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1956 Ford F100 - Totally TubularNo Limit Fabs Mod Engine Headers From the February, 2009 issue of Custom Classic Trucks By D.Brian Smith Photography by D.Brian Smith
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One somewhat smoggy, late-September morning, we sped along the freeways to No Limit Engineering in San Bernardino, California. CCT planned to shoot a bunch of photos for its second installment on the progress of the '56 Ford F-100 giveaway truck, which will be won by some lucky 28th Annual F-100 SuperNationals and Ford Family Reunion attendee (May 18-20, 2006). When we spoke with No Limit founder Rob MacGregor about what he and his crew would be working on, he was somewhat vague. Our curiosity was piqued. We well remembered the work that transpired the first time we visited No Limit. Like our first visit, we burned through a digital flash card (over 500 photos) and depleted more than one camera battery in a day. We came away with not one, but three sets of photos and copious notes for tech stories on the rapidly emerging Effie. On this occasion, we watched No Limit Engineering fabricate custom tubular exhaust headers for a Sullivan Performance Products-built Ford 4.6L modular engine. Since the Ford 4.6L and 5.4L modular engines are so wide, they don't fit easily within a stock F-100 engine bay and chassis, let alone a unique No Limit tubular chassis. From sheetmetal and Chevy polyurethane tubular mounts, No Limit fabricated custom engine mounts, rather than attempt to modify the cumbersome factory Ford engine mounts. Just as Rob played shy with us when we planned the photo shoot, we'll keep you in suspense on what they'll be creating next. In the meantime, see how the pros fabricate high-performance parts-and put 'em all together-for the Ford Racing-themed '56 F-100 hot rod hauler.  The crew at No Limit Engineering...  The crew at No Limit Engineering made much headway with the '56 Ford F-100 28th Annual SuperNationals giveaway truck. Find out how the talented technicians fabricated custom headers and engine mounts for the Sullivan Performance Products-built Ford Racing 4.6L modular engine by reading on.  Sticking out too far, large,...  Sticking out too far, large, and cumbersome, an original F-100 engine mount wastes valuable engine-bay space. The 4.6L modular Ford engine is wider than a 302- or 351ci Ford, but shorter in length.  Using the Flowjet, No Limit...  Using the Flowjet, No Limit made two engine-mount adapter plates that could be used with more compact, polyurethane-comprised tubular Chevy engine mounts.  No Limit founder Rob MacGregor...  No Limit founder Rob MacGregor bolted the Chevy engine mount to the plate.  Prior to installation on the...  Prior to installation on the engine block, the plate and polyurethane tubular engine mount have to be put together. Much narrower than a stock engine mount, the custom component doesn't permit access to the bolts between the engine block and engine-mount plates.  To accommodate one of the...  To accommodate one of the engine-mount bolts, a tiny section of the engine block had to be clearanced.  Rob installed the engine ...  Rob installed the engine mount.  Accordingly, the Chevy tubular...  Accordingly, the Chevy tubular engine-mount bolts will fit in these two receptacles on the No Limit Engineering custom tubular chassis.  Before fitting the engine...  Before fitting the engine and trans into the chassis, the BeBop's Glass Works '56 F-100 fiberglass cab floor had to be cut to allow room for the Tremec T56 six-speed manual transmission.  To hold the rear of the Tremec...  To hold the rear of the Tremec transmission, No Limit Engineering designed and fabricated a four-point tubular trans bridge. Fantastic!  After lowering the Tremec...  After lowering the Tremec T56 into position, the four sleeves in the No Limit tubular chassis reveal where the trans bridge is bolted into place.  Using the header gaskets as...  Using the header gaskets as a guide, Rob programmed the shape of the header flanges in the Flowjet. He cut two .090-inch-thick aluminum test pieces (one shown), before cutting the two 3/8-inch-thick steel flanges. The aluminum pieces took 1 minute to cut and drill in the Flowjet-18 minutes for the 3/8-inch-thick steel flanges.  After creating the header...  After creating the header flanges, eight tubes need to be made, which transition from a 1 5/8-inch-diameter circle to the flanges' oval openings.  From solid steel stock, Rob...  From solid steel stock, Rob whittled a buck. He used the 20-ton press to change the shape of the 1 5/8-inch-diameter tube stock from a circle to an oval, and repeated the process seven more times.  Using a hammer, he fine-tuned...  Using a hammer, he fine-tuned the oval opening of each transition piece.  TIG welding the transitions...  TIG welding the transitions to the header flanges came next.  While the steel was still...  While the steel was still hot and malleable from welding, Rob used the air chisel to seal the transition pieces to the flanges.  Wielding his TIG torch, Rob...  Wielding his TIG torch, Rob completed the transition-piece welds.  With the header flange held...  With the header flange held fast in a vise, he cut the transition pieces the same length using a reciprocating saw.  Made from 1 1/2-inch-diameter...  Made from 1 1/2-inch-diameter tubing, Rob hammered the circular end of the transition pieces back to round, which were made out of round from the press (for the oval side).  