Parts Used In This Episode

Dupli-Color
Paint, Engine, Enamel with Ceramic Resin, Gloss, Black, 12 oz., Aerosol, Each
Holley
Carburetor, 4 Barrel, Holley Gen 3 Ultra Dominator, Gasoline - Dual Inlet, 1,150 CFM, Tumble Polished, Each
Hooker Headers
Headers, Super Competition, Full-Length, Steel, Ceramic Coated, Ford, Mercury, 429, 460, Pair
March Performance
Pulley Kit, Serpentine, Aluminum, Clear Powdercoated, Ford, Big Block, 385 Series, Kit
Meziere Enterprises,Inc.
Flexplate, 164-Tooth, SFI 29.2, Ford, Big Block, Each
Milodon
Oil Pan, Steel, Gold Iridite, 8 qt., Ford, 429/460, Fits Pre-1973 Front Sump Chassis, Each
NOS
Nitrous Oxide System, Big Shot, Wet, 190-300 hp, 10 lb. Bottle, Blue, Dominator 4500, 4-Barrel, Kit
Summit Racing
Radiator and Fan Shroud Combo, Dual Fan, 10 in. Diameter, Aluminum Shroud, Radiator Cap, Brackets, Kit
Trick Flow Specialties
Cylinder Head, PowerPort 325, CNC Comp Ported, Assy, 78cc CNC Chambers, Ford 429/460, Each
Trick Flow Specialties
Intake Manifold, R-Series, Aluminum, Single Quad, High Rise, Dominator Flange, Fits Ford 429/460 Heads, Each
Trick Flow Specialties
Rocker Arms, 1.73 Ratio, 7/16 in. Stud, Full Roller Design, Aluminum, Ford 351C, 351M/400, and 429/460, Set 16
Trick Flow Specialties
Valve Covers, Tall Height, Cast Aluminum, Black Powdercoated, Ford 429/460, Pair
Comp Cams
Custom Grind Hyd. Roller Cam
Eagle Specialty Products
Eagle Specialty Products 557 Ford Rotating Assembly W/Mahle piston, King bearings
ESAB
The Official Welding and Cutting Supplier of Detroit Muscle featuring the all-new Rebel 215 Multi-Process Welder
Monster Transmission and Performance
Mega Monster Transmission, Ford, C6, Custom, W/10" 19-2300 Stall Converter
RockAuto.com
Engine Mounts Left/Right
RockAuto.com
Remanufactured Starter
The Industrial Depot
The Industrial Depot - Fasteners, Hardware, and Shop Supplies
WD-40 Specialist
Aerosol, 12 oz., lubricant, water dispersant, penetrant, protectant

Video Transcript

(ANNOUNCER)>> TODAY ON DETROIT MUSCLE WE'RE GONNA CLASS IT UP WITH A NEW PROJECT CAR THAT'S ALL ABOUT THE SIZE. PLUS TAKE A GANDER AT THE 1,100 HORSES THAT WE'RE PLUGGING INTO IT.

[ ENGINE REVVING ]

(TOMMY)>> IF YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING THE SHOW, WHICH YOU SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW THAT THE LAST FEW CARS WE BUILT HAVE BEEN PONY CAR PROJECTS FROM EACH OF THE BIG THREE. THESE CARS ARE SMALL AND NIMBLE, AND THEY PRESENT AN OPPORTUNITY TO THROW A GOOD AMOUNT OF POWER INTO A LIGHT PACKAGE. [ ENGINE REVVING ]

(MARC)>> BUT WE FEEL LIKE IT'S TIME TO CHANGE THINGS UP A BIT. AFTER ALL, THE ORIGINAL EARLY '60'S MUSCLE CARS WERE ALL MUCH LARGER THAN ANY PONY PLATFORMS THAT CAME LATER ON. AND THAT TRADITION CONTINUED WELL INTO THE

'70'S WITH HUGE DISPLACEMENT POWER PLANTS, WHICH WERE MARRIED TO CLASS AND LUXURY, YES SIR!

