Ms. American 3.14159 Engine Bay Bridge

Hey All,
In order to get the Intake Manifold, the Cylinder Heads, and the Exhaust Manifolds off of the 3.14, there had to be some way to lift them as I am not young and strong enough to just pick them up. So there had to be some method of spanning across the 3.14's engine bay with a bridge of some sort, that would hold a Come-A-Long that would bear the weight of the pieces that have to come off the engine. I built this device and call it:

The Ms. American 3.14159 Engine Bay Bridge.

Here are some photos of that Engine Bay Bridge.

This first JPG is of one of the bases.

The bases are Black, and are made of "I" beams made of 1.5" marine plywood with .75" marine plywood flanges. They have caster wheels at each end. The bracing is Process Blue 1 X 4s, and hold the Red uprights, which are "I" beams made with 2 X 4 webs, and 1 X 4 flanges. The Red uprights are held to the Black bases by the Blue bracing, and the assembly is held together with Carriage Bolts, and Wing Nuts.



The next four JPGs are of the connection of the 10.-0" wide Top Beam, Cross Bar, which is 2.25" X 2.25" X .25" thick wall square tubing which is held to the Red uprights by Carriage Bolts, and 7/8" tubing braces. All connections are held in place with Carriage Bolts and Wing Nuts.









This last JPG is of the connection in the middle of the Square Tube Cross Beam. The Square tubing was two 5'-0" pieces with square tubing 90 degree pieces welded to each end of the 5'-0" long pieces. They are held together with 9/16" bolts, sheet metal covers, and .75" X .75" Angle Iron reinforcing.



I would have gotten more JPGs posted, but the lighting in the room was poor, and the other JPGs didn't turn out well. I'll try to get some more of them tomorrow morning when the lighting is better.

Anyway, I've calculated that the Engine Bay Bridge will easily hold 1,000 pound, which is WAAAAY more than what is going to have be lifted with it.

As you can see, things are moving right along. I'm getting "Lorrie Van Haul" (a 1967 Dodge P200 Mail Van with a 225 CI Slant Six engine, and Automatic Transmission)

1967 Dodge Mail Van

up and running so that I'll have transport and won't have to hurry the work on the 3.14 to get finished before the food runs out.

Anyway, hope your 4th of July weekend is going fantastically.

Everyone, HANG IN THERE!

JC

That thing looks AWESOME!

Thanks for the pics!

That looks like it should do the trick JC! Btw, Lorrie is just a cute lil box isn't she. Makes me think of something cheech and chong would ride in back in the day. Then again, who knows, maybe they did?!
Maybe it needs some big floppy ears like the rig in Dumb and Dumber.

I was bit slow in replying. Been dying the last couple days and doing nothing but laying in bed really. Fever etc and now add losing a leg. Got some weird rash on my shin and feels like it goes to the bone and can't hardly stand on it when I first stand up. Probably hit the E-room if it doesn't improve by tomorrow. Didn't hit it or anything and started out a little sore then pink then like the pony kicked me again there and now red and more painfull. I've sure become a woose in my older age! LOL

Originally Posted by FEandGoingBroke

That thing looks AWESOME!

Hey Gary,
It is "STOUT". I can (at 175 pounds) do chin-ups at the middle of it, and it doesn't even "see" my weight. There's absolutely NO flexing of the cross bar. The 1,000 lb capacity is conservative. It would probably hold a ton without a problem.

Thanks for the pics!

You are welcome for sure.

At the present, it is sitting (as you can see) in the living room. And all it has to hold up is wet T-Shirts that I take off when I come in from working on the vehicles (or whatever else I do).

Hope you and Karen are having a wondermus weekend.

Hang in there.

JC

Originally Posted by ShotRod64

That looks like it should do the trick JC!

Hey mon Deb,
I have little doubt about it.

Btw, Lorrie is just a cute lil box isn't she.

Lorrie is just a "sweet" little lady. Never grumbles, never complains, even though she has had some serious problems (cracked exhaust manifold, electrical malfunctions, and stuff like that), she still went ahead and performed admirably, knowing that I would "fix" her at the first opportunity.

Makes me think of something Cheech and Chong would ride in back in the day. Then again, who knows, maybe they did?!

