My one owner 66 A100!

Tank and Tach look really good and that's one heck of a side project you've got there!!!

Nice job on the tank

nice studabaker, looks like its about done,

Thx guys! I'm hoping to get the van running on its own fuel tank. So far the fuel system has been the biggest pain in ass but it's about done.

Got her running on the fuel tank today. So far no leaks. I got to drive it home today due to my daily driver trans crapping the bed. I went ahead and reinstalled the fender flares as well. They look rediculous actually but it's growing on me. It's funny because they aren't even symmetrical by comparison.

I think it looks pretty good with the flares! So, is it your new daily driver now? Congrats Wheelie on the fuel tank success!

i think it looks just fine, love the wheels !!

The wheels look sweet. Nice work and great job on the fuel tank. Working on the cooling system on mine this week.

Yea dude...It keeps lookin more and more awesome! You make me want to go buy a panel van too! ha!

Thx guys! Today I am sleeving the drag link and doing the exhaust. It's just too loud! As of now it is my daily driver my daughters are begging for a back seat so that's now on the list as well.

Diggin the flares.

The Pate Swap meet is at the end of the month.
I'll keep an eye out for a back seat, and any
A100 parts.

JD

Those port hole windows are hard to find, what shape are they in???

That is a cool ol' van. Those port holes are cool as well.

Joel

JD , I want to go to Pate! I got a lot of crap to sell. Maybe I can fill the van up and run down there if im mot buried in work.

G-man- the portholes are in real good shape. I've never seen any like it.

Thx Joel!

The van is coming right along its looking really good just keep on it. I thought the small stuff would never end on my van but a few months later it did. Your van is going to be a real looker when you get it finished up. Good luck and keep up the good work... ... ............JOE.........

SO I figuired I would do little write up on the drag link sleeving I did today. First buy some 1" pipe in 4 ft length (pipe is measured by i.d. so If you buy tube its measured differently).

Cut the pipe to 42" and bevel the edges for a good weld. This measurement puts the pipe just before the taper of the drag link where the tie rods thread in.


Slide the pipe over the drag link and center it up. If yours was bent like mine you may have to clamp it in a vice and straighten as you slide it on.


Weld the perimeter of the pipe on both ends like this.


The paint and install! It really stiffened up the drag link.

I also got some glass packs today. Exhaust pics soon!

Interesting we're not allowed to weld around the drag link like that over here.

We must have the end of the pipe cut at an angle and then also have holes drilled in the outer tube to allow plug welds into the original drag link.

This is to stop stress crack moving around the drag link and the end falling off.

It's interesting how different authorities approach things.

I shortened a steering shaft in my build and there are no welds at the end of the sleeve just the plug welds as the authorities preffer that over the taper cut and weld.

Thx for the input. Plug welds are probably a good addition but the sleeve is so tight I don't see it moving or how it could stress crack due to deflection because the original drag link is untouched. All aftermarket tube drag links have the nut welded the perimeter of the tube so structurally and safety wise I don't see an issue. I'm interested to have an detailed explanation of why the authorities feel there needs to be an angle cut at the end? That makes no sense at all from an engineering standpoint except more weld area due to the elongated circumference or how having an angle cut would decrease the chances of the end snapping off?

Thanks to JD, he gave me a heads up to a FREE seat! SO I ran over there and it was still there. It is in real good condition and its blue!

Maybe it was missed that your original drag link is still inside the pipe and not replaced by the pipe?

Glasspacks! YES!!! Oh, and the seat rocks too! does it fold backward at all? Just curious. If not it was free who cares! Ha!!! Looks like you're kickin MUCH booty man! Keep it up!

I'm not really sure why but I assume that he was speaking of requirements for a drag car or road race car in Australia. This is a 55 mph van with no intentions of drag racing but I think they way I did it is more than acceptable if I ever chose to do so.

Thx Goth! I was stoked to get free
Seats! I don't think they fold backwards. They came out of a 97 ford windstar. I still need to decide exact location and fab a mount that allows them to be removed just like factory.

Zuffen, there are no "authorities" inspecting these cars and mods in many states.
I bet that makes you shudder to think that Billy Joe Bob (no slight intended, Wheelie) can pull out his saw and welder and fix stuff on his car, then drive right next to you on the freeway. However, in practice, it doesn't cause many problems.
I understand your concern about the increased strength, but if the tie rod end threads past the pipe weld, it should be fine.
Remember, all these vans came with 5 inch wide, tall tires and almost every one of them had/has much wider, stickier tires installed. Way beyond the designed limits, and that's why so many have bent tie rods and worn steering boxes. They are also past their designed service life by decades, so any fix that goes beyond original design and actually adds strength and complements other modifications is viewed as good.

Got the NOS Weat Coast sunroof installed today. I also sealed up the rear vent as well. Hopefully that should take care of the leaking issues.