I will be beginning to install a Fatman coilover front end this week in a 50, along with new brake lines and a new master. I will try to cover it in depth, so stay tuned! If you have any questions let me know.
Cool Beans, Russ! I'm particularly interested in the brake line thing. (As that is my next and final step for new brakes!)
Our victim: 1950 with 51 doors. Had a rough life, we are fixing a lot of farm tech as we go.... Lay out all parts and do an inventory, now is the time to track down all those other parts you are missing. This is a fatman coilover setup, 2" drop spindles, power steering and sway bar....a Necessity.... Remove the front clip and hood... Gut that sucker...... Remember to install the tailshaft plug. Level out the frame front to back and side to side. Be shure to mark the axle center line, then cut it in with a cutoff wheel so you don't scrape it off while cleaning and working on the frame. Now start scraping off the crusty junk and then hose it down with oven cleaner, then carb. cleaner. Bought a plasma cutter today, a Hypertherm 30.....everyone needs one of these!
That is Campy, our 2nd Dalmatian. Training up to be a shop dog, still likes to steal whatever she finds on the floor.
I'm digging the project, the "how-to", AND the spotted assistant. Thanks for walking us through the install, Russ. I'm looking forward to following this, as the other fellas have mentioned. I'd love to get a dalmatian myself, but my duty schedule wouldn't be fair to having a pet stuck at home for 24 hours at a time while I'm working. Of course, being a fireman, it would be logical to just take the dog to work with me, but that's a whole other can of worms. I think it'd just be awesome to have one to ride with me in the old fire trucks I have at home for parades and stuff. Plus I'm a dog guy. Maybe someday. Damon
Fat Man Stage Three? Ol' farm truck looks pretty good to me, I notice the 1970's steering box move over to clear small block method was used before. Dumb question of the day: What is the coffee can on the firewall? Steve.
Grab the handy dandy sawzall and cut off the steering column a few inches from the firewall. I will be shortening the column anyway, so where the cut is doesn't matter. Now fire up that shiny new plasma cutter and cut off all the rivets and spring mounts you won't need, grab the BFH and knock them off. Unbolt the master cylinder to get the trans. mount crossmember(or whats left of it) off...... Paint the inside of the frame heavily to help prevent rust out... Now that everything is cleaned up, find some strips of cardboard and cut for a steel template for boxing the frame. Went to scrapyard and scored 1/8" plate steel, about 3'x4' for $10. Tommorrow we begin cutting and welding.
Russ, You are working with one of the very best in the Fatman hub to hub unit. We have used several in different applications and they are actually engineered, not just a knock off from someone elses. A suggestion on the boxing plates; at the rear cut them on a 45 to 60 degree angle or better yet a parabola shaped cut out in the rear (lets you play with the new plasma cutter). This gives a transition from the flexible "C" channel frame to the rigid boxed portion. If used as a cruiser there would be no problem with the boxing plate being square at the rear but if big horsepower or rough road is in the future there is a tendency for the frame to crack where the boxing plate ends.
More than one person has asked why this is such a great site. Here are a couple of reasons. Expert advice and a willingness to share any way possible.
I have installed 4 Fatman front ends. Brent is a friend of mine, a nice guy who knows his stuff. They are right here in town, I stop by often.
