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 The lower end of the Flaming...  The lower end of the Flaming River column allows for this arm to be "clocked" so that it will mount in just the right position for the stainless Kugel rod to shift gears correctly.  We weren't there when they...  We weren't there when they did it, but Wheeler's modified the top of the Flaming River column to accept the stock Merc steering wheel. As it involved a lathe and specialty tools to disassemble the column innards, it's probably not a job to tackle at home anyhow.  As with every step of this...  As with every step of this build, modifying the inner fenders to fit around the new upper suspension arms involved cutting into freshly painted parts.  One major area of parts interference...  One major area of parts interference involved the Fatman crossmember and the deep finned aluminum oil pan from Ardun Enterprises. The owner definitely wanted to use this pan, which meant modifications to both it and the crossmember. Much planning went into how best to achieve this, resulting in the decision to drop the crossmember enough to give sufficient oil pan clearance below the crankshaft and con-rods, but to also raise the front section of the sump and move the "step" rearward at the same time. We'll look at this in more depth next month.  With a cardboard pattern made...  With a cardboard pattern made to ensure everything would clear, it could then be used as a template from which to construct the new dropped center for the crossmember from 3/16-inch steel. The curves in the flat sections were formed in a press, using round bar stock, moving it in increments to create the desired shape.  The complex shapes meant the...  The complex shapes meant the result of modifying these panels belies the time invested in them. Here Humenik is working out how best to reuse some of the parts he previously cut out, in new positions.
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