Frame Rail arrival & inspection

Frame Rails, working with frame fixture, measuring, welding

Boxing Frame Rails

Installing Crossmembers

Front Spring
C Notches

Bob rear
frame rails

U-Coat It

Assemble Frt Suspension

Installing Ladder bars - Rear end

Sandblasting & Powder Coating

Sponsor Sign & Chassis

04 Ladder Bar

Install Engine & Trans

IN 600 Street Induction Product

Steel Tubing Structure

Installing Windshield

Mounting Rats Glass Body to Chassis

Mounting Radiator, Grill Shell & Insert

Mounting of the Pulleys

Mounting of Steering Column

Wheel and Tire Combination

Duvall Gets Chrome

SAFETY BAR INSTALL

While the chassis is on the show tour we have made one of the upgrades to the roadster body. Years ago, like 20, but who�s counting, we were actually building fiberglass �32 Ford bodies.  We were mentored by the best in the industry to build as good a body as possible. The bodies we had built were steel reinforced with a complete steel tube substructure.
 Dick Williams, Dee Wescott and Harold Ehle were my mentors back in those early years.The knowledge we had developed in the steel reinforcing of those bodies is the basis for one of the modifications we now offer to all our customers.
We have developed a steel tube structure which serves two purposes.  The first is a safety issue surrounding the cockpit area of the seating area with a substantial steel tube structure speaks for itself.  The second being the strength added to the B pillar areas of the fiberglass body. Having the steel structure joining both sides of the body reduces the stress on the fiberglass body.  A major plus, especially in an open body style.
The steel tubing we use in this option is 1.5� mild steel tubing.  It replaces the 3/4� square tubing which we cut out of the steel substructure.  See photo.

After the 3/4� steel tubing has been removed, we prep the B pillar plates for the new installation.  The areas where the new 1.5� round tubing will be welded into the B pillar plates are marked and ground clean.  There are three locations where the new reinforcement structure will weld to each B pillar plate.  A floor plate welds to the bottom of each B pillar plate and runs back to the wheel well area. That plate also has two body hole locations that body mounting bolts will pass through to the frame. The weld at the bottom of the B pillar plates and the two body hole locations provide a solid base for the new steel tube safety bar structure.
Off the new base plates are the vertical pillars of the new safety bar.  They are located in the corner areas of the new structure. You can see how the two horizontal tubes, the safety tubes, are welded to each B pillar and the vertical tubes welded in between each safety tube. Check photos.

Click Here For Next Page