Lateral-g Forums - Nerd Rods, 55-59 Truck Frame Project 1956, C4 suspension, 5.3L Auto, Kit Frame Design

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rat_rod_russell

10-01-2013 08:02 AM

On my way to Dallas right now, I'll try and post photos tonight. They took a little longer because they wanted to roll some parts instead of cutting them from round tubing to help save money.

Later
-Russell

214Chevy

10-01-2013 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rat_rod_russell (Post 507988)

Hey Russell, I'm not too far from where you're going. Call me when you get here and you pick up the parts. I'd love to see the frame. I'm at the fire station today, so stop by.

R.A.D

10-01-2013 02:30 PM

cool project. i'm tuned in

rat_rod_russell

10-13-2013 01:50 AM

Sorry about the slow response. I got back and life happened. Had a bunch of powder coating work show up to take up space, got sick for a day, had to change out two ballasts in the shop lights, the shop was a mess from a CJ7 5.3L swap and I've got some new part time guys I'm getting trained. Nuts, just nuts.

But without further ado, the new frame!

Man I love going to this place to get parts! They have all the cool tools and it turns out I'm getting better at my CAD package as well. They didn't charge me nearly as much as they did for the initial programing like they did last time for the TriFive car frame.

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-02.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-03.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-04.jpg

All packed up and ready to go. Just look at the forklift compared to the rest of the place. They just have all the fun toys!

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-05.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-06.jpg

It took me a few days to get the shop all swept up so I could count parts but here we are, the complete CP5559C4 frame minus just a few parts that are missing but they are finishing parts so no worries there.

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-07.jpg

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-08.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-09.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-10.jpg

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-11.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-12.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-13.jpg

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-14.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-15.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-16.jpg

rat_rod_russell

10-13-2013 01:56 AM

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-17.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-18.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-19.jpg

I've got 3 frames here at the shop. The fully welded frame is going to a local guy so I can keep close tabs on it while I get the other one finished up and running so I'll know if I need to make any changes to the final design. The third frame is going to sit for a while until I can make the 3D animation. Otherwise I'm going to just wait to be finished with this build and test drive the truck plenty before I do that video.

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-20.jpg

Got some cool new stencils for the shop crates and other shipping parts. I just ordered TriFive frames #28-32 so we're shipping nicely on the kit frames!

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-21.jpg

And we got a new quality control agent. You can see her hard at work.

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-22.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e1_01/s-23.jpg

I've got 2 TFC4 frames to weld up and get shipped out as rolling chassis with motor, transmission and the works so it will be a few weeks before I get to start on this one but I'll post of plenty of photos when I get started.

Thanks again!
Russell Alexander
Nerd Rods

R.A.D

10-13-2013 05:04 AM

Great stuff russel.your on your way

aggie91

10-15-2013 08:27 AM

Very Cool indeed. I like your ideas and having that shop able to make the parts like that is great.

214Chevy

10-15-2013 11:23 AM

Start assembling and get to welding!! :weld: :weld:

rat_rod_russell

11-03-2013 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 214Chevelle (Post 510685)

Start assembling and get to welding!!

rat_rod_russell

11-04-2013 08:04 AM

dug	11-04-2013 09:03 AM

Awesome. I think you've got a good thing going with your frames! What other vehicles do you plan on doing this for?

Out of curiosity (someone may have already asked), how many hours do you think you have in the design on the computer?

rat_rod_russell

11-04-2013 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dug (Post 514658)

Depends on who beats my door down first. Right now the C10 and 52-56 Ford guys are winning but I get some C2/3 Corvette guys and A-Body guys rattling my email as well.

But any other project is going to be a LONG time out. I need to finish up all the help stuff, tech drawing, 3D animations, how to video, and lots of work on the website. Some where in the middle of all that I would like to get back to the road course so I can make some real handling options for guys who want to throw down at the end of the day.