No C&C, but I did smoke a bong (that I had earlier smoked with Mike Pinder, the Melotron player with the MoodyBlues) while going across the Golden Gate Bridge! I look back on things like that and have to just smile and shake my head.

Maybe it needs some big floppy ears like the rig in Dumb and Dumber.

I can see it all now! Actually, once when it was all painted nicely, and was in GREAT trim, I got into a conversation with a guy who asked if it was a military vehicle. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to kind of egg him on, and so I told him that it was: "The Stealth Bomber's Chase Truck". He asked what that meant. I told him that whenever the Stealth Bomber had a problem, that it would land, and that Lorrie would bring the parts to get it flying again. AND that THAT'S what I was doing wherever we were, and that the Stealth Bomber was "right over there" (and I pointed off at a clump of trees). Well, the guy looked at where I was pointing, and said: "I don't see any Stealth Bomber!". And I said: 'Well, of course NOT! That's why they call it a "Stealth Bomber" because it just blends in with whatever it's around. I mean, if it's in a forest, it looks like a forest. If it's in the mountains it looks like a mountain, and if..." And at this point the guy realized that I was putting him on, and he just shook his head, and walked away!

Anyway, I may do some little stuff on Lorrie today, but mostly I think I'm just going to cool it.

Hope this finds YOU feeling better. Hang in there girlfrin.

JC

You are so mean picking on that guy about the stealth bomber. I'm sure "the devil made you do it"! LOL

We are all paying for all the fun we had when we were younger. It was a blast though wasn't it?!

Is that really an area rug in your shop I see?

Originally Posted by ShotRod64

You are so mean picking on that guy about the stealth bomber. I'm sure "the devil made you do it"! LOL

Hey mon Deb,
I have a terrible reputation for occasionally putting people up. I maintain that my mother must have been frightened by a stand-up comedian while she was carrying me! And I don't believe in the Devil. That's superstitious, and being superstitious brings "Baaaad Luck"!

We are all paying for all the fun we had when we were younger.

You really think so?

It was a blast though wasn't it?!

Well, here in my "golden" years, I seem to have paid off any "fun debt" because I haven't got anything very painful going on. I didn't get past having a serious health issue, but what I DID get doesn't have any "painful" circumstances. And that's what makes it so deadly... One generally doesn't even notice it until it's too late. Fortunately, they found my health problem quite by accident just as it had started, and that's why I may outlive my MDeities. Wouldn't THAT be a "kick in the head?" (Frank Sinatra)

Anyway, did you go get your leg looked at?

Hope you are well.

JC

Originally Posted by mustang42782

Is that really an area rug in your shop I see?

Hey Mr.M427,
Shop? I don't have no steenkin' "shop".

I rebuild carburetors in the kitchen, and Engine Bay Bridges in the living room which is carpeted and throw-rugged. Also, I do "parts-storage" in the Therapy Tub Room, and the Laundry Area. And I do most of the painting in the Green House!

Another thing I DON'T have is a WIFE, though earlier in my life I was happily married for two years, which isn't a very good record, seeing as to how I was married for eleven years.

Come to think of it though, it WOULD be nice to have a "shop".

Hope you are having a WONDERFUL last day of a holiday weekend.

JC

Nancy Grace would be airing that for weeks like she does so many other segments! lol

I think drinking the vodka would be better. I've had lots of poison oak and such and am one big skin rash person but never had one like this turn up or be as painful. I have a very high pain tolerance and standing after laying for a while nearly brings tears to my eyes. More like a broke it or something than just a rash! It looks much better this morning but still have to grab the ice pack to put on it before I can stand on it initially. Hopefully I don't spend much time in the ER this time round just for them to look.

Vicodin just knocks me out for 12 hrs, i'm right to sleep! So when I asked if they could give me something else he said try just half of one so I did that and that was much better. I still have some left from when I had 3 teeth pulled not long ago. I took one and said forget that and took ibuprofen instead. I didn't even fill the one prescription i got even. Normally I take nothing for teeth being pulled but since there were 3 I did for a couple days this time round. Another getting old symptom maybe. LOL

Hey, one thing about the vodka though, it doesn't stink like the alcohol would. LOL

Oh and the wrist band hospitals always put on you...it was bright green. LOL

I think after you read this I should delete all this health stuff. Doesn't quite fit with galaxies or even Fords for that matter other than it's my gas pedal leg.