( )>> OH YEAH GIRL! YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT OUR 1972 MERCURY MARQUIS BROUGHAM! UM HMM! THE INSIDE OF THIS BABY IS BIG ENOUGH FOR ALL YOUR FRIENDS, AND YOU AIN'T GONNA WANT US TO GO BECAUSE WHEN WE DO SO DOES THE PARTY BABY! BUT THAT'S NOT ALL SHE'S GOT GOING ON. THAT'S 19 FEET OF PURE FEVER, BIGGER THAN ANY CAR WE'VE EVER WORKED ON. THIS RIDE FLOATS DOWN THE ROAD LIKE AN ANGEL ON A CLOUD, AND THAT ILLUSTRIOUS 429 SINGS LIKE ONE TOO.

MMM, MMM!

(TOMMY)>> WELL WE GOT OUR BIG OLE MERCURY IN THE

SHOP AND WE'RE READY TO GET STARTED ON IT. AND I KNOW THAT THIS PLATFORM ISN'T WHAT WE NORMALLY KICK ON HERE IN THE SHOP, BUT WE'VE GOT SOME PRETTY BIG PLANS FOR IT AND WE'RE GONNA CALL IT "THE HIGHWAYMAN". THE REASON FOR THAT, IN THE 1960'S AND ENDING IN '70 MERCURY PRODUCED THE MARAUDER.

NOW IN '69 AND '70 THEY SHARE THE SAME PLATFORM AS

THIS CAR, AND THEY MADE ABOUT 20,000 OF THOSE AND THEY WERE POWERED BY EITHER THE 390 OR THAT BIG OLE 429. AND A ANOTHER WORD FOR MARAUDER IS HIGHWAYMAN.

(MARC)>> NOW IN ORDER FOR OUR MERC TO LIVE UP TO THAT OUTLAW NAME WE'VE GIVEN IT, IT REALLY NEEDS TO BRING THE THUNDER WHEN IT COMES TO POWER OUTPUT, AND ALL THAT REVOLVES AROUND THIS BABY RIGHT HERE. THIS IS A 557 CUBIC INCH BIG BLOCK THAT THE GUYS DOWN IN ENGINE POWER BUILT A WHILE BACK. WITH THIS WE'RE SKIPPING ALL THE CONVENTIONAL POWER PLANT POSSIBILITIES AND GOING STRAIGHT TO THE

NUCLEAR OPTION.

JUST HOW NUCLEAR ARE WE TALKING? HOW ABOUT ALMOST 1,100 HORSEPOWER. THEY STARTED OUT WITH A 460 BLOCK, AN EAGLE ROTATING ASSEMBLY, SOME TRICK FLOW 325 POWER PORT HEADS ALONG WITH THEIR "R" SERIES MANIFOLD TOPPED OFF WITH A HOLLEY 1,150 DOMINATOR. OH AND THEY FLUNG A BIG OLE SHOT OF NITROUS AT IT TOO. THE BLOCK IS BORED 80 OVER AND A SET OF FORGED RODS

ALONG WITH FORGED PISTONS ROUNDED OUT THE BOTTOM END. A SOLID ROLLER CAM, DOUBLE ROLLER TIMING SET, AND TRICK FLOW ONE POINT SEVENTHREE RATIO ROCKERS BROUGHT IT ALL TOGETHER.

(TOMMY)>> BUT ONCE IT WAS IN THE DYNO ROOM THAT'S WHEN THINGS GOT REALLY IMPRESSIVE.

THEY MADE ALL OF THEIR PULLS ON 93 OCTANE PUMP GAS AND STARTING WITH 30 DEGREES OF TOTAL TIMING. THEY MADE SOME NATURALLY ASPIRATED RUNS. [ ENGINE POWER ]

(MIKE)>> YES SIR, 754.

(PAT)>> 664 FOR TORQUE.

(MIKE)>> THAT IS AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME.

(MARC)>> THEN THEY PLUGGED IN AN NOS BIG SHOT KIT AND JETTED IT FOR 225 HORSEPOWER.