To prepare the transition...  To prepare the transition pieces for welding, Rob used the flat file.  He next lowered the engine...  He next lowered the engine and transmission into the chassis, affixed the engine-mount bolts, and temporarily installed the trans bridge.  In anticipation of fabricating...  In anticipation of fabricating the passenger-side header tubes, Rob installed the header flange.  No Limit uses bendable aluminum...  No Limit uses bendable aluminum TIG wire, all the same length, to serve as templates for how the four header tubes should be shaped. Rob taped each wire end to the transition piece and bent the wires into optimal form.  After making the four wire...  After making the four wire forms, No Limit's founder began to build the fourth header tube (counting from right to left on the passenger side). He realized the short piece should be 5/8 inch from the transition tube.  Better than SWAG (smart wise-ass...  Better than SWAG (smart wise-ass guess), Rob used the Hawaiian "hang loose" hand sign to measure how long the next piece of header pipe should be.  He marked the 1 5/8-inch-diameter...  He marked the 1 5/8-inch-diameter tube for cutting.  With the pipe held firmly...  With the pipe held firmly in the vise, the Milwaukee reciprocating saw went through the new steel swiftly.  By marking where the tack-welds...  By marking where the tack-welds should be, he can weld the two tubes at the proper angle.  Prior to tack-welding, the...  Prior to tack-welding, the No Limit engineer confirmed the two pieces fit the TIG aluminum-wire template.  On the workbench Rob tack-welded...  On the workbench Rob tack-welded tube No. 4 together. After approximately 11 inches, each header tube steps up from 1 5/8-inch diameter to 1 3/4-inch diameter. Welding two different-diameter tubes together prevents exhaust reversion, as there's a built-in barrier (step) within each header tube.  Since the header tubes would...  Since the header tubes would be coming back off the flange for the final weld, Rob lightly tack-welded tube No. 4 on the flange. He continued the fabrication process on the passenger side...  ...meanwhile, Mike laid down...  ...meanwhile, Mike laid down finish TIG welds on each driver-side header tube.  All cleaned up, the finished...  All cleaned up, the finished tubes will become a well-engineered sculpture, once they're welded to the driver-side header flange.  Reading left to right on the...  Reading left to right on the driver side, Rob commenced to tack-weld header tube No. 1.  Header tubes that are equivalent...  Header tubes that are equivalent in length and engineered so fastidiously provide ideal engine breathability and achieve more power-sweet music to any hot rod hauler's heart (and right foot). For both the driver and passenger sides, the headers are designed to have the first and fourth header tubes run inside, while the middle two tubes snake to the outside.  After tack-welding the four...  After tack-welding the four tubes to the flange, he confirmed the brake-pedal arm cleared the pipes. Rob also verified the steering shaft needled between the tubes and didn't interfere with any metal surfaces when being turned (diagonal shaft to the left of the brake-pedal arm).  Before removing the driver-side...  Before removing the driver-side tack-welded headers from the engine block, the engine had to be lifted slightly with the cherry picker. Rob delivered the pipes to Mike so he could fully TIG seam-weld them.  So that the collector would...  So that the collector would not interfere with the No Limit tubular chassis, Rob shortened the single 2 1/2-inch pipe end with the reciprocating saw.  Before welding the four header...  Before welding the four header tubes to the collector, a star is welded between them. Doing so enables the fabricator to create a fully sealed set of headers-eliminating the possibility of an exhaust leak.  Once he'd welded the star...  Once he'd welded the star and tubes completely together, Rob tapped the tubes tight to prepare them to receive the 4-into-1 collector.  He pushed and tapped the collector...  He pushed and tapped the collector onto the tube ends.  Slowly and deliberately, Rob...  Slowly and deliberately, Rob laid down an even TIG seam weld all around the tubes and collector.  On the 2.5-inch-diameter flange...  On the 2.5-inch-diameter flange opening, he created a seam weld. The flange gasket will bite around the seam weld when tightened, which will prevent exhaust leaks.  The driver-side seam weld...  The driver-side seam weld.  Called A Bundle of Snakes,...  Called A Bundle of Snakes, in the mid to late '60s, Shelby American Racing fabricated headers for its multiple-award-winning Le Mans 24 Hours Ford GT40 racecars. We hereby christen No Limit's creation simply: Sweet Pipes.  Even with the Ford F-150 alternator...  Even with the Ford F-150 alternator taking up space at the front of the wide modular engine, the handsome headers fit fine. Watch for the next tech article on the F-100 SuperNationals giveaway '56 F-100 in upcoming issues of CCT. You're sure to be inspired, informed, and impressed!
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The Thinker??? - Haul Monitor
Ryan talks about the friendly badgering that goes on around the shop and overcoming obstacles that seemly pop up out of nowhere during a project....
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