Later
-Russell

dug	11-05-2013 09:23 AM

You sound like a busy man. Keep up the quality work. :gitrdun:

fleet

11-05-2013 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dug (Post 514850)

You sound like a busy man. Keep up the quality work. :gitrdun:

Russell,

I really enjoyed watching how you thrashed that '57. :thumbsup:

rat_rod_russell

11-05-2013 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by compos mentis (Post 514861)

Russell,

I really enjoyed watching how you thrashed that '57. :thumbsup:

Thrashing?!?! You missed this one!
:D

rat_rod_russell

11-06-2013 01:13 AM

fleet

11-06-2013 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rat_rod_russell (Post 514954)

Thrashing?!?! You missed this one!
:D

Haha.

Nah, I saw it. Just didn't think I should be the one to post it.

:lol:

Quote:

Originally Posted by rat_rod_russell (Post 514967)

Monday's work. I was gone all day Tuesday, more photos soon!

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e2_01/S-30.jpg

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e2_01/S-32.jpg

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e2_01/S-34.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e2_01/S-35.jpg

Later
-Russell

Russell,

I like that you're posting a bunch of pics showing the process. :thumbsup:

BTW-how's the Nerd name been received? :)

Nerd's and welding are a unique combo...and unique is often good IMHO.

rat_rod_russell

11-06-2013 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by compos mentis (Post 514970)

I like that you're posting a bunch of pics showing the process. :thumbsup:

BTW-how's the Nerd name been received? :)

Nerd's and welding are a unique combo...and unique is often good IMHO.

At the very least we get a "I had to come take a look to see what a Nerd Rod was" and that's more than you can say about a lot of shop names from what I've seen at car shows. But its been good over all.

Later
-Russell

waynieZ

11-06-2013 05:34 PM

You've got an awesome build going on here.

rat_rod_russell

11-10-2013 05:10 AM

ChuckDriver

11-10-2013 04:16 PM

Nice work, how much welding time do you have in it so far?

rat_rod_russell

11-11-2013 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver (Post 515618)

Nice work, how much welding time do you have in it so far?

rat_rod_russell

11-18-2013 05:39 AM

ChuckDriver

11-18-2013 05:54 AM

Nice!

rat_rod_russell

11-25-2013 09:45 PM

rat_rod_russell

11-25-2013 09:56 PM

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e2_01/S-80.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e2_01/S-81.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e2_01/S-82.jpg

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e2_01/S-83.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e2_01/S-84.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e2_01/S-85.jpg

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e2_01/S-86.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e2_01/S-87.jpg

Later
-Russell

Beebe

11-30-2013 03:19 PM

Top Notch, the frame is coming along killer !

rat_rod_russell

12-04-2013 07:22 PM

Thanks!

Holiday season is the worst for hot rodders but I survived again. Got a little done on the other front rail and I bagged the first Truck frame today for delivery in a day or two. And by I, I mean Nerd Rods Minion T. Funny thing is the guy buying the frame is a pro shop and is going to put it under a C-10, not a TriFive truck. So he's going to find out how easy the design is going to be for me and he's close enough I can go over to take notes on the fitment. Thanks Kendell! :D KB Speed and Custom in Boerne if anyone wants to go bother him for me. It would be embarking if he finished before I did.

I did a few things differently on this side of the frame in terms of process and I've been making my list of tweaks I need to do for the production version of the frame. Just little things I missed like making keys one way so you can't put them in backwards. I've already gotten a hand full of those located. I've got even more photos on my computer with notes written on them to help me in making the animation video and other instructions, it all adds up but I like being able to answer questions as soon as they pop up.

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...e2_01/S-99.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-100.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-101.jpg

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-102.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-103.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-104.jpg

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-105.jpg

Later
-Russell

rat_rod_russell

12-12-2013 10:21 AM

rat_rod_russell

12-12-2013 10:21 AM

Ugh, I found that 20 lbs I put on while designing the frame......
But you can see how we get these last few parts in. You might need a friend to help spread the rails out a little to make everything go together easier.