THE TIMING WAS DROPPED TO 22 DEGREES TO ACCOMMODATE THE NITROUS. [ ENGINE REVVING ]

(PAT)>> THAT WAS BIG, THAT WAS BIG FOR TORQUE. I SAW BIG TORQUE NUMBERS.

(MIKE)>> SO BIG IT'S OFF THE GRAPH. LET'S RESCALE IT.

(PAT)>> IT'S OFF THE GRAPH.

(MIKE)>> 1,031 ON POWER, 996 POUND FEET OF TORQUE.

(TOMMY)>> ONCE THEY CHECKED THE PLUGS AND BUMPED THE NITROUS SHOT UP TO 300 ALONG WITH PULLING TIMING TO 19 DEGREES. WHAT DID THAT MAKE? [ ENGINE REVVING ]

(MIKE)> 1,080 ON POWER, 1,119 POUND FEET.

(TOMMY)>> ALL THAT WAS DONE ON PUMP GAS.

SO NEEDLESS TO SAY, EVEN WITH A CAR THIS SIZE AND THAT MUCH POWER, WELL THIS DUDE IS GONNA BOGIE, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE REST OF THE CAR CAN HANDLE ALL THAT POWER.

(MARC)>> THAT'S RIGHT BECAUSE THE 429 THAT CAME FROM THE FACTORY IS ONLY MAKING AROUND 200 HORSEPOWER, AND BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE THROWING OVER FIVE TIMES THAT MUCH POWER AT IT WE'VE GOT SOME WORK TO DO.

(TOMMY)>> THE NEXT THING THAT WE'VE GOT TO DO IS GET ALL THAT OLD JUNK OUT OF THE WAY.

(MARC)>> NOW I KNOW THIS PAN MAY LOOK LIKE IT'S ON BACKWARDS BUT I PROMISE YOU THAT IT'S NOT. OUR CAR REQUIRES A FRONT SUMP PAN BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF THE CROSS MEMBER.

THE PAN THAT WAS ON THIS ENGINE WAS A REAR SUMP. SO WE GOT A NEW PICK UP, NEW PAN FROM SUMMIT RACING, AND WE WENT AHEAD AND GOT THOSE INSTALLED.

(TOMMY)>> NOW WHENEVER YOU'RE MAKING THE POWER LEVEL THAT WE ARE YOU'VE GOT TO THINK DOWN STREAM JUST A BIT, KINDA LIKE THE TRANSMISSION, BECAUSE IF IT WON'T HOLD IT WELL THAT'S A WHOLE LOT OF WORK FOR NOTHING. SO WE WENT WITH A MEGA MONSTER FROM MONSTER TRANSMISSION. THIS THING'S HAD A BOATLOAD OF INTERNAL WORK DONE TO IT TO ACCEPT THAT BIG POWER NUMBER, KINDA LIKE A RECALIBRATED VALVE BODY, CUSTOM MACHINED PARTS TO ACCEPT MORE CLUTCHES, AND A CUSTOM ACCUMULATOR. AND THIS PIECE IS GONNA DO MORE THAN JUST GET THE JOB DONE FOR US. ANOTHER IMPORTANT PIECE TO THE PUZZLE IS THE TORQUE CONVERTER. SO WE WENT WITH A 1,900 TO 2,300 STALL HD 10 INCH CONVERTER.

NOW THIS THING'S TAILORED FIT TO MEET OUR SPECIFICATIONS. IT COMES WITH EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO DO THE INSTALL INCLUDING THE FLUID AND THE DIP STICK, AND IT'S JUST ABOUT TIME FOR US TO BOLT THIS TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE TOGETHER.

(ANNOUNCER)>> COMING UP WE'LL PLUG IN THAT NASTY BIG BLOCK AND SHOW YOU HOW HEADERS ARE ABLE TO FREE UP POWER.

