design and execution.

[brandon75173]

I did spot atleast a 1/16" of one weld in those pictures that may have only been 90% uniform to the other 50 feet of welds. You are some type of absurd robot creature

[ZTFab]

A supercharged 351 in a 1500 lb.car. . . . . you guys better HANG ON !!!

Awesome build, thanks for sharing,

George



Fire all your guns at once !

Thanks.

These cars are closer to 2500lbs ready to roll but with 600+ horsepower they are a handful.

A close friend of mine has the desert version of this car running a 500hp (at the wheels according to CBM's dyno) LS2 and a Mendeola S5 sequential trans.

We've gone 120mph in Barstow with it.

[app-ironworksllc]

Meh. I've seen better.

In my dreams.

Great looking work, Paul.

Bonus points for FoMoCo power.

When you gonna drop it off so I can "test" it.

I can't promise it'll be ndt.

You can get the delivery address from my sig.

[ZTFab]

When you gonna drop it off so I can "test" it.

I can't promise it'll be ndt.

You can get the delivery address from my sig.

As soon as the $$$$Check$$$$$ clears.

[app-ironworksllc]

As soon as the $$$$Check$$$$$ clears.

Yer startin' to sound like me.

Atta boy.:beer:

[ohmthis]

Dimple Dies

That's it!!! Thanks

[joebie]

Here are some tube fit-ups form some other roll cages I've done showing how tight I get them.

I love tight fit up... I just really love it when things fit into each other tightly.

Also... I don't even know what to say. Simply stunning.

[ironlion]

damn....you dont even need to weld that fit up do you? lol
beautiful work as always paul!!

[jim cafarelli]

ZTFab ,,,,outstanding work!!,,,if you dont mind me asking what do you use for tube notching and what do you think about the JD2 notchmaster for a guy may use it a half dozen times a year? thanks jim

[oxy moron]

ZTFab ,,,,outstanding work!!,,,if you dont mind me asking what do you use for tube notching and what do you think about the JD2 notchmaster for a guy may use it a half dozen times a year? thanks jim

Which ever company makes ZTFab's notcher should probably pay him a few bucks every time ZT answers that question. Right, Paul?

[Primetime]

I'm curious, how do you determine whether to use the MIG or TIG on a particular weld?

Beyond complying with whatever codes you need to meet, to make your cages and such race legal, how do you decide?

[ZTFab]

ZTFab ,,,,outstanding work!!,,,if you dont mind me asking what do you use for tube notching and what do you think about the JD2 notchmaster for a guy may use it a half dozen times a year? thanks jim

I use the JMR TN1000.

I've never tried the notchmaster but it looks like a capable piece of equipment. I used to have the JD2 TN100 and it was decent but the JMR is much better.

For the price the notchmaster looks like it would do you well.

[ZTFab]

Which ever company makes ZTFab's notcher should probably pay him a few bucks every time ZT answers that question. Right, Paul?

That would be nice.

[ZTFab]

I'm curious, how do you determine whether to use the MIG or TIG on a particular weld?

Beyond complying with whatever codes you need to meet, to make your cages and such race legal, how do you decide?

I just grab whichever welder is closest.

[Primetime]

So it's a trade secret? Lol

I'm just wondering why you chose to TIG weld the parts like the bulkhead & transmission mount, as opposed to MIG. They're gorgeous welds though. Is that SMW rod on the bulkhead by chance?

[Eliotmay@yahoo.com]

Most of those welds are tig welds correct? I saw on that looked like a mig weld in there somewhere.

[ZTFab]

So it's a trade secret? Lol

I'm just wondering why you chose to TIG weld the parts like the bulkhead & transmission mount, as opposed to MIG. They're gorgeous welds though. Is that SMW rod on the bulkhead by chance?

LOL...nope, not a trade secret...ancient Chinese secret.

The initial plan was to MIG weld everything that I was redoing on the car because the frame is completely MIG welded from Desert Dynamics.

When my buddy saw the bulkhead tacked up on the bench he said, "Man, that would look so good if you TIG welded it."

So, I TIG welded it for him.

The bulkhead and the weld washers for the trailing arm pivots are the only parts that are TIG welded and, yes, the bulkhead is SMW. Everything else I have done on the car is MIG welded.

[ZTFab]

Most of those welds are tig welds correct? I saw on that looked like a mig weld in there somewhere.

The only parts that are TIG welded is the bulkhead and the weld washers for the trailing arm pivots.

Everything else is MIG

[Eliotmay@yahoo.com]

Not to bother a master craftsman with noob ish questions but how can mig welds look so sexy? Where is the mig spatter? I don't get it! They look so pristine.

[tig_21]

Not to bother a master craftsman with noob ish questions but how can mig welds look so sexy? Where is the mig spatter? I don't get it! They look so pristine.

OMG. Can we just have a thread that says "to get good welds you PRACTICE!" ?
It's an art everyone, not everyone can make welds like Paul, but he didn't get anywhere by just sitting there. Go out and practice and know your machine and what settings you need. Also, clean metal makes prettier welds. end of story