Whew, it's been a while since I've had something new to share on the build. I've had a little more time to play with my mill, so I continued the work on the fuel tank saddles. These parts have been a great challenge to me. After making my share of mistakes, I've finally got a set of 4 that match, and are nice enough to use on my truck. These aren't quite done yet, but very close. Some minor machining is still necessary, but it's all the easier stuff from here on out. Usually the mistakes were stupid errors, but I'm glad to have gotten past all that! Anyway, to keep the build alive, here some photos.
One trial part for practice is milled out completely. I've got start working on ideas for the tank straps now. I have some good ideas, but I just need to see how they work out. I thought I would try making the straps out of brass strips, rolling an end, soldering it, and putting a t slot with a piece of threaded rod through it, so I could replicate the real method used on 1:1 tank straps, to tighten them up to the tank saddles. Seems easy enough. I have never soldered brass, so that will be new. If I use brass, I will either have to get the parts chromed, or paint them. I'm leaning more torward the paint, with a polished tank. I've seen it both ways.