(MARC)>> NOW I KNOW WHY THEY CALL THESE THINGS FLEX PLATES. ANYWAY WE GOT OUR BLOCK PLATE REINSTALLED AND WE GOT THIS NEW FLEX PLATE FROM MAZERE. IT'S BILLET STEEL AND IT'S ZERO BALANCE, WHICH IS PERFECT BECAUSE OUR ENGINE IS INTERNALLY BALANCED. WE FOUND SOME ARP BOLTS, GOT THOSE THINGS TORQUED TO SPECS.

(TOMMY)>> NOW WE'RE READY TO TIE THESE TWO TOGETHER.

(MARC)>> ALRIGHT, A LITTLE BIT. ALRIGHT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO GO UP SOME. COME ON, COME ON!

WE NEEDED NEW MOTOR MOUNTS AND A STARTER. SO WE WENT TO ROCK AUTO DOT COM TO GET THOSE.

(TOMMY)>> ALRIGHT GUYS YOU MIGHT NOTICE THAT THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE BAY HERE LOOKS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN IT DID BEFORE. WE WENT AHEAD AND DID QUITE A BIT OF CLEANING AND SPRAYED ON SOME FLAT BLACK. THAT WAY WHEN WE DROP THAT BIG PIECE OF JEWELRY OFF INTO THAT HOLE IT'S GONNA LOOK REALLY NICE IN THERE.

(MARC)>> LOOKS GOOD!

WE'VE SAID IT BEFORE AND WE'LL SAY IT AGAIN, THESE ENGINE TILTERS ARE A LIFE SAVER WHEN IT COMES TO SWAPPING ENGINES AND TRANSMISSIONS. THEY LET YOU ANGLE THE TAIL OF THAT TRANS DOWN TO GET INTO THE TUNNEL, AND MAKE EASIER TO KEEP THE OIL PAN OFF YOUR SHEET METAL.

(TOMMY)>> IT'S NOT EVERY DAY THAT YOU GET TO SEE WHAT A GUSSIED UP MOTOR LIKE THIS LOOKS LIKE SITTING IN A BIG OLE LAND YACHT, BUT TODAY IS THE DAY.

WE MAY HAVE TO MASSAGE IT.

NOW WITH THAT BIG STROKER MOTOR SITTING AT HOME LOOKING ALL NICE AND PRETTY IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON TOWARD THE EXHAUST.

NOW ORIGINALLY OUR CAR CAME WITH EXHAUST MANIFOLDS BUT WITH THAT HIGHLY MODIFIED ENGINE IF WE WERE TO USE THEM THEY WOULDN'T BE DOING US ANY FAVORS. SO WE OPTED FOR A SET OF THESE LONG TUBE HEADERS FROM HOOKER, AND THESE ARE ORIGINALLY DESIGNED TO FIT AN EARLY '70'S TORINO, BUT WE WENT AHEAD AND TRIAL FIT THEM AND THEY'RE GONNA WORK FOR US JUST FINE.

(MARC)>> NOW MOST OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY ALWAYS HEARD THAT HEADERS WILL HELP YOU MAKE MORE POWER, BUT YOU'RE NOT SURE WHY OR HOW THAT WORKS. WELL ONE PART OF IT IS FREEING UP AIR FLOW BUT THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN THAT.

(TOMMY)>> ON A FACTORY STYLE EXHAUST MANIFOLD THE PASSAGE WAYS ARE TYPICALLY A RUDIMENTARY DESIGN AND ARE SIMPLY THERE TO PROVIDE A ROOT FOR THE EXHAUST GASES TO EXIT TOWARD THE TAIL PIPE.

THE PROBLEM WITH THIS IS DUE TO THE TIMING OF THE EXHAUST PULSES THE COLLECTOR ON THE MANIFOLD CAN FORM A BOTTLE NECK AND MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR YOUR ENGINE TO PUSH EXHAUST GASES THROUGH THE SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'VE MADE MODIFICATIONS TO THE ENGINE.

(MARC)>> A GOOD SET OF HEADERS ARE DESIGNED AROUND THE TIMING OF THE PULSES. NOT ONLY ARE THE PRIMARY TUBES MUCH LARGER BUT EACH TUBE IS CALIBRATED WITH THE FIRING ORDER OF THE ENGINE ACCOUNTED FOR. THEY ALLOW THE PULSES TO PASS THROUGH THE COLLECTOR WITHOUT CREATING A BOTTLE NECK, AND CAN EVEN PROVIDE THE ADDED BENEFIT OF A SMALL SCAVENGING EFFECT, WHICH PULLS THE SUCCEEDING PULSE THROUGH THE SYSTEM AFTER IT. TOGETHER THESE DIFFERENCES FREE UP THE EXHAUST FLOW, WHICH FREES UP MORE POWER.

(TOMMY)>> NOW THAT'S THE SHORT BUT SWEET VERSION BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF SCIENCE BEHIND MAKING A GOOD SET OF HEADERS. IT'S KINDA LIKE TYPICALLY YOU'RE GONNA MAKE MORE POWER WITH A LONG SET OF TUBES AS OPPOSED TO A SET OF SHORTIES, AND IT'S AN ALMOST GUARANTEE THAT YOU'RE GONNA MAKE MORE POWER WITH A SET OF

HEADERS THAN A SET OF THOSE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS.

(ANNOUNCER)>> STILL AHEAD CHECK OUT THE EYE CANDY WE'VE GOT TO GO UNDER THE HOOD OF THAT BIG MERCURY.

(MARC)>> HEY GUYS, WHILE YOU WERE GONE WE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND SWITCH OUT OUR VALVE COVERS. NOW THE REASON WE DID THAT IS BECAUSE THESE SHEET

METAL VALVE COVERS ARE REALLY BULKY AND THEY WERE REALLY CLOSE TO THE A/C BOX THERE IN THE BACK. SO I WENT AHEAD AND GOT SOME TAPERED ONES FROM TRICK FLOW. THEY'RE CAST AND THEY GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE ROOM IN THE BACK THERE SO WHEN THE ENGINE MOVES IT'S NOT GONNA GET INTO THAT CASE. NOW THE NEXT THING WE'RE GONNA DO IS GET SOME ACCESSORIES BOLTED ON HERE.

(TOMMY)>> TO GET ALL THAT DONE WE WENT TO SUMMIT RACING AND GOT US A FULL SERPENTINE SETUP FROM

MARCH PERFORMANCE, AND THIS KIT COMES WITH EVERYTHING YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO GET THE JOB DONE.

AND THIS ALMOST A MUST SINCE WE'RE PLUS 1,000 HORSEPOWER. OTHERWISE, WITH THOSE VGROOVED BELTS, WELL WE'D BE FIGHTING PUTTIN' THEM THINGS ON ALL THE TIME, BUT THE FIRST PIECE TO THIS PUZZLE IS INSTALLING THIS CRANK PULLEY. THIS IS A PRETTY SIMPLE DEAL. IT'S JUST THREE BOLTS THAT HOLD IT ONTO THE FRONT OF THE BALANCER. NOW IN THE CASE OF OUR ALTERNATOR WE'RE GOING TO REUSE THE STOCK ONE. SOME WD 40 WILL MAKE THE OLD PULLEY EASY TO GET OFF. WITH THAT OUT OF THE WAY WE'LL HIT IT WITH SOME BRAKE CLEANER TO GET ANY OF THE NASTY STUFF OFF OF THERE.

(MARC)>> THIS THING WOULD LOOK PRETTY GOOFY AS IT IS WITH ALL THOSE SHINY PIECES. SO WE NEED TO GET IT MASKED UP FOR PAINT. WITH THE TERMINALS GOOD AND PROTECTED WE'LL BUST OUT A CAN OF DUPLICOLOR ENGINE ENAMEL IN THE TRUSTY OLD BLACK VARIETY.

ONCE THAT'S DRIED FOR A LITTLE BIT WE CAN FLIP THE ALTERNATOR OVER AND FINISH SPRAYING IT.

AFTER A FEW MINUTES WE CAN UNMASK IT AND START INSTALLING THOSE SHINY BITS.