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-117.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-118.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-119.jpg

NOTE!!!!! Yes I have big clamps, but all you need is a RATCHET STRAP here to pull the rails together before welding. I was going to use one for the photos but it was in the back of the truck, and it was cold, and I'm a wuss so sue me, lol.

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-120.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-121.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-122.jpg

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-123.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-124.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-125.jpg

Next up is the 4 bar locators and then we marry the 3 big parts together into a single frame.

Later
-Russell

rat_rod_russell

12-13-2013 12:10 AM

Rear four bar (Dog bone) to frame mount. If your going to run a live axle instead of the Corvette you can swap these out for different control arms, and do a 3 Link, 4 link, truck trailing arms, triangulated 4 bar, watts or pan hard bar system. There's tons of room to install any of them.

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-126.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-127.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-128.jpg

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-129.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-130.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-131.jpg

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-132.jpg

Later
-Russell

rat_rod_russell

12-17-2013 02:38 PM

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-133.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-134.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-135.jpg

http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-136.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-137.jpg http://www.nerdrods.com/Images/Produ...2_01/S-138.jpg

ChuckDriver

12-17-2013 05:05 PM

Looking good!

GregWeld

12-17-2013 08:16 PM

Nice Russell!

rat_rod_russell

12-18-2013 02:07 AM

GregWeld

12-18-2013 06:08 AM

So how many hours of welding do you have "accounted for"?

Just asking.

rat_rod_russell

12-18-2013 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregWeld (Post 523531)

So how many hours of welding do you have "accounted for"?

Just asking.

I haven't kept exact count on this one as its the first of the Chevy Truck frames but its taking a lot longer just because of all the photos I've been doing. For every photo I post I delete 5-10. But I was pondering this question a little while back and here's the little bit I timed just to get an idea. The box for the control arms to the frame that I installed just before I put the front on the frame. The one side I photographed the build of took me 7 hours. The second one took 1 hour and 50 minutes and I basically only weld at night to keep people from bothering me so mostly uninterrupted (you answer the girlfriends calls).

I would guess I have 22-25 hours in the frame right now with another 4-10 to finish it all up.

Keep in mind our shop is only 2 guys most of the time with 2 part time guys who help out and do body work on the shop projects. We've been building a TriFive stage 4 chassis, boxing up 6 other frames, run a powder coating business and my father (the other full time guy), he's going in for back surgery next month for a slipped vertebra so take a guess how useful he is right now. I wish I had the time to just bang this frame out but we need to support the customers who have already purchased their own TriFive frames. I will timelaspe the next frame (I have another in a crate to weld up) and clock it at the same time. With luck we'll have a dozen clocks on the set and you can see them all ticking along to get a feel for the time as well.

Later
-Russell

GregWeld

12-19-2013 08:30 AM

Yeah --- I was thinking maybe 60+ hours start to finish. MIG would be way faster… but not as nice. Well that's a debatable statement so I probably shouldn't even type it.

Sorry 'bout your Dad -- back issues suck!

rat_rod_russell

12-19-2013 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregWeld (Post 523760)

Thanks, I'm just happy he's not going to be in such pain anymore. Watching the man you looked up to get old and slow down is tough but after the pre surgery physical the doctor described him as "exemplary condition" and I know his tolerance for pain in amazing so it'll be interesting to see how he is after it stops pinching his nerve and he can walk for more than 5 minutes at a time.

MIG has is advantages in certain places as does the TIG but I told the customer I would TIG this whole frame so I am. Ideally for production I'll MIG most of your 90° corners and lots of the heavy plate at the back of the frame. I would say start to finish a first timer would have 50-60 if they didn't have that many clamps, prep time and going back and forth between the video. A shop should be able to bag it out in under 20. I just dropped one of the 3 frames off with a friends shop so we'll see how long it takes him granted he'll be modifying his for a C10.

Later
-Russel

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