Monster8V
02-06-2006, 08:29 PM
As seen on VWVORTEX:
Ya ever have one of those simple projects that you have some time spare to spare so no big rush, yet every attempt to get it done causes even more delays? Ive had dreams like that. Never mind.
So at the end of the 2005 season, I decided to get my comp license and get the car prepped to be a full on, log book carrying track car. Made all the required plans and ordered all the required parts and purchased all the tools with the exception of a tubing bender. (mistake #1)
While I researched the bender early in the project, it was in the $250 range. After the new year, the price JUMPED to double that! Funds got tight so I couldnt just but one.
So, long story short, I found one to borrow for a weekend. The interior was stripped down to nothing and prepped for the plates. Then I took it to my shop at work and using the tools of my trade, picked it up and fully degreased the underside with the steam cleaner. I had no idea it was RED underneath!
EDIT: Apparently, ive exceeded some sort of image limit. To see the first pics, click the links for the first couple images.
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo3.jpg
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo5.jpg
I knew this job was destined to be chocked full with drama. Everything I tried took longer, problems and issues kept showing their ugly faces from the very get go. Now im at the point where everything is starting to fall into place! bender is here, the car is at the shop with the welder and the tubing is on site with all the tools I need to make it happen.
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo8.jpg
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo14.jpg
We finally get all the plates to fit how we like and everything is just tacked into place. We bend up the main hoop and it fits perfectly! Tack that up and and its time to weld them in place.
I kept turning down the heat on the Mig Welder but it keeps burning holes in the car. Then I discover that the bottle of gas is almost empty. No problem, we have a spare. Damn, its empty too. Ok, no worries, I have access to my shops account at Air Gas, ill go get another bottle. Load up, make the drive and they are closed on that day for inventory! Looking at their schedule and discover they are also closed on sundays too. More delays.
So im hot to get the bottles filled so I can start working on the car mid week. I task a couple people to get it done and they get around to it on Thursday. Not much gets done that week. Now im down to one last weekend before my next event. I cant have any issues! Its got to go in and just flow.
Saturday comes and I get to the shop early. Its nice to work in a place where im not bomparded with distractions from the other employees. I can get in, get to work unimpeeded! I weld in the plates as well as repair some of the damage and reinforce the underside of the main hoop in a few places. Then start bending up the down tubes. I made 4 total, 2 were perfect, 2 were close but not that I wanted. Things just flowed.
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo21.jpg
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo18.jpg
Its much easier to weld up some of it with the side windows out!
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo17.jpg
Got in the fabricating groove and would'nt ja know, the tubing notcher blate took a dump on me! I had only a few more bars to do that night so I gave up and made a trek to Home Depot. Lucky enough for me, they sell that sort of thing, even some that cut metal! My problem was, they didnt have my size. I had to make another drive to get the right size. I bought 2.
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo20.jpg
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo19.jpg
Got all the welding done and set to installing the window net.
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo22.jpg
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo23.jpg
FINALLY its in. Not quite finished yet. I still have to reinstall the complete interior. Plus mount the new certified harness, fire extinguisher, rear view mirror. Then make it run right. All before thursday so I can go get my comp license this weekend. Then I just need a good sponsor! :thumbup:
Phew!
Would have been cheaper and probably easier to buy a weld it yourself cage but it wouldnt have the fit and weight placement I wanted in this 6 point cage. Thanks for reading, you must have been bored.
Oh yeah, here is the dirty boy himself! And you just thought he sat behind a computer selling parts? Pfftttthh!!!
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo12.jpg
Ya ever have one of those simple projects that you have some time spare to spare so no big rush, yet every attempt to get it done causes even more delays? Ive had dreams like that. Never mind.
So at the end of the 2005 season, I decided to get my comp license and get the car prepped to be a full on, log book carrying track car. Made all the required plans and ordered all the required parts and purchased all the tools with the exception of a tubing bender. (mistake #1)
While I researched the bender early in the project, it was in the $250 range. After the new year, the price JUMPED to double that! Funds got tight so I couldnt just but one.
So, long story short, I found one to borrow for a weekend. The interior was stripped down to nothing and prepped for the plates. Then I took it to my shop at work and using the tools of my trade, picked it up and fully degreased the underside with the steam cleaner. I had no idea it was RED underneath!
EDIT: Apparently, ive exceeded some sort of image limit. To see the first pics, click the links for the first couple images.
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo3.jpg
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo5.jpg
I knew this job was destined to be chocked full with drama. Everything I tried took longer, problems and issues kept showing their ugly faces from the very get go. Now im at the point where everything is starting to fall into place! bender is here, the car is at the shop with the welder and the tubing is on site with all the tools I need to make it happen.
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo8.jpg
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo14.jpg
We finally get all the plates to fit how we like and everything is just tacked into place. We bend up the main hoop and it fits perfectly! Tack that up and and its time to weld them in place.
I kept turning down the heat on the Mig Welder but it keeps burning holes in the car. Then I discover that the bottle of gas is almost empty. No problem, we have a spare. Damn, its empty too. Ok, no worries, I have access to my shops account at Air Gas, ill go get another bottle. Load up, make the drive and they are closed on that day for inventory! Looking at their schedule and discover they are also closed on sundays too. More delays.
So im hot to get the bottles filled so I can start working on the car mid week. I task a couple people to get it done and they get around to it on Thursday. Not much gets done that week. Now im down to one last weekend before my next event. I cant have any issues! Its got to go in and just flow.
Saturday comes and I get to the shop early. Its nice to work in a place where im not bomparded with distractions from the other employees. I can get in, get to work unimpeeded! I weld in the plates as well as repair some of the damage and reinforce the underside of the main hoop in a few places. Then start bending up the down tubes. I made 4 total, 2 were perfect, 2 were close but not that I wanted. Things just flowed.
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo21.jpg
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo18.jpg
Its much easier to weld up some of it with the side windows out!
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo17.jpg
Got in the fabricating groove and would'nt ja know, the tubing notcher blate took a dump on me! I had only a few more bars to do that night so I gave up and made a trek to Home Depot. Lucky enough for me, they sell that sort of thing, even some that cut metal! My problem was, they didnt have my size. I had to make another drive to get the right size. I bought 2.
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo20.jpg
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo19.jpg
Got all the welding done and set to installing the window net.
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo22.jpg
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo23.jpg
FINALLY its in. Not quite finished yet. I still have to reinstall the complete interior. Plus mount the new certified harness, fire extinguisher, rear view mirror. Then make it run right. All before thursday so I can go get my comp license this weekend. Then I just need a good sponsor! :thumbup:
Phew!
Would have been cheaper and probably easier to buy a weld it yourself cage but it wouldnt have the fit and weight placement I wanted in this 6 point cage. Thanks for reading, you must have been bored.
Oh yeah, here is the dirty boy himself! And you just thought he sat behind a computer selling parts? Pfftttthh!!!
http://www.mezeracing.com/Cage/photos/photo12.jpg