(TOMMY)>> WITH THE WATER PUMP READY TO GO ON, WE'LL LAY DOWN A BEAD OF SEALER ON THE MATING SURFACE, BEING SURE TO ACCOUNT FOR THE WATER PASSAGES WHILE WE'RE AT IT. WITH THE GASKET IN PLACE WE'LL TOSS ANOTHER BEAD DOWN FOR GOOD MEASURE. THEN PLUG IN OUR PUMP.

(MARC)>> NOW WE CAN INSTALL THAT PRETTIED UP ALTERNATOR USING THE BRACKETS PROVIDED IN THE KIT.

THEN THE WATER PUMP PULLEY CAN GO ONTO ITS NEW HOME.

OF COURSE WE NEED TO TOSS IN THE IDLERS, TENSIONERS, ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.

(TOMMY)>> ALRIGHT GUYS WE'RE READY TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT STEP OF THE PROCESS, WHICH WOULD BE INSTALLING THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND OUR A/C COMPRESSOR, BUT WE RUN INTO A SMALL SNAG IF YOU WILL, AND NO BIG SURPRISE. WE'RE CROSS BREEDING A GM PUMP TO THIS FORD HOSE, BUT WE'VE GOT TO ORDER AN ADAPTER. THAT'S NO REAL BIG DEAL BUT IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF DIGGING TO FIND OUT WHICH ONE WE'RE GONNA NEED EXACTLY. SO WE'LL CATCH YOU GUYS AFTER THE BREAK.

(ANNOUNCER)>> STICK AROUND AND WE'LL SHOW YOU HOW TO MODIFY A CROSS MEMBER TO WORK WITH BIG EXHAUST.

(MARC)>> HEY GUYS, WHILE YOU WERE GONE WE WENT AHEAD AND BUTTONED UP THE REST OF OUR BELT DRIVE AND WE WENT ON TO THE COOLING SYSTEM. NOW WE INSTALLED A RADIATOR/FAN COMBO FROM

SUMMIT RACING, AND WHAT YOU GET IS A TWO ROW ALUMINUM RADIATOR, SHROUD, THE FANS, EVEN GET A CONTROLLER WITH ALL THE WIRING, AND IT ONLY RUNS ABOUT $400 BUCKS, WHICH IS PRETTY GOOD.

(TOMMY)>> THE HEADERS WE CHOSE WERE FOR A TORINO, AND OUR CAR, WELL IT'S A FULL SIZE. THEY FIT BUT KINDA DIDN'T. WHERE THEY DIDN'T IS RIGHT HERE WHERE THE

COLLECTOR COMES OUT. IT'S KINDA RUNNING INTO OR INTERFERING WITH OUR CROSS MEMBER. NOW WE DIDN'T SHOW YOU THE INSTALLATION OF THE CROSS MEMBER BUT WHILE WE HAD IT OUT WE WENT AHEAD AND CLEANED IT UP AND SAND BLASTED IT CAUSE WE KNEW WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO DO SOME WELDING ON IT, AND HERE'S OUR PLAN OF ATTACK. SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS CUT IT ACROSS HERE AND ACROSS HERE, REMOVE THAT PIECE, AND THEN WELD IN A BIG HEAVY "U" AND MOVE THE "U" UP TOWARD THE BOTTOM OF THE FLOOR. NOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE CROSS MEMBER ITSELF BOUNCING AGAINST THE FLOOR PAN BECAUSE IT'S STATIONARY, BUT YOU DO WANT TO MOVE IT UP SO YOU CAN HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM FOR YOUR EXHAUST PIPE TO MOVE AROUND.

(MARC)>> WE'LL BUST OUT A SCREW JACK TO KEEP THE TRANSMISSION IN PLACE ONCE THE CROSS MEMBER HAS BEEN CUT. THEN A STRAIGHT EDGE HELPS TO MARK

THE CUTTING POINTS. SOME MASKING TAPE ON THE END OF THE HEADERS WILL KEEP US FROM SLINGING ANY SPARKS INTO THEM OR THE ENGINE. THEN WE'RE READY TO CUT. [ SAW CUTTING ]

(MARC)>> THE BULK OF THE CHOPPING CAN BE DONE WITH A CUTOFF WHEEL.

THEN WE'LL BUST OUT THE BODY SAW TO FINISH IT SINCE IT'S EASIER TO GET TO THE TOP LAYER OF METAL WITH THAT. [ SAW CUTTING ]

(TOMMY)>> MEASURE ACROSS THERE, 36 AND A QUARTER. NOW THIS IS THAT SERIOUS PIECE OF METAL THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. IT'S A PIECE OF FIVE INCH HALF INCH THICK ANGLE IRON.

NOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA USE IS A COUPLE OF PIECES OF THIS AND WELD IT TOGETHER TO MAKE OUR "U" SHAPED PIECE. YOU COULD USE A PIECE OF FLAT BAR, BUT THEN YOU'VE GOT TO BEND IT. NOT EVERYBODY HAS A WAY OF BENDING A PIECE OF METAL THAT LARGE. THE CROSS MEMBER ITSELF IS FOUR AND A HALF INCHES WIDE. SO WE'LL DUPLICATE THAT HERE. [ SAW CUTTING ]

(TOMMY)>> NOW OBVIOUSLY THIS IS TOO WIDE. SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF TRIMMING TO GET IT DOWN TO THAT SIX AND A QUARTER THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. NOW YOU COULD CUT IT JUST ONCE AND THEN TRY TO WELD IT UP.

THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS YOU DON'T HAVE ANY GOOD WAY TO KIND OF CLAMP IT IN PLACE AND IT'S GONNA PULL ON YOU. SO WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA HAVE TO CUT BOTH OF THEM TO GET OUR SIX AND A QUARTER.

[ SAW CUTTING ]

(TOMMY)>> I'M GONNA PUT A DOUBLE BEVEL ON HERE. WITH THE METAL BEING AS THICK AS IT IS, IT WILL HELP TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A NICE, STRONG JOINT. [ SAW CUTTING ]

(TOMMY)>> NOW WE'RE READY TO WELD

THIS GIANT PIECE OF METAL UP. NOW IF YOU WERE AT HOME AND YOU HAD A SMALLER WELDER, YOU COULD TAKE A TORCH AND PREHEAT THIS THING AND GET IT GOOD AND HOT, AND THAT'D HELP THE PENETRATION, BUT WE'VE GOT THOSE ESAB WELDERS AND THEY'LL PRACTICALLY WELD ANYTHING THAT'LL HOLD STILL LONG ENOUGH. ALSO WITH THIS BEING A PIECE OF HOT ROLLED, IT'S

ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA TO GRIND IT BACK TO THAT SHINY SIDE.

(MARC)>> A COUPLE OF CLAMPS ARE A GOOD IDEA TO KEEP YOUR PIECES HELD FLAT. WITH THE AMOUNT OF HEAT THAT'S BEING PUT INTO THEM, THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT THEY'LL TRY TO PULL ON YOU. THE WELDER IS TURNED UP PRETTY HIGH, AND ONE NICE THING ABOUT WELDING THICK METAL LIKE THIS IS THAT

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BABY IT NEAR AS MUCH AS

THAT THINNER STUFF.

(TOMMY)>> A PIECE OF CARDBOARD WILL MAKE A GOOD SHIM TO KEEP OUR NEW SECTION OFF OF THE FLOOR WHEN WE MARK OUR CUTOFF POINTS. WELL WE TRIMMED THAT THING OFF TO CUT OFF ALL THAT EXCESS THAT WAS HANGING DOWN. NOW WE JUST HAVE TO SET THIS UP HERE, WELD IT UP, AND IT'D BE THAT EASY. NOW THAT GIVES US PLENTY OF ROOM FOR OUR EXHAUST BUT THAT'LL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT TIME. SO YOU GUYS COME BACK AND SEE